"Actually… today is my birthday," Iino Miko said quietly, her voice almost blending with the background noise of the crowd. Her expression carried a trace of forced cheerfulness, but the loneliness in her eyes was impossible to miss. "But... my mom and dad haven't come home these days because of work. So I guess... I'll be spending it alone again this year."
Natsukawa Kanade didn't respond immediately. He just stood there, letting her words sink in like quiet raindrops on still water.
If loneliness could be measured in levels, then "spending your birthday alone" definitely ranked somewhere around level seven or eight. Of course, it depended on the person. Some people didn't care much about birthdays—those were just regular days on the calendar. But for someone like Iino Miko, who clearly did care... it meant something more. Her downcast expression said it all.
Kanade rubbed the back of his neck, unsure of what to say at first. Comforting people wasn't exactly his forte.
"Then... do you have any plans for today?" he finally asked, trying to steer the conversation somewhere lighter. "Like... something fun? A way to treat yourself?"
She glanced away. Her lips curved into a small, hesitant smile.
"I was just thinking of walking around town for a bit, trying out some snacks... and maybe going home early."
Kanade nodded slightly. So she hadn't given up on celebrating, even if it was low-key. That meant there was still a chance to salvage the day.
"If you don't mind... I could tag along?" he offered casually, trying not to sound too awkward. "I mean, I don't have anything important planned."
Her eyes widened. "Eh? Really?" she blinked, clearly surprised. "B-but, senpai, you probably have your own things to do today. I don't want to trouble you…"
"Trouble?" Kanade gave her a lopsided smile. "Not really. To be honest, I was just planning to go home and nap until the sun goes down. Not the most exciting schedule."
He shrugged.
"Besides... birthdays should be spent with someone. Even if it's just a little bit, I figure I can help make yours less lonely."
Miko looked at him, lips parting slightly in surprise. For a second, her chestnut-brown eyes shimmered—not with tears, but something softer. Warmer.
"Arigatou... really," she said, bowing her head slightly.
Kanade scratched his cheek awkwardly. "Ah, it's nothing."
Still, now that he'd offered, he couldn't just let her spend her birthday standing in front of a shop holding five oversized meat buns.
"There's a lot of people around here... it's kinda noisy," he said, scanning the area. "How about we head over to that little park nearby? You can tell me what you originally had in mind. I'm curious."
He glanced back at the shop behind them. The shopkeeper was still smiling cheerfully, likely watching their exchange with mild amusement. Kanade didn't want to impose by loitering around.
Also... he realized, rather belatedly, that from a certain angle, he might look like a shady guy trying to lure a petite high school girl somewhere quiet.
Yabai…
Thankfully, Iino Miko didn't seem to think that at all.
"Okay!" she said, nodding with her usual energy returning. "Let's go!"
With that, the two of them headed toward the park—a small, peaceful spot Kanade often visited when he needed to clear his head. It was also, incidentally, the place where he once picked up an "angel"... but that was another story.
They settled onto the swings, the familiar creak of the chains adding a nostalgic rhythm to the afternoon.
"Alright," Kanade said, turning slightly to face her. "So? What were your birthday plans originally? I'd like to hear them—if you don't mind sharing, that is."
He spoke gently, carefully. He could tell she was still a little hesitant, so he made it sound like he was the one curious—not just listening out of obligation.
"Umm... actually..." Miko fidgeted with the hem of her dress. Her cheeks puffed slightly, embarrassed but earnest. "I didn't have any big plans. I just thought I'd explore a little, try some street snacks... maybe buy myself a slice of cake if I found a café that looked cute."
A very classic foodie mindset. Whether it was to celebrate something joyful or just to ease a heavy heart, food was a universal comfort. Sweet or savory, hot or cold, there was always something about eating that helped people reset. The only downside... was the eternal battle against getting chubby. Yare yare daze.
Kanade blinked. "So basically... a solo foodie adventure?"
"Un..." she nodded, looking a little sheepish. "I haven't been around this part of town much. It felt like... a good excuse to treat myself, I guess."
"I see..." Kanade leaned back slightly on the swing, a faint grin tugging at his lips. "That's a very classic plan. Honestly, nothing wrong with that. Food's always reliable."
He paused, glancing at the meat buns she was still clutching. "Though, I gotta say... five meat buns is a bit ambitious."
"Uuugh, I knew you'd say that!" Miko puffed up again, her cheeks pink. "I-it's not like I was planning to eat them all right away, okay?! I was going to save some for later!"
"Well then," Kanade tilted his head slightly, "after satisfying your appetite… what's next? Got any other birthday plans? Like going to see a movie or something?"
"Ah, no," Iino Miko shook her head without hesitation. "I really just wanted to eat some desserts today."
Kanade blinked. That's it? It felt like her whole birthday plan was a one-woman mission to conquer sugar.
He furrowed his brow slightly. "Even so, there's still a whole day ahead of you, right? It's barely morning. Don't you feel like you've got time to kill?"
"Eh? Not really," Miko replied honestly, tilting her head. "I've had days like this before, and somehow the time always flies by. I just walk around, enjoy snacks, and before I know it... the sun's setting."
Kanade stared at her, deadpan. "A... whole day?"
"Un," she nodded firmly. "Sometimes I even feel like the day's too short. I can't finish everything I want to eat."
Kanade was quiet for a long moment, staring at her like she'd just admitted to training under a ramen-eating master in the mountains.
A whole day... dedicated to food?
"W-wait," he said, piecing the image together in his mind. "You mean, like, literally just wandering around eating stuff all day?"
"Not just eating," Miko pouted slightly, puffing out her cheeks. "It's not like I'm stuffing my face nonstop. I pick my spots carefully, okay? I choose the place, check the menu... sometimes it takes a while to decide."
"And if the food's not good?" Kanade raised an eyebrow.
"I get kind of sad and lose my appetite..." she muttered quietly, glancing away. "But I still finish it! Even if it doesn't taste great, I won't waste food. That's... sort of my rule."
Kanade stared at her with newfound respect and mild alarm. The girl had principles.
But somehow, the way she explained it made him imagine her ordering everything on the menu, taking one bite of each dish, and then solemnly committing herself to finishing them anyway—even the failures. A birthday banquet built on both indulgence and justice. So this is the power of lawful good gluttony...
"I think I get it," Kanade said at last, nodding slowly. "Solo food adventures have their charm, I won't lie. You can go at your own pace, try what you want... but."
He leaned forward just a bit, offering her a warm smile.
"There are some things that are more fun when you're not alone. And today, well... isn't today the perfect chance to try something different?"
Since he'd promised to keep her company for a while, he figured he might as well make the experience count. Birthdays didn't come every day, after all. If he could give her even a slightly more memorable one, it'd be worth it.
"Like watching a movie, going to a museum, playing some bowling, maybe hitting up an aquarium or a zoo. Those things are way more fun with two people, don't you think?"
He gave her a chance to jump in with her own ideas.
"Of course, if you've got something else in mind, I'm game. It's your birthday, so I'll follow your lead."
Iino Miko's eyes sparkled like a kid offered unlimited tokens at an arcade.
"In that case—there is something I've always wanted to try!"
Kanade raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Oh? Let's hear it."
Her response was immediate, her voice ringing with excitement.
"Senpai! Please come with me... to an all-you-can-eat barbecue!"
Kanade Natsukawa: "…"
A moment of silence passed.
He looked at her with the deadpan calm of a man who had just realized his fate was sealed.
"...Eh?"
Did he mishear? No. He absolutely did not.
He smiled weakly, shoulders sagging in acceptance.
"Sou ka… so this is what they call a bottomless stomach."