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1. Hasegawa Eiji
He woke up before the alarm even rang. With heaviness, he got out of bed, stretching his arms over his head and letting out a tired yawn. He walked to the bathroom and, after taking care of his needs, approached his nightstand to grab his phone and check his pending tasks; out of the corner of his eye, something caught his attention.
It was his wall calendar, a red circle standing out on a particular date.
“So it’s today, huh?”
Well, the tasks could wait.
Hasegawa took a shower and put on his uniform before leaving his apartment, saying goodbye to his wife—not before taking a package he had stored in the closet. As he headed toward his vehicle, a notification made him check his phone again.
It was a message from Soushirou.
As he read it, his eyes widened in surprise before he let out a fond laugh.
“Well, looks like he finally worked up the courage.”
He quickly typed a brief summary of the day’s itinerary. Slipping his phone back into his pocket, he got into his car and headed for the base.
A long day awaited him.
Upon arriving at the base, he first headed to his captain’s office, the package safely tucked inside his uniform jacket. Along the way, he ran into several soldiers returning from the same direction, who greeted him warmly when they saw him.
When he reached the office door, he noticed a small pile of cards and candies already gathered at its base. Carefully, he picked them all up and held them against his arm before opening the door.
Narumi had his own private quarters within the base—a privilege of his high rank—but he always preferred spending time in his office, which he had set up almost like his own bedroom.
With slow steps, he walked around the futon-wrapped bundle to place the items on the desk; for once, he didn’t trip over any action figures or empty Yamazon boxes. The room was clean, the floor clear, the shipping boxes gone, the shelves neatly organized along with the game consoles, and even the desk was tidy.
Once his arms were free, he walked over to the window and pulled the curtains aside, letting the morning sunlight filter into the room. Only a few seconds passed before a complaint followed.
“Ahhh—turn off the light!” came a muffled voice from the bundle. Hasegawa noticed how it went from a burrito shape to a fetal position ball.
“Up. Time to wake up.”
The bundle didn’t move. With a tired sigh, he kicked it, sending his captain flying out and rolling until he crashed into the door.
“What the hell, Hasegawa?! Are you trying to kill me?!”
Narumi Gen jumped to his feet, pointing angrily at his vice-captain. In response, Hasegawa grabbed him by the collar of his oversized shirt and sat him down in front of the desk.
The annoyed expression quickly turned to surprise when Narumi noticed the small pile of candies and cards. He picked one up and read it, humming quietly before grabbing a muffin and devouring it in nearly one bite.
“I’ll leave you here today’s activities before lunch.”
Narumi kept eating more sweets before making a sound of agreement.
“Don’t have only that for breakfast.”
“Let me be. I can do whatever I want.”
Hasegawa shook his head fondly. He pulled the package from inside his jacket and placed it in front of Narumi, who accepted it eagerly.
“Happy birthday.”
Narumi stared at him for two seconds before lowering his gaze, a blush creeping onto his cheeks. “Thank you.”
Hasegawa headed for the exit. Behind him, he could hear the sound of paper tearing before he closed the door.
When he first met Narumi, he soon learned that the bag of toys for the orphanage children, the one Narumi had risked his life to protect during the subjugation, had been bought with his own money. Money he had originally saved to buy a video game from his favorite Gundam franchise after working several part-time jobs. By the time he had saved enough again, the game was unfortunately sold out.
He knew Narumi had searched for it again for a long time, unsuccessfully, which left him in a bad mood and though he would never admit it, a little sad.
So Hasegawa hoped his gift would be to his liking. Finding it had truly been a coincidence, but he wasn’t about to argue with luck.
He had only walked a few meters when the sound of a chair crashing to the floor and a shout of “This can’t be possible!” followed by a squeal of joy gave him the answer he was looking for.
“Looks like he liked it” he thought, smiling as he imagined the childish expression of his spoiled captain.
2. Shinonome Rin
Rin knew that most soldiers didn’t know how to approach their captain in person to congratulate him or give him a gift, so they chose to leave cards or candies outside his office for him to see when he opened the door.
She also knew her captain had the bad habit of eating those sweets for breakfast instead of going to the cafeteria for a proper meal.
“Well, Rin-chan, it looks wonderful.”
She was finishing arranging the dishes on the tray when the head cook approached her.
“Do you think he’ll like it?”
“Our dear captain would be a fool not to appreciate it, especially coming from a beautiful woman,” said Ozaki, the head cook, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. Rin quickly shook her head.
“Oh no, no, no, Ozaki-san. I don’t like Captain Narumi that way.”
She knew many of her coworkers speculated about her feelings for the captain, but she only felt respect for him, love, even; but not romantic love. This was the first time someone had said it almost directly to her.
“No?” Another shake of the head. “Well, regardless, if he doesn’t appreciate your effort, he’s a fool.”
That made Rin smile. Carefully, she picked up the tray and headed toward the captain’s office.
“Thank you for letting me use the kitchen, Ozaki-san.”
The woman waved it off. “Anytime, dear. You’re one of the few people I allow in here without fearing they’ll burn down my kitchen.”
Rin had to bite her lip to keep from laughing, remembering the disaster from a couple of years ago when Tachibana and Miyake tried to bake a cake for the captain. She swore there were still stains on the wall that never came off.
“Oh! Make sure Captain Narumi is here for lunch, we’ve already started preparing.”
“Of course. See you later.”
Rin headed for the captain’s office, carefully maneuvering the tray so nothing would spill. This time, she had prepared miso soup with onigiri and some sushi rolls, along with fruit juice, knowing her captain didn’t like coffee very much.
“Good morning, Captain,” she greeted as she entered, heading toward the desk to set the tray down.
Captain Narumi, absorbed in a video game, lowered his console and looked at her. “Good morning, Shinonome.” He pressed a few more buttons before turning off the device and focusing on the food in front of him.
“Happy birthday, Captain.”
Her words earned her a soft smile and a thank you. “Please enjoy your breakfast.”
Narumi picked up a roll with his chopsticks and took a bite, letting out a satisfied sound. “Delicious as always, Shinonome.”
“I’m glad you like it. I’ll see you at training.” With a bow, Rin left the office, leaving her captain to finish his breakfast.
Who says gifts have to be material things?
On the birthdays of those closest to him, Captain Narumi would always prepare lunch as a gift. So she wanted to do the same once she learned when his birthday was.
She might not be a gourmet chef, but she knew the captain appreciated the gesture. She would never forget the first time she did it, the food was awful. She was so nervous she mixed up sugar and salt. She was about to throw it away when the captain surprised her.
“What’s that?”
“Um… I wanted to give you a birthday breakfast.”
She was so embarrassed she couldn’t look at him, which was why she didn’t notice him approaching the plate of omurice until she heard the spoon hit it.
“Wait, Captain—!”
But it was too late. Narumi Gen was already eating her disaster. If he hated it, he didn’t show it. He simply ate everything while Rin watched in shock.
“It’s not bad. I’ll expect another one next year.”
And that was how it started. As long as her captain allowed it, she would prepare him a delicious birthday breakfast to start his day right.
Birthdays are meant to be spoiled.
3. Tachibana Kota & Miyake
It was already noon when the platoon leaders’ training ended.
Tachibana let himself drop to the ground, releasing a dramatic sigh. Miyake beside him did the same.
“Brutal as always, Captain.”
Captain Narumi was reclining in one of his usual lounge chairs, console in hand. The sound of buttons being pressed and the game’s effects drowned out the heavy breathing of the others.
“Really? I thought I was being gentle.” Narumi glanced at them with a teasing smile.
Tachibana was sweating buckets. A quick look at the others told him he wasn’t the only one, they all needed a shower before lunch.
He looked back at his captain, who looked perfectly fresh, unlike them, who felt and smelled disgusting. Tachibana and Miyake exchanged a glance before standing up and approaching him.
Out of the corner of his eye, Narumi saw them coming. "Hm? What is it?” he asked, just before his face was suddenly covered in colors.
“Happy birthday, Captain!” Tachibana and Miyake shouted in unison, each holding a confetti popper. The others laughed before joining in with their own congratulations.
“What the hell, guys?!”
Tachibana laughed. “It’s not a birthday without some confetti, Captain.”
“We had to do it.”
Narumi shook his hair, sending the little bits of paper falling into his lap, the game forgotten. He scooped up a small handful and threw it back at the two leaders, who, being sweaty, had it stick to them instantly.
“How colorful you’ll look,” Shinonome said between laughs.
Tachibana spat out a piece of paper that had made its way into his mouth while he was laughing, looking at his captain, who wore a mocking expression while letting out a small chuckle.
It was worth it.
4. Shinomiya Kikoru & Hibino Kafka
The cafeteria was buzzing with noise when Kikoru and Kafka arrived.
The tables were almost full with all the members who hadn’t gone home for Christmas, overflowing with delicious food. And at the center of it all was Captain Narumi, the focus of the First Division’s attention.
Shinonome was the first to spot them. “Hey! Kikorun! Kafka!” She waved them over.
Kafka looked hesitant, but Kikoru shoved him forward.
“I thought you had the day off,” Hasegawa said, somewhat doubtful.
Kafka scratched the back of his neck nervously. “Well… you see…”
Or rather, he tried to.
Kikoru snorted and smacked him. “We found out it was Captain Narumi’s birthday, so we decided to bring him a gift.”
Narumi hadn’t expected rookies from another division to go through the trouble. He first took Kafka’s small box, revealing a black watch inside.
“Happy birthday, Captain Narumi,” Hibino said, earning a nod of thanks.
Hasegawa coughed to hide his laughter when he saw Narumi’s face, clearly unsure how to react.
Kikoru snorted, not hiding her amusement. She shoved Kafka aside and presented her own gift to Narumi, though she was just as embarrassed, cheeks flushed and eyes averted.
“Happy birthday, moron master.”
“Well, thank you, moron disciple,” Narumi replied, taking the box from her hands. “I knew you cared about me.”
Kikoru’s face turned even redder. “W-Who says I care, idiot?!”
Her reaction only drew more laughter from those around them.
“Well, kids, there’s still plenty of food,” Miyake said, motioning for them both to sit with them.
“Thank you very much!” Kafka was the first to accept. Kikoru facepalmed but followed suit.
Kikoru figured that maybe being in the First Division wasn’t so bad, as she joined the conversation and the teasing aimed at her captain.
5. Itami Keiji
Lunch would have stretched into dinner if not for Hasegawa, who reminded them of their duties.
Narumi headed toward his office after the celebration, humming a tune from one of his video games. Hasegawa had given him the rest of the day off, so he decided to dedicate it to playing his gift.
As he walked, he sank into his thoughts.
Before joining the First Division, he had never enjoyed his birthday. The date—right in the middle of Christmas and New Year’s celebrations—meant it was often overlooked in favor of the others. At the orphanage, the director and caregivers tried to prepare something he liked, but with the holiday expenses, it was rare.
Now, he had friends who celebrated his birth with him. The days of sadness tied to his birthday were gone, replaced by the genuine affection of his friends, his family.
A smile spread across his face. He truly enjoyed his birthday now.
When he entered his office, he was surprised to see the lights on, but then he realized someone else was there.
“Good afternoon, Narumi.”
Director Itami was seated at his desk, with a bottle and two glasses set out in front of him.
“Hey, Itami.” Narumi closed the door behind him and approached the desk as Itami poured the drinks. Once seated, Itami raised his glass, and Narumi clinked against it.
“Happy birthday.”
“Thank you.”
They drank at the same time.
It was something they did, only usually there had been another person serving them. When they finished, Narumi took the bottle, lightly running his thumb over the name The Macallan before pouring again.
It wasn’t a new bottle; by now, only a quarter remained. The first time they opened it was when Narumi had been promoted to Captain. Isao had given it to him as a gift for his promotion, and they had celebrated with a drink, just the two of them.
Except on his birthday, when Itami joined them.
Like now, only this time, without the third.
“Did you enjoy your day?”
Swirling the amber liquid slowly in his glass, Narumi nodded. “Yes, I did.”
“I’m glad.” Itami finished his drink and set the glass down. From behind him, he produced a gift and placed it beside the glass.
Narumi took it, opening it carefully so as not to tear the paper. When he finished, he set it on the desk.
It was a wooden chess set. Not just any set, it was Isao’s.
He opened the case, running his fingers over each piece until he reached the black king, the color Isao usually played. He lifted it and held it in front of him.
“You know… I never managed to beat him.”
Itami smiled in amusement.
“No, but you were the only one who ever came close.”
Narumi looked up at him. “Really?”
Itami nodded, taking the set to arrange it. “Every time I played him, he crushed me, but I still enjoyed it. Until I suggested he play with you.”
The pieces were in place now, and he reached out to Narumi, who handed him the last piece.
“At first, I suggested it to teach you patience and strategy, a way to prepare you. But I also thought you’d be a good opponent for him. He told me he ended up enjoying the fact that you were the only one who could keep up with his pace.”
Narumi noticed he had been given the black pieces.
Itami made the first move with a pawn, gesturing that it was Narumi’s turn.
Draining his glass in one gulp, Narumi prepared himself to be the one continuing the beating on the board.
It wasn’t a bad way to end his day.
+1. Hoshina Soushirou
The moment he read Hasegawa’s reply, Hoshina knew the best time to see Narumi would be at night, after his own squad had finished monopolizing him.
He had all day to prepare.
He had requested the day off in advance, though his captain had looked at him as if he’d grown a second head.
“You never ask for a day off unless we force you to.”
Admitting the real reason had been embarrassing, especially when she laughed at him, but she granted it on the condition that he tell her every detail afterward.
Once in Ariake, he headed to the shopping mall to buy a few more things.
“Vicecaptain Hoshina?”
Hoshina stopped and looked at who had called him, none other than his favorite rookie.
“Well, well, Kafka. Shopping?” Judging by the number of bags he was carrying.
“Heh… something like that.”
Hoshina was about to ask what he meant when Kikoru approached, exiting a store with another bag, which she shoved into Kafka’s arms without noticing him.
“Next, we’re looking at shoes.”
“Wow, Shinomiya, that’s a lot of bags.”
“Vice-Captain Hoshina?!”
“Hey~.”
Shinomiya recovered quickly.“Sorry about that. It’s a surprise to see you here.”
Hoshina waved it off. “No worries.”
Kafka cleared his throat. “So, what brings you here?” Kikoru smacked him.
Hoshina laughed at them. “Well, I’m preparing a birthday gift.”
Both looked confused. “A birthday?”
“Yep. Captain Narumi’s birthday.”
Now both looked surprised.
“It’s Captain Narumi’s birthday?” Kafka asked.
Hoshina confirmed it.
Kafka turned to his companion. “Kikoru, we should get the captain something.”
“I know, idiot. The question is: what?”
Hoshina watched them rack their brains. “I think I can help you,” he said, catching both their attention. “Though you’ll help me too.”
—
He was parked in the First Division base’s parking lot. He had already changed clothes and was waiting.
He hoped Narumi wouldn’t back out or play a prank on him by standing him up. He had spent the entire morning gathering the courage to message him, far more time thinking than writing, until he finally just sent it.
-Would you like to go out to dinner? I’d like to give you a gift.
The reply took about thirty minutes to arrive.
-Hoshina? Can’t you just send it or something?
Well, it wasn’t a rejection.
-No. It’s something I want to give you in person.
He could see the typing dots appear and disappear, Narumi was writing and erasing his response. The suspense had Hoshina on edge until his phone finally rang.
-All right. See you at 8 p.m.
-Don’t be late.”
And so, there he was, half an hour early. Waiting.
When there were five minutes left, he sent a message saying he was already outside. Leaning against his vehicle, he saw someone approaching.
Narumi Gen was a handsome man, even when dressed like someone who had just woken up. But now, seeing him in the clothes Shinomiya had chosen as a gift, made Hoshina’s eyes widen and his heart race.
He was wearing a dark gray turtleneck sweater paired with a black trench coat and matching dress pants. Hoshina also noticed that his bangs weren’t styled as usual; instead, they were swept to the side, leaving only his right eye visible.
With his hands in his pockets, Narumi walked toward him with confidence.
“Take a picture, bowl cut. It’ll last longer.”
That snapped Hoshina out of his trance. He switched to a teasing expression, trying to hide the blush on his cheeks. “Well, if you insist, Captain.” He pretended to pull his phone from his pocket, only to be stopped by the other.
“What?! No!” Now it was Narumi whose cheeks were flushed. He looked away, clearing his throat to mask the hesitation in his voice. “So? Where are we going?”
Hoshina stepped away from his vehicle and opened the passenger door, bowing theatrically. “Hop in. I’ll take you there.”
“Well, how gentlemanly.”
“One must treat you properly, Captain, especially today.”
The red on Narumi’s face only deepened. He got into the car, and Hoshina closed the door before heading to the driver’s seat. As he drove, Hoshina glanced at Narumi out of the corner of his eye. Narumi was resting his face in his hand, gazing out the window, probably trying to guess where he was being taken.
Hoshina hoped he would like it.
They drove to a pier near the base, more specifically, a lookout point. After parking, they got out at the same time.
“The pier?”
Hoshina nodded. “Yes. Come here.”
He gestured for Narumi to step closer. Narumi did so, a bit unsure. As soon as he did, Hoshina pulled a blindfold from his pocket.
“What’s that for?”
“Well, we can’t ruin the surprise. May I?”
Narumi looked at the blindfold, then at Hoshina’s face. After a moment of hesitation, he nodded. With confirmation given, Hoshina stepped behind him to place the blindfold over his eyes. With almost torturous slowness, he traced his fingertips from the corners of Narumi’s eyes to the back of his head, brushing through his dark hair before tying the blindfold.
He took one of Narumi’s hands in his to guide him. Hoshina was nervous, he couldn’t tell if the sweat between their palms was his or Narumi’s. Despite the blindfold covering part of his cheeks, Narumi was clearly blushing.
When they reached the lookout, a table decorated with roses and a bottle of wine awaited them. Because of the sea breeze, lantern-shaped lights had been placed around the table. The nearest restaurant had helped set it all up, and to Hoshina, every cent had been worth it.
He stopped Narumi in front of the table and gently removed the blindfold.
“Tada!”
Narumi blinked, adjusting to the light as he took in the scene.
“You did all this?”
“Do you like it?”
Narumi turned to him and smiled. “Yes, I do.” He gently brushed one of the roses in the vase. “I suppose I can assume your intention is to ask me out on a date.”
“Observant as always, Captain.” Hoshina took his hands again, positioning them face to face. His face burned, he couldn’t believe he was about to confess. “Narumi Gen… I don’t know how or why, but I like you. I like you a lot.”
Narumi’s eyes widened in shock. His breath caught. Had he heard that right? Hoshina, the same man he constantly bantered with, exchanging sharp remarks, had just told him he liked him. What kind of alternate dimension was this?
“Is this a joke?” Narumi hated how his voice sounded, so weak, so afraid that this was just another prank.
But Hoshina shook his head quickly. “It’s not. I really like you, despite how loud and annoying you can be…”
“Is this a confession or a critique?” Narumi interrupted.
Hoshina continued anyway. “But even so, I like you for who you are. You don’t pretend to be a perfect figure in front of others, you show your true self. And watching you all this time since we met, I know you’re kind and have a good heart. That’s what drew me to you.”
Narumi didn’t know how to process it. All this time, he had believed his feelings were one-sided, and so he’d settled for the dynamic they had. He never imagined Hoshina felt the same.
“So, Narumi Gen,” Hoshina said softly, “Would you do me the honor of going out with me?”
Hoshina felt his heart pounding in his chest, loud enough to hear in his ears. He swallowed nervously as Narumi remained silent.
“Maybe he’s thinking about how to reject me…”
His uncertainty didn’t last long. Suddenly, he was pulled into a kiss. Narumi had grabbed his coat and kissed him. It was only the movement of the other’s lips that snapped Hoshina out of his shock, prompting him to respond eagerly.
When they pulled apart, Hoshina couldn’t help but laugh. “Somehow, you had to make the first move, didn’t you?”
Narumi simply gave him a mischievous smile before pulling him in for another kiss.
This was definitely a better way to end his birthday.