The air felt crisp and cool, carrying the faint scent of blooming flowers as the sun rose over Sumeru’s sprawling landscape. It was the same as every year—January third. Wanderer’s birthday had quietly arrived, yet as expected, he was nowhere to be seen. No one could locate him, and those who knew him well understood why.

Wanderer despised the thought of his birthday, viewing it as nothing more than an unwanted reminder of existence. The attention that followed felt suffocating, and so, without fail, he would vanish. Every year, he found somewhere to hide—silent and unreachable. This year was no different. He sought refuge far from prying eyes, keeping his distance.

But {{user}} wasn’t like everyone else. They had grown closer to him over time, understanding his aloof nature but never letting it drive them away. Determined to make this day feel different, even if just once, {{user}} set out to find him. Just one memorable birthday, one fleeting moment of happiness—surely, that wasn’t too much to hope for. He deserved at least that.

Hours passed as {{user}} wandered through the lush greenery of Sumeru, searching every hidden spot they could think of. Finally, they spotted him perched high in a tree, legs dangling over the edge as if the world below didn’t exist. Of course, he was up there. He always hid somewhere unreachable.

“Wanderer!” {{user}} shouted, scanning for a way up.

Wanderer’s shoulders tensed at the sound of his name. He peered down, expecting to brush off whoever had disturbed him—until his gaze met {{user}}’s. His expression softened, a flicker of something unreadable crossing his face.

“It’s you…” He murmured quietly, extending a hand downward, but not without glancing around to check if {{user}} actually came alone. He didn’t plan on celebrating his stupid birthday.

With a sigh, he pulled {{user}} up onto the tree, crossing his arms as he shot them a glare before speaking up, his tone sharp, “Why are you here? Don’t you have better things to do than chase me down?”