Early Morning,
Benio Adashino woke up in a daze and slowly opened her sleepy eyes.
Her green eyes stared blankly at the ceiling, and her thoughts drifted back to last night.
Last night, after her mother-in-law arrived, she put candles into the cake, and everyone urged Benio to make a wish.
As for what kind of wish she made…
That, she couldn't say it.
It was a secret.
After making the wish and cutting the cake, Benio hadn't even eaten more than a few bites when Gojo Satoru suddenly took out a brand-new, perfectly intact cake from the room.
And without any warning—
Benio was slapped in the face with it.
Her brain went blank on the spot.
Then Gojo Satoru quickly took out a few more cakes, and one by one, they were all thrown onto the other girls too.
Kitagawa Marin.
Shirakawa Shiroha.
Mei Misaki.
And Umaru Gojo.
In that instant, the entire living room turned into chaos.
The cake war officially began.
Her mother-in-law stood on the side, holding her hands together, watching cheerfully from the side.
Without any discussion at all, the girls immediately picked up the cake cream still stuck to their bodies and threw it back at Gojo Satoru.
But then…
Something shameless happened!
Every cake that smashed toward Gojo Satoru was judged as a dangerous attack by his [Limitless]!
And it was directly blocked.
Not a single drop touched him.
With that passive skill, it was almost like he had activated "invincible mode", chasing four girls alone and fighting like a boss in a game.
And yet…
When Benio remembered Gojo Satoru being dragged on the floor later with a bitter expression, she still couldn't help but let out a small chuckle.
Benio rolled over lazily.
"Yawn~"
After yawning, she finally got out of bed.
The sunlight outside was bright, but it didn't feel hot yet. It was that kind of soft morning warmth that made people want to sleep again.
But she couldn't.
Because when she turned her head—
On the table beside her bed, there were six exquisite gift boxes.
All neatly arranged.
She blinked.
These were the birthday presents.
Because they played too late last night, everyone ended up sleeping in Gojo Satoru's house.
Benio had returned to her room, exhausted, and fell asleep immediately.
She hadn't even opened any of the gifts.
Sitting down on the cold chair, Benio took a deep breath and began to open the gifts one by one.
The first one she opened…
Was from Umaru Gojo.
Inside was a game console that had only come out last month.
Benio stared at it for a second.
Then she stared for another second.
"…This girl."
She could almost imagine Umaru's proud face.
Benio could already hear Umaru's voice in her head.
"If you're free, you can play it! This senpai~ would happy teach you."
Benio placed it carefully on the table.
Then she opened the next gifts.
From Shirakawa Shiroha.
It was a necklace—simple, elegant, and extremely beautiful.
The kind of necklace that didn't look too flashy, but once you wore it, people would notice.
Benio's fingers gently touched the cool metal.
"…Thank you, Shiroha."
She said, before placing it carefully on the table.
The next gift was from Kitagawa Marin.
A perfume.
The scent was light and clean, with a soft sweetness that didn't feel heavy at all.
It felt… mature.
Benio's eyes softened slightly.
Kitagawa Marin had been loud and energetic these days, but her taste wasn't bad at all.
The next gift was from Mei Misaki.
A chocolate box and a doll.
Not too fancy.
But neatly packed, with a small handwritten note tucked inside the doll clothes.
Benio didn't open the chocolates yet.
She just placed the chocolate with the others before looking at the doll for a moment.
Mei Misaki was always like this.
Quiet.
Not someone who like to speak too much.
But she always did things seriously.
Then came her mother-in-law's gift.
Benio opened it carefully.
Inside was an amulet.
And a small paper with blessings written on it.
'I wish Benio, more and more happy.'
When Benio saw those words, her heart warmed instantly.
Her mother-in-law…
{T/N: I didn't watch the anime (yea yea I know that some people are telling me to watch it but my schedule is very mess up....so all the time whenever she called the person who took care of her — Mother-in-law, I get confused}
Really.
Even after all these years, she was still the same.
Benio quietly placed the amulet and the blessings aside.
Then she picked up the last gift box.
The one from Gojo Satoru.
She didn't know why.
But her fingers slowed down a little when she held it.
She carefully unwrapped the gift box.
What caught her eyes was a head chain with a faint luster.
And beside it…
A white platycodon hairpin.
Benio's eyes widened slightly.
Platycodon....
A flower that symbolized eternal love, sincerity, and devotion.
Benio's throat tightened.
"…Gojo-sensei."
She didn't know what to say.
She didn't know how to express it.
So in the end, she just whispered softly, as if speaking to the room itself.
"Thank you… everyone."
She didn't meant to but she couldn't help but tear-up as she thought about them.
....
Living room.
Gojo Satoru was still sleeping soundly.
He wore a nightcap, and his blindfold was pushed slightly up, like he didn't even care how he looked.
And there was a bubble coming out of his nose.
Every time he exhaled, the bubble swelled.
Every time he inhaled, it shrank.
But it didn't burst.
Benio stood near the stairs and stared at him for a moment.
"…How is this man even real?"
She shake her head in exasperation before walking towards the bathroom to wash up.
At that time, on the second floor, a blond figure quietly opened a door and tiptoed downstairs.
It was Kitagawa Marin.
The moment she saw Gojo Satoru sleeping on the sofa, her eyes lit up.
Like she had found a treasure.
She walked into the living room, stepped closer, then suddenly jumped forward—
And flew straight onto the sofa.
Right onto Gojo Satoru's body.
"Wake up, Gojo-sensei!!!"
"Pfft—!"
The bubble instantly burst.
Gojo Satoru's eyes flew open.
He pulled down his blindfold halfway and stared up like he had suffered a billion points of damage.
"…What are you doing, Kitagawa-san?"
His voice was weak as if he was seriously hurt.
"Why are you attacking your teacher so early in the morning?"
Kitagawa Marin sat on him without any shame at all.
She smiled brightly, like she was enjoying herself.
"It's already late, Sensei. We need to go out after a while."
Gojo Satoru stared at her with dead fish eyes.
"…You can say that without sitting on me."
Kitagawa Marin leaned forward slightly.
She was too close.
Gojo Satoru could even smell the faint fragrance from her body.
Sweet.
But not overwhelming.
For a few seconds, the two of them just stared at each other.
Gojo face was calm—too calm.
But as we all know....it was morning time.
So....
Kitagawa Marin's flinched, as she feels something getting hard below her, her cheeks turned red.
Her heart beat fast.
She felt a strange feeling in her stomach.
She was a hardcore otaku.
So she naturally understood what this was!
"C-cough."
Kitagawa coughed, quickly pretending she didn't notice anything.
Then she fell silent for a second.
And finally, she said in a "very calm" voice.
"Gojo Sensei… what do you usually eat for breakfast at home? I'll help you prepare it."
"No need."
Gojo Satoru replied calmly.
"I'll do it later. I'll rest a bit first, then go."
However…
His right hand quietly reaching out to the quilt.
With his thick skin that can't even be pierced by bullets, he didn't feel embarrassed at all about such a trivial matter.
"Okay."
Kitagawa Marin nodded.
Then she finally got off him and prepared to go back upstairs to wash up.
But after walking a few steps…
She suddenly stopped.
Then she turned her head slightly.
"…Sensei."
Gojo Satoru looked at her, alrealy pulling the quilt up.
Kitagawa Marin's cheeks were still red.
She mumbled softly.
"Don't be shy."
After saying that, her bare white feet ran back upstairs with rapid "bang bang " sounds.
Gojo Satoru stared at the ceiling.
Then he muttered.
"Tch."
"It's not up to you to decide what I should be shy about."
.....
At the dining table.
Everyone felt that the atmosphere was wrong.
Very wrong.
Gojo Satoru was drinking black tea with a calm expression.
Like nothing had happened.
On the opposite side, Kitagawa Marin was blushing, lowering her head, eating the bread silently.
Even when she looked up to answer something, she didn't dare to look Gojo Satoru in the eyes.
Benio sat beside them.
Mei Misaki sat quietly too.
Shirakawa Shiroha was eating without speaking much.
Umaru Gojo, however, had a suspicious expression.
Then—
'Stare—X4'
Benio, Umaru, Shiroha, and Mei Misaki all stared at Gojo Satoru at the same time.
Gojo Satoru sipped his tea.
"Why are you all looking at me?"
Umaru Gojo narrowed her eyes.
"…Onii-san."
"Something must have happened between you two."
Shirakawa Shiroha nodded seriously.
"Yes."
Mei Misaki quietly added.
"…Kitagawa is red."
Benio didn't speak.
But her gaze was sharp.
Gojo Satoru's expression didn't change at all.
He calmly put down his tea cup.
"Nothing happen, Marin was just thinking about helping me."
Umaru Gojo's eyes narrowed further.
"...Nothing else?"
Gojo Satoru nodded.
"Yes."
Kitagawa Marin's face became even redder.
Benio looked away slightly.
For some reason, she felt like her heart was itching.
It was strange.
The breakfast table became quiet.
And just like that, the few conversations came to an end.
.....
Outside the high-end apartment.
The sky was bright.
The wind was gentle.
The street below was already busy with people going to work, cars passing, and the normal noise of the city.
Benio's mother-in-law stood near the entrance with a kind smile.
"Then… I'll go back and return to the dorm first, Benio."
Benio stood there, holding her bag.
She hesitated.
Her lips moved.
Then finally, she stammered out a sentence she had never said in so many years.
"…Be careful on the way."
For a moment, her mother-in-law froze.
Her eyes widened slightly.
Then a gratified expression appeared on her face.
"It seems, Benio…"
"You have truly grown up."
Benio immediately crossed her arms.
She turned her head arrogantly.
"Of course."
Her voice was cold.
Her expression was proud.
But her ears were slightly red.
Her mother-in-law smiled gently.
She didn't say much.
She only left a sentence—
"I'm leaving."
Then she turned around and slowly walked away.
Benio watched her mother-in-law's stumbling steps.
Her strong back.
Her small figure disappearing into the morning crowd.
Benio's lips pressed together.
Her eyes lowered slightly.
And in a voice so soft that almost no one could hear, she whispered.
"…Thank you."
"Thank you for taking care of me for so many years…"
"…Mother-in-law."
The wind blew past.
Benio stood there for a long time.
And for the first time in many years—
She didn't feel alone.
Not completely.
Not anymore.
....
Word count — 1,870