Chapter - 43
Sky hated birthdays.
Not because he disliked cake.
He simply didn't care about his own.
Every year, the date came and went like any other day.
No celebration.
No decorations.
No gifts.
No fuss.
So naturally, Nani decided that this year was going to be different.
Very different.
---
At six in the morning, Sky woke up to an empty bed.
He frowned.
"Nani?"
Nothing.
He sat up.
The room was silent.
His phone was on the bedside table.
One message.
Don't come downstairs.
Sky stared at it.
Then another message appeared.
And don't ask why.
His eyebrow lifted.
"...Absolutely not."
He got out of bed.
---
Downstairs, chaos had already begun.
Dew was carrying a box.
Tee was struggling with a roll of ribbon.
Several guards were standing around looking terrified.
Nani stood in the middle of everything with a list in his hand.
"Where's the cake?"
"Coming."
"The flowers?"
"Done."
"The balloons?"
"Almost."
Nani nodded.
"Good."
Dew looked toward the staircase.
"Uh..."
Everyone froze.
Sky stood there.
Black shirt.
Messy hair.
Expression murderous.
He looked at the decorations.
Then at Nani.
Then at everyone else.
"...What is this?"
Nobody answered.
Nani smiled.
"Good morning."
Sky slowly walked downstairs.
"Nani."
"Yes?"
"Why does my house look like a birthday store exploded?"
Nani grinned.
"Happy birthday."
Silence.
Sky stopped.
He genuinely looked confused.
"...You remembered?"
Nani's smile softened.
"Of course I did."
Sky looked around.
The decorations were simple.
Black and silver balloons.
Warm lights.
His favorite food.
Nothing extravagant.
Just...
Thoughtful.
Sky's expression changed.
"You did all this?"
Nani nodded.
"Yeah."
Sky looked at Dew.
Dew immediately raised his hands.
"I was forced to participate."
Tee nodded.
"Same."
Sky looked back at Nani.
"You didn't have to."
"I know."
Nani walked closer.
"That's why I wanted to."
---
The cake was brought out.
It wasn't enormous.
It was simple.
Dark chocolate.
And written across the top:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MR. SCARY.
Sky stared at it.
Then looked at Nani.
"Mr. Scary?"
Nani smiled.
"I wanted something romantic."
Dew snorted.
"This is romantic to him."
Sky shook his head.
But he was smiling.
A real smile.
Nani noticed.
"Make a wish."
"I don't need anything."
"That's not how birthdays work."
Sky looked at the cake.
Then at Nani.
His voice became quieter.
"I already have what I want."
Nani's cheeks warmed.
Dew immediately whispered,
"Okay, that's disgusting."
Tee elbowed him.
"Let them have their moment."
---
Sky blew out the candles.
Everyone clapped.
Except one guard who looked terrified because he didn't know whether clapping too loudly was acceptable.
Nani laughed.
"Why is everyone so scared?"
Dew answered,
"Because this man can ruin someone's life before breakfast."
Sky gave him a look.
Dew immediately ate cake.
"Mmm. Delicious."
---
Later that night, the house finally became quiet.
Everyone had gone to bed.
Sky stood on the balcony.
Nani walked outside carrying a small box.
"Hey."
Sky turned.
"What's that?"
"Your real present."
Sky took the box.
He opened it.
Inside was a simple silver bracelet.
Nothing flashy.
A tiny engraved plate sat in the center.
Sky turned it over.
There was one sentence engraved on it.
Come home to me.
Sky went still.
Nani suddenly became shy.
"I know it's not expensive."
Sky looked up.
"I don't care."
"I just thought..."
Nani swallowed.
"...You spend your whole life protecting everything around you. I wanted you to have something that reminds you there's someone waiting for you too."
Sky stared at him.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then he pulled Nani into his arms.
Tight.
Nani's cheek pressed against his chest.
Sky's voice was quiet.
"You really don't understand what you do to me."
Nani smiled against him.
"Maybe I do."
Sky closed his eyes.
He had received expensive watches.
Cars.
Property.
Weapons.
Things worth millions.
None of them had ever made his chest ache like this.
He looked down at the bracelet.
Then at Nani.
"Thank you."
Nani smiled.
"You're welcome."
Sky kissed his forehead.
Then whispered,
"Next year..."
"Hm?"
"Don't spend money on me."
Nani blinked.
"Why?"
"Just stay."
Nani's expression softened.
"Okay."
Sky held him closer.
"That's enough."
And for the first time in years, Sky didn't wish for anything when his birthday ended.
Because he already had it.
A home.
A ridiculous pink room somewhere inside it.
People who annoyed him.
And the one person who had somehow turned his cold empire into something that finally felt alive.
...
The morning after Sky's birthday was strangely peaceful.
No decorations.
No cake.
No Dew yelling from downstairs.
Just sunlight spilling through the curtains.
Nani woke first.
He turned his head.
Sky was still asleep.
For once, the terrifying mob boss looked completely peaceful.
Nani smiled.
Then an idea struck him.
He quietly slipped out of bed.
---
Two hours later, Sky woke up.
His hand reached across the mattress automatically.
Empty.
His eyes opened.
"Nani?"
No answer.
He sat up.
Again.
"Nani?"
Still nothing.
Sky frowned.
He checked his phone.
Nothing.
Then he noticed something on the pillow.
A folded piece of paper.
He opened it.
Come to the garden. Alone.
Sky stared at it.
"...What are you planning?"
---
The garden was empty.
At least, it looked empty.
Sky walked toward the old oak tree.
"Nani?"
A voice came from behind him.
"Surprise."
Sky turned.
Nani stood there holding a small wooden box.
Sky raised an eyebrow.
"Another gift?"
"Not exactly."
Nani walked toward him.
"I wanted to give you something that actually meant something."
Sky took the box.
Inside was a photograph.
Sky picked it up.
It was the picture they'd taken in the secret room.
Both of them smiling.
But there was something else behind it.
A handwritten note.
Sky read it.
For the man who thought he didn't need a home.
His expression changed.
He looked at Nani.
"You wrote this?"
"Yeah."
Sky turned the photograph over.
There were several dates written on the back.
The day they first met.
The day Nani first stayed at the mansion.
The day they first laughed together.
The day they finally admitted what they felt.
And yesterday.
Nani had written one sentence beside it:
The day I realized home isn't a place. It's a person.
Sky went completely silent.
Nani suddenly became nervous.
"You don't like it?"
Sky closed the box.
"No."
Nani's face fell.
Then Sky pulled him into his arms.
"I love it."
Nani laughed softly.
"You scared me."
"Good."
"Why?"
"Because you scared me first."
Nani rested his cheek against Sky's chest.
For a while, neither spoke.
Then Sky quietly said,
"Nobody has ever given me something like this."
Nani looked up.
"Really?"
"I've received everything money can buy."
He glanced at the photograph.
"But nothing anyone made with their own hands."
Nani smiled.
"Then keep it."
Sky looked down at him.
"I will."
---
A few minutes later, Sky surprised Nani.
"Come with me."
"Where?"
"There's something I want to show you."
They walked toward the far end of the garden.
Nani noticed a small wooden structure hidden behind the trees.
He frowned.
"What is that?"
Sky opened the door.
Inside was a workshop.
Books.
Tools.
Old photographs.
Several unfinished wooden pieces.
Nani looked around.
"You made this?"
"Years ago."
"You never told me."
"I don't tell people everything."
Nani touched a wooden carving on the table.
"What were you making?"
Sky hesitated.
"A long time ago, I thought I'd build furniture here."
Nani looked at him.
"For who?"
Sky shrugged.
"Didn't know."
Nani smiled.
"Maybe you were waiting."
"For what?"
"For me."
Sky laughed quietly.
"You're impossible."
Nani picked up a small unfinished wooden frame.
"Can we finish this?"
Sky looked at him.
"Now?"
"Yeah."
Sky nodded.
"Okay."
They sat together.
For the next hour, Sky patiently showed Nani how to sand the edges.
Nani immediately made a mess.
Sky stared at the sawdust covering his shirt.
"...You're terrible at this."
"You never taught me."
"I am teaching you."
"Then teach better."
Sky laughed.
Nani looked at him.
"You laughed."
"So?"
"You actually laughed."
Sky shook his head.
"Don't make a big deal out of it."
"Too late."
---
By sunset, the wooden frame was finished.
It wasn't perfect.
One corner was slightly uneven.
The carving was crooked.
The finish wasn't smooth.
Nani looked at it proudly.
"It's beautiful."
Sky examined it.
"It's terrible."
Nani gasped.
"Excuse me?"
Sky smiled.
"But I like it."
He placed their photograph inside.
Then set the frame on the shelf.
Nani leaned against him.
"Now it's perfect."
Sky wrapped an arm around him.
"Yeah."
He looked at the photograph.
Then at Nani.
"I think I'll keep this place."
Nani smiled.
"For what?"
Sky's gaze softened.
"For all the things I never thought I'd have."
Nani squeezed his hand.
"Like?"
Sky counted quietly.
"Peace."
A pause.
"Family."
Another.
"You."
Nani smiled.
"And what about the crooked frame?"
Sky looked at it.
"That too."
Nani laughed.
"Good."
Sky kissed his temple.
"Especially that."
And beneath the fading sunlight, the frame sat on the shelf-
imperfect, handmade, and worth more to Sky than anything in his empire.