Uchiha Mikoto looked at Sasuke, her gaze fixed on him.
Sasuke felt a little embarrassed under her stare.
Before long, Itachi placed the tightly wrapped square box on the table.
"Sasuke, please open it!"
Uchiha Mikoto's eyes flickered.
Sasuke looked puzzled, but he obediently did as he was told.
He slowly untied the delicate ribbon around the box, then carefully lifted the lid.
A rich, sweet fragrance immediately wafted toward him.
"This... this is..."
Sasuke stood frozen in place.
Several large words written in fruit jam on top of the pastries appeared before him.
Sasuke, happy birthday.
In an instant, Sasuke's eyes, which had already run dry of tears, began to sting again.
"Birthday..."
Sasuke murmured to himself.
His birthday... how long had it been since he had celebrated it alone?
Every birthday, he would think of Itachi and the scene of his family celebrating with him. Since the Night of the Clan Massacre, he had already forgotten this day.
He was afraid—afraid of birthdays with no one by his side.
Loneliness... solitude... all filled with hatred...
Yet now, he watched Shisui place candles on his cake.
He watched Itachi bring out a bowl of noodles from the kitchen, as well as his mother clapping her hands with a nervous look on her face...
Sasuke's entire body trembled.
"Sasuke, today should be your birthday, right? If it isn't, then let's treat this as a celebration to welcome you into our family and make you one of us!"
Uchiha Mikoto looked toward Sasuke.
If the timelines of the two worlds matched, then this Sasuke's birthday should also be July 23, right?
Sasuke nodded heavily.
Mikoto did not know whether he was agreeing to become part of their family or confirming that today was his birthday.
Flames sprang up from Itachi's fingertips,