In The Academy As Sukuna

Ch 25 - Happy Birthday: The Masks we Wear

"People wear masks to hide their true selves. The truth often being too painful to reveal"

(POV: Ryomen Sukuna)

A flickering candlelight cast shadows on the decorated round dining table.

Across from me was sitting Anne, her lustrous black hair falling down her shoulders. Her smile was genuine and bright.

Evon's gaze darted uncertainly between me, Anne, and the untouched plate of food in front of him.

My parent were seated beside me, my mother teasing my father about a mishap in the past.

Laughter filled the air, a contrast to the usual peaceful silence in the mansion.

Maids darted around the room, filling up glasses and cleaning up plates. Though, their usual indifferent expressions were replaced with little smiles.

"So, Sukuna," my mother said, her voice cheerful as she looked at me. "How does it feel to be another year older?"

I chuckled. "Same as yesterday, I suppose." I leaned forward, a mischievous glint in my eyes. "The cake makes the celebration worthwhile."

Anne's cheeks flushed a rosy pink. My parents, noticing this, glanced at each other and smirked.

"Speaking of the cake," Anne said, "are you going to tell us the wish before blowing out the candles?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Is that a requirement now?"

My mother interjected. "It's considered good luck, take it as a tradition."

I glanced at the cake, then back at the expectant faces of everyone.

The truth is, I don't have any grand desires. Power? I have enough of it already. Fame? It doesn't appeal me. Same goes for women.

My life was...really satisfactory.

But something inside me felt empty. I didn't have a purpose.

I was pursuing strength for the sake becoming stronger.

I was making allies for the sake of having more support.

I didn't have a concrete goal in mind, a destination to work towards.

I sighed, the expectant faces of these people almost made me feel guilt for what I was going to say.

"Let's save the wish for a more..." I said, my voice low. "appropriate occasion."

A disappointed groan escaped Anne, she leaned back into her chair.

She would be delusional if she thought I'd say something like "I wish for you Anne!" Not in a million years.

Evon let out a relieved breath, did he expect the same thing?

My parents, however, felt that something was wrong. They looked at each other and glanced at me worriedly.

The party continued, filled with stories from my childhood, shared by Anne and Evon with varying degrees of accuracy.

Old photos were shown, amused comments and nostalgic sighs escaping our lips.

For the first time in a long time, I felt a connection, a sense of belonging I hadn't realized I craved.

I realized that ever since I woke up in this world, I had not connected with too many people, I felt as if I was an...imposter.

.

The party had just ended, me, Evon, and Anne were sitting in the garden, talking about our past.

"I'd say it was the time we tried to catch that stray cat," Anne said, answering a question Evon asked, her tone cheerful and eyes glinting with mischief.