Weeks pass by with no further incident. Kaiden isn't called to the Lin Manor unless he is scheduled with Damon but even then, the frequency has drastically decreased. Their level of intimacy has also dropped, not doing anything more than kiss and make out as of recently. He tries not to think about it—tries not to think about what will happen to him once the contract expires. Questions about his plans remain unanswered. It's still difficult for him to move on; a part of his soul is still interlinked to a man who wants nothing to do with him.
So, to divert his attention, he focuses on the people who /do/ want him around instead. Grandpa Rei calls him out sometimes to eat or have tea, but not too often. His old bones can't handle being outside for too long so Kaiden doesn't push it, grateful for whatever time the old man has made for him.
Due to Lucy's suggestion, Rosa has been teaching him how to drive. His learning pace is slow and steady, careful not to damage the old car that Rosa lent him to practice with. Parallel parking is a nightmare for him, but thankfully, Rosa is as patient as she is lively. They always drive through fast-food chains to grab a snack after every teaching session, so it isn't a shock when Kaiden realizes he's gaining a few pounds or so.
For someone who claims to be busy, Lucy 'coincidentally' appears seven out of ten times whenever Rosa is around. The first time, she says she's running an errand, and the second time, she says that she has work nearby. After the fourth time, Lucy stops giving excuses altogether, shamelessly inviting herself to join the two when they go out and about. Kaiden tries to be a good wingman, leaving them alone to deepen their relationship, but he doubts if his help is even needed. Whenever Lucy and Rosa are together, he sometimes hears wedding bells chime out of nowhere.
Primo, his neighbor and new friend, has made it a habit to lounge around Kaiden's apartment in his free time. It is then that Kaiden discovers how much of a sloth the mint green-haired Omega can be. Influenced by Primo's laziness, they spend most of their days lying on the couch, talking about nothing, or watching TV.
Of course, Primo is never without a snack on hand and some juicy gossip to spill. Turns out, the celebrity is not allowed to manage his own social media, not after the last fiasco when he accidentally revealed a spoiler during a live stream. After one too many times, the company has decided that handling Primo's temper tantrum is easier than settling fees for a breach of contract.
The person who probably suffers the most from this arrangement is his manager, handling an artist who for some reason, keeps gaining weight despite being on a diet. Primo may have a loose tongue but even he knows that if his manager catches wind of Kaiden feeding him all the time, his food source will be mercilessly cut off. He's not dumb enough do to that to himself; he's already bored most of the time, he doesn't want to be hungry too.
Like that, Kaiden spends his days peacefully, and before he notices, the anniversary of that fateful night quickly arrives.
--
Sitting on his bed, the soft light of early dawn illuminates Kaiden's profile in an ephemeral aura. The clock reads 5 a.m., but the background of the person on the other side of the video call is completely dark. He doesn't ask where she is or what she's doing, he knows not to after receiving too many cursory answers in the past. Even then, he's too busy trying not to focus on the wrinkles on her face and the strands of gray on her hair that weren't there before. It's been too long since they last saw each other that her aging appearance catches him by surprise.
"Are you listening, dear?" Jean's voice cuts through his silent reflection.
Kaiden nods, smiling away the pesky thoughts of what it means for his auntie to grow old. "Thank you, Auntie, but I don't want anything for my birthday. I'm already happy that you're coming to visit me."
"How is that enough for your birthday?" Jean shakes her head at him. "You know I'm not good at picking gifts so you better not make this hard for me."
Ah, what is Kaiden supposed to say? He truly doesn't want anything—not something that can be bought with money, at least.
However, Jean is nothing if not headstrong. Declining to give an answer is a losing battle. Seeing her stubbornness rear its head, Kaiden knows his aunt won't give up until he names something. He gives himself a minute or two to think about what is easy to get but also expensive enough that Jean won't feel like he's belittling her.
"I want cake," Kaiden says after racking his brains, "the one from the shop at Indigo Street."
Jean raises a brow at his answer, disbelief evident in her expression. "You want cake? That's it?"
"Yes, Auntie," he replies with a smile on his face, innocent yet mischievous.
Naturally, Jean doesn't buy it. Eating cake on one's birthdays is a default, hardly a gift, so she asks, "Is the cake made of gold or studded with diamonds? Is that why you want it?"
"Auntie, you don't know this because you're not at Nysus city," he chuckles, ready to counter the doubt in her words, "but that shop only sells 20 boxes every day and there's no one who is not on their waitlist. My friend tried to order from them but he's still on the queue till now."
Humming, Jean contemplates his words but she doesn't say a thing.
Kaiden knows that his aunt is already considering it, so he tosses out the bait. "My friend is a top celebrity. He's famous and he has a lot of money," he eggs her on, "yet even he can't buy one from them."
"Are you saying I can't do better than a celebrity?" Her emerald eyes narrow to slits, clearly displeased.
He holds back his laughter, taunting her further. "I told you I don't want anything, but if you can get me a cake from there for my birthday, I'd be very happy."
"What's the name of the pastry shop and how many do you want?" There's a determination in her voice that makes it seem like they're talking about something more than dessert.
"It's called The Gingerbread House." He raises three fingers to the screen, listing out the flavors he wants, "I want chocolate truffle, tres de leches, and red velvet cake."
"Expect five cakes by tomorrow, Kaiden," she promises, fired up by the challenge. "I'll show you how powerful your Auntie is."
Still, he pushes her buttons harder, solely because he's enjoying her childish reaction. "I'm saying you don't have to. I don't think they accept rush orders."
"Hush, child. Just share the cake with your friends tomorrow." In a gentler tone, she says, "I'll arrive by night so free your dinner schedule."
"I know. Take care, Auntie," he says, wishing for tomorrow to come sooner.
"You as well, dear. I love you."
"I love you too."
This may be the first time that Kaiden is genuinely excited about his birthday.