[ Seven ] - Birthday

                                    

                                          
"Hiyoriiiiiii??? Are you readyyyyyy?" 
                          
Ami's voice was rather clearly and loudly heard through the phone Hiyori was holding. She had to pull the phone inches away from her ear, in her friend's excitement.
                          
"Yes, Ami-chan. I'm going to leave the house now, see you!"
                          
Before leaving the room, Hiyori took the time to fix her hair a little. It was hung down, but she decided to tie them into low pigtails. She fixed her white cardigan, and her black and white dress. 
                          
Hiyori smiled as she closed off her phone and placed it inside her little shoulder bag, going out of the room leaving a small pink sticky note with the message "I'm going out with some friends, be back before 10," written on it.
                          
She skipped through the stairs, happily going out the house.
                          
"It's a first," she thought. For the past few months, she tried to lock herself in her room. She always felt empty with the same nightmares haunting her occasionally. Crying with indefinite reason, feeling like she always forget things.
                          
But now, that's all temporarily tucked away. Now, she was even skipping her way out of her room. 
                          
It was her best friend's birthday after all.
                          
~•~ 
                          
Kofuku pouted, leaning on top of the small table to look better at Yato, who was seating in front of her, avoiding her gaze. After all their yelling, Daikoku and Kofuku knew the truth about Hiyori, except for the part that they failed  to cut ties with her. 
                          
"It was your fault, you told her to leave." She turned to take a cookie, and pointed it to Yato and Yukine before eating it whole, "Ith's bothh your faulth." The God of poverty said, her mouth full of cookies.
                          
"My lady," Daikoku reprimanded her and took her off the table. "You should really stop reminding them of that thing,"
                          
"It's better for both of them to take their minds off it," He sat down, "They should forget about her too."
                          
Yukine stiffened, as Yato had his head hung down. 
                          
"Them thinking of it will only negatively affect them, Yukine might blight Yato again, and they won't be able to earn any money in their state."
                          
"You're right."
                          
Yato spoke. Everyone's attention drawn to him in his sudden action. 
                          
"Hrm... we need a vacation!" Kofuku said gleefully, clapping her hands on excitement.  
                          
"You know you cant leave, m'lady," Daikoku reasoned. "But its for Yatty~! And we did that before righttt?" She answered. 
                          
After a few minutes of arguing,  Kofuku turned to Yato and Yukine, with a big grin in her face.
                          
"I know a place where we can go~!"
                          
~•~
                          
"Happy birthday Yama-chan!" 
                          
Handing her a pink and black box with her gift inside, Hiyori greeted the special birthday celebrant. Yama smiled from ear to ear, she was about to open her gift when a voice from behind called to them.
                          
"Yama, Ami, Hiyori!" 
                          
Pink petals fall as the cherry blossoms swung lightly. Turning around from the bench in the park, they were greeted by Fujisaki with Abe and Seki. Fujisaki and Hiyori's friendly relationship had been getting better, just like the other two girls and boys. They all had been hanging out for a while.
                          
Standing up, the girls greeted the boys back. And without wasting anymore time, they started to walk to the mall. 
                          
"So, have I told you this new arcade at the mall?" 
                          
"Yama, you've been talking about it all week. " 
                          
Ami, Yama, Abe and Seki laughed, while Hiyori tugged her black and white detailed dress down a little. It reached above her knee, it was given by her mom. She looked around, everything was so peaceful, what could ruin a day like this? 
                          
"You look beautiful," 
                          
Fujisaki told her and she smiled as she turned back to reality. Even though she still had an uneasy feeling toward him, it will be rude to act weird and defensive around him. 
                          
With some casual talks and discussions, they finally made it to the mall. 
                          
But something was different. 
                          
The place was surrounded by firetrucks, police, media and thick black smoke was seen above the building.
                          
Fire. 
                          
They stood there, both curious and shocked. Police told a few bystanders that was standing a bit closer than them to back away. Their group backed away too, but they seemed to be drawn to the burning building. 
                          
Hiyori found her voice and broke the silence, "What happened here?"
                          
As if on cue, a lady wearing formal costume that was holding a microphone and was standing in front of a man holding a big bulky camera started to speak.
                          
"That's right, the mall had been burning for almost 2 hours now. According to the authorities, the fire started on the third floor, on the right side of the mall. It is also said that the cause of the fire was several cuts on the electric wires in the said floor. The fire is now being neutralized by the authorities." 
                          
"Oh... That's a bummer. Hope the arcade on the second floor won't be damaged!" Abe spoke all of a sudden, of course they all heard what the reporter said. 
                          
"Yeah..." Yama nodded, "Maybe someone played with a huge katana and accidentally cut the wires!" She added, laughing. She wad obviously trying to lighten the mood.
                          
Katana?
                          
Hiyori didnt know why, but she felt a something weird when she heard the word. Something in her screamed she was missing something.
                          
But what?
                          
An image came into her mind once more. 
                          
A long stainless katana. 
                          
White bandage-like cloth wrapped on its end. Its other end wrapping loosely.
                          
Flowing and floating,
                          
Like snowflakes in the air in a cold winter's night...
                          
"Urghh.." she groaned, snapping her eyes open, she held her temples and felt intense headache flood over her. The others didn't notice her stop and grip on the nearby tree, but Fujisaki did. 
                          
"Hiyori, are you okay?" He asked, and held Hiyori's arm.  Hiyori gently shook his hand away, "No, I'm okay.."
                          
He called for the other's attention, and they crowded over her, with the same question in their head. 
                          
"Hiyori?"
                          
"What's wrong?"
                          
"She's having her headache attacks again"
                          
Yama fanned Hiyori in hopes of lightening her headache, while Ami took her arm and placed it on her shoulders, helping her stand up. 
                          
"The black smoke must've affected her,"
                          
"Let's just go someplace else,"
                          
Their voices slurred around Hiyori's mind as she tried to regain her strength. They seated her in a nearby restaurant chair as they talked about where to go next. Just after a few minutes, they looked at Hiyori and smiled.
                          
Yama took Hiyori's hand, "I know a place where we can go!"