kscans

Chapter 80 - Blessing

Work was over. I declined various invitations and headed home. The train swayed with its familiar clatter as I arrived at the station nearest to my home. Honestly, my steps felt heavy.

It's not that I'm bad at lying. If this were a battle, I could deceive any number of enemies. Hell, I'd even deceive my allies if needed.

(But this kind of well-meaning surprise is...)

Difficult. My mood just won't shift into lying bastard mode.

When I reached the point where I could see my apartment building, the lights in my room were off, but I could sense people inside. They had asked about my arrival time after all. They turned off the lights to match that timing. Everyone seemed to be suppressing their presence, but sorry... I've already figured out what's going on. I unconsciously probe these things.

(I shouldn't keep them waiting too long... let's go)

Steeling myself, I entered the apartment building. I unlocked the door and went inside, then walked down the hallway and opened the living room door.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!"

The lights came on and party poppers went off grandly.

"...Eh, ah... right. Today's my birthday, isn't it?"

Even I could tell how obviously fake that sounded... and apparently that fakeness got through to Chika-san and the others too.

"...Hiro-kun, that was forced."

"You knew all along, didn't you, you bastard. Putting on such a cold act... you hopeless actor, I'm disappointed in you."

"At least try to play along... I never knew Satou-kun was such an incompetent man."

Is there really a reason to go this far?

"Shut up! You guys' reading was too shallow! Birthday? I figured that out a week ago!"

I was waiting excitedly for today!

"Would someone like me forget my own birthday? Even setting that aside... Chika-san!!"

"Eh, me?"

"You of all people should have realized. I was normally congratulated by my subordinates this morning. By the company president too!"

You're running a company, so couldn't you have predicted that kind of situation?

"Eh, ah, wait, could it be that despite being a president, you've never been celebrated on your birthday?"

"Uh... b-but I haven't told anyone my birthday..."

"Normally, if people have a deep relationship with you, they'd ask about it, right? Look, I'm not saying you're not well-liked, okay?"

I occasionally contact employees at your company for business matters, you know? I can tell you're well-regarded. But is that only as the company president, as the manager Saionji Chika? What about you as an individual person, Saionji Chika? Not that there's necessarily a problem with that, but...

"I'm not trying to criticize you or anything, but your subordinates probably celebrate each other's birthdays, don't they?"

"Hauah!?"

"Mama has collapsed..."

Good, takedown complete.

"Next is you two. Takahashi and Suzuki!"

"Uh..."

They're probably a bit put off because I magnificently crushed Chika-san. But I won't show mercy.

"Look, I think of you guys as my best friends. Lifelong buddies, you know?"

"Um, thank you. I feel the same way."

"Yeah. I also think of you as irreplaceable friends."

"Then can't you figure out your best friend's personality?"

"Guhah!?"

"I know there are parts you might not understand because of the difference between men and women."

I do like to act cool in front of women, after all. Chika-san is, well, fine. I won't say anything about our fairly deep relationship.

"But Takahashi and Suzuki are different, right? You used to be men, right?"

"U-uh..."

"Oh my, was I the only one who thought we were best friends back then!? How lonely! I'm so lonely I might cry!!"

"Gahh!?"

And that's a knockout.

"Winner, me!!"

"What kind of contest are you even having..."

"Haha, who knows? Well, setting that aside. You guys really put together a nice plan for me."

If I had to say whether I was happy or not, of course I was incredibly happy. I wasn't surprised by the surprise, but I could only feel grateful that they had prepared such a warm occasion for me.

"Thank you."

With those words, the zombies revived and the birthday party began.

"Satou-san, happy birthday."

"Yeah."

"Really, I've been nothing but trouble for you since we met, so this might not be nearly enough, but... this is from my mother and me."

"Don't be silly. Just the thought is more than enough. If anything, I feel bad for making you spend money. Thank you so much."

When I opened it, the contents were a set of dried snacks that would go well with alcohol. Not just the standard jerky and salami, but also some slightly unusual items like dried cutlass fish and whole squid.

"This should make the drinks go down nicely."

"Yes, since Satou-san seems to love alcohol, we thought you'd be happy. And this is from my little sisters."

"Oh my, how cute."

This must be from when we went to the beach. A picture of me and the twin girls happily playing together. And probably a pretty seashell they picked up at the beach, with a small bag of cookies maybe? Damn, my excitement meter just broke through its limit in an instant.

"...Tell Ai-chan and Midori-chan that Uncle was stupidly happy."

Yes, I'm displaying this. I'm displaying it right now. I'm putting this up in the living room right now! I'll even put time protection on it so it won't deteriorate and preserve it forever! But I will eat the cookies. It would be rude not to eat those.

"Yes, I'll definitely tell them."

"Uncle's heart is so full now... I could die happy..."

"Don't die, don't die!"

"That's right. I'm next after all. Here, happy birthday, Uncle!"

Rika-chan handed me a present with a smile.

"A necktie... a necktie..."

"Um, was it a miss?"

"...It's a hit, a complete hit... You know... well... the married bosses and colleagues at work..."

The day after birthdays or Father's Day, they come to work wearing neckties their kids gave them as presents. And then they come to me and brag about it. Showing it off like, "Nice, right?"

"I was sooooo jealous! Rika-chan isn't exactly my child, but I'm still happy! Really happy!"

I'm going to wear it starting tomorrow! I'm going to wear it and brag about it!

"Ahaha, I'm glad you're happy. And this is from Sarna-chan."

"Eh, from Sarna-chan too?"

"She said she's been helped a lot by you. She was too busy to come, so I was holding onto her present."

She must have coordinated with Rika-chan. Sarna-chan's present was a tie pin. Nice, I'll use them as a set starting tomorrow.

"Then I'm next. Since Hiro-kun is fashionable, I picked out some clothes I thought you'd like... how are they?"

"Ohhh! You really understand my taste! Good, good. I'll gratefully make use of them!"

My physique may have deteriorated compared to the old days, but I still pay attention to my clothes. Even a middle-aged guy with a belly can dress stylishly, you know?

"Fufu, I'm glad."

"It's nice to buy clothes I like myself, but there's something especially happy about receiving clothes chosen by someone close to you."

Ah, it shows that you really understand me.

"Now then... you bastards, you'd better have presents ready that won't bring down the mood I've built up so far."

"What an attitude."

"Be a little more humble."

"There's no point in putting on airs with you guys. Come on, hurry up! Hurry up!"

"Geez... this is from me."

Whoa!? This is... a lighter! A turbo lighter and a two-type oil set! And a rare foreign cigarette set too! What a luxurious present!

"You became a smoker, didn't you? You looked pretty natural doing it, so I thought it might suit you."

"You're the best! And you've got good taste!"

"R-really? Honestly, I wasn't sure, but I chose things I thought you'd like."

"Perfect! You hit my heart dead center!"

Not bad at all (mysteriously condescending tone).

"Then as the finale, I'll give you this."

"A liquor set! You've assembled some really good ones... hmm?"

"Aha, I figured you'd notice."

Whiskey, brandy, tequila, all distilled spirits only. Well, I'm not complaining, but from Suzuki's tone, I could tell there was a reason for choosing all distilled spirits.

"I want you to drink using 'this.'"

"! You... eh, could it be..."

"A long time ago, when the three of us were hanging out in the room watching foreign movies, you said you wanted this, didn't you?"

Ah, that's right. There was this cool actor who was drinking from one of these, and I said when I became an adult, I wanted one too. Honestly, I had forgotten about it until I saw this. I'm naturally easily distracted by new things. But seeing this hip flask brought back memories from my boyhood days.

"I see... you remembered..."

That you still remember such a trivial exchange and made it come true...

"Thanks. I'll gratefully drink from this."

"Yeah. Enjoy it to the fullest."

Suzuki smiled like a flower.

"Everyone, thank you again. I'm really, truly happy."