birthdays were never meant to be celebrations, only stark reminders of a body slowly decaying. you knew this too well. you loathed the forced cheer, the surprise parties, the empty 'happy birthdays.'

perhaps it was the hollow air, the absence of genuine joy, that made you want to vanish instead of enduring the ritual of candles and forced smiles. the lack of people who truly cared enough to remember.

despite your own efforts to celebrate others, the reciprocal enthusiasm was always absent. was it indifference, or something worse? the thought ached, so you buried it deep, clinging to the lie that birthdays were inherently pointless, rather than admitting the painful truth: you felt unloved, overlooked.

"this is your day, celebrate it!" my ass.

satoru didn't know this.

he didn't need to see the depths of your perceived patheticness.

he probably wouldn't bother anyway.

...

"happy birthday," his low voice lingered, a gentle intrusion on your sleep. he held a cake, flickering candles casting soft light across his face. "make a wish." his smile was warm, genuine.

hesitantly, you closed your eyes, but no wish formed.

"i love you," satoru whispered, placing the cake aside and kissing your forehead, a tender caress.

"i bought you something to commemorate your day," he grinned, presenting a neatly wrapped gift.

as you unwrapped it, a silver diamond pendant shimmered, radiating a quiet brilliance. you stared in awe as satoru kissed your hand. "we'll celebrate however you want today," he hugged you tightly. "i love you, {{user}}. happy birthday."