“Wake up! We’re going to the hospital, get ready,” my mom pulled off my blanket. I groaned and stretched. I slept in the living room to let my mom sleep in my bed. Not even a happy birthday? Aiyoooooo!

            “Let’s go, let’s go!” she grabbed my arm, acting like she knew where to go once we entered the hospital.

            “Mom, do you even know where you’re going?” I asked her and dragged myself towards wherever she was heading.

            “Yeah, Kibum texted this morning and told me the floor and the doctor’s name… Oh Kibum!” My mom let go of my arm and waved at someone who was coming down the escalator.

            “Kim Kibum!” I yelled out. He jogged towards my mom and I. “Did my mom force you to come out today?” I crossed my arms.

            “No, I texted her and told her I was coming whether she asked me to come or not and whether you like it or not,” he stuck out his tongue.

            “Okay, come on let’s go,” I sighed heavily and just followed the two of them. Seriously, how did they get so close?

            “Let’s get you scanned and everything else, I want to know everything before I let you do whatever,” she said to me anxiously after Kibum translated the doctor’s suggestions for my condition.

            “Doctor, you know I’m a trainee right now and you know what that requires from my body… is there a need for me to stop?” I asked the question I was dreading the most. I didn’t want my mom to understand so I asked it in Korean but Key grabbed one hand and squeezed it.

            “Mmm… It would be better if you weren’t exhausting your body and even your mind right now, Kibum told me you’re working, teaching English at an academy, going to school, and being a trainee… that’s not something that helps your condition,” the doctor said, furrowing his brows. My mom had no idea I was working but she knew I was going to school here, she would probably freak out more knowing that I was tiring myself more than I should be.

            “So, I will send in the scans and get back to you in a couple days, for now… get plenty of rest and I know you probably won’t do that, but please, please try. It’s for your health,” the doctor shook my hand and my mom’s hand and Key bowed as the doctor walked away.

            “Did you hear that?” My mom eyed me. “Get plenty of rest,” she then winked at Key who then smiled from ear to ear.

            “Mom, I—”

            “Yah yah, listen to your mom, will you?”

            “Kibum-ah, you know that I have practice, I have work, I have school…” I said all this in Korean so that my mom wouldn’t understand. My mom looked at Key, waiting for a translation, but he said nothing in this moment.

Key decided to drive us to the dorm for some reason. He said he had to grab some things that he wanted to show my mom. He was making no sense, but I brushed it off. I was overcome with so many thoughts that I couldn’t even process anything properly.

When we got to the dorm door, I had my hand on the passcode, ready to enter it, but Key went in front of my and I looked over at my mom who just looked extremely nervous but excited. What is going on right now?

Without much suspense, Key opened the door and…

            “SURPRISE!!!”

            “SUPRI-SEUUUUUU, ELLIE ELLIE!”

It was my shining SHINee, in party hats, with a cake, the manager Hyungs were even present. I couldn’t help but start crying.

            “Omo omo omo, wae wae wae??” Jonghyun Oppa said quickly, putting down the cake on the kitchen counter.

            “Ellie-ah, what’s going on?” It was Key this time who said this and turned my face to his. He looked at me in the eyes, trying to understand what I was feeling.

Even at this moment, I had no idea what I was feeling except content and the feeling of…home. My mom squeezed my arm and turned the attention to her and she thanked the guys and they all moved to the living room together. I stayed looking at Kibum and just melted into his chest.

            “I… know what I want to do…” I pulled away and positioned in a way that we could look at each other. “I’m just gonna quit the teaching job. I’ll work on the Visa documents, rearrange some things. Go full-time training, work hard, graduate soon…If I focus, I’ll be able to graduate in like…just a year and a half, right? Onew Oppa will be back by then too.. Everything will be restored to normal, right?”

            “Whatever you want to do, I’m here all the way.” Kibum responded.

With that, we celebrated my birthday and carried on with the evening. Later into the night, some friends of the members came, even Amber arrived, she brought with him Eric Nam and Henry. I tried to keep my composure the whole night but I was in complete fangirl mode. They were celebrating my birthday with everyone here. We played games, told stories, and my mom was so tired and jetlagged and so she slept in Onew Oppa’s room for the night. I had to bring her to the airport in a couple days and so I wanted to soak up every moment I could with her. Who knows when I would be with her again?