Ebina Hina had always been a sensible child.
Even now, as a mother, she often blamed herself in silence—unable to give her daughter the best life, unable to protect a complete family for her.
That regret never truly faded.
When that person left, Ebina Hina had been sad, of course. She cried quietly at night, hiding it well. But Ebina Hina had already thought through everything far earlier than she should have.
They moved into an old apartment.
They saved every yen they could.
Their meals were simple, repetitive, and modest.
Ebina Hina worked part-time at a nearby convenience store, never complaining.
When her shift ended late at night, Ebina Hime would sometimes go there under the excuse of shopping, only to buy discounted bento boxes that were about to expire.
As a high school girl, Ebina Hina owned pitifully few clothes. Her wardrobe was simple—two uniforms, a few casual outfits, all carefully maintained.
She never asked for more.
All the money she saved was spent on her family.
And Ebina Hina never once said or asked for anything.
....
After dinner,
Ebina Hina sat quietly at her desk, her posture relaxed yet focused. The desk lamp cast a warm glow over the scattered notebooks and reference materials spread neatly before her.
She was currently writing a new Anime script.
This was the work she truly loved.
She had already learned the basics of anime scripting—structure, pacing, visual timing, and dialogue rhythm.
What remained was the most difficult and most fascinating part.
Story creation.
How should emotions be conveyed through simple movements and expressions?
How could a protagonist become someone the audience naturally wanted to support?
How should conflicts be placed so that they felt natural, yet compelling?
And most importantly—how could feelings that were difficult to say out loud be expressed through expression?
Ebina Hina flipped through the stories she had written before, carefully reviewing each page. She marked down scenes, dialogue, and emotional beats that could still be reused or refined.
"There's no need to rush…" she murmured softly to herself.
It wouldn't be too late to go to Hoshiyuu Agency tomorrow and continue refining it slowly.
Her ideas for Anime scripts had already been approved by several people. Some of her scripts had even been adopted, though there was currently no schedule to animate them.
The original animation project would still take time.
Just as she was lost in thought—
Ring! Ring! Ring!
The sudden ringing of her phone interrupted her concentration.
Ebina Hina came back to her senses and looked at the screen.
When she saw the caller ID, her expression instantly brightened. Without hesitation, she answered the call.
"I'll give you five minutes," Akira Fujimiya's voice sounded on the other end. "I'm downstairs at your place."
Before Ebina Hina could reply, the call ended.
She stared at the phone for a brief second, her expression changing, then quickly stood up.
She packed her things with practiced speed, carefully placing her notes aside. Before heading out, she paused and gently pushed open the door to the master bedroom.
"Mom," Ebina Hina said softly, "I have to go out for something. I might not be back tonight."
"Not coming back?" the woman was momentarily stunned.
"Someone prepared a surprise for me," Ebina Hina said, a small smile appearing on her lips.
"…A boyfriend?" her mother guessed after a moment.
"Not yet," Ebina Hina replied honestly. "But I have a good impression of him. My current job was given to me by him."
The woman fell silent for a moment, then nodded slowly.
"Then… be careful."
She knew Ebina Hina was smart—too smart to be easily deceived. Still, as a mother, worry was inevitable.
Ebina Hina nodded, closed the door gently, and left the apartment.
.....
Downstairs.
The moment she stepped outside, she quickly spotted Akira Fujimiya.
Behind him was a high-end car that clearly did not belong in this old neighborhood.
"Once you get into this car," Akira said calmly as he opened the door, "you should be mentally prepared for what might happen tonight."
"...I've been prepared for a long time," Ebina Hina replied with a smile, sitting down in the back seat without hesitation.
After Akira got in, seating besides her as he instructed Nagano Setsuna to drive.
Ebina Hina held Akira's hand lightly and gazed at the night view passing by outside the window.
Her expression was peaceful, almost nostalgic.
Akira noticed but didn't say anything.
Nagano Setsuna, however, couldn't help but glance at her through the rearview mirror.
So this was Ebina Hina.
The girl whom Young Master Fujimiya personally came to pick up.
She was beautiful. With just a little dressing up, she could easily rival anyone.
The car drove steadily toward the outskirts of the city.
"Funimiya-kun," Ebina Hina asked with slight confusion, "are you taking me to the mountains?"
"Almost," Akira replied, glancing at her. "Are you scared?"
"I'm not afraid," Ebina Hina said with a gentle laugh. "I just think your idea is a bit....unusual."
"You're overthinking it," Akira replied calmly. "If it were something like that, we'd go to a hotel—not the mountains."
Ebina Hina was slightly stunned... She really thought that was the reason.
"Then what are we doing in the mountains?"
"You'll know when we get there," Akira said, deliberately keeping the answer vague.
Nagano Setsuna's eyes flickered with a hint of envy.
The villa was already prepared for the surprise. Ebina Hina would definitely be moved.
And then—
But with Yukinoshita Yukino present tonight, that kind of thing probably wouldn't happen.
.....
When the car entered the villa grounds, Ebina Hina's eyes widened slightly.
Akira got out first, took her small hand, and led her toward the darkened villa.
The front door opened.
"Happy birthday, Hina!"
The voices of several girls rang out at once.
The lights suddenly turned on.
Ebina Hina froze for a moment, then her expression softened, her eyes getting moist without her realising.
"This was Yui's plan," Akira explained. "She said it would be romantic and she wanted to surprise you. Though....I think you probably guessed something on the way here."
"I thought you prepared a surprise for me and wanted to be alone with me," Ebina Hina said with a chuckle. "I didn't expect this."
"Ahem," Akira coughed lightly. "I prepared some clothes for you. You can go change into them. There'll be a dance party later."
Under the gazes of several girls, Akira felt a rare sense of embarrassment, that surpise him.
"Yui, Yumiko," Ebina Hina said as she stepped forward, "Come with me to change. You two really deceived me, huh.That's too much."
"I'm sorry, Hina," Yuigahama Yui said with a bright smile.
"Hina, that dress will definitely look good on you," Miura Yumiko added, clearly unconcerned.
"It'd be fine if it were the same as yours," Ebina Hina replied, glancing at their evening gowns.
Yui and Yumiko exchanged a knowing smile.
They had expected her to say that.
The three girls went into the room together.
....
When Ebina Hina changed into the evening gown, she stood quietly in front of the mirror.
"This is what Yumiko and I chose," Yui said softly. "It's a color that suits us."
"It really does," Ebina Hina replied as she looked at the three figures reflected in the mirror.
Yui wore a red evening gown.
Yumiko wore a white one.
Ebina Hina herself wore a deep purple gown.
Standing together, they all looked at each other dress.
"I hope we can always be friends," Yui said, holding Ebina Hina's hand.
"I want to be friends forever too," Yumiko added, holding her other hand.
"…I really can't do anything about you two," Ebina Hina said with a gentle smile.
.....
They returned to the living room.
The table was filled with fruits, desserts, and various dishes.
Yui immediately loaded a plate full of desserts.
"Yui, be careful not to gain weight," Akira reminded her.
"I won't get fat!" Yui puffed out her cheeks.
Once Akira left, she glanced at her two friends.
"…I'll share."
Ebina Hina and Yumiko didn't refuse.
The three of them ate together.
Akira moved to Yukinoshita Yukino's side and whispered something.
Yukinoshita blushed and glared at him.
After smiling awkwardly, Akira leaned over and spoke softly to Nishimiya Shouko.
Shouko's face reddened slightly as she nodded, she didn't hear everything clearly but she did understand some words.
Then came Kawasaki Saki, Meguri Shiromeguri, and Isshiki Iroha.
After finishing with greetings them, Akira casually walked over to the Birthday girl.
Ebina Hina's gaze never left Akira from the moment she came to the living room.
Akira walked over to her, extended his hand — inviting her to dance.
Ebina Hina stood up, as she placed her hand in his.
Together, they walked toward the courtyard.
"Fujimiya-kun, thank you," Ebina Hina said softly.
"Just a thank you?" he asked.
She glanced back at the brightly lit villa, then wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.
Akira responded without hesitation, holding her close.
When the kiss ended, their eyes met.
Ebina Hina leaned gently into his arms.
...
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Bonus Chapter:-
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6 Bonus Chapter at 150 powerstone
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Word Count — 1,555