Matcha's birthday

As May rolled around, so too did Matcha's birthday on May 2nd.

Matcha sighed as everyone gathered around her. "Must you celebrate my birthday like this?"

"Yeah, now eat your yakisoba," Rika grinned.

"Still never expected you to like yakisoba," Zuina shrugged.

"Me neither, but one day she had some and slurped it all up. Wanted to learn how to cook in order to make it herself," Mocha stated.

"Mother-"

"It's fine Mochi. You know I've got a bittersweet relationship with yakisoba."

"Why's that?" Rika asked.

"I love it's taste, but the first person to make it for me... was my father."

"Oh, that asshole."

"Yes, but back then, he still acknowledged my existence. In fact, he made the yakisoba to show his parental love for me, and as soon as I ate it and told him it was good, I... I saw such a genuine smile on his face. Why did he have to devolve into such a scumbag. Even Purin was a tad nicer back then."

"Matcha..."

"There are times when I wonder why we can't just stay as kids. We were all nicer and kinder and times were better. Yet as we grow older, something just turns us into assholes."

Rika gently patted Matcha on the back. "Don't worry. Some of us start out as shitty children, but grow into kind adults. And some, like you, start out as kind children and grow into tsundere adults."

"Well you just ruined that speech."

"Ok tsundere."

"Still, thank you. Perhaps I should cherish the memories that once were, and seek to create new ones."

"Like making your own yakisoba?"

"Want me to?"

"Not today. No cooking on your birthday. But tomorrow, we're putting you to work on making all the yakisoba you can eat."

"What a slave driver. Well, I guess that means I'd better savor my downtime today as much as possible," Matcha smiled.

"Though it does feel kind of sad. That girlfriend of yours isn't here," Mocha sighed.

Matcha went silent and held her head down.

"Mother, that's an even more sensitive subject. Not just for Matcha-nee-san, but the entire staff here as well," Mochi whispered.

As the room fell silent, Matcha let out a heavy sigh.

"I don't know how I feel about Waki. I definitely didn't love her, but my heart still aches whenever I think about her."

"Then it's love!" Mocha beamed.

"No it's not! I would never marry her! Heck, I'm not into girls romantically anyway!"

"Thought you were though."

"Mother, just because Purin and I tend to gravitate more towards women romantically doesn't mean Matcha-nee-san does too. She just happens to attract women to her just like us.

"What do you mean?" Rika asked.

"Exactly as it sounds, me and my sisters must emit some kind of pheromone that attracts a clingy woman to us," Matcha grumbled.

"Then who is Purin attracting?"

"Kaori Inohara. I've had the displeasure of meeting her and she's completely erratic," Mochi grumbled.

"Inohara? Hmm, it is a common last name, but I remember there being an I.L.U. founding family named Inohara. Could just be a coincidence though," Rika thought. "And is that why Bianka's into you?"

"Yes, but I've gradually begun to feel affection towards her."

"I never felt an ounce of affection towards Waki," Matcha scowled.

"Maybe not as a lover, but what about as a friend?" Rika asked.

Matcha paused and looked towards a picture of Waki hanging on the wall. "A friend huh? In that case, maybe that explains the pain I feel whenever she comes to mind. She annoyed me, stalked me, and made me want to slug her numerous times over. But if I consider her a friend, I really am sad she's not here to celebrate," she stated as a tear streaked down her face.

Rika smiled and patted Matcha on the shoulder. "If I ever have a girl, I'm naming her Waki."

"Uh, wouldn't that be weird?"

"How so? It would be in honor of her memory. Waki was one of my closest friends, the least I can do is show my respect and gratitude towards her by naming a daughter after her."

Matcha stared at Rika for a bit before letting out a sigh. "I hope today is all-you-can-eat, because I feel like stress eating."

"Ok tsundere, more yakisoba comin' right up."

"Not a tsundere, but thanks," Matcha smiled.