I Just Want A Single Ending!

After finishing her slice of cake, Soyo took a sip of the vegetable soup.

Delicious!

That was her only thought.

No need for further explanation—since Saku had made it just for her, it was perfect.

And no, she wasn't just saying that to be nice. It was the truth.

Curious, she sampled some of the other dishes he'd prepared, and it only confirmed her initial impression: he wasn't just great at writing food reviews, he could back it up in the kitchen too.

She couldn't be sure how much of her enjoyment was just emotional, but it didn't matter.

"Eat a little more; you need the extra nutrients while you're recovering."

As he spoke, Saku used the serving chopsticks to place several extra helpings on Soyo's plate.

Having her seated beside him was proving convenient, as it made it easier to keep an eye on her.

"You really are treating me like a kid, huh?"

Soyo couldn't help but tease him.

Not only had she, as the "older sister," failed to serve him any food, but here was her "little brother" helping her out instead.

Absolutely unthinkable!

And with that, she defiantly ate everything he'd served her.

This was his way of showing care, and she'd gladly accept it.

As for feeding each other directly? That wasn't something she was about to bring up.

Well… she had considered it.

But thinking back to his spoon-feeding her earlier in the day made the idea too embarrassing to pursue.

And so, between casual conversation and enjoying her meal, Soyo let herself relax, grateful for the birthday dinner he'd gone out of his way to prepare.

After they finished, Saku didn't forget to check her temperature one more time.

"Thirty-seven-point-three… it's gone down quite a bit."

Seeing the lower number, he felt relieved.

"I thought it'd be back to normal by now," Soyo sighed.

"Better safe than sorry. You should take one more dose of medicine."

Saku handed her the fever medicine from the first aid kit.

"Got it," she agreed readily.

"By the way… would it be alright if I just called you Saku?" she asked after she'd swallowed her dose.

"Of course."

Until now, she'd always addressed him as "Saku-kun," and this change felt like a step forward.

It confirmed that all his efforts hadn't been for nothing; he'd actually made progress with her.

But he couldn't help but wonder if this meant that up until now, Soyo hadn't really seen him as a friend?

After all, Ichichi, Kurusu, and even Kita had called him by his first name from the moment they met.

By comparison, Soyo seemed to have held back, not rushing to get close.

It just went to show how real life wasn't at all like a dating sim.

Saku felt oddly at peace with the thought.

The idea that Soyo could suddenly develop feelings for him now, after all this time?

Hah. Ridiculous.

As long as he kept things at this level, there'd be no problems whatsoever.

"Then… I'd appreciate it if you could call me Soyo," she said, her voice soft.

"Sure thing, Soyo."

He adapted quickly.

"Thanks."

She smiled at him warmly.

Then, almost as if something had just come to mind, she added, "Oh, I suppose I won't be able to teach you bass today."

"You're still recovering. Forget about the bass for now; resting is way more important."

The truth was, he wasn't that reliant on her lessons anyway.

She was way more important than any bass lesson.

"Well, if that's the case, do you have a bit of free time now?" she asked, looking hopeful.

"I do," Saku replied, stretching his arms. "Is there something you'd like me to help with?"

"Yes! Since it's my birthday, and with this typhoon keeping us cooped up, I was thinking we could pass the time by watching a movie."

Soyo sat on the sofa and powered on the TV.

"Would you mind watching with me? Movies get a bit lonely on your own."

"If you're not interested, that's okay too; I don't want to pressure you," she added.

[Accept]

[Decline]

Without a second thought, Saku chose the first option. "I'd love to."

Since he'd already planned to stay with her to make sure she was okay, watching a movie together fit perfectly.

Choosing "Accept" felt like a win on every level.

[Agility +10]

"Thank you!"

With a happy nod, Soyo began scrolling through her movie options.

"I'll go grab some snacks… actually, maybe I should skip them for now," Saku muttered, halting mid-step.

His instinct was to grab snacks for movie-watching, but he stopped himself, remembering that she was still recovering.

"If you want snacks, don't hold back on my account."

She easily saw through his reasoning.

"I'm still pretty full from dinner, and it's best not to overdo it. Besides, it wouldn't feel right eating snacks in front of you if you can't have any."

"It's fine," Soyo replied, chuckling.

Snacks weren't the priority anyway—the movie was.

Settling beside her on the couch, Saku waited as she queued up the film.

With a small click, the movie started playing.

As the opening credits rolled, Soyo subtly scooted closer to him.

Saku, too engrossed in the screen, didn't notice.

"I picked a comedy—hope that's alright?"

She glanced over to check his reaction.

"I love comedies," Saku said, smiling.

Honestly, he preferred comedies over horror or romance. Comedies usually had cheerful endings, and he was all about getting his own "single and happy" ending.

"Great! I actually picked a few comedies."

"A few?" he repeated, catching the word.

"What's wrong?" Soyo asked, tilting her head curiously.

"It's nearly nine o'clock. If we watch several movies, we'll be here till after midnight," he reminded her.

"And you're still running a fever. Staying up that late isn't an option."

"…I slept almost all day," she countered, pouting a little. "There's no way I could just lie down and fall asleep now."

Even though she was usually a fan of early nights, today was special.

Not only was it her birthday, but Saku was here with her, too.

---

Greetings, esteemed reader.

Your presence throughout this chapter's journey is deeply appreciated. In Liyue, we hold that every tale, much like the enduring stone, gains strength through the appreciation of those who encounter it.

Should you wish to support WiseTL's dedicated endeavors in bringing these narratives to you, you may consider visiting:

[patreon.com/WiseTL].

Even the most modest contribution serves as a cornerstone, fortifying the foundation upon which future stories are built.

With sincere regards,

Zhongli