#happy birthday aranai 2023

[uenodivision]

Happy Birthday Aranai!

__ June 21st __

Happy Birthday to the leader of Ueno City’s Sakurai Clan and the best two-wheeled driver you'll ever meet! Let us wish her many more!

Feel free to wish Aranai a happy birthday, or ask her anything!

Thanks to @saitama-division for her dress and picture.

[saitama-division]

It was midday when the doorbell to the Miyuki household rang out. This was no real surprise as it was the matriarch's birthday. Sighing, the daughter of Sayaka Miyuki, Kureha Koizumi, ceased what she was doing and answered the door. Looking as it was a deliveryperson, she began the eye-rolling and boring task of signing for the packages with which her mother was delivered. Struggling as she carried all of the packages into the living room, she sighed as she dropped them carefully onto the floor.

"Hey Sayaka," Kureha called out to her mother who was in the kitchen cooking lunch for the family. Poking her head out, the birthday woman looked at all of the gifts scattered on the floor, making her eyebrows raise. Ceasing her cooking, the woman came out and looked at all of the gifts, having a good idea who sent them, as they were usually the same four people who sent something to her every year.

Smiling, the mother picked up the first package, unwrapping it.

Sayaka's eyes raised as it was a Kindlebook. She had seen Lola and Kureha, but she had never thought to get one herself, preferring holding onto a leather-covered book. Looking at it, she looked at the letter that was attached to it, which read:

"Happy birthday, Butterfly! I hope you're having a good one! They were giving these Kindle books for half off online and they looked too good to pass up! WGG mentioned that you were having trouble seeing small print in books, so it's time you upgrade to this instead. I expect you to use that thing! Even half off, it wasn't cheap! Anyway, enjoy the rest of your birthday!

Sincerely,

Aranai "Ride or Die" Norikoru"

"You told Aranai I was having trouble seeing?" Sayaka asked, frowning slightly at her daughter.

"Actually, what I said was, I mentioned that you were one of the few people in Japan who probably still reads books," Kureha explained, upset that Aranai had twisted her words. "She apparently thought I meant that you had trouble reading and she took it from there."

"Well, I personally agree with her!" Lola said, appearing on the side of Sayaka. "I've told you time and again it was time to get one of these things. Nobody reads using books anymore, Love."

"I happen to know plenty of people who still read paper books," Sayaka argued. "Kisouna-san and Kensaku-san are two examples."

"Not very good ones..." Lola mumbled.

"Can we move on, please?" Kureha asked, not in the mood for a debate.

Picking up another gift, Sayaka unwrapped the packaging and looked at what was underneath.

It was a bird feeder. It looked similar to the one Sayaka had meant to buy earlier when she noticed that her old one had been broken by some squirrels that had found their way into her garden. She smiled as she knew who it was that most likely sent this. And the letter proved her suspicions correct.

"A most joyous and blessed-filled happy birthday, Sayaka-san! I truly hope you are having a good one! I recalled that you mentioned your old bird feeder had been broken, so I bought you a new one that was affordable and still good. I hope it serves your garden well. And if you need tips on keeping squirrels at bay, I've heard that cayenne pepper works. Looking forward to our next meeting! Again, happy birthday!

Sincerely,

Shisuta"

"A bird feeder?" Lola questioned. "Kind of plain, don't you think?"

"It was given out of love by Shisuta-san, Lola," Sayaka stated, frowning as she set it down on the living room table. "I appreciate both it and her very much. And that cayenne pepper trick will help greatly."

Lola didn't respond; instead, she simply shrugged her shoulders as Sayaka picked up the third package. Unwrapping it, she looked as it was quite larger than the previous two gifts.

Sayaka blinked as it was an ice cream maker. She had previously seen these kinds of machines at the store and on the Internet. And they weren't exactly on the cheap side. Though she already had an ice cream maker, the mother was already thinking in her head about what she could make with this machine. She looked as, like the previous two gifts, a letter was attached, which read:

"A very happy birthday to you, Sayaka-san. I sincerely hope that it is a good one. I saw this ice cream maker in the store one day, and I wanted to thank you sincerely for your work in that robbery case, as it helped me to put away three criminals for life. I know that may be a poor reason or excuse, but I hope this ice cream maker serves you well. I hope you are having a good birthday, and look forward to seeing you back at work.

Sincerely,

Kisouna Yuzairu"

"Ooh, I think I have one of those back in my penthouse!" Lola said, looking at it. "Shame I rarely use it, though."

"Then why have it?" Kureha asked.

"It was a gift from one of my many fans," Lola answered, with a wink.

"Of course," Kureha said, rolling her eyes.

"Well, I'll certainly be sure to use mine," Sayaka said, excited at the thought of eating ice cream with her and her daughter, Yoshiko. Putting it off to the side, she turned towards the last package, and smiled as she already knew who it was from, given the sweet smell coming from it. Opening it up, she looked at the gift as it was wrapped in plastic foil.

Everyone's eyes grew at the sight of the sweet two-layered chocolate cake covered in chocolate cookies and candies. The room was instantly filled with a sweet chocolatey smell as the plastic was taken off of the cake and dripped onto the white plate underneath it. Attached to the plastic was a letter, the same as the others.

"A happy birthday to you, Miyuki-san. I hope it has been a good one for you, so far. I apologize if this cake isn't as impressive as the ones I usually send. My restaurant has been busy the past week, and I only had time to make this. Still, I hope you will enjoy it. I made it with a bunch of leftover chocolate. Again, I this birthday has been good, and congratulations on seeing another year. Until next time.

Signed,

Luis Kōkyū"

“Yes! Luis always coming in clutch with the best cakes!” Lola squealed and clapped her hands, looking at the chocolate mountain of a cake with shining eyes.

“Between him and Kanra, I don’t know which is better. I’m gonna go grab some plate and forks.” Kureha got up from the floor and head into the direction of the kitchen. Sayaka shook her head fondly, “At least wait until we had dinner, dear.” She smiled and Lola waved her off, “Oh c’mon, it’s nice to indulge and it’s your special day, you can afford too!” The model picked up the ice cream maker and walked off in the same direction as Kureha towards the kitchen.

Sayaka smiled and held the bird feeder in her hands, grateful to receive such wonderful gifts from people she considered friends. It made her feel warm inside, standing up, she went to go install the bird feeder in her backyard and small garden, humming a cheerful tune.

Thank you for the gift!

[edogawa-division]

It was early morning when Kaoru received a notification on her computer that a package had been delivered. Despite it being her birthday, she was currently alone at home since Yuriko had to work, and Kanra had school. Frowning slightly, she checked the house's security cameras and looked as, on the front porch, boxes and containers had been seated neatly. And a delivery man had just walked off, not bothering to wait for a signature as he tried to avoid waiting at this house longer than necessary, due in no small part to Yuriko's deadly nature, Kanra's abnormal strength, and ADA's defense systems.

Sighing, the computer hacker stopped what she was doing and walked to the front of the house. Opening the door, she looked around briefly before looking down at all of the boxes. Sighing again, she picked up one before bringing it into the house. She then brought in the next, then the one after, until finally all of them were in. Though only a few of them were fairly light, the computer hacker still felt slightly exhausted by the ordeal.

"I need to work out with Yuriko and Kanra more," Kaoru thought as she let the AC cool her off. Once it did, she got to her favorite part of her birthday: unwrapping gifts. Picking up a random one, it felt far heavier than the others. Unwrapping it, she opened the box and veered as to what was inside:

Kaoru's eyes grew wide as inside was a DJ beginner's dream: a vinyl turntable as well as a programming station. A slight smirk appeared on her face as she thought of only one person who would go out of her way to get her something like this. Pulling out both pieces of equipment, she found a letter situated at the bottom. Reading it, her suspicions were confirmed as she saw who had signed it.

'What up, Miss Strategist? Heard today was your special day, so I thought I'd send you some gifts to celebrate! I remember you mentioned once at band practice that you wanted some DJ equipment to 'fine-tune' our sound. So, yours truly decided to go out of her way to get you some! You'd better be grateful! And I expect you to know how to use those things at our next practice! See you then, girl! And happy birthday!

Signed,

Aranai'

Kaoru chuckled, shaking her head at the Yozakura leader's antics. She had only known Aranai for a year or so now, but she still didn't know what the former biker was thinking sometimes. Still, she was a badass gift-giver! Kaoru was looking forward to trying this equipment in her lab later.

Setting them off to the side, she picked up the next box, which was, thankfully, far lighter than the first one. Unwrapping it, she looked inside and her eyes, again, grew big at what was inside:

It was a... birthday cake. But what made it so impressive was the cake was designed to look like the motherboard of a computer or something akin to it. It was covered with bits and pieces, which, thankfully, were edible. To top it all off, it had a 'Happy Birthday' sign on it which was lit up. How exactly, was unknown.

The computer hacker found her mouth watering as she stared at the sweet confectionary. Even covered in plastic to keep it from smearing or getting torn to pieces, Kaoru could still smell the icing coming off of it. Carefully pulling it out of the box, she set it down on the kitchen table, eager to bite into it as soon as she was done. Going back to the box, she looked as a letter was attached to the bottom.

'Happy birthday to you, Kaoru. Yuriko-san mentioned in passing that your birthday was today so I decided to make you a cake to celebrate. Sorry if its not as good as the ones I sent Kanra-chan. But I hope you enjoy it, regardless. Again, happy birthday and I hope it is a good one.

Sincerely,

Luis Kōkyū'

Kaoru smiled as she had a feeling that the Hispanic chef would send her something. Frankly, she would have been a bit disappointed if he hadn't, especially since he had sent Kanra something for her birthday. As much as she enjoyed her sister's baked goods, Luis's had a special place in her heart. Maybe it was because she only got to eat them once in a while, whilst she had Kanra's baked goods almost every day. She really hoped that in the future the two of them didn't have a competition between them. If they did, it was going to be hell choosing whose sweets were better...

Promising to herself (and the cake) that she'd be back later, Kaoru went back to the last package she had. This one was quite possibly the lightest of the three, which was good for Kaoru. Like the last two, she opened it and looked at what was inside:

It was... a bouquet. A bouquet of... lupins, if she weren't mistaken. Kaoru wasn't an expert when it came to botany, but she did recognize these flowers. How exactly? Because... because, she recalled that they were her mother's favorites. Though she wasn't as close to her as she was to her dad, Kaoru still remembered things about her. And she definitely remembered these. Her mother had pots of these flowers all throughout her old house, making it smell sickeningly sweet.

If that was all that was inside the box, then it wouldn't have been so bad. But... tied around the pot containing the flowers was something else:

It was a silver necklace with a cross at the end of it. Though it appeared plain and simple, it... it somewhat resembled the one that her mother used to wear. Untying it, Kaoru held it in her hand, her mouth open as she looked at it. Looking back at the plate, she saw there was, like the previous gifts, a letter attached. Opening the envelope, she looked as it read:

'A most joyous and blessed day to you, Kaoru-chan! Aranai-chan informed me that today was your birthday, and I refused to miss gifting you something this year, as I did the last. Though I did not know her as long as I wished, your mother, Shizuka-san, was a very nice and charming woman. I truly wished I could have gotten to know her more before the Lord called her home. I know this gift may not be the best that you receive today, but I hope that you enjoy them, nonetheless. Your mother enjoyed lupine flowers the most. They symbolized, not only intelligence but also transformation and renewal. I know thinking of her may hurt, but I pray that you do not forget her. And remember, if you ever need an ear to listen to, my door is always available.

May you enjoy your birthday, and may you be blessed with many more.

Sincerely,

Shisuta Heisha.'

She had barely gotten through the middle of the letter before the computer hacker's eyes grew blurry and wet as repressed memories of her family came flooding back to her mind. She knew that they were gone; they had been gone for years now. ...But that didn't make missing them any easier on her...

When Yuriko and Kanra arrived home they weren't prepared for music to blare loudly from the house. They especially weren't ready for the scene when they opened the door. Kaoru was in the middle of the living room her brand-new DJ set up in front of her. She was dancing to a song she was remixing. Yuriko and Kanra could only describe the song that she was playing as pure Kaoru. Chaotic and frankly a little weird. 

“Oh hey!” Kaoru welcomed them as she noticed them. “So what do you think? Cool right?”

“It's…something alright.” Yuriko decided to settle on.

“Sounds like a mix between a fever dream and going days without sleep.” Kanra bluntly told the lavender-haired woman to her face.

“Oh wow, rude. How do you even know what that's like anyway?” Kaoru questioned.

Kanra seeing the cake that Luis had made frankly ignored her older sister and made a beeline to it. The desire to consume it was evident in her eyes. 

“Oi! Kanra do not eat my cake! I swear to Athena!” Kaoru shouted racing towards Kanra and tackling her to the floor before she could touch the cake. The two of them were now rolling around on the floor.

“Kaoru! Kanra! Stop fighting or else I’ll put you through training that would make U.S. Marines balk!” Yuriko ordered. 

Unbenowst as the family continued to squabble the translucent figure of a woman with a silver cross around her neck appeared next to the bouquet of lupins Kaoru had been gifted. A smile formed across her face as she watched the scene unfold in front of her. 

“Happy Birthday Sweetie.”

Thank you for the gift!

[uenodivision]

Thank you all!

As Aranai’s birthday sadly comes to an end, I’d like to thank everyone who helped to wish her a happy birthday. As always, it means a lot to me as her creator. I hope that you will show Tomi the same love when his birthday rolls around later on in the year.

...But if you don't, no one will blame you. ...Except for him.

-

Sitting in her room, with her legs propped up on her desk, showing off her new biker boots, the SC leader was happily munching down on the cake that Kanra had made for her. In the background, her brand new Bluetooth speaker was playing some obscure heavy metal music. Looking at the screen with black icing on her face, the former Bōsōzoku wiped her cheek as she swallowed the cake she was currently chewing. A pink necklace could be seen around her neck

"Okay, I'll admit, this birthday wasn't half bad. ...Hell, it was pretty good all things considered. Good to know there are some people in Japan who aren't completely lame. But seriously, thanks a lot to everyone. I really appreciate it."

With nothing more need be said, the now 21-year-old reached off to the side and pulled out a book called "Lone Rider", which she started reading. On the wall above her desk, a certain chain belonging to a member of the Katen family was hung up neatly. Taking a glance at it, the SC leader gave a smirk as she went back to her book.

[uenodivision]

The day was slowly winding down, turning daytime into night. Just a few more hours more and it would mark the end of Aranai's birthday. A knock is heard on the door of the residence. Opening the door reveals Kaoru Shinozaki and Kanra Akemi, each one holding a gift in their arms. 

"Senpai! Happy Birthday!" Kanra loudly cheered.

“Happy Birthday Motor Girl!” Kaoru greeted giving the animator a two-finger salute with her free hand. “We’ve come to deliver gifts to our favorite head bitch in charge!” 

“Yeah!” Kanra agreed and placed her gift in Aranai’s hands.

Opening the gift reveals a black cake with a matching black syrup drizzle coming down the sides. Blackberries and blueberries were across the top of the cake. The piece de resistance however was the Yamaha motorcycle on top made out of fondant. 

“I hope you and your teammates enjoy it. I spent all night finishing the design.” Kanra smiled. 

“Alright, my turn.” Kaoru placed her gift in Aranai’s hands. “You're gonna get a “kick” out of this.” 

Opening the gift reveals a pair of black boots with several straps and buckles on them. However, what was unusual about them was the fact that the sole of the boots seems to be made of metal with the Sakurai Clan’s logo etched into the metal. 

“Ta-da! Built by yours truly! They're a bit special tho. I won't bore you with the exact science but to put it simply the boots contain a heavy-pressure generator that will allow you to kick with the same amount of power Kanra does. I'm sure I don't have to remind you how strong Kanra can kick. To activate them you just gotta hit the ground with your heel.” Kaoru finished with a huge grin on her face as she hit the ground with her heel showing Aranai how to activate them. 

“Well, that’s everything-”

“Oh wait I have one more gift!” Kanra interrupted and began to dig in her pocket for something. “I know I put in here somewhere.” 

“Found it!” Kanra giggled pulling out something from the inside of her jacket. 

Hanging from Kanra’s hand was a familiar triangle-shaped necklace. One that Aranai knew very well from a certain leader from Yokohama. 

“Kanra… where did you get that?” Kaoru asked not entirely sure if she wanted to know the answer. 

“Oh, I swiped it off Aohitsugi’s unconscious body after I punched him.” A smile formed on Kanra’s face as she excitedly told where she got the necklace from. “Here you go Senpai,” Kanra said tossing the necklace to Aranai. 

Aranai could help but burst out laughing as she caught the necklace. The image of Aohitsugi getting beaten up by someone as tiny as Kanra was hilarious to her. 

“Kanra…” Kaoru could barely hold her giggles in as she heard Kanra explain. “I swear you better not get in trouble with the Katen for that stunt.”

As Aranai looked at the necklace that was usually worn by that PoS known as Samatoki Aohitsugi, the former Bōsōzoku found it very hard to contain the smirk on her face. The thought that his body was found on the ground for the citizens of Yokohama and the Katen family to find was just the icing on the cake.

"Wait here," Aranai ordered, rushing off for a bit. She appeared a minute later, placing a large handful of bills in the redhead's hand, a smirk still on her face.

"As of today, you are my favorite person in the whole world, Kanra. Remind me to let you ride shotgun on my Yamaha next time."

Bidding the two siblings farewell, Aranai, still with a smirk on her face, looked at the chain that formerly belong to the leader of Yokohama's team. As she carried the cake and boots to her room, she carelessly swung the necklace around with her other hand. As she walked, only one thought came to her mind:

"I wonder what sort of leverage I could get with this thing..."

[uenodivision]

Even at this late, the legendary birthday of Ueno's notorious sukeban hasn’t yet come to an end as she finds the package wrapped in a pink furoshiki lying peacefully inside the mailbox in front of her current residence.

To be precise; this kind of wrapping style has already become the trademark of a certain division in Kansai. So, it’s not so hard to guess who is the sender of this one peculiar present.

Unwrapping the cloth with curiosity, the first gift exposed to her sight is a bit small but attracts her eyes nonetheless; it’s the portable crimson bluetooth speaker with a cool retro design. With this little buddy, she can enjoy listening and even sharing her favorite tracks anytime and anywhere she wants! This is no doubt a gift from a certain music lover who lives in Nara.

And the other gift resting at the bottom is a box full of sakura mochi stuffed with anko (sweet red bean paste) and strawberry. Honestly, there are too plenty of them to eat alone. On the box, there is the message scribbled with cutesy handwritings. 

“My grandma might have been carried away for a bit. She also said you have reminded her a bit of her distant youth, and by the time I noticed; we have already made a lot of them more than we expected... Haha, may you share them with others as you please.”

P.S. Last time I was in Ueno, I picked some cherry blossoms from the park to make the Sakura Shiozuke (Pickled Cherry Blossoms) and I also used some of them in the recipe this time. Ehehe, sorry for picking them without any permission ~So, as an apology, please enjoy the taste of your hometown’s blossoms.”

—————————————————————

…Meanwhile at Harumatsuya, Nara City.

“Oh~ So this time YuuYu is the one who delivered the gifts? How rare of you going somewhere else outside of our town.” 

“Hasn’t you remembered? Yumeno-sensei has invited me for some chat, so I took that as an opportunity to relay our presents to Busujima-san and Norikoru-san.”

“Eh? And if I remember correctly, isn’t today also your—”

“...Tell that old man I won’t stop by his mansion today.”

“Woah, OKAY? Why are leaving so soon? Just so you know, me and my grandma are always happy to have you as our dinner guest. We can even throw a party at Saigo-san’s place. He may be a bit grumpy but I think he doesn’t mind letting us doing something nice for you at least once in a while.”

“Thanks for your kindness, Hi-chan. But I feel like going home today, so I’d sadly like to have a pass.”

“Hey—”

With no more explanation left to be said, his friend and division leader has suddenly left the shop with the unreadable emotion reflected in his eyes.

Truthfully speaking, the wagashi artist felt like his usually kind and upbeat bestie was acting a bit weird for today.

Ah, it seems like this day is going to be a long day after all...

Looking at the gifts that had arrived, Aranai smirked, particularly at the Bluetooth speaker. Ever since she had misplaced her iPod, she had been saving up to buy a new one. But she had never thought to buy a Bluetooth speaker, so this gift was unwelcome. And hey, it kept more money in her pocket.

"I'll have to remember to take this thing with me when I go driving," Aranai said, setting it off to the side as she looked at the mochi. Truthfully, the former rebel didn't care much for rice cakes. She's tried them, but could never develop a taste for them. Still, the guy or whoever was nice enough to drop them off, so she reluctantly took a bit of one.

"Hmm, not bad." She said as she bit into it again. "Maybe I'll leave some for Shisuta. She goes nuts for these things."

Finishing it off, the former Bōsōzoku placed the rest in a plastic ziplock bag and tossed it in her handbag. Walking outside, she smirked as she turned her new Bluetooth speaker onto a random song by 86. Still with a smirk on her face, she quickly ignited her engine before speeding off down the street into her city of Ueno.

[uenodivision]

Aranai look the box infront the door with a pink card with his name

"what the hello"-she say reading the tarjet

"hello,miss Aranai,My name is Aoba Yamamura i'm the leader of strange magic,the new team of kumamoto and me and my partners wanna let you this gift for you birthday"

"kumamoto's division?"-thought Aranai raising a eyebrow but open to the house and look the gifts

Aoba's gift..is a book:"lone rider" write by the first british woman in travel around the worl in a motocyrcle

Kunio's gift is...a homemade cake:is very pretty with a motocyrcle theme (along have a tarjet of Kunio apologizing for the arrogance of his older brother,Tomi) and four invitations for the next stageplay for she, her teampartners and Kizuna's daughter Yomi

And finally, Natsume's gift is a pink diamond necklace , but the gemstone glowing with a strange energy ¿Magic? Maybe..

Aranai looks the gift from the new divison when her adoptivo mother Shisuta and her teampartner Kizuna,enters to the room..

"That was nice of them to deliver these gifts for you," Shisuta said, as she helped her surrogate daughter bring her gifts in.

"I don't know," Aranai stated, a skeptical look on her face as she observed the necklace that was gifted to her. "I don't care much for that arrogant prick from Aoyama. And knowing that his brother is part of this new team doesn't really help matters.

"Nonsense," Shisuta chided. "You can't judge one person simply because of the actions of another."

"Besides that, when we have time, we should conduct an investigation on this new team," Kisouna stated, as she was a bit skeptical herself.

"Please, let's not speak of work today. Those three young men graciously gifted Aranai with some precious gifts. We shouldn't squander it."

"You're only saying that 'cause you're interested in going to the guy's show."

"...I will neither confirm nor deny that."

"...Alright." Aranai said, sighing. "I had nothing else planned for the day. Hey Boss-Lady, when does Yomi's class let out?"

"...Soon." Kisouna answered, looking at her watch. "...I suppose going to see one show won't hurt."

"Excellent!" Shisuta exclaimed. "I'll pack us some lunches to eat on the way."

Sighing, Aranai watched her surrogate mother rush off into the room to start preparing. Looking down at the gifts, he had to admit, they were nice. But still, it would be a long while before he trusted anyone that had anything to do with the upper class of Aoyama.

...But this was a nice start.

[uenodivision]

ARB Birthday Special: Aranai Norikoru

~~ June 21st ~~

"I'd rather be hated for who I am than be loved for who I'm not."

Login Lines:

*Sighs* "Okay, last package for the day, thank God. Let's see... this is one's addressed to... me? ...What the hell? Is this someone's idea of a joke or something?"

"...Wait? It says... 'Happy Birthday?' ...Oh crap! Today is my birthday, isn't it?! How the hell could I forget that? Especially since I'm now freakin' 21!"

Voice Lines:

*Sighs* "Sheesh, I'm used to having people know me and cheer for me, but they always tend to go overboard on my birthday. Kind of ironic since I'm more used to being hated and disliked than adored."

"Man, I'm 21 years old. ...I can scarcely believe it. Honestly though, I don't really feel any different than I did back when I was 20 or 19. Only thing that's different now is that I'm legally an adult, which is both good and bad depending on how you look at it. I know the f'ing pigs are happy..."

"My friends and homegirls bought me some sake for my birthday. It's actually a name-brand kind, not like the kind I drink at the bar almost every night. I'm almost tempted not to drink it. ...Psyche! I can't wait to down this baby later on!"

"You know, I did some research on what's so special about the 21st of June. Aside from having the same day of birth as that army guy from fucking Yokohama, the 21st is typically known as 'Summer Solstice'. Apparently, some cultures celebrate it cause it's the beginning of Summer or something like that. I don't really get it, but... well, I guess it's nice to be born on the same day as a season."

"I'm 21 years old. ...Man, no matter how much I say it, it's still hard to believe. I mean, like I said before, nothing really changes now that I'm older. Age, to me, is nothing but a number. You're only as young or old as you feel. ...I wish I could believe that 'cause I'm 21 and still in f'ing high school for crying out loud."

"Shisuta, you don't have to get me anything, really. I'm just glad to know you. ...Yes, it's been a... blessing to know you too. You've treated me better than most people and have always supported me no matter what. I truly am grateful for that, so thanks. Yes, I love you too."

"So... what exactly did you get me? ...Bracelets? And they have...? ...Oh. Wow. They... they look awesome, Shisuta. You got the idea from Sayaka from Saitama? I guess that's why they look familiar. ...You wanna try them on? ...Yes, you make up the other part of my heart. Thank you. Thank you very much... Mom."

"...Okay Boss-Lady, let's see it. ...What, you think I'm not prepared for you to give me a gift that doesn't have some sort of ulterior motive behind it? Well, sorry to say, but I'm ready this time. ...Yeah, yeah. I may be 21, but don't think that changes anything. I'll still create mayhem and mishap just to give you more work!"

"Fine, fine! Let's see it already. ...A... phone mount for my bike? So that I can take and send calls while I'm driving? ...No offense, but aren't you the one who always lectures me about calling and driving when I'm on the road? I mean, I'll still use it, but if I get into an accident cause I'm taking a call, we'll all know who to blame. ...Yeah, I love you too, Auntie."

Shisuta Lines:

"Happy Birthday, Aranai! It's so hard to believe that you're actually 21 years old! It seemed only yesterday that we met each other! Oh, how time flies by! But you're growing into a mature, beautiful, young lady. And I couldn't be any prouder. You know I'm always going to support and love you regardless of who you are. Never forget that, my dear."

"Now then, please accept this gift I bought you! Normally, I don't care for store-bought gifts, but Sayaka-san recommended these since she gave similar bracelets to Kureha-chan for her birthday. I hope you enjoy them. ...Oh, Aranai-chan! Thank you! You make up part of my heart as well! And that will never change, no matter what! I love you very much, my child."

Kisouna Lines:

"Happy birthday, Aranai. ...What? That's all you have to say after I took time to come all this way here to congratulate you on making it to the age of 21, which, by the way, is the legal age at which you can now be tried and prosecuted as an adult? Ugh, of course you'd do something like that, you little miscreant. If that's how you wish to act, then I'll gladly return this gift I purchased for you."

"Hmph, that's better. Here, this didn't come cheap, so you'd best appreciate it. Yes, it's a phone mount for that terror on two wheels you're always driving around on. You mentioned before how you have trouble talking while you're driving, so I thought to give you this. ...You're right, I did say that. But seeing as how you break the law on a daily basis, I figure what's one more law going to hurt? ...Ha, you? Get into an accident? I should be so lucky."

[uenodivision]

ARB Birthday Special: Shisuta Heisha

~~ November 1st ~~

"When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, 'I used everything You gave me.'"

Login Lines:

"...This I pray in your darling Son's name, Amen. Okay, daytime prayer is done with. Now to prepare breakfast for Aranai before she wakes up. ...Wait, where is she? And... did she already prepare breakfast? But why? ...What's this? 'Happy Birthday, Mom.' ...Oh my. It's my birthday?"

"It is! I can't believe I forgot my birthday again for the second year in a row. It shouldn't be hard to do, especially since it occurs after Halloween. ...But I've managed to make it again to another year. ...Thank you, God."

Voice Lines:

"It's hard to believe I'm 28 now. Believe it or not, the number, itself, symbolizes balance, harmony, service to others, empathy, divine life purpose, and so much more. I pray that I and my friends can achieve these things not only this year, but also the next."

"The people of Ueno greeted me today and wished me a 'happy birthday'. I'm truly glad to live in a city where everyone is nice and kind. Though there are a select few, thankfully, they are harder to find."

"My mother called to wish me a 'happy birthday', just like she did last year! It was truly good to hear her voice again. She asked me to stop by sometime today so she could cook me up a birthday dinner. I'll admit, I'm looking forward to it!"

"Good day, Aranai-chan! I have to thank you for preparing that lovely breakfast for me this morning. I don't know how long it took, but it was truly nice and wonderful. Thank you again. ...Yes, I'm glad to know you as well, my dear. I pray that we will still be good friends even as time goes by."

"And what is this? ...A bracelet? With a cross? ...Oh, Aranai, how many times must I tell you not to spend money on store-bought gifts? You know that I prefer things that are made from the heart. ...Very well, I'll accept it. But please promise me you'll make me something next year. ...Thank you, I really appreciate it."

"Good day, Kisouna-san! Thank you for making your way here to visit me. I know you are busy with work, but it is greatly appreciated. ...Thank you, Kisouna-san. That truly means a lot. But promise me you won't overwork yourself. Remember, you are no good to anyone if you collapse."

"What's this? A... jar? And it's filled with... scrolls from the Scripture? Oh! A scripture jar! I've seen these on occasion and have been planning to make one. Thank you ever so much, Kisouna-san! I'll be sure to use these every day, I promise!"

Aranai Lines:

"Happy birthday, Shisuta! ...Oh yeah, think nothing of it! There was a reason I went to bed early last night. It was so I could wake up and prepare everything this morning. I... I just wanted to show some form of appreciation for... you know, for everything you've done for me. ...Thanks 'Mom'. That... that really means a lot."

"Okay, so here's my gift. I saw this while browsing the Internet, and I knew I had to get it for you. ...I know, I know! I know you don't like store-bought gifts, but I promise, I had you in mind when I bought, okay? ...Alright, I'll try to make something next year. But don't be surprised if it's tacky or ugly or something."

Kisouna Lines:

"Happy birthday, Shisuta-san! ...Think nothing of it. My job will still be there, but occasions such as this only come once a year, so I can make time to be late for work. ...You know, I can't promise that, Shisuta-san. Until I see that all criminals are locked up where they belong, I can't afford to rest or stop. I'm stubborn like that, sorry."

"Anyway, here's my birthday gift. I saw this on a commercial a few days ago, and thought it would be good. Basically, it's a jar filled with scriptures and texts from the Bible. Whenever times are tough, just open it up and read one of them. ...You're welcome, Shisuta! I'm truly glad you like it!"

[uenodivision]

The sun had long since set on the division of Ueno, and a chill was now sweeping through the city. It was also a certain Catholic nun’s birthday. Shisuta Heisha was sitting comfortably in her living room, reading a novel and enjoying the peacefulness of her home. Suddenly, she was brought out of her book by a knock at the door. Setting what she was reading to the side, she lifted herself off the couch, walked towards the door, and opened it.  

Then all of a sudden, Shisuta felt something, or more like someone slam into her legs, and looking down she saw Sara Hayami with a huge smile on her face as she wrapped her arms around her. “Happy Birthday, Miss Shisuta!” Sara cheered. 

“Ah, Sara, you can't just slam into someone like that.” Sara’s father, Ayumu Hayami, lightly scolded his daughter as he stepped into the doorway. “Sorry about that Shisuta-san she’s just a little excited right now.”

“It's fine, Ayumu-san.” Shisuta smiled as she ran her hand through Sara’s hair. Sara's actions making her laugh lightly.

“Sorry for coming so late, but ever since Sara learned it was your birthday, she has been excited to give you something.” Ayumu paused, a faint blush forming on his cheeks. Pulling out something from behind his back, Ayumu handed it to Shisuta. “I got these for you as well. Happy Birthday, Shisuta-san.” 

In her hands, now was a lovely bouquet made up of sunflowers and coral orange roses.  “I know it's not much, but I hope you enjoy them.” Ayumu scratched the back of his head a bit embarrassed. “They’re quite lovely Ayumu-san. Thank you.” Shisuta sincerely thanked already planning to place them on her windowsill. 

“Sara,” Ayumu knelt at his daughter’s height. “Didn't you have a gift to give Miss Shisuta as well?” Sara beamed at the reminder quickly taking off the little backpack she was wearing to dig through it. Pulling out a box, she lifted it, giving it to Shisuta.  “I hope you like it!” Sara giggled. Gently taking the box from the young girl, Shisuta opened it. 

Inside the box was a batch of homemade cookies of various sizes, each one shaped like the symbol of Ueno division’s Sakurai Clan, the cherry blossom and coated in pink, red, and white frosting. 

“Grandma helped me make them! She makes the best cookies too, so they’re really tasty! Grandma says they’re really good with tea and, and, and Happy Birthday, Miss Shisuta!” Sara shouted once again, hugging Shisuta’s legs.

Shisuta smiled as she gently rubbed the young girl's head, thanking her for the cookies. They were positively beautiful, especially considering that they looked just the cherry blossoms that you'd see here in Ueno. The fact that they were meant to be devoured, almost made Shisuta sad. She told herself that she would take a picture of how they looked before she ate them. Picking the young girl up, Shisuta gave Sara a kiss, making the girl giggle before she was put back down.

She then looked at Ayumu and smiled as she took the vase full of flowers from him. As she did, both of their hands overlapped. A small gasp was heard from both of them as they looked at each other, a surprised look on their face. A small bit of red was seen on both their faces, as they stared at each other, ignoring all that was around them.

That scene could have lasted for quite a while, but it sadly ended as they heard Sara's voice.

"Umm..." she said, knocking both adults out of their stupor. "Are you and Miss Shisuta okay, daddy?"

"Y-yes!" Ayumu said, picking up his daughter. "Me and Miss Shisuta are both fine, sweetie."

"...Hai," Shisuta agreed, nodding. "We are both good, Sara-chan." Rubbing the young girl's head once more, she smiled as the young girl giggled. After a while, both visitors bade the nun farewell. She watched them as they drove away in their car. After seeing the vehicle disappear from sight, she walked back into her house, staring at the flowers that Ayumu had given to her. She stared at them for over five minutes, only being knocked out of her stupor by the sound of the front door opening.

"Hey Shisuta, I'm back."

Turning, the nun looked as her surrogate daughter, Aranai, walked into her house, sighing as she entering the living room. The former Bōsōzoku noticed her teammate looking at the flowers in the vase, and raised her eyebrows.

"Nice flowers," Aranai said, walking up to view them more closely. "Where'd you get them? Your shop?"

"No," Shisuta answered, smiling at them. "They were a birthday gift."

"Oh?" Aranai said, surprised, before looking back at them. "Whoever gave them to you has good taste."

The statement made the nun smile as the image of a familiar paramedic entered her mind.

"Yes. Yes, they do."

[edogawa-division]

Though the day had just started, the clock read 12:00 A.M., meaning it was new. This also meant that nobody could be faulted if birthday gifts were delivered early. This would explain why early in the morning, Yuriko, Kaoru, and the birthday girl, Kanra, found a multitude of gifts on the front porch of their house.

"Presents!" Kanra exclaimed, as hurriedly picked them all up, bringing them into the house.

"Were... these all delivered last night?" Kaoru asked, speaking to no one in particular, wondering why her security cameras didn't pick anything up. Yuriko found herself thinking the same thing as she would have easily sensed someone stepping onto the lawn, no matter who they were.

"Who cares?!" Kanra exclaimed, already opening up one of the gifts.

Inside one of the boxes was a biker helmet with a skull face cover beneath it. Looking at it, the red-haired girl tried it on and was surprised it fit her perfectly. Inside the box was a note from a certain former Bosozoku from Ueno.

"Happy Birthday, Kanra! Hope you're enjoying it so far! I heard from Kaoru that you got yourself a bike, which is awesome! Looking forward to seeing you out on the road! Make sure you wear this helmet to show off how badass you are! ...Or don't. I don't even wear mine half the time. But anyway, happy birthday again, girl! Hope it's a good one!"

Sincerely,

Aranai

P.S. Heard you also got you a sweet guitar too! Make sure you practice with it. You, your sis, Sumire, Kureha, and I have band practice next week.

"Awesome!" Kanra said, putting it back on before looking at her mom and sister. "How do I look?"

"Great dear," Yuriko said, a slight smile on her face.

"Is a helmet even necessary for you?" Kaoru asked, skeptical.

"Probably not. But it still looks good." Kanra answered, opening another present.

Inside the next box was a clear glass containing a plethora of flowers, all of which were either African daisies or bluebells. The flowers released a nature-like scent that filled the entire room. Like the previous box, a letter was placed inside.

"A most joyous and blessed-filled birthday, Kanra-chan! I pray that it is a good one. I hope you enjoy this bouquet of flowers I picked from my shop. It is filled with African daisies and bluebells, both of which symbolize strength and remembrance. I don't know what it's like not being able to remember some of your past, but I hope and pray that you find the answers you are looking for someday. Until then, if you ever need someone to talk to, my door is always open. Again, I wish you a very blessed birthday! May you have many more."

Sincerely,

Shisuta

"Oh, those are nice," Yuriko said, looking at the glass. "I'll have to stop by Shisuta-san's flower shop, myself, to buy some."

"Make sure you water those every day Kanra," Kaoru advised. "If not, they'll wilt."

"K!" Kanra exclaimed, opening her third and last present. Unlike the other two, however, this one was fairly big, requiring Kanra to have Yuriko help her unwrap it. As the wrapper came up, the box, which was being held together by it, fell open, revealing what was inside. It caused everyone's eyes to open widely.

Inside the box was perhaps the largest cake the three of them had possibly ever seen. How it managed to stay upright the entire night was anyone's guess. It was currently dripping frosting but still managed to look good enough to eat. On the inside of the box, was a letter, which read:

"Happy birthday, Kanra. Rashaad over in Okinawa told me your birthday was coming up, so I knew I had to make something to celebrate it. I knew an ordinary cake wouldn't do, so I spent the better part of a week preparing this. Do NOT ask how I managed to get it to stay up. It was nothing short of a miracle. Anyway, like I said, this thing took me almost a week to make, so I'm dead on my feet. Enjoy it, and happy birthday."

Sincerely,

Luis Kōkyū

P.S. If you come to my restaurant and I'm not there, you know why. Just be sure to give me some heads-up so my chefs can prepare.

Kaoru was holding herself up against the wall laughing at the sight of Kanra next to a cake taller than her. Even Yuriko couldn't help but give a slight smirk at the comical sight. Kanra pouted at the both of them knowing they were having a little jab at her height. 

“You're having fun with this aren't you?”

You know it.” Kaoru teased pulling out her phone, taking a picture of the scene in front of her, and posting it to her PROFILE account.

“It was nice of Aranai, Shisuta, and Luis to give you gifts,” Yuriko mentioned as she went to go get plates and silverware from the kitchen. 

“How are we gonna finish this anyway? It's taller than Kanra and that is enough sugar to send a normal person into a diabetic coma.”

“I don't know about you but I’m built different.” Kanra inched closer to the cake taking one of her fingers and scraping some frosting off and placing it in her mouth. Her eyes lit up with glee. “Luis-san’s cakes are really good.”

“Kanra Akemi I do not care if it's your birthday.  You will not eat that entire cake by yourself in one sitting.”

“Ughhhh.”