The Binding Vow of Lazarus

Chapter 74

He pouted with maximum volume. "But wouldn't it be okay if—"

"Do not." Rin's eyes narrowed. "I will shove your face into that punch bowl and make it look like an accident."

Satoru crossed his arms and huffed, but he stayed where he was. For now.

"Coming through! Big cake! Bigger liability!" Boe called as she bustled in, holding an elaborate two-tiered cake in a box.

Suguru followed behind her, arms half-raised in surrender as she scolded him already.

"You didn't tell me this thing was so big," she hissed, "What the hell, man?"

Suguru helped her set it down on the table set at the side of the room. "It's also to celebrate getting us all back together," he said, grinning shamelessly as he stole a berry off the side of the cake.

Boe slapped his hand away with a smirk. "Don't test me. I brought the sharp spatula."

Satoru and Rin both watched the exchange in silence.

Suguru was smiling like a kid caught red-handed, and Boe was fussing at him like it was the most natural thing in the world. Their rhythm was easy, practiced. Familiar in that domestic, "We're together but we'd never say that" kind of way.

Rin slowly looked over at Satoru. He slowly looked at her.

Then, at the same time:

"...Oh."

Satoru blinked, the corner of his mouth twitching up into a little smile. "Huh."

Rin gave his shirt another warning tug.

He let out a long breath and turned his gaze back to Sarah. She still hadn't noticed him yet. She was laughing at something Haibara had said.

Satoru waited as long as he could. And by "waited," he meant "counted to ten while bouncing on the balls of his feet like a socially inept jackhammer." But eventually he peeled away from Rin with a lopsided grin and a mumbled, "Just saying hi! Like a normal person!"

He weaved through the party and zeroed in on her until he sidled up beside her with the same swagger he'd had since they were sixteen. "Fancy seeing you here."

She turned, a little surprised, and then lit up.

"Happy birthday, Gojo!" she said with a genuine smile, and for a split second he was ten feet tall.

She looked like she was about to hug him—her arms shifted slightly, her weight leaning forward—and yes, yes, yes, here it comes—

But then Haibara's hand came down gently but deliberately on her arm, pulling her just an inch back.

"Happy birthday," he said through a smile that had all the warmth of a wet sock.

Satoru's smile tensed. His first instinct was to give him a little sass, but instead he smoothed his smile and said, "Thanks, you two!"

Sarah tilted her head toward him. "How've you been?" she asked. "Sorry I haven't really had the chance to text or call you lately. Things have been crazy busy."

He nodded. "Totally get it. Same here—just all wrapped up in stuff lately. But I'm really glad to see you."

It was sincere. Too sincere. He hated how sincere it came out. Like his mouth forgot how to lie.

"We just finally finished unpacking our stuff," Haibara added with a friendly, not-friendly smile. The sentence landed like a hammer. It wasn't just a fact—it was a declaration. A flag planted in sacred territory.