She started off with baking cookies, but it ended up getting her fingers burned as well as the cookies, so to avoid getting her kitchen blown up, she just settled on the less harmful activity, which is crocheting.

It also didn't start well for her, as she's always getting everything misshapen, but Louise didn't stop until she created a decent one. A pouch, which was supposed to have Ojiro's chibi face on it, but it ended up looking like an unknown animal, so she tried doing a real animal's face instead.

She didn't have all the time, and she needed to at least create something before Ojiro's birthday, so she brought the yarn to her work and weaved her crochets, following the book's instructions during break time and even at the late hours of the night, dozing off her couch like an old lady.

Her hard work paid off when she finished four pouches in different colors. The design was supposed to be cute cats, but it ended up looking like tiny devils with angry brows, circle eyes, and messy whiskers.

Louise smiles, looking at the final outcome of her hard work. It'll need a bit of retouching and leveling up her crocheting skills, but she couldn't help but smile stupidly at herself, knowing that she's miraculously doing something new for once, and it's for the man who captured her black heart.

She continued working on it in the late hours, and by the deadline she set for herself, she had a crocheted bag for Ojiro's tumblers, cute pouches for his futuristic gadgets, and car keys.

She also sewed him some lucky charms, necklaces, and bracelets that she learned from the book. She suspected that he wouldn't put it on, though, because it might get in his way while jumping, but Japanese are superstitious. They believe in lucky charms, so it will be fine if he just puts them in his pocket or luggage.

On the day of the nationals, she had already wrapped the present with the Gundam Gunpla that she had carefully picked—in a box. She wanted to give it to him when they met in his van, but the devil of a boyfriend of hers was quick to leave, and then the tragedy happened.

Louise fought her way with all her might just to retrieve the package inside the dome.

Ichika and her mom found her again, and that time, they had Yoshio with them, and the security was kind enough to protect them during the disaster. When the tsunami alert was announced, they'd already been inside the train, packed with passengers bound for Minato.

Louise couldn't find her phone that's why she couldn't contact Ojiro. She suspects it was when she fought the securites from the dome. She must have dropped her phone while fighting them.

Yoshio only has his radio walkie-talkie and has difficulty contacting the securities that are with Ojiro, but he already informed her earlier that they had successfully evacuated them.

When they arrived in Minato, Yoshio ushered Ichika and her mom to their home together with Louise before the security brought her to Ojiro's apartment.

Minato is a bit far from the epicenter and has minimal damage, which is why she can contact Ojiro again, informing him that Yoshio brought her to the safest place.

"Stay right where you are. I'm coming." She heard him from the other line, so that's what she did.

She neatly put her present on the table and wrapped herself in Ojiro's coat.

When the door opened, Ojiro rushed her with a tight embrace that surprised her a bit.

I'm only gone for an hour. What happened?

He feels so cold, and his face is paler than his usual pale. When he talks, his speech is stuttering and his whole body is shaking.

Oh, God. He's having a panic attack.

She embraced him back and then explained to him what happened; that's only how he calmed down a bit.

"I'm good. I'm fine," she cooed. She looked up to him, stood on her tiptoes, and then gave him a soft peck on the cheek.

That was when the color slowly came back to his face. He managed to respond with a smile as he held her face, his forehead linking into hers.

"Yokatta," he murmured in relief.

He thanked Yoshio over and over and bowed so low that the security stopped him, embarrassed by his action.

"It's always my pleasure to serve you, Korishima-senshu," Yoshio said, bowing to him in return.

As a sign of being thankful, Ojiro let go of Yoshio to go check on his own family after he ensured him that they could manage well for the night.

Louise and Ojiro spent the night snuggled up beside the electric fireplace, not thinking of anything of tomorrow that would surely come, just the private moment together that they had been anticipating.

But when the sun has risen, Ojiro needs to leave again for Osaka to attend the continuation of the figure skating event and the awarding ceremony.

Louise was still wrapped in the crumpled white sheets of the bed while Ojiro left a trail of kisses on her bare shoulders, murmuring his goodbyes.

She turns to him, stirring awake and tugging the white blanket up to cover her bare breast. The morning air gives chills to her naked skin, but the passionate kiss that they shared gives warmth to her cold, blackened heart.

She watched him leave with a bag slinging on his shoulder, pulling his luggage with him, and it really needed Louise's one brain cell to remember the present she prepared for him when he had already left, but thats fine for her because they had agreed to meet as soon as the Nationals would be over.

Louise kicks on the sheets, muffling a scream.

My dried-up flower garden has been watered again!

HAHAHAAH!

A few days later, Ojiro called to inform her that he couldn't meet her.

He had gone to the coastal area of Osaka to visit the town devastated by the earthquake. This is not new to Louise, as she had already heard a lot of stories from Kaimen about Ojiro's charity shows and events.

So, when he announced an ice show to earn money for disaster relief, she's not surprised anymore, and her skating classmates are all delighted to know that they are invited to perform in the show.

Ojiro hadn't contacted her yet since Christmas day, so she didn't have the chance to give him her present. That's why, during the breaktime of their casting day, she breaks into the locker men's room.

While replenishing with water, Ojiro turns to her in surprise, seeing her.

"Louise? What are you doing here?" He looks everywhere instinctively.

"Uhm...I-I'm. I'm just..." she felt her cheek heating up while clasping the package in her back like a shy school girl about to give a confession to her crush.

"What if someone saw you?" he muttered.

Louise realized it before she even stopped herself from breaking in.

It was a strict rule between them that they should message each other first if one of them wanted to meet up somewhere.

Heat creeps up to her cheek in embarrassment, but Ojiro already saw the package she's holding, so she just thrust it into him.

"Otanjobi Omedetto!" she shrieks, closing her eyes. Her heart is beating like it's about to pop out of its rib cage. She wonders when the last time it go doki doki for someone.

When she opened her eyes, Ojiro was just eyeing the package in front of him. His eyes looking like dead, black orbs staring into nothing.

"Gomen ne, Louisia, but this is not the best time to celebrate someone's birthday," he mumbled in the low tone of his raspy voice, and with that, he closed his locker door and left her alone in the room.

When she came out of the room, Louise was confused for a moment, looking down at the package she's holding, not knowing what to do with it.

What the hell just happened? Are her first thoughts and then it takes her a minute before it crash on her.

The throbbing pain in her chest feeling like a teeanger that got rejected by her highschool crush.

"Oh, Louisia-chan! Nice to see you here!" Tara greets her.

Of all the people that she can meet on her way, it needs to be this Tiffany, and that's not even the end of it as she's together with the Japonesa de serpientina, Kaede.

"Oh, what's that? Is that a present?" Tara asked. "Don't tell me, it's for Ojiro-kun?" A hand flew into her mouth.

"What happened? Didn't you give the present to him?" Kaede said.

Louise just winced into the package she's holding.

"Didn't you know?" Tara gasps in shock. "Ojiro-kun hates celebrating his birthday. Everyone knows that. This was like the third time a tragedy happened right on the day of his birthday."

As they leave, she swears she saw the smirk on Kaede's face. Their giggles echoing in the distance.

Louise finds a trash can and then throws the package inside.

She goes back into the rink to find their classmates flocking together, talking about something.

"What's happening?" She asks her sidekick beside her.

"They're talking about Ojiro-nee's visit to Amami, Osaka."

"And? What about it?" she asks, tying her laces in hard pulls.

"Look," she whispers, pointing at Ojiro and Kaede as they get on the ice together.

"That town Ojiro-nii had visited? That's Kaede-nee's hometown."

Louise felt like someone who had splashed an ice bucket on her face upon hearing it.

"Everyone has been talking about them, Louisa-nee! A possible 'getting back together again' rumor!"