That’s How I Spent My Birthday

With the ringing of the final school bell, the long-awaited summer holidays began. But that also meant that my birthday was coming up—specifically, it was tomorrow. Our final school trip was only a few weeks ago, but it felt like it happened yesterday.

As Karou and I walked home together, the fading sunlight casting a warm glow on our path, she turned towards me with a curious expression on her face and asked, “So, what do you want to do for your birthday?”

“I’m probably just going to stay at home.”

“Boo!”

“What?”

“You have to do something.”

“I’ll do something in two years when I’m twenty.”

That plan was scrapped when Karou woke me up the next day and ushered me out of bed.

“What do you want?”

“It’s your birthday!”

“I know that.”

“So, we’re going out to celebrate.”

“I told you I wanted to stay inside today.”

“No. I won’t allow it. Get up and get changed.”

Karou was persistent as always. There was no beating her when she set her mind on something, so I complied. What did she have planned? To be honest, the reason I didn’t want to celebrate my birthday was because I felt like I didn’t deserve to. While I would be out celebrating; my sister was in rehab, doing her best to get over her addiction, and my parents weren’t even here anymore. Am I allowed to be this happy?

During the vibrant days of summer, the town, once draped in the cool season of spring, was now busy with eager shoppers looking for the best summer deals and children using their free time to go play in the arcade. Colourful banners fluttered in the subtle wind, newly blossomed flowers brought forth a vibrant scent to the streets, and restaurants were struggling to deal with the number of hungry customers they were getting. Summer had taken over the town, a presence that welcomed tourists and locals alike to enjoy the heat.

As we arrived at the restaurant, the alluring aroma of freshly cooked dishes wafted through the air. Upon stepping inside, I was surprised to find a table filled with my friends.

“Hey, Sozen! Over here!”

Their cheerful smirks and chuckles hinted that they had planned this.

“Happy birthday!” Everyone shouted in unison.

Amidst the soft glow of restaurant lights, the chatter of laughter and the clinking of cutlery on plates filled the air. I was surrounded by my cherished friends, but I still felt somewhat empty. There was something missing. There was someone missing.

The bell on top of the entrance rang, and the sound of footsteps got closer. I turned around to find Sensei behind me in a white polo and tight black pants.

“Sensei!?”

“Yo, Kurosawa. Happy birthday.”

I was too stunned to thank her. What was Sensei doing here?

“You must be surprised to see me here,” she said, taking a seat next to me, “Nishida-san invited me.”

I looked at her, and she gave me a cheeky smile. I knew she had something to do with it. When did these two get so close?

We continued eating the plates of food displayed on the table. With Sensei here, the table was more interactive, and she was even making jokes that would make everyone burst into hysteria. It looked like Sensei fit right in with the crowd. While I felt a bit uncomfortable having Sensei here, the rest were enjoying her company and asking her personal questions, such as about her love life.

“Hey, Sensei. Do you have a boyfriend?”

“Ah, no. I don’t.”

“Really? But you’re so pretty.”

“I appreciate it. I guess I’m not good with men. But I was told once that they probably don’t have good taste in women.”

I realised that she was quoting what I said to her when we met at the barbecue place and hid behind my glass.

“But do you have a crush?”

“Actually…”

Wait. Sensei has a crush on someone. I wonder who it could be. If I were her age or if she were mine, I would have married her in a heartbeat.

“Oh my god. Sensei’s in love!”

So she’s interested in someone. Maybe I should ask their name. No! That wouldn’t be polite.

“Could you tell us who it is? Just tell us the first letter of their given name at least.”

I couldn’t believe someone actually asked that question. Sensei hesitated before responding, “S.”

The letter S! It couldn’t be me, could it? No, I’m reaching too far. We’re student and teacher; it could never work. Besides, Sozen isn’t the only name that starts with that letter. It could be Satoshi, or Sora, or Satorou. It could even be a non-Japanese name like Sam or Steward.

“I wouldn’t say it’s a crush; it’s more like I’m interested in someone.”

“That’s basically a crush.”

“No, it isn’t. And besides, I doubt they feel the same way about me because of how different we are. Anyway, enough about my love life; let’s move onto a different topic.”

The party carried on until the afternoon. By the time we left the restaurant, everyone was either completely stuffed or still energetic. Everyone said their goodbyes, leaving Sensei, Karou, and me alone.

“Thank you for coming, Sensei.

“Of course.”

“And I’m really sorry Karou dragged you here.”

“It was my choice to come. I enjoyed my time here. Ah, yes. I forgot to give you my gift.”

“Oh, you didn’t really need to. I mean, you already came all this—“

I felt something soft brush against my forehead, leaving a delicate imprint of warmth that sent a flurry of emotions cascading through me.

“Sensei…”

“It’s something my family and I do as a gesture of good fortune. Happy birthday, Kurosawa.”

Sensei walked away, leaving me frozen in place, confused by what had just happened.

“Sozen.”

I turned around to see Karou with her arms crossed, piercingly staring at me.

A few minutes later, we arrived back home. As I was removing my shoes, I heard a noise coming from the living room. The lights were also on, but I was certain I had turned them off before leaving.

“Someone’s here.” I whispered to Karou.

Heart racing, we tiptoed through the dimly lit house, the floor creaking beneath our feet. With an umbrella in hand, I swiftly turned around the corner, prepared to swing.

“Yo, little brother.”

My eyes widened as I saw my sister standing in the middle of the room.

“I’m home.”

Face-to-face with each other, our eyes locked in a timeless moment of recognition. A cascade of emotions that were held back for so long were finally released. We bridged the gap between us, arms enveloping us in a tender reunion. Karou stepped in with a freshly lit cake in hand.

“Surprise. This is why I wanted us to go out and eat with the others.”

For the first time in a while, I felt happy. My sister had returned home; this was the best birthday present I could receive.