Sweet Devil [BL]

Chapter 88. A Bunch of Birthday Gifts (Part 1)

While Masha was busy playing board games with her friends and her father, who was still a klutz and got his ass kicked by the children without understanding why and how it happened, Misha and Yuki prepared dinner and set the table. Although Masha urged them to get out of the kitchen and keep her company, saying they could order takeout, they both refused. They had planned the meal they would cook days ago and bought everything necessary to make it, so they couldn't exactly let the ingredients go to waste.

And once the delicious smell wafted out of the kitchen, Masha had to admit it whetted her appetite so much more than any takeout could ever do. It even distracted her for a second, and she made a mistake that cost her greatly in the game she was currently playing; she tossed out the wrong cards. It wasn't because it was her birthday that Gabriel would go easy on her, and he took the opportunity to steal the said cards, not allowing her to take them back after realizing her mistake.

But before Masha could complain, accusing him of being a heartless man and whatnot, Misha and Yuki called them over, announcing that dinner was ready. Everyone dropped what they were doing and eagerly moved to the kitchen. When they saw the sumptuous meal worthy of a banquet, they couldn't help but salivate, their eyes slightly growing wide in anticipation.

What could they say? Today, their cooks outdid themselves.

Because Masha was a seafood lover, Misha and Yuki turned their attention to Asian recipes when planning out the meal. After deliberating, they decided to make different dishes, which they then displayed on small plates before lining them up on the table. Everyone could serve themselves however they wanted, a bit like a Chinese buffet.

Yuki had learned a few dishes from her Japanese mother, who loved to cook. She had the bad habit of "borrowing" her daughter to help her in the kitchen whenever she was free. And as a direct result of helping her mother cook since her teenage days, the nurse's cooking skills were excellent, not to say marvelous.

Because Misha was used to Western cooking and seldom tried his hand at Asian recipes, he wasn't very confident in preparing today's dinner. Thus, he took on the helper role, dutifully following Yuki's instructions to the letter. With those two great cooks cooperating, let's say that the result of today's meal couldn't be any better.

Masha felt like she was at a restaurant, making her smile.

Since her accident a few months ago, she hadn't been out often, preferring to stay home. She didn't like the curious stares indiscreet passersby cast at her, nor did she like the pity she sometimes could see shining in their eyes. It always made her uncomfortable, and she felt like she had become something akin to a zoo animal. Although Masha knew she'd have to get used to it one day or another, she still wanted to avoid those kinds of gazes for the time being.

Right now, she still wasn't strong enough to face them. She first had to come to terms with her new physical condition, accepting that she would never be the same as before. And to make matters worse, the breakup with Camille had shattered the little confidence she had managed to gain back. That had a huge impact on her self-esteem, though she would never admit it aloud.

And when Masha attended her grandmother's funeral over a month ago, she heard the child of a relative ask her mother why her legs were so weird. Because her knees had been shattered beyond repair, the doctors did many surgeries to put them back together, leaving a lot of scars in their wake. Despite their efforts, the knees were now bent at an odd angle, deforming her legs, but it was better than nothing as they nearly had to cut her legs below the knees. The injuries had been that severe, and the fact that her legs were still whole was almost a miracle.

But even so, hearing that child's innocent question had made her feel self-conscientious, and Masha regretted wearing a dress that reached the middle of her thighs. However, it was the only black clothing she had to attend a funeral, and at the time, she didn't think someone would comment on the state of her legs. Even if the child's mother apologized on her son's behalf, the harm was already done. Since then, she started to wear long dresses to hide her "weird" legs.