“WAKE UP BIRTHDAY GIRL! WAKE UP!”

As usual, Unnie’s wake-up call is as annoying as Duke’s face. Why am I even thinking of that guy early in the morning? How can I not, when he’s all over me. Wherever I go, he’s there. He’s literally following me EVERYWHERE and it’s really pissing the hell out of me already.

“Yaaaaaa….Unnie….please” I pushed her away from me, causing her to fall down to the floor.

She spanked my hard, making me shriek in pain “YAAAAAAA!!!!”

“UNNIE!” I shouted in annoyance. I sat up and took a deep breath “What the hell is wrong with you?” I asked.

“OMO! OMO! Yah!” she slapped my arm and sat in front of me “It’s your birthday and here you are…hating on the world early in the morning….now…let me ask you…what the hell is wrong with you?”

If only she knows how annoyed and totally pissed I am with Duke, she will surely understand my mood. Yes, it’s my birthday, but I cannot even get into the groove of it because I know that I’ll be dealing with my ex-boyfriend once again. Well, he’s not yet my ex for he hasn’t agreed with our break-up yet, but in my mind he is already a part of my past and I will not go back to him no matter how many surprises he gives or how angelic he acts. I’m completely done with him and I’ve already cleared myself to him. All he has to do is accept reality and live it.

Unnie is aware that I already broke-up with Duke for he is also bugging her to talk to me and convince me to go back to him. Thing is, my sister knows that I’m not going to be shaken by any kind of talk anymore and this is what she wants in the first place, if there’s one person who really dislikes my relationship with Duke, it’s her.

“Aigoo…I have a surprise for you” she went out to throw our garbage and came in with a big box.

“What is that?” I asked curiously.

The box is wrapped in gold paper with a big ribbon on it “I have a feeling that this is from Duke” I said, earning a smirk from Unnie.

“Here’s the card…read it” she handed it to me and I got it even though I’m not interested in reading it.

Happy Birthday my love! Here’s a gift for you. I hope you’ll like it.

I love you and I miss you!

xx.

“OH!” I said upon reading what’s written on the card. “This is from Jiyong” I looked at the big box and crouched down. I shook it, trying to figure out the contents without opening it.

“What?” Unnie asked and grabbed the card that I’m holding “Aigoo…Jiyong is not good in surprises….his handwriting is so obvious…he should’ve put a name on it instead” she said, making me laugh out loud.

“His penmanship hasn’t improved at all” I told her and she giggled.

“In all fairness to him….even if he’s so far away from you…he still made an effort to give you a surprise….I’m so proud of him…he grew up to be a sweet man” Unnie still counts Jiyong and I as kids and it’s just so freaky because we’re already adults.

My mood suddenly changed after seeing Jiyong’s gift. I’ve never felt so excited for a very long time. It’s been months since we last saw each other and I’m missing him so damn much already.

I unwrapped the present in a swift move and the moment I opened the box, a Sesame Street Suitcase is in there, bringing my curiosity up a notch.

“What is this?” I asked then pulled it out from the box “OH GOSH! It’s damn heavy!” I almost lost my balance.

“Why do I have a feeling that Jiyong is just pranking you?” Unnie asked, earning a smirk from me.

“What a prank!” I said and she laughed “He wasted his money in sending this just to prank me…that’s ridiculous!….wait” I said and opened the suitcase.

“OH!” this is where the surprise begins.

A bouquet of my favorite white roses surprised me the moment I opened the suitcase and it really made my heart beat like a drum. In the one week that I’ve been in Korea, Jiyong hasn’t given me even a flower petal and this is really touching.

“OMO! This is what I’m talking about!” Unnie is beyond happy. Her face turned red and she really looks like she’s the one given a surprise.

“There’s more!” she pointed at the other contents and I dig in right away.

Our favorite candies and chocolates from the Sweet shop in Jeju are also in here and not only that, my favorite talking doll is included too. I gave it to him so many years ago as a peace offering when we fought over his new bicycle.

“OH GOSH!” I suddenly had goose bumps upon seeing his memory box. Almost all of the things that we’ve shared are in there.

“My ripped shirt!” I pulled it out and looked at it with a smile on my face.

“OMO! He still kept that?” Unnie asked in disbelief and I hugged the shirt.

“It’s been what? 16 years already Unnie!” I said after counting the years.

The shirt is given by him and his family to me on my 8th birthday and it became my favorite to the point that I wear it almost every week. It never stayed inside my closet for long because once I see that it’s clean again, I’ll wear it right away. One day while Jiyong and I are playing, he tugged on my shirt so hard that it ripped and next thing I know it, I’m crying inside my room, totally bawling out because he ruined my favorite shirt. As far as my memory can remember, I ignored him for days because of what he has done.

Everything in that box is so precious. I’m not expecting him to still have it for I know Jiyong, he’s not the kind of person who will keep things because for him, they are just trash, but I’m completely wrong.

“PHONE!” Unnie called out from the living room, making me run to the kitchen to there.

“It’s your “love” she said, making me chuckle.

It’s Jiyong. My heart is once again pumping at its best and if only he can see how he made me so happy, I’m sure he’s going to give me a sweet smile once again.

“Hey “my love” I joked. Honestly, I’m really not buying that pet name at all for it sounds so mushy to me.

“Aigoo…you’ve already received it…huh?” he asked and I felt tingly all over once again.

“Yes….and thank you birthday boy” I answered.

“Happy Birthday J” he said in a sweet and really heart melting voice.

“Happy Birthday to you as well my love” seriously, I can’t get over it, but this doesn’t mean that I’ll call him and let him call me “my love”. No. This is not going to work for us.

“Aigoo…that sounds a little….”

“What? Mushy?” I asked and he laughed.

“Yeah…it does sound so mushy…and I feel like it doesn’t fit us at all” he said, making me laugh so loud.

“If it’s mushy….why did you write it on the card?” I asked and he sighed.

“Because I can’t think of any pet names” he answered and it made me smile from ear to ear.

“Seriously Jiyongie….you want us to have a pet name for each other?” I asked in disbelief.

“Yes…why? Is there something wrong with that?” he is not joking and it’s just a bit shocking for he’s really manly and he looks like someone who is not into romantic and ant-worthy lovers name.

“There’s nothing wrong with it….it’s just….a bit…weird?” I said unsurely, earning a chuckle from him.

“Why is that?” he asked and I started thinking.

“Because…you do not look like the type who will go for eeekky and mushy stuffs…you’re so cool and swag…I thought pet names like Honey….