The night before Furschia's birthday, Caelum couldn't sleep.
His bedroom was quiet except for the faint ticking of the clock on his wall. The digital numbers glowed softly in the darkness, slowly moving closer to midnight.
11:47 PM.
Caelum laid on his back, staring at the ceiling.
He had tried everything to fall asleep. He turned to his side. Then to the other side. He closed his eyes and counted numbers in his head.
But every time he tried to relax, the same thought returned.
Tomorrow is her birthday.
The thought alone made his chest tighten.
He sighed quietly and sat up in bed.
The room was dim, illuminated only by the moonlight filtering through his window. Outside, the neighborhood was calm and silent. A few distant streetlights cast faint orange glows across the empty road.
Caelum reached for his phone on the small table beside his bed.
The screen lit up his face.
11:48 PM.
Without thinking, he opened his gallery.
And there she was.
Furschia.
Photo after photo appeared on the screen.
Some were taken during class. Others during lunch break. A few were from moments in the hallway or the courtyard.
Each picture captured something simple.
Her smiling while talking to friends.
Her writing quietly in her notebook.
Her staring out the window while the afternoon sunlight touched her face.
Caelum scrolled slowly through the photos.
He had taken them over the past year and a half.
None of them were planned.
None of them were posed.
Just quiet moments he had captured without her knowing.
He stopped on one particular photo.
It was taken during lunch break under the big tree in the courtyard.
Furschia was laughing.
Her eyes slightly closed, her smile bright and effortless.
The sunlight filtered through the leaves above her, creating soft patches of light around her shoulders.
Caelum stared at the photo for a long moment.
Then he whispered softly to himself.
"Tomorrow is your birthday."
The words felt strange coming out loud.
He locked his phone and leaned back against the wall beside his bed.
His thoughts drifted.
For weeks now, he had been thinking about doing something.
Something small.
Something simple.
A gift.
Nothing expensive.
Nothing dramatic.
Just something to show that he remembered her birthday.
But every time he imagined giving it to her, his courage disappeared.
How could he?
They weren't even friends.
They had never had a real conversation.
Not once.
To her, Caelum was probably just another student in the class.
Someone whose name she might not even remember.
The idea of walking up to her and saying, "Happy birthday," felt terrifying.
He imagined it again.
Walking toward her desk.
Holding out the gift.
Her looking at him with confusion.
Why is he giving me this?
The thought alone made his stomach twist.
Caelum sighed again.
He rubbed his face with his hands.
"Maybe I shouldn't," he murmured quietly.
Maybe it would be weird.
Maybe she would feel uncomfortable.
Maybe her friends would look at him strangely.
Maybe he would embarrass himself.
Those thoughts had stopped him many times before.
Yet the idea of doing nothing made him feel worse.
He had known her birthday for months.
He had noticed it on a class list when their teacher mentioned birthdays during the semester.
Since then, the date had stayed in his mind.
And now it was finally here.
Or almost here.
He glanced back at his phone.
11:55 PM.
Only five minutes left until midnight.
Caelum stared at the clock as the seconds slowly passed.
11:56.
11:57.
11:58.
His heart beat slightly faster.
It felt strange to care so much about something that probably meant nothing to her.
But to him, it felt important.
11:59.
The final minute before midnight.
Caelum unlocked his phone again.
He opened his notes app.
For a moment, he hesitated.
Then he began typing.
"Happy birthday, Furschia."
He stared at the message.
It looked so simple.
Three words.
Yet even typing them made him nervous.
He sighed and deleted the message.
She would never see it anyway.
12:00 AM.
Her birthday had officially begun.
Caelum looked at the screen quietly.
"Happy birthday," he whispered softly.
The words disappeared into the quiet room.
The next morning, Caelum woke up earlier than usual.
Sunlight filtered through the curtains,
illuminating his room with a soft golden glow.
For a few seconds, he lay still, trying to remember why he had woken up feeling so restless.
Then he remembered.
Her birthday.
His chest tightened again.
He sat up quickly and reached for his phone.
7:02 AM.
School started at 7:45.
He still had time.
But his thoughts were already racing.
Today was the day.
The day he had been thinking about for weeks.
The day he had imagined countless times.
Would he give her something?
Or would he stay silent like always?
Caelum stood up and walked toward his desk.
On top of it was a small paper bag.
Inside was the gift.
He had bought it three days ago.
It wasn't expensive.
Just a small silver keychain shaped like a tiny camera.
When he saw it in the store, he immediately thought of her.
Actually, that wasn't entirely true.
He thought of photography.
And photography reminded him of her.
He picked up the small box from the bag.
His fingers traced the edge of the packaging.
It felt light.
Simple.
But to him, it carried so much meaning.
He imagined giving it to her again.
Her reaction.
Her expression.
Would she smile?
Would she be confused?
Would she politely accept it?
Or would she wonder why someone she barely knew was giving her a gift?
Caelum sighed.
The doubts returned again.
He placed the small box back inside the bag.
Then he sat down on the edge of his bed.
"Maybe I shouldn't," he muttered quietly.
But another thought quickly followed.
If you don't do it today, you never will.
That thought stayed in his mind longer than the others.
Because deep down, Caelum knew it was true.
He had already spent the first weeks of 8th grade silently admiring her.
Watching from afar.
Capturing moments through photos.
Never speaking.
Never approaching.
Always waiting for the "right time."
But the right time never came.
Maybe it never would.
Unless he created it himself.
Caelum looked at the bag again.
His heart started beating faster.
Today could be different.
Or it could end exactly like every other day.
With silence.
By the time Caelum arrived at school, his heart had been racing for nearly an hour.
Students filled the campus as usual.
Some gathered near the entrance talking loudly.
Others walked toward their classrooms while still finishing their breakfast snacks.
Everything looked normal.
But to Caelum, the entire world felt different.
Because today was her day.
He entered the classroom quietly.
Only a few students had arrived so far.
His eyes immediately searched the room.
But her seat was empty.
She wasn't there yet.
He felt both relieved and nervous at the same time.
Relieved because he still had time.
Nervous because eventually, she would walk through that door.
And when she did…
He would have to decide.
Would he give her the gift?
Or would he keep it hidden forever?
Caelum placed his bag beside his desk and sat down slowly.
Inside his backpack, the small paper bag waited silently.
Just like him.
Waiting for courage that might never come.
The night felt unusually quiet.
Caelum sat at his desk, the soft glow of his desk lamp lighting only half of his room while the rest remained dim and shadowed. Outside his window, the streetlights flickered faintly, and the distant sound of a passing motorcycle echoed through the neighborhood before fading away.
But Caelum wasn't paying attention to any of it.
His focus was on the small box resting in his hands.
It was light blue, tied carefully with a thin white ribbon that he had spent several minutes fixing earlier. The ribbon wasn't perfectly symmetrical, but it was the best he could manage.
Inside the box was a silver bracelet.
Simple.
Thin.
With a tiny star charm attached to it.
Caelum slowly turned the box over in his hands.
Tomorrow was Furschia's birthday.
Just thinking about it made his chest feel tight.
He leaned back in his chair and stared up at the ceiling.
"How am I even supposed to do this…?" he whispered quietly.
The room didn't answer.
Because the truth was simple.
Caelum and Furschia weren't close.
Not even a little.
They were in the same grade.
Sometimes even the same classroom.
But they had never had a real conversation before.
No greetings.
No casual talks.
No shared jokes.
To Furschia, Caelum was probably just another student in school.
Just another face in class.
But to Caelum…
Furschia was the reason his heart started beating faster every time he entered the classroom.
He glanced toward his camera sitting on the corner of his desk.
It was a small digital camera his parents had given him earlier that year because he had started showing interest in photography.
At first, Caelum had only used it to take pictures of random things—trees, clouds, school projects, and sometimes his friends Glenn and River doing something stupid.
But lately…
Most of the pictures on it had something in common.
Furschia.
Not intentionally.
Not exactly.
At least that's what Caelum kept telling himself.
Sometimes she just happened to be in the background.
Sometimes she appeared in group photos.
Sometimes she was laughing with her friends during class activities.
But every time he saw those photos later…
His chest felt warm.
He slowly reached over and turned the camera on.
The screen lit up.
One by one, he scrolled through the photos.
A class activity.
Students gathered around desks.
And there she was again.
Furschia, smiling as she talked to one of her friends.
Caelum paused on that photo.
He remembered the moment he took it.
He hadn't planned to capture her.
But when she smiled like that…
His finger had pressed the button without thinking.
Click.
A small moment frozen in time.
Caelum sighed softly and turned the camera off.
Then he looked at the small blue box again.
He had bought the bracelet earlier that afternoon.
His parents had taken him to the mall, and while walking past a small accessory stall, something had caught his eye.
The bracelet.
The tiny star charm.
For some reason, it reminded him of Furschia.
Maybe it was because she sometimes sat near the window in class, and the sunlight would reflect softly in her hair.
Like little sparks of light.
Before he could think too much about it…
He bought it.
And now here he was.
Holding a birthday gift for someone who barely knew him.
Caelum groaned softly and leaned forward, resting his forehead on the desk.
"What am I even doing…"
Giving the gift meant talking to her.
Actually walking up to her.
Actually saying her name.
And that thought alone made his stomach twist.
What if she thought it was weird?
What if she asked why he was giving it to her?
What if her friends were there?
Caelum covered his face with both hands.
He suddenly wished Glenn and River were there.
They would probably laugh at him.
But they would also probably tell him to stop overthinking everything.
He lowered his hands and looked at the gift again.
Tomorrow was her birthday.
And between now and then, Caelum had to make a decision.
Would he actually give it to her?
Or would the bracelet stay hidden forever?
Slowly, he placed the small blue box inside his school bag.
Then he turned off the desk lamp and climbed into bed.
The room became dark except for the faint moonlight shining through the window.
Caelum stared at the ceiling again.
His mind replayed every possible scenario.
Walking up to her.
Saying happy birthday.
Handing her the gift.
Or…
Turning around at the last second like he always did.
Eventually his eyes began to feel heavy.
But just before sleep finally took him, Caelum whispered something quietly into the darkness.
A small wish.
"Please… just let me be brave tomorrow."
The school hallways were loud that morning, just like every other day.
Students moved in groups, some rushing to their classrooms while others leaned against lockers, talking and laughing. The sound of footsteps, chatter, and lockers slamming blended together into the usual morning noise of middle school.
But Caelum barely noticed any of it.
His attention kept drifting to one thought.
Tomorrow is her birthday.
He adjusted the strap of his bag on his shoulder as he walked through the hallway.
Inside the bag, carefully hidden in one of the pockets, was a small light-blue box tied with a thin white ribbon.
The gift.
Just thinking about it made his chest feel tight.
Caelum had never given a gift to a girl before.
Especially not to someone like Furschia.
They weren't friends.
They barely even knew each other.
And yet somehow… he had bought her something.
"Hey."
An arm suddenly nudged his shoulder.
Caelum flinched slightly and turned his head.
Glenn was standing beside him with a curious look on his face.
Behind Glenn walked River, who looked half-awake as he lazily dragged his feet down the hallway.
"You look weird today," Glenn said.
Caelum blinked.
"What?"
Glenn pointed at him.
"That face."
River looked up.
"He does look nervous," River said calmly.
"I'm not nervous," Caelum replied quickly.
Glenn crossed his arms.
"Then why are you holding your bag like someone's about to steal it?"
Caelum froze for a split second.
River immediately noticed.
"…Oh."
Glenn looked between them.
"What?"
River tilted his head slightly.
"He's hiding something."
Glenn's eyes lit up.
"Wait."
He leaned closer to Caelum.
"…Are you carrying snacks?"
"No," Caelum said.
Glenn gasped dramatically.
"Homework you forgot to do?"
"No!"
River suddenly spoke again.
"Is it for Furschia?"
Caelum nearly tripped over his own feet.
Both Glenn and River stared at him.
His silence answered the question.
Glenn's mouth slowly opened.
"No way."
River looked amused.
"You bought her something."
Caelum immediately looked around to make sure no one else heard them.
"Lower your voices!"
Glenn grinned.
"You totally did!"
River nodded.
"That explains why you've been guarding your bag like it contains treasure."
Caelum sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.
"…It's just a small gift."
Glenn looked impressed.
"Man, you're brave."
Caelum stared at him.
"No, I'm not."
River raised an eyebrow.
"Then why did you buy it?"
Caelum hesitated.
He didn't really know how to explain it.
A few days ago, he had been walking through the mall with his parents. They had passed by a small jewelry stall filled with bracelets and necklaces.
That was when he saw it.
A simple silver bracelet with a tiny star charm.
For some reason, the moment he saw it, he thought of her.
Furschia.
He remembered the way sunlight sometimes reflected in her hair when she stood near the classroom windows.
The star charm reminded him of that.
Before he even had time to think properly, he had bought it.
And now it sat inside his bag like a ticking clock.
Tomorrow was her birthday.
Glenn suddenly followed Caelum's gaze.
"…Speaking of Furschia."
Caelum's heart immediately sped up.
He looked up.
Furschia was standing near the staircase with two of her friends.
She was laughing at something one of them said, her shoulders shaking slightly as she tried to stop herself from laughing too hard.
The sunlight from the windows nearby made the moment look almost… warm.
Caelum felt that familiar feeling in his chest again.
The one he couldn't really explain.
Glenn noticed him staring.
"You've liked her since the start of the school year," Glenn said.
River nodded.
"First week of 8th grade."
Caelum groaned quietly.
"Can you both not keep track of this?"
Glenn smirked.
"It's hard not to when you stare at her every day."
River added calmly, "And take pictures of her."
Caelum immediately looked at him.
"I don't take pictures of her."
River stared back.
"You literally took one during the class activity last week."
"That was for the project!"
Glenn laughed.
"Sure it was."
Caelum sighed in defeat.
His friends weren't wrong.
That photo from the class activity was technically part of their group documentation.
But Caelum knew the truth.
He had taken the picture because Furschia was smiling in it.
Glenn leaned closer.
"So when are you giving her the gift?"
Caelum's stomach dropped.
"I'm not."
Glenn blinked.
"…What?"
River looked confused.
"Then why did you buy it?"
Caelum looked down at the floor.
Because he had wanted to.
Because when he saw it, he imagined giving it to her.
Because for a brief moment, he thought he might actually be brave enough.
But now that the moment was close…
The idea felt terrifying.
"We're not even friends," Caelum said quietly.
Glenn frowned.
"So?"
"So it would be weird," Caelum continued.
"Imagine someone you barely talk to suddenly giving you a gift."
River thought about it.
"…That's fair."
Glenn sighed.
"But still."
He pointed at Caelum's bag.
"You already bought it."
Caelum didn't respond.
The bell suddenly rang loudly through the hallway.
Students immediately started moving toward their classrooms.
Furschia and her friends disappeared into the crowd.
The moment ended before Caelum could even think about it.
River started walking toward their classroom.
"You know," River said, "you should probably decide soon."
Glenn nodded.
"Yeah. Tomorrow's her birthday."
Caelum followed them slowly.
Inside his bag, the small blue box remained hidden.
Waiting.
He didn't know if he would ever be brave enough to give it to her.
But for now…
All he could do was carry the wish with him.
A quiet hope.
That somehow, someday, he might find the courage to do something more than just watch her from afar.
The rest of the school day passed faster than Caelum expected.
But at the same time, every moment felt heavier.
The small blue box inside his bag never left his mind.
Every time the class changed subjects, every time a teacher called on a student, every time someone laughed somewhere in the room—Caelum still felt the same quiet pressure in his chest.
The gift was still there.
Waiting.
During their last class before dismissal, Caelum sat near the back of the room beside Glenn and River.
The teacher was explaining something at the front, writing notes on the whiteboard, but Caelum wasn't really listening.
His eyes drifted across the classroom.
And there she was again.
Furschia sat two rows ahead, slightly near the window. The afternoon sunlight spilled through the glass, casting a warm glow across the desks.
She was focused on her notebook, writing something carefully while occasionally brushing a strand of hair away from her face.
For a moment, Caelum simply watched.
He didn't even realize he was doing it.
Glenn noticed first.
"…You're doing it again," Glenn whispered.
Caelum blinked.
"Doing what?"
Glenn tilted his head toward the front of the room.
"Staring."
River leaned back in his chair slightly.
"At least be subtle," River said quietly.
Caelum quickly looked away, pretending to read his notebook.
"I wasn't staring."
"You were," Glenn said.
River nodded.
"Very obviously."
Caelum sighed quietly.
His hand slowly moved to the zipper of his bag under the desk.
Inside was the small blue box.
Still unopened.
Still waiting.
Glenn noticed the movement.
"Are you actually going to do it today?" he whispered.
Caelum hesitated.
"…Maybe."
River raised an eyebrow.
"That doesn't sound convincing."
Glenn leaned closer.
"You've had the gift the entire day."
"I know," Caelum said quietly.
"So when?" Glenn asked.
Caelum didn't answer.
Because the truth was…
He didn't know.
Every time he thought about walking up to her, his mind filled with doubts.
What if she thought it was weird?
What if she asked why he bought it?
What if her friends were watching?
What if she laughed?
What if she said no?
The questions kept piling up until they felt impossible to push aside.
Before the conversation could continue, the bell rang loudly.
The final bell of the day.
Students immediately began packing their bags and talking excitedly about going home.
Chairs scraped against the floor as everyone stood up.
Glenn grabbed his bag.
"Well," he said, "this is your last chance today."
River stood up too.
"Unless you plan on waiting until next year."
Caelum slowly zipped his bag closed.
His heart was beating faster again.
The classroom slowly emptied.
Students left in groups, talking and laughing as they walked into the hallway.
Furschia stood up from her desk with her friends.
They were talking about something, laughing again.
Caelum watched as they started walking toward the door.
This was it.
The moment.
If he wanted to give her the gift…
It had to be now.
Glenn nudged him.
"Go."
River nodded.
"We'll wait here."
Caelum swallowed.
His legs suddenly felt heavy.
But somehow, he stood up.
One step.
Then another.
His heart pounded loudly in his chest.
Furschia and her friends were only a few steps away now.
He reached into his bag and slowly pulled out the small blue box.
His fingers tightened around it.
Just a few more steps.
Just say it.
Happy birthday.
That was all he had to say.
Simple.
Easy.
Right?
But as he got closer, he heard her friends talking.
"Are you doing anything for your birthday today?" one of them asked.
"I think my family's taking me out for dinner," Furschia replied.
Her voice was soft but cheerful.
Another friend laughed.
"You're lucky."
They continued talking as they walked.
Caelum slowed down.
Suddenly he became aware of everything.
The noise in the hallway.
The other students around them.
The way his hands were slightly shaking.
His courage began to fade.
One of Furschia's friends suddenly turned around while talking.
For a brief second, her eyes met Caelum's.
Caelum froze.
The moment shattered.
Panic rushed through him instantly.
Without thinking, he quickly slipped the blue box back into his bag.
Then he turned around.
Fast.
Too fast.
He walked back toward Glenn and River like nothing had happened.
Glenn stared at him.
"…What are you doing?"
Caelum avoided eye contact.
"Nothing."
River looked confused.
"You were literally two steps away."
"I know."
Glenn sighed.
"You had the gift in your hand!"
Caelum rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.
"I changed my mind."
Glenn stared at him like he couldn't believe what he was hearing.
River shook his head slowly.
"You almost did it."
Caelum looked toward the classroom door.
Furschia and her friends had already disappeared down the hallway.
The moment was gone.
Just like that.
He exhaled slowly.
"…Yeah," he said quietly.
Glenn slung his bag over his shoulder.
"Well… that was painful to watch."
River chuckled softly.
"Very painful."
Caelum forced a small smile.
But inside, his chest felt heavy.
They began walking toward the exit together.
Students filled the hallway again, everyone talking about their plans after school.
But Caelum barely heard any of it.
His thoughts stayed with the small blue box in his bag.
The gift he almost gave.
But didn't.
Outside the school building, Glenn stretched his arms.
"So what now?" he asked.
Caelum shrugged.
"I guess… I'll just keep it."
River tilted his head.
"For next year?"
Caelum looked up at the sky.
The afternoon sun was beginning to dip lower, casting long shadows across the school grounds.
"…Maybe," he said quietly.
But deep down, Caelum knew something.
The bracelet wasn't just a gift anymore.
It had become something else.
A small reminder of the courage he didn't have yet.
And as he walked home that afternoon with Glenn and River beside him…
The wish he had made the night before remained unanswered.
Because sometimes…
Even the simplest words—
Happy birthday.
—could feel impossible to say.