Chapter 197: Happy Birthday, Shirogane Miyuki

Watching his sister flee rapidly like a frightened little beast, Miyahito and Utaha couldn't help but look at each other.

"Ouch—!"

Her face completely red, Utaha, in flustered anger, stomped hard on Miyahito's foot, making him let out a painful scream.

Then, as Miyahito hopped around clumsily while holding his foot, Utaha, whose last straw of patience had been crushed by the unbearable shame in her heart, stared blankly at her boyfriend's pathetic state.

Not only did she show no sympathy, but after a cold snort, she directly left the hopping Miyahito alone in the kitchen, turning around and walking out with her chin held high and proudly.

That is, if she could keep her pretty face from being so red... then her aggressive, proud demeanor would look more like a haughty queen, rather than a tsundere little girl.

...

Around 6:40 PM.

At this time, the birthday party was fully prepared. Except for Miyahito, the head chef, who was still busy in the kitchen with the grand finale surprise, and Utaha, who had suddenly put on a cold face and gone to prepare drinks for everyone on the other side, everyone else...

Including Ishigami, who had arrived in the afternoon, had already gathered and sat around the long table in the small courtyard.

Sitting next to her little friend, Kei was just about to ask her brother, who was chatting with Ishigami-senpai, "Why didn't Chika-nee and Kaguya-senpai come?" when her peripheral vision noticed that her little friend seemed a bit restless.

Especially with that bright red little face and large, watery eyes, it made Kei even more curious.

"Ayase, what's wrong?"

"Uwah—!"

The sudden question from her little friend made Ayase, who was still immersed in the intimate scene she had just witnessed between her brother and sister in the kitchen, involuntarily let out a whimpering cry.

"?"

Widening her eyes, Kei, full of confusion and bewilderment, stared blankly at Ayase, who was bristling like a frightened kitten, and subconsciously tilted her little head.

Although Ayase's reaction was cute, she hadn't said anything, right? Was such a big reaction really necessary?

"I-I'm sorry... Kei-nee." Holding her head with both hands and lowering her bright red face deeply, Ayase whimpered and apologized to Kei in a pitiful tone.

"Uh, no." Snapping out of her daze, Kei shook her little head, raised her hand, and placed her palm downward on Ayase's red forehead, asking with a tone full of concern.

"Your face is so red. Are you feeling unwell anywhere? Do you have a cold?"

"....N-no... no."

Pouting her little mouth and taking a small, deep breath, Ayase looked up. Her gaze carefully glanced toward the kitchen inside the house, then looked at a certain back busy preparing drinks for everyone at the dining table. Then, as if she had made up her mind.

Ayase waved her little hand slightly to Kei, signaling her to lean in closer. Then, she carefully leaned into Kei's ear, who was listening attentively, and softly, yet a bit vaguely, described the... scene? she had witnessed with her own eyes.

"Oh... mhm... I see... mhm... mhm... mhm....."

As Ayase described it using her own unique adjectives, Kei's expression went from a blank, confused little face, to shocked bewilderment, and finally to this current look of questioning her entire existence.

Yeah, so... [Girl's Shock +1].

However, as a result of little angel Ayase's unintentional maneuver, the mildest outcome was... until Miyahito finished his work and the birthday party officially began, Ayase and Kei, these two little ones, still had bright red cheeks and didn't dare to look up even once at Utaha, who was sitting on the same side as them, or at Miyahito, who had the thick skin to sit right next to Utaha.

Yeah, of course, the most severe outcome was... the next day during PE class, Tooru looked at the bruised waist of Miyahito with a mocking smile, his mouth unable to stop clicking in amazement.

.....

Because at this time, aside from family members, almost everyone present were juniors and seniors who had a good relationship with Miyuki. Plus, Miyuki himself wasn't someone who liked grand ceremonies.

He simply said, "Thank you everyone for preparing this birthday party for me. Now, please enjoy the culinary skills of our Michelin-starred chef, Aragaki Miyahito!"

After this playful remark, which was different from his usual style, the birthday party officially began.

Just as everyone was happily eating the carefully prepared dishes by Miyahito and drinking the meticulously brewed various beverages by Utaha, Miyuki picked up a piece of high-grade Wagyu beef, steaming with a faint milky aroma, put it in his mouth, and chewed.

Yeah... this brat, I clearly told him not to spend so much money.

After complaining in his heart about this brat Miyahito with a mix of amusement and helplessness, Miyuki felt an indescribable warmth welling up from his heart.

Clearly, aside from being neighbors, he and Miyahito had no other relationship. Even regarding the incident last semester, he had only done something insignificant.

Moreover, Miyuki knew that even if he did nothing, as the son of the current Speaker of the House of Councillors, Mr. Aragaki Seiichiro, Miyahito could have solved it himself, or rather, nothing would have happened to him at all.

Yet, it was precisely this person who truly respected and was close to him, just like a younger brother.

Sometimes, things like fate are truly surprising. Aren't they?

Looking around the small courtyard, which, though not crowded, had an indescribably warm atmosphere, Miyuki, whose eyes were no longer as sharp as they usually were at school, couldn't help but curl the corners of his mouth.

Really... thank you, Miyahito.

His gaze fell on Miyahito, who was ingratiatingly saying something to his girlfriend, and Miyuki sighed with emotion in his heart.

"President?" Sitting next to him, Ishigami, who was happily devouring his food, vaguely sensed the change in the President beside him. He subconsciously looked up, his gaze showing a hint of concern toward Miyuki.

Shaking his head to indicate he was fine, Miyuki reached out and picked up the iced mocha in front of him, which Utaha had specially prepared for him, a severe caffeine addict, and raised it.

"Everyone, let's toast together!"

"Oh! Miyuki-nii, happy birthday!"

Immediately, Miyahito happily raised his cilantro and bitter melon juice (Utaha: This is your drink tonight) and responded enthusiastically.

And with Miyahito taking the lead, the others also raised their respective drinks and loudly offered their blessings to Miyuki.

"Happy birthday, Nii-san! May all your wishes come true."

"Miyuki-nii, I wish you good health, constant smiles, and a happy birthday!"

"Miyuki-senpai, I wish you constant laughter and that everything goes your way."

"President, thank you for always taking care of us. Please continue to look after us in the future! Happy birthday."

Listening to the blessings from his sister, junior girls, and junior boys, Miyuki's smile grew even gentler.

"Yeah."

With a trace of indescribable warmth and joy in his eyes, Miyuki stood up, raised his cup, and gently clinked it against the cups gathered together by everyone.

Clink—!

"Today is the happiest day of my life. Thank you all for your blessings. Cheers!"

"Cheers!"