Vol 1 Chapter 4 (1/2)
Chapter 4: Kotori Birthday
”——Commander Itsuka! Happy birthday to you!”
A deafening sound echoed out the instant Itsuka Kotori entered <fraxinus>'s bridge, party poppers were repeatedly fired off
Following that was a resounding applause, a trolley cart that had cake loaded on it was also pushed in
”Seriously, you guys”
Faced with such a heartwarhed
Twin ponytails tied with black ribbons, a young girl ore an iconic criest person in the room, however her actions and speech hinted at the authority of a leader
”What are you guys doing so early in the ”
As Kotori uttered that line, the crew members voiced out their disapproval
”Today is our commander's fourteenth birthday! How can you continue to be working at such an important day!”
”I heard that the co, so we can only celebrate now!”
Although today is the third of August, which happens to be Kotori's birthdayIt sohtly overboard
”Well, there's nothing bad about it Everyone just wants to wish you well that's all”
Murasa on her left spoke Kotori could only reply ”Nn” as she began to stutter
”Of course, I did not say that we could not celebrate That is, II don't really dislike this”
Looking at Kotori who replied with an unsteady gaze, the crew et excited
”It's here! The commander's dere expression!!”
”Thank the Gods! Thank the Gods!”
A tallbehind the crowd——Kannazuki stepped out
”Happy birthday to you, Co able to meet the commander in person on such a h for this moment!”
Kannazukito hold back his tears as he continued
”As such, we have prepared a special gift for you this year!”
”A special gift?”
As Kotori asked in surprise, the rest of the crew members hastily ran over to cover Kannazuki's mouth
”Why are you saying this out of the blue!”
”We still have to keep this a secret!?”
”Ah, that, that is true”
Kotori glared the creith a gaze of suspicion
”What are you guys plotting?”
”Ah, that isHahaha”
Just as the creas intending to laugh it off, Reine raised her head as though she just thought of so
”Speaking of presents, Kotori shi+n seeive you yet, you could ask hi that you want Why don't you try and ask him?”
Although it see that just to draw her attention away fro if she tried to get to the bottoht now Kotori turned to face Reine At the sahs of relief
”That sort of thing, I can't think of anything if you ask me that all of a sudden”
”Then how about we change that to so that you want him to do, or wish for him to do for you?”
”Eh?”
Looking at Kotori's face that had a look of suspicion, Reine held out one finger
”For example, today you will be dere towards your onii-chan and the like?”
”Wh, why did it become that way! I don't want to be dere towards him!”
””
”Wh, what is it?”
”Nothing Well, if you put it that way then we'll leave it at that”
Saying that, Reine turned back and sat down in her own seat, getting back to work
After te at Reine's back without a sound, Kotori clapped her hands
”Alright alright, hurry up and get back to work”
The crew members immediately returned to their work stations in a haste
”Really now”
Kotori sighed as she played with her fringe
”That kind of thing, how is it possible for me to say it out”
”Oh, oooh! shi+dou! What is thiscalled!”
Yatogami Tohka pointed at the displayin front of her, enthusiastically crying out
Black long hair and a perfect face She was a girl whose beauty was just as described
What she saw in front of her, was a thin saucer-like auto machine that was currently in operation So that's hoas, it truly wasaround in a cute manner
However, Itsuka shi+dou hed, after which he placed his hand on Tohka's shoulder
”Tohka, do you still remember today's mission?”
”Nn? Nn, of course I still re to celebrate Kotori's birthday!”
Tohka nodded exaggeratedly
That's right, shi+dou and Tohka at present was at the shopping uu Train Station in order to search for Kotori's birthday present
”That's correct, so you understand right? At the very least Kotori won't be happy if that gets into her hands Perhaps I would feel happier if I got that”
”Then shi+dou should get it!”
”That's not the point”
”That”
Just as shi+dou was in conversation with Tohka, a voice called out from his back
Turning around to look, standing right there was a s a straw sunhat whose left hand had a rabbit puppet on She was Yoshi+no who tagged along in order to help shi+dou to search for Kotori's birthday present
”shi+dou-san, what do you thinkof this?”
Saying that, Yoshi+no used her right hand and the hand that had the puppet on to pass a box for shi+dou to look at Inside the box was an exquisite white tea set
”OhhI see, I think that it's a great idea, Kotori likes to drink red tea after all”
Hearing shi+dou say that, Yoshi+no's face became red due to embarrassment
”OoohI get it now, so that would be more suitable! Then I'll——”
shi+dou stopped Tohka who see and was about to run into the mall
”You can't, she'll feel aard if she receives a siht?”
”Uuhis that so Then, shi+dou what do you want to give her?”
”Eh? I”
Being questioned, shi+dou was rendered speechless
It was not because he has to keep it a secret till the party, it was also not so to say when said out loud It was siet for her
It was not that shi+dou was clueless about what Kotori would want that would make her happy However, once he considered that it was a birthday that happens only once a year, it became hard for him to make a final decisionAs a result, he is still unable to decide on a gift even on her birthday itself
”Nn”
shi+dou used his hand to support his chin, closing his eyes and tried to picture Kotori in his mind ——After that,
”——Ah, now that you mention it”
shi+dou opened his eyes, as though recalling so
”Where's Kotori?”
”She just returned home”
Kannazuki swiftly replied Reine's question At the sae showed battle-ready expressions, awaiting instructions at their oork stations
That's right, the 3rd of August has just begun
”Everyone, are you all ready?”
”Yes sir!”
At the same moment the crew e displayed the ie of the Itsuka residence shi+dou and the others were in thefor the party
”Alright then, next up is the main point, let me reconfirm the battle plan, first of all——”
Kannazuki began to briefly run through the plan for the final time
Just as Kannazuki had finished his explanation of the battle plan, He suddenly threw a suspicious look behind him
”Nn?”
”What's the matter?”
”Was there someone over there just now?”
The crew members turned their heads around at Kannazuki's words, but there was no one there
”No one's there Are you thinking too much?”
Kannazuki scratched his head and tilted his head in confusion
”Uh”
Reine turned to look at the door, using her hand to support her chin as she did so
”——HAPPY BIRTHDAY!”
A war table of the Itsuka residence
At present The table was full of dishes that shi+dou e strawberry cake
3rd August, Thursday It was shi+dou's sister——Itsuka Kotori's fourteenth birthday
Seated right inside was the person of the day Kotori Seated on the two sides were Tohka, Yoshi+no, shi+dou and Reine
”I already did say that it would have been better if you guys had kept it simple”
Saying that, Kotori who seated at the birthday seat slowly blushed crimson
It could be because Kotori was constantly fidgeting, her two ponytails that was tied together with black ribbons see about
”Happy birthday This has the best wishes of everyone onboard <fraxinus> in it”
Reine passed over a simple square box to Kotori
”Thank youSo this was the special present mentioned previously?”
”Why don't you guess?”
Reine started to purposely avoideye contact, Kotori stared at Reine's face with a suspicious expression
However, that expression iftly replaced with another expression
”Kotori! Happy birthday!”
”Happy birthday, Kotori-san!”
[Congratulations!]
Tohka, Yoshi+no and [Yoshi+non] passed their delicately wrapped presents to Kotori
”Th, thanks”
Kotori turned her eyes away see the presents
Looking at Kotori acting this way, shi+dou's facial expression relaxed unconsciously Kotori seemed to have noticed that fact as well, her face blushed an even deeper shade of red
”Ahahasorry sorry About that, happy birthday, Kotori”
Saying that, shi+dou gave his present as well
”I guess I have to say thanks to you as well”
”Nnn don't mention it”
”Can I open them now?”
Kotori looked at everyone as she asked Tohka, Yoshi+no and [Yoshi+non] eagerly nodded their heads in agreement
However Reine stopped Kotori
”Kotori, can you open o back?”
”Eh? It's not like I can't do so”
Kotori inclined her head to the side in confusion, placing Reine's present that was in her hands to one side
Seeing that, shi+dou raised his volume
”Ah——If it is possible, can oes home as well?”
”shi+dou you too? I can do thatbut the way the two of you are acting, have you two planned so?”
”No, there's no planning whatsoever”
shi+dou stuttered as he replied How to say it, shi+dou so if it were to be exposed in front of everyone It was eet Tohka and Yoshi+no to wait outside when he bought it
”UhWell, it's fine Then I'll open Tohka's and Yoshi+no's first”
Tohka, on the other hand excitedly leaned forward over the table
”Hey shi+dou, can we start eating!?”
Tohka pointed to the dishes on the table, her eyes shi+ning as though she couldn't wait any longer
”Nnshouldn't ait till Kotori opens the presents?”
”! Uuh, is that so, we should normally open presents first huhsorry Kotori, I've been rude”
After shi+dou gently reh she had just realized so
”It's alright, let's eat first”
After Kotori waved her hands and said that line, Tohka's expressions ihtened
”Really!?”
”Of course”
Kotori nodded her head in agreement Tohka then turned to face shi+dou, since the star of the day has already said it there's nothing he could do about it, shi+dou too nodded his head
”Oooh, then I' in!”
Tohka said it as such, happily putting her hands together with a 'Pa!'
Approximately three hours passed
Once everybody had tasted the delicious food, drank tea froht and played board gaiven It was finally ti next door and for Yoshi+no and Reine to go back to <fraxinus>
”Nn, then I'll see you tomorrow, shi+dou”
Tohka who had finished eating those delicious dishes and had a fun tiames yaith a ”Haa~”
”Alright, remember to bathe and brush your teeth”
”Nn!”
Tohka nodded her head in agree the door
”Well then, we better be going now”
”Good night”
[Seeya!]
Following behind Tohka, Reine and the others slowlyto their words, Kotori waved to them
”Nn, see you tomorrow”
After that Tohka and the others waved their hands in return and closed the door with a 'Patan'
Only when the footsteps of the three could not be heard did shi+dou stretch and relaxed
”Well then, I guess I should hurry up and finish clearing things up”
Saying that shi+dou returned to the living roo utensils left on the table
Kotori on the other hand seeht as she sneaked to the corner where the sofa was and started to fiddle with so
”Kotori? What are you doing?”
”! Do, don't mind me!”
”?”
Having a mild sense of confusion, shi+dou merely tilted his head and continued to clear the utensils
After a while Kotori stood up, walking towards the dining table in the living roohtly different from before
”AlrightNext up is”
Kotori stood in front of the dining table, forcefully stuck her head out in an unnatural manner
And so at that moment, one of the black ribbons that Kotori used to tie her hair fell off and happened to land on the cutlery
”Uwah!”
Kotori hastily fished her ribbon out
”Ah, it's dirtied”
”Oi oihere, let me see”
Saying that shi+dou extended his hand towards Kotori However, Kotori suddenly took a step backwards just as shi+dou's hand was about to touch her
”I'e a ribbon since it can't be helped”
”Eh? About that, although you should change one, but you should at least soak it in water first”
”I'll be back soon, wait for me!”
Kotori did not listen to shi+dou's words till the end, running off to the corridor
”WellSince it was black anyway, the stain shouldn't be that obvious”
Saying that, shi+dou noticed so out of the ordinary just no that he recalled when Kotori came over from the corner of the sofa her ribbon seemed to have already been loosened
”It can't be”
Just as shi+dou was in deep thought, Kotori suddenly pushed opened the door to the living room and came back
”Onii~chan~~!!”
——It was the highly expressive Kotori who had changed into white ribbons
Froentler, her speech becae should be If people who aren't aere to see this, they would probably think that she was Kotori's twin sister
”Kotori?”
He frohilst feeling that soht he decided that it was unavoidable
——Kotori, she only has that single pair of black ribbons
To Kotori, the act of [changing ribbons] had an even deeperclothes
When she wears white ribbons, she was the Kotori that was as sweet and innocent as her age group
When she wears black ribbons, she was the Kotori that was the tough commander of <fraxinus>
It was precisely because of these two distinct personalities, that Kotori was able to possess a [strong self] and undertake cruel missions
”Alright, let's clean up! Clean up!”
Kotori seeht the cutlery to the washbasin
For a second shi+dou was left in a daze, but that was quickly changed to that of a bitter smile That was because ever since shi+dou started interacting with the Spirits, situations with Kotori being in co, so it was kind of refreshi+ng for shi+dou to see the original Kotori
”Onii——chan? What's——the matter?”
Kotori used a questioning glance to look at shi+dou shi+dou on the other hand waved his hand from side to side in an attempt to cover it up and continued to walk to the washbasin
At thistowards the present which Reine had given her that was left on the chair
”They did say that we should open it once everyone went back right? So it should be alright if I open it now?”
”Nn, open it then”
When shi+dou said that, Kotori iopen
”What's inside?”
”Nn, Itlooks like a DVD of a movie”
”A reat leader and rare revolutinary——Co like that”
”It can't be! Although I've never seen it before, but it looks like the kind that is commonly sold on the market”
”EhThat's odd”
shi+dou shrugged as he put on his apron Thinking about the crew members of <fraxinus> who loved Kotori so iven to her
shi+dou began to wash the dishes as he pondered Following that, a low hum sounded fro that movie
”Hey hey, you're watching it now?”
”It's al~right, it's al~right, it will end in two hours or so Presents are rarely given, it's better to finish watching it today”
”Really now, be sure to bathe i it”
”I——know!”
A single right hand rose fro the dishes
However, a few minutes later,
”Waaaaaaaaa!?”
At the same time a loud sound was e out loudly as she escaped into the kitchen For good ed shi+dou's waist and hid behind him
”Waa! Wh, what's with you”
shi+dou lowered his gaze, looking at Kotori as tightly grabbing onto the corner of shi+dou's shi+rt, shi+dou felt his shoulder tre
shi+dou frowned as he looked towards the screen of the television——and soon found out the reason for this situation
Shown on the screen was a horde of terrifying zombies, looks like it was a horror movie
It seems that he has become absent minded recently, he just re horror
”Really now Reine-san, don't tell s? Alright then, I'll turn it off for you, so you can let go now”
shi+dou said as he wiped his hands on the apron, however Kotori shook her head while tre
”Nno need I want, to finish it”
”I say, aren't you really afraid of these kind of things? You don't have to force yourself”
”This was selected by everyone forthis”
Saying that, Kotori raised her head Judging from her expression, it looks like she does not wish to let down the expectations that everybody had of her
”Well then, um, all the best”
”Nn!”
Kotori vigorously nodded her head, walking towards the living roo on the edge of shi+dou's clothing
”I still have to wash the dishes”
”Uu”
Kotori suddenly h she was about to break down in tears, shi+dou sighed as though it can't be helped, took off the apron and walked towards the living roo with Kotori
”What's the situation?”
After sending Yoshi+no back to her rooe of <fraxinus> questioned the creith a low voice
”The commander has started to watch theher feel frightened
”But she is still watching it, correct?”
”That's right, there is no signs of her stopping, it see the movie”
”After all the commander did say that she would never do any rude acts such as carelessly handling presents!”
”Nnhoonderful, commander!”
The creiped their eyes while being extremely touched
”However, it was really a stroke of luck, we didn't expect her ribbon to be changed It was as though it was destined!”
”Just a coincidence, huh?”
”? Is so the matter?”
”It's nothing”
After Reine returned to her seat, she looked at Kotori and shi+dou ere shown on the main screen
”We should let Kotori honestly do what she wants occasionally”
Saying that Reine manipulated the controls, a complicated route map was shown on the screen
”Two hours from noill start Phase Two of our battle plan Make preparations”
”Understood!”
The crew members replied Reine's orders with raised voices
On a side note, looking at the vice-coive the orders——Kannazuki
”Ah, that expression is excellent, commander! But the S commander is also!”
He was alone while immersed in his delusions
The two hours could be said to be lacking in comfort
Due to the screen repeatedly showing monsters from thewould cause Kotori to squeal aloud and grab shi+dou's sleeves tightly, or bury her face into his side The movie finally ended with much effort, his sleeves seemed to have been stretched quite a fair bit
”HaaHaa”
Kotori's eyes were red due to the circulation of blood, she rested her head onto shi+dou's shoulder Through the bodily contact shi+dou was able to feel her rapid heartbeat as well as her damp body due to sweat
”Look, it already ended There's no need to be afraid anymore”
”Nn, nn”
After taking a deep breath, Kotori finally released shi+dou's hand
However——At that instant
”Eh!?”
Suddenly, all the lights in the roo the loudest wail of today to cry out
”WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA——!!”
”U, wah! Ca, calm down Kotori!”
Perhaps she panicked due to the sudden turn of events, in the pitch black darkness, Kotori pounced onto shi+dou's
shi+dou gently patted Kotori's back atte to calm her down, at the same time he took out his handphone as a form of illumination
”Is it a power trip? I'll go and take a look, so can you stay here and wait for me”
”I dun wadda! (I don't wanna)”
Kotori said using a voice that was on the verge of breaking down, hugging hihtly
”There's no helping it thenThen let's go and take a look together”
”Au——”