10/5 桐谷遙🥳お誕生日おめでとう🎈 Project Sekai MORE MORE JUMP

10/5 Kiritani Haruka（桐谷遙）Birthday Concert:https://youtu.be/0Wey0TeufqE?si=Ms4l_fEMOswGzPK3 💜💗💜💗💜 Story 💗💜💗💜💗 Thank You for Staying by My Side After the birthday surprise was revealed, the stage—still neat and orderly from the formal concert—quickly became lively again. The staff rolled the cake to the very center. Blue-and-white frosting was decorated with flowers, stars, and delicate details, while a small crown on top shimmered beneath the stage lights. Haruka stood beside the cake, still looking as though she had not completely recovered from the surprise. “So... you really had all of this planned from the beginning?” She looked at the five people beside her. Airi immediately laughed. “Of course! Do you know how hard it was for us to keep quiet for so long?” “Especially Minori,” Shizuku added softly. “Huh? Why are you singling me out?” Minori’s eyes widened. Luka smiled at her. “Because you almost gave it away before the concert even started.” “Th-That was only almost!” “More than once,” Airi added without mercy. “Airi!” Everyone burst into laughter again. Watching them, Haruka lowered her head and laughed too. While they had been singing onstage, everyone had seemed completely normal. Their positions, voices, choreography, and interactions had all felt so natural that she had never suspected a thing. She had no idea that outside the concert itself, everyone had quietly prepared so much for her. Just then, one of the staff members called out from below the stage. “Why don’t you take a group photo first?” “Yes!” Minori was the first to raise her hand. Airi nodded immediately. “Definitely. It would be such a waste not to take a picture with such a beautiful cake.” Shizuku looked at Haruka. “Let’s take one together.” Haruka hesitated for a moment, then gave a small nod. “Okay.” The six of them quickly lined up behind the cake. From left to right stood Gakupo, Luka, Shizuku, Haruka, Airi, and Minori. Haruka remained in the center. The cake was placed directly in front of her. Minori was so excited that she nearly leaned her whole body toward Haruka. “Closer! Everyone, get a little closer!” “We’re already close enough,” Airi said, even though she took another step toward the center herself. Shizuku stood beside Haruka with a gentle smile, while Luka naturally moved closer from the other side. As for Gakupo— he was standing just a little too far away. Airi noticed immediately. “Gakupo, you’re standing way over there again.” “Wouldn’t this make it easier not to block anyone?” “It’s a group photo of all six of us. Of course you have to come closer.” Gakupo looked at everyone for a moment before finally moving toward the center. Luka laughed softly. “That’s better.” The photographer raised the camera. “All right, everyone, look this way—” Haruka instinctively adjusted her outfit. Minori made a cheerful pose. Airi smiled brightly. Shizuku turned slightly toward the camera. Luka wore a warm, gentle smile. Gakupo quietly looked toward the lens. “Three—” Everyone got ready. “Two—” Haruka suddenly glanced at the people beside her. “One!” The flash went off. The moment was captured. In the picture, all six of them stood together. The beautifully decorated birthday cake was in front of them. And behind them, the glowing words were still shining. HAPPY BIRTHDAY HARUKA Haruka looked at the photo on the camera screen and said nothing for a moment. Minori quickly leaned in. “It looks so good!” “It really does,” Airi said as she looked too. Shizuku smiled softly. “Everyone came out beautifully.” Haruka kept looking at the picture for a long time. Then she slowly lifted her head. “...Thank you.” The others, who had still been talking excitedly, suddenly grew quiet. Haruka looked at each of them. “Really. Thank you, everyone.” Her voice was soft. But this time, it sounded more sincere than anything she had said onstage. “Not just for the birthday surprise.” She paused. “For the concert, the cake, the decorations... and for somehow managing to keep all of this a secret from me.” Minori couldn’t help laughing. “That last part was really difficult.” “You were the biggest risk,” Airi immediately replied. Haruka laughed too. But her smile soon softened again. “I thought the happiest part of today would be finishing the concert together.” She looked toward the stage. It almost felt as if the lights from their performance were still lingering there. “But now, I don’t think that was the only thing.” Haruka turned back toward everyone. “Being able to sing onstage with all of you, and then taking this photo together after the performance...” She took a quiet breath. “I’m really happy.” Shizuku gave her a gentle smile. “I’m glad.” Luka nodded as well. “That was the whole point of today.” Airi placed her hands on her hips. “And it’s not over yet.” Haruka blinked. “It isn’t?” Minori immediately became excited again. “Of course not! Now we have to eat the cake!” “So that’s what you meant.” Haruka laughed. Then Gakupo, who had been standing nearby, suddenly spoke. “Before that.” Everyone turned toward him. Gakupo pointed toward the photographer. “Shouldn’t we take one more picture?” “Huh?” “In the first one, everyone was just standing behind the cake.” He looked toward Haruka. “Since it’s her birthday, shouldn’t we have at least one photo with Haruka closer to the cake?” Airi paused for a second. “...That actually makes a lot of sense.” “What do you mean, ‘actually’?” Luka had already started laughing. Minori immediately grabbed Haruka’s arm. “Then let’s take another one!” “Wait—” Before Haruka could object, everyone gathered around the cake again. This time, Haruka bent forward slightly so she was closer to it. Shizuku and Luka stood on either side of her. Airi and Minori peeked out from behind. Gakupo stood at the far left, leaning in a little more this time. The photographer raised the camera again. “Ready?” Haruka looked at everyone around her. Then she gave the most natural smile she had worn all night. “Ready.” The shutter flashed again. Click. And just like that, a second photograph was captured. Haruka didn’t know how many more stages she would stand on in the future. She didn’t know how many more birthdays she would celebrate. But one thing was certain— she would treasure this photo of the six of them with the birthday cake for a very long time. Because what had been captured in that picture was more than just a birthday celebration. It was the happiness shared by six people, together after the concert had ended.