The Strongest Brother Lost His Memory
Chapter 82

“Hey! What the hell!”

Zahid’s eyes widened in shock, and Fire barked after glancing at me.

“Woof woof woof!”

<Idiot! You too, idiot!>

I blinked in disbelief, still holding the cream bread in my hand.

“Woof woof woof woof woof!”

<Wait!>

Fire darted into the garden. A moment later, he came back carrying a twig barely the size of my finger.

“What the...?”

Zahid frowned.

“Woof woof woof woof woof!”

<Idiots! Idiots! Idiots!>

I stared blankly at the twig resting in front of Fire’s paw.

Then I let out an awkward chuckle.

“Haha... Fire, really, this is more than enough...”

“Woof woof woof woof woof woof!”

<Idiots! Idiots!>

Fire barked in frustration.

Then he bumped our arms, and both round cream breads fell to the ground.

He jabbed the twig right into the center of the stacked bread.

Now it looked exactly like a cake.

Even Zahid’s eyes widened now.

“You... no way...”

“Ah.”

Embarrassed, I fiddled with Zahid’s nametag and gave a small smile.

“I mean... this was already enough for me.”

“Woof woof woof woof! Woof woof!”

<Idiots! Idiots!>

While Fire barked furiously, Zahid blinked in disbelief and asked,

“Wait... is today your birthday?”

“Ah... yeah. It is.”

“No way...”

Zahid, looking dumbfounded, picked up the bottle of soda.

“Then why didn’t your grandpa or your brother say anything at the parent meeting?”

He looked so shocked his cheeks flushed red.

“If your birthday was this close, wouldn’t they be the type to show up with ten carriages packed with gifts?”

“Well, yeah.”

I laughed awkwardly.

“It’s just... neither of them knows my exact birthday.”

A brief silence followed.

Grandfather didn’t know my birthday—well, we hadn’t known each other for long anyway.

And the birthday recorded at the Temple was a few days off from my real one.

Julian had learned my real birthday because I told him before he lost his memory.

He must have forgotten it after the amnesia.

Normally, he would’ve celebrated my real birthday... but since he didn’t remember, I never brought it up.

Besides, it was my birthday during the Academy semester anyway.

Zahid suddenly stood up. He spoke in a rush.

“Wait here. I should at least get a cake, right?”

“Oh, it’s fine.”

I waved both hands quickly.

“Where would you even get one this late at night? And I already had cake—Assistant Yuta gave me some strawberry cake with the tea today.”

Of course, Zahid didn’t seem to be listening at all. He muttered seriously,

“Hmm, if I run to town and offer triple the price...”

“Stop.”

I pulled Zahid down and made him sit again.

Then I looked him straight in the eye and said slowly,

“I just... like being with you during this time. This nametag to commemorate it is more than enough to make me happy.”

Zahid’s face, which had been full of frustration, turned red again at the ears.

At that moment, Fire waved a paw once.

“Woof!”

<Idiots!>

And the twig stuck in the two cream breads lit up like a candle with a tiny flame.

Zahid and I both let out soft chuckles when we saw it.

A candle lit by a Divine Beast of Fire.

He’d controlled it so delicately that the tip of the twig glowed steadily, not burning up, shining with a soft, ethereal light.

The rings on our fingers reflected the flickering glow, shimmering faintly.

“I...”

I smiled gently, speaking sincerely.

“Really... this is enough. It’s more than I deserve.”

Zahid slowly opened and closed his eyes. A helpless smile spread across his lips.

“Zahid.”

With the tiny flame between us, I looked at him and said,

“Wish me a happy birthday.”

Zahid’s violet eyes quietly met mine.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

A soft breeze passed between us.

After a moment of silence, Zahid was the one to speak first.

“Rosie.”

His voice, still untouched by puberty, was clear.

“Just wait a little. I’ll give you a present.”

“I said I don’t need one. I just want to be with you ri—”

“We’re together right now, aren’t we?”

He downed the rest of his drink in one go.

Then dunked the bottle into the fountain to rinse it out.

“Zahid?”

I watched in a daze as Zahid plucked roses from the garden.

One, two, three... twelve.

Each time he tossed a rose into the air, Fire waved a paw.

And each time, the rose turned into a dried flower midair and landed softly into the bottle.

“...This is a little silly, but.”

The mass-produced soda bottle from the campus store now brimming with dried rose petals somehow looked new and special.

He handed it to me casually.

“Still, I tried to capture this moment.”

With slightly trembling hands, I accepted the bottle.

Fire gave a flick of his paw.

The nametag Zahid had given me earlier melted slightly and stuck to the bottle with a soft tap under a controlled flame.

Zahid grinned.

“Good thing it’s not midnight yet.”

Still standing before the softly glowing flame, he looked at me and said,

“Happy birthday.”

“Snf...”

My heart fluttered as I held the small bottle in my hands.

Just as I was about to blow the candle again, I inhaled deeply—

“Wait. Make a wish first.”

Zahid quickly cut in.

“It’s your birthday. Hurry.”

“...Okay.”

I clasped my hands together immediately.

Then closed my eyes.

After a moment’s thought, I suddenly opened them again.

“Zahid, is it okay to wish for two things?”

“Why are you asking me that?”

“So you don’t know either. Okay, I’m making two.”

Leaving Zahid’s dumbfounded expression untouched, I closed my eyes again.

Even with my eyes shut, I could feel the tiny light flickering.

I clasped my hands tight and prayed sincerely.

‘Please... please let my brother regain his memories.’

Then, after a deep breath, I made my second wish.

‘And someday, please let Zahid come to know everything too.’

I knew I was being greedy, but I couldn’t help it.

‘So that we can one day talk about how much this moment meant to us.’

Before the regression, I always waited for nights with a full moon.

Waited and waited... and Zahid always came.

"When we get out, I’ll never make you wait again."

That’s what he told me.

"I’ll always go ahead and wait for you—forever."

He had no reason to remember that night, but even now, Zahid always arrived at our meeting place first.

Arms crossed, legs folded, with a grumpy look—but he never made me wait.

As if... as if he remembered.

And every time, I couldn't help but hope.

That he’d remember the old us, like some kind of miracle.

That he’d stroke my cheek with a sad smile and say, “It must’ve been lonely, remembering everything by yourself.”

I slowly opened my eyes.

Zahid sat with his arms crossed, staring at me.

“How long is this wish, seriously? What kind of drama are you wishing for?”

“Oh. I wished our dumb bottom-rank fiancé would start remembering stuff.”

“...Just wait. I’ll beat your score in the graduation exams.”

I snorted at his response. Then whoosh, I blew out the flame resting on the twig.

“All right, give me your hand.”

I thrust mine out.

“Before we eat, let me transfer divine power. I want to thank you with at least that.”

Like every other night, Zahid naturally held out his hand.

I giggled while pouring divine power into him.

“This is probably the last time I’ll do this before we leave the Academy. But if you ever find yourself missing my divine power, call me. I’ll use that excuse to come visit.”

“....”

Even though I was openly clingy, Zahid didn’t say much. He just frowned a little.

After transferring all the power, I pulled my hand away—and he suddenly asked,

“Did something happen today?”

“Huh? Today?”

His violet eyes looked unusually serious. I hesitated, then answered honestly.

“I received an emotional birthday celebration where the Divine Beast did all the work and my fiancé took the credit...”

“...Not that.”

“I mean, nothing special comes to mind other than that. Why? Do I seem weird?”

“Ah.”

Zahid stared at my face for a while... then slowly shook his head.

“...It’s nothing.”

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