Ink Stained

86: birthday girl (1)*

It was exhausting trying to make sure nobody – or at least close to nobody – knew it was her birthday that Saturday, the day before her impending meeting with Aihara Rukia, self-heralded 'Hanyou'. Making sure no one else found out about it was hard, mostly because of Shiori and Kouta. The two conspired together against everyone else more often than they did against each other, which was a massive headache for every inhabitant of Ayashi House ninety-eight percent of the time.

If Obaasan's cane wasn't launched at Haru, it was always at the ready for anything Kouta or Shiori may try to pull off on any given day. No one so much as dared to protect them from Obaasan when she caught them, either. Kouta being the future leader of one of the most powerful Ayakashi Clans in Japan made absolutely no difference, and afforded him no protection.

It was often hilarious to see how terrified Kouta was of a little old human lady who was over a foot shorter than him.

Shiori (obviously) told Kouta that today was Pai's birthday, but thankfully, she didn't tell anyone else. Ryu was the only other one besides Shiori and Kouta who knew, and Pai had to bribe him with onigiri and more than half of her allowance to make sure he didn't tell anyone. She didn't think it was too much to guess that that money would go for more food.

If he ever went that route in life, Ryu would make a ruthless businessman. Pai hadn't actually intended on paying him for his silence.

Shiori was a lot more hyper than usual. She'd burst into Pai's room, singing 'Happy Birthday' too loud for a Saturday morning. Pai was so taken aback by Shiori's merriment that she could only stare for a a solid ten seconds before she picked up her pillow and flung it at Shiori as hard as she could.

That did nothing to deter her bouncing around in cackling glee until Jirou threatened to dunk her head in the toilet. She retaliated by lobbing her shoe at him. The ensuing scuffle escalated until practically everyone in the house was throwing shoes and cushions at each other.

It was only when Obaasan howled at everyone to shut up and shut down that they finally settled, giggling insanely to each other while she scolded their brains out for messing the house up. Pai was certain one half of her navy blue ballet flats was still in Yuu's room though.

Unfortunately, Obaasan knew about her birthday. All Shiori had to do to get out of clean-up duty was tell her that she'd made plans with Pai to go out for her birthday, and that she didn't have time to clean after the mess she'd started. Pai was astounded that Obaasan actually smiled and nodded, releasing them from clearing everything back to its designated place.

Obaasan never smiled.

This was how Pai found herself dragged out into Sapporo to go shopping for presents. She didn't want to receive any presents. Though they both begrudgingly agreed to it, Shiori had made such a sad face and was so depressed for a good long hour that, at Kouta's coaxing, Pai hesitantly concurred to buy presents for everyone else. She wanted absolutely no presents, at all.

"I will burn all you own if you dare try anything, Shii-chan." She had to threaten.

Shiori crinkled her nose at the idea of a compromise. "Whoever heard of that ridiculousness? Buying gifts for other people on your birthday. Do you know how insane that sounds?"

No more insane than I probably am, she thought miserably as she put on a bright smile for Shiori. It came out as more of a monkey's painful grimace.

"My birthday. I get to do what I want."

"But – "

She pointed at herself, as if Shiori was dumb and didn't know who she was talking about. "Mine. Take it or leave it, Shii-chan."