“I know you’re not a huge fan of my cooking and all, but I figured I’d get you a rare box collection of the Trial of the Dragon movies so you never ever lose mine again. Happy Birthday to my brother from another mother, Yosuke-Kun! I’ll treat you to lunch later!” and with that, the green-clad tomboy holds out a neatly wrapped box for Yosuke.
He didn’t know how to respond, holding the box set close to his chest as though it would impart him with some ancient wisdom. As close as he had gotten with everyone, he really hadn’t been expecting much from anyone; a dozen or so birthdays in Tokyo had told him not to get his hopes up. The friends who had remembered his birthday had sent him texts or mentioned it offhand in the hallway at school--no one had actually given any thought to it. He had half-expected the same from Chie, and had been left feeling humiliated by his own thoughts. Not to mention grateful.
The pair of them didn’t often get along as well as some of the others. They were often at each other’s throats, fighting over the dumbest things. But at the end of the day Yosuke counted Chie as one of his closest friends, and to see that she thought about him as well humbled him. A happy laugh forced its way out of him, which he hoped covered for the stinging of his eyes.
“It’s kinda nice to have someone else paying for lunch for a change,” he joked happily. “Thanks, Chie...this is really nice. I love it.”