Part 6 – A House Filled With Light
The evening air was crisp, and the soft glow from the living room lights spilled onto the porch. The house smelled faintly of snacks and cake—a comforting sign of the preparations the triplets and Akari had put in earlier.
The doorbell rang.
"That must be her!" Ayame exclaimed, smoothing her hair as she ran to the door. Haruto followed calmly, while Kaito bounced in place, practically vibrating with excitement. Renjiro leaned casually against the wall, smirking.
Ayame opened the door to reveal Mimi, clutching a small gift bag, eyes shining with excitement. Beside her was Mikasa, her mother and the triplets' aunt.
"Mimi!" Ayame called—but Mimi dashed straight toward Haruto, little feet moving fast across the floor.
"Big Brother! I missed you!" she squealed, wrapping her arms tightly around him. Haruto bent down slightly, gently hugging her back, a small smile tugging at his lips.
Kaito stepped forward, frowning. "Hey! I'm here too!" But Mimi barely glanced at him, grinning at Haruto again.
Ayame chuckled and bent down to add a tiny side hug. "Looks like someone has a favorite," she teased. Mimi hugged Haruto tighter, her fingers brushing his sleeve, clearly showing who she trusted most.
Mikasa smiled warmly. "She's been counting down the minutes," she said. "Thank you all for making this special."
As the group stepped inside, more guests began arriving. First were Arashi Homura and his younger brother Akashi, quickly followed by their parents, Raijin and Sayuri, carrying a small wrapped present. Akashi ran to Mimi, tugging her hand, but Mimi shook her head and giggled, clinging to Haruto instead.
From the street came Yuji, the triplets' father's friend, with Miri, who knelt down to greet the younger children with a playful smile. Behind them walked Hina Kobayashi and Daichi Mori, chatting quietly as they entered the room.
More classmates trickled in: Izumi Homura and Amaya Homura, skipping around and teasing Kaito gently, while Souta Nishikawa observed calmly with a small smile. Yuna Sekiguchi bent down to greet Mimi politely, but Mimi stayed glued to Haruto's side, showing him her gift first and tugging his sleeve to show him the decorations.
Finally, Daigo walked in, supervising calmly, and Ken followed with a subtle, caring smile. At the back, Raizen, whom the children affectionately called "Big Brother Raizen," nodded at the group, exuding a protective warmth.
The room buzzed with laughter and energy. Mimi stayed glued to Haruto's side, offering him the first fruit slice, pointing out decorations to him, and giggling whenever he smiled at her.
"This is perfect," Mimi whispered to Haruto, her hands brushing his sleeve. "Thank you… for everything."
Ayame smiled, gently tugging at Mimi. "Let's start with some snacks before the cake," she suggested, but Mimi lingered, her attention still fully on Haruto.
Renjiro smirked from the corner. "Looks like someone has a favorite," he teased.
The house was alive with warmth, chatter, and laughter. For Mimi, Haruto was the center of the party, while the rest of the celebration spun joyfully around them.
The lights in the living room dimmed slightly as the cake was brought out, a small chocolate cake topped with bright candles and colorful frosting. Mimi's eyes widened, sparkling with excitement.
"Wow… it's so pretty!" she gasped, clapping her tiny hands.
Ayame guided her forward, but before anyone could take her hand, Mimi tugged Haruto along, wrapping her small fingers around his. "Haruto! Help me blow them out!" she squealed. Haruto knelt down, careful not to topple the cake, and Mimi leaned in, cheeks puffed with determination.
Kaito nudged her gently. "Hey! I can help too!" Mimi barely glanced at him, shaking her head and giggling. Haruto smiled softly and whispered, "Ready?" Mimi nodded furiously. Together, they blew out the candles, and the room erupted in cheers.
"Yay! You did it, Mimi!" Akashi shouted, clapping happily. She giggled and turned to show Haruto the trail of candle smoke curling into the air.
Next came the gifts. Mimi bounced from one package to the next but made sure Haruto saw each one first. She handed him a small card she had decorated herself.
"For you!" she said proudly. Haruto accepted it carefully, reading the little drawing of their trio inside, and nodded. "Thank you, Mimi," he said softly.
Other children joined in: Kaito offered her a funny little toy, Daichi and Hina cheered as she opened a brightly wrapped package, and Miri leaned down, teasing, "Looks like someone already picked their favorite." Mimi only laughed, clutching Haruto's sleeve, then showed him the contents of her next gift.
Even as everyone played with snacks, decorations, and little party favors, Mimi kept circling back to Haruto, tugging him to sit beside her, pointing out balloons, or whispering something she wanted him to see first. Haruto watched over her patiently, letting her excitement guide the moment, while Ayame and Kaito exchanged amused smiles.
Raizen chuckled from the back, "She clearly adores you, Haruto," while Daigo supervised the smaller children, making sure no one tripped over a stray ribbon. Ken quietly handed Mimi a small cup of juice, which she accepted before hurrying back to Haruto.
At last, Mimi flopped into a chair beside him, cake crumbs on her tiny fingers, looking up with a satisfied grin. "Best birthday ever," she declared. Haruto ruffled her hair lightly, smiling.
Ayame leaned over, smiling warmly. "I think she'll remember this one forever."
Renjiro smirked from the corner. "And it's all thanks to the lucky guy she won't let go of."
Mimi looked up at Haruto again, a small laugh escaping her. "You're the best, Haruto!"
For a moment, the room quieted in contented laughter and the soft hum of conversation. The decorations, the gifts, and the cake didn't matter as much as the tiny girl sitting happily beside her favorite, while the rest of the party buzzed joyfully around them.
The cake had been eaten, gifts unwrapped, and the laughter of the party echoed through the living room. Mimi clutched a small toy from one of her gifts, her eyes sparkling.
"Come on, Akashi! Let's build the tower!" she squealed, dropping Haruto's hand and running toward her little friend. Haruto watched quietly, a small smile tugging at his lips, letting her go.
Kaito nudged him lightly. "She's having fun," he said. "Don't look so serious."
Ayame smiled. "Let her enjoy herself, Haruto. She'll come back."
Mimi joined Akashi, Daichi, Hina, and the other children, laughter spilling as they played together. Miri knelt down beside them, showing Mimi a clever way to stack her blocks.
From across the room, someone asked Mimi gently, "Mimi… if you could have anything in the world, what would you want?"
Mimi paused, thinking for a moment. Then she looked up with a small, earnest smile. "I… I would've wanted a big brother. Like Haruto."