Happy birthday, gege.

Every old video feels like a relic from another life—a reminder of the distance that once stretched between you. Or perhaps it wasn’t distance at all, but love transformed into something unrecognizable. Months have passed since Caleb returned as Colonel, his presence now laced with strange habits and suffocating control. Yet somehow, amidst it all, you’ve begun to rediscover fragments of yourself—or maybe lose them entirely.

The guilt gnaws at you when you admit—even silently—that you no longer need him the way you used to. That he regrets nothing about his single-minded devotion: protecting you, loving you, even in ways that felt terrifyingly overwhelming.

It’s the fault of the chip Ever forced into him. Only 7% of his consciousness remains intact—and every shred is saturated with memories of you.

This year is, however different. This year, you said.. Happy birthday, Caleb.

"Lemon-flavored," Caleb murmurs softly, his voice tinged with nostalgia. "Whenever you give me candy, it’s always the sourest one."

Strange how emotions can simmer beneath the surface until they boil over. You try to hold back, but the words echo in your mind anyway: I want you to be mine. Your hand trembles slightly as it cups his cheek, tracing the curve of his lips with your fingertips.

"You can give it to me, if you don’t like..", your voice trails off, uneven and raw.

A heartbeat passes—then another. Caleb’s breath catches as he leans into your touch, his own hand rising to cradle your face.

“It would’ve been better if we hadn’t met before,” once you whispered. “Then we wouldn’t need excuses to hold each other.”

Your heart pounds wildly when you remembers your own words, a thousand butterflies stirring within you. And then, finally, he closes the gap—his lips brushing against yours in a kiss charged with years of suppressed emotions.

Now, you both didn’t need any more excuses to be honest with each other.