"Happy birthday!", he was woken up by his peers in the morning.
7th month, 5th day, C626, was Hiro's 21st birthday.
He woke up to the sound they made. Their scream was loud enough to make a person wake up in shock, which Hiro did. He woke up in a shock after the sound they made.
Hiro woke up and saw everyone who woke him up. They were Alma, Haruna, Tohji, Varuna, Raj and Yuki.
"Good Morning, everyone."
"Its afternoon, Hiro.", Raj told him.
"Okay..", Hiro said it, as he was about to go back into sleep. Raj understanding this, pulled Hiro's legs and pushed him out of the bed. He hit his head hard on the ground.
"Wakey, wakey, Hiro. I don't remember training such a slob."
Yuki then gave a cold a smile saying, "Hiro, if you don't wake up, I will serve you a 'special course'."
"Special Course", Hiro being half-asleep heard these words. Despite being half-asleep, those two words sent a strong chill down his spine.
Hiro immediately got up and saluted Yuki saying, "At your service, ma'am."
"Good boy, now go fresh up."
Raj himself was trembling when Yuki spoke the words "Special Course".
It was able to scare Raj himself.
Alma, wondering what the special course was, couldn't bring herself to ask Yuki. Her imagination was running wild.
"Could it be, some sort of pervy thing which experienced people only do?"
Hiro after brushing and washing his face came back. Just to see Alma sulking. She was pouting.
"Alma, what happened?"
"Nothing, especially."
Hiro could get a glimpse of what was going on.
"I see that you're sulking about the 'special course' which Mrs. Yuki mentioned right."
Alma's expression immediately changed.
"Well the 'special course' is a key term to make her into a demonic instructor."
"Ehh?"
"You do remember that I used to take training under Mrs. Yuki right?"
"Yeah."
"Whenever she felt that I wasn't putting my best or slacking off, she would put me through various dangerous situations in life."
Yuki and Raj were behind Hiro. She could understand everything Hiro was saying. Alma who saw them was stupefied and tensed.
"She would make me do errands, force me to cook, make me clean utensils and toilets."
"HIT THE BREAKS, HIRO!!!", she was screaming internally.
"Mr. Raj was even kinder than her. He would atleast let me slack off a little. But she, is like a strict mom. She was also way too overprotective of me at times. She wouldn't let anyone hurt me like I'm her little brother or something. She's a full to proof respectable but a dangerous woman."
"BEHIND YOU, HIRO!", Alma continued screaming internally but couldn't say anything as she already looked at Yuki's demonic aura buzzing out from her.
"She's the very definition of a demonic instruct...."
"Ohh, I am a very dangerous woman indeed."
Hiro was petrified at hearing those words. He could remember that voice. It had caused so strong 'PTSD' that he was able to spot Yuki's voice from meters away.
"Aren't I right, dear.", Yuki asked Raj.
"I don't know."
Hiro was petrified and trembling upon looking at Yuki. She was smiling at him but he could sense the anger from the behind of her smile. The trembling, lost his pride and hid behind Alma.
"Alma, please save me."
"Mrs, Yuki, could you let this slide. It is his birthday."
"No way, I would've let it slide if he faced me directly."
Hiro got more and more scared and was trembling behind Alma.
"Alma, I would've let this pass if Hiro had the guts to face me directly. But now, looking at him shivering and cowering behind you. I'm definitely not gonna let this pass."
"Hiro, special course till evening 5 pm. The time now is 12:30 pm. Any mistakes and the time will be extended. Do you understand?"
"Yes ma'am."
Hiro immediately got up and started the special course exercises.
He finished it in evening 5 pm, when dusk came and sky was orange.
He was really tired after reaching back home.
Yuki who was at the front door told him, "Now, learn to hold your tongue."
Alma who had come out from the house looked at Yuki and Hiro. She got angry and said, "Hey, Mrs, Yuki, no bullying Hiro."
"There's no way I'd bully him. He's like a younger brother to me."
Alma lifted Hiro and took him to his room.
"Are you tired, Hiro?"
"Really, I could use a break right now."
"Take some rest till seven. We will host your birthday party at 7 pm."
"Birthday", the word reverberated, through him twice or thrice after the small sound of a bell.
"Its my birthday, right?", Hiro got up.
Hiro looked at Alma and thought, "Now that I think about, Alma is wearing a really fashionable dress. It suits her."
"Wait, doesn't she look cute in every single dress. This a holy sight I am seeing."
Hiro's heart was beating faster than any reqular person. Hiro felt joyous but tensed.
"I am just near Alma but why does it feel so different?"
Alma looked at Hiro, who was tensed. Alma came upto him and put her hand on his forehead.
"You're not feverish, or anything? Why are you red? It could be the heat."
Hiro felt this emotion for the first time in his life. He coouldn't understand what the emotion was called.
"I'll go get something cool to drink downstairs. Wait here, or change your clothes."
Alma left the room and Hiro sighed heavily.
"Its all because of his words"
"You talk about Alma all the time. How are you both not married.", Anton's words were easily misinterpret by Hiro.
Hiro felt more and more tensed and remembered about all the moments they shared together.
He blushed and became red more and more.
"Don't I and Alma, behave like a married couple normally?"
Hiro, lied down on the bed, caught the the pillow and started squirming. He realized what this feeling was but he couldn't accept it. He was really worried whether he truly liked her.
At that time, Alma opened the door to see Hiro squirming. She saw it. Hiro noticed her a bit late.
Hiro, who saw her at that time, felt his heart skip a beat for the first time.
As the both of them were looking into their eyes for a few moments. Alma got beet red.
"I'm sorry.", she said in a cute voice and went out of the room, closing the door.
"It can't be helped. I'm down bad for her."
Hiro having his heart beat fast all the time. He wore the new dress he bought a few weeks ago.
He got downstairs where there was everyone, with cake and treats. He given the cheers.
As he got downstairs, he looked at Alma, who looked at him while being beet red and smiled at him. He went downstairs while being embarassed.
The cake cutting and everything was done.
"I am not a child yet you know."
"In our eyes you're still a child,", Yuki told Hiro.
"Well onto our main event.", Raj said.
At that moment, Hiro got a call, it was from Anton.
"Sorry, I need to take this call. Please excuse me for a moment."
"Yeah."
Hiro got somewhat to the side and lifted the call.
"Hello, Anton"
"Hello, Hiro, sorry for calling on the day of your birthday."
"No problem. Is there anything urgent you want to tell me?"
"Yes, I need you to come to the headquarters right now."
"Anton, you do know its my birthday and me and my family are celebrating it."
"I really am sorry but listen. The 'DUQUOS' has come."
Hiro eyes went cold for a second, upon hearing the word 'DUQUOS'.
"Quit joking, it is very hard to find."
"Even I also thought of it as a joke originally but the reports came from 'Piranion' city and they asked us for a reinforcement to send."
"So, I'm being used as the reinforcement."
"Sorry, Hiro. But I told what the commander had told us."
"I will take up the mission.", Hiro told in a low tone and made a pressing expression.
"Really, thanks Hiro."
Then Hiro cut the call.
"What happened, Hiro?", they asked him upon looking at his expression
He went to them and told them, "I got a call from work and its urgent."
"You can't be serious, Hiro. Its your birthday. At least celebrate it a little.", Alma told him.
"Alma, this is urgent. I need to go there."
"Aren't there any other MECHA pilots than you?"
"What do you understand about my work?", Hiro said to her in an angry tone.
Alma, hearing his words, got scared and moved back. "Hiro..."
"Stop this madness.", Yuki cried and told to Alma, "Let him do it Alma. A person who seeks pleasure in saving others' lives doesn't prioritize his."
Hiro, upon hearing those words said, "If I don't go, Uncle Haseef will be in danger.", and he ran out to the public transport for immediate transport to the headquarters. He reached with half an hour after he got the call from Anton.
Hiro came over to headquarters, breathing heavily.
There a soldier who acts a support to the MECHA pilot called out to him saying, "Sir Hiro, please come over here."
"Did that commoner come? He is going to be late and there would be may casualties within the district."
"Ohh, its rare to see that you're concerned about lives, commander."
"Why are you so late?"
"Its my birthday."
"So, that doesn't give any excuse to be late."
"Let's leave it commander.", Anton came in the middle of their conversation
He spoke to Hiro, "As the mission specificies, you need to go to 'Palestinion' city and defeat the Duquois, which seemed to have settled in an old abandoned factory.
"Yeah, I know the mission."
"Do your best commoner., commander said to him.
"Do livestock really need to celebrate their birthday?", the commander, Dorian had implied the question towards Hiro.
Hiro didn't bat an eye to his words and moved forward without caring at all.
Dorian got angry and yelled at Hiro, "I am asking you that question, you mutt."
Hiro turned back and replied, "Replying to your question, would lessen my dignity."
Hearing his words, everyone in the support department were barely able to hold back a laugh.
"I am sorry, but I have to do this..... At least to save uncle Haseef."