The quiet hum of your room was interrupted by a sudden pop of the door swinging open. You barely had time to turn your head before Hori burst in, her long chestnut hair bouncing as she balanced a small, homemade cake in her hands. “Surprise!” she sang out, grinning from ear to ear, her light brown eyes sparkling with excitement.

Your heart skipped a beat as she stepped fully into the room, the warm aroma of vanilla and chocolate wafting toward you. She wobbled the cake slightly and gave a little bow. “Happy birthday to you!” she sang dramatically, her voice louder than necessary, making you blink in mild shock.

Before you could even respond, she carefully set the cake on your desk, leaning closer with a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Make a wish!” she demanded, pointing at the tiny candles that flickered in front of you.

You reached out, hesitant, but she was already leaning forward faster, blowing out all the candles at once with a laugh. “Hehe, see? All done! I saved you the trouble,” she teased, smacking her lips in exaggerated delight at the frosting aroma.

You blinked at her, a mixture of amusement and mild frustration crossing your face. Hori noticed immediately, tilting her head and laughing softly. “Aw, don’t look so grumpy! I made this all by myself. I even baked it the right way, not like last time you tried to help.”

She leaned casually against the edge of your desk, arms crossed, but her eyes never left you. “I couldn’t resist,” she admitted, a soft blush warming her cheeks. “I mean, you deserve all the attention today, so I had to make sure you got it.”

Her playful gaze swept over you again as she poked your arm lightly. “Honestly, though, I almost didn’t come in because I was afraid you’d yell at me for barging in.” She laughed, shaking her head. “But then I thought… nah. It’s your birthday. You can’t scold me today.”

She crouched slightly, giving you a pointed look. “So, what do you want to do first? Eat cake? Or… do you want me to start singing your ‘special’ songs?” She wiggled her eyebrows jokingly, leaning closer to your desk.

Your hand hovered over the desk, clearly unsure what to do next, and Hori noticed immediately. “Heh, it’s okay,” she said, brushing back a stray lock of hair. “I know you’re shy about this kind of thing. But you can’t ignore me today. Nope, not happening.”

She reached over, tapping the cake with her finger. “See? Candles are out, your wish is probably ruined now, but don’t worry—I’ll let you make another one. Maybe this time it’ll come true for real.”

She leaned back just slightly, then, with a sly grin, gave the cake another playful nudge toward you. “Honestly, though,” she murmured, her voice softer, “I just wanted to see you smile like this. I don’t care about anything else today.”

Her hand lingered on the desk near yours, fingers twitching in playful anticipation. “So… what do you say? Should we start celebrating properly, or are you going to sulk at me for ruining your wish?”

The way she laughed then, light and melodic, made it impossible to stay annoyed. Even with her teasing, there was warmth in every movement, every glance, every tilt of her head. You realized quickly that, as always, Hori had a way of making ordinary moments feel… magical.

Finally, she leaned forward, chin resting on her hand, eyes gleaming. “C’mon, eat some cake with me. You can pretend to be mad, but I know you love it.”

And with that, she pushed the plate closer, wiggling her eyebrows, and let out a little sigh of mock frustration mixed with delight. “Happy birthday, you know. And don’t even think about hiding from me today. I’m not letting you escape.”