Today is 17 December – Jae Jin birthday. I go to his house early in the morning, greeting his mother – my aunty, Mrs Lee “Hi aunty! Can I help you?” “Never mind, we just order the food from a restaurant and now I and Jae Jin will decorate this lounge.” My aunty explains it to me. “I will help you both.” I say enthusiastically.

            “Are you sure Min Jo…” Jae Jin smirks at me. “Of course.” “Okay, please take all the balloons and all the ribbons from the storeroom at the back and then take the light bulbs too.” He says for non-stop. “Can you give instruction to me one by one? I’m confused now.” I say with my wrinkle forehead. “Okay, make it easier. Take a box in the storeroom that contains all the things that I’ve said just now.” He says again.

            “Alright, captain. Anyway, happy birthday oppa.” I say happily. After we finish decorate the lounge, Jae Jin tell me about the agenda that will be held tonight. “Min Jo, tonight will there a game in the party. I call it ‘Poison Box’. You must take part.” He winks his brown eyes. “Why me?” I ask weirdly. “Not just you don’t worry.” “Okay I agree. If I win, you must give me a present.” I say. “Okay.” We make a fair deal.

            Before dusk I go to Jae Jin house again, help him make the last preparation. I wear a pink shirt along with a long ladies jean. “Hey, Min Jo! Where are you going?” Jae Jin ask me while turn around me. “Of course your party.” I say angrily. “Wait for me here for a while okay.” He runs upstairs. He goes downstairs bring along a pink long gown. “Here Min Jo. You must wear this gown. Change you cloth in my room now.” He gives me the gown.

            “No I don’t want wear this. I feel comfortable wear in this.” I show myself to him. “No no no, Min Jo, tonight you must be my pair. Moreover, tonight theme is ‘Prince and Princess’”. Jae Jin says. Lee Jae Kyung appears from the kitchen. She is Jae Jin older sister, older than her a year that mean she is 18 now. ‘Hi, Jae Kyung unni! How are you?” I ask Jae Kyung. “Don’t change our topic okay.” He smells what I do just now. “Just take this and wear this right now. Be my pair tonight or…” He doesn’t finish up his last sentence.

            “Or what?? Do I care?” I just say without thinking any longer. “Or I will not accompany you again to anywhere. No strolling around, no shopping and everything no anymore. Do you want it?” Jae Jin tries to threaten me. “Oppa…” My eyes start watery now. “Okay, I make a deal with you, if you want me to accompany you like usually you must be my pair tonight.” He says. “Okay.” I sob.

            Now the guests arrive one by one or in pair, as usually Jong Hoon and Min Hwan arrive early than the others in their black suit. They greet me vigorously “Hi, Min Jo! You look very beautiful in this gown. Pink is suitable for you.” Jae Jin replies “Pink is her favourite colour.” “Anyway, Happy Birthday Jae Jin.” Min Hwan makes a wish.

            The entire guests are here now but why the party doesn’t begin yet? I go to the kitchen meet Jae Kyung unni, “Unni! Why the party not begin yet?” “Hmm… let me think it first ya.” She hits her head. “Oh! I know it. He said he must wait for someone before it begins. Min Jo better you go front now before Jae Jin searches for you and claims you’re breaking your promise.” Suggests her.

            I go to the front and get shock for a moment “Ha? There’s an emcee today? Min Hwan?” “Why you look shock?” Jae Jin asks me. “Don’t believe it.” He says again. “I believe it now. You know everything is possible in this world right.” I say and give a smile to him. Min Hwan begins to say something “Yeah.. Our special guest is arriving now in his snowy white suit. He looks more handsome than normally and he is Lee Hong Ki.” At first, I look at the door but suddenly my heart beats rapidly. “Oh I know now. Why I am like this? Because of him? Once again?” I say to myself.

            “Today we will celebrate the host of this party, Lee Jae Jin in his silver suit there.” Min Hwan shows his index finger to Jae Jin. “Tonight we will begin it with lucky draw. You can go to Jae Jin to get your number. We begin it with Min Jo, she is Jae Jin’s cousin and then Hong Ki and he is Jae Jin’s best friend.”  Min Hwan continues.

            I walk towards Jae Jin and pick my number, I choose number 3. “Jong Hoon I’ll choose number 3. Can I’ve it?” Hong Ki appears behind me. “But Min Jo takes it first.” Jae Jin says doubtfully. “It’s okay, I’ll take number 2.” He says, relax. “Announcement for all guests, the prizes will be given at the end of this party. Let’s play a game that have been created by Jae Jin and his sister and the name is… What ha? Jae Jin helps me…” Min Hwan says like that make the guests laugh.

            Jong Hoon whispers to Min Hwan “Poison Box Min Hwannie” “Aha! The game called ‘Poison Box’” Min Hwan says and winks to all. Jae Jin goes to the centre of the lounge brings along a box that contains many papers inside. “First of all, all the guests must take part.  This game is pretty easy actually, don’t worry about it. Today Jong Hoon will be the first. That’s mean he will take this box from me and passes this box to the people who seat next to you along with music. The one who touch the box when the music is off will get the punishment. The punishments instruction is prepared in this box. You must draw it. Good luck guys.” He gives us the instruction.

            I see Jae Kyung unni is standing in front of a radio. She will turn on and off the music. We begin it along with a song entitled The Pretty vs Cool. We play together and suddenly the music turns off. All of them take a peek at the unlucky guy. “What? Hong Ki?” I am really shock at this time and then say alone “Pity him.” “Pity you, Min Jo.” Jae Jin sighs to me. “Pity me?” I am asking alone. The words go out from my mouth. He glances at me from above to down but when I see him, he looks to the other side. He never gives out a smile although a bitter smile to me. Why he so cold to me?

            “Yeah Hong Ki! Please draws your punishment okay… ha ha ha” Jae Jin laughs. Well, today is his birthday, he looks very happy like a small kid. Hong Ki draws it but what I see now is he opens his eyes widely. Min Hwan grabs the paper from Hong Ki hand and read it aloud “You must dance with your pair or if don’t have it select it now. My unni will decide what song you’ll be dance. Dance at the centre… You must do it.”

            “No!!!” he yells out. “I can’t dance and I don’t have a pair too.” He says again. “As I say you can select you girl on your own. There’s many girls in front of you right.” Jae Jin says sprightly. “Hong Ki, just give a try.” Jong Hoon persuades him. “Okay I’ll try but I never know them.” He says gently. “No one at all...” Min Hwan says, teases him. “Only one of them...” He says then looks down.

            “Who is she? Just ask her to right?” Jong Hoon is asking. My heart beats hardly at this happy moment, he walks towards me slowly, gives his hand to me and utters “Kim Min Jo, will you dance with me.” I get blush because all of them look over us. I look at his eyes once more and then decide to dance with him. “I will.” Reply me simple after take a glance at Jae Jin. He is winking at me, that’s mean he allows me. The entire guests applaud loudly, this situation make me panic.

            “Oh my God! Why me? Why? I forgot. I’ve a problem now, I can’t dance and never dance before. I’ll get shame afterwards.” Think me worriedly. A song is playing now. “What? My Memory?” Hong Ki looks at me. “From Ryu? Romance? Huh..” I look at him back, sighing. “Unni, I’m begging you, please change the song.” I bow. “No way, Min Jo!”  Jae Jin says strictly. “Beside the theme is ‘Prince and Princess’ right? You both forgot?” Jae Kyung continues.

            “Yeah, welcoming our first pair, Prince Hong Ki and Princess Min Jo to dance now. Give a clap to them.” Our noisy emcee makes a nonsense announcement. We start our ballroom dance gracefully with our serious faces. We dance, rotate clockwise and suddenly at a moment I slip my step and while I want trip down I feel a warm hug, I look up “Hong Ki hugs to save me? He is my saviour. He is my prince.” I think alone.

            “Ttt-thank you.” I stutter. “You’re welcome.” He states but his both hands still at the back of my body – hugging me. I feel the warmth of his hand and I think I am the happiest person today. Without realizing it, the guests look sharply on us and then give us a rumble claps. “Sorry, Min Jo.” He pulls his hands gently while the rest of guests are beginning their ballroom dance too. “Okay, listen up now. Jae Jin decides to stop this game because you all are busy with your dancing right now. He doesn’t want disturb you all.”

            All of them have their own partners except Jae Jin. “Oh my God, I’m dancing with Hong Ki now but Jae Jin said if I don’t be his partner tonight…. He will ignore me…” I feel anxious. I look at Jae Jin again, he is dancing with his sister.

            Now is the time for Jae Jin makes a wish before he blows the candle and then cuts the cake. We sing “Happy Birthday” to him then he closes his eyes and look like he makes a long wish.” We eat and after that they go home after the prize giving-lucky draw. The entire guests get the present.