tishrei

The leaves on the trees were becoming red and yellow, indicating that the fall was nearing. Sweaters replaced the T-shirts, and the first rain came by the end of September.

It was a quiet morning in Jinbou High School, as students swarmed into the school grounds, getting ready for yet another boring day.

“Fuuka!!” A cheery voice called. Matsui Fuuka turned around to see her best friend, Sana Kurata, and Hayama Akito, Sana’s boyfriend. “Good morning!” Sana finished as she joined Fuuka, as Akito stayed behind to chat with Tsuyoshi, his best friend, for a bit.

“Morning,” Fuuka greeted in return, smiling.

“Ne ne,” Sana started, “Rei-kun did the most idiotic thing ever! He took four jobs for me, and he expects me to do all of them in a week! A week! So I told him to cancel two, and then these networks got mad, and then-“

“Say, Sana,“ Fuuka interrupted. Sana stopped immediately and waited for her best friend to say what is on her mind. It is not usual that Fuuka interrupts Sana’s daily story, so there must be something pretty important. “Akki’s birthday is coming up, right? Maybe we should throw him a party! It’s a week from now, so there’s lots of time to invite people and buy presents! Huh? Why are you so gloomy all of the sudden? Did I say something wrong?”

Sana glanced over her shoulder, to make sure that Akito could not hear what she was about to say. “We can’t do that, Fuuka,” she said sadly.

“Why not?” Fuuka asked, pouting. She figured that now when he is Sana’s boyfriend, she would throw him a big party, being the hyper and happy person she is. It was her first chance to do so, since he returned from Los-Angeles just a few months ago. She was hoping they would throw a big party and invite everyone.

“Because…” Sana glanced backwards one more time, and then dragged Fuuka into the building and from there to the bathroom. There is no way Hayama would hear the conversation now. “He goes to the cemetery every year on his birthday.” Sana explained, not surprised at all to see Fuuka’s reaction when it came.

Fuuka paled and her eyes widened. “What! Why would he do something like that?” She asked.

“He never told you?” Sana asked, a bit surprised. She figured that he never told her he visits the cemetery, but she guessed he at least told her about his birth circumstances.  (A/N: I think Hayama never told Fuuka about his past… well, Tsuyoshi did, but I don’t think he included the part with his mom).

“He never told me anything,” Fuuka replied and crossed her arms, leaning against the wall. “Tsuyoshi did, though he said there are certain stuff he’d rather not tell, because he didn’t know if Akki wanted me to know. That left some holes in some details he did tell…”

Sana just nodded, understanding what Fuuka was talking about. “What I’m about to tell you may shock you…”

“It’s okay. Tell me! Why can’t we party?” Fuuka said, coaxing Sana to tell her what could prevent birthday fun.

“Hayama’s birthday is also the day his mother died,” said Sana, looking down and not at Fuuka.

“What?” Fuuka asked quietly, refusing to believe. She felt cold all of the sudden, and the hairs on her nape stood.

“His mother died, giving birth to him. That’s why he goes to the cemetery every year on his birthday,” Sana elaborated.

Fuuka could not believe. How could he keep such an important detail from her? ‘Because he loved and trusted Sana, stupid,’ she reminded herself sadly and sighed.

“We can do a middle party, though. We’ve done it before. And it’s on your birthday, too!” Sana said, becoming happy again.

Fuuka smiled. “Well, if it can’t be helped…” then she left the bathroom, not bothering to tell Sana to come with her. She needed some time alone to sort things out.

Sana sat by her desk, tapping with her pen on the smooth wood. ‘It can’t be helped… or can it?’ there must be a way that Hayama could celebrate his birthday without going to the cemetery. Who would want a birthday like that forever, even if it were the uncaring Hayama?

The bell rang and indicated that the period was over. After bowing to the teacher Sana hurried to class one, where she hoped to find Tsuyoshi. They never changed classes, even when they got into High School.

“Tsuyoshi-kun!” she called loudly as soon as she entered the classroom. He was sitting in the corner with Aya. It seemed like Hayama went off to fetch something from the vending machine…

“Sana-chan!” Tsuyoshi and Aya said.

“Tsuyoshi, can I have a word with you? Aya-chan can stay if she wants, of course,” Sana said, already grabbing a nearby chair and sitting next to her two friends.

“Sure. What is it?” Tsuyoshi asked, a bit concerned.

“Don’t tell Hayama, though!” Sana warned, giving them a scary glare. Both teens sweatdropped shook their heads.

“Hayama’s birthday is coming up, and it made me think…” she started, wondering how to phrase her question. “Is there a way for Hayama to celebrate his birthday without going to the cemetery?”

Tsuyoshi cocked an eyebrow. “Well, if he goes on another day… what about your middle birthday, though?”

“It’s fun, of course, but… Hayama’s birthdays are so depressing! No one should be depressed on their birthday!” she waved her arms around, getting into her hyper mode.

Aya giggled. “Sana-chan, you’re so silly.” Sana just smiled in reply. “I don’t think there’s another way… unless, like Tsuyoshi-kun said, he’d go to the cemetery on another day.”

Sana pouted. “It can’t go on like this! Hayama said he never had a birthday party before the middle birthday on sixth grade, and I really want to do a party, just for him! He’ll be sixteen, after all… and it’s such a special age!”

“You talking about me?” All three sweatdropped as they heard Hayama’s voice behind them.

“H-Hayama…” Tsuyoshi said, his eyebrow twitching.

“Ah! It’s a good thing you’re here!” Sana declared and got up, then held Akito by his shoulder. “I have something to tell you…” as she dragged him out of the classroom, she winked towards Tsuyoshi, probably asking him to search for a way.

When they were out of sight, Aya turned to Tsuyoshi. “Are you sure there is no other way?” she asked. Sana seemed so hopeful, and it was very nice and thoughtful of her to want to do a party just for him. She just did not want to disappoint her.

Tsuyoshi seemed deep in thought. “Well,” he started. “I met this guy from the USA in a chatroom the other day, and he told me that his grandmother died on his mother’s birthday. When I asked him if his mother is sad on her birthday, he said that the memorials for his grandmother are on another day, even though she died on the same day… and I don’t think it’s due to postponement.”

“So you mean…” Aya started, amazed. She was almost positive the situation was hopeless. “That there is a way?”

He smiled at her. “Yes.”

She squealed. “So let’s contact him!”

Tsuyoshi nodded. “As soon as I get home, I’ll look for him. Who knows, maybe Hayama would finally have a birthday party?”

“Sana, is something wrong?” Misako Kurata asked her daughter. They were in the middle of a dinner, but Sana was playing with the food rather than eating it. “Are you not feeling well?”

Sana sighed. “It’s just that Hayama-“

“Has he done anything to you? I’ll show him!” Rei cut her off, waving his knife as if it were a sword. He never liked Hayama, and even if he was the one, who made Sana get over her mannequin disease, he also was the main cause of it. If it were not for him, she would have never gotten it again.

“Calm down, Rei-kun!” Sana said, lifting her fork and fighting with Rei’s knife in a silly manner. “It’s just that I want to throw him a birthday party, but he goes to the cemetery every year on his birthday…”

“So what are you planning to do?” her mother asked, throwing a spoon and stopping their stupid fight.

“Well, I talked to Tsuyoshi-kun. I think he’ll figure something out,” she answered with a smile. As if on cue, the phone rang in the living room and Sana hurried to get it.

“Kurata desu~” she said in a high-pitched voice. “Ah, Tsuyoshi-kun! How are you? Eh? You found a way? Great! I’ll be right over!” she bid her goodbyes to her mother and Rei, and left as quickly as she could, not bothering to take anything with her. She ran all the way to his house, a smile plastered on her lips.

“Ah, Sana-chan! Come in, come in,” Tsuyoshi greeted his friend with a broad smile. After bowing politely to his mother, and saying hello to Aono, Tsuyoshi’s younger sister, they went to his room. Aya was there, sitting on his bed.

“Hi, Sana-chan!” she said and motioned for her friend to sit next to her.

As Sana sat on the bed, she turned to Tsuyoshi. “So what did you find out?”

“Well,” he started and sat by his computer, scrolling up. “See the conversation that went on here?” he asked and pointed and she nodded. “This guy is a Jew, living in the USA. Apparently, his grandmother died on his mother’s birthday. He says, though, that ever since then the memorials were never on his mother’s birthday.”

“Which means that somehow they maneuvered the dates!” Aya peeped in.

Tsuyoshi nodded. “He says that they use a thing called ‘Hebrew Calendar’. That calendar’s dates are bit different than what we use. He says that in his family, which is non-orthodox, they use our dates for birthdays, but they use the Hebrew dates for funerals, memorials, Bar-Mitzvahs and holidays.”

“So what you’re saying is that if we can get Hayama’s Hebrew date…” Sana started, understanding where Tsuyoshi was going.

“…Then he can have a happy birthday.” Tsuyoshi continued.

Sana squealed with joy and high-fived Aya. “I already checked his date,” Tsuyoshi said. “Tishrei sixteenth. It’s on October fifteenth this year. “

“Three days after his mother’s memorial!” Sana said, clapping her hands together and smiling widely.

“There’s one problem, though,” Tsuyoshi said, holding his chin. “I don’t think we can get Akito-kun to agree to it. I mean, it’s not like he’s Jewish. It’ll be like a fake date for him.”

Sana got an evil glint in her eyes. “Who says we’ll tell him?” she asked, smiling evilly.

Aya and Tsuyoshi stared.

“Hayama!” Sana called happily as she spotted her boyfriend sitting by his desk on this cold Friday morning, headphones in his ears, as usual. What he listens to, she never knew.

“What?” he asked, not taking the headphones off even though she was talking to him.

“What are you listening to?” she asked and pulled the headphones out of his ears in order to listen herself. She narrowed her eyes in attempt to understand the English words. She was never that great in the foreign language.

“Just various songs of various singers,” he answered, and snatched the precious tool out of her hand. “I kind on liked the music they listen to in the USA.”

“Oh…” Sana nodded. “Say,” she started and sat on his desk. “What are you doing this weekend?”

“Nothing much. Why?” he asked, leaning backwards with his chair and crossing his arms behind his head.

“Let’s go no a date on Sunday! I know this really cool new restaurant-“

“What’s it called?” Akito asked, having not heard of any new restaurants in the area.

Sana started to sweat and tugged at the collar of her school uniform. She looked around worriedly. “It’s called… uh… Table By The… Window. Yeah.”

Akito cocked an eyebrow, but decided to drop the subject. “Okay,” he said.

Sana smiled. “Great! Be at my place at seven!” then she hurried out of his classroom. After all, preparations for the party had to be made…

The house was dark. ‘That’s unusual…’ Akito thought. Not only that Sana had a huge house that had to be lit in some way, she had also invited him over to her place. The door was open, but it did not seem like anyone was there. “Baka,” he said to himself as he continued dragging his feet down the dark hall to the living room. He figured he should wait there for her return. He noticed the light peeking from under the door. “She must be in there…”

As soon as he opened the door, he heard a yell.

“SURPRISE!!!!” he noticed all of his classmates along with some friends of his in the large room. Confetti was thrown at him from various directions, and colorful balloons decorated the walls. A large sign was hung above the window: “Happi Basudei, Akito!” he laughed mentally at his girlfriend’s broken English.

“Hayama,” Sana approached him with a smile. “How does it feel like having a party especially for you?”

Akito glanced around. He noticed the big amounts of food and small amounts of presents. Presents… he got like… what, three for all of his life?

“It feels… indifferent.“ He answered and everyone in the room sweatdropped. “But what about our middle-birthday?”

“I wanted you to have a birthday party just for you, seeing you’ve never had one…” Sana explained.

“Yeah, and we really wanted you to be happy for once on your birthday,” Tsuyoshi added. The others in the room nodded.

Akito was silent for a moment, and then said, “It doesn’t matter what you do. I’ll always be sad on my birthday... since no matter what, it is, after all, the day my mother died.”

“Maybe so,” Fuuka said and put her arm on his shoulder in a comforting way. “But at least, if you decide to stick with this method, you won’t have to celebrate your birthday in the cemetery.”

“And what method is that?” He asked, interested.

“Hebrew date,” Tsuyoshi said. “You were born on Tishrei sixteenth, the year of 5745.” Akito cocked an eyebrow. “At least, that’s what the Jews say.” Akito shrugged.

‘But it does… feel kind of nice… I’ve never had a real birthday party before.’ He thought, and smiled mentally as he watched everyone laughing and enjoying themselves. He himself chose to eat the Sushi…

He got cool presents, he must admit. Fuuka bought him a book about Karate. Aya and Tsuyoshi “joined” forces and got him a framed picture of himself and Sana from some festival they visited not long ago.

Speaking of which… she had the most amazing present for him.

“Kurata,” he said as all the guests left, and all of the presents were opened. “What about your present? Didn’t you say earlier you got me the greatest thing?” He asked, hoping to somewhat mock her.

She seemed stressed for a moment, and then said, hesitantly “oh, yeah. Come up to my room in a minute and it’ll be there. Look under the covers!” Then she skipped upstairs.

Akito gulped.

Oh yes. A Dinosaur pajamas and bed-sheet were just what he wanted…