The audience gazed on in stunned awe as Lily's fingers tenderly entwined with Rio's, their eyes brimming with affection. They silently communicated with each other in a way that didn't require telepathy or a proper conversation; they could just read each other's thoughts by looking into one another's eyes.
With a gentle tug, the reunited couple disappeared from the arena, leaving the onlookers to their thoughts and speculations. It became apparent that they sought a private space, away from prying eyes.
Lily, who once had a good motive for winning, found her priorities shifted as she found the boy who had been the crucial reason behind her ultimate goal.
With Rio by her side, she felt as though she had regained her heaven again. What more could she desire now that she had found her heart's true home?
Nyla watched the scene with a supportive gaze as Rio and Layla left the stadium together.
Meanwhile, Rose appeared surprised by the ongoing events. She had heard from her mother about the plans for her sister Lily to marry Rio, but Rose also knew that Lily had been reluctant to accept the arrangement.
The little imp understood very well that her older sister had feelings for someone else. As everything unfolded before her, Rose began to piece together the possibility that Rio might be the very person her older sister had secretly cherished.
As these events unfolded, the internet became divided into two factions: one supporting Rio and Nyla's story, and the other favoring Rio and Lily's tale.
Discussions revolved around how Rio had been the childhood sweetheart of both girls and how they had grown up together before tragedy caused their separation.
Although some of these stories contained a grain of truth, most were merely gossip created to entertain the public and fuel speculation.
Watching everything on TV, Aliyah felt joyous for her children. She hadn't expected such a reaction from Lily and Rio upon coming face to face, but she could see that their bond ran deeper than she initially believed.
Aliyah even suspected that the two of them might have been secretly dating behind her back, although she couldn't be certain. Second Mother also began to doubt whether Lily had known Rio even before she had adopted him, but this remained a mere guess.
The happenings in the outside world held little significance for the lovebirds of our story. At that moment, they were preoccupied with one another.
Layla skillfully drove the car through the streets, her serene face focused on the road ahead, while Rio couldn't help but gaze at her, savoring the sight he had missed for almost a year.
Finally, Layla brought the car to a stop in front of a familiar-looking triplex building.
As the engine quieted, she turned to the boy, her soft smile lighting up her tranquil face. "Do you remember this place?" she asked.
Rio's gaze shifted from her to the building, his eyes glinting with surprise as recognition dawned on him.
This was the very building he had once rented and lived in before being adopted into the Havenglow family. Overwhelmed by surprise and nostalgia, he could only stare at the structure before him and then look at Layla with puzzlement.
The girl gracefully stepped out of the car and walked around to Rio's side, opening the door for him.
She gently took his hand, urging him to join her outside. "We need to go inside, Rio," she said, her voice filled with affection that could be felt with every word.
Rio didn't show any resistance as they intertwined their arms, walking towards the building like a couple.
Layla's heart brimmed with happiness, and she couldn't help but steal glances at the boy, only to find him gazing at her just as intently.
Hand in hand, they ascended to the second floor, their hearts synchronized in a dance of love and their souls entwined as though fate had woven them together in an eternal bond.
Arriving at a familiar door on the second floor, Layla pulled out a small key card and input a six-digit code into the door's electronic lock. With a quiet beep, the door unlocked, revealing the room beyond.
Together, Rio and Layla crossed the door's threshold, entering the space that held memories of their shared past.
As Rio's gaze swept across the space, he was struck by how everything appeared to be in the same place as it had been when he lived there. A sense of familiarity and comfort washed over him, warming his heart.
However, as his eyes continued to roam, he noticed something new: a personal portal capsule nestled in the corner of the room. This addition seemed to be an upgrade from the one he had in his own place at the Golden Seal military school's apartment, its sleek design hinting at its superior manufacture.
Drawn to curiosity, he went to further explore the room, Rio wandered into the bedroom. To his amazement, the same bed and bedsheet greeted him, just as he had left it. It was as if time had stood still, preserving this space just for them.
Turning around, his eyes landed on the familiar cupboard. He walked towards it, curiosity guiding his steps. Pulling the doors open, he found his old clothes neatly folded and impeccably maintained.
But as his gaze shifted, he noticed something unexpected: on the other half of the cupboard, there were girls' clothes.
The sight of the feminine garments intermingled with his own belongings stirred a mixture of emotions within him, hinting at something that he didn't expect.
As he turned to Layla, his eyes brimming with questions, he asked, "Have you been living here?"
"We'll get to that later, my precious" Layla replied, her tone gentle yet mysterious. "There's something important we need to do first." She beckoned him to follow her to the hall.
"Sit down there, Rio" she motioned to the blue couch, and the boy obliged without hesitation.
He watched as Layla retrieved a black scarf from the cupboard and approached him, intending to blindfold him.
"Hey, are you planning to handcuff me too?" Rio teased, recalling similar scenes from movies where lovers shared intimate moments.
"Maybe I should?" Layla retorted playfully, a glint of mischief in her eyes.
Rio focused intently, trying to discern Layla's movements as everything was black after getting blindfolded. He heard her move towards the kitchen, the sound of the refrigerator door opening and closing, and the rustle of something being retrieved.
Her footsteps drew near, stopping directly in front of him. He could sense her holding her breath as she placed something on the table before him.
"Alright, you can take off the blindfold now," Layla announced, her serene voice filled with love.
"What is it?" Rio inquired, curiosity piqued, as he removed the scarf from his eyes. His eyebrows shot up in surprise at the sight before him.
A tender, a love-filled voice resonated beside him as she said, "Happy Birthday, Rio."
In a twist of fate or perhaps a mere coincidence, the day they had been torn apart was on Rio's sixteenth birthday.
Now, as if Heaven itself conspired to reunite them, they found each other once more on the very same day, his seventeenth birthday.
That one year apart, though filled with amnesia, heartache, and longing, had transformed Rio's life entirely.
It had allowed him to grow and evolve in ways he had never imagined. He couldn't help but wonder if he would have experienced the same growth and development had their lives not taken such an unexpected turn.
Should he express gratitude to the heavens for the opportunity to meet Lia, or should he curse the gods for separating him from Layla? Would Lia have perished if he hadn't married her?
Rio found himself grappling with these questions, unable to discern the answers. However, one thing was clear to him at this moment: oftentimes, life's twists and turns lead to a destiny far grander than we could ever imagine.
As he heard Layla's heartfelt birthday wish, Rio's heart filled with warmth.
He gently pulled her into his lap and asked softly, "How did you even have a cake with you?"
Layla replied with a gentle, heartfelt tone, "Do I need to be physically with my love to celebrate his birthday? Even if we had never met again, I would have celebrated your birthday every year as if it were my own... I was prepared to wait for you, embracing our love for all eternity. But, by some miraculous grace, the higher powers allowed me to be with you on this special day, just as we have cherished these moments together in the past few years."
Hearing her answer, Rio was deeply moved. Layla had bought the cake in the morning, planning to celebrate his birthday alone after finishing the day's battle. However, fate intervened, and they were able to celebrate it together.
Rio's eyes sparkled invitingly as he asked Layla to join him in blowing out the single candle that flickered at the center of the cake.
As they both leaned in, their warm breaths mingled, extinguishing the candle's flame together.
Next, Rio picked up the small knife that lay beside the table, his hand outstretched, waiting for Layla to place her delicate fingers upon it. Side by side, their hands united, they cut the cake as one.
====////====
[SnowNote]
This was the plan all along, as you can see from the ARC/Volume name, "Happy Birthday."
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I'll add the important character images on the:
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