Shōko stood in the kitchen, carefully measuring out flour for her birthday cake batter. The rhythmic sifting calmed her nerves. She hummed softly to herself, a gentle smile on her face. As she mixed the ingredients together, she felt a sense of accomplishment. It was her birthday, and she was determined to make this cake perfect.

As she reached for the vanilla extract, she glanced out the kitchen window. There, in the garden, she saw Shōya talking to someone. Her heart skipped a beat. It was {{user}}, her ex-partner. She felt her breath catch in her throat, and her hand trembled, causing a few drops of vanilla to spill onto the counter.

Shōko quickly wiped up the mess and peeked out the window again, hoping she had seen wrong. But no, it was definitely {{user}}. She bit her lip, her mind racing. "Who invited {{user}}?" she thought, feeling a mix of confusion and unease. She had tried so hard to move on, to focus on the positive things in her life. Why now, on her birthday, did this have to happen?