[r/ProjectMirAIs - WHAT WAS THAT?]
> @righteousrabbit: WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED IN NYC?!
> @crazycat: Bro, I SWEAR some people just got isekai'd live
> @irateigloo: WHAT DOES IT MEEAAANNNN
> @loreowl: it means my life is hell T_T
> @killerqueen: LMAO
> @uglydumpling: Okay, so I was in the raid group. DEFINITELY legit.
> @whimsy_seeker: I got 150th place after gacha gave me [10x Strength]. It was fun. Things went boom.
> @VenerableOne: 9th place here, i got miracles and a dragon chime, so I spammed sunlight spears. PRAISE THE SUN!
> @not_kirito: I got the last attack bonus on the Hero!
> @kim_gongja: Gacha'd [Regressing Suicidal Hunter]. Didn't ACTUALLY regress, but each time I died I got prediction lines for attacks. Super fun.
> @sillyrabbit: I can't believe John actually gave everyone $50 giftcards
> @minimuffin: I know! I have a friend who got one! It works too!
> @King_of_uruk: Hah! You mere mongrels only got $50? I got $1,000 for being in the raid party!
> @uglydumpling: Can confirm. Got a check signed by John himself.
> @envy_us: BRUH. I WENT HOME AFTER FINALS. YOU TELLING I COULD HAVE GOT A BAND JUST FOR LARPING IRL?!
> @happyhippo: You guys only got a grand? I got $5,000 for being in top 1000.
> @envy_us: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
> @ohanadayo: Mister John really went all out for the new girls!
> @miraiz_fan101: I'm getting nostalgic for Hana's debut now...
> @juan_titor: Right?! Doing the whole John Titor bit... amazing
> @nice_ninja: On god. Also, I want the drip from the raids.
> @giga_breaker: SAME. My wallet is dead if John drops the fits from the raid.
> @fashion_guru: Bad news.
> @giga_breaker: No...
> @stylish_syrup: WE GOT DRIIIIIIIP
> @not_kirito: I WANT THAAAAAAAAAAT
> @miraiz_enthusiast: So we all agree Protest about to be hype AF right?
> @unrepentant_singer: 100%. We had a whole anime just for the intro!
> @newbie_agent: My oshi is definitely gonna be Lady Zen ^_^
> @imma_believer: The nameless goddess is my oshi!
> @miku_enthusiast: I wonder if the goddess is a miku expy?
> @kahns_piracy: Okay, but like anyone else catch the fact that MERYL KODOMO'S CORPSE WAS CHILLING IN THE BACKGROUND OF THE PV FOR LIKE TWO FRAMES?!
> @irateigloo: NO WAY
> @kahns_piracy: It's like a minute in! Bottom left corner!
> @questioning_quail: BROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
===
Roppongi Hills, Hope's apartment... which had become the shared apartment for all of Protest.
By the time the chaos in New York City was over, it was early morning on May 4th in Japan.
Or in other words...
Hope held out a plate with a small cake for Juliet and said, "Happy birthday, Julie!"
...It was Juliet's 18th birthday.
Since her debut was tomorrow on May 5th, Juliet had been working on last minute prep for her stream. Because of that, she had been in her room working in private to focus...
And of course Hope would barge right in.
Juliet blinked and then took off her headset. "A cake?" She shifted her gaze down towards the small cake that Hope was holding out.
It was clearly a cake meant for one person, only around the size of Hope's two palms put together. With sky blue frosting, some whipped cream to look like clouds, as well as what looked to be about 18 candles jammed together, it was definitely something Hope would make.
Which made Juliet concerned. "...What kind of cake is it?"
Hope huffed and then handed the plate to Juliet. "You're such a meanie! I can cook! Just because I like particular things doesn't mean my tastebuds are wrong!"
Erie walked in from the kitchen, wearing only an oversized black t-shirt. Carrying a mug of coffee in her hands, she rolled her eyes and said, "I'm pressing X to doubt on that statement, Hope. You drink your coffee with honey."
Hope turned around to look at Erie. As she did, Hope's usual fluffy pink dress twirled, making her following pout extra dramatic. "It's good! You just don't understand!"
Juliet hummed and said, "I'll accept honey in coffee since I've had whipped honey in a latte before..."
"See?!" Hope pointed Juliet and said, "Julie gets it!"
"...But you still didn't answer what type of cake this is. Also, you didn't light the candles."
Erie sat down on Hope's bed and said sipped on her coffee. "That's probably because Hope with fire of any kind is a safety hazard."
Hope turned a bright red and said, "That was only one time! And it was in high school! I told you guys already!"
Erie gave Hope a blank look and said, "You told us you burned down an entire chemistry lab."
"No! I said I covered the lab in fire! Nothing burned down! It was just scary! I knew what I was doing!"
Juliet looked amused and said, "Don't think I haven't noticed how you haven't answered my question, Hope."
Hope fidgeted and said, "W-Well... It's a yummy cake! I promise!"
Juliet gave Hope a blank stare and said, "Don't tell me this is another one of your health hack recipes... Is there carrots in this? Banana?"
Erie took a sip from her coffee and then gestured with her mug towards Juliet. "Hey. Carrot cake is a vibe. It's how I'm filling up my calorie count."
Juliet warily eyed the blue cake and said, "Carrot cake is a sin, and not the fun kind."
Hope huffed and said, "It's not a weird cake! It's just... slightly crispy. But it's yummy! I made salted caramel fudge batter to make the cake!"
Erie raised an eyebrow. "That's ambitious... and is that why the apartment smelled delicious this morning?"
"Yep!"
"...And is that also why there was a small pile of burnt cake in the garbage?"
"..."
Juliet chuckled and said, "Let me guess. This cake is all that's left after you scraped off all the burned bits."
Hope sighed, finally relenting. "Fiiine. Yes, I messed up the timing and burned part of the cake-"
Erie chimed in and said, "MOST of the cake."
"PART of the cake." Hope huffed and crossed her arms. "Most of the cake was fine! It just looked crispy because the chocolate and caramel got too hot. But it's fine!"
Juliet smiled and said, "Well, either way, I appreciate the effort, Hope. And thank you."
Hope let out a bright smile. "Of course, Julie! Now..." She pulled out her phone and said, "Let's take a picture for memories!"
Erie's eyes widened in panic. "W-Wait! I'm not even dressed properly-"
"Cheese!"
"GAH!" Erie quickly set her mug down and dove into the blankets.
Juliet chuckled and held up the cake.
And when Hope snapped the picture, she captured Juliet's quiet laugh, the deceptively beautiful blue birthday cake... and Erie just baaarely not flashing anybody.
Erie immediately jumped back out of the blankets when Hope finished taking the picture and said, "Delete that! No, let me see it!"
Hope giggled and dashed off. "Nooope! It's going in the scrapbook!"
"Screw you and your scrapbooking! I know you caught my panties in that picture! Delete iiiit!"
"Never~"
"HOOOPE!"
Juliet chuckled as she watched Hope play keep away from Erie, the two bantering the entire time. Then she shifted her gaze back down to the cake and the small fork that Hope had sneakily stabbed into it while they were talking.
"...This is nice."
Juliet let out a soft smile as she gently plucked the candles off, idly licking the frosting off each. "Mm... at least this is normal."
It wasn't clear if Hope was right about whether the actual cake was yummy or not, but the frosting and whipped cream was normal at least.
Juliet finished taking off the candles and tucked them inside an empty pencil box. She smiled at them for a bit and then turned her attention back to the cake. "...Now to find out if this is normal..."
The sky-blue cake looked pretty. And it looked normal.
But...
Juliet hesitantly pulled out the fork. And then she stabbed a bit into the cake to tear off a chunk.
"...Huh. Looks normal."
Like Hope said, the cake looked a bit crispy. It definitely crunched as Juliet stabbed it. But that looked to be more from the caramel and chocolate than any burnt batter.
"...It's probably fine."
Juliet quietly muttered the words and brought the bite up to her mouth.
She tried not to think about the other things that Hope made them try in the past.
Like the cornflour angel cake donut monstrosity. Or the deep fried corn dough fries. Or just anything corn related in general...
"Nom."
Juliet took a bite of the cake. And...
"Huh."
...It was fine. No, better than fine.
Fluffy. Sweet. A bit crunchy from the caramel and chocolate. A little salty too, but not overbearing. In fact, just the right amount of salt for a salted caramel pastry.
All of it was exactly like Juliet would have liked it.
And realizing that...
"Ah. This isn't good."
...Juliet smiled, but her vision blurred. She quickly rubbed her tears out of her eyes and laughed. "I can't cry yet. I haven't even started streaming yet..."
Hope's giggles echoed from the other side of the apartment, along with Erie's indistinct words. The two, bantering and being as playful as always, ensuring the apartment was never quiet.
A place- No.
A home filled with warmth and laughter.
Something that Juliet had always wished for.
Juliet sniffed and wiped her tears away again, smiling as she took another bite.
'Usually, people make a wish, right?'
That was the tradition.
Get candles, blow them out, make a wish, get sung happy birthday...
But...
Juliet quietly took another bite, smiling the entire time. "...All my wishes already came true. So I guess I'll just say... thank you. To whoever let me be this happy. Thank you."
"JULIE!" Erie's voice cut through the apartment. "HOPE'S TRYING TO MAKE BREAKFAST AGAIN!"
"AM NOT!"
"I SEE THE CORN IN YOUR HANDS, WOMAN!"
"IT'S A SNACK!"
Juliet laughed and set her plate to the side, heading off to the kitchen. "Alright, alright. Sit back and let the real cook make us some food."