[clum! '95 #08] The May 6th Gift

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Saturday, May 6, 1995.

Saturday afternoon in the latter half of Golden Week. The gymnasium was filled with the heat and the smell of sweat from the basketball team members who had just finished their intensive training during the holidays.

“Alright, that’s it for today! Make sure you cool down properly before you head out!”

““Thank you very much!!””

The practice ended with a command from Captain Koga.

I, Rikka Sano, wiped the sweat off with a towel while glancing around—mostly at my childhood friend, Jin Oritachi.

…Hey, you’ve got to be kidding me, right? Did you forget what day it is today?

Today is May 6th. It’s my 14th birthday.

I celebrated with Mom and Dad this morning at home, but so far, I haven’t heard a single “Happy Birthday” from my friends at school or my teammates.

As for Jin, he didn’t even make eye contact with me once during practice, just going through the drills with a blank expression.

“Sigh… Well, it is the holidays. I was a fool for expecting anything.”

Just as I was feeling sulky and about to drink some tea from my water bottle, that happened.

“U-um! Sano-senpai!”

I heard a voice crack.

When I turned around, first-year Kazuyori Hayasaka was standing there, fidgeting with something hidden behind his back.

He’d only joined the club less than a month ago. He was usually struggling just to keep up with the practice, but his face was even redder than usual.

“Hm? What’s wrong, Hayasaka-kun? Did you cramp up?”

“N-no! …Um, this!”

Hayasaka-kun seemed to make up his mind and thrust out a small package he had been hiding behind his back.

It was wrapped adorably with a pink ribbon.

“Oh, what’s this?”

“H-happy birthday! …I saw the date on the roster and realized it was today… um, I thought it might be presumptuous of me, but…”

Hayasaka-kun rattled off in a voice so quiet it was about to disappear.

I was surprised. But, I’m so happy, so happy!!

“Whoa! You remembered!? No way, I’m so happy!!”

When I opened the package, what came out was a “pink wristband.”

It was from a sports brand, but the logo was small, and the design was just the kind I like.

“I-I don’t have much sense… so I consulted Okamoto-senpai to help me choose. She said pink would look good on you, Sano-senpai…”

“Okamoto-san!? …Wow, it’s super cute! Leave it to Okamoto-san, and thank you, Hayasaka-kun!”

I put it on my wrist right there on the spot.

“How is it? Does it suit me?” I asked, striking a pose.

Hayasaka-kun nodded vigorously, saying, “Y-yes! Very much so!” and his face turned even redder.

Just as the two of us were enjoying the happy atmosphere,

“……You two, don’t block the hallway.”

A low voice came from above.

It was Jin. He had finished changing and had his sports bag slung over his shoulder.

“Oh, J-Oritachi-kun! Look at this, Hayasaka-kun gave it to me! Unlike you, he’s actually thoughtful.”

“……Hmph.”

Jin snorted and tried to walk past, looking uninterested.

He really did forget, the heartless jerk.

The moment I was about to mutter that,

Jin didn’t stop, but as he passed by, he tapped something onto my head.

“Huh? What?”

I hurriedly grabbed what was on my head.

It was the limited-flavor gummy candy that I had been complaining about, saying, “They released a new one but it’s not sold anywhere!” And it was a set of three bags.

“Wait, this…! The one I was looking for!”

When I turned around in surprise, Jin was walking away with his back to me, just raising one hand and waving it lazily.

“……Happy birthday. You’re noisy, so just eat that and be quiet.”

“What the!? That last part was unnecessary!”

I complained, but I knew my face was grinning.

He went out of his way to find it and buy it for me.

“……Geez, both of them.”

I stroked the wristband on my left hand and clutched the gummies in my right.

Hayasaka-kun looked up and said,

“Sano-senpai?”

“Nope! I just thought it was the best day ever! Hayasaka-kun, I’ll treasure this! I’m definitely wearing this for the next game!”

“Y-yes!!”

The week began, and it was after school on May 8th.

I, Rei Okamoto, was at the library counter, stamping the return dates on the checkout cards of the books that had been returned.

Thump, thump, thump…
Only the dry sound of the stamp echoed through the quiet room.

The calendar at hand read “May 1995.” The breeze blowing in from the window was slightly humid, and I could feel the approach of the rainy season.

Hayasaka-kun… I wonder how it went.

The day before yesterday, Saturday, May 6th, was Sano-san’s birthday.

Hayasaka-kun had been so enthusiastic, clutching his present and saying, “I’ll give it to her when practice is over!”

Even if I wanted to ask about the result, I didn’t know his home phone number.

In the end, I spent the whole weekend feeling restless, and now here I was, after school today.

I hope he didn’t fail and get discouraged…

It was just as I sighed that it happened.

The heavy sliding door of the library opened with a loud rattle.

“O-Okamoto-senpai!!”

It was Hayasaka-kun, who had run in out of breath. His face was glowing, illuminated by the setting sun.

“Oh, Hayasaka-kun! …That look on your face, could it be”

“Yes!! It was a success!!”

Hayasaka-kun ran up to the counter and reported it, unable to contain his excitement.

“Sano-senpai was so happy… she said, ‘I’m definitely wearing this for the next game!’ She even put it on right there to show me…!”

“Really? …That’s wonderful.”

A warmth spread deep in my chest. Before I knew it, my eyes were getting a little misty.

“It’s all thanks to your advice, Okamoto-senpai, saying ‘It’s pink, but if it’s a sports brand, it should be easy to use’! Thank you so much!”

“No, it was your courage that got through to her. Hehe, I was worried about it all weekend, so I’m relieved to hear that.”

We looked at each other and laughed.

It took two days to find out the result, but including that time, our “operation” was a success.

“Well, I’m off to club practice! I have to show my best to my senpai today!”

“Yes, good luck.”

Once Hayasaka-kun left like a storm, silence returned to the library.

I took a small package in a paper bag out from under the counter.
Homemade icing cookies.

They were carefully wrapped with a desiccant to keep them from getting damp.

“……Alright.”

I tidied up the counter, grabbed my bag, and stood up.

Hearing Hayasaka-kun’s report made me feel like I had been given some courage.

“I’m too embarrassed to give them to Sano-san directly… so I think I’ll put them in her shoe locker.”

With a letter attached.

‘Happy birthday. I hope you have a wonderful 14th year.’

I started walking down the empty hallway with a slightly faster pace.

I’ll find out Sano-san’s reaction tomorrow, or maybe the day after.

That slow flow of time felt pleasant.

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