"A grand confession like an explosion…"
Cael murmured thoughtfully, taking Reze's suggestion seriously.
Honestly? The idea wasn't half bad.
He immediately thought of a plot point from a novel he once read before his reincarnation, Show Me Flower, about a fireworks display timed perfectly to a moment that mattered most. Custom fireworks spelling out a confession would hit the emotional sweet spot. If he pulled it off for Asa, the impact might be unforgettable.
Cael shared the idea with Reze.
Her eyes lit up with surprise and excitement, and she clapped her hands together, grinning.
"Fireworks are explosions too! That's such a fun idea, Cael! You absolutely have to try it!" she said, enthusiasm radiating from her. Her approval boosted Cael's confidence.
"The confession method is settled," he said, nodding, "and ordering custom fireworks is easy enough — just pick them up from a supplier. There's only one problem left."
"What's that?" Reze asked.
"She blocked all my contact info, so I have no way to invite her…" Cael frowned.
"Huh? That's simple," Reze said, puzzled.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
Reze rested her chin in her hand, twirling a pen with her other fingers.
"Since you two are a couple, you must know where she studies, right? Why don't you wait for her at her school? When she arrives, then Show flower — she won't be able to avoid it!"
Cael exhaled deeply — brilliant! That was exactly the kind of perspective he needed. Talking things through would be much better than shouting into the void.
Cael's voice carried a bit more excitement than he intended. "You're right, Reze. Asa will go to school every day. So I can hide the fireworks somewhere there, right?"
"Huh?" Reze blinked.
Click.
The pen she was twirling suddenly hit the table as her expression froze.
"Wait, school?" she echoed, incredulous.
Cael nodded confidently. "Yeah, she's still a student. She hasn't graduated yet."
"Oh?" Reze's eyes gleamed like she smelled gossip. "So Cael's girlfriend might be…"
"Stop right there," Cael interrupted casually but firmly. "Asa is a university student. She's actually three months older than me."
"Then how old are you, Cael?" Reze asked, curious.
"I'll be twenty in six months," he replied.
Reze thought for a moment, then smiled brightly. "Oh! So you're six months older than me. I just turned nineteen a few days ago!"
Cael glanced at her and teased, "Reze, you're one of those types that matures late."
"Oh?" Reze smiled charmingly. "Is that a compliment about looking young? Thanks."
She leaned against the sofa, gazing out the window with a faint hint of melancholy in her expression.
"Actually," she said quietly, "I want to go to university too…"
That remark struck a chord somewhere deep inside Cael's memory.
Higashiyama Kobeni also once wanted to attend university, but her family situation didn't allow it.
"So you're working to save up for tuition?" Cael asked gently.
"That's right," Reze said, nodding slightly. She glanced toward boss Taketo, who was dozing in the kitchen, then leaned in and whispered to Cael.
"Even though Old Man Nanahara's stingy and deducts from my pay constantly, he's actually a good guy. He lets me keep studying while working here. My grades aren't amazing, so I'll probably only get into a private university, but I'm doing my best… I guess I'll be a regular corporate slave eventually."
Cael nodded, listening. "I see. My girlfriend's grades are actually very good," he said automatically, almost as if possessed.
Reze's eyes showed a flicker of strange resentment before she stretched and smiled.
"So have you been to university already? You're my age and already working — are you one of those geniuses who skipped grades or something?"
Cael paused for a moment.
University… he had actually attended once. He even won first prize in an Anatomy Specimen Making Competition and assisted in designing educational models. But that was all before reincarnation. His experience carried over, but his credentials didn't.
"No," he admitted with a sigh, "I haven't been to university either."
"Oh…" Reze's expression softened. "So we both started adult life early…"
Cael rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"It's not really a burden," he said with a shrug. "My job is safe, the pay's decent, and I don't hate it."
Reze blinked.
That was… bold.
Clearing her throat twice, she refocused the conversation. "Anyway… which university does your girlfriend go to?"
"Fourth East," Cael replied, confident. That school had its fair share of drama, but it was familiar, and it was Asa's world now.
"So you want to hide fireworks on the rooftop there?" Reze asked, a bit cautious.
"Yeah," Cael confirmed. "We'll set them up on the rooftop of every tall school building, and when they go off together, it'll look amazing."
Reze looked apprehensive. "But surely the teachers won't allow that, right?"
"They probably wouldn't, but I'll do it secretly at night," Cael said coolly, like it was no big deal.
Reze giggled. "That actually sounds kind of exciting."
"It's not like it's illegal," Cael said almost too calmly. Whether or not it is depends entirely on my mood. I don't worship authority — they're just mortals as far as I'm concerned. As long as they don't mess with me, I'll play straight. If they do? Well, that's another story.
Reze laughed, clearly entertained.
"So as the one who suggested this, I should come with you when we set up the fireworks," she said, gripping his hand with a mischievous grin. "I want to see what a good university looks like, and besides, two pairs of hands are better than one."
"Sure," Cael said without hesitation.
Reze grinned brightly. "Then we're accomplices!"
🌃 Three Days Later
At night.
The custom fireworks Cael ordered were ready.
Since it was a holiday, the school was practically deserted. Security was light, meaning their plan had a chance.
Under cover of darkness, Cael and Reze drove onto the campus grounds and parked under a dimly lit building.
"Asa told me this is an old abandoned teaching building," Cael said. "We'll use it as our base. Let's move all the fireworks upstairs first."
"Okay."
Reze hauled several giant boxes of fireworks — stacked almost as tall as she was — with surprising ease.
"Hurry up and follow me, Cael. I'll wait in the first classroom on the left on the fifth floor."
She bounded up the stairs, nimble and surprisingly strong.
Cael watched her go, secretly impressed, then turned to the rest of the boxes.
"Dark Water," he said under his breath.
Thud thud thud.
The boxes responded obediently, flying into his hands with power as if magnetized. He lifted them upstairs without breaking a sweat.
To keep up appearances, he tied a few ropes around the packages — just for show.
Reze turned back just as Cael reached the top landing.
"You're carrying that many?" she asked, eyes wide.
Pant… pant…
Cael pretended to be out of breath. "Yeah… there's *no more left downstairs…" he called out with mock strain.
Reze laughed.
"Cael, have you ever carried buildings before?" she asked, genuinely curious.
"Never carried a building," Cael replied, perfectly deadpan, "but I've carried dead bodies…"
Reze just stared at him.
What a mood killer…
Eventually, all the fireworks were placed inside the empty classroom on the fifth floor.
Because these were custom fireworks with text on them, placement had to be precise. The next part of the setup would require serious planning.
Suddenly…
A flash of lightning lit up the dark sky outside the window.
Then came the rain.
Pitter patter — giant drops hammered against the glass.
The wind moaned and whined.
"Oh no," Reze gasped, "if the fireworks get wet, they'll be ruined!"
Thud thud.
Both of them rushed to the windows and slammed them closed tight.