KOF Extras

Gato's birthday

Hotaru silently snuck into her father's room and woke him up.
"Dad, wake up," Hotaru whispered, pulling his hand. "Dad? Dad!"
Mr. Futaba woke up with a grunt and looked at Hotaru's silhouette. She didn't turn the light on, afraid that Gato might hear the flip of the switch.
"Hotaru?" Mr. Futaba said, surprised. "What is it?"
"Niisama's birthday, tomorrow," Hotaru whispered. "You remember, right?"
Mr. Futaba yawned and nodded. "I do. Come on, let's go get the stuff. What's Gato doing?"
"Showering, I think," Hotaru said. "I already made him breakfast and left it in the cloche. If we leave before him, he'd think you went to leave me at school."
"But there's only one car...?" Mr. Futaba frowned. Hotaru just frowned in reply, giving him a knowing look. Mr. Futaba realised and nodded. "Right... Gato walks to work..."
Hotaru nodded. "Alright, pop, get ready. I'll go get changed too."
She rushed off to her room and quickly changed into a t-shirt and jeans. She brushed her tangled hair and tied it into two pigtails with red ribbon before leaving the room. Mr. Futaba waited for her in the living room. Gato was still getting ready, making it easier for them to slip away.
"You don't have school today?" Mr. Futaba asked as soon as Hotaru got into the car.
Hotaru grinned in return. "Can I skip today? Pleeeeaase?"
Mr. Futaba sighed. "Fine... you're excused today."
Hotaru cheered. "What about tomorrow? Tomorrow's the day, not today?"
"You can take the week off, I allow you," Mr. Futaba grinned. "Now come on. Let's go to the mall."
They went to the mall, and Mr. Futaba chose a nice changshan for Gato. He was around the same size, and ended up trying it on to see how it would fit.
"What do you think?" Mr. Futaba asked, stepping out of the fitting room, gesturing towards the navy blue changshan he wore. "Is it good?"
"It looks amazing!" Hotaru squealed. "The pants is white, right?"
"Yeah," Mr. Futaba said raising his leg slightly to look at the white pants underneath. He realised something. "Hey... was this your idea?"
"What, you're the one that chose it!" Hotaru retorted. "I just agreed with you!"
This was true too. Mr. Futaba realised that Gato did look good with Hotaru's colour scheme. But of course, Hotaru's was sapphire blue, while this changshan was navy blue.
"You don't wanna get something for yourself, pa?" Hotaru asked with a smirk. "Come on! Get something!"
"I don't have enough cash..." Mr. Futaba said sheepishly. "Used it up for... Gato's gift. I only have just enough for this and a cake. And dinner."
Hotaru frowned and pushed her father back into the fitting room. "Change out of that first. I'll pay for something for you. Okay?"
Mr. Futaba looked at her in surprise. Hotaru closed the fitting room door and decided to choose something for herself. She got herself a nice red cheongsam. Most of her dresses were blue and white, so she decided to get something red for a change. Mr. Futaba came out with the changshan, and put it on the counter, asking the cashier to keep it aside for him. He went to Hotaru and asked what she was doing.
"Is this nice?" Hotaru asked, holding the dress up to her chest. "Does it suit me?"
Mr. Futaba felt like he was looking at her mother. He simply nodded, his mind flooding with memories. Hotaru noticed his lack of concentration and ran to him.
"What's wrong?" Hotaru asked. "Is everything okay?"
Mr. Futaba gave her a pained smile. "It's just that... you're becoming more and more like your mother. I was just... overwhelmed by the memories, that's all..."
"Dad, it isn't your fault she died," Hotaru said, rubbing a hand on his back. "Whatever that thing was... it's not your fault." She held the dress up again and grinned. "Is it nice?"
Mr. Futaba nodded with a smile. "It looks great on you."
"Choose something, I'll be right back!" Hotaru squealed and rushed off to the fitting room to see if the dress fits.
She came out wearing it and flourished it in front of her father.
"You look great, Hotaru," Mr. Futaba said with a smile. "Alright, let's pay. I'll pay for Gato's changshan."
"And I'll pay for yours and mind," Hotaru said with a grin. "Come on."
Mr. Futaba shrugged and went to the counter. Hotaru frowned when she noticed that her father didn't take anything.
"Go take something..." Hotaru insisted. "A changshan or Samfoo or... whatever. Go get it."
So he was forced to take a white changshan for himself. They paid and went to the bakery next.
"What cake shall we buy?" Hotaru asked, looking at the display of cakes. Her eyes lit up when she spotted the chocolate ice cream cake. "Dad! Can we take this? Niisama likes chocolate too!"
And so did his dad. Mr. Futaba agreed to buy that cake, and they soon went home. Gato was gonna call in sick the next day, since he didn't fancy seeing his boss's ugly face on his birthday, and wanted to rest instead. But of course, his sister would not let him. They were planning something else for him.