Chapter 5

"Pass me the ketchup." Takuya ordered, his hand reaching out among the chopsticks. The chopsticks stopped clicking as four pairs of eyes watched Takuya hurriedly wolfing down his breakfast and reading the newspapers at the same time.

Nakai slowly passed Takuya the ketchup bottle, and Takuya grabbed it without looking up, leaving Nakai stunned. "What's-" Nakai started to ask, but Takuya was already thumping down the bowl onto the table and rushing out of the door. "...wrong?"

"He probably has an important guest at the restaurant today. That's how he acted the last time too." Goro suggested.

"Maybe." Nakai agreed.

--

"Ah, it's the 25th of November today!" Mr Ichiro, the bookstore owner, said. "Happy birthday, Sayuri!"

"Thank you. But...how did you know that it was my birthday?" Sayuri asked.

"Er... it's in your application form, right?" Mr Ichiro asked uncertainly. "Anyway, as a treat, you may go off earlier from work!"

"But it's only a birthday!" Sayuri argued.

"Only once a year, too. Just go home and celebrate..."

"Thank you, Mr Ichiro." Though Sayuri wondered how she could even celebrate her birthday.

--

After work, Nakai dropped by the bookstore, but saw no sign of Sayuri. He learned from Mr Ichiro that today was Sayuri's birthday, so she was let off work earlier. I wonder what I should get for Sayuri? he pondered, looking at his watch. 5pm. He had an idea.

--

"Pass the dough!" Takuya instructed, the five brothers being clad in aprons in the small, crammed kitchen.

"Sorry, Shingo!" Tsuyoshi apologized as he accidentally stepped on Shingo's feet while crossing to pass the dough to Takuya.

"Nakai, your face, haha!" Shingo laughed.

"It's your fault!"

"Slice the strawberries!"

"Why don't we try banana?" Shingo suggested.

"Don't be silly. It won't taste or look good with--"

"Ah! The icing and colouring!"

"I'll get it..."

"Thanks, Goro-chan."

"Which colour do you think is good?"

"Pink!" Nakai immediately responded."Pass the knife and kneader!" Takuya ordered.

"AHHHHH!!!" Tsuyoshi suddenly gave a shout. "Goro-chan, luckily that was not the knife!" Tsuyoshi picked up the kneader and went to wash it.

An hour later, the cake was out of the oven. "Decorating time!!!" Shingo gleefully exclaimed.

"And no bananas." Nakai warned.

"Okay."

Takuya slowly layered and covered the cake with cream, while the rest waited with strawberries and triangular pieces of chocolates in their hands.

--

There came a knock on Sayuri's door. Sayuri thought it was the postman, since no one else would drop by her apartment. To her surprise, when she opened the door, five voices shouted, "Happy birthday!"

"How did you know-"

"Nakai told us!" Shingo answered.

"Mr Ichiro said so."

"Come in!" Sayuri welcomed, suddenly realising that the five brothers were stll outside.

Taukya set the cake down, then the five brothers sat round the table with Sayuri. "Thanks a lot, I never expected a celebration." As they sang the 'happy birthday' song, Sayuri smiled. It was her first celebration in 7 years.

"Make a wish!"

"Eh? Do I really have to?"

"Of course!"Sayuri closed her eyes, then thought, I hope for my life to be smooth-sailing. She had no idea what to wish for. "Done!" she announced.

"Goody, now we can eat the cake!" Shingo excitedly exclaimed. The five brothers shook their heads and sighed.

"You really are like a five-year-old, Shingo!"

"Ah, the birthday girl has to cut the cake first..." Takuya reminded, passing Sayuri the knife.

"Umm...I can't see where I'm aiming the knife..." Sayuri said.

The four brothers stared at Nakai, who gave them a are-you-picking-me look. Nakai then put his hands over Sayuri's, and slowly guided the knife to the cake. Sayuri felt butterflies in her stomach. She knew who those hands belonged to. She hoped that she wasn't blushing, wishing that it had been one of the otehr four who guided her hands. It seemed to take forever for the knife to plunge through the cake.

It was Shingo's voice that woke her up. "Yay, eating time!"

Sayuri started to relax.