The Assassin In Twisted Wonderland

A Birthday Gift for Jade

Tokaku was inside her room, contemplating something. Tomorrow, on the fifth of November, marks Jade and Floyd's birthday. The preparations have already been arranged, the lounge has been decorated, and the menu for the day has been planned. The only thing left on the list are the presents for the birthday twins. However, the assassin girl is having a difficult time thinking of presents for each of the Leech twins because this is her first time deciding to gift a present to someone on their birthday. Regrettably, she asked Floyd what present he would like for himself and his twin's birthday.

Floyd hummed before answering. "I would like a pair of the newest trend of shoes on the market."

And as she suspected, Floyd never tires of wanting a new pair of shoes. Fortunately, Sam's Mystery Shop has a prompt delivery service, faster than one can say "The package will be arriving tomorrow." When Tokaku asked for a gift that Jade would love to receive, Floyd pondered for a moment. "Beats me." He shrugged.

"Beats you? What do you mean? I thought you knew what Jade likes since you both are twin brothers," Tokaku inquired.

"Because I know Jade as my twin, I don't believe there is a gift he would love to have on our birthday. He is a guy who accepts any presents from people, and he's not as picky as I am. The only things he loves are terrariums, but he already has a lot of them on his shelf," Floyd explained.

Hearing this, Tokaku sighed. She could find a birthday present for Floyd, but for Jade, she and his twin had no clue about what he would like as his birthday gift. If she knew him well, she would plan to give him something special and valuable as a gesture of gratitude for being a supportive vice house warden and a caring individual to her.

With the weight of not being able to find a present for Jade, Tokaku decided to relieve her mind by taking a stroll around the campus. The breeze was refreshing outside. The streets and the ground were covered with colorful leaves in shades of brown and yellow, a clear sign that autumn had arrived, before the trees would be left bare and the scenery painted white by snow.

Walking while enjoying the autumn breeze always calmed her mind, allowing her to think and resolve her problems slowly. With the breeze accompanying her in the peaceful evening, Tokaku reminisced about the time when she and Jade once walked on the same street she was currently walking on. They were strolling together, enjoying their break from working at the Mostro Lounge on a Saturday afternoon. Jade started the conversation by asking Tokaku what she usually did when she had a break in her world.

Tokaku told him that she usually went out for a run in the assassin training facility during breaks. She described the sensation of her hair fluttering in the breeze, the sweat dripping from her face, and the view of the sea beyond the stone gate behind the assassin training area. Sometimes, she dared to jump over the gate and hurried to the beach by the blue sea. And she was never caught, since she only did this when the night darkened the sky. Tokaku truly was like a rabbit, pretending to be stoppable, yet running wildly.

Jade chuckled upon hearing her story, though he was confused as to why she would run towards the sea.

Tokaku answered his question, explaining that the sea is a place where she can reflect on the past. Its deep waters can make one feel as though they could drown themselves. It's a place where the mind becomes blank as one's head dips below the water. The body becomes numb, feeling the weight of gravity pulling towards the depths of the sea. For the assassin girl, it is a serene feeling that she enjoys the most.

Jade listened, smiling slightly without expressing his sympathy for the girl, as he knew it might seem rude. He turned to enjoy the autumn evening and then thought of something. "I don't know why, but I think I would like to go camping at the lake behind the campus at this time. It could become a remarkable memory if we camp amidst this breathtaking scenery," he suggested.

Returning to the present, when Tokaku recalled what Jade had said, suddenly, an idea struck her. Finally, she had a birthday present for Jade.

During Jade and Floyd's birthday, the Octavinelle lounge was crowded not by customers or visitors but by guests who came to celebrate the twins. It was a merry celebration. The twins were delighted, being congratulated on their birthday. They received many presents from their fellow peers, as well as their dorm mates, some of whom were obliged to do so.

During the birthday party, the twins enjoyed the precious moment. Tokaku was there to congratulate the twins on their birthday. The twins were pleased, particularly Jade, as his crush was present to celebrate his birthday. Floyd, beside him, wore a smirk on his mischievous face as he realized that his brother was ecstatic to see his crush commemorating their anniversary. Tokaku did indeed fulfill her promise to Floyd by giving him the latest trendy shoes. Jade may have appeared unbothered, however, deep down in his heart, he felt envious when the girl presented a gift to his twin instead of him.

But his jealousy didn't last long when Tokaku brought him a piece of his birthday cake, and they engaged in conversation about their favorite subjects.

When the party came to an end, Jade searched for Tokaku in the lounge but noticed that she was absent. He tried asking Azul, and he replied that she had asked for permission to leave for an important matter she needed to resolve. Hearing about this important matter, Jade immediately speculated that she might be in trouble.

With these worrisome thoughts in his mind, Jade changed into his academy uniform and set off to locate the assassin girl. He scoured the campus but found no sign of her. Suddenly, he felt his phone vibrating inside his trousers pocket. When he turned on his phone, he received a message from Tokaku.

"Sorry for leaving immediately after the party. If you're looking for me, I am at the lake behind the woods."

After reading the message, Jade promptly made his way to the lake behind the woods. Upon arrival, the sophomore was taken aback to see two tents set up on the ground, with a blazing campfire in between them. Tokaku appeared before him, carrying firewood in her arms. Jade turned and saw her.

"Did you arrange all of this?" Jade inquired.

"It is your birthday gift. You're welcome," Tokaku replied, placing the firewood into the campfire.

"My birthday gift?" Jade reminisced.

Tokaku gazed at the dawn sky. "It is a serene evening during this impending winter time. You mentioned that you wanted to camp with me here, at this lake, amidst this breathtaking scenery."

Upon hearing that the girl remembered something he had said, Jade smiled. "Yes, I did."

That very evening, Jade and Tokaku camped together, enjoying the night breeze accompanied by the crackling sound of the campfire. They sat on the ground, conversing about the moment.

"This is the most wonderful gift I have ever received on my birthday. Thank you very much, Tokaku," Jade expressed.

"I did what I had to do to show my appreciation for your care towards me," Tokaku replied.

"Do you mean repaying my kindness?" Jade inquired.

Tokaku nodded. "You have helped me more than I can count. I owe you, Floyd, and Azul."

"I understand. You have truly changed now," Jade happily observed.

"It is because of you and my friends," Tokaku responded.

That night, Jade felt overjoyed that his birthday turned out to be the best one yet, as he had his first crush beside him, and she had given him a wonderful moment as his gift. Meanwhile, Tokaku was also elated, as she had been able to give Jade a present that he cherished, finally having the opportunity to reciprocate the care shown by the people she loved.

"Happy birthday, Jade Leech," she silently wished in her heart, a slight smile forming on her lips as she watched Jade gaze at the stars in the night sky.