Author's Note:

Let me tell you that I don't expect much, but waking up with over than 600 views is def a good way to start the day o/ Glad that my readers has yet to desert me *sob* You know it's the last chapter, so read slowly and soak it in. It's been a good year with you guys and happy reading! :DD

Chapter Finale

Le Monde

Not everyone would felt so wistful after being older for another year. He awoke only with the faint acknowledgement that the curtain of his room was lifted to let the fresh sunlight pour in and Minako's smiling face that greeted him.

Minato replied with a quick upturn of his mouth and stretched, working out the knots in his sleepy body and stood, facing Minako completely. They might be twins, but being fraternal, he sometimes wondered if they really were twins or not since they couldn't be more different than the earth and the sky.

And today, of all things, he was surprised that he shared the same blood with her. That they were born on the same day. Even then, he was more surprised that he wanted to celebrate it especially since the event ten years ago. Still, when the calendar showed what today was, he still felt that foolish wave of excitement that thrummed against his chest.

But who wouldn't? It wasn't everyday that you woke up on your birthday, after all.

It certainly hadn't been celebrated again ever since they were seven. They had been passed around so much during the past decade that it was starting to be regarded as just another day. Besides, they weren't children anymore.

And it was fine. It was perfectly fine. They had learned their lesson.

But this year was different. They actually belonged somewhere, in a small circle they could truly call as their family. SEES has became so much more to them that even the pain that Iwatodai City brought them didn't matter anymore.

They smiled at each other and Minato crossed the distance to envelop his twin in a hug. As a child, Minato used to think that they were given the same name. They didn't differentiate each other. Or more aptly put, didn't even think that they were anything other than each other.

Minato's Minako. Minako's Minato.

They stayed like that for a few minutes but eventually separated and Minato dropped a kiss to her forehead. It might've been a meaningless gesture if it was anyone else but Minato. And finally, they left each other's company to start their day.

"Oi, buddy! Wakey, wakey!"

A particularly hard shove made him jump, colliding forcefully to Junpei's jaw who groaned aloud while holding his chin delicately. Minato would've laughed if he didn't feel a concussion formed on his head. They grimaced together until Junpei shuffled to sit on Yukari's empty seat. "Wassup? You're not usually that air headed, Field Leader."

To emphasize his point, Junpei crossed his arms and looked put upon as if the world was too heavy to bear. At least it made him chuckle.

Minato waved him off. "Nothing, I'm fine." he rolled his eyes for a good measure. Then, he got a strange, giddy urge that made him blurted out, "Let's get Wild Burger on our way home."

He promptly ignored the warmth that pooled on his stomach at the word 'home'. Yes, he and Minako could get used to this. Besides, this was fine, right? It was just a small outing between friends. Hell, maybe even best friends for all he knew. There was a childish part of him that wanted to tell everyone that today was their birthday. They had definitely kept it between them for too long but then again, he didn't want to make their friends felt bad for not knowing.

This would do, just eating outside with friends while normal life resumed peacefully. It certainly was more than how he and Minako had celebrated before.

Junpei winced. "Bad day, dude. I've got baseball practice now." Then, he grinned widely. "Well, my dream is important, after all. Can't make Chidori be disappointed in me, rite? Catch ya later!"

Minato huffed as he saw Junpei bolted outside, shaking his head. Maybe everyone else would be free, so he pondered on his contact list (which now has more than just Minako or Naoto's numbers, he thought proudly) before Mitsuru knocked on his classroom's door.

As always, her presence drew curious glances from all sides. "May I talk to you for a few seconds, Minato?" And he wasn't the only one who noticed that she called him with his given name. Mitsuru certainly was friendlier than she was given credit for.

He nodded, "Hey," that she replied in kind.

"I'm glad that you haven't leave yet. There was a matter that I can't leave alone and it concerns the management of the higher level CEOs." Mitsuru looked tired and although he couldn't understand it the same way she did, he understood responsibility.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" He offered, if only to lessen her burden. A birthday can be spent to help others, anyway.

Mitsuru smiled pleasantly, "Only you are the perfect person for this job. There's a council meeting and while I don't plan it this way, I do want to groom you to be the next Student Council President. So, it's actually a good opportunity."

He found himself agreeing with her. "It's win-win solution, right? Just take care of the CEOs and show them who's the boss."

Her smile grew wider and she laughed. "Yes, thank you."

Mitsuru left shortly and Minato spent the next hour going over what each sections has accomplished, weighing some of the more difficult decision while trying to put himself on Mitsuru's shoes. Surprisingly, he enjoyed the challenge since it required both the ability to think on his feet and people-managing skill.

Before he knew it, the council session was finished successfully and some of the section heads even promised their votes should he run for the Student Council President position next year.

The hustle-bustle of the clubs has been long since grew quiet, so he opted not to bother any of his school friends. Thus, while Minato cleaned up his desk and he bid goodbyes to the rest of the council members, he enjoyed the sunset as he walked to the dorm, noting that all shops has closed early. He didn't met Minako on his way back, although he expected her to wait for him in front of the gate.

It was their little tradition to buy the most expensive food they wanted for the special day, but maybe she already ate something considering that she was always surrounded by her friends all day. So here he was, straying a little from his usual route to grab the rumored fusion set from the sushi restaurant that a strange middle-aged hag he met on the Game Panic told him about all those weeks ago.

The owner was even stranger, a bleached blue-haired man who talked Minato's ears off about the importance of self-esteem and beauty until he got tired of listening and tuned out without any regret whatsoever. When he bought the most expensive set, still warm from the kitchen, he wondered what his dorm mates would say.

Junpei would probably act like a kid while Fuuka shielded her favourite sushi. Mitsuru would calmly sip on her tea as Yukari complained about what a brat Junpei was. Akihiko would shake his head fondly as Ken observed him with those hero-worshipping eyes. Aigis would try to feed Koromaru some fish that were actually bad for dogs and Minako would force-feed him to fatten him up.

He tasted one from the box and the flavour was blander than he thought.

Before he knew it, he was standing in front of the dorm. He didn't even notice when his shoulder sagged as relief and a sense of rightness seeped into his very being. It felt right to call this dorm as their home, a place to go back to. A safe place after a long night of fighting Shadows or even after something as ordinary as a school day. They didn't have to go anywhere else, it was that simple.

And he opened the door.

"SURPRISE!" Balloons. Colourful banners. Lame birthday hats. A big birthday cake filled with strawberries. Gleeful grins. Bright confetti. Empty streamer containers. Everyone laughed.

Minako's happy smile.

Everything was registered suddenly with his senses and he froze in place. Minato was thoroughly floored when everyone surrounded him while Minako put the same birthday hat on his head and he didn't even have the strength to take it off or throw it somewhere else. He glanced across the room and find giddy faces around him.

Minako giggled as she pushed him to sit on the sofa, high-fiving Junpei as he threw an arm around Minako. "Whoa, didn't expect that to work! I know my excuse was lame. You're surprisingly easy to trick, dude."

Still reeling from the shock, he yelped when Yukari pinched his cheek. "I hope we didn't break you, Minato-kun. You looked ready to faint."

Fuuka started to lit up the candles. "Phew, we're actually afraid that you'll catch on early- Oh, sushi!" He let his teammates fought for the sushi, only glancing away when Minako brought the cake between them.

Minako's eyes were serenely happy and peaceful. "We're supposed to blow the candles and join the sushi war. C'mon, let's make a wish."

With a nod, Minato closed his eyes for a moment and wished that for once, they would never have to go anywhere else.

Author's Note:

Happy birthday, man! You know who you are =w= It's still the 10th of July here so I'm not considered late or early hahaha :P

All in all, I have this odd sense of fulfillment when I put the last dot on the chapter. This one is my first finished multi-chaptered fic and boy, what a relief. I still have some ongoing fics, some AU ideas that I want to write down and a few fic promises to keep so hopefully, you'll stay for more. I'm slow and I'm not that good of a writer because I'm bipolar af so do excuse me.

Also, thanks for reading and see you in my other fics^^