CHAPTER 4 - Jam-Packed July (2)

[BIRTHDAY SURPRISE]

On July 12, everyone in Class 3-E had pooled their money in buying a cake for Hayami. They all sang the 'Happy Birthday Song' during homeroom, together with Korosensei, as she blew the candle afterward.

She was grateful that they remembered her birthday and even prepared something – thanks to Korosensei's reminder to everyone last week.

After their last period, Chiba seized this window of opportunity to approach the celebrant while the rest of the class were indulged in their own affairs.

"Hayami, I want to show you something," he said, his thumb pointing outside.

"Okay."

Although they walked out of the room stealthily, they were still caught by the prodigy duo – Nakamura and Karma – the only ones who kept an eye on the male sniper since this morning in anticipation for this moment.

They shared a scheming glance, aware of what to do next.

Right in the middle of the forest, the sniper pair wandered through the cool shade. The only noise that could be heard was the crunching of the twigs and leaves on each step and the faint sway of the trees.

As Chiba had instructed, they brought their guns. He also told Hayami that if she ever saw a peculiar target, she should shoot it. Of course, she was curious about this ordinary yet extemporaneous task but did not make the effort to ask him. She had a feeling that she would only be given a vague answer.

Her eyes began to dart here and there until she made out a pink round object floating from a branch. Upon further inspection, she noticed the letter 'H' on it.

She clasped her fingers around the pistol, aiming it at the target, and pulled the trigger without a moment of hesitation.

Pop!

Colorful pieces of confetti glided to the ground. A breath flowed out from her mouth as she finally caught wind of what this was all about. Not wanting him to see her astonishment, she continued forward without looking at him.

The next balloon target has the letter 'A', which went on until she reached the 13th one, 'Y'. Arranging all those letters together, she came up with the phrase that she had been hearing several times today,

H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y

Before she could react, she caught sight of a tiny object alongside the confetti on the dirt. It probably dropped from the last balloon that she had shot. She came closer and picked it up.

It was a keychain in the shape of a black cat.

Her head cocked towards Chiba, who was rubbing the back of his neck bashfully. "Happy Birthday," he simply said.

"Is this why you skipped our practice this morning?" she asked to which he nodded in reply.

A smile formed on her face. Then, with eyes shimmering, she met his gaze. It was a simple gift but it somehow made her heart flutter.

"Thank you."

The expression she was wearing at that moment was one that no one else besides Chiba had seen. Even though his past self would not have done this sort of thing, he was glad that he had gone out of his way to celebrate her birthday.

Meanwhile, two rubberneckers were perched atop a tree branch as they watched the surprise that Chiba had prepared for Hayami – the skill they learned from Karasuma on hiding their presence being harnessed for an unnecessary purpose.

When the sniper duo had left to return to the classroom, Nakamura let out an outcry. "There goes my hundred yen!"

Devil horns popped out from Karma's head with a frivolous smirk on his face. "I exactly got his gift right," he proclaimed smugly.

She threw him an outrageous look. "I can't believe that you were able to guess that without using a trick," she said.

Feigning a look of innocence, he uttered, "Why would I do that?" Then he sneered. "Well, you are right. I came across Chiba last Sunday going inside an accessory shop and this morning, while I was gathering poisonous berries, I saw him tying balloons around the forest."

"You cheater!" she groused. She didn't even bother asking why he was harvesting those harmful berries. She already has a clue what's it for.

"I just got lucky. Next time, check what your opponent knows before making a bet with them."

Gritting her teeth, she pulled out her wallet. "Fine." She took out a hundred-yen bill before slapping it on his open palm.