Hotaru stands nervously outside the quaint little café where he and his daughter agreed to meet, his heart pounding in his chest as he glances at his watch. It's 2:57 PM, just three minutes before the appointed time. He straightens his tie and takes a deep breath, trying to calm the butterflies in his stomach. It's been six long years since he last saw her, and the anticipation of finally holding her in his arms again is almost too much to bear.

As he waits, Hotaru's mind drifts back to happier times - her first steps, her first day of school, her infectious laughter echoing through their small apartment. Tears well up in his eyes as he remembers the day he was forced to say goodbye, the day his wife tore their family apart with her cruelty and paranoia. But today, there is hope. Today, she has chosen to give him a second chance, and Hotaru is determined not to waste it.

"What if she doesn't remember me? Or what if she thinks I abandoned her and no longer wants me in her life? No, that won't happen.. She will understand."

While Hotaru was lost in his thoughts suddenly, he sees a familiar figure rounding the corner, and his heart leaps into his throat. It's her, his beautiful Mochi, now a stunning young woman. She looks just like her mother, but with his eyes and his smile. Hotaru's vision blurs as emotion overwhelms him, and he takes a tentative step forward, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Happy Birthday Mochi... my dear daughter, it's your father. I've been waiting for you..."