habbby bdayy (closed to hamuko, ichinose and morning)

[takutomaruki]

-----> 23rd may, in maruki's apartment

It was the 23rd of May.

Maruki had been keeping an eye on the dates for weeks now. A small, red circle marked the number neatly on the calendar that sat atop his study desk, drawn in with the same meticulous care he applied to nearly everything else in his life. He’d told himself—promised himself—that he’d come up with something thoughtful for Ichinose’s birthday. Something more than the usual gestures. Something that said he’d been paying attention.

There had been a few complications, of course.

Ichinose said she had arrived in summer, and there was always the chance she’d already celebrated her birthday before meeting them—quietly, or not at all. He had tried watching her closely on the 6th, just in case. But her expression hadn’t shifted. No sign of expectation. No sulking. No joy. Nothing that screamed "this is a day for me."

Maybe he should’ve wished her a happy birthday then and there. But back then, he had been swamped—tangled in his research, consumed by the ever-growing list of patients, papers, the mess of his project. And of course, Morning.

Morning had taken priority.

It hurt him to keep the boy in the dark for so long—the Akira from another universe who was his son inadvertedly, one he never expected to meet. Every instinct told him to protect, to nurture, to give. So that’s what he’d done. The kid had already missed too much. Maruki couldn’t let him miss anything else.

So yes. Life had been full. Bursting, even.

But today was for them.

-----

He had taken Morning along with him to the lab under the pretense of needing help with a light calibration test—some throwaway excuse he knew Morning wouldn’t question too deeply. Ichinose was already there when they arrived, nose-deep in her work, and Maruki only smiled faintly before excusing himself.

“Sorry, I’ve got to run a quick errand. Won’t be long,” he said, grabbing his coat. “Just don’t let Morning fall asleep in my chair again, yeah?”

Then he slipped out, coat flaring slightly behind him, and headed straight to the place where the real work was already underway.

-----

Back at his apartment, the lights were dimmed low to hide the still-in-progress decorations. Modest balloons, two cakes waiting in the fridge. There was even a small hand-made banner hung clumsily above the kitchen archway that read: Happy Birthday!!—with the letters slightly crooked in their tape. Not his best visual work, but it had heart.

Maruki stood near the window now and occasionally peeked through the peephole of the entrance door at every small sound from the hallway, every shuffle of feet. He spotted them just a block away. Not yet. Still a little time.

He turned back into the room, brushing off his hands and checking that the candles were still tucked safely in their packaging.

"Hamu—uh, Hamuko-san?" he called out softly toward the kitchen. "They’re on their way here. Just got the text." He had messaged them that he's out to get groceries.

He moved to adjust one of the streamers that had started drooping again—tape failing, or humidity, he couldn’t tell which.

“I think this might actually work,” he murmured, almost to himself. A faint, nervous smile tugged at his lips as he looked over everything one last time. The table was set. The gifts- to an extent, the food, the soft jazz in the background.

Now all that was left was for the door to open.

And the moment of surprise to land.

Comments

2/2

[takutomaruki]

"Your existence is the most marvelous thing in this world after all."

[dollmaxing]

Your existence is the most marvelous thing in this world, after all.

The words were gentle, kind sounding. She wasn't always good at telling if someone was being deceptive, but... he seemed sincere. Part of her wanted to think he was.

But he also had a bad habit of saying things that sounded very different than his intentions behind them.

"You shouldn't say things you don't mean, Maruki," Ichinose clicked her tongue a little. "There's got to be things you find much more marvelous."

[takutomaruki]

"Hm?" He tilts his head at her in question- not sure what he said just now gave her that impression. "Did I say something wrong?"

He gestures away to the balcony door. "I mean it- you, Morning, Hamuko-san, others here with their own experiences and their own stories to tell, I think it is the most wonderful thing to listen to and see how others pick themselves back up and try to cope with their circumstances. I am not as courageous to fight a lot of things on my own, after all."

[dollmaxing]

"You said most."

She chuckled at him a little, studying him like he was a puzzle, again. You strange man...

"You said that my existence is the most marvelous. What does that mean, then? What about me is any bit more notable than anyone else?"

[takutomaruki]

"..."

Oh.

Maruki's lips pulled into an 'o.' "No I meant that for everyone-" then he paused, realizing what he was just saying. "OOoohkay, message recieved- I think I get what you mean."

"Forgive me...I am usually not this awkward with talking. I haven't known you for that long so its not fair that I am going this overboard in a short period."

[dollmaxing]

"You seem like you're trying very hard, but I can't imagine what you're trying for," Ichinose's chuckling increased a bit. "Kind words, thoughtful sentiments, memorizing little details - how am I supposed to interpret these? You're vexing me."

He doesn't want a romantic relationship (nor does she), he isn't interested in casual intimacy, he doesn't see anything particularly noteworthy in her (aside from their cooperation, maybe? Their overlaps in their dream?)...

"Disinterested in pursuing anything with me, I'm not any bit more interesting than others like Morning or Hamuko... you already have my cooperation, so what are you looking for, Maruki?"

[takutomaruki]

"Am I?" His brow furrowed at her admittance but to be fair, he could understand where she's coming from- given the conversations they have had before. He keeps himself cool, his smile sobering up to something more thoughtful as he considered her words carefully.

He came off too strong, didn't he? No point trying to rub salt into the wound.

"We might be colleagues working together to help each other in our research but your company in itself is enough. Really, Ichinose-san, I am not looking for anything."

"Why do you think I am looking for something in you?" Gently he eases his expression and listens carefully. "You are a friend."

[dollmaxing]

Why did she think that...

...It felt a bit silly to say aloud, but it did come to mind anyway.

No one is this nice for no reason. Everyone has always wanted something from me, else they would never interact.

"Isn't that how it always is?" she asks, figuring he would be good enough to read between the lines and understand the underlying question.

[takutomaruki]

That easy question...hmm, what could it all mean? he wonders as he watched the gears in her mind turn. If he peered further beyond into her cognition, he could get a grasp at the spiralling feelings that he could only sense as of now, like a beacon catching an SOS signal in the midst of the vast ocean- unsure and with no form attached.

"All I could ask of you is that you are comfortable with me," he answers honestly. "And you are doing that- you're being honest about your grievances and I appreciate that."

"Then again..." He crosses his arms to his chest and clasps his chin in thought. "I suppose there is something I want from you."

[dollmaxing]

Ah hah, she knew it - even if Maruki himself hadn't formed the thought until confronted, it only made sense.

Curious, intrigued by what his answer might be, Ichinose stood a bit more straight. How does your mind work, Maruki?

"Oh?"

She's all ears. And because she likes this helpful, strange, interesting fellow - she's pretty sure she will give him what he asks for.

1/2

[takutomaruki]

"I want you..."

He thinks hard, forming thought with eyes closed like he's considering a request on par to life and death. Then he opens one eye, teasingly.

"To call me by my first name. If you’re comfortable."

2/2

[takutomaruki]

"No reason to be that formal with me by now, don't you think?"

1/2

[dollmaxing]

[dollmaxing]

Though she was caught off guard, Ichinose started laughing in surprise. He kept catching her off guard, like that - what could she do but laugh?

"Hahah! Alright, alright. Then you should call me Kuon."

[takutomaruki]

Maruki laughed along with her, thoroughly amused as he rested his elbows on the railing again- almost proud of himself. It made Ichinose laugh...better than being vexed with him. He could make small guesses of why she was expecting a different answer, he could already tell from the ongoing injustice brought about by her relatives and her social circle that she had only considered this relationship to be a transactional one.

To an extent, Takuto related to that considering his relationship with Akira-kun started similarly.

"Very nice to meet you, Kuon," he bows almost out of theatrics before rubbing at the bottom of his nose. "I would like to get to know you better for as long as time permits us."

[dollmaxing]

"You're well invited, then," she chuckled fondly, perplexed by this funny, strange fellow. "You're far too interesting and strange for me to not keep poking and prodding at anyway. I'm afraid you're stuck with me, Takuto."

How strange, how fun, to say someone's first name with her mouth as a friend and as a peer for the first time in such a long time. Just like how the Thieves always called each other by their first names - even their grouchy cop tagalong.

"Good guess on the cakes, by the way - I love strawberries."

[takutomaruki]

Takuto...

It shouldn't have come as a surprise to hear his first name like that and yet, his brows relaxed at the mention of it anyway. Like an invisible weight had been lifted off of his shoulders and into the air. It wasn't like back at school he hadn't reached first name basis...especially for mixers but that one was sincere. An actual connection to a step forward.

"Oh! Is that so!?" He perks up brightly. "I am glad to hear that...had to do a lot of guesswork to make sure I don't ruin the surprise before we get to the good part, you know?"

"Hopefully what I have next also satisfies you then- since I had to fill in a lot of gaps again."

[dollmaxing]

"This has to be the present side of things - I can't see you as someone who would neglect that part of things either. Honestly, I'm surprised you didn't find some excuse to give Hamuko-chan a gift, with your personality," Kuon teased with a chuckle.

A present for her, though... from someone that actually was very astute and knew her little intricacies and memorized things she told him. That was a bit exciting.

[takutomaruki]

The teasing made his cheeks flush out of emabarassment. "Now that you mention it...I am boggled about getting her a gift. For now all I can do is get those silly snacks and cook- but I will figure something out one day! Don't tell her I said that to you though-!" He giggled at the end, like sharing a secret of utmost importance.

"Now, onto my primary reasons for inviting you here..."

He leaned away from the railing to go to one of his potted plants and picks an unassuming pot which at first glance only seems to have a polished teal-coloured ceramic-style resin body. Straightening up, he holds out the pot for her. "Ta-da!"

There's a small LED screen mounted at the centre of one of the faces that look like:

(－ω－) zzZ

There's a small flower sprout poking from the soil already, closed before the emoticon on the screen shifts to a different expression:

(o ω－) z??

"Oh uh...it's sleeping," he mutters quietly as the pixel art shifts back to closing its eyes. "I didn't think it would have been that sensitive..."

[dollmaxing]

"Oh? What is this? That's adorable!" Ichinose beamed, leaning in to admire the tiny screen and perky little baby plant. "Anthropomorphizing a plant... wait a minute, this is about that comment I made about struggling to keep plants alive, isn't it?"

[takutomaruki]

Maruki theatrically looked away with a small grin. "Noooooo, totally not related to that..."

[dollmaxing]

"I like that you remember little details of our conversations," Ichinose chuckled, gently taking the little pot from Maruki's hands to hold it in hers. "So, how does this little thing work? Just emoting based on movement and time of day, or light exposure?"

[takutomaruki]

Ichinose's comment made him pause for a bit, tilting his head just a little in question at her observation. Did people truly not hear her out often-? That sounds...painful. Having no one to confide your feelings in- is that why she always got caught off guard?

"A little bit of all," he admitted as he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "I don't know actual coding but I used cognitive pscience to sort of fill in the gaps. It can read the water level in the soil- pinpointing whether its thirsty or not. All elements depend on the plant inside the pot."

"That said...there's a bit of a problem with it," he shook his head and closed his eyes in defeat. "It's not accurate all the time and I didn't really get the time to fix all the intricacies in time. I couldn't delay your gift any later than this after all."

[dollmaxing]

"Oooh, so you've gotten me a present and a fun little project to tinker with...! Two gifts in one," she hummed approvingly. It didn't seem sarcastic, either - she was already eyeing it diligently, curious, spotting where to plug a cord in to connect to a computer. Hoh hoh... she didn't have to take it apart to tinker, then - people always hated when she took apart things they gave to her. She never understood it, she always managed to put them back together - it was just proof they got her something interesting!

[takutomaruki]

Oh good. She liked the challenge.

Maruki wasn't lying...really. More like omitting out the truth for her sake and really he had gambled on the possibility of her getting annoyed by the gift too- so lo and behold! He predicted correctly...she liked solving things. The AI she created was to solve the underlying issue with humanity and its nature to draw itself towards its pain- she wanted to study it and erase it.

It was nice...to be on that wavelength. To understand that wavelength from a different lens.

"It's as they say...imagination's the limit with these types of things. I tried to do my best replicating how an actual program would work but this is as far as I could go to."

"Do you like it?" He asks, sincerely and genuinely. If he could get the okay this way, he could understand her more. He could help her achieve her true state of happiness. He's sure of it!