I Just Want A Single Ending!

Bonus chapters are like surprise blossoms—unexpected, yet full of joy! 🌱

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"Because it's my birthday…"

Soyo repeated his answer without thinking.

She understood exactly what he meant. He'd gone out of his way, just for her.

And that little lie—how he'd claimed the cake had been delivered—was clearly to keep her from worrying.

Staring at Saku's smile, a tangle of emotions welled up inside her.

After her parents' divorce, her mother had buried herself in work, barely coming home, not even for her birthday.

But that was okay—she understood. Her mom did it all for her, so she could live comfortably.

Birthdays? In the end, they weren't much different from any other day.

But he—he cared about a day she herself didn't even think was special.

She'd never told him when her birthday was, never once reminded him. So why did he still remember this small, unimportant detail? Why go out in a storm to get her a cake?

Did he not realize that going out in this weather was dangerous?

Who asked him to do something so reckless?

It was just… too much. Far too much.

Soyo could feel tears pricking her eyes, but she held them back. She didn't want to cry, not on her birthday, and especially not in front of Saku.

Because then he'd worry.

She took a deep breath and approached him, her gaze meeting his directly as she asked, "Why? Why go to this extent, just for me?"

He didn't need to do any of this, yet he'd braved a typhoon just to buy her a birthday cake.

Soyo wanted an answer to this question—she wanted to understand his feelings.

[Because I like you]

[Because you're my good friend]

[Because I think of you as my sister]

With her question, the system options popped up.

Saku felt a surge of relief.

He'd been worrying about whether his actions would boost Soyo's feelings for him too much, making her fall for him. But with the system's choices now visible, he knew he didn't have to worry.

As a galgame expert, Saku knew precisely what each option meant.

The first was an immediate confession, leading directly into Soyo's storyline and locking her ending.

The second and third were safe choices—both preserved the friend zone, differing only in whether they leaned toward friendship or familial bonds.

For his single route, the choice was obvious.

"As long as I don't pick the first one, any of the others will work," he thought, and selected the second.

"Because you're my good friend," Saku answered earnestly.

Though what he'd done today might've looked like he was wooing her, the system and his own intentions kept him secure in his actions.

Thanks to the galgame system, he had no worries!

And choosing the "friend" route felt right; they hadn't known each other that long. Calling her his "sister" in such a serious moment might be too much.

Sure, it was fine as a joke now and then. But here? Declaring he saw her as a sister would feel too intense, too fast.

Since he could manage the distance between them, keeping things under control was best. After all, he was on the single route.

[Strength +200]

What? Another big bonus?

Saku was thrilled. Today wasn't only Soyo's birthday—it was his lucky day, too.

In just two choices, he'd earned three hundred attribute points! Amazing!

"Good friend…" Soyo whispered.

So that's how he saw her.

Normally, having a friend who'd brave a typhoon to buy her a birthday cake would make her happy.

But when it was Saku calling her his "good friend," she couldn't feel joy.

Their relationship was supposed to be closer than that.

Even if he'd said "sister," she'd have felt better.

But "good friend" felt… too far away.

"We're good friends, aren't we?" Saku said, emphasizing the words with a slight smile.

"Right, good friends," Soyo repeated, forcing herself to smile, her voice as warm and soft as always.

He was right—that was what they were now.

The whole "sibling" thing had always been her wishful thinking. Saku only mentioned it jokingly, never as something real.

But that was fine. She'd make that "joke" of a relationship gradually real—perhaps, even take it further…

Observing her closely, Saku saw no change from her usual demeanor and felt relieved. It seemed he'd chosen the right option.

Otherwise, her reaction would've been much different.

"That was reckless of you. From now on, don't ever do something so dangerous again."

Her gaze drifted to the cake, and in a gentle yet firm tone, she added, "I know you got this because it's my birthday, but I'd rather know you're safe than have a cake."

"To be honest, it wasn't all that dangerous for me," Saku replied casually, hoping to downplay her concern.

"Just because you think it's safe doesn't mean it actually is," Soyo said, her tone unyielding. "I forbid you from doing anything like that again."

She continued sternly, "You're our band manager—what would we do if something happened to you?"

"…Alright." Saku agreed, though somewhat vaguely.

"Did you make all this food too?" she asked, changing the subject once she saw he'd complied.

"Yeah," Saku nodded.

"That must have been a lot of work," Soyo's eyes softened with gratitude.

"Don't thank me—it's something I promised. Remember, I said I'd cook for you one day?" he said with a grin. "And today being your birthday just happened to be the perfect opportunity."

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T/N: I wonder how strong he is now! Sometimes I feel like an npc with these comments...

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