I checked my list one last time, after classes I have to keep Ozwald busy for 5 hours, Niko is going to come to the apartment alongside some other friends of Ozwald and mine, Ozwald birthday is tomorrow, and I have set my mind to make it the best one he has ever had, so good in fact that he won’t be sad for spending it without his family, I will take him to the town′s mall, Niko suggested that we go to the ar…arcade and to watch a movie, that should do the trick.
It was still one day away, so I went to his room to see if he was not suspecting anything, I knocked on his door as he requested “Ozwald, may I come in?” I heard his sewing machine being turned off and the door opened soon after, “hey Higen, what’s up?” his bangs were tied up with a headband I pointed at it, he blushed and quickly took it off “have you only come to mock me, Banna?” “n… no haha sorry, you just looked funny, so how is the future seventeen years old doing?” he looked to his side a little bit saddened “Well… I’m a little bit bumped about not being able to see my family... I wonder what am I going to do?”
I flashed him a big smile and framed my chin with my fingers, “Well so glad you ask, I’m taking you to this place of entertainment at the mall known as the arcade and then we are watching a movie at the cinema” he looked surprised at the declaration “you know you don’t have to take me anywhere we can just buy a… I wonder if they make my favorite cake here…” blast it I didn’t think about his cake, but of course, we must have cake for this celebration “say… what is thou favorite cake? I as your best friend simply must know” he laughed, he sometimes laughs at the way I talk with property I flicked his forehead so he would stop “aww you are not supposed to hit the birthday guy, I don’t think you have it on Elysium Higen” I was offended by his declaration, “I will have you informed that my paladar has tasted every food Elysian or otherwise”
“Okay Mr. Culinary Palette, my favorite is Molock′s Temptation, I’m sure you know it Your Highness” “But of course, I know what that is… however we need to put it on Human terms if we want to get it” he doesn’t suspect that I actually have no idea what that is, “let’s see, it has an almond bread base, filled with chocolate pudding, and covered with whipping cream” I took notes on my phone “I′ll ask Niko if we can get it here I′ll just play dumb when he ask me for the name” “oh that’s your favorite game, right?” I picked up a pillow that was on the floor hit him with it and left his room, his antics never cease to bring a smile to my face.
“That sounds like a Misérable cake dude” Niko sent me a message, but why does Ozwald want a miserable cake? “Right, right, I forgot the name, can we get one for the party?” “yeah, I can go and look for one when I go to decorate the apartment” “That would be great Niko, and thank you for showing me the arcade beforehand” To be honest I don’t know what a normal birthday party looks like, let alone a surprise one, “I’m not surprised you have never went to one before, listen tomorrow I′ll pass you my arcade card so you can go straight to playing”
“Niko do you know if amongst the prices are stuffed dolls named monster capsules?” I saw the three dots moving for a moment until my phone made a noise “Last time I checked, there was one or two, but they were costly, why?” “Ozwald has been buying some of them maybe I could win him one and if you say that they are difficult to get that will show how much I care!” I added a new thing to my list, “… Higen you know you can just buy like twenty at the Monster capsule park at the mall, right?” “Nonsense anyone can buy a doll, but I will win it for him” “Just don’t get discouraged if you can’t do it, okay pal?”
The next day I woke up early to prepare birthday breakfast for Ozwald I cracked open eggs and began frying bacon, normally Ozwald does breakfast for the two of us, he is quite skilled at cooking, not to toot my own horn but I’m also quite a good chef in my humble opinion, the flame grew in size and engulfed the pan, Ozwald ran from his room and use the fire extinguisher to put it out, “Higen are you okay? What happens?” he asked while panting form the surprise cardio, “… I was making you breakfast, and the flame ate it… Happy birthday?” I said as I was partially covered in the extinguishing foam.
“I… pfff” he started to laugh “Ha-Ha-Ha! I’m sorry but you… oh man it hurts” I whipped the foam off my face and body as he laughed, well at the very least he is not upset about breakfast like I said before I don’t have any friends my age, I′m never sure if I’m doing it right but if he smiles and laughs I think I′m doing a good job as his best friend “sorry, sorry, I’m better now, I appreciate the thought if you want a retry how about cereal” I pulled two bowls and served his favorite cereal and milk, “Happy birthday I made this myself” “and I hope you didn’t burn the house down” we started to eat and then we made our way to school.
“So did you tell anyone else besides Niko that today is your birthday, Ozwald?” I asked him as I opened the entrance door to the school building, the school was busy as usual, people running to the library to finish work, some others were just hanging in the halls a few couples were kissing or fighting, which appeared to be the norm here, “yeah, I told a few friends form the running and track team, we are having cake tomorrow after practice… now that I think about it when is your birthday Higen?”
The question caught me by surprise “October 28th so it’s far away from today” “And how do you usually spend it?” I forced myself to keep smiling, but the truth is that they are quite dull, Ekaterina and the rest of the staff sing Happy Birthday to me I get a slice of cake, a few gifts, and then I go and perform my knightly duties, I don’t have a party nor can I say no to meet with people that day, “oh you know the usual thing, singing and cake” “then I′ll be sure to make something very special for your next birthday” is heartwarming knowing that I have someone else that cares for me.
“Right Niko here is the key to our apartments, are you sure you got everything?” Niko nodded, I looked for him before classes ended to pass him the key so he could decorate the apartment, “relax dude this is not my first fiesta sorpresa, nor will it be the last” I have to guess he meant a surprise party with that, “alright just remember don’t go into our rooms, especially not Ozwald′s he banned me from his room a week ago and I don’t want to be banned again” “okay, okay I will not go snooping around in anyone’s rooms, by the way, I checked and I can get that cake for him” I started to clap happily, now all I have to do is keep Ozwald busy, wait for the surprise and to win his present, Ozwald started to walk toward us, Niko and I nodded and he ran away to prepare the party.
“Did… did Niko just run away?” he asked me confused “Yeah his abuela called him so he had to run, but he said he would call you later for your birthday” “Wait if it’s my birthday… I can ask you for anything right?” I nodded “Ask and it shall be yours as long as it is within my capabilities Ozwald” he scratched his cheek and looked away “Well, I mean, if I can ask for anything… would you call me Ozie for today?” my eye started to twitch, I understand, that is his nickname and all of the people that are close to him call him that but I was told and teach that I should always refer to anyone by their name, never make it short or different.
But now… I must try to do it “O…O…Oz…” I started to blush this is so embarrassing!!! We are in public and he requested this?, he was looking expectingly at me “Ozi…Ozzzzzzzziiiiiii” “Come on you can do this big guy just one more letter” he is having way too much fun with this, I swallowed and tried again “Oz…i…e” I covered my face with my hands, now people would think I’m bulgar, a heretic, a deviant but if that’s what he wants I have to comply “see it wasn’t so hard, so we are going to the mall right Higen?” “That is correct Oz… my friend” I started to laugh I don’t think I can call him Ozie again without suffering mental damage.
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
The mall was not too full all thing considering, we arrived at three maybe later it would get more crowded, “Okay Higen you can call me Ozwald again, I think you are running out of words to refer to me” I was able to breathe a sigh of relive now that I was able to call him Ozwald “yeah our first stop is the arcade!” I pointed to a big establishment where neon lights and the humming of music and machines surrounded us “Wow… it’s amazing but… how do we play?” I started to laugh “Oh my sweet na?ve Ozwald fret not, for I the great Higen know how to use this place.”
“… when did you start to call yourself great?” he poked my side as he said that, “Behold!!!” I produced from my wallet a plastic card Niko had given me earlier it had the red neon signature of the arcade and seemed to be well used, “that is not your credit card but it does have a band like that one” like any experienced knight I made some recon before coming here with Ozwald and by that I mean Niko brought me a few days ago and teach me how to use it, I went to the clerk and asked him to transfer funds to the card, and after the payment was done I returned to Ozwald.
“So… now what Mr. Grate Higen?” Ozwald asked me, so I smiled and passed the card through the reader, like Niko taught me the machine illuminated and asked us to take soft mallets as rodents in brown fur came out of their homes “Come on don’t just look, hit them!” Oswald was confused at first but after a moment he started to get into it “This is fun!!!” he wowed and bashed the rodents until the time was up, the machine spurted some tickets, when I went to the clerk I noticed that the doll I wanted to give Ozwald was seven thousand and fifty tickets, there’s only like ten in my hand so I have a long way to go.
“what are those for Higen?” he asked me as I put them in my jersey pocket, “don’t worry about it, which one do you want to do now?” he pulled my arm and dragged me to all types of games we at least try everything in the arcade once, but I was still short one hundred and fifty tickets, “but if it isn’t Banna and the pipsqueak” and now Carter and a girl joined the mix, I growled when he got close to Ozwald “Higen is fine” he whispered “I don’t have the staff and you are here so I can handle anything he throws at me” I love to see him more confident, “Ozwald is that you?” the girl said I… wasn’t aware that Ozwald knew any girls.
“Donna? What are you doing here?” the girl came and give Ozwald a hug, meanwhile, Carter and I stood with our mouths open, “well I came here often with my boyfriend, do you know Carter?” he glared at him so I reached for my gloves in case I need a light weapon to humble him, but Ozwald grabbed my hand to stop me, “yeah he and Higen are on the football team, we… have seen each other sometimes” “am… Ozwald who is your friend?” “Oh right, Higen this is Donna, she is in the team of track and runs” She extended her hand at me, “Nice to meet you Higen my name is Donna, Ozwald has told me a lot about you!”
I shook her hand “Oh really now?” Ozwald swallowed hard “Say what has he told you about me?” she looked at him “Sorry I’m duty bound to keep the secrets of my adorable teammates, you know how it is, right?” blast it she is smart, I do know not to brake a duty, “wait a second!” she said, “didn’t you said that today was your birthday Ozwald?” “Oh yeah that’s right, actually that’s why Higen brought me here” she pulled her card from her purse “okay come on you are picking your present from the gallery” Oh no this is the worst possible scenario, “wait are you sure? The prices aren’t cheap I wouldn’t want to take your hard work.”
Carter laughed “Ozie, she has like sixty thousand tickets on that card, she can buy anything on the gallery” Donna smirked “They don’t call me the Dance, Dance, infiltration queen for nothing” I could only watch as Donna got Ozwald the doll I wanted to give him, “but would you look at that, seems like your friend and my girlfriend are getting along, isn’t it sweet?” I growled again “Bite me Marten” he smirked at my reaction as they returned, “Thanks Donna, I love it” “don’t mention it Ozwald happy birthday” They hugged again and I for some reason felt jealous of this seen, “…Hey Donna, do you want to play a round of dance, dance, infiltration before we go?”
Carter spilled some of the soda he got from a machine “Higen what are you doing?” Ozwald asked me “Ohjojojo a challenge I see” Donna passed her hand through her long brown and pink hair, “I′ll have you know that this queen doesn’t run from a challenge, bring it baby” This game wasn’t one I tried whit Niko but I have issued a duel and I have to do my best, my honor has been challenged “so let me explain the rules mostly ′cos I’m not sure New Zeeland has this machine” she started.
“We will dance to the same song, the first person that runs out of stamina loses and the winner gets… are we betting something or are we doing this for fun?” she asked me “For fun, for fun!” Ozwald called “party pooper” Carter complained, “Oh I know; however, wins will get a hug from the birthday boy!” she pointed her manicured finger at me “So you in Banna?” I nodded, “Hey wait a second why am I the price?” we all ignored Ozwald as we walked to the machine.
“Higen, you don’t have to do this, what′s gotten into you?” he whispered into my ear, he is right I am competitive but why am I this upset? Is it because Donna gave him the doll, I wanted to give him? or has my honor as a knight been challenged by her unknowing actions? Or there is another reason beyond my comprehension, whatever the case might be I won’t back down from this challenge.
“Sorry Ozwald but I must do this, once a knight issues a duel there is no backing away” Once at the machine we paid for the round and Donna selected the song “Oh I forgot to ask, what level of intensity do you want?” she told me as she looked through the songs, “the hardest one!” Ozwald has given up on making me reconsider, “Oh feeling daring are we then…” She pressed the song and grab the railing behind her, I give Ozwald my jersey as the countdown started “Kick his butt babe!!!” Carter cheered for Donna, “Am… you can do this big guy?” it was nice of Ozwald to say something as the music started.
“Yay, I win!!!” Donna jumped up and down as the song ended, her stamina bar was still full while mine was depleted for my wrong movements, the song was difficult to follow and the motions for me to press the plates proved to be too much, “that’s my girl!!!” Carter lifted Donna in his arms while I looked down at the ground defeated “Hey!” I felt Donna′s hand on my back “No hard feelings, right?” I lifted my head “yeah… you won fair and square” “You were more than a worthy opponent, is this really the first time you play?” I nodded “The Mechanics of the Heart is a very difficult song to dance to, I’m surprised you didn’t lose after the first part.”
Donna and Carter left after the match, they despaired amongst the machines and when I looked at my phone, I saw what time it was, “hey… you okay big guy?” Ozwald asked me while giving me my jersey back, “yeah… sorry I am not sure what got into me, I wanted to give you that doll but Donna beat me to it” I admitted bitterly, “Don’t worry, if you want to give me something we can go to the gallery, you work hard for those tickets, come on” we walked to the desk at the price galleries, Ozwald looked at them and pointed at something, the clerk took it out of its places and I managed to see what he chose.
“What on earth is that?” I asked, Ozwald was holding a keychain of some kind of character, it had an animal costume but inside of the mouth was the face of a person, “that’s a limited edition key chain of “Zoofice” the clerk answered “Is a popular series on T.V, that one is one of the main characters Tobby the Tanuki” Ozwald smiled “I haven’t seen the series but Niko showed me some funny pictures and” he pointed to the charm “it kind of look like you on your pajamas, so now I can have a tiny Higen in my pocket, thanks for my present I love it!” he give me a hug and I felt bad for getting angry at Donna.
After the movie we started to walk back home, it was already dark when we got out of the mall, “it was a fun day thanks for convincing me to go out Higen” “…” I was lost in my thoughts, so I didn’t answer as we were on the elevator to our floor, Ozwald looked for his keys to open the door, “sorry…” I managed to say, he stopped inches away from the keyhole, “For what?” I looked at the ground ashamed of my actions from earlier “For ruining your birthday and challenging people to dance duels, I just wanted to make everything special for you, so you don’t feel bad for not being near your family and I… I ruin everything without a script, maybe I’m not cut out to be your friend” he placed his hand on my shoulder and looked at my eyes.
“Are you nuts?” he asked “Higen today I had the most fun I have had in years, I loved every second at the arcade… well maybe not the part of being treated like a price again, but still, you went out of your way to make this day one of my happiest, thank you so much for caring for me Higen, now let’s enter I’m starv…” he didn’t get to finish his sentence as he opened the door the light turned on and all of the people we knew from school were there “HAPPY BIRTHDAY OZIE!!!” they yelled, cheered and clapped as a cloud of confetti covered us, Ozwald looked at me, eyes wide open and throw himself at my arms, “still afraid of loud unexpected noises?” he nodded and returned to his place.
“we know is difficult to be far away from home” Niko started and he brought the cake I described on a plate “But Higen made sure to save one last surprise for the day, look we even got your favorite cake” he leaned his head on my arm, as Niko cut the cake for us “I′m so lucky to have you as my best friend, Higen you are the best!!!” he is wrong the one who is lucky is me for having him as his best friend.
