K.Joon woke up the next day feeling refreshed.
He rolled off the bed lazily to look into the mirror.

----K.Joon's POV----

"Geez. I look so much better compared to yesterday." I thought to myself. "Well, time to work."

Grabbing my necessities, I headed to the bathroom.

-Later that morning-

"Aunty, I'm here now, you can go home and rest."

"That's okay, I'll help you." She smiled and said.

"Well alright. Leave the heavy things to me okay?" I emphasized.

"Hahaha, I'm so glad to see this filial piety in you."

"Aunty, its only right that I do so." I laughed.

"Oh yeah, we're closing earlier today."

"Huh? Why?"

"Silly boy. It's your birthday !"

"Really?" I turned to the calendar and saw that it's true. "Geez, I
totally forgot about it."

"Yeah, I will make a feast at home for you. Hahaha" She smiled.

"Thanks Aunty!"

-After a few hours of nonsense-

The store bell rang.

"Welcome!" I shouted from the back and came out to serve.

"Hi K.Joon." Krystal cheerfully greeted.

"Back for burittos?" I teased.

"Hahaha, actually yeah!"

"Seriously?" I paused. "I'm afraid I can't make any today. We're closing earlier than usual."
I really didn't want to dissappoint her.

"Well, that's a pity.. I thought I could get some for unnie.." She softly sighed and looked aside..

Just then, Aunty Kim came from the back. "My my, who do we have here, You must be Krystal?"

"Yes Aunty, I'm Krystal of f(x)."

"Ahahah, I thought so, Joonie ALWAYS talk about you."

"Aunty.." I hid my face.

An awkward atmosphere came over us.

"You need anything girl?" Aunty Kim asked curiously.

"Yeah, I was shopping for unnie, but I heard you are closing early today."

"I see...Say, why don't you and your unnie come over to our place today?" Aunty suggested. "It's Joonie's Birthday!"

"Really? Can we?"

"Sure!"

"I'll get my unnie then."

"Just wait at home, I'll ask K.Joon to fetch you two."

"Alrights, Thank you Aunty!"

And she hurriedly left for some reason.

-Later that evening-

----Krystal's POV----

After preparing for the party, I realised that I didn't get a gift for K.Joon.
I didn't have time left to go shopping either.

"Ahh...What can I do?" I scratched my head in frustration.

I spotted my favorite ring. "I'll give him this then. Hope he doesn't mind"

"Krystal-ah, we're late!" Jessica cried out from the doorway.

"Coming unnie~"

We headed downstairs where we saw K.Joon standing by a family car.

"Ah! We're so sorry for being late!" Jessica apologised

"It's alright, Hop on! I wish I had a better car for you two, but this is the only car my Aunty has."

"It's fine! " Both Sica unnie and I smiled.

Before we set off, K.Joon played a prank on Jessica.

"Sica sshi! Cucumber at ya!" He qhispered and threw a plushie of a cucumber to Jessica.

Jessica's dolphin scream was released.
Both K.Joon and I held our ears together and laughed.

"Yah Joon, don't scare me like that." Sica unnie pouted and slapped Joon's back lightly.

"Hahaha mianhae~"

Aunty Kim was really happy to see the both of us.
I soon realised that we're the only four at the party.
So curiosity made me ask.

"Aunty Kim, Is this all the people coming?"

"Well yes my dear, K.Joon never liked huge parties since he was a kid you see."

"Ahh...I see" I looked at K.Joon, who was busy drawing cucumbers with a little girl on his book to annoy Sica unnie.

He suddenly glanced at me and I saw his eyes intensely focused on mine.

I felt heat rushing to my face. So I looked down immediately.
As I looked back up, I saw K.Joon blushing as well.

The cake was served shortly after the meal we had.
However, it revealed a very shocking fact.

The only candle on the cake was a figure of 18. 
He is actually the same age as me?

The time when we played some games, the time passed in a flash.
While unnie spent time talking happily with Aunty Kim, I decided to look for K.Joon, who was apparently up in his room.

"K.Joon?" I asked as I knocked on the door which hung a sign 'Joon'.

"Krystal?" He opened the door. "Sorry, I don't really have a way with entertaining guests. Here, come in!"

"Thank you." I smiled and I walked into the relatively large room.

As he closed the door behind me, I turned around and saw a wall filled with posters of me since my debut.
He really was a fan of mine. No doubt about it now.

It was time to give him the ring.
"Here K.Joon, Happy birthday!"

"Thank you Krystal. But you shouldn't have." He took the gift from my hands carefully.

"Open it !" I laughed at his shy nature.

"Wow, a ring?" He asked as he opened the gift up.

"Yeah, sorry about the simplicity. I didn't have time to get anything."

"It's alright. Wait..." He suddenly stopped. "Isn't this your favorite ring? How can I have it?! "

He actually knew? I wondered. "Well, I figured that it would be most appropriate since I couldn't buy a gift."

"...Thank you." He took out his necklace and place the ring in it. "I will treasure it."

We stood there looking at each other for a few seconds.
Suddenly, he sighed.

"What's the matt..." I paused as his slim but sturdy arms reached for my waist and pulled me to him.

"Joon..." I whispered and I slowly lifted my arms to his waist.

His arms began carassing my back as he hugged me.
I felt a really strong beating fom him as he did so.
His heart was racing again.

"Krystal~ Jessica left earlier and said that you can go home when you feel like it." Aunty Kim suddenly shouted to inform me.

"Okay!" I replied with my voice raised but was blocked as my face was against Joon.

"You wanna leave now Krystal? " He softly spoke, still not breaking his hug.
His voice sent a series of vibrations from his throat to me which felt really calming.

"Yes, thanks for today. I had fun." I hesitated and finally agreed.

"I'll send you home." 

"Is it okay?" I felt that I blushed.

"Why not?" He chuckled and released me from his warm embrace.

We went downstairs afterwards to fing Aunty Kim.

"Aunty, I'm walking her home." K.Joon explained

"Okay. Take care, Krystal." She said as she hugged me. "See you again sometimes."

"Thank you Aunty Kim." I smiled.

We began to walk slowly back home in the night, where it was so quiet that I thought I could hear his pulse.

It's just like that night.
Just that I wasn't sick nor frightened.
I am happy to be safe now.

The most surprising thing?
We had our hands together as we walked together.

I knew by then, I have fallen for him...

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