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Silence fell over the table again. No one was in a hurry to continue the conversation. Only the soft clink of cutlery and the soft crackling of a candle could be heard.

Yui continued to eat calmly, as if nothing unusual had happened. She didn't ask any questions, didn't look in your direction, and didn't try to start a conversation. Over the years, a multitude of questions had accumulated in her head, but now she didn't want to voice any of them. Where were you? Why did you leave? Why didn't you ever call? Why didn't you even come for your birthday? All these questions remained unspoken.

Her cold indifference hurt more than any scream. But after fourteen years of her mother's absence, it was hard to expect anything else. To Yuya, you were practically a stranger—a person she knew only from old photographs and the bank card where money arrived every month.

Mikey watched you both silently, his gaze flickering between his daughter and you. He didn't intervene, knowing no words could undo the past. Only one thought swirled through his head: what were you to each other now? Ex-spouses? Still husband and wife? Or just two people connected only by their daughter?

He slowly reached for the sake bottle, poured some into a glass, and twirled it thoughtfully in his fingers. He still couldn't bring himself to take the first sip.