The Case of Liking the Most Beautiful Girl in the School Even After Being Told Not to Like Her - Chapter 24 - Birthday
Chapter 24 – Birthday
On the morning of July 14th, my birthday, my dad wished me a happy birthday, and I thought that Mina-san would also congratulate me. I thought that since she had told me she would be thinking of a birthday present for me, of course she would congratulate me. However, Mina-san did not congratulate me when we talked at school or when we chatted a little on the way home.
This is just me getting my hopes up. I told Mina-san a week ago that I didn’t want a present from her. Is that why she’s not congratulating me? I imagined Mina-san saying that those who said they didn’t want gifts would not be celebrated.
Well, it doesn’t matter if she doesn’t congratulate me, so it’s fine…
The test was over, and I had time to read, so after I finished eating dinner, I locked myself in my room and started reading the mystery novel I bought the other day. I often don’t realize someone is talking to me until I’ve finished the end of the book. I’ve been scolded by my friends and my dad a few times because of this.
—30 minutes later.
I read a quarter of the book and decided to take a break. Thirsty, I got up from my chair and was about to go downstairs when there was a knock at the door. It was probably Mina-san. My dad and Kaho-san don’t often come to my room, so I thought it was Mina-san by process of elimination.
When I opened the door, Mina-san was standing there holding a tray with two cups, a plate of cake, and two forks.
“It’s after dinner and I don’t know if you’ll be able to eat more, but do you want some? After all…it’s your birthday.”
“You remembered… I thought you forgot…”
Mina-san then entered my room and placed a tray on a small table.
“How could I forget? Come on, sit down. Let’s eat cake together.”
I sat down in front of the table as Mina-san told me to. Mina sat down with her legs folded across from where I sat.
“Before you eat it, let me tell you, I didn’t buy this.”
“Eh, then Mina-san made this?”
When I asked her that, Mina-san nodded. I’m glad, but I remembered Mina-san’s cooking. This is a cake made by Mina-san who also made that curry before… Maybe she’s good at making cakes? It doesn’t look as bad as the previous curry, and I can tell it’s a cake. The problem is the taste.
Mina-san kicked my legs from under the table, as if she knew what I was thinking.
“Can you not look at me like this cake isn’t edible when you haven’t even tried it…? I made this cake with the help of a friend, so it’s okay. Just by looking at it, you can tell it’s a cake, right? It’ll be fine.”
I received the fork from Mina-san and was about to eat it, but there was something I wanted to ask before that.
“Before we eat, I have to ask, by the way, have you tasted this cake?”
When she made that curry, she was trying to get me to eat it without tasting it herself first.
“I did. It was good, so it’ll probably be fine.”
I feel like all she’s said since a few minutes ago is that it’ll be fine, and I’m starting to worry about the taste.
“I know I’m a little late, but… Happy Birthday, Yuuto-kun.”
“…T-Thank you…”
When I thanked her for congratulating me, Mina-san giggled.
“Because I didn’t congratulate you today, you were wondering when I would congratulate you when I saw you in the morning or when we were talking at school, weren’t you?”
Mina-san asked me with a smirk. Well, she’s right on the money.
“I said I didn’t want a birthday present, and I thought Mina-san wouldn’t congratulate me…”
“Why didn’t you just honestly say you wanted to be congratulated~? You’re not being honest~”
“Because I really don’t think so.”
“Hmm~. Well, let’s just put it that way. Now, let’s have some cake. I’ve made some tea, so I suggest you eat the cake with that.”
Mina-san said so and told me to eat.
I pierced the cake with a fork and put it in my mouth, and the sweet aroma spread in my mouth.
“Delicious…”
“Right? I’ve never made a chocolate cake before, but I think it’s pretty good for a first time.”
Seeing that I ate, she ate the cake too.
“Yes, it’s as good as the ones they sell in stores. The friend who helped you, was it Nakahara-san?”
“Yes, that’s right. Iori is good at making sweets. It was a bit troublesome when I asked her to teach me how to make them, though…”
Mina-san’s complexion suddenly changed, as if she remembered what happened at that time.
I ate the cake while listening to the story of how she made the chocolate cake and finished it in no time…
“Thank you for the food. It was really good.”
“I’m glad. But the birthday party’s not over yet.”
After saying this, Mina-san got up and left the room.
Birthday party… Since when were we supposed to be having a birthday party? Also, where did Mina-san go when she suddenly ran out of the room?
A short time later, Mina-san returned to her room with a paper bag.
“Here, your birthday present.”
“What?”
I said I didn’t want a birthday present, but Mina-san gave me a paper bag she was just carrying. I couldn’t say I didn’t want it, so I accepted it.
“You said you didn’t want any presents, but I still wanted to give it to you… If you don’t want it, you can throw it away.”
“Can I open it?”
When asked this, Mina-san nodded.
I reached into the paper bag and took out what was inside.
“A smartphone case and a cup?”
“Yeah. I’ve never given a boy a birthday present before, so I don’t know if you’d like it…”
Mina-san glanced at me and wondered if I was okay with something like this.
“Thank you, Mina-san. I will take good care of it.”
When I said this, Mina-san’s face lit up.
“But…this phone case…doesn’t fit the size of the phone I’m using.”
“Eh…really?”
“Yeah…”
“…You…should’ve kept quiet about that.”
“Well… I guess you’re right…”
That may be true, but if Mina-san later said, ‘What? You didn’t use the phone case I gave you,’ and I said, ‘Actually, the size doesn’t fit my phone’, Mina-san would be more sad.
“But thank you for making the cake and thinking of birthday presents, Mina-san.”
“You’re welcome. For my birthday, please prepare both a birthday present and a Christmas present.”
“Can’t I just give one?”
“Nope. Well then, good night, Yuuto-kun.”
“Yeah, good night.”