The clock had just struck midnight, and Kaede was dozing off in her bed when she heard a soft knock on her door. She rubbed her eyes, wondering who could possibly be visiting at this hour. As she shuffled over to open it, she was met with the sight of none other than Mirei, standing in the doorway with a bright smile and a small cake in her hands.
"Happy Birthday, Kaede!" Mirei beamed as she stepped inside.
Kaede's mother appeared behind her, also looking tired but happy. "We couldn't wait until morning, so we decided to come celebrate a bit early."
Kaede's heart swelled with warmth. Her girlfriend, the national idol Nakamura Mirei, was standing in her house, with a cake, no less. She still couldn't believe it. A year ago, she would have laughed if someone told her she'd be dating Mirei. But now, as they gathered around the table to light the candles, she felt incredibly proud to have someone so special in her life.
They sang a soft, sleepy rendition of "Happy Birthday," and Kaede blew out the candles, making a silent wish that this year would bring her even closer to Mirei.
Mirei cut the cake, handing slices to Kaede and her mom. "Sorry I can't stay long," Mirei said, stifling a yawn. "But I'll make it up to you tomorrow. I've got the whole day planned out."
Kaede smiled, nodding as she watched Mirei head back to her house. Sleepy and content, Kaede couldn't help but wonder what the next day had in store for her.
---
The next morning, Kaede woke with a start. She blinked at the clock beside her bed, her heart sinking as she saw the time. 8:15 AM. She was late!
"Ah, shoot!" she groaned, quickly hopping out of bed. Mirei would definitely scold her for this. She hurriedly dressed, she wear t-shirt with a plaid shirt outer, grabbed her bag, and called out a quick goodbye to her mother before running out the door.
As she stepped outside, there stood Mirei, arms crossed and foot tapping impatiently. The sight of her girlfriend's mock-scowl immediately made Kaede's heart race. Even when Mirei was upset, she looked impossibly cute. The way her eyebrows furrowed and her lips formed an exaggerated pout—it made Kaede want to hug her.
Before Kaede could say a word, Mirei poked her cheek. "Why! Are! You! Late?!"
Kaede winced as Mirei poked her cheek with each word, the intensity building with every poke. "Sorry! Sorry!" she stammered. "I didn't mean to be!"
Mirei checked her watch with an exaggerated sigh. "Let's see… you're already late by—" she paused for dramatic effect—"eight hours!"
Kaede blinked in confusion. "W-What? Eight hours? How?!"
Mirei flashed a proud, teasing smile. "Well, last night we parted ways at 12:15 AM after you blew out the candles, didn't we? So technically, you're late for our 24-hour birthday celebration!"
Kaede groaned, placing a hand on her forehead. "Oh God, what am I going to do with you, Mirei?"
Mirei grinned even wider, clearly enjoying her teasing. "I told you, Kaede, I booked you all day. So it's 24 hours—no exceptions!"
Kaede, still flustered, blurted out, "Right… then it's 24 hours from now. How about it?"
Mirei froze, her face turning bright red at the implication. "D-Do you mean… you want to have a sleepover?"
Kaede, realizing what she had just said, blushed furiously. "N-No! That's not what I meant!"
Mirei blinked for a moment, then her teasing grin returned. "Actually, that's a good idea! Let's have a sleepover tonight! It's perfect!"
Kaede's face grew even hotter, but she couldn't help but laugh at Mirei's playful antics. This was going to be a long, exciting day. They had both taken the day off from the agency to spend it together—something they hadn't had the luxury of doing in months. It was exactly what they both needed.
"Where are we going now?" Kaede asked as they began walking down the street together, hand in hand.
Mirei smiled and replied, "First, breakfast! I'm starving. And then I booked us a movie afterward. We've never gone to see one together, have we?"
Kaede's eyes lit up. "That sounds great! I can't wait."
---
They ended up at a nearby fast-food joint for breakfast, both of them ordering pancakes, hash browns, and juice. They sat by the window, talking and laughing as they ate. Mirei made silly faces while sipping from her straw, earning a soft giggle from Kaede, who shook her head in amused disbelief.
"How can you be so cute even when you're being a total dork?" Kaede teased.
Mirei shrugged. "Today is my girlfriend's birthday. I have to be cute in front of her all day, even when I'm stuffing my face with pancakes."
Kaede chuckled, but she felt a surge of warmth in her chest. Being with Mirei like this—just the two of them, in a normal setting—felt so different from their usual busy, chaotic lives. She loved every second of it.
After breakfast, they headed to the cinema. When they got to the ticket booth, Kaede raised an eyebrow as Mirei handed over the tickets.
"Wait, you picked a horror movie?" Kaede asked, suddenly suspicious. "Why would you choose that? I can't stand horror!"
Mirei grinned mischievously, leaning closer. "I thought it would be fun! Besides, maybe it'll give us an excuse to get a little… closer during the scary parts?"
Kaede's face turned red in an instant. "Mirei! You're impossible!"
But once the movie started, any thoughts of teasing went right out the window. From the first jump scare, both of them screamed in unison, clutching each other for dear life. Mirei had planned to act tough, but by the halfway point, she was practically hiding in Kaede's shoulder.
"Why did you pick this?!" Kaede hissed during a particularly terrifying scene.
Mirei, her face buried in Kaede's arm, whimpered, "I-I didn't know it would be this scary! I'm sorry!"
The two of them spent the rest of the movie peeking through their fingers and holding onto each other for comfort, letting out small shrieks every time something jumped out at them. By the time the credits rolled, they were both a mess—teary-eyed, sniffling, and thoroughly shaken.
As they stumbled out of the theater, they caught sight of their reflection in a window. Both of their faces were streaked with tears and smudged mascara, their expressions still frazzled from the terror they had just endured.
For a moment, they just stared at each other, and then they both burst into laughter.
"Wait-Let me take a pic of us!" Mirei said
"I-I can't believe you made me sit through that!" Kaede giggled, wiping her face with her sleeve.
"I'm sorry!" Mirei laughed, clutching her sides. "I didn't think it would be that bad!"
They teased each other the whole walk, their laughter ringing through the streets. Despite the terror of the movie, the day was turning out to be one of the best Kaede had ever had.
And they still had plenty more time to spend together.