The house finally fell into an uneasy silence as the Sato family retreated to their quarters, each harboring their own distorted version of the truth. Naea's father collapsed into bed with a sigh of profound relief, lulled by the comforting, albeit entirely false, belief that his daughter was finally secure and happy. In the adjacent room, Mrs. Sato lay awake for a moment longer; she was acutely aware that Naea hadn't been genuinely happy tonight, but she rationalized it as mere pre-wedding jitters, convincing herself that once Naea was fully integrated into the prestigious Takahashi household, her contentment would inevitably follow. Down the hall, Yumi retreated to her room, her voice a soft, rhythmic murmur as she ended her nightly video call with her children, while Kenji remained in the solitude of his quarters, enveloped by a sharp, predatory triumph so intense it defied language—the feeling of a long-awaited prize finally within his grasp.
In the shared room, the contrast between the two sisters was stark. Hikari, brimming with the unchecked excitement of the night's events, chattered on about the future, her voice a stream of consciousness that filled the air until, eventually, exhaustion claimed her and she drifted into a deep, rhythmic sleep. Naea, however, found sleep to be a foreign concept, chased away by the crushing weight of her reality. She rose from the bed and gravitated toward the window. The clock struck twelve; it was now the 24th of December. Outside, the moon was swallowed by a thick, dark veil of clouds, mirroring the hollowness in her chest. As she gazed into the abyss of the night, silent, hot tears traced paths down her cheeks, falling continuously—a private mourning for the life she had just surrendered.
Miles away, the clock's strike of midnight triggered a joyous collision of activity in Akira's home. Her family burst into her room with hushed, excited whispers, showering her with birthday wishes. Though Akira felt a detached numbness, the sight of her parents' beaming faces and Macau's radiant smile acted as an anchor, forcing her to mirror their happiness for their sake. Her brother produced a cake, and as they gathered to cut it, the room filled with the warm, golden glow of candlelight. Yet, as Akira moved to make the first cut, her mind drifted to a bittersweet memory: her birthday years ago in a quiet, sun-drenched library, where she had celebrated in perfect, uncomplicated harmony with Naea. That was the benchmark of her happiness, a ghost of a memory that now felt like a relic from a different lifetime.
Following the ritual of cutting the cake—offering the first bites to her father, then her mother, brother, and finally Macau—the family settled into a moment of genuine, heartfelt connection. They lingered, trading stories and laughter that felt like a sanctuary against the cold reality of the world outside. Eventually, the heavy toll of the day's journey pulled at their limbs, and they dispersed to their rooms, succumbing to a well-earned, peaceful rest. Akira lay in the dark, the echo of the birthday song still lingering in the air, unaware that the woman she had once shared her happiest birthday with was, at this very moment, weeping under the shroud of a midnight sky, bound to a future that threatened to erase them both.
The next morning, at exactly 7:00 AM, Macau's phone began to ring. Seeing Takshi's name on the screen, she answered the call. A warm, melodic voice came from the other end, "Good morning, princess." Still heavy with sleep, Macau murmured, "Morning," and a sweet smile spread across her face. Takshi then asked where she was, and upon learning that she was in Osaka with Akira, he paused before asking, "Oh, I see. Did you have some important work there?"
Macau asked if he needed something, to which Takshi replied that he did, but only from her. Macau blushed slightly as she asked what he meant. Takshi explained that his cousin's wedding was the following day and everyone was invited to bring their partners; he wanted to know if she would go with him. Macau blushed even more deeply at the invitation, prompting Takshi to gently say that if she had pressing matters in Osaka, he would simply tell his family that his "partner" was out of the city. When Macau asked what would happen if she did come, Takshi replied that he would be incredibly happy and would wait for her, adding that he had been missing her terribly. Overcome with shyness and joy, Macau agreed to take the 9:00 AM train to Tokyo that day.
After hanging up, Macau checked the time and hurried to get ready. She stepped out into the living room to find the house in its usual morning rhythm: her aunt was cooking breakfast, her uncle was reading the newspaper, and Ren was watching a football match. Sensing Akira was still asleep, she went into her room to wake her. When Akira saw Macau dressed to leave, she groggily asked where she was going. Upon hearing that she was heading to Tokyo for Takshi's cousin's wedding, Akira initially thought she was joking and tried to go back to sleep. However, after Macau explained the situation—that she was invited as his partner and they had shopping to do—Akira finally sat up, fully alert, surprised by the sudden news.
Macau gave Akira a warm, affectionate hug, wishing her "Happy Birthday" once again. When Akira asked about the nickname "Aku," Macau explained that today was a new beginning for her, so she would call her "Aku" from now on. Macau then stepped out, and when her aunt asked where she was going dressed like that, Macau explained she was heading to Tokyo for a friend's errand. Learning the train was at 9:00 AM, her aunt insisted she have a quick breakfast, after which her uncle drove her to the station, chatting about Osaka and Akira along the way.
Meanwhile, back at the house, Akira's mother asked Ren to tell his sister that breakfast was ready. Ren knocked on Akira's door, and she soon emerged in a casual outfit. She shared a peaceful breakfast with Ren and her mother, who wished her a happy birthday once more. Afterward, Akira and Ren settled in to watch the match while their mother continued with her chores.
Morning had arrived for the Sato family. Everyone had freshened up and gathered for breakfast, their faces lit with bright smiles following the previous night's events—everyone, that is, except for Naea.
Suddenly, Kenji spoke up, "I apologize for disturbing you while you're eating, but I wanted to share some information. I would like Naea to become a supervisor at Takahashi." The family was delighted to hear this, but for Naea, it was simply too much. In a cold, low voice, she replied, "No, there is no need for that." Hearing this, Naea's father looked at Kenji and said, "Yes, Kenji, there is no need if Naea does not want to." Naea's eyes welled up with tears as she thought, If only you had asked me yesterday if I wanted to accept the proposal, perhaps your daughter would be breathing freely in this house today. As she continued her breakfast, her father looked at her with a sweet smile, and Naea forced a fake smile in return. Naea's father then asked her mother, "Have you told Naea's sisters yet?" Her mother replied, "Not yet. We were so tired from yesterday, there was no time. I will tell them now that I have a moment." Her father nodded, saying, "That is fine."
Kenji then added, "Oh, I forgot to mention one thing. The lead of the meeting I attended yesterday is organizing a camping trip. They want to give me the best experience of Osaka, and they have invited my partner as well." Hikari became excited and exclaimed, "Camping is the best!" Kenji then asked Naea if she was ready to go. Naea hesitated and was about to refuse when Yumi placed her hand on Naea's under the table, urging her to agree. Naea looked at Yumi's hand and then at her father's smiling face across from her. She finally asked, "What about other family members?" Kenji replied, "Yes, they are invited, but only those 20 and over."
Naea then said, "In that case, Yumi will come with us. She wanted to explore Osaka anyway." Naea's father agreed, and Kenji added, "Why not?" Suddenly, Hikari complained, "This is unfair! I wanted to go too. What is the need for an age restriction?" She glared at Kenji, who replied, "It is not in my hands, Hikari. They messaged me the invitation yesterday, and it explicitly states that the 3 members must be 20+." He showed her the invitation card. Hikari looked at it and muttered, "They are so mean," which made everyone laugh except for Naea. Kenji then said, "We have to leave here by 1:00 PM, so Naea and Yumi, please be ready." Yumi signaled her agreement.
After breakfast, everyone went about their tasks. The ladies sat together playing cards to pass the time—it was a fun game for the Sato family, while for the Takahashi family, it was a common pastime they were quite skilled at. Meanwhile, Kenji walked around the surroundings with Mr. Sato, who showed him all the places Naea had a connection to, whether it was where she used to play or walk. They spent their time this way until it was 12:45 PM.
Yumi and Naea were ready for the camping trip. Naea looked stunning in a red dress that fell below her knees, hovering just above her ankles, and she kept her hair open, which suited her beautifully. Yumi, meanwhile, wore a comfortable casual outfit, as she preferred attire that allowed for ease of movement, especially being a mother. Outside, Kenji was busy loading the car with their belongings. When Naea and Yumi stepped out, Hikari caught sight of Naea and remarked, "Sister, you look gorgeous, no lie." Naea reacted with a sweet smile, and Hikari hugged her, telling her to have fun and make sure to take plenty of pictures. The two of them then got into the car, and they set off for a perfect mountain in Osaka for their camping trip.
On the other side of town, Akira was spending time with her family, watching a movie. She was dressed in a dashing black casual outfit. Suddenly, the sound of a car horn echoed from outside. Ren got up to check, looked out, and told her, "Sister, someone is waiting for you outside." When Akira went out, she saw Yamato standing by his car. Seeing him, she immediately realized he had come to take her for the camping trip, which she had agreed to only because of Macau. Akira went up to him and told him she wasn't going, as she no longer felt like it. Ren, watching from a distance, went inside and informed their parents about everything.
Yamato told Akira, "You could have said this nonsense yesterday. Now, you have no option; I have already booked the rooms and made all the arrangements. The other three have already left. Even if we are not three, there are two of us, and now you have to decide what you want to do." Before Akira could respond, her parents came outside. Seeing them, Yamato approached and respectfully greeted them, and they greeted him back. Yamato asked how they were doing, and Akira's father replied that they were well and asked how Yamato was, jokingly asking if he had found a girl yet, as her mother inquired. Yamato laughed and said, "No, Auntie, not yet." They all shared a laugh.
Yamato then explained why he had come. Upon hearing this, Akira's parents understood the situation and said, "One shouldn't let someone's arrangements go to waste. You should have refused yesterday, but now that you have agreed, you should go, Akira." Her father's firm tone left her no choice. Akira reluctantly agreed, internally fuming at Macau for putting her in this position. She went inside, packed her things, and came back out. In the meantime, Yamato chatted with her family and happened to learn from Ren that it was Akira's birthday today—a fact he took careful note of. When Akira returned with her belongings, she glared at Yamato before getting into the car. Yamato bade her family goodbye, started the car, and they departed at 12:00 PM. Throughout the journey, they engaged in a lot of banter, but Yamato did not get angry at Akira at all; instead, Akira kept giving him very cold responses.