Chapter 153:Are you really okay?
Silver read the message twice as he left the hotel gym.
*Come back to the room.*
That was all it said; they had been joined at the hip for so long that they rarely even had to use their phone to talk to each other.
He smiled to himself.
’She’s being mysterious.’
As he walked through the hotel corridor, however, the small worry from earlier returned. Ravenna had insisted she was fine. She had smiled and even laughed when he’d asked if she was disappointed about his promotion.
Still... he couldn’t completely shake the feeling that something might be bothering her. Maybe she had simply hidden it well.
The thought lingered in the back of his mind as he reached their room. He slipped the keycard into the lock.
The door clicked open.
"...Ravenna?"
The curtains were partially drawn, and the room was quieter than usual. He stepped inside. The moment the door closed behind him...
"Congratulations!"
Silver jumped. He turned toward the voice. Ravenna stood beside the small table near the window, smiling brightly.
In front of her sat a neatly decorated cake. Across the top, written in careful white icing, were the words:
Congratulations on reaching Rank Two, Silver!
The table was covered with dishes. Almost every meal he had ordered repeatedly since arriving in Delta Four. For several long seconds... Silver simply stared, his mind going completely blank.
"You..."
He looked from the cake, then to the food, then back to Ravenna.
"...You did all this?"
She nodded, looking almost excited to see his reaction.
"I thought reaching Rank Two deserved a proper celebration."
Silver’s gaze slowly drifted back to the cake, then everything suddenly made sense. She’d been planning this. A laugh escaped him because of how completely wrong he’d been.
"I thought..." He rubbed the back of his neck. "...I actually really thought you were feeling down because I ranked up first."
Ravenna blinked, then covered her mouth as she laughed.
"You really believed that?"
"...I did."
"Oh, Silver."
She shook her head, still smiling.
"I told you this morning."
"I know."
"I just..."
He looked down at the floor with an embarrassed smile.
"...Couldn’t stop worrying."
Ravenna walked over until she stood directly in front of him.
"Look at me."
He did.
She smiled warmly.
"I am proud of you."
There wasn’t even the slightest hesitation in her voice.
"I watched how hard you trained. I watched you keep using Space Slash yesterday, even before then... you’ve been my rock and risked your life multiple times to make sure we were okay while also being in an advantageous position... only someone insecure would complain about your success."
"You earned this."
Silver felt something tighten in his chest. He hadn’t realized how much he’d been carrying that unnecessary worry until this moment.
A quiet laugh escaped him.
"I really am an idiot sometimes."
"A little."
She reached up and gently brushed an imaginary speck of dust from his cheek.
"But you’re my idiot."
Silver couldn’t help laughing.
"I’ll take that."
Ravenna stepped back toward the table.
"Come on before the food gets cold."
Silver slowly walked over. The closer he came, the more details he noticed. The plates had already been arranged, cutlery placed neatly beside them, and even the cake had tiny white decorations around its edges.
"You bought this?"
"I did."
"When?"
"This morning."
"While I was at the gym?"
She nodded proudly.
"I found a bakery."
Silver looked at the message written across the cake again. For some reason, his vision blurred slightly.
He blinked.
"...Silver?"
He quickly looked away and rubbed one eye.
"I’m fine."
Ravenna tilted her head.
"Are you crying?"
He laughed quietly.
"...Maybe a little."
She looked surprised.
"I didn’t mean to make you cry."
"You didn’t."
He smiled.
"It’s just..." He searched for the right words. "No one’s ever celebrated something like this for me before."
The room became quiet. Ravenna looked at him softly.
"Really?"
Silver nodded.
"My parents were old-fashioned. They would’ve been happy but..." He smiled. "...Not like this."
Ravenna stepped closer again.
"I’m glad."
He looked at her.
"Why?"
"Because that means I got to be the first."
Silver laughed through the lingering emotion.
"You did, and I won’t forget it."
Ravenna smiled.
"Good."
She picked up the cake knife and carefully offered it to him.
"Then there’s only one thing left."
Silver accepted it.
"...Cut the cake?"
She nodded.
"You reached Rank Two; it’s your celebration."
He looked down at the cake once more. The simple message written across the top somehow meant more to him than he could explain.
He glanced at Ravenna.
"You should help."
"We’ll cut it together."
Her smile grew even brighter.
"Alright."
She stepped beside him. Their hands rested together on the handle of the knife.
"Ready?"
Silver nodded.
"Ready."
Together, they lowered the blade through the center of the cake. The first slice came away neatly. Ravenna carefully placed it onto a plate before handing it to him.
"Congratulations."
Silver accepted it with a smile.
"Thank you."
She served herself another slice before both of them finally sat down. The room filled with comfortable conversation as they enjoyed lunch together.
Silver couldn’t stop complimenting the food.
"You ordered everything I like."
"I noticed. You always choose the steak, and you never leave any potatoes."
Silver laughed.
"...Have I really become that predictable?"
"A little."
"I’m learning your habits."
"I guess I can’t argue with that."
After finishing the meal, they returned to the cake. Silver took another bite before looking toward Ravenna.
"...Can I ask you something?"
She nodded.
"Of course."
"You really are alright?"
The question came much more quietly this time, because he genuinely wanted to know.
Ravenna smiled.
"I wondered when you’d ask again."
"You knew?"
"I know you."
She folded her hands on the table.
"Silver. Stop the insistent worry. What kind of insecure people did you surround yourself with to make you put your success down like that?" She tapped her chest lightly. " Your rankings up doesn’t discourage me even the slightest bit."
She looked directly into his eyes.
"If anything... It motivates me."
Silver listened quietly.
"I’ve watched how much you’ve improved, and I’ve improved too. You just wait, I’ll beat you to Rank 3 next time."
There wasn’t an ounce of envy in her expression. Silver slowly nodded. He finally believed her.
A smile spread across his face.
"I’ll be waiting."
She laughed softly.
"Don’t get too comfortable."
"I won’t."
The two of them remained by the window for a long while afterward, finishing the last of the cake as the afternoon sunlight streamed into the room.
For Silver, reaching Rank Two had been a milestone but somehow... The celebration waiting for him when he returned felt even more memorable than the promotion itself.