The bustling city gradually calmed down, vehicles on the streets became sparse, moving like flowing stars through the darkness. Neon lights still flickered with brilliant colors but lacked the ostentation of daytime.
Upstairs in the villa, lights were still on.
After a full day's work, Chiba Shimizu was feeling a bit tired.
But his wife seemed to have endless topics of conversation.
If it had been anyone else, that girl would have probably left by now, but opposite Sister Reiko, she was willing to keep listening.
Even if those topics didn't interest her.
"Shimizu, tomorrow is your birthday; I really need to prepare well," Reiko Onodera said with a smile.
Actually, she didn't know what else to talk about and was trying her best to prolong the conversation to keep the girl from sleeping.
"Sister Reiko, you really don't need to bother preparing anything special," Chiba Shimizu said.
Her personality was naturally cool and she didn't like commotion; having others make a fuss about her birthday was more of a burden to her.
"How can that be? When I had my birthday, you and Mr. Haruka even went out of your way to bring Rika over from the countryside."
"Sister Reiko, that was to thank you. It's different."
Finally, it was 11:57.
The wall clock ticked, "tick-tock, tick-tock," Reiko Onodera glanced at the time and felt it was about right; she then spoke up:
"Shimizu, accompany me to the open-air balcony for a moment."
Chiba Shimizu nodded, not asking what they were going to do there.
This was the reason Haruka Yuzan insisted his wife come; no one else held such sway with the girl, not even Haruka Yuzan himself.
Had it been him, he probably wouldn't have even made it through the door at this stage. ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ N0velFire.ɴet
Exiting the bedroom, aside from the fat cat lying at the door, the corridor was empty.
When the cat saw Chiba Shimizu, it meowed.
It seemed to be protesting the fact that no one was there to coax it to sleep tonight.
Chiba Shimizu glanced at it and then picked it up from the ground; the cat was cute, and had indirectly saved Yumeko, so she was quite fond of it.
"Roast Meat really likes you too," Reiko Onodera said with a pursed-lip smile.
Chiba Shimizu uttered a "Hmm," and they, along with the cat, walked onto the open-air balcony.
From there, the scenery of the yard was visible.
Moonlight, like liquid, gently spilled into the yard, casting a silver-white veil on the ground. The cobblestone path under the moonlight gleamed faintly.
The night breeze blew, rustling the cherry blossom trees and wafting a fresh fragrance.
Chiba Shimizu saw what looked like two figures in the yard, bent over, busy with something.
The yard lights were off, so she couldn't see clearly.
"Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock....."
When the clock's hand silently reached midnight, that moment seemed to freeze in time, carrying the memories of yesterday and heralding the hopes for tomorrow.
Just then, a crisp sound rang out from the courtyard: "Look here, Chiba-chan!!"
In the childish voice, full of excitement, Chiba Shimizu looked over to find Misaki Saki waving to her from the yard, her porcelain-like face abuzz with excitement.
Beside her, there appeared to be several large boxes.
"Why is Misaki in the yard?" Chiba Shimizu voiced her curiosity.
Suddenly, a streak of light soared up from a corner of the yard, with a "whoosh," a stunning firework blossomed in the dark sky.
It was like a beginning.
One after another, the fireworks roared towards the night sky, bursting into a riot of radiant colors.
Reds like fire, fervent and unrestrained; blues like gems, deep and mysterious; purples as if they were flowers from dreams, romantic and enchanting.
The light from the fireworks illuminated the entire yard, the brown courtyard walls, the swaying branches, the cobblestone ground—all were touched with a layer of fantastical hues.
She tilted her head back slightly, the delicate features of her face gently outlined by the fireworks' glow, and her silky hair fluttered in the breeze, as if dancing with the sparkling fireworks in the night sky.
Unbeknownst to her, the courtyard was now filled with people, all shouting towards the balcony; unfortunately, their voices were drowned out by the fireworks, and Chiba Shimizu couldn't hear them clearly.
"Happy Birthday, Shimizu,"
Reiko Onodera stepped forward and whispered.
The night breeze lifted the dangling strands of hair by Chiba Shimizu's ear. Looking down at the people in the courtyard, she parted her lips and softly said, "Thank you, I like it very much."
"This birthday, I'm very happy."
As the fireworks faded, Misaki Saki and Rika Onodera, each holding a Fairy Stick, ran and played in the yard, while Mariko Akiyama and Arisugawa Hoshina were cleaning up the scattered boxes in the yard.