* * *

To be honest, saying I was glad that Eunsoo hadn’t visited me while I was hospitalized was a lie.

I missed him terribly.

Trapped in a hospital room, unable to call or even send a single message, I waited for him endlessly.

Although Espers visited regularly, none of them could fill the void Eunsoo left behind.

Eunsoo had regained his abilities and even joined Special A Team.

I know I should stop liking him, that I should keep my distance… but my heart doesn’t listen.

I’m so happy Eunsoo came to see me.

I was thrilled to see him, but Eunsoo, upon seeing me after so long, didn’t show much emotion—neither joy nor excitement.

I wondered if the distance I’d kept had affected him.

Part of me was relieved, but another part felt bittersweet.

“Hey, Mister.”

I was fidgeting, wanting to hug him, but startled when he called my name, so I quickly lowered my hand.

“Uh, yeah?”

“Do you want me to carry you on my back, or should I give you a piggyback ride?”

“No, just bring a wheelchair if you can…”

“That wheelchair can’t go outside the hospital, remember? Hurry up and pick one.”

What, has he been eating only bitter melons while I was away? He’s gotten so firm.

With only two choices, I had no choice.

“Then… I’ll take a piggyback.”

It felt strange, even if the height difference wasn’t that much, to be carried on his back like this.

But once I was up there, looking at his soft, round hair from behind, I felt unexpectedly happy.

His warm body, his gentle breathing if I listened closely, the faint scent of shampoo and soap—everything felt so precious.

It’s not like I’m heavy for him, anyway.

And these moments won’t last much longer… so just for now, I’ll allow myself this little indulgence.

---

The discharge process wasn’t difficult.

I’d been dragging it out for various reasons, but now that the Bureau was on board, I was free to leave whenever.

When I arrived home, it had been decorated beautifully.

The sight of colorful balloons all over the living room brought a broad smile to my face.

It was a last-minute request, yet the three Espers had fulfilled it perfectly.

Even if it’s only until my semi-retirement is finalized, they deserve a thank-you message before I go to bed.

However, no one had touched the food or the cake.

Those three had taken time from their busy schedules to prepare everything carefully for Eunsoo… but it hurt me to see it all left untouched.

“The party table is untouched. Didn’t you eat together?”

“Why would I eat with those people?”

Eunsoo replied bluntly, as if the thought wasn’t worth considering.

Just from his response, I could imagine his reaction when they celebrated his birthday.

I sighed inwardly.

…I’ll have to thank them and apologize.

Whether he noticed my gloomy mood or not, Eunsoo seemed more cheerful than he had been when I was in the hospital.

After seating me on the sofa, he rolled up his sleeves.

“Mister, can you eat? If not, I can make porridge for you. It won’t take long.”

“No, I can eat regular food now.”

In any case, neither of us would eat much, so there was no need to trouble Eunsoo, especially on his birthday.

Besides, Elliot had picked the food carefully. I’m sure he’d considered my recovery, so it was all soft and mild.

Even my weakened body could handle it.

It was delicious, so much so that I felt pleasantly full for the first time in a while.

Now, as long as I can digest it properly…

Maybe Eunsoo had the same thought.

As soon as I put down my spoon, he brought me warm tea and sat close beside me.

The scent of peppermint tickled my nose.

“Thank you. I’ll enjoy it.”

“Mister.”

“Yeah?”

“Why did you think today was my birthday?”

“Hmm…”

Today was Eunsoo’s birthday.

It was canonically established.

But I had no way to prove it.

I couldn’t just say, “You’re a character in a book, and the author set this date, so trust me.”

I couldn’t brush it off with something vague like, “I just wanted to celebrate, any day would have worked.”

I needed to hold firm—Eunsoo’s soon-to-be official birth date needed to be correct.

How can I make him believe me?

I took a few sips of tea to buy time, but no perfect answer came to mind.

Maybe my muddled mind wasn’t helping either.

In situations like this… I had no choice. I smiled at him.

“I just thought… it suited you.”

“What? You think it’s okay to pick someone’s birthday on a whim just because you think it suits them? Who do you think you are?”

I hadn’t expected him to snap at my smiling face, but his voice was sharp.

My heart sank for a moment.

Of course, from Eunsoo’s perspective, it was rude of me.

How could I explain it?

My mind drew a blank, only making me more anxious.

Damn it. I should’ve thought this through…

“Oh, and it’s not like you made it November 28th just because your front door code is 1128, right?”

“No! That’s not it! It’s the opposite. Your birthday is November 28th, and I made it the code just so it’d be easier to remember…”

It’s hard to remember numbers these days when everything’s just saved on our phones.

The world has become so convenient that memorizing numbers isn’t as necessary.

So, I thought of setting the front door code to something memorable.

I’d memorized it this way myself, and after I… ‘inhabited’ this body, I’d kept it as a habit.

Since Eunsoo would be coming and going, I wanted him to get familiar with the code, so I’d kept it even after moving.

‘Ah. This really sounds suspicious and unbelievable…’

The door code had been 1128 ever since I moved in, right before I started living with Eunsoo.

So, something didn’t quite add up.

Eunsoo’s sharp mind wouldn’t overlook such inconsistencies, so it must be confusing from his perspective.

I reached for the tea again, hoping to buy time, but my hand shook from the pressure.

The cup nearly spilled, trembling unsteadily in my grip.

Eunsoo, seeing this, put his hands over mine, pressing down gently to keep me from spilling the tea.

Finally, I managed to set the cup down on the table and took a deep breath.

Eunsoo, watching me, asked quietly.

“Then… when’s your birthday, Mister?”

“Me? I… don’t know my birth date.”

“You don’t?”

“Yeah…”

Neither I nor Yang Heewoon knew our birthdays. A

bandoned children don’t.

We were assigned random birth dates when we entered the orphanage, based on the day we arrived.

But I’d never celebrated it, not wanting to mark the day I’d been abandoned.

That’s why I was so determined to celebrate Eunsoo’s birthday.

But I’d failed to prepare an excuse, and it had really come back to bite me. I wonder what I was thinking back then.

‘Then again, my chances of being alive by today were slim…’

I’d figured I’d leave the date in my will, sparing me any interrogation.

As I pondered how to fix this, Eunsoo too seemed lost in thought, lips pursed.

Finally, he made his decision.

“Since I don’t know my real birthday, let’s make it today.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I registered an arbitrary date, but I’ll ask if I can change it. I’m pretty sure I can.”

“Thank goodness! Thank you!”

The heart that had been so tightly clenched finally found some peace.

But Eunsoo, as always, wasn’t someone who’d just let things slide.

He raised his chin, exuding confidence.

“But I have one condition. I want to give you a birthday, too. Let’s make it today.”

“What? No… Don’t do that.”

“Why not? You just decided my birthday whenever you wanted.”

“Well, that’s because…”

I tried to find the right words, unable to tell him honestly that today was “officially” his birthday because I wouldn’t be around for many more of them.

I wanted him to feel happy on this day, not tormented by thoughts of me.

But while I hesitated, Eunsoo seized the moment and insisted firmly.

“Let’s just have the same birthday, together.”

I could feel it.

No matter what I said, Eunsoo was going to be stubborn and push for what he wanted.

I sighed deeply, rubbing the corners of my eyes.

“Today is really turning out to be a day of nothing but failures.”

Not a single thing had gone as planned.

The birthday party with the three espers and Eunsoo had fallen apart.

My attempt to keep some distance from him was abandoned.

I couldn’t even answer properly when he asked why today had to be his birthday.

And now, it seemed my own birthday was about to be changed as well.

But then again… since he thought it was me who chose his birthday, he’d probably think of me every year on this day, whether I’m around or not.

So maybe, in the end, it wouldn’t really make a difference if I went along with his wishes.

Resolving myself, I gave him a soft smile.

“Alright. Let’s do that, then.”

After all, no one knows my real birthday.

If I can share one with Eunsoo, that would be more than enough for me.

Eunsoo will go on to find happiness, making new memories.

He might eventually push me to the back of his mind and think of me as “someone who helped for a short time.”

But on this one day each year, he’ll remember me.

And if he does, even just once a year, I’d be so grateful.

Even if my body passes away, being able to grow older alongside the boy I love most… there’s nothing more fulfilling than that.

I couldn’t help but smile even wider.

Just a moment ago, I’d been flustered, but now, I was incredibly happy.

I gave Eunsoo a big, warm smile.

“Picking a new birthday feels like… being born all over again.”

* * *