After leaving the bridal shop, Kiana gestured for Ryn to crouch down and gave him a kiss.
"I love my birthday present!"
Ryn awkwardly pinched Kiana's chubby cheek, smiling. "I took a shortcut... If you hadn't suddenly wanted to try on wedding dresses, I wouldn't have known what to get you. But I'm glad you like it."
"Ryn, you big dummy."
"Yes, yes, I'm a big dummy. Let's go order the cake now! Mei bought tons of ingredients today and is planning a huge celebratory dinner for us tonight."
The moment Kiana heard about the feast and cake, her ahoge bobbed excitedly, and she tugged Ryn along.
"Let's go! I want a cream-covered chicken leg cake!"
"What's a cream-covered chicken leg cake? I've never heard of that."
"I just invented it! It's a giant cake made entirely of chicken legs and cream!"
"Only you could come up with something like that."
While Ryn and Kiana were at the bridal shop and ordering the cake, Mei and Sparkle were preparing a lavish feast at home with Cortana's help.
Mei took charge of cooking, Sparkle washed the vegetables, and Cortana oversaw the operation like a seasoned general.
Tonight's celebration demanded a special effort, so Mei meticulously prepared all her signature dishes, making sure to include Kiana's favorites.
"Why bother with all this cooking? Kiana will never be yours. If you ask me, we should just break Ryn and Kiana's limbs, tie them up in the basement, and then... enjoy Kiana right in front of that bastard Ryn. That'll teach him."
Mei froze momentarily, then shook her head. The hallucination had resurfaced. How could a model student like her, with impeccable grades and a virtuous character, harbor such dangerous thoughts? It must be the recent displays of affection between Ryn and Kiana, combined with the influence of those trashy novels and dramas she'd been reading. Mei pushed the thought aside and resumed chopping vegetables.
Sparkle shrugged, hugging herself. She'd felt a sudden chill, but seeing Mei's composed demeanor, she dismissed it as her imagination.
"Sparkle, what are you trying to make? You've been staring at the oven for ages," Mei asked, noticing Sparkle's lingering presence.
Realizing Mei had caught her, Sparkle stuck out her tongue sheepishly. "Looking at the oven made me think of desserts... I really want some, but I don't know how to make them. Mei, can you?"
Mei shook her head. She hadn't learned dessert-making yet; Cortana's repertoire of dishes was vast, and she still had much to master. Speaking of Cortana, Mei thought Sparkle could try learning from her.
"You could ask Cortana to teach you. She definitely has dessert recipes and tutorials."
"No way! That would be too much trouble for Cortana!" Sparkle waved her hands dismissively. If Mei couldn't make them, she'd rather give up than embarrass herself.
Just then, Cortana spoke up. "It's no problem, Sparkle. My tutorials are very detailed. Just follow the steps, and you'll be fine."
Sparkle still hesitated, but under Mei and Cortana's encouragement, she reluctantly agreed to try.
Then...
"I told you not to make me do this..." Sparkle grumbled, puffing out her cheeks. She had followed Cortana's instructions perfectly, yet the result was still a disaster.
Mei and Cortana exchanged glances. Cortana waved her hands, indicating it wasn't her fault.
"I can guarantee I followed the recipe step-by-step," Cortana said. "I even double-checked before putting it in the oven. Who knew it would turn out like this? Maybe there's something wrong with the oven..."
Cortana began scanning the oven for malfunctions, but found nothing amiss.
As everyone stared in bewilderment, Mei suddenly grabbed a copy of Homu's Great Adventure and excitedly declared to Sparkle and Cortana, "Maybe it's like in the book! Someone cursed or blessed it! Like that catgirl blessed by a spring spirit who can only make delicious wine, no matter what she tries!"
"Aba aba... This exceeds my system's comprehension."
"Enough... You don't need to make excuses for me... I can do anything except cook..." Sparkle shook her head, set the culinary disaster aside, and left the kitchen.
Cortana and Mei exchanged helpless shrugs. After all, some things came down to natural talent. Ryn and Kiana, for example, had been learning for ages and could only manage a few dishes. On good days, they considered it a success if the kitchen didn't explode.
Nighttime at home. Ryn, Kiana, Mei, Sparkle, and Cortana sat around the dining table, which was laden with a fragrant feast.
After a joyful meal filled with laughter and chatter, Ryn and Sparkle wheeled out two large cakes. One was a standard fruit cake, while the other was a special creation: a cream-covered chicken leg cake that Ryn and Kiana had personally made at the bakery. If Ryn hadn't paid extra, the bakery owner might have mistaken them for troublemakers.
"Happy birthday, Kiana!" everyone sang in unison.
Kiana seized the moment to blow out the candles and reached for the knife, but Mei stopped her. "After blowing out the candles, you're supposed to make a wish!" Mei reminded her. Kiana nodded in realization, clasped her hands together, and declared loudly:
"I want to be with Ryn forever! And I wish for all of us to always be happy together!"
"Kiana! Wishes don't come true if you say them out loud!" Mei scolded playfully.
"Ah... is that so? My old man only ever congratulated me on my birthday once... I didn't know..." Kiana said awkwardly, scratching her head. She then pinched Ryn's side. "Why didn't you tell me last year?"
Ryn swatted away Kiana's hand, rubbed his side, and smiled at Kiana and Mei. "I think it's better to say your wish out loud. That way, everyone knows what it is, and we can all work together to make it come true."
"Mhm, mhm, mhm! Ryn's right! That's exactly what I was thinking!" Kiana clapped happily, agreeing unconditionally with everything Ryn said.
"Alright... that makes sense," Mei nodded, saying nothing more. She handed the knife to Kiana, letting the birthday girl cut the cake.
"Yay! Finally, cake time! This piece is for Ryn, this one's for Mei, this one's for Sparkle, Cortana gets a slice too, and the rest is all mine!" Kiana cheerfully served everyone generous portions before claiming the remaining cake for herself.
"Silly Kiana..."
The others shook their heads, but no one said anything more. After all, this was the Kiana they loved most.