It was about one in the morning when Jongin and I slipped out of the party.

I had contemplated whether it was the best thing to do since we still had the others left in the Bae’s villa, but Jongin managed to convince me that they would be fine without us. Besides, I had been really wanting to escape that place for good that I took the offer and rode his back for compliance.

“Hop on my back so that you could rest your feet,” he told me once I agreed with his proposal and then crouched down in front of me.

A bit panicky just after being snatched off by the boy with a stolen kiss on my cheek, I stuttered as I told him, “but that’s too troublesome. I-I don’t want to tire you out.”

He looked back at me and grinned, “com’on Mijoo-ah. Take the offer before you regret it. I’m not going to offer you this again, you know.”

I rolled my eyes at him and looked away as I carefully hooked my arms around his neck and let him carry my weight on his back.

Jongin was on the thin side though he was tall and looked a bit sporty. I was worried his physique would not let him carry me all the way to that somewhere he wanted to show me at this hour of the day, but it was amazing how he managed to do so without needing to put me down. I saw no signs of exhaustion on him even when we reached our destination.

He brought the two of us to a lake hidden deep inside a patch of forest in town. It was probably a hundred and some steps from Joohyun’s house, which was surprising because it was in the richer part of town and this place was way to out of its league to be here.

Here it was nothing but nature. Here was nothing but peace and quiet. Here it was just the two of us, away from all the noise in the party. That it was funny how both places existed in the same town.

The moment we stepped foot into the place, in the beginning, I was scared because I could only here the owls hoot in the darkness. It was a bit chilly out here, too, that I could not deny I had unconsciously tightened my hold around Jongin’s neck in anxiety. But when we reached the heart of the forest-like place, where the small lake was, I was in awe. It felt like we were transported to a different world when I began to see the tiny glowing fireflies flying above and around us.

“Oh my god. This is—“ I could do nothing but clasp a hand over my mouth in utter awe. “This is so beautiful Jongin,” I told him while gazing around us, my eyes soaking on the memory of the beautiful lights show in the lake. I was still on his back then and could only see the ghost of a smile on his lips. He was probably just as pleased as me.

“I’m glad you liked it,” he said.

I wrapped my arms even tighter around his neck and kept myself as close to his warmth. He was like my personal heater at the moment that I could not help but reel closer.

“Sorry if this is what I can only prepare for your birthday.”

I shook my head and buried my face on his shoulder. “No. This is more than enough. I’m really happy right now that I feel like this is the best birthday I ever had.” I couldn’t help but giggle. I’d never felt so blessed. The moment seemed too surreal I didn’t know what to do else.

We stayed a bit longer in the place due to my request. Jongin told me it would get colder as it got late, but I was too caught up in the moment I didn’t want to give up the beautiful bubble we were in. So we sat before the lake, side by side, sharing the warmth of his jacket in those hours that felt like an eternity.

I knew I would never forget that memory. Jongin. The fireflies. The lake. They would be part of the best memories I kept with me through time.

Hours went by slowly. We did not notice that the break of dawn was already coming. It was only then that I found myself lying on the grass next to Jongin , after a probably comfortable sleep despite the coldness, that I noticed the first ray of light greeting us. I immediately shook him awake and we raced back to reality, where there was the part of town in which houses were built and where there were lesser trees. We were both laughing as we rushed back home, knowing that our parents could have been waiting on us all night long and was at the doorstep ready to give a good amount of scolding for only going home now. Jongin and I both have already accepted our consequences, thinking that staying out at those late hours was all worth it.

“Are you sure you’ll be fine on your own? I can tell your mother it was my fault. She might let you off if I did it.”

I shook my head and waved him of. “Just go. I’ll handle her on my own. I know my mother. She’ll forgive me.”

Jongin looked unconvinced though duly assurance was already given to him. However, I was insistent enough to manage to shoo him away.

But when he was gone it was the only time I felt the real trouble coming. I was not really prepared to go home though I told Jongin the opposite. Mom was a real meanie when it came to issues about curfew. She never allowed me to get home late that was why I never tried. She could be really naggy that I was afraid if I entered the house and she was just there waiting for me, I might be punished gravely. That I took my time walking to our front door, my hands in the pocket of Jongin’s leather jacket, face focused down onto gravel. I didn’t want to face evil, that was why I was hoping that if I would not see mother’s face firsthand once I reached the house, all my fears of her would go away.

However, once I reached the front door, instead of mom, I was greeted by someone else. Because there on the steps of their house was Oh Sehun, sleeping deep in the cold weather on his own. I was not expecting to see him alone in the freezing temperature like a hobo who had no home, that I quickly rushed to his side and shook him awake.

“Ya, Oh Sehun, why are you sleeping out here? Ya!”

His face scrunched up at the noise I was making. It seemed that he had a sound sleep despite the low temperature that when he opened his eyes he squinted at me and groaned in annoyance.

“Finally you came home,” he said with a groggy voice, closing his eyes again and leaning back on the front door as if he was tired out. “Take out your spare key and open the door so we can go in.”

I frowned at him, not really understanding the situation we were in. “But I didn’t bring a spare key.”

“What are you…” The reality of the dilemma we were having slowly sank into Sehun that it took seconds before the fact hit him hard. “You don’t have a key?! Then how are we going to get in?”

“I thought you have your—“

“I don’t!” I flinched when he suddenly raised his voice. Finally Oh Sehun was wide awake and raking his hair in frustration. “Why do you think would I be staying out here if I had the key. I could have gotten in if I had it. What are you talking about. This is so annoying,” he complained, kicking on the ground.

I looked down, a bit frustrated and flustered. I just had some of my happy moments, but my mood was slowly getting ruined by Sehun’s bad mood. Why did he have to be this irritated? He was not like this at the party. What was wrong with him?

“Where were you anyway? I looked for y