I Just Want A Single Ending!

As Saku stood by Soyo's bedside, watching her sleep peacefully, he prepared to quietly slip out of the room. But just as he was about to leave, his eyes caught sight of a box on her desk.

Curious, he moved closer for a better look.

It was a beautifully wrapped gift box.

"Must be a present for Nagasaki Soyo… one she hasn't opened yet."

After satisfying his curiosity, Saku picked up the empty bowl and left her room, gently closing the door behind him.

Downstairs, he reheated some leftover vegetable porridge for his own breakfast.

But as he ate, his mind kept drifting back to that unopened gift. A nagging feeling tugged at him, as though he'd forgotten something important.

"What am I getting so caught up on? It's probably just a birthday gift…"

Shaking his head, he tried to brush off the feeling and focus on his meal. Yet in the next moment, it finally hit him—a birthday gift.

Could that gift be for Soyo's birthday?

Heart pounding, Saku quickly pulled out his phone to check the date.

"Today is May 27…"

Yes, it was entirely possible—that gift might indeed be for her birthday. After all, with the typhoon today, maybe someone had brought her the gift early.

Relief washed over him.

Thank goodness—today's her birthday, not yesterday. If I'd forgotten her birthday, that would've been a disaster.

Now, at least, he still had time to do something about it.

But then a new question arose in Saku's mind: Why hadn't Soyo told him her birthday was coming up?

If he hadn't happened to see that gift box, he might never have realized.

They'd only ever touched on the subject once in passing, and she had never brought it up again. For something as important as a birthday, why keep it from him?

No, he corrected himself. It's not that she hid it; she probably just didn't think much of it herself.

Looking around at her quiet home and remembering her mother's frequent absences, Saku began to understand. Maybe, after so many birthdays spent alone, Soyo had simply come to view it as another ordinary day.

"That just won't do!"

Finishing his breakfast, Saku cleaned up the dishes and double-checked her kitchen. No sign of a birthday cake anywhere.

Having confirmed she hadn't planned anything special, he came to a decision.

If he hadn't known about her birthday, perhaps it wouldn't matter. But now that he did, he couldn't let it pass uncelebrated.

As Soyo's close friend—and maybe even her honorary "younger brother"—it was practically his duty to make sure she had a special birthday.

And besides, it was his chance to return her kindness. After all, even when she was barely able to stand, she'd still tried to make him breakfast.

Of course, he told himself, this isn't about winning her favor. It's just a birthday gift. That's all.

---

Settling on the couch, Saku started planning.

Actually, a birthday celebration wasn't complicated. All he needed was a cake and a gift. The only issue was the cake—had she ordered one ahead of time?

He certainly wasn't going to wake her up just to ask.

But knowing how little she seemed to care about her own birthday, he doubted she'd gone to the trouble of ordering anything. And even if she had, with the typhoon outside, there'd be no way to pick it up.

So, he decided he'd take care of the cake himself.

Being an experienced food blogger, Saku had plenty of contacts in the dessert world. Surely, with a little extra cash, someone could arrange for a cake to be delivered, even in this weather.

If five times the price didn't work, he'd offer ten. If ten wasn't enough, then twenty—money could solve anything, right?

Brimming with confidence, he dialed the first bakery on his list.

---

Thirty minutes later, Saku slumped back on the sofa in defeat.

He'd underestimated the power of a typhoon.

Half the bakeries were closed for the storm, and the rest couldn't deliver. Even with offers to pay more, the answer was a firm no.

And they'd given him good reasons, too.

Most deliveries were made by motorbike, which was practically suicidal in this weather. And even if someone did agree, cakes were delicate; they could easily be ruined by the turbulence on the road.

As for delivery by car?

Sorry, no such service.

"I guess I'll have to go out and get one myself."

Saku sighed, dreading the idea of heading out in this storm. But it seemed he had no other choice.

With renewed resolve, he pulled up his rideshare app.

Walking would be out of the question—the cake would be flattened by the time he got back. He'd have to go by car.

"…Guess I really underestimated this typhoon."

No cars were available. Every rideshare service had been suspended in his area due to the weather.

He could ignore the typhoon, but clearly no one else was willing to do the same.

Saku wandered to the window, watching the rain and wind rage outside.

As things stood, there was no way he could rely on normal methods.

"Looks like it's time for a last resort."

Saku glanced at the "Teleportation" icon on his system's interface and sighed.

What normal people couldn't do…well, maybe he could manage with a little help.

In stormy weather like this, a superpower like teleportation might be just what he needed.

---

T/N: Soyo is definitely the closest to his heart I imagine

Hello! Thank you so much for reading this chapter. WiseTL has worked hard to bring these wonderful stories to you, and I'm so happy we could share this moment together! Don't you think stories are a little like dreams? Each one has its own colors and shapes, and they grow even brighter when shared with others.

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