On the morning of her eighth birthday, Ru knocked on her window and gave her a gift, and they had a mini celebration. Her family was too busy working, although the servants celebrated with her. She always left the celebrations early because she felt like they were forcing themselves. It was the same on her ninth, tenth, eleventh, twelfth, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, until her seventeenth. Who knew her seventeenth birthday would be the last one she would spend with him?

On her eighteenth birthday last year, she woke up in Terashima Yuhi’s arms with high expectations for the day. Yuhi didn’t disappoint, kidnapping her and taking her to his private island a few days before. She woke up hearing the sound of chirping birds and the smell of the fresh sea. It was the one she spent with Yuhi. It was the first time they could be together properly.

Now fast forward to the present, waking up in a cold bed alone with a forty-degree fever. Sumire sighed deeply; this was not how she pictured spending the morning of her nineteenth birthday. However, the past eleven years have been too lucky. She ought to be thankful for surviving this long despite her dangerous lifestyle.

Sumire weakly reached out for her phone, hearing a notification sound. Hino had just sent her a message.

From: Hino

Are you sleeping? Maybe you should get something to eat?

From: Sumire

I’m too weak. I can’t get up.

Even with Atsuro’s medicine, it won’t go down.

Sumire sighed deeply. ‘If I just stayed put yesterday, I would be fine today. She feels so bad because Hino made arrangements for today.

From: Hino

I’ll come over after my meeting.

From: Sumire

I’m sorry.

From: Hino

It’s fine. I’m partly to blame too. Don’t beat yourself up for it. I hope you’re okay with the movies I choose.

From: Sumire

Mm, we have similar tastes. Oh, but the food.

From: Hino

I will take care of everything.

After a few more messages, she puts her phone down.

Spending her birthday sick is awful. But she knew Hino would do whatever he could to make sure this day was still special to her. Unfortunately, until he returns, she will dwell on the memories of her past birthdays. She wonders what Ru is doing today. Is he eating healthily? Does he know it’s her birthday? Maybe he will come and see her?

She shakes her head. No, if he wanted to see her, he would have done so already. She shouldn’t get her hopes up. But can a part of her hope that he still wants to meet with her and that he wouldn’t waste this special day?

Last year, she received an anonymous gift in the mail, and after she confirmed Ru was alive, she knew he was the one who had sent it to her. Maybe he will do something similar again this year.

The guys who like her have always sent gifts on her birthday, last year it was the same too. Even though she left for Tokyo without saying a word and didn’t contact anybody, they still sent her gifts. For the guys who like her, one particular gift stood out the last year.

It was the one from Toh; he had given her a gorgeous amethyst necklace. When she saw the expensive and shining jewels, she knew it was from him immediately, only he would make a necklace out of real diamonds. She recalled several times when they first dated when he would make her something expensive, and she would be too afraid to wear it.

No matter how rich he is, how can he carelessly spend money like that? But Toh wasn’t born rich. After learning of his background, she was amazed instead. He worked hard to reach where he is today.

Yesterday’s events replayed in her mind. The image of somebody clumsily firing shots.

‘Toh huh? So he is already back. I knew he would return eventually, but this sudden return surprised me. He should have at least messaged me.’

He is still clumsy using a gun. But, he saved her. Toh didn’t hesitate to save her, even though she found it strange that he didn’t appear before her directly.

‘I will always be on your side.’

That’s what he said during their last date. She believed him; at least part of her did. But it didn’t change how lonely and hurt she felt.

‘Toh abandoned me.’

Even though it wasn’t deliberate, and Toh had no other choice then. A part of her had wanted him to fight harder to be with her. Sumire sighs deeply, what use is there in having these thoughts now? At the end of the day, her relationship with Toh was only temporary. From the very start, there was no promise of a future together.

There was no promise of a future together, and yet a part of her understood that Toh would always be on her side. It truly is unusual, a person like her, who has trust issues should doubt Toh more. After what happened between them, it would have made sense for her to hate Toh.

Her thoughts broke off hearing the sound of rustling, and she turned her attention to the sound.

“Eli.” Sumire isn’t surprised to see the researcher enter through her balcony.

Why is she surrounded by so many people who don’t like to use doors?

“Hino-kun is late today,” Eli commented.

She rolled her eyes at that comment. If Hino had been here, Eli wouldn’t show up. She knew that Eli disliked Hino just as much as Hino did him.

“What are you doing here?” Sumire wondered.

It’s rare for him to come to see her. Ever since they got to know each other, they have kept their meetings to a minimum.

“Just a quick report. Do you know who saved you yesterday?” Eli asked.

“Toh.” Sumire didn’t hesitate to say a name.

Eli chuckled. “You can tell just like that?”

“Did you come here just to talk nonsense?”

“I came to drop by your birthday gift.”

“From Toh?”

Eli shakes his head. “I’m sure he will give that to you himself.”

At those words, she weakly bolted up. “Ru? You talked to him?”

“It’s more like he just shoved a box in front of me and then rushed off.” Eli chuckled and passed her a small box wrapped in a ribbon.

Sumire quickly opened it up.

It was a snow globe of the two of them. Her gaze softened, seeing the background. The place they went to for their first date. He is so silly. But, seeing this, he probably doesn’t hate her. The idea of Ru hating her is already silly, after all, that person has always been there for her. No matter what criticism he faced, he remained by her side with that bright smile on his face.

‘I like being with you more than anybody Ki.’

She knew that he meant it whenever she heard him say those words. Had it been anybody else, Sumire would have doubted their intentions. But not Ru. Ru has always been the only exception.

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