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Birthdays were always a mixed bag for Kokichi. For most of his life, his parents only threw them for show. Another excuse to invite relatives and brag about their son's success in school. This worked to an extent. The moment Kokichi opened his mouth, lies came out on their own.
It made it so he was hidden away at his own birthdays until his parents got tired of it. They just expected him to be quiet and good at home now, if only so they could pretend he didn't exist or that their son was just fine after all. (How could they be such hypocrites when it came to lying?)
He didn't expect presents from his friends so he never told them what day it was even was. Not that he had friends until middle school- even then his relationships were rocky as he didn't know how to have a filter or recognize when he was the one causing issues. The misery made it easy to forget a stupid day like his birthday.
Of course, he should've known that his friends would find out somehow anyway. They were best at sticking their noses in places they didn't belong.
A sense of dread followed the purple-haired boy as he went through the school's gates. Why were people staring at him like he was even more of a nuisance today? Just his typical birthday luck, he supposed.
Needless to say, it was unexpected to be met with colorful balloons and party poppers as he entered his classroom.
"Surprise!" The word was yelled unanimously by his class that was as equally as colorful as the balloons.
"Happy birthday you little bitch!" Miu was quick to add in, placing a hand on his head as she ruffled his hair. He despised it when she did it, and she knew, but Kokichi would be damned before he admitted it.
"Miu-san, that's not the greeting we agreed on." Shuichi chided, then turned to Kokichi, a blush on his face, "But really, happy birthday."
Wasting no time, Kokichi took his normal spot next to Shuichi, clinging onto his boyfriend's waist in the way he'd seen every other annoying couple do. Tenko fake gagged.
"Is it really my birthday? Did you all prepare this for a normal day?" Kokichi asked innocently, earning surprised glances from his class.
"That's a lie," Shuichi answered with a hum, and Kokichi nudged him.
"Don't blame us for snooping! What's wrong with celebrating a little for your birthday?" Kaito butt in, full of energy as per usual.
"Yep! Atua encourages us to spend our time here celebrating the importance of living! A happy life is a happy sacrifice," Angie commented, a smile on her face, and matching expressions of confused fondness from her girlfriends, Tenko and Himiko.
"Kokichi is important to us, so this is important to us," Gonta said, smiling contently. And no one could argue with Gonta.
"Yeah yeah, whatever. Just hope there's cake," Kokichi said, leaning against Shuichi.
"Mhm! Rantaro made it, but I helped! I think," Kaede confirmed, looking to Rantaro for reassurance.
"Ah, yes... Your moral support was much appreciated Kaede," He said carefully, earning a satisfied huff from the girl. Kokichi resisted laughing.
The group was eager to start a party, only for the bell to ring and the teacher to enter. After getting scolded about not being in their seats, they all sat down for class. But no one was even close to subtle about their antsiness. Even Kokichi, a hater of his own birthday, found himself wrapped up in the feeling.
Himiko was playing card tricks with Tenko under their desks; Kiibo was on his phone, probably texting Miu who was also on her phone; most notably, Shuichi kept glancing his way. Even though they were boyfriends, Shuichi still acted like a schoolgirl with her first crush in public.
To sum it up, lunch couldn't roll around fast enough for his class.
When it did, even the teacher seemed relieved. Kokichi, however, was not prepared to be dragged from the classroom to one of the long benches on the outside of the cafeteria. Balloons were tied up and other decorations, seemingly popping up out of nowhere, decorated the formerly barren bench. Everyone found a place on the now crowded bench, fighting over who sat where.
Shuichi quietly took the opportunity to secure Kokichi's seat next to him, squeezing the other's hand. If the other weren't so shy, Kokichi would kiss him right now.
Suddenly, Kokichi felt hands on his head and something snap under his chin. He looked up to a very pleased-looking Tsumugi.
"Party hats! Setting the mood!" She explained, then pouted and added, "I couldn't get them to wear any of my personally designed outfits based on your...unique style."
"I'd rather wear something Kaito picks out," Maki hissed, earning a betrayed look from her boyfriend which she pretended not to notice.
Rantaro carefully placed the cake in the center with the help of Ryoma.
"Ah, I have the candles," Korekiyo mentioned, handing them to Kirumi who seemed to place all sixteen of them perfectly, to Korekiyo's amusement and everyone else's confusion.
"Himiko, the honors," Shuichi said, earning a determined smirk from the magician.
"Light!" She demanded, and Kokichi giggled at how the flames actually lit. His classmates were sights to behold sometimes.
It was only when everyone was singing 'happy birthday' off-key that he realized how much he was enjoying this. When was the last time he'd enjoyed his birthday? Perhaps he didn't even think it would happen. Surely a no-good liar like him didn't deserve all of this.
And yet here he was, friends all around him, giddy for his birthday, and even his boyfriend lovingly staring at him, unaware Kokichi was peeking at him from the corner of his eye.
Oh well. He supposed he should enjoy the day. Just before they finished the last verse, Kokichi blew out the candles.
Tenko threw her hands up in the air in exasperation and Miu broke down laughing, leaning on an also chuckling Gonta for support.
"Should've expected this from this one's birthday," Kaito said smiling, "How'd you get a good kid like Shuichi to be your boyfriend again?"
"I'll never tell," Kokichi declared with a hum, "Now, who cuts the cake? I say me-"
"You with a knife? Do we look insane?" Maki asked, and Kokichi gave her a look of equal judgement.
"I'll do it so stop fighting," Shuichi said, rolling his eyes in quiet amusement.
The party didn't seem to calm down after lunch though. He was handed several neatly and disorderly wrapped presents and expected to carry them all. It was only with the offer of Shuichi's help that he was able to manage to carry them all home.
"I was surprised you didn't tell anyone about your birthday," Shuichi said suddenly on their walk home.
"Because I'm so self-obsessed, right?" Kokichi joked with a dry laugh.
"No, because they're your friends," Shuichi responded earnestly, "I'm your boyfriend and it took lots of observation to get the exact date."
"Well, I just didn't like my birthday all that much. You've met my parents."
"Didn't like it? Do you like your birthday now?"
"Maybe. Who knows. I'll never tell anyway. Maybe I hate it even more now."
"Better erase it from the class's memory then."
"Wouldn't have to if a certain detective didn't nose around."
"Well-! Fair enough," Shuichi admitted defeat, earning a giggle from his boyfriend.
As they reached Kokichi's house, Shuichi quickly placed a light kiss on his lips. It was so sudden that Kokichi caught himself blushing.
"Happy birthday, Oma. I- you mean a lot to me. I just didn't want you to think I didn't care," Shuichi was all nerves despite his bold move. Blushing and tripping over his words.
"My beloved Saihara, you could never convince me you don't care. You care too much. Can't even lie about that." Kokichi gripped his boyfriend's hands in his.
"A lie you can't tell? For me?" Shuichi teased.
"Just for you! Consider it out of the kindness of my shriveled heart!" And Shuichi shook his head in amused exasperation.
Kokichi couldn't help but kiss the blue-haired boy silly. It was birthday after all. People got what they wished for this day. And while all his wishes were buried in lies, it was no lie that he was happy to call Shuichi his boyfriend- happy to have him in his life more than anything.
The only thing that separated them was Kokichi's front door opening, earning them both an awkward stare-down with Kokichi's mother.