Please Wait Until Spring

Translator: Whistle

Editor: Scarr

Read at Watashi wa Sugoi Desu!

[Extra] The Decisive Battle of Birthdays Finale

The rest of the birthday party was spent feasting, chatting, and relishing in exchanges of laughter.

Rick and Davis were from different species and came from distinct backgrounds. Even so, they enjoyed each other’s company so much that it made one wonder. Without a doubt, it truly showed that they were made for each other, despite their differences.

Rick was a bit clumsy at speaking in general, but Davis listened quietly and carefully to him. What Rick wanted to talk about could get mixed up at times. Davis, being patient and understanding, would ask each time to clarify what the squirrel was trying to get across.

Davis would not laugh and tease Rick for it. He would only laugh when it was the appropriate time. To him, whenever Rick talked, it was time for him to listen; he would never start talking until the other was finished.

“Oh, that was fun.”

The words spontaneously came out of Rick’s mouth. Realizing it, he felt a little embarrassed and covered his mouth. But Davis nodded in agreement, concurring with him by saying that he also felt the same. Rick was very happy to hear those words, for he widely opened his mouth and laughed from the bottom of his heart.

After finishing all the food (which was mostly eaten by Davis), they cleared the table together. After that, both of them let out a sigh of relief. Rick cleared his throat shortly after and announced that it was finally the time to cut the birthday cake.

“Do you want me to turn off the lights?” Davis inquired.

“Okay, let’s do that,” Rick agreed to the suggestion. “Do you have candles?”

“I’ve lots of them.”

Rick was planning for the cake cutting to be a surprise, but now he didn’t see the point in doing so. It turned out that Davis had bought many candles with varying looks, shapes, and sizes, so they began to discuss which ones would be the best pick for the cake.

However, as Rick went to the kitchen and took the cake out from the refrigerator, he was about to place the candles they’d picked on the cake… until he suddenly paused midway.

“Umm, Davis…”

“What’s the matter?”

Under the cover of darkness, Rick called out from the kitchen. Davis answered immediately to his call. After mumbling a little, Rick switched the lights back on.

“I think we should leave out the candles. Are you fine with it?” Rick asked.

Davis was a little confused, but it wasn’t a difficult choice for him at all. “Sure.”

As Davis was still clueless about what was to come, Rick carried the cake served on a large plate from the kitchen and presented it to him.

“Well, umm, this is it…”

“Wow…”

When Rick placed the cake on the table, Davis observed it in utter amazement.

“This… is a bear…” Davis noticed.

“It sure is.”

After much thought, Rick had decided to make the cake in the shape of a cartoon-like bear.

It was a cocoa-flavored sponge cake with chocolate frosting, completely homemade. The cake was surrounded by chocolates in the shape of nuts.

“It turned out cuter than I expected,” Rick said bashfully. “I didn’t want to put candles on it…”

“Oh, there’s a squirrel on the cake… It’s you.”

Davis, who had been staring at the cake, squealed with delight. He’d noticed yet another cute feature of this cake.

There was a squirrel-shaped candy on the bear’s “back” as if clinging to it. Of course, it was all Rick’s idea.

Rick snickered. “Well, it’s our birthday party after all…”

In response, Davis’ face twitched. Multiple emotions were shown through the bear’s handsome face before he hid his mouth behind his hands.

Words leaked out from Davis’ covered mouth, “I’m so touched… I’m happy. I am extremely happy right now.”

Davis expressed his happiness many times and repeatedly bowed his head to Rick in gratitude. Seeing his lover’s joy, the exact same amount of feelings bubbled up within Rick’s chest.

Rick felt warm inside. Unable to help himself, he placed his hand at the spot where his heart resided and clenched it.

Moments after, Davis broke the silence. He turned to Rick, “There’s something I’d like to give to you.”

After doing nothing but examining the cake from top to bottom and corner by corner, Davis abruptly stood up.

Rick was taken aback by surprise. “Oh, you have a present for me? But you even went through the trouble of decorating the entire place already…”

For Davis’ birthday present, Rick would prepare the dinner and cake for him. Upon hearing this, Davis had decided to prepare a gift for him in return. Rick had initially refused this, since Davis would be the one who was to decorate the place, but the bear was still firm in his decision, insisting that it wouldn’t be a fair exchange.

As Rick was about to refuse once again, Davis walked around the table and took the squirrel’s hand within his own.

“Huh?”

“It’s something I’ve been wanting to give you since last summer,” Davis declared.

Davis grabbed Rick’s wrist. The bear took out something from his pocket and placed it on the squirrel’s palm.

“Huh?” Rick glanced at it in disbelief. “This is…”

An expensive-looking velvet box was placed within Rick’s hand. Davis swiftly lifted the lid to reveal the contents inside.

Rick knew perfectly well what it was. “A… ring?”

Showered by the resplendent lights, the ring began to flaunt its shine. Its simple shape and design indicated that it was indeed a ring in plain sight.

“Huh? Huh!? HUH!!!” Rick couldn’t hide his shock. “Wh-, why? Why does it have to be- Huh…!”

Rick’s cheeks heated up. His eyes lost direction, alternating between the ring and Davis.

“Rick, you’re blushing.”

“Of, of course! You, suddenly, this ring…!”

Cupping his cheek in his hand, Davis laughed, and he looked exceptionally handsome as he did. Davis had always been attractive, but tonight, Rick felt like the bear’s attractiveness had escalated to a point where it was impossible to look away, perhaps this was due to the charged atmosphere between them.

Rick’s lips twitched and stretched out to both sides as he examined the box in his hand while enwrapped in panic.

“I have another gift for you,” Davis added. “You’ve told me that you liked my watch, so I bought a similar one for you.”

“Wait, there’s another gift!?”

While Rick’s mind was still in disarray, Davis continued to speak in a calm fashion.

“I just wanted to buy some stuff that I would like you to wear.”

“Buy me “some stuff”, huh…” Rick croaked. “Aren’t they expensive…?”

“They’re not,” Davis instantly denied.

Rick doubted Davis’ words, but he didn’t want to start an argument with the bear, so he held himself back from pressing any further. He had an inkling that it was probably expensive, since the ring had the name of a brand he’d never heard of engraved on the box.

“Why…” Even now, Rick was stuck in disbelief.

“I want it to be your lucky charm for safety,” Davis explained. “I don’t want the same incident from last summer to happen to you again.” 

“Ah…”

Although Davis stated it vaguely, Rick immediately understood what he meant. The squirrel also had an idea on what purpose the ring would serve for him in the future.

Last summer, Rick was harassed when they were having a vacation at the beach, which he didn’t become aware of until Davis pointed it out for him. But of course, it was a distasteful experience for Rick as well. Being a small beastman, he wasn’t comfortable with being approached inappropriately by strangers who were larger than him.

Davis, in that case, I will…

Wearing a ring would notify others of the fact that he was already taken. It may not be effective at all times, but at least there was a countermeasure taken.

“But you don’t need to wear it all the time,” Davis assured. “You can wear it whenever you feel like it…”

It was unusual for Davis, who was always straightforward, to speak vaguely about the true purpose of the ring. Rick felt like he knew the reason why. Within the silence that ensued, his eyes became blurry all of a sudden.

Rick gazed towards the ring in his hand.

He opened his mouth, “I’ll put this on. Now.”

“Rick…”

“Don’t worry, I’ll wear it – always. Because looking at it makes me happy.”

There was still a lot going on in Rick’s mind, but what he couldn’t get out of his head the most was the feeling of blissfulness. When others made him confused, he was the only constant that was always clear to him.

Rick continued, “It’s the ring given by my lover whom I love so much after all, how could I not be happy? I’ll be tremendously elated, then.”

As Rick tried to pull out the ring from the box with one hand, he groaned when it wouldn’t budge. Thereafter, Davis placed his hand on top of Rick’s and lent his strength to pull the ring out at last. Rick admired the ring again; it was beautiful. Perhaps it was made of platinum.

Immediately after, Rick held out his left hand towards Davis meaningfully.

It’s like we’re getting married…

When the thought crossed Rick’s mind, his ears burnt.

Though it was common knowledge that wearing a ring wasn’t necessarily linked to getting married. Rick was aware that there were couples who wore matching rings simply because they were dating.

Don’t even think about it, stop imagining, quit dreaming-

“When “that time” happens, I’ll do my best,” Davis suddenly spoke, breaking Rick out from his reverie.

“Wha!?”

It was as if Davis was reading his mind.

Rick’s tail puffed, and he jumped a little in his place. And just like that, the ring swiftly slipped onto the ring finger of his left hand. He was surprised at how the ring perfectly fitted his finger, as if it was custom-made. No, given Rick’s small finger size, there’s no way his size would be readily available. This cunning Davis must have measured his finger while the squirrel was asleep.

But this was not the time to think about that.

“What do you mean by “that time”?” The flustered Rick confronted Davis.

Maybe Davis meant it differently, Rick thought as he displayed a mocking smile to the bear.

Davis replied, “It’s a time that is bound to happen someday. Right?”

Once again, Davis vaguely phrased his answer. However, Rick felt like he could’ve known what Davis actually meant, given the fondness shown in the bear’s eyes as he lovingly fixated his gaze towards the squirrel, as if he harbored feelings that were sweeter than the candies on their cake…

“Ha, haha. Haha… The cake! We should cut it now!”

The red-faced Rick let out a loud, nervous laugh to hide his embarrassment.

It may be too early to think about it, but Rick was already nervous for his birthday next year, since there was a chance that Davis would plan something unimaginable for Rick in secret again, when the time came. With those feelings building up inside him, Rick observed the bear and squirrel cake held in his hands: the adorable-looking cake that represented him and his lover together.

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DarkNari
11 months ago

It was so sweet! Thanks for translating this story!

wei
wei
1 year ago

so sweet i got diabetes QAQ

emotionalpotato
emotionalpotato
1 year ago

It’s indeed a sweet (but short) story. I’m melting from sweetness and the warm feeling this couple give huhu. (Good thing I stumbled and read this one, after exhausting myself with hanging out with people today. This made me relax and calm down… ) Thank you for translating this novel! ♥️

Bbybird
Bbybird
2 years ago

Thank you for translating this story, it was such a lovely read!!

Vi00
Vi00
2 years ago

Thank you for the wonderful experience you gave us ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Jenny
Jenny
2 years ago

Its a sweet love story… quite adorable