"Theo said he's busy and won't be here until dinner, so we still have time."
"I'm baking a new cake, so let's try one more time."
Eden tried to reassure Shuian, who was wringing his hands, but it wasn't very effective. Shuian asked with a tearful face.
"...Or should I just switch to cookies now? That would be simpler, right?"
"Even cookies..."
Eden was the type to speak his mind, fear or no fear. Shuian, thoroughly annoyed, put strength into his hand, and the piping bag he was holding burst.
Cream splattered everywhere, of course. Shuian's face and hands were no exception. Only now did Theodore realize why Shuian was covered in cream, and he burst out laughing without realizing it.
Shuian whipped his head around at the sound of laughter, and as soon as he saw Theodore standing at the entrance and laughing, he froze in surprise.
He even lost strength in his hand, and the remains of the piping bag fell to the floor with a thud. Theodore barely managed to suppress another burst of laughter at the splat.
"T-Theo... You said you were busy today... Why are you here..."
He approached Shuian, who was so flustered that his face turned white and he even stuttered. Looking at the mess in the kitchen, he could picture what had happened so far, and he couldn't stop laughing. It would have been nice to see him in trouble. He would have been very cute, for sure.
"Sorry for the mess..."
"...Is this why you've been acting strange lately?"
"Was I strange? Really?"
It was practically an affirmation, so Theodore laughed again.
"Very much so. So strange that I thought you were..."
Were going to leave me. He couldn't bring himself to say those words. Just uttering them, or even just recalling the worst imaginings that had tormented him, made his heart feel like it would stop.
Even though the sentence ended unnaturally, Shuian didn't press him for the rest of the words. He just seemed quite shocked that he had been acting so suspiciously that people around him couldn't help but notice.
"I wanted to have a surprise party... It's almost Theo's birthday. I heard you've never celebrated it before... I thought Theo wouldn't like anything too complicated, so I wanted us to celebrate together..."
Hearing his regretful and disappointed tone, Theodore took out a handkerchief and wiped the cream from Shuian's face, one spot at a time.
You probably can't even imagine how cruel my thoughts have been, with that innocent face. You'll never know how terrible the last few days have been while you were acting so suspiciously. This moment, familiar as it may be, felt like a dream.
So I wanted to keep you by my side, even if it meant ruining you. I was already a flawed and incomplete human being, so it was okay for me to ruin myself.
But if I were to ruin you... If I were to hold you by my side that way... Even if it meant losing this beautiful face, this lovely smile, this affectionate call forever, all of that wasn't as terrible as imagining a me without you. That's why I had such cruel imaginings.
"The birthday party is a complete disaster..."
Shuian muttered, looking tearful, unaware of what Theodore was thinking. After wiping off all the cream, Theodore kissed each spot where the cream had been. Shuian wrinkled his nose but didn't resist, which was especially lovely.
"It tickles..."
Every spot where his lips touched smelled sweet. Something unknown was very sweet.
"A disaster? Anything you do will make me happy. If you're really upset, shall we prepare it together?"
"Together with Theo...?"
"Yes, I think it would be more fun together."
"Really?"
Not a birthday that had never received blessings or even simple congratulations. Just the fact that you were by my side already made me happier than anything.
Theodore lowered his head again and kissed him. This time, it wasn't his sweet-smelling cheeks or the tip of his nose, but his lips. There was no cream on them, but they were the sweetest. Strangely enough.
He gazed down at Shuian's face, which was wide-eyed and even looked bewildered. If there was ever a being that would completely destroy me, it wouldn't be the Empress, but you. It was an epiphany that was no different from a prophecy.
"What does this... mean? Why on the lips..."
Even though Shuian finally opened his mouth to ask after being frozen for a long time, Theodore simply raised the corners of his lips.
It was Shuian's favorite smile. He always knew because his cheeks would turn red whenever he smiled like that, and he would stare at his face for a long time.
Even if it was a kiss close to an impulse, it was something he had always imagined in his head. Theodore ignored Shuian's question as if he was used to it, nodded to Eden to send him out, and tied a new apron around his waist.
"Then, shall we try?"
"No..."
Just as Shuian was about to say something, the oven beeped. The new cake had been baked just in time. Shuian, who had been spacing out until Theodore brought the cake, suddenly started to concentrate as if he had forgotten everything that had just happened when it was time to apply the cream.
Theodore also diligently applied the cream, following Shuian's lead. The result was just as disastrous as before. He was just as ignorant of baking as Shuian was. Moreover, it was also the first time he had ever made anything himself.
Shuian burst out laughing at the cake, which was smeared with cream and couldn't be called appetizing even as a compliment, and Theo smiled at the clear laughter.
"Ah, this is so funny! We're both really bad at making it!"
"I guess we can't be chefs in the future."
"Yeah, I don't think it suits me."
"Then shall we take it to the bedroom and eat it together?"
"Okay."
ê•¥
But really, why did he kiss me on the lips...?
'Well, whatever. I guess he could... do that...?'
I was so flustered and surprised at the time, but thinking about it, it wasn't a big deal. It's not like I'm the only one who kisses my pet on the mouth.
Whether it's on the forehead, on the cheek, or on the lips, it's all the same anyway. Of course, I was distracted by Theo's pretty lips from time to time. Anyway, it seemed like Theo did it without any meaning, so I decided not to worry about it anymore either.
As Theo said, we took the cake we made together to the bedroom and ate it. The shape was terrible, but thankfully the taste wasn't bad.
Actually, it was Eden who baked the bread and made the cream today, so it was only natural. Who can I blame for not having enough time because of my poor skills...?
So, when you think about it, all Theo and I did was apply the cream and decorate it, but it was absurd and funny that the cake looked so terrible just from that.
"I thought Theo would be good at everything. So I thought it would be a little prettier if I did it with Theo. But not at all."
"Actually, I think I was quite confident at first, but it didn't work out as I thought."
I laughed again because he was so cute when he admitted it so readily.
Theo didn't like sweets, but he ate it quite well because he thought the first cake we made together was meaningful, so thankfully there wasn't much left.
"It's delicious even though it looks like this."
"Actually, Eden made all the bread and cream, so it can't be bad. I also learned how to make cream and bread, but I messed up so much today that I didn't have enough time. So Eden had to make it."
"So you've been in the kitchen all this time? Not going for a walk?"
"Yeah. I thought I wasn't caught, but it was completely suspicious..."
"Orca said that you've been frustrated all along, so you've been going for walks more often lately. So that must be a lie too."
"Yeah. I think he made it up on the spot. Neither of us thought Theo would come suddenly..."
At those words, Theo seemed to be in a better mood than before for some reason. Whatever the reason, it was a lie to Theo, but I was relieved that he didn't seem to be too upset.
I had eaten some cake, so I took out the present that I had received from Orca and hidden in the bedroom and handed it to Theo. Theo's face, who reflexively received the neatly wrapped gift, was full of doubt.
"It's a present!"
"A present?"
"It's a birthday party, so of course there should be a present. Open it quickly!"
Theo unwrapped the package with a bewildered face. I didn't say anything, but I added, feeling guilty in advance.
"Um... I asked Lia to make it for you without Theo knowing. Is that okay?"
"...Of course. How could anything you do not be okay? I told you, as long as you don't leave me."
He couldn't take his eyes off the present and spoke as if muttering, so I felt proud because he seemed to like it very much, and I also felt excited.
"I thought about buying a present with my allowance, but that's Theo's money, so it felt a bit strange... I thought you'd be tired of flower crowns, so I thought it would be nice to make it with feathers."
"How can I use it... it's too precious."
Theo said with a sigh, unable to even touch it in case it broke. I knew exactly what he was thinking, so I quickly added.
"Don't think about putting it in the display case. I made two of them knowing you'd do that."
But he was still hesitant, and it was clear that he wanted to put both of them in the display case.
"No! You have to use one! Or I'll only give you one."
"Okay. I'll keep that in mind."
Theo answered quickly and took all the presents out of the box. The first thing he did was, of course, cast a spell to prevent them from being damaged.
"I need to put these in the display case first."
No, who would steal them! Before I could stop him, he left the bedroom in a hurry. I couldn't help but burst out laughing at his cute back.
At this point, the birthday party is a success in its own way. The process wasn't smooth, but I was satisfied because I saw him happy. Still, I have to prepare more perfectly next year.