THE GREATEST GIFT OF ALL

It is the same on this day every year. On the fourteenth of January, his birthday, Jongin would wake up and get ready for school. There would be no hugs, no happy birthday song, nothing of that sort. Only a note left in the kitchen, a small box with one slice of cake and a birthday card on top. Because Jongin's mother is a single mother, she is working hard to earn a living for them both. He doesn't get to see her on usual days, and he doesn't get to see her on special days either. Neither on his birthday, nor on hers. He doesn't even get to spend the whole day of Chuseok with her as she is working several part time jobs to cover for their living expenses.

It's Jongin's sixteenth birthday today. Jongin has never looked forward to his birthdays, knowing that he can't change anything about their current life situation, but this year he can't help but feel a bit excited. After all, the age of sixteen seems special, somehow magical. At the age of sixteen, life will change for teenagers as they embark on a journey to become a young adolescent. Maybe today he will get to see his mother for breakfast.

Jongin slips out of bed quietly. There are sounds coming from the kitchen and that fills his heart with hope. Maybe today he will finally get to spend a day with his family - even if it's only the two of them. One person alone doesn't make a family, but with one more, it is. Except, he doesn't spot his mother in the kitchen. Instead, there is a man rummaging through their fridge.

"Who are you?" Jongin asks and the other male turns around. It's not a man, it's a young face, the baby fat not completely melted away yet. A teenager, possibly around Jongin's age. Jongin doesn't know this person.

"Are you Jongin?" The boy asks back, but doesn't wait for a reply. "Happy birthday, Jongin!"





For some reason, Jongin finds himself face to face with a stranger on his sixteenth birthday. They are sitting across each other by the kitchen table, and there is a small box on the table, the card on top lined with a familiar, cursive handwriting, and next to that, there is an envelope. The boy motions towards the envelop and Jongin picks it up to read his mother's letter.

Dear Jongin,
Happy birthday to the sunshine in my life.
Mom loves you the most, always.
I am sorry I kept a secret from you. I didn't know how to explain to you that I started seeing a man. I was afraid you might not want another person in our happy little family, so I never introduced him to you.
But today is your birthday and I don't want you to spend it alone. That is why I brought Sehun, my boyfriend's son. I hope you will get along well.
And later tonight, I will bring Sejun, Sehun's father.
I will see you later tonight, my dear son.
Love,
Your Mom

Jongin puts down the letter and stares at the boy in front of him. He can't believe that his mother has decided to tell him these kinds of news through a letter, instead of having a face to face talk. And how in the world did she manage to find a boyfriend? Isn't she working all day long, running from one work place to the next?

"So," Sehun starts quietly. He must have observed Jongin throughout this entire time, and now Sehun seems more serious and less cheerful, a little hesitant even.

"If you don't want to hang out, that's fine," Sehun says, a tiny, forced smile on his lips. "But at least have a slice of cake?"

Jongin doesn't reply immediately to that. He doesn't feel like spending time with this stranger - with the son of his mom's new lover - but his mother's words ring in his head. Today is his birthday, and he shouldn't be spending it alone.

"Alright," Jongin murmurs and musters up an awkward smile.

"Okay, then let's quickly do this. Your hot chocolate is getting cold!" Sehun exclaims and jumps up. He seems to have forgotten something and is rushing out of the kitchen, probably towards the tiny room that is serving as both the living-room and his mother's bedroom. When Jongin turned twelve, she insisted on him getting his own room.

Jongin hears Sehun before he sees him re-entering. Sehun is singing Happy birthday with so much enthusiasm it makes Jongin feel a bit more awkward than he already is. How can Sehun be so friendly as if they have known each other for a long time? It is the first time they meet, how can Sehun act as if they were already a family?

Sehun is standing there, right next to Jongin, with his hands hidden behind his back. Once he is done with the song, he tells Jongin to blow out the lone candle on his mini cake. This year, it's not just a slice of cake. It is a whole cake, albeit a tiny one, but definitely too big to eat it alone. At least three or four people would be needed to finish this. So Jongin closes his eyes and blows out the candle, wishing for another year with great health, and hopefully more happiness than the last.

"Alright, so here's your present," Sehun says and holds up a navy-blue envelope.

"I wasn't too sure about what you like, so this is what I came up with," Sehun explains. "Open it."

So Jongin does. He pulls out two tickets for Everland and frowns. Tickets for the amusement park?

"Okay, now quick, let's have some cake, then we gotta go," Sehun says. "We need to go early to make the most out of it!"

Jongin doesn't quite understand, but he follows Sehun nonetheless. His mother wants them to get along well, so Jongin tries his best to do that. He just isn't too sure if he and Sehun's personalities are compatible yet or not. Sehun seems a bit too bright, a bit too loud, a bit too forceful and a bit too enthusiastic about everything.





"Why aren't we taking public transportation?" Jongin asks with a frown, when Sehun ushers him into a cab. The amusement park is quite a distance away so taking a taxi would be lots more expensive. Sehun, however, doesn't seem to be worried about money at all. He must be one of those rich brats who spend their parents' money without a second thought.

"It's faster and more comfy this way," Sehun says and squeezes into his side. Jongin can only sigh.





Despite being dragged around for the whole day, it is rather fun. Jongin can't deny that by simply hearing and seeing Sehun's laughter his own mood brightens up as well. He stops thinking about how his birthday should be spent with his mother, his family, and instead, he wonders how his future birthdays would pan out if Sehun was in them, too. Maybe-

"Hey, Jongin, let's try the T-Express next!"

"Nope, not going on that one!" Jongin shrieks. Usually, he isn't scared of rollercoasters, but he has heard his classmates talking about this one in particular. The whole ride is long, the cars are fast and he is definitely not going to like it.





“Damn, Jongin, your face!” Sehun giggles. They are standing by the booth where they sell snapshots from the people on the rides. Jongin punches Sehun’s shoulder, incredibly embarrassed about his facial expression on there. And to his horror, Sehun buys that picture without hesitation.

“To show our parents later,” he sing-songs.

“I hate you,” Jongin replies.





“You’re spending a lot of money here,” Jongin says with a frown when Sehun insists on buying dinner, too, after paying for lunch.

“It’s your birthday, so I’m inviting you for the whole day,” Sehun says and smiles.

“Still, we’re not really friends, nor are we real siblings,” Jongin says quietly. Sehun’s smile wavers a bit, but Jongin can see Sehun forcing himself to keep it on.

“We might become brothers soon, and I don’t mind, really. I’ve always wanted a younger brother to spoil,” Sehun says and chuckles.

“Wait, how old are you then?” Jongin asks. There is no way someone as childish as Sehun could be older than him.

“Turning sixteen soon,” Sehun says proudly.

“I turned sixteen today,” Jongin deadpans.

“No way!” Sehun cries out. “You have a baby face. Meanwhile I look so much more mature. There are plenty noonas hitting on me, thinking that I’m a college student.”

Jongin just rolls his eyes. “Either way, baby brother, please stop spending your dad’s money like that. Don’t you feel bad for him if you keep spending his money so carelessly?”

Sehun laughs. “Not at all. This is the money from my part-time job. I don’t ask my dad for money.”

“Oh,” Jongin mumbles. “Sorry.”

But Sehun doesn’t seem offended at all. He smiles and nudges Jongin, telling him to go get their order.





After a whole day spent at the amusement park, they are both tired. Knowing that Sehun is spending his own money on this day, Jongin insists on going back home by bus and subway, even though it is less convenient.

Sehun is fast asleep next to him as they are going back home. Smiling, he pulls Sehun’s head closer to rest against his shoulder. Because Sehun is not a bad person and somewhat adorable. And perhaps Jongin is feeling like a protective older brother now. He can’t deny that he had lots of fun today.





“Jongin, sweetie,” his mother greets him with a tight hug when he comes home. It’s rare for him to return later than his mother so she must have felt uneasy. He feels sorry about worrying her.

“Happy birthday,” she whispers and pulls away. She is smiling and Jongin returns the smile.

“Was it fun today?” She asks, and on this birthday Jongin can give her a genuine answer.

“Yes, lots of fun!”





It is still Jongin’s eighteenth birthday today. The eighteenth birthday is supposed to bring the biggest changes, but to Jongin, his sixteenth birthday will forever be the most special one. Even though his stepfather has gifted him a rather expensive motorbike, the greatest gift of all times would be the loud, bright and always smiling boy that Jongin calls his baby brother now.

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