Not that he doesn’t like the day, he just gets too absorbed in the world around him to pay attention to the date.
So, when you tell him happy birthday, he just stares at you with genuine confusion, blinking with wide eyes, as if you told him the sky was now a forest green.
It’s always you who remembers it first.
Always.
In a way, it’s just like any other day for him.
Furin. Art. You.
And, really, that’s all he’d ever want to do with his days regardless.
He’s a happy guy who lives to create the best memories, whether that be on paper or in memories with you.
That’s the way he likes it.
Though, you could probably persuade him any day of the year into thinking it was his birthday, and the only thing that would make him know you’re lying is because he knows his birthday is in autumn.
“The leaves change colors for me, euphoric yellows and burnt oranges that sway in a way drawings can never capture.” He always says.
So what if it’s the end of November?
He knows the season was painted beautiful and colorful just for him.
And, if by chance, it’s already snowing on his birthday, then he’s just as enamored.
“The snow is just a blank canvas. Pristine whites and crystalline blues.” He always says.
Only when you show up with a cookie, or brownie, or cake, and declare a bright:
“Happy Birthday, Takumi!”
in the voice he has grown ever so fond of is his memory refreshed.
Then he smiles wide, laughter filled with mirth.
“Is it really? Feels like it was just yesterday.” He always says.
And then, softer, in the way he reserved just for you, laced with an undying adoration:
“Thank you… for giving me the greatest gift I could ever ask for, day after day, season after season. Until the leaves turn gray. Until hell freezes. While I may forget my birthday, I’ll always remember the years that I spend with you."
[Miya & Mia’s Tickletober 2023] - Another niche tktober 2023 fic I'm fishing out of its grave muhahaha. I realize this is actually up there with my fav anime and pairings EVER. I'll go down with this ship!
Word Count: 1.1K
Momose felt moved. Never had he seen such a thing. The office was decorated, a tray of cupcakes was on his desk, music was playing, and everyone in the department welcomed him with applause.
“Happy birthday, Momose,” Shirosaki said, and he and a few colleagues fired confetti at him. They all started singing. Woah!
“Happy birthday!”
Momose blushed and awkwardly wiped the confetti from his head. He then bowed deeply, his hands gripping his pants.
“T-t-thank you very much!” he said, trying hard not to cry. At his previous job, no one had ever done something this considerate for him, let alone his boss.
The only thing was…. Today was actually not his birthday!
He could understand how his goofy boss mixed up the dates and accidentally swapped the day and month numbers.
“Today is your first birthday since you started working here. I wanted to celebrate in style,” Shirosaki explained fondly. Aah, so cute. Momose would rather take this day as his new official birthday than admit to his sweet boss that he got the date wrong.
“Thank you, manager… What about work, though?” Momose tried to say casually as he wiped away a tear from the happy emotion, and he looked around, amazed to see everyone in the office was having fun. People were relaxing, eating cupcakes, chatting, watching MyTube and laughing together. It really was a party, on a plain Monday morning at the Planning and Sales department of Minette.
“We will resume work after lunch. Right now, we will enjoy the surprise party,” Shirosaki said. Momose felt so guilty that everyone was making time for him when it wasn’t even his real birthday, but he couldn’t help but feel happy and honored too, and he thanked Shirosaki again.
“Thank you so much!”
Aoyama suddenly stood by their side and he proudly munched on a cupcake. “You became a fine boss, Shirosaki-kun, even remembering what to do on your employee’s first birthday at the office.”
Shirosaki thanked him with a humble nod. “Section Chief, thank you. You taught me well.”
"But… aren’t you forgetting something?” Aoyama added, looking very suspicious all of a sudden.
Momose cocked his head, but Shirosaki seemed to understand and nodded. “Ah, right.”
To Momose’s surprise, Shirosaki stepped towards him, and Momose’s initial reflex was to flinch - his former boss had been quite the intimidating figure and he wasn’t over it yet.
However, what happened next was anything but scary. More like… weird?!
“Huhuhuh? W-whahahat, mahahanager!” Momose felt embarrassed to suddenly be tickled on his sides, and he lunged forward and wrapped his arms around his middle, dancing awkwardly in response to the random tickles.
“Happy birthday tickles,” Shirosaki announced dryly.
“Whahat? Hehehehe thahat’s s-sohoho suddehehen!” Momose laughed, shaking his head and trying his best not to jump away too fast since Shirosaki seemed so eager to tickle him.
“A-aren’t Manager and Section Chief the only ones upholding this tradition?” a female colleague asked, but Aoyama hissed “Sshh don’t tell him!” while Shirosaki tickled Momose playfully.
Momose couldn’t believe he was getting dragged in a weird little birthday tickle tradition (?) between the two of them, and it surely was a little humiliating to laugh like this in front of everyone.. but Shirosaki looked like he was having so much fun.
And in return, Momose felt a kind of joy he hadn’t felt in a long while. All of his remaining past work trauma was about to disappear with the magic of Shirosaki’s gentle tickles.
“It tihihickles! Hehehe mahaha-manageheher!” Momose giggled, squirming and wiggling as Shirosaki continued to tickle his sides.
Shirosaki nodded. “Yes. It should tickle.” Hehe! So serious!
Other employees slowly distanced themselves from their awkward tickle party, leaving Momose with only Shirosaki, and Section Chief Aoyama who stuck around too.
“A little bit here too,” Aoyama said, suddenly joining in by poking Momose between the ribs. Momose twitched between them and yelped as they both tickled him.
“Hehehe nohoho!” he whined. Both men tickled him a little more, but not too much. Though embarrassed, Momose truly felt happy after genuinely laughing like that, and he caught his breath with a smile on his face.
“This is for you,” Shirosaki finally said, handing him a wrapped gift. “From me,” he added, blushing adorably.
Momose was glad he already had tears from laughter in his eyes, or he would start crying new tears all over again because of how cute his manager was.
“You even got me a gift!” he whined thankfully, and he opened it after Shirosaki’s encouragement.
“Ah - t-this is…” Momose admired the cute keychain with on one side a photo of Hakutou the cute kitty, and on the other side a photo of Momose and Shirosaki together - a photo that was taken of them when they were at the amusement park.
“You can put it on the house key I gave you. Or… on something else, of course,” Shirosaki said with a cute blush.
Momose’s eyed widened, and he could hear the nervous bursts of laughter from some colleagues behind them.
“A family picture?”
“Are they a married couple?”
“That’s right - didn’t he propose to him the other day? They are moving fast!”
“They even named the cat ‘Hakutou’ after themselves!” they gossiped.
Shirosaki blushed when he overheard them just like Momose, but Momose giggled and held the gift with both hands.
“Manager, thank you so much. I love it,” he said with teary eyes. Shirosaki smiled gently.
“I’m glad,” he said, and he walked away. He showed his cute and goofy side when it appeared he didn’t remember where he was walking off to, so he turned around again and returned to Momose’s side.
“Momose? I wanted to ask. If… Well, if you do not have any birthday plans today… You are free to visit Hakutou and me. I have some drinks too, a-and Hakutou will be pleased to meow you happy birthday,” Shirosaki offered shyly.
Momose blushed. So cute! Of course he did not have plans since it was not his birthday, and he nodded.
“I would love that!”
“Great. Also, I apologize,” Shirosaki said. Momose frowned.
“For what?”
“I realized I should have asked you first… if you wanted happy birthday tickles. My boss gave them to me on my first birthday at the office, and it took me by surprise. I ended up doing the same to you.”
Pfft!! Momose threw his head back and laughed. God, he loved it here.
“That’s alright, ahaha!” he laughed.
My abusive boss gave me mental stress and an ulcer, so I switched jobs. My new boss is the goofiest and cutest person I have ever met. He threw me a birthday party on the wrong date, gave me happy birthday tickles, and invited me to his home!
