"Good idea. Here, let me help you with that, since you got the basic melody and harmony down." Yoseob-oppa came closer to the screen of the computer and reached around me for the mouse. (A/N: So he's basically half-hugging Jieun and niether of them know it. Hehe.) "Here's how you add another track. And did you download the sounds you need yet?"

"Nope."

"Okay then. Here, I know a good site." He had started to type the URL into the computer (A/N: And now he's 75% hugging her here) when the door opened.

"Jieun! I heard you were in here so-" Suzy stopped. "What in the world are you guys doing?!"

"Huh?" I looked at her with a confused face, then realized my position. Yoseob-oppa realized it at the same time. We quickly leaned away from each other awkwardly, then looked at Suzy.

"It's not like that!" we both blurted out at the same time. We looked at each other awkwardly, then back at Suzy.

"Look, Suzy, he was just helping me edit my new song."

"Yeah," he agreed.

Suzy softened. "Oh, okay. I thought you were hugging or something." She laughed, but I still saw a hint of something else in her eyes. "Can I listen to it?"

"Sure," I said quickly. I didn't want to fight with Suzy. "Here. I think I'll call it Raindrop." I turned it on and we all listened to two of my voices singing acapella. I looked expectantly at Suzy. "So? How is it?"

"Hmm?" Suzy, who had been spacing out, said blankly. "Oh. Uh, really good."

"Suzy, why don't you help me with Yoseob-oppa?" I suggested. After all, it was my fate to be her wing-girl.

I saw her face brighten up at the thought of working with Yoseob-oppa. "Why not? I have time." And when Yoseob-oppa was facing the computer doing who-knows-what, she shot me a grateful glance that basically said, You are the best Lee Jieun (A/N: Does this remind anyone of something? XP) and I love you and I shouldn't have doubted you and I knew you wouldn't do that to me OMG thanks!

I was smiling at her, relieved she wasn't mad anymore, when suddenly a very weird sound resonated loudly in the studio. I gaped at Yoseob oppa, who was smiling sheepishly, along with Suzy.

"What?" He innocently shrugged. "I was just experimenting." I rolled my eyes with Suzy, thinking, boys. Then we exploded into a fit of giggles, which made Yoseob-oppa roll his eyes, probably thinking, girls.

We got two more chairs and sat in a row in front of the computer, and "experimented" more. After a while Yoseob-oppa had to go, and then Suzy had to meet with her group, too, so they both left and I was alone. I kept working on it and finally finished it 5 minutes to curfew. I quickly saved it on my flashdrive and flew towards the dorm and arrived at my room window like Wonder Woman. Haha no, I just ran really fast and arrived just seconds before they closed the gate.

I had to sit down on the stairs going to my floor because I was not that fit. I panted for a minute or two, and then dragged myself to my room. I sighed happily when at last I was lying under my blankets on my comfy bed. And the last thought I had before falling asleep was that tomorrow is my birthday and nobody knows.

I woke up to my phone's ringtone instead of the alarm clock I usually wake up to. I sleepily answered it. "Hello?"

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY JIEUN!" That woke me up fully. I looked at the caller ID again. It was my parents!

"Mom! Dad! Omigosh you called?"

"Of course! How can we stay away from the phone when it's our daughter's birthday?"

Grinning happily, I said, "Can you visit?"

"...Hon, we can't."

"Huh?"

"I'm sorry, Jieun. We're not at home right now. We're in Busan."

"Busan? Why?"

"Your aunt called. She's at the hospital."

"Auntie? Is she sick?"

"No, she's been pregnant for a while, remember?"

"Oh! The baby!" I said excitedly. "Don't worry, mom, dad. I'll be fine. I have my friends here, remember?" Even as I said that, I felt a bit sad about the whole thing. Oh well, if the baby's coming.

"Thanks, honey, for understanding. We'll mail your present."

"Really? Thanks! What about oppa?"

"College. But he still bought you a present." Aww. My eyes suddenly filled with tears.

"Thank him for me, okay?" I said while sniffling. "And thank you, the most wonderful parents in the world! I miss you, but don't worry I'll be okay. This call is enough for me."

"Thank you again, Jieun. We have to go now."

"Bye, mom and dad!"

"Bye, Jieun!" We hung up and I kept sniffling. Even my brother bought me a present. That's so sweet. I was still touched by my family when I saw my alarm clock. 5 in the morning?! I suddenly felt very sleepy, and laid back on bed.

When I woke up again, it was by the clock at the right time. Yawning, I made it to class, where my friends weren't. Sadly. We had a free day today, though we still had to go to the teacher and let him know you're attending "class." I greeted my teacher and grabbed a breakfast plate before going to the studios again. Nobody was here, though. I sighed. Everyone's busy doing their project with others while solos were alone.

I went to the PC rooms (A/N: NOT gaming rooms, more like just computers in a room.) to search for another song to do. I knew I couldn't dance very well, so maybe I can do a duet with Yoseob-oppa and then get help from Taeyang-oppa for the other one. Also, I was planning to do another duet with someone so that I can get extra credit. An English song, perhaps, for more points from that Language teacher. But then who would I duet with?

I sighed, and let my eyes wander throughout the room. My eyes lit up on Kibum, that fashion weirdo in my class. He always had weird hair, but he could sing, dance, and rap very well. He also was pretty fluent in English, too. I went over to him cautiously.

"Hey, Kibum!" I called.

"Hmm?" He looked up.

"It's me, Jieun!"

"Oh Jieun! Hi!"

"Um, can you do a duet with me?" I asked nervously.

"Sure! I needed one."

"Yes! Thank you!" I did my weird fist-pump dance thing, which made Kibum chuckle. "What song should we do?"

"Let's see. I personally don't want to sing this time, so can we do a rap-sing thing?"

"Why not? The idea's fresh."

"Okay. I have a song in mind if we do that."

"Really? It can't be like a small part for you or me, like a featuring, remember."

"Yeah, I know. We should do Love Letter For You."

"Um, sure. Can I listen to it?"

"I already kind of edited it so that I rap and my partner sings. Here, listen to it later." He gave me a flash drive, which I took and moved the song file into mine.

"Thanks. Wait, I need your number to contact you to practice."

"Here." Kibum saved his number into my phone, and told me to text him so he knows hers too. We said our goodbyes and I left to the studios to listen to the song.

It was a good idea, and a great song, but it wasn't English. Since I had already made plans with him, I couldn't really say, whoops, never mind. I sighed, and decided to look for one more person. I wandered around the hallways until I saw someone. I smiled and went up to him.

"Yonghwa-oppa!" I called once more.

"Oh hi Jieun!" I waved at him and then bowed to his girlfriend. "Hi, Seohyun-unnie!"

"Hello, Jieun-ah. Why are you looking for Yonghwa-oppa?" She smiled back kindly.

"The MC Project." She nodded understandingly. "Anyways, oppa, can you do an English duet with me?" I asked, turning to Yonghwa oppa. "I want extra credit for my English skills, because I don't have a lot of it."

"If I may ask permission from the princess," he said as a reply. Unnie laughed while I rolled my eyes at his cheesiness.

"Of course, my prince," she copied his Medieval-like voice with another set of giggles.

"Ugh, you two are going to kill me," I complained. They laughed together while I pouted, then Yonghwa-oppa and I made plans to meet. After I said goodbye to the couple, I recieved a text from Suzy.

From: Ssooji

    hey jieun! come to dance studio 2.

To: Ssooji

    y?

I texted back.

From: Ssooji

    we need ur help. cmon fast!

To: Ssooji

    ok wait

I made my way to Dance Studio #2, where it was dark. Confused, I opened the door and went in.

"SURPRISE!"

The lights , confetti was thrown, people were jumping out at me. I froze on the spot, with a shocked expression on my face.

"What?" I managed to say.

"It's your birthday party," Jiyoon said, hugging me. "Happy birthday, Jieun!" I finally looked around me, and saw that there was a banner at the top, a table with a cake on it, and all my friends wearing a party hat. My eyes watered again.

"Aw, thanks, guys," I said, looking at all the people. "I didn't expect this." I wiped my tears away with a smile. "Now where's my present?" I asked cheekily. IN midst of the laughter, I was brought to the table where the candles on the cake were lit.

Everyone started to sing the Happy Birthday song (which sounded awesome because some of them being talented singers harmonized and everything) which made my eyes water again, but I quickly blinked them away.

"Make a wish! Make a wish!" Everyone chanted happily. I quickly closed my eyes and made a wish (which I won't tell because it won't come true if you tell others) and blew out all the candles in one big breath. All my dear friends cheered and I felt truly happy.

We had fun for a while, eating the cake and chatting, but everyone had to go back to do something. One by one, they left, still telling me happy birthday, until only Suzy, Jiyoon, and I was left.

"Wow guys, thanks," I said.

"No problem. This is the least we can do," Suzy replied with a warm smile.

"Nobody's ever done this to me, you know. A surprise party, wow." I shook my head to clear out the giddiness. "You decorated the walls, too!" For the first time that day, I glanced up and actually read the wording. I had no time to do so until now, what with everyone talking and hugging and laughing.

"Happy birthday... IU?" I turned to my best friends with a curious face. "Who's IU?"

"Um, you?" Jiyoon replied with a sheepish smile. "Okay, sorry. We had a J, E, and N, too, but then they fell of and wouldn't go back on. And then there was curfew, so we had no time to take it off and then we forgot about it."

I laughed. "No worries, Jiyoon. I'll use that as a stage name in the MC Project! I'll be like, hey, I'm IU!" We all laughed, and all those moments of loneliness was replaced with understanding.

A/N: So, a pretty fast update this time, right? I've been waiting to update this on IU's birthday! And now I found my own reason to call her IU in the story. Like, jIeUn. Get it? OTL And sorry if you don't like the YongSeo couple. I ship them. O.O I'm going to add in a bunch of my shippings in this fanfic secretly hehe. Anyways HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO IU!!!! Thank you readers for commenting, subscribing, blah blah the rest you know. Have a nice day!

Preview

"How about this?" I asked Yonghwa-oppa.

"Nah. I want to do something with my guitar." I shrugged and went back to the computer. We were looking for a song to sing together, but it turned out to be harder than they had originally thought.

"Hey, how about you tell me about how you and Seohyun-unnie met. Maybe we can use that as a base storyline and you can sing it to unnie," I suggested.

"Great idea! Okay, here goes..."