BOP, BOP!!

A loud popping sound echoed at the entrance of the house, as a flurry of colourful papers swirled in the air like magical petals, scattering around the doorway and,

PPPEEEE~

A trumpet's wild, off-key blast followed, reverberating across the entry, and,

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LEO!!!~"

Raphael, Azrael, and Ophis cried out together, their voices almost colliding as one, every note vibrating with joy and mischief.

Their faces glowed in the burst of confetti, eyes shining as they stared at Leo, who stood utterly frozen, eyes wide, surprise etched across his face, almost unable to breathe as the shock wrapped around him like a spell.

Beep~Beep~

Leo's watch chirped, snapping him out of his daze. He glanced down at his wrist; the screen shimmered in the dimness, displaying—12:00, 20/08/2026.

Yeah… today was his birthday, wasn't it?

Essa, who had been standing behind him, tapped his shoulder before giving him a playful push. "Go inside… enjoy~" Her voice teased him, as if she had been part of this plot all along.

Was that why she'd dragged him through all that training until midnight?

Was she stalling, weaving time so the others could prepare this?

Was that the real reason they'd wandered into the forest earlier, pretending it was just another day of practice?

Was that why Raphael, Azrael, and Ophis had finished their test, leaving with such hurried excuses?

Was this… every bit of it… for him—

"Come on, Leo~!" Ophis shouted suddenly, breaking through his thoughts, waving the trumpet in her hand like a wand.

She lunged forward, her fingers gripping Leo's wrist with an urgent joy.

"We brought you a huge cake! Do you know how hard it was to hide a black forest cake in this house? So dark, so white, so dangerously sweet…" Her laughter tumbled out, "Hehe… I could hardly keep it a secret. I was about to explode from happiness!" Ophis's grip tightened, tugging him deeper into the glowing living room.

The entire room was transformed... balloons floated like drifting orbs, glittering papers curled along the walls, and hundreds of tiny candles flickered, casting shadows and gold light across every surface.

In the very centre, beneath all the candles and eyes, sat a magnificent cake. On its summit, a delicate sugar flower cradled a single candle, the flame trembling.

Leo's mind went blank for a second. He stood there, suspended in awe, before the cake.... his family encircling him, their faces radiant, their eyes waiting.

They clapped, their hands beating a rhythm that filled the room, their voices rising as they sang,

"Happy birthday to you~

Happy birthday to you...

Happy birthday to you, Leo~

Happy birthday, happy birthday~

Happy birthday to you..."

Their song flowed together, pure and sweet, every note wrapping around Leo, stirring something fragile and bright inside him.

For a heartbeat, everything faded except the melody—the song became his whole world, each voice a promise that he belonged here, with them.

Except… Ophis, who was still struggling, her face flushed with awkwardness, lips moving out of sync with the music. It was clear she didn't really know the song.... but her eyes shone with genuine happiness, laughter barely contained behind every awkward syllable.

"May the good god bless you~

May the good god bless you...

Happy birthday, happy birthday~

… Happy… birthday… to… Leo..."

Clap~Clap~

Everyone clapped, their hands echoing through the candlelit room, but Leo didn't move. He just stared blankly at the cake, almost as if he couldn't believe it was real.

"Come, Leo, blow the candle!" Ophis called, her voice trembling with barely contained excitement. She was almost bouncing in place, hands fisted at her sides, eyes hungry for the first taste of this wonderful cake.

Leo snapped out of his thoughts as he lowered his head and leaned in. He drew a deep, trembling breath, then gently blew out the candle, watching the tiny flame flicker and vanish into the smoky air as everyone clapped their hands even more furiously.

"Leooo~!"

They all shouted his name.

Behind them, Essa watched quietly, leaning against the wall, her eyes gentle but distant. She didn't say anything or try to get involved. After all, this was all… Raphael and Azrael's plan from the start.

They were the ones who wanted to give Leo this surprise... and now they'd done it.

Essa just went with the flow. She smiled, soft and content, as she watched everyone's happy faces, so bright and lovely under the golden candlelight.

'Let's enjoy it while it lasts,' Essa thought softly.

"Yaayyy~!" Ophis shouted, clapping her hands. Leo reached for the knife, his fingers trembling as he sliced through the cake, almost hesitating to take the whole piece. He paused, then lifted it and offered it to… Azrael?

Raphael's face tightened for a heartbeat, brows knitting together, but she still clapped her hands.

Azrael chuckled, her mouth twisting into a strange, surprised smile. "G-Give it to your aunt first," she said, her tone a little hurried, a bit flustered.

Leo blinked, confused... he hadn't meant to pick Azrael first, but somehow his hand just moved that way, as if by memory or instinct.

Was it something that told him? He shook off the thought and turned to Raphael.

Raphael's face broke into a dazzling, oversized smile as she reached out, pinching a piece of the cake he was holding and gently feeding it to him first. "First bite for the birthday boy," she said softly, her eyes shimmering with pride.

Leo accepted the bite, his lips trembling as he tasted the sweet frosting, then shyly offered the cake to her.

"Mmm…" Raphael nodded, savouring her piece before motioning to Azrael with a flick of her fingers.

Leo turned to Azrael, who watched him with a warm, affectionate smile. Just like Raphael, she pinched a small bit from the cake and fed it to Leo, her fingers gentle and steady. Then she took her own piece, carefully, from his hand.

Next was Ophis, who'd been waiting with barely controlled impatience. Her lips parted, ready to devour her piece straight from his hand, but Azrael gave her a sharp, warning glance.

Ophis's lips twitched with silent annoyance. 'These annoying rules,' she grumbled inwardly. Still, she obeyed... taking a small bit from the cake.

Leo crouched down, accepting the bite, and then offered the rest to Ophis, who wasted no time. She swallowed the whole piece from his hand in one eager mouthful.

Leo blinked in surprise, then started to chuckle, a soft, nervous sound. "T-That was big," he said.

Yet, suddenly, everyone's smiles faded as they heard something in his voice... a wetness, a raw edge, a feeling too deep to hide.

Raphael immediately turned on the house lights. As the glow pushed back the darkness, Leo's face... finally tear-streaked, became visible to everyone.

His tears streamed down, rolling from his eyes without end, his gaze trembling with a mixture of happiness and a haunting, aching longing.

"L-Leo? Is something wrong?" Raphael moved to his side instantly, kneeling to face him as she gently touched his cheeks, rubbing away the tears with her soft fingers, searching his eyes for the truth.

Leo shook his head, forcing a small smile through the storm, "N-No… I just… I…" He tried to find the words, but nothing came. Everything inside felt tangled, too tight and too raw to speak.

Raphael's heart clenched... had she done something to hurt him, somehow?

But then she saw his shoulders shaking, the silent fear trembling through him, as if he was scared, as if something old and wounded had awakened in him.

Without another thought, Raphael wrapped her arms around Leo and hugged him fiercely. Tears welled up in her own eyes, spilling over as she held him close, feeling his pain as if it were her own.

"Don't worry… everything will be alright, Leo… Leo…" she whispered again and again as she rocked him in her arms. "Your aunt is here… you are not alone… no one is going to hurt my Leo… You understand that? Leo?"

Leo's eyes widened at her words. Something in him broke loose. His hands clung to her, and he buried his face in her shoulder, holding on as if he might disappear.

Seeing this, Azrael crouched beside them, arms wrapping both Raphael and Leo in a trembling embrace. "Everything will be alright, so—ahem… Leo," she whispered, her own tears glittering, her shoulders trembling with emotion she couldn't hide.

Ophis, caught up in the wave, stopped herself from stuffing the whole cake into her mouth and, with a sheepish laugh, joined in, hugging all three of them from behind.

Essa, still leaning under her hoodie against the wall, watched them with a gentle smile.

Everyone believed Leo was afraid of what tomorrow might bring. But none of them could know the truth burning inside him: this was only the second birthday in his entire life that he had ever truly celebrated.

The clapping, the laughter, the singing... it all overwhelmed him. The simple miracle of love and care, of being seen and cherished… did he really deserve any of it?

A silent fear gnawed at him, a deep and aching longing that carved through his heart.

The more this family cared for him, the deeper the ache grew, the more the longing hurt.

His fingers tightened on Raphael's sleeve. In his heart, he pleaded, 'I… I'm sorry, but… let me have it just one last time… please.' He didn't know who he was begging or what he was asking for.

He just needed to feel it—just for tonight.

After what felt like eternity, Leo slowly pulled back, giving them a shaky, exhausted smile. "S-sorry… I got emotional all of a sudden," he admitted, trying to laugh off the moment even as his voice trembled.

Raphael smiled softly, cupping his cheeks in her hands. "It's fine to get emotional with family," she told him.

Leo's lips trembled as he hugged her again, and this time Raphael's eyes widened, but then her face softened with understanding.

Slowly, Leo drew away and looked at Raphael, eyes shining, and whispered, "Thank you," from the deepest part of his heart.

"Silly, why thank me? It's my duty… and I'm doing this for my beloved nephew," Raphael replied, her voice low and full of warmth.

Leo's heart eased. He turned to Azrael, bowing his head in gratitude. Azrael smiled as she reached up, brushing the tears from his cheeks. "Birthday boys shouldn't cry, you know?" she teased, then leaned in and kissed his forehead.

Raphael, for a split second, was caught off guard by the gesture. A tiny spark of regret flashed in her eyes... should she have done that first?

Damn, she missed her chance!

Leo smiled gently at Azrael, touching her cheek in silent thanks, before turning to Ophis. But before he could say anything, she cut him off with a flustered wave.

"Nope, nope~ I didn't do anything! I just helped them, that's all! I'm not getting emotional—don't you dare make me cry!" Ophis said, her voice strict as she wagged her finger back and forth.

Leo laughed softly, pulling her into a quick embrace and kissing her cheek.

"Y-YOU!! How dare you!!" Ophis yelped, her face erupting into a bright, embarrassed red.

"How vulgar! How naughty! You… pervert!" she squeaked, yet there was no anger in her voice, only bashful delight and the stubborn pout of someone secretly loving the attention.

Leo's laughter grew, seeing her fume and pout...

"Shall we?" Suddenly, Essa's voice broke in, gentle but sure, as she stepped forward holding a long lacquered case.

"This is my Master's gift for your birthday!"

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