Chapter 30: Strengthening Relationship

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Read the end of chapter note.

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Blake and Teka continued to have little conversations. The duo's main goal was not to talk to each other but to increase their enjoyment of drinks a little more.

This tactic worked for Blake. Blake's enjoyment of the drink had grown a little longer, but after their conversation lasted a few hours, Teka's eyes kept going to her phone.

As if she was waiting for something. Blake guessed that she wanted the person she wanted to spend her birthday with to call and congratulate her or lead him to the goal of such painstaking preparation.

'Birthday, ha...'' Blake thought about his birthday while sipping his drink. It's been four years since he's been here, a year in the Golden World, and four years alone in school, and he hasn't celebrated his birthday in almost 10 years.

In his previous life, his family regularly celebrated his birthday, and those were one of his best days. He'd love the good times he spent with his family more than the presents.

But in high school, he had to go to the city for school. He left his family to start living in an acquaintance's house, and he kind of started living alone. Then, when he had the chance, he left that house to live alone.

Despite visiting them on holidays and often calling each other, nothing could replace a birthday celebrated face-to-face. The quiet feelings conveyed in the same environment, the warm hug of the family, and those beautiful smiles that contained no different emotions were the things Blake missed.

"Gulp*" Blake took a big sip of his drink to avoid remembering his past life. Speed power took action and completely erased the harmful effects of alcohol entering your body and the effect of intoxication.

Teka glanced at Blake out of the corner of her eye. The momentary big sip preoccupied her, usually, it was obvious why the men who did it were doing it, and she hoped it wouldn't happen.

She wasn't in the mood to put anyone in the hospital right now.

Teka's eye kept going on her phone. She was waiting for the call of the person she was waiting to call. Right now, she wanted to hear his voice and say happy birthday or something.

'Should I apologize? I went too high on him last time." Teka's stern, cold expression showed a delicate expression.

She remembered her last fight with the person she wanted to call. She knew she was going too far the last time, and he wouldn't even need to apologize if it was anyone else. But when that person was the person in her family, especially the owner of her heart, such a small thing as an apology was unimportant to her.

But she gave up the idea after a few seconds.

She didn't know exactly why she gave up. But with the disappointment that had accumulated towards him, she didn't want to apologize.

'I don't know what to do.' She was confused as she dipped her hands in her lava hair and rubbed her hair. The conflict of her heart and mind was tiring her soul.

The clocks quietly chased each other. The light from the windows of the door went dark, and it started to show at 9:00 a.m.

The birds went to sleep and the nightlife began, but Teka's call did not come. However, Teka waited patiently, waiting until morning for a call if necessary.

There's no way he could have forgotten, right? After all, it was her birthday. Putting aside other special days, today's significance was different and one of the little things that revitalized their relationship. There's no way she could have forgotten a day like this.

Right?

As time went on, the frown deepened and the frustration and slight sadness on her face became visibly apparent. She had started hitting her heels on the board some time ago, her unconscious voices following each other like seconds passing by.

Ding!

She didn't know how many times, but she ordered another drink. She couldn't get drunk no matter how much she drank because the cells in her body burned the alcohol. That's why she kept drinking.

Ding

Following her request, the man she hadn't spoken to much, except in their first conversation, gave his order.

"Gohom*", The man next to her coughed. Her eyebrows rose as she turned to the man, showing that she was annoyed.

Please take this. It won't make much sense because it's from a stranger, and it will be unimportant to you compared to the person you want to call. But you can't just let this day go to waste, can you? After all, you will only enter this age once.'' Blake ignored Teka's gaze and, with a mild expression, pointed to the clock after pointing to the cake with the candles burning on it.

Teka glanced at the clock. To his surprise, it was 11:50 PM, and in ten minutes the day would be over.

She was willing to wait here till morning, but as Blake said, once ten minutes passed, her day would be wasted and the day would lose its meaning.

She hesitated before admitting it. But when she saw her uncle next to Blake, on the other side of the bar, waiting for her to accept the cake, with an expectant expression on his face, she decided to accept it.

"Thank you, Uncle. Thank you, Blake."'

On the cake with the candles burning, the words "Happy New Year Teka" were written in capital letters. At the bottom was a miniature drawing of her uncle, made with chocolate, and he was raising both hands, like congratulating Teka.

A bitter smile appeared on her face. She didn't want anything fancy, she didn't want anything expensive or luxurious, she even settled for a place like this. All she wanted was for him to call.

She took one last glance at the clock. The minute hand continued to advance with a monotonous clatter. Her eyes went back to the phone, then she blew out the candles.

Fuuu!

'I hope you'll call me tomorrow.' Despite all this, she wished he would call. With the delicate light in her eyes, she looked at the smoke of the extinguished candle.

"Congratulations. Then the drinks are on me." Blake spoke enthusiastically. This cake was not only for Teka but also for his past birthday. Or rather, it was for past birthdays, because this year's birthday was more than 9 months away.

In this little bar, the fates of the two people were touched together and a small thread was thrown, and this thread could evolve into something larger if the necessary conditions were provided. But only time would tell. [EN: (~ ̅▿̅)~]

**

Splash!

Blake got hit in the face by water. He closed his eyes and dried his face after taking towels from the side.

He stood, arms raised, and after a deep stretch he spoke to himself.

"Let's get out of this depressing weather." He was still upset and guilty about what happened to Nejire. He also had a small but sharp pain in his heart due to their separation, and would probably stay there until Nejire delivered his answer.

But he knew he couldn't stay that way. Aside from Rumi, who was worried about himself, he couldn't always be this monotonous.

So he decided to throw the depression out the window and move on.

After his decision, the days followed, and a month passed. [EN: I don't want to drag this out any longer.]

A month had passed, and today Blake left the house alone, leaving Rumi alone, and headed to the hospital.

Today was Nejire's day of discharge, and Nejire wanted to talk to him about his important issues before he was discharged.

He quickly reached the hospital. He stopped in an alley. The lightning bolts were sizzling around Blake and spreading around. The alley lit up for a few seconds before it was restored to its former darkness.

Blake headed to the hospital after checking his flowers and clothes.

He went into the hospital and started walking towards Nejire's room.

It didn't take long for him to get to Nejire room. When he came to the front of the room, he saw Nejire's parents waiting in front of the room. Eri was sleeping on her husband's shoulders while Masaki was half-asleep with eyes surrounded by rings.

"Mr. Hado..." Blake called out to Masaki, but Masaki didn't hear him. After looking ahead for a while, his head went backward and fell asleep.

Blake decided to leave the sleeping duo alone. He held the flowers and came to the door.

Tak! Tak! Tak

He rang three times. It didn't take long for the answer to come.

"Come, please." Nejire's voice could be heard behind the door. Unlike the previous time, her voice seemed to gain strength and regained its almost usual tone.

Blake gasped unconsciously. He expected things to have a lasting impact on Nejire. Fortunately, that didn't happen. He turned the doorknob in one fell swond and went in.

The door opened and Nejire's pleasant smile was revealed. Nejire was surprised when Blake walked in, but quickly recovered and returned to her previous statement.

"You're here." Nejire didn't think Blake would get here so fast. She quickly recovered from her surprise and greeted Blake.

"Yes. How are you doing?'' Blake came to the bed and pulled the stool underneath. He placed the flowers in his hand in a vase full of water.

"I'm fine, I'm a little short of breath, but it's okay."

Gyykk!!

Blake held the vase that slipped out of his hand. Nejire's words were like daggers pierced his heart. He cursed a certain person inside before taking a deep breath and answering back.

"Are you sure there's nothing wrong with you? Stay here a little longer... if you want."' Blake reached out to hug Nejire, but the next second he pulled his hand back.

''I don't have any… problem. The doctor said they could treat the shortness of breath.''

"It's good.''

Silence engulfed the room. The duo, who did not know what else to talk to each other, preferred to remain silent.

After a while, Blake decided to talk.

''Nejire!''

''Blake!''

But at the same time, he seemed intent on speaking in Nejire. The two stopped, their gaze locked as they looked at each other's faces.

"Please tell.

"No, you!"

"Please, Nejire, I insist."

"T-Then I'll talk first." Nejire realized she couldn't win in the end, and she agreed. She never won against Blake, and that didn't seem to have changed now.

"Let me ask you two questions before I give you an answer. Blake, were you having an affair with another woman when you were with me?'' Nejire looked Blake in the eye for any lies.

She trusted Blake a lot because of her relationships, and she didn't think he'd lie in that situation. However, she looked him in the eyes against every situation and searched for a lie.

"Yes. I was."' But Blake didn't mean to lie. Instead of telling a lie that would complicate things or put him in an awkward position in the future, he decided to tell it straight.

"Yes?" Nejire clentered her chest with her hand. "W-Well... Question two. How far did you go with her?''

"We didn't do much except kiss and sleep together," Blake explained in a moderate statement.

Nejire's hands tightened on her chest. There was something wrong with her, as she thought. Or why...

Why else would she want to be with Blake even after those words?

"Blake..." A tear fell on the bed. One, two, three, four, continued like this, and the tears continued to fall into bed one after the other.

"Is there something wrong with me, Blake?" She asked in a fragile, shaky voice. Her tone was like that of a timid gazelle.

"Nejire...'' Blake threw everything aside and took the girl in his arms. He rested her head on his chest, placed his hands on her hips, and lifted Nejire, and held her in his arms. Then he reached for the bed and arranged for Nejire to lie right on his chest.

"Nejire, talk to me. What's the matter?'' He started rubbing her trembling back lightly, stroking her sea snail-colored hair.

"Blake... despite all the words... I want to be with you, but I don't want to share you, and I don't want you to be with another woman. What am I going to do?'' It was the biggest dilemma in Nejire's life.

Nejire was not stupid and was not inexperienced at all. She was more experienced than most adults, but this was the first time she had a dilemma like this. Her delicate, pure heart couldn't take it any longer and it decided to take shelter in her most trusted being, Blake.

Blake had become as valuable as her family in their three-year relationship.

I understand you, babe. But I cannot give you the answer to that. Only you can give." He rubbed Nejire's hair, her hair follicles, and quickly kissed her on the head.

"But I can only help you."

Nejire lifted his head. Her two tear-dropped, gemstone-like eyes begged Blake for a way out.

''I can help you clear up some of your apprehensions, or at least my guesses. First of all…" He wiped the corner of her eyes with her thumb and explained.

"No matter how many women I have, my love for you will never diminish from now on or I will not forget you for others."

Nejire looked Blake in the eye. She was sure he wasn't lying, she could have signed off that Blake wasn't lying.

''Whenever you want, wherever you want, whatever happens, I will be there."

She knew this would happen. He was there even when she needed him the most when she nearly died. Although she didn't remember exactly, she knew that white light was Blake.

"Whether you're bad or good, against the world, or try to carry the world on your shoulders. I will shoulder the burden for you and try to achieve what you dreamed of."

"You can be the enemy of mankind, rejected by the world and people, abandoned. You might want to kill someone or you might want to commit genocide, you could be a villain. I'll be right there with you."

Her heart was pouring out of her chest. She didn't expect to hear words like that, and it made her happier than she thought. Blake cared about her more than she thought and could imagine, and he was willing to do more for her than she thought.

Was he honest? Yes. How did she know? She didn't know, but she was 100% sure of it. She trusted Blake with all her heart.

Well, after all these words, what was left holding her? After Blake's words that not only dissipated her confusion but also clarified and brightened the emotions in her heart, she could no longer contain the absurd thoughts she had just made.

"I'm ready to get blood on my hands for you. Nejire, my Nejire, will you please come back to me?'' Blake raised her chin with his finger and made her look into his eyes. He took Nejire to himself, their lips close to each other, but he didn't take the final step. He waited for the other side to take the final step.

"Yes. Please let me be your Nejire." Nejire pushed herself forward and kissed Blake on the lips.

Their kiss was completely different from the previous time. İt had a great passion for it. They gave their hearts to this kiss and connected their hearts. The passion was palpable. It alone had changed the atmosphere.

And so, not only did Nejire and Blake get along, but they formed an indestructible bond.