I woke up to a soft chime in my head.

[SYSTEM ALERT: Happy Birthday, Renji Sakamoto]

Age: 17 (Chronologically). Mentally? You're still that smug 50, No, 51-year-old bastard.

Enjoy the chaos that's coming today. All your women are plotting something, alongside your boys. Have fun surviving it.

"Yeah, yeah…" I muttered, running a hand through my hair. "You could've just said 'happy birthday,' y'know."

[And...Where's the fun in that?]

A lazy grin tugged at my lips as sunlight spilled through the blinds. It was May 15th, my so-called rebirth day.

And somehow, I could already feel the air carrying more tension than caffeine in Reina's coffee.

I grabbed my phone, half-expecting the usual spam from classmates.

Instead, my notifications looked… special.

Rika Shoku:

Happy birthday, Renji. You've grown so much… and I don't just mean your grades. I hope you're ready for a surprise later today. ❤️

I smirked. "Oh, I'm definitely ready, sensei."

Reina Hakari:

Happy birthday, brat. Don't think you're getting away without a 'special checkup' today. Bring that smile I like. 💋

I groaned, half in laughter. "That woman's gonna kill me one day."

Mayumi Takahara:

Happy birthday. Don't skip PE next week. That's your present. 😏

She really was hopeless at pretending she didn't care. I could almost hear her flustered tone between those few words.

Saki Hoshino:

Happy birthday, Renji. I'll see you later… maybe. 🌙

Short. Mysterious. Typical Saki.

By the time I finished reading, my system pinged again.

[New Passive Unlocked: "Charm Overflow"]

Your natural charisma slightly increases today. Be careful, emotions and attraction may escalate faster than usual.

"Great," I sighed, staring at the ceiling. "As if things weren't already volatile enough."

Still, I couldn't shake off the excitement bubbling under my chest.

Something about today felt alive, unpredictable, like every MILF in my orbit was moving toward the same point.

My birthday.

And I had a feeling none of them planned to play it safe.

The day rolled by lazily, the kind that felt calm on the surface but hummed with something brewing underneath.

Even at school, everyone acted weird.

Kai grinned like he knew a secret.

Aki kept dodging questions with that stiff, "You'll see later" tone.

And Rika-sensei, she couldn't even look at me straight without her cheeks coloring.

By lunch, I already knew something was up.

I caught Reina and Mayumi whispering near the staff room when I passed by.

The moment they noticed me, Reina gave a smirk sharp enough to cut glass.

"Go back to class, birthday boy."

"Suspicious," I muttered, narrowing my eyes. "Even for her."

When classes ended, I found myself wandering aimlessly down the quiet streets near the convenience store.

The sky was dipping into that lazy orange haze, kids running around with snacks, the hum of vending machines filling the silence.

That's when I saw her.

Saki.

Standing near the store window, staring at the row of drinks like she was trying to decode the meaning of life.

A soft breeze teased her hair, that faint, ghostly shimmer around her barely noticeable under the sunlight.

I walked up slowly. "You're stalking me, aren't you?"

She didn't flinch, just tilted her head with that faint, secret smile.

"If I say yes, will you arrest me?"

"Depends," I said, leaning on the wall beside her. "What's the charge?"

"Liking the same drink as you."

She held up a can of lemon soda — my favorite.

I chuckled. "You've been watching closely."

"Always have."

For a second, we just stood there, me, the reincarnated soldier pretending to be a teenager; her, the ghost-turned-teacher still learning how to live again.

The light hit her eyes just right, that mix of warmth and melancholy.

"You know," I said, "you look way too serious to be hanging out near a convenience store."

"And you look too calm for someone whose birthday is being plotted against."

"Wait....what?"

"Oh, nothing."

Her lips curved into a tiny, wicked grin.

"...You're all in on it, aren't you?"

"Maybe. Maybe not."

She stepped closer, voice soft. "Just… don't run off when it happens, okay?"

Her hand brushed mine, just enough to send a jolt through my chest, then she pulled back, grabbed her soda, and started walking away.

I stood there, watching her silhouette fade under the warm evening light, the system's chime echoing faintly in my head.

[Warning: Emotional surge detected.]

You're getting too attached, soldier.

I exhaled, smirking.

By the time Renji got home, the sky had already gone deep blue.

Streetlights flickered to life, painting long shadows on the walls of his quiet room.

He dropped his bag by the desk and stretched, cracking his neck.

"Finally," he muttered. "Silence."

But it didn't last long.

His phone buzzed.

Aki: Don't sleep yet. Be ready by 8.

Kai: Dress good. Not school-good. Party-good.

Rika-sensei: And Make sure you eat something light first. You'll thank me later.

Reina: And don't be late. Seriously.

Saki: :) just come.

Mayumi: We're Waiting.

Renji stared at the screen.

Five messages.

All within the same minute.

He whistled. "Damn… they coordinated this like a mission."

He glanced at the clock. 7:23 PM.

Curiosity clawed at his chest, but so did the faint thrum of anticipation.

[You're not actually going to walk into an ambush without backup, are you?]

"Relax," he murmured. "If they wanted to kill me, they'd pick a quieter night."

[Statistically, birthdays are high-risk events for—]

"System," Renji said dryly. "Shut up."

[Understood.]

Silence.

Except for the faint hum of the ceiling fan and his own heartbeat.

He took a quick shower, threw on a black shirt, fitted jeans, and his favorite sneakers.

His reflection in the mirror looked… different.

Older, sharper, more in control than the boy who first woke up in this world.

He smirked. "Guess I clean up alright."

Just as he grabbed his phone, it buzzed again.

Saki: Come to the school gym.

Renji blinked. "The gym? At night?"

He pocketed his phone, slipped on his jacket, and stepped outside.

The streets were quiet, only the soft hum of cicadas and the distant glow of the school building visible under the moonlight.

Each step echoed against the empty path, the air cool but charged with something, expectation, maybe.

When he reached the gate, he noticed the gym lights faintly glowing inside.

He walked closer.

Then stopped.

Through the small crack of the door, he could hear faint whispers… and giggles.

Kai's muffled voice. Rika's laugh. Someone shushing another person.

He sighed, smiling. "Alright, you sneaky bastards."

He pushed open the door.

The door creaked open, spilling a sliver of moonlight across the polished floor.

For a heartbeat, the gym was silent, too silent.

Then....

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RENJI!"

The lights burst on all at once.

Confetti rained from above.

Streamers hung from the basketball hoops.

And standing right in the middle of it all, his classmates, his friends, and four very familiar women trying way too hard to act casual.

Kai was the loudest, waving his arms like a maniac. "We actually got you, dude!"

Aki folded his arms, smirking. "He looked like he was about to draw a gun when he walked in."

Renji blinked, momentarily stunned. "What the hell—"

Rika stepped forward, smiling, holding a cake shaped like a training dumbbell.

"Happy birthday, Sakamoto. You didn't think we'd forget, did you?"

Reina, standing beside her with a warm grin, added, "You've done enough for everyone else. Tonight's about you."

Saki giggled softly near the lights, her eyes glowing under the soft hue. "You should've seen your face, Renji."

And from the corner of the gym, Mayumi appeared in her PE tracksuit, arms crossed but clearly amused. "You owe me for lending them the gym key, soldier."

Renji ran a hand through his hair, trying not to grin too wide. "You people are insane."

Kai patted his shoulder. "Insanely awesome, thank you very much."

Rika walked up to him with the cake. "Make a wish."

Renji raised a brow. "You sure? Last time I made one, I woke up sixteen again."

Laughter rippled through the room. Even Aki cracked a small smile.

He looked around, at the faces that had somehow become his circle.

At Rika's soft gaze. Reina's calm warmth.

Saki's quiet joy. Mayumi's teasing grin.

And his two brothers, Kai and Aki, standing like sentinels beside the chaos.

He took a breath, closed his eyes, and said softly, "Alright then."

Then he blew out the candles.

The cheers erupted, loud and full of life.

Music kicked in, a mix of pop and nostalgic old-school tracks.

Kai immediately grabbed a mic, pretending to be the DJ.

Aki rolled his eyes but joined in anyway.

Rika started passing out plates, Reina handled drinks, and Mayumi, well, Mayumi was trying to keep Kai from climbing the bleachers to "make a toast."

Renji just stood there, watching the madness unfold.

For a moment, the world felt… right.

[Observation: Emotional syncs across four active bonds — stable and harmonious.]

He smiled faintly. "Yeah. For once… it's not about control. It's just about being here."

Rika caught his gaze across the crowd, giving him a soft nod.

He nodded back.

The night had only just begun.

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