Graham sat on the rock for a moment longer, letting the wind settle around them. Then he pushed himself up with a quiet exhale, brushing dust off his coat.
"I think I've stalled long enough for everyone now," he said, stretching his arms once. "The other two should've gotten their presents by now. So, let's go."
Roy blinked. "The other two?"
Graham didn't elaborate. He just started walking down the hill, zesty walk style.
Roy stayed seated for a second, confused. The other two?Presents?Do they have the same birthday?Who the hell are these other two people in our group?
He stood up and followed Graham. "Wait—what do you mean, 'other two'? Who else has a birthday today?"
Graham glanced back at him with a small, knowing smile. "I'll tell you when we get there. Come on."
Roy frowned. "You're being cryptic again."
"Part of my charm – what can I do?" Graham replied.
Roy rolled his eyes but followed anyway; he plugged in the headphones into the Walkman and put them on his head and pressed play.
The walk down the hill should've taken an hour. The slope was long, the fields stretched endlessly, and the cabin was a distant speck. But Graham didn't walk normally.
He ran.
Not a sprint but a controlled, steady run that cut the distance down dramatically. Roy matched him easily, the two of them moving across the field like shadows gliding over grass. The wind whipped past their coats, the ground blurred beneath their feet, and the cabin grew larger with every stride.
Five minutes later, they reached the girl's cabin.
Roy slowed to a stop, catching his breath more out of habit than necessity. Graham didn't even look winded. He brushed his hair back, straightened his coat, and walked toward the door.
But before they reached it, they saw movement.
Tanaka stood outside the cabin with Kaelen. Liam Price stood beside Orion.
All three of them looked… confused.
Tanaka's eyebrows were raised. Kaelen's expression was unreadable but tense. Liam looked like he'd walked into the wrong room. Orion looked like he was trying not to give something away.
Roy stared at them. They stared back.
No one said a word.
It was the kind of silence where everyone had the same question, but no one wanted to be the first to ask it.
Graham, Kaelen, and Orion exchanged a single nod; it was subtle, synchronised and almost rehearsed, and they walked into the cabin together.
Leaving Roy, Liam, and Tanaka outside.
Still confused.
Still silent.
Tanaka looked at Roy. Roy looked at Liam. Liam looked at Tanaka.
Three faces. Three expressions. One shared confusion.
None of them spoke. They didn't need to.
Their faces said everything.
What the hell is going on?Why are we here?Why did they nod like that?
Before any of them could voice it, a loud voice from inside the cabin shouted:
"COME IN!"
Tanaka flinched slightly. "Alright… damn."
He stepped forward, grabbed the door handle, and opened it.
The moment the door swung open
"HAPPY BELATED/ADVANCE/CURRENT BIRTHDAY!"
The shout hit them like a shockwave.
Roy froze. Tanaka jumped. Liam blinked rapidly.
Inside the cabin, everyone was gathered, but not the small group Roy expected.
It was everyone.
Roy stepped through the doorway and froze.
The room was packed with familiar faces:
Kieran, Tanaka, Graham, Aarti, Mira Nazaroff, Maddy Valentine (who somehow agreed to come), Liam Price, Annie Toler, Lys Malen, Lise Valkera, Leo and June Toler, Rin, Mella, Mira and Daniel, Marcus in his guard uniform, Victor tried to wear something bright for the occasion it seemed, Sophia, Ethan and Lily, Aster, Kim John holding a microwave like it was a sacred relic, and Orion and Kaelen standing near Graham with knowing expressions.
The cabin was decorated with whatever they could find:
Mismatched ribbons. A banner clearly drawn by children. Candles stuck into random food items. A table full of dishes that were definitely not meant for a party but had been repurposed anyway.
Roy stood in the doorway, stunned.
Liam whispered, "... what is happening?"
Tanaka muttered, "I don't know… but I'm scared."
Roy didn't move.
He just stared at the room full of people shouting birthday wishes at him and apparently at two others.
Graham stepped forward, hands in his pockets, expression calm but eyes warm.
"Welcome to the party," he said.
Roy blinked. "Party?"
Graham nodded. "For you. And for them."
He pointed at Tanaka. Then at Liam.
Roy's eyes widened. "Wait—what?"
Tanaka looked at Roy. "You too?"
Liam looked at Tanaka. "You too?"
Roy looked at Liam. "You too?"
All three stared at each other. Tanaka and Roy didn't even know each other's birthday; all they knew was it was close to each other's but…
Then Tanaka whispered, "No way…"
Liam whispered, "This is insane…"
Roy whispered, "What the hell…"
Aarti stepped forward, smiling. "We decided to celebrate all three of you today."
Mira Nazaroff added, "Because Tanaka's birthday was five days ago!"
Aster jumped in, "And Liam's is five days from now!"
Leo Toler shouted, "So we made it even!"
Orion clapped dramatically. "Triple birthday symmetry!"
Maddy muttered, "This is ridiculous…" But she didn't leave.
Graham clapped his hands once. "Alright. Inside. All of you."
Roy stepped in slowly, still processing.
Tanaka followed, still confused.
Liam walked in last, whispering, "I didn't even know my birthday…"
The door closed behind them.
And the cabin erupted into a chaotic, mismatched celebration.