After the gift session concluded, all of us started burying our faces in the mountain of food I'd prepared. We did our best, but alas, the heaps of food I'd prepared was way too much. In the end, we'd only finished half of the food before falling flat on the living room floor.
"Jesus, I'm stuffed," Len said while holding his belly. "Desir, you've really improved your cooking skills..."
"If you cook every single day, your cooking skills will improve as well." I chuckled in response. "Come to think about it, didn't you have a cooking class? What happened to it?"
"Don't even talk about it," Sienna frowned at my question. "Len, this asshole, actually managed to fail the cooking class! It's a recreational activity, and he managed to fail it!!!"
"Don't be like that," Len scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "It's the instructor's fault for being such a bitch!"
"... Do I even want to hear about it?"
I sighed while holding my face. Watching our little exchange, Grace cutely popped her head from the side and opened her little mouth: "If I'm not being too rude, are you guys university friends?"
"Ah, that's not really true." I shook my head in denial. "Len and I have been friends since childhood. Sienna, on the other hand, became Len's girlfriend in university."
"Oh, then you guys must have had a lot of stories!" Grace's face began to shine brightly as she stared at the three of us with expectant eyes.
"Haha, if you want to listen to our old stories, I wouldn't mind sharing them during cake."
"Old? What do you mean old?"
Sienna glared sharply at Len's crass statement, dropping the temperature in the room by a few degrees. Gulping, my friend walked behind me and said: "Let's blow the candles, shall we? We shouldn't keep the birthday girl waiting."
"Hah… Alright..."
I decided to do Len a favour and bailed him out by bringing the cake over. Just as promised, I baked a Chocolate Mousse Cake for Althea's special day. Three layers of colour, black, brown and white, were placed before our very eyes. To enhance the flavour, I added some cocoa powder and fresh fruits on the top. And just like any birthday cake, there were candles pierced in, two large, two small to indicate my girlfriend's age.
Smiling, I lit up the candles and dragged Althea over.
"Okay, you guys ready?"
"Yeap! One, two, three!"
"Happy birthday to you~"
"Happy birthday to you~"
"Happy birthday to Al~thea!"
"Happy birthday to you~"
"Okay, make your wish and blow the candles!" I said while taking a video using Althea's handphone. After getting a crash course from her, I knew the basics of social media and added some filters to make her look a little more pretty.
The young beauty closed her eyes and took fifteen seconds to make her wish. At the end of it all, she blew the candles with force, and the rest of us clapped happily.
"Alright, let me cut the cake."
"I'll get the beer!" Len immediately volunteered his services. Hah, when it comes to alcohol, this guy is as sharp as a knife.
"Ah, get some of the Soju as well, please. Althea and Grace don't really like beer."
"Oh, sure!"
With the cake cut and the alcohol served, the five of us sat in a circle, with Althea seated right next to me. Len was on my other side with Sienna next to him, which left Grace directly opposite me. Which was interesting as I'd got to see her amusing reactions.
"Goodness! This cake! It's delicious!"
"... How the hell did you become a baker as well?"
"Hah… If only Len had half your skills..."
Grace, Len and Sienna respectively gave their opinions. And while their words did inflate my ego a bit, they weren't the true recipients of my goodwill. I turned to Althea, who was gingerly nibbling on the largest piece of cake that I cut.
"How is it? Is it better than the cafe?"
"... You remembered that promise."
"Of course I did! I swore to make the best chocolate cake that you've ever tasted!" I chuckled with full faith. My cake might not win a Michelin star or any bakery awards, but I was confident that it was better than the cake we had at the cafe. "So? What do you think?"
"... It's delicious."
"Hehe, thanks!"
Watching Althea's smile, I could feel all of my fatigue wash away. All those hours of hard work had been well worth it, as long as I could see Althea's satisfied expression.
"You can have more if you'd like."
"... Are you trying to make me fat?"
"Haha, how dare I?"
In the end, I left Althea to enjoy the cake while Grace happily asked us questions about our past. Len and Sienna were happy to share everything, even exposing some hidden details of my schooling years. However, I didn't care for any of that. As I looked over at my satisfied girlfriend, I felt all of my worries wash away.
That's right.
As long as Althea was happy. I was happy.
❖❖❖
"Are you sure you don't need help?"
"Yeah, the birthday girl should just relax. I'll be done in a jiffy."
A few hours had passed since Althea's birthday party had come to a conclusion. Grace left earlier to catch her train while Len and Sienna lingered just a bit longer to talk. However, once the clock struck eleven, even the night-seeking couple had to retreat back to their abodes.
Usually, at this time, Althea would have kissed me goodbye and returned back to her apartment as well. But for some reason, the girl was adamant on staying, even going so far as to offer her services as a dishwasher. Alas, how could I allow the birthday girl to undergo any hard labour? Pushing her back to the living room, I focused my attention on cleaning up as fast as possible.
Throughout the time I was in the kitchen, I could feel Althea's piercing gaze on my skin. She didn't attempt to disrupt me, but I could tell that something was on her mind.
Well, the same could be said about me.
"Althea, how did you like your birthday today?" Finishing my chores, I sat right next to Althea on the couch and asked.
"It was the best..." Althea replied shyly. "I didn't expect you to cook that much of my favourite food. Even the cake… I didn't think that you could actually beat the one I recommended to you."
"Haha, cooking is my speciality! I would be ashamed if I lost to some corner cafe!"
"Hehe, you're right..."
Althea showed her pearly white teeth before slowly dropping into a trance. Her body swayed before she rested herself on my shoulder. Her hands slipped down my arms and interlocked with my fingers as well.
Oh? Looks like the girl is in the mood to cuddle.
"You've even bought two great gifts for me..."
"Ah, that's where you're wrong."
"Huh?"
"Hold on."
Flashing a knowing smile, I separated myself from the clingy girl and disappeared into my room. It didn't take long for me to uncover the final gift that I'd got for Althea, and when I'd returned, I could see the expression on her face turning into shock.
"Here," I handed the box in my hands over to Althea. "This is your final present today."
"... You still have something else?"
I could tell that Althea was getting uncomfortable with my endless stream of birthday gifts.
"Just open it," I urged.
Although she was uncomfortable about receiving three gifts one after the other, Althea still obliged. She gently opened up the box and then…
"D-Desir?! Y-You actually bought a diamond necklace?" Althea gasped, unable to contain her surprise and fear.
"It's not actually diamond," I replied passively. "It's a crescent moon silver necklace. It only looks shiny because there are some crystals embedded in it. It was customised to match the dress that I'd asked Sienna to get you."
"S-Still! This must-have cost you a fortune!" Althea continued to protest. She was unsure if she should feel happy or pained that I'd spent this much money for her. "W-Why did you spend so much? Adding the augmented reality system and that dress…"
The girl grasped onto the silver locket and remarked.
"Is it that much money? You're my first girlfriend, so I don't really know how much I should have spent."
"T-This is too much!"
"Is that so… Should I return this necklace then?"
"T-That..."
A myriad of emotions burst through Althea's eyes. On the one hand, she hated to see me splurge this much money on just her birthday. On the other hand, Althea had seemingly connected with the silver necklace that I'd prepared.
"Haha, don't worry about the cost, Althea. I'm just happy to see you smile."
"T-This..." A mental war was fought within Althea's brain. It was a war between her logical mind and her emotional one. But in the end, the girl finally conceded to her innermost desires.
"Okay, I'll accept it this time. But you really don't have to spend this much money on me! I'm just happy to have you by my side, after all."
"Haha, duly noted."
Truth to be told, the money that I'd spent was inconsequential. As long as I could see my lover smile. As long as I could see her happy and satisfied. I would be willing to spend any amount.
"I-It may sound hypocritical of me now… B-But, I do have one bold request..."
"Hmmm? What is it?"
Althea timidly pulled on my shirt and dragged my ear down to her mouth. With the sweetest voice possible, the girl whispered: "Could I stay for the night?"
"..."
This lass... Did she stay past eleven because she was looking forward to staying the night? Fortunately, I still have the protection that Len gave to me. No, even if I didn't have that, I wouldn't be able to deny the birthday girl's earnest wish.
"As you wish," I smiled in anticipation, knowing the deed that was about to come.