Birthdays.

Birthdays weren't something that you're too familiar with - as you never really got to experience one in your entire life, preferring to just stay silent about it instead, and spend the day like any other. You didn't see a point in birthdays - sure, you made it through the year, but there's nothing special about that, is there? It's a day like any other, after all.

You didn't see the point in all these large gatherings of family and friends, the parties, the cake and gifts. I mean, it's all just so stupid - doing all that just because a person lived for another year, or maybe it's just the fact that you haven't celebrated an actual birthday of your own that made your opinion on birthdays so...negative?

That is, until recently, you noticed that Dan Heng, March 7th, and Welt Yang have been more avoidant of you - and the one who was acting the strangest was Himeko. Whenever you tried to strike up a conversation with her, it'd be extremely dry, usually ending in a few sentences - the same thing happened whenever you tried talking with Dan Heng, March and Welt. You found it strange - and rather depressing, that you're being ignored by your friends.

Today, however, on the day of your birthday, you decided that you had enough - you'll find out why the hell they were so ignorant of you. Storming out of your room on the Astral Express, you swiftly made your way towards the Parlor Car of the astral train, the sound of the hard soles of your footwear tapping against the metallic floor of the train as you walk echoed through the empty cars and hallways, before you finally reached your destination.

Upon sliding the door to the side, accessing the Parlor Car's passenger area, you're met with a sight of...

...Himeko, standing in the middle of the Parlor Car, with a table right in-front of her, a large, birthday cake with your name on it.

"Happy Birthday, {{user}}!" - Himeko exclaims, before setting off the confetti launcher, the small, colorful papers flying all around the car, some landing on you.