Chapter 290: Birthday Party in the Clubroom
The moment he pushed the door open and entered, Kaede was greeted by the small party poppers everyone was holding. Instantly, various small sequins and colorful streamers rained down onto both Kaede and Eriri's heads.
"Waaah! Why did I get caught up in this too? Watch where you aim!!!"
Holding the now-empty party popper, Kitamura Yusaku said with a sly smile, "Hahaha, this is a rehearsal. I'm one hundred percent sure that in a few years, we will definitely use these props on a much more formal occasion."
Takasu Ryuji, who was standing nearby, heard Kitamura Yusaku say this for the first time and asked confusedly, "What occasion? Why don't I know? Ah!"
Right after he asked, Aisaka Taiga nudged his calf and looked at him like he was an idiot, saying, "Are you stupid? It's a wedding, of course!"
"Oh, oh~~~~ I get it, I get it. We definitely need to practice that!"
After being exposed, everyone looked at the two who had just entered with suggestive gazes.
Kaede, the main character of the day, had actually anticipated this, so he showed no shyness. Instead, he smiled and raised a hand to remove the scattered streamers from his head.
Eriri, however, hadn't expected it at all. Her face turned bright red as she hid behind Kaede, shouting, "Why do you guys need to practice! It's still several years away!"
"Oh my, she didn't deny the wedding part."
"Yep, she didn't deny it."
"Ah, ah, ah! Stop talking about that! Have you forgotten the main event?"
Only when Eriri, her face flushed, emerged from behind Kaede did everyone stop joking and pull the two of them over to the prepared birthday cake.
The candles were already placed on the cake, signifying that Kaede was celebrating his 17th birthday today.
Looking at the cake and his friends gathered around him, Kaede couldn't help but feel touched. He said, "Thank you all for the careful preparation, I'm very moved."
The club president crossed his arms and said with a smile, "Put the emotions aside for now, hurry up and make a wish and blow out the candles."
"Right, right, right, make a wish!"
"Hurry up and wish, or the candles will burn down!"
Takasu Ryuji also said, "Should we sing the birthday song?"
We absolutely must sing!
So, as Kaede closed his eyes and began to make a wish, everyone collectively started singing the birthday song.
The singing activity, which they rarely engaged in, immediately showcased everyone's vocal abilities. The girls performed quite well, but the boys were inconsistent. Only Uchimaki Subaru was surprisingly good; the club president, Kitamura, and Takasu were all tragically bad, one worse than the next.
Fortunately, it was just the birthday song; if it had been any other song, they probably would have been stopped immediately.
After making his wish, Kaede opened his eyes and extinguished all the candles in front of him with one breath.
"Kaede-kun, Kaede-kun, what did you wish for?"
Hearing this, Kaede gave Eriri a speechless look and said, "I already told you I made a wish. If I say it out loud, it won't come true."
"Aww~~~~"
"Exactly, Sawamura, don't ask." Kitamura Yusaku chimed in appropriately, then picked up a gift box placed on a chair and handed it to Kaede, "Here, Happy Birthday."
"Thanks."
"And ours!"
Immediately after, Kaede received several birthday gifts: one from Takasu Ryuji, a large one jointly from Aisaka Taiga and Kushieda Minori, one from Uchimaki Subaru, one from the club president, one from Usami, and one from Utaha.
Finally, after his arms were full of gifts, Eriri retrieved her long-prepared birthday present from the clubroom cabinet.
"And mine!"
Looking at the abundance of birthday gifts, Kaede smiled and said, "So many! Should I open them now?"
"Open them quickly, open them quickly!"
"That's right, none of us knew what the others chose, only the general category, but there shouldn't be any duplicates."
Setting the gifts aside, planning to cut the cake later, Kaede began unwrapping the presents.
It must be said that the gifts everyone gave were truly varied and diverse, including things like anti-radiation glasses, figures, and limited signed editions of manga.
Fortunately, nothing strange was given; at least they were all things Kaede could use or would like.
Eriri, too, gave Kaede a new pair of headphones. The ones he was currently using were getting old. Although he hadn't mentioned it, Eriri still noticed and went straight to buy a new model, which was much better than the original one.
Looking at the dazzling array of gifts, Kaede scratched his head, "Thank you everyone, I love all the gifts. You shouldn't have gone to so much trouble."
After viewing the gifts, it was time to cut the cake.
Aisaka Taiga had been staring at the cream and fruit cake for a long time. As soon as Kaede started cutting, she quickly said, "Give me a big slice, a slightly bigger one!"
Kaede actually gave her a large piece, which made her extremely excited.
Afterward, it was naturally time for everyone to eat cake, chat, and relax. Although there were no other special big activities, everyone gathering like this still made it very lively.
It wasn't until evening, after packing up, that everyone left school and went home.
Although Kaede and Eriri would still return to the apartment, before that, they would first go to Kaede's house. Eriri's parents would also be there today, and the two families would eat together to celebrate Kaede's birthday.
Holding Kaede's arm, Eriri said happily, "I wonder what Aunt Reiko will prepare tonight. She said yesterday she would prepare a feast!"
Kaede, carrying his birthday gifts in one hand and being held by Eriri in the other, smiled and said, "In any case, whatever it is, it will definitely be delicious. But Eriri, are you still going back after dinner tonight?"
"Of course! Wouldn't it be nice for the two of us to spend the rest of your birthday together?"
Kaede hadn't expected Eriri to say that. He looked at the girl with surprise and nodded, "That sounds great."
"Hmph hmph~~~ Then let's hurry back. Looking at the time, the bus should be here in a few minutes!"
Pulling Kaede along, Eriri walked toward the bus stop full of anticipation, while simultaneously plotting her final plan for the evening.
Taking the bus, the two arrived at the Asakura house.
As soon as he opened the door, Kaede saw two extra pairs of shoes in the entranceway. It looked like Eriri's parents had already arrived.
"We're home~~~"
Along with the sound of the door opening and Kaede's call, footsteps quickly approached. Asakura Reiko, wearing an apron and holding a spatula, jogged over and said with a smile, "You're back! Hurry in, we were just waiting for you."
"Mom, you're already preparing dinner so quickly?"
"We agreed on a feast today, so of course, I have to prepare well!"
Changing into slippers and entering the living room, Kaede saw his future mother-in-law and father-in-law sitting on the sofa.