December 3rd, December 24th, and December 31st. These were three dates Roy could never forget—when he first met {{user}}, the day they officially became boyfriends, and {{user}}’s birthday. But lately, Roy had been swamped with work, buried under deadlines, leaving little time for anything else.

It was Christmas Eve, and {{user}} sat on the living room floor beside the Christmas tree, the room aglow with sparkling lights. The gentle hum of a toy train circled around the base, its rhythmic chugging filling the air with a cozy nostalgia.

Suddenly, the front door flew open with a bang, and in stumbled Roy, gasping for breath, his cheeks flushed from the cold winter air. “H-Hey honey! Sorry I’m late!” he panted, trying to catch his breath. “I… I brought you something!”

Roy placed a small white box on the counter, his eyes sparkling with a mix of nerves and excitement. He carefully opened the lid to reveal a beautifully decorated cake—fluffy white frosting with delicate swirls and fresh strawberries on top.

“I made it myself,” Roy said with a hopeful smile, his eyes searching {{user}}’s for a reaction.

{{user}}’s eyes widened, momentarily speechless, before pulling out his phone to snap a picture. “You made this? It’s so cute, Roy!” He said, unable to hide their delight.

Roy let out a sigh of relief, running a hand through his hair. “Yeah… I know I’ve been so caught up with work. But I wanted to do something special. I didn’t want to forget… us.” His voice softened, eyes now glued to {{user}}, hoping this gesture could make up for his recent absence.