Each of the characters in Rune Factory 2 has a designated Birthday Gift item. It is only when given that specific item that the character will acknowledge it as a birthday gift on his/her birthday. On any other day, if given the same item, the character will confess that he/she loves it, but wishes it had been given on his/her birthday...
In the 1st Generation, Yue sells every item that is designated as a special Birthday Gift for characters in the game. Each individual has a different item, apart from Douglas and Ray and Grape Juice is the ONLY item that Yue sells that is not designated as a special Birthday Gift item for ANY ONE.
This is the reason why player, including myself, believed that Grape Juice was Ray's designated item. In the test version of the game, however, Ray responded to Grape Juice in the way he responded to any other ordinary item. This perplexed me... In fact, other players had noted that in their version of game, he made the same response and it was only FRIED RICE, the gift designated for Douglas, that elicits the special Birthday Gift response.
When given FRIED RICE on any ordinary day:
Ray: I love this, but I wish I had gotten it for my birthday, instead.
On his actual birthday, when given FRIED RICE: ‘It actually is my birthday today.’
I therefore modified the list to substitute FRIED RICE for the GRAPE JUICE previously believed to have been Ray's Special Birthday Gift Item.
Note on 26 March: A number of players now have confirmed that in the latest version of the game, Grape Juice IS Ray's designated Birthday Gift Item. I therefore will change the Guide to conform with this result. Truly, GRAPE JUICE should have been his Birthday Gift in the first place.