To the Birthday Girl ~ Happy birthday, Ayaka-chan~!!!

Jun 05, 2007 23:59



-June 6, 1997 (Ayaka’s twelfth birthday)-

It was her first time at the Uesugi temple and she was intent on taking in every little thing: the feel of the tatami mats beneath her thin sandals, the delicate decorations on the paper-lined sliding door of the prayer room, the intoxicating scent of burning incense-much stronger and dizzying than the fragrances that permeated her own family’s temple. She had a fleeting moment when she wondered, vaguely, what secret they were trying to disguise with such an overpowering smell.

Eiri was very handsome in his black robes, but his eyes were cold as they traveled up and down the length of Ayaka’s body. She felt like he was judging her with his piercing golden gaze alone, and she spent most of the visit shying away from him. He didn’t try and convince her to do otherwise. At least, not on his own. His father and older sister had to force him to present her with the jewelry they bought her. He frowned slightly as he stepped behind her to drape the silver locket around her neck, fingers brushing lightly at her hair as he tried not to catch it in the clasp.

“Thank you,” she said softly, sincerely, but not looking him in the eye-instead, watching his lips as they turned down even more. He grunted in reply and she left it that, looking down to admire the sparkling gift; she knew well enough to take what she could get.

Eiri disappeared after that, the adults went to the garden, and Ayaka asked Tatsuha to show her the prayer room. He watched quietly-for the most part-as she knelt before the Buddha statue, just the way her parents taught her. He complimented her on her hair and the lovely build of her shoulders, and she asked if they could burn another incense stick.

“Of course,” he said, picking the prettiest scent he knew. “To the birthday girl.” He winked, she smiled, and they inhaled together.

-June 6, 2000 (Ayaka’s fifteenth birthday)-

Ayaka stood outside the Uesugi temple, biting her bottom lip and securing her hair behind her ears to keep it from blowing in her face from the wind. It was going to rain soon. She resisted the nervous urge to play with her locket, which was tucked timidly into her yukata.

“You might want to come in,” she heard Mika call out to her from inside. “When the rain starts, you’ll get all wet.” She paused, perhaps waiting for the other girl to respond, and then added, “I’m sure he’ll be here soon, honey.”

Ayaka turned toward the temple then, and nodded. Of course he would. Of course he would. She repeated that to herself as she went inside, kept reminding herself that Eiri was her fiancé and so, of course, he would be there. Of course he would. Of course, of course.

A few hours later, she wasn’t so sure.

She watched the rain falling outside, eyes set on the empty spot of gravel where Eiri’s car should be parked. She sighed, felt her lips begin to tremble, and coughed to cover it up.

“He isn’t coming, is he?” She asked, voice barely above a whisper.

“No,” Tatsuha answered, shrugging casually, used to his older brother’s cruel indifference. “But who cares?”

“I’m sure he’s…very busy.”

“Probably,” Tatsuha agreed, for her sake. He took her by the arm and tugged a little. “C’mon.”

He took her to his room, closing the door behind them, and showed her the stash of beer he’d gotten Eiri to buy the last time he’d visited. He popped open two cans and grinned when he saw Ayaka’s eyes widen with curiosity.

“This will cheer you up,” he promised and they tapped their cans together. “To the birthday girl.” He swigged, she sipped, and they gagged together.

-June 6, 2003 (Ayaka’s eighteenth birthday)-

Ayaka loved being in the Nakano apartment. It was modern, and instead of incense, smelled more of take-out pizza and Tabasco sauce. The carpet was soft and comfortable, which she was particularly grateful for during moments like this-when Hiro’s kisses were driving her crazy and the bedroom was too far away.

Hiro had picked her up from the bus station in the early afternoon, and had treated her to lunch, not to mention an exhilarating ride on his motorcycle (during which she tried very hard not to scream, and he tried very hard not to laugh). They’d met Yuji and Shuichi at a club for karaoke, where they’d let Ayaka sing Diana Ross to their Supremes. Then she’d smiled prettily and asked Hiro to take her to his home.

Which led them to making out on the living room floor, her making small, pleased noises in the back of her throat, and him struggling to keep his hands from roaming below her waist. Ayaka was loving this birthday. And she hadn’t thought about Eiri even once.

Her cell phone was off, and so it went straight to voicemail when Tatsuha called. He cleared his throat-he was very confident in person, but hated to leave phone messages-before saying, “Hey there, beautiful. Just wanted to say I’m thinking about you over here. Hope you’re having a good time. You can’t see it, but I’m, uh, lighting a cigarette in your honor.” He paused there and his voice softened, almost inaudible, when he said, “To the birthday girl.”

gravitation, ayaka usami, tatsuhaxayaka, eirixayaka, birthdays, hiroxayaka

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