MIGHT AS WELL BE OP

"Vee, this birthday is different. You're turning twenty this year. Isn't that something of a milestone?" Anthony asked with a smile tugging at his lips.

"Please," Vega replied dismissively, her tone calm, her expression unbothered. "There are thousands, if not millions, of people turning twenty every single day. Nothing special about it. Age is just a number, you know."

Ordinarily, a girl her age would be brimming with excitement, already making preparations, planning parties, picking out dresses, gathering gifts, deciding on who to invite, perhaps even arranging a girl's night out on the eve of her birthday.

Later, as time passed and decades turned into centuries, that excitement would slowly wane as they grew older, perhaps more refined, until the ritual of celebrating birthdays became little more than a worldly, mortal-like tradition.

But Vega was unlike others. She did not care for any of it.

Even Anthony himself had experienced a birthday in the past, at most once in his life.

'I suppose she's different,' Anthony thought privately. 'Growing up without friends, with parents who could shatter galaxies with a mere gesture… of course her mindset would be unlike anyone else's. How could she be expected to treat something as ordinary as a birthday with reverence when her life was anything but ordinary?'

Yet, in his own way, Anthony was much the same. He too had little attachment to birthdays, though for reasons entirely different.

In his first life, things had been grimly practical. He had worked multiple jobs to survive, attended demanding classes, studied tirelessly for exams, and lived on the razor's edge of poverty. Even after graduation, when he managed to secure employment, the conditions of his life had hardly improved, his pay was meager, his expenses constant, and his social life nonexistent. He had no friends, no girlfriend, no one to celebrate with. Birthdays, therefore, had been meaningless. Tight budgets and an empty circle left no room for celebration.

So, in this sense, he understood Vega. Perhaps more than she herself realized.

Anthony was content with her perspective. He had no intention of trying to convince her otherwise, nor would he attempt to manufacture excitement where none existed. He would not throw a surprise birthday party, truth be told, even if he had wanted to, he lacked the means to organize one.

But just because he would not push her into caring about birthdays did not mean he would not prepare a gift. No matter what she said, he intended to present her with something meaningful. If she grew upset and accused him of disregarding her wishes, then so be it. He would mark it down as their very first couple's quarrel. In fact, perhaps he could turn that quarrel itself into something symbolic, an anniversary of sorts, a reminder of the day they shared their first disagreement, one that happened to fall on her birthday.

The idea amused him, and a faint chuckle escaped his lips.

'Love truly makes people do unexpected things,' he thought with a wry smile as he caressed Vega's hand gently in his own.

"What are you thinking about?" Vega asked suddenly, her sharp perception cutting through his amusement. "I can feel your emotions fluctuating all over the place." Her purple gaze shimmered faintly as it locked onto him.

Just as Anthony could sense the emotions of others through his All Seeing Eyes, Vega possessed ocular abilities that mirrored his own, making it impossible to hide such shifts from her.

"Nothing much," Anthony replied smoothly, forcing his smile to remain calm and controlled. "It's about tomorrow. Don't bother asking for details, it's a surprise."

"Look at you," Vega smirked, her voice dripping with amusement. "Trying to act all mysterious."

Anthony shook his head, choosing not to comment further, though the corner of his mouth betrayed him with a twitch.

Suddenly, a knock echoed against the chamber door, cutting through the gentle atmosphere that hung around them.

"Come in, Aunt Jenna," Vega called without turning her head.

The door slid open with near-soundless grace. Jenna entered with her usual composure, her strides elegant, her footsteps so light they did not produce even the faintest sound upon the polished floor. She came to a halt and bowed her head slightly.

"Young Mistress," she intoned respectfully, "your Father and Mother request your presence, and that of guest Anthony, in the living room below."

"Thank you, Aunt Jenna," Vega replied politely.

With a graceful bow, Jenna turned and exited, her presence leaving the room as quietly as it had entered.

"Sometimes I wonder why they send Aunt Jenna to summon me," Vega remarked with a faint sigh, rising from her seat. "They could just as easily call me using telepathy, or one of the dozen other methods available to them."

"Well… I doubt it's anything troublesome for Jenna," Anthony said as he too rose. "So why let it bother you?"

Vega gave no reply. Together, the pair moved toward the door, their forms slipping into the hallway with practiced ease.

'Are they finally going to tell her?' Anthony wondered as they walked. 'I wonder just how much they'll actually reveal.' He shook his head slightly, forcing the thought away. Speculation was meaningless; whatever happened would be beyond his control.

The hallway stretched before them, adorned with subtle patterns of ancient design carved into the walls, glowing faintly as though infused with mana itself. The silence of their footsteps mingled with the hum of the estate's vast energies until finally, they reached the ground floor.

Sliding the glass door aside with a smooth motion, Vega and Anthony stepped into the expansive living room.

"Hey, Mom. Hey, Dad," Vega greeted casually, her tone warm but unceremonious.

"Good afternoon, Amara. Klaus," Anthony added politely, inclining his head slightly.

Amara's golden eyes flicked toward her daughter, their brilliance soft yet penetrating. "You seem to glow brighter each time I see you, Vega," she said with a teasing smile. "Is this perhaps the effect of having a boyfriend?"

"Then you should be glowing the most, shouldn't you?" Vega shot back with a smirk, slipping easily onto the couch. Anthony followed, seating himself beside her in his usual calm manner.

"So," Klaus began, his voice carrying the warmth of paternal affection. "How does my baby girl feel about turning twenty?" His expression softened, the corners of his lips curved in a fatherly smile.

Vega leaned back slightly, her expression as calm as her tone. "If that's why you called me here, then you already know my answer. It's no different from any other year."

Amara and Klaus exchanged a glance, the faintest of nods passing between them in silent understanding.

"Well," Amara said at last, her tone shifting ever so slightly toward seriousness. "That's what we wanted to talk to you about, Vega. This year is going to be… somewhat different."

Vega arched an eyebrow, curiosity flickering in her gaze. "Different how? Are we going to explore another planet?" she asked half-jokingly.

Klaus shook his head, his smile fading into something more measured. "No. And stop with the questions. There's something important we need to explain. For now, just listen."

Something in his tone struck Vega as unusual. It wasn't harsh, nor was it sharp, it was gentle, but layered with weight, as though the air itself had shifted. She fell silent immediately, her instincts telling her this was no ordinary conversation.