Happy Birthday Again

Happy Birthday Againis the seventh chapter of K -Count Down-.

Summary
On the 7th of December, 2013, Rikio Kamamoto, with plates stacked high beside him, eats, and Shōhei Akagi comments on how he's finally back to his usual state. Kusanagi continues to comment on how if he had remained thin after summer ended, it'd be like going against a divine law. Kamamoto apologises for worrying him, and with a smile on his face, elaborates that Anna told him to do his best, so he can't stay lanky forever, and happily states that he's back to his normal state. However, Shōhei still feels that it goes against a natural law that Kamamoto's body even goes through the fat to skinny change in the first place.

Yata looks at the clock, which reads 23:13 A.M. And notes that something is soon, to which Kusanagi agrees. Yata asks if they should get going, and Kusanagi points out that Anna wants to be 'there' by the time Yata's referencing to. Yata nods with s a smile, and suddenly addresses a Shōhei and Kamamoto, ordering them to set up some preparations in the meantime, to which they enthusiastically agree.

Later, outside, Anna, Kusanagi, and Yata arrive at the Hirasaka Building at 23:45, the place and time of Tatara Totsuka's murder, making this the one year anniversary of his death. Anna speaks of this time, knowing Kusanagi and Yata were present during Totsuka's passing, which is also the moment Anna's briefly connected with him. Kusanagi asks if it was when he was shot, which Anna confirms. She further explains that she felt no pain nor sadness, only that Totsuka thought that the sky looked beautiful. Kusanagi mutters about how Totsuka could think of that at such a time, but a sniffling Yata says that it was just like Totsuka to do so.

Kusanagi says that, when Totsuka was shot, he called him, and told him that he was happy. After a moment of silence, Anna says that she too was happy.

In the past, Anna is seen sitting down on a park's swing on her own, but Totsuka suddenly appears, asking her what she's doing. He tells Anna that she should let others know when she wants to go somewhere, otherwise HOMRA will worry when she leaves all of a sudden. Anna apologises, and Totsuka asks if she got homesick. Anna says that doesn't have a home anymore, and Totsuka asks if he can give her an alternative. He crouches down in front of her, offering HOMRA as her new home, as the place she belongs and comes back to, and extends his hand to her, telling her that they'll return.

At Bar HOMRA, Kusanagi asks about them being back, and Totsuka happily says they are. He goes on to say that he's hungry, and Kusanagi tells him that there's still some of Yata's chicken and rice leftover from earlier in the afternoon, and Totsuka suggests that they can make an egg omlet wrapped in rice with what's leftover. Kusanagi welcomes Anna back, and Anna quietly states that she is home.

While Totsuka and Kusanagi prepare a meal, Anna looks over at the couch and sees Mikoto Suoh who, in her vision, emits a red presence. She thinks that it is a beautiful red, and tells Mikoto that she's home. Bluntly, Mikoto acknowledges her.

Surrounded by HOMRA's earlier members, including Kamamoto, Yō Chitose, and Kōsuke Fujishima, Anna thinks to herself that this beautiful red of HOMRA's has become her home.

In the present, Anna elaborates how Totsuka told her HOMRA was now her place of belonging, and he gave her many warm things. She looks up at the night sky with a smile, and says the sky is beautiful today as well.

Kusanagi says they should slowly head back, and, on Yata's watch, it reads 00:18, the 8th of December, Anna's twelth birthday.

Once the trio returns to the bar, HOMRA pops streamers and the bar's interior is decorated with banners, one wishing her a happy birthday, and the tables all have multiple dishes of food on them, one with a large birthday cake. Anna, with confetti on her head, stares in surprise.

Yata mentions that HOMRA wondered if Anna would want any sort of celebration, given Totsuka's death right before her birthday, and he was the one most enthusiastic about it last year.

Kusanagi approaches Anna with a bouquet of red roses, and wishes her a happy birthday. Anna happily thanks HOMRA, holding the roses and commenting on the lovely red colour. Later, short instances of HOMRA offering to do traditional birthday activities follow, including presents, cutting the cake, and eating sweets in general.

In the morning, HOMRA's Clansmen sleep on the bar floor, exhausted from the party, whereas Anna sits down on the couch, suddenly inspired. She raises her hands like tshe's framing a picture, narrates the scene of the 8th of December, 6:35 A.M.

Yata tiredly sits up and tells her good morning, and Anna gives him the same greeting. Yata gets up, walking over other Clansmen, and asks Anna what it is she wants to do during the rest of her birthday.

Anna wants to go to the school island, which surprises Yata, and Anna explains that she wants to go to the same place Mikoto Suoh was during his last moments, but adds her understanding that it's difficult to gain access to the school when not an enrolled student.

After a moment of silence, Yata runs out the door, telling Anna to wait a bit and that he'll call her later. In the meantime, a bewildered Anna covers Kamamoto up, and Kusanagi greets her good morning as well. He comments on how late the party went on, and that Anna must be tired, but Anna assures him that she's fine. She notices Kusanagi's documents on the Dresden Slate, and Kusanagi informs her that they ended up being useless in the end, and that now, they'll have to properly take care of them, not knowing what the future holds.

Anna asks if it's bad that she became a King, to which Kusanagi responds that, while he didn't want her to have such a burden, he doesn't feel bad over Anna's own resolve. Anna asks about how it was for when Mikoto became a King, and Kusanagi says that, back then, they had no idea about the world of Kings and Clans, so all he could do was be astonished by it all, and that many, many things happened as a result. Furthermore, despite anything he could say about Mikoto and Totsuka, he in the end found being with them and HOMRA fun. He leans back, saying it's no good that he only just now remembered such positive things.

Anna comments how Mikoto and Totsuka how they wanted to, and decides that she will do the same. When she was a Strain, her empathic, clairvoyant abilities allowed her to see many things, but she could never do anything about what she saw, and was swept away from fate, but, now, things have changed and she can properly walk in her own direction. She acknowledges the risk and danger that comes with too much power, but vows that she'll make sure her status as Mikoto's successor mean something. Hers will be a power she can use as a weapon to protect what matters to her, and change things if someone meets a sad fate. Kusanagi promises to be by her side no matter what.

While cleaning HOMRA's bar up, Kusanagi receives a call from Yata, who tells him bring Anna along to the school island.

At the school, Yata appears with Neko and Kuroh Yatogami. While Neko chases a butterfly, Kuroh explains that he's heard about why HOMRA wants to be here, and Anna asks if they can enter. Yata proudly declares that he thought the easiest, quietest way to get into the school was to use the Black Dog. This offends Kuroh, who snaps that Yata told him that he wants Kuroh to help him. Meanwhile, Neko happily greets Anna and wishes her a happy birthday, and Anna thanks her.

Kusanagi thanks Neko and Kuroh for their help. Kuroh points out that there is a side gate to the school that doesn't require entering through the main gate, and he trails off, saying there's one condition the three have to abide by. Sternly, and loudly, he shouts that there's no way HOMRA forgot invading the school last year, and that there are surely students who will recognise their faces, and Kuroh won't allow them scaring the students like that. Neko appears beside him, holding a bad containing school uniforms.

After getting dressed, Kusanagi and Yata stand mortified beside an indifferent Anna. Kusanagi snaps, saying that there's no way this will work with him being 27, and they could at least disguise him as a teacher. Anna, however, is silently pleased with the uniform, calling it cute. Irritated, Kuroh asks if something's inconvenient, to which both Kusanagi and Yata affirm, both fretting about their ages, but Kusanagi disagrees, thinking there's no issue with Yata's disguise, but Yata remarks this as cruel. Kuroh dismisses their grievances, telling them to come along, and Neko happily leads them.

At the site of Mikoto's death, the school's building has been rebuilt, but the massive, crater-like hole remains. Anna looks around before sliding down into the hole, noting it as Mikoto's place of death, and recalling the events and hearing Mikoto apologise for not being able to show her his beautiful red to her anymore. Anna tells him he's wrong, and that the red is now hers, and that she's a year older today.

Afterwards, out of their disguises, the trio walks down the bridge back to the bar, and Anna thanks Yata, and Kusanagi also thanks him, since they couldn't go there last year. Yata begins to comment on being forced to wear the uniform, but trails off, saying that he's glad they could go there today. He looks back in the direction of the school, saying how, last year, they were separated from Mikoto by the sea, and could only watch, and that it was frustrating that there was nothing they could do. He has trouble wording it, but he, too, felt some sort of emotion relating to knowing that that was where Mikoto died, and Anna understands what he means.

Elsewhere, Kotosaka appears, monitoring an unaware Neko and Kuroh. Hisui Nagare speaks through him, who asks if they should begin the real game soon.

Characters in order of Appearance

 * Rikio Kamamoto
 * Izumo Kusanagi
 * Misaki Yata
 * Shōhei Akagi
 * Yō Chitose
 * Anna Kushina
 * Tatara Totsuka
 * Mikoto Suoh
 * Kōsuke Fujishima
 * Saburōta Bandō
 * Masaomi Dewa
 * Eric Sōlt
 * Neko
 * Kuroh Yatogami
 * Reisi Munakata
 * Kotosaka
 * Hisui Nagare (voice)

Battles & Events
First year anniversary of Tatara Totsuka's murder.

Anna's twelfth birthday.