It was almost inevitable that for the next few days, Luhan’s words perpetually ran through Baekhyun’s head, leaving lingering questions in their tread. All those thoughts about Jongin’s unfortunate past, all those thoughts about his own feelings kept Baekhyun’s mind running on overdrive. It was almost as if Luhan had triggered something deep within him, that Baekhyun never knew existed. Whenever he looked over at Jongin, who could either be smiling back, making a quick remark, or making a complete fool out of himself for all Baekhyun cared, he never wanted anything more than for the moment to last. Baekhyun wanted to capture everything about Jongin, from the sound of his tired laughter after a long day of work and the twinkle of his eyes when the sea breeze brushed against his cheeks, to the kindness that emanated from the other whenever they locked eyes. Baekhyun wanted to remember them and understand them, more than what his system could compute. Even though he couldn’t be truly sure if what he felt could be constituted as love, it was something more strong and real than he could even comprehend. It was full of contradictions, just like the time Jongin had explained, for it was an impossibility that he as a robot, could ever feel so human. But right now, right here, he did. Defying all logic, Baekhyun concluded that it must be love. Nothing else in any dictionary or database could explain why he felt the way he did towards his owner. Baekhyun loved Jongin, and he was finally resolute in his conclusions.

After his revelation, Baekhyun nearly jumped up right then and went over to find the other to hug him senseless. But just as quickly as the happiness had spread, everything came crashing down when he realized something. It was true that he loved Jongin, but did Jongin love him back? Baekhyun was a music box for goodness sakes! But instead of deflating in defeat, Baekhyun all of a sudden acquired a surge of determination. From now on, even though it may be useless, even though it may amount to nothing, Baekhyun vowed to learn how to become a little more human, for Jongin.

With a new heart, Baekhyun marched straight from his seat in the living room to the kitchen where Jongin was currently making a kettle of tea for himself. He went up on his tiptoes slightly and gently tapped Jongin on the shoulder. “Can I ask you something?” He called out.

Jongin raised an eyebrow before he placed his mug down and leaned back against the counter. “Sure.”

“When is your birthday?”

“My birthday?” Jongin felt the need to reaffirm the question in mild surprise. He had no idea where Baekhyun suddenly could have gotten the idea to ask about it.

“Yes, your birthday.”

“It’s far away… in the winter,” Jongin explained, noticing the way Baekhyun’s lips quirked in thought. He was about to speak before Baekhyun cut in again, this time truly taking Jongin by surprise.

“Do you think that I have a birthday?”

But Jongin didn’t have a reply. A birthday was the day that a living being came into existence but... did that count for his music box? “Well, maybe it was the day you were created,” Jongin mused. Upon hearing these words, Baekhyun’s face lit up with hope. However, it dimmed down just as it came.

“I don’t even know what day that is though."

Jongin, realizing the same thing and finding Baekhyun’s crestfallen face just too adorable (not that he would admit it), proposed a solution. “How about this then? If we don’t know your real birthday, we’ll just have to make a new one for you.” And the way Baekhyun and his frame shot up made everything worth it. Feeling rather confident, Baekhyun took Jongin’s hand in his, melting in the warmth that spread through his body as he saw the other made no attempt to stop him.

“I want you to pick one for me.”

Jongin’s heart began pounding against his ribcage and he wasn’t sure whether it was due to the close contact or the entirely dependent way Baekhyun’s sounded when he voiced his request. But he didn’t mind, in fact his body took an unconscious initiative to lace their fingers together at the surge of such a responsibility. Jongin took a moment to think, and the smile that pulled at his lips at his own cheesy thoughts nearly broke him. "How about this? Since we first met each other on a rainy day, from now on every time it rains, it will be your birthday.”

A birthday was the day a living being came into existence, so a rainy day would forever signify the day that Baekhyun came into Jongin’s existence.

-

Even though the sentiments were wonderful, it probably wasn’t the best idea to make Baekhyun’s birthday on a rain day when they were currently situated at the coast during the rainy season.

-

The next morning, Jongin woke up to the loud clash of thunder and an excited, bouncing Baekhyun who all but bounded into his bed with eyes b with expectations. Not wanting to keep the birthday boy waiting any longer due to his own laziness and lethargicness, Jongin got out of bed while waving Baekhyun off for a second to get himself dressed. As he pulled a light cotton tee over his head, Jongin gazed slightly over to the side window of his bedroom and frowned. The weather looked pretty stormy out there; it would be a better idea to stay in today. Jongin treaded out into the hallway almost hesitantly, as if he was afraid that such news would damper his music box’s mood. “Hey Baekhyun, it seems like we’ll be celebrating indoors,” he spoke, “if that’s ok with you, of course,” he quickly rushed in on the end. But the other just nodded his head and with eyes deeper than Jongin could ever know, he looked over.

“It’s fine, as long as I can celebrate with you.”

Jongin didn’t know what he did in the past life to deserve someone as selfless as Baekhyun by his side.

-

If you were to ask Jongin how they were going to spend Baekhyun’s first birthday together, he probably would have listed off a long plan of carefully thought out events and activities around the town, not spending a whole afternoon stuck in a small kitchen, attempting to wash cake batter out of his hair and Baekhyun’s amused laughter ringing constantly throughout the air.

Jongin figured that he had enough skills in the baking department to be able to bake a birthday cake. But it seemed that he had forgotten to take into account he hadn’t even known how to use an electric mixer before this, let alone how to separate yolks from whites and just what sifting flour even meant. But it didn’t matter in the end even if flour covered the floor tiles or the food colouring accidently dyed the tips of his fingers all colours of the rainbow. Being together, working and playing together with Baekhyun, proved to be in it’s own way, more memorable than anything else ever could’ve been.

-

The cake was set up in the middle of the table and Baekhyun stared at it with wide eyes as Jongin took a small lighter and carefully ignited the short candle stuck in the middle of the letters of the word 'BIRTHDAY' messily frosted on the top. A few seconds later, Jongin reluctantly cleared his throat and looked the other direction in embarassment as he began to sing. “Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you…” And sure it wasn't from a super advanced music box, but Baekhyun appreciated it greatly—a song just for him, on a day just for him, from the one he wanted, just for him. “Happy birthday dear, Baekhyun. Happy birthday to you!” Jongin took the opportunity to clap and signal for Baekhyun to blow out the candle. “Make a wish.” And a wish, Baekhyun made. 

I want to become someone who can stay by Jongin’s side forever.

After they had divided up the cake, Jongin apologized profusely since he felt sorry to Baekhyun that he was the only one who was able to eat it. But Baekhyun merely shook his head and told him that he was thankful that Jongin allowed him to celebrate his birthday with human traditions. Jongin side eyed him but couldn’t help the sad feeling that emanated from his chest. “But you know, there is one other extremely important tradition that I couldn’t fulfill today.”

“Oh? What’s that?”

“A gift.”

“Gift?” Baekhyun scratched the back of his head.

“Mhmm. It was really short notice so… I’m really sorry,” it was Jongin’s turn to scratch the back of his head.

“Hmmm,” Baekhyun tapped his temple with his finger before an idea dropped into his mind, “if it’s a present, then it can wait until my next birthday. But you owe me more for every one you miss,” he warned sternly as he pointed a finger at Jongin who laughed and nodded.

-

It probably wasn’t the best idea to put Baekhyun’s birthday on a rain day because Jongin and Baekhyun ended up celebrating three times within one week. But honestly, Jongin couldn’t complain since he always ended up eating left over birthday cake for breakfast the next morning and hey, no one can complain about too much cake, could they?

However, on the fourth particular birthday, after Jongin had finished his slice of cake, which he admitted he could see himself getting tired of eating if they kept celebrating this often, Baekhyun suddenly broke the silence after he had been unnaturally silent the entire day. “Hey Jongin, I know what I want for my birthday this time.”

Jongin looked up in interest, “anything, just say it.”

“I want—I want to see you dance.” And at these words, Jongin’s entire frame froze and his blood became cold.

“No.” It surprised even him, the amount of detachment his tone contained. Except Baekhyun, having used the whole day to build up his courage, didn’t back down to easily from the refusal.

“But you promised!” Baekhyun affirmed, eyes never faultering.

“But—“ Jongin felt his resolve crack under the strong gaze.

“Luhan told me.” Oh of course. “Luhan told me how much you loved to dance in the past. He told me about how happy you used to be and I just want to see that Jongin just once, please, you owe me,” Baekhyun explained, not wanting to, but ending up pulling the guilt card on the other. It was the only way, he thought, that would get Jongin to agree and for Baekhyun to fulfill his promise to Luhan. Jongin sat there in silence, his mind running a hundred miles per hour. It was true that he promised, but such a request… it had been years since he locked away his past. It wasn’t something that was easy to return to, not when he had worked so hard trying to forget. But with one look at Baekhyun who was the epitome of desperation, he couldn’t help but melt and give in. He had to fulfill his wish, even if it scared him, because what scared Jongin even more was to have Baekhyun disappointed in him. Without looking back, Jongin sighed.

“I’ll do it.”

-

So that was how Jongin found himself standing center stage in the living room with all the furniture cleared to the side. His laptop was playing an instrumental of a song he had been composing ever since he had met Baekhyun and Baekhyun sat alone with a sheet of music in his hand, ready to do what he did best.

Jongin let the music flow through his veins, and at first it felt foreign to him. His mind was in a daze as he tried to remember just how to move. But soon after, as if letting all of his thoughts and doubts fall away into the melody, his body began to move itself. All those years of dedicated classical training began to move his limbs and intuition in a way that had become a habit. Soon, he let go entirely, letting the months and years of restraint fly away and finally freed himself to the truth. And that truth was that he loved nothing more than dance.

This freedom, coupled along with Baekhyun’s beautiful voice, singing about descending into new worlds, felt like flying. It felt like soaring. And after the song ended, Jongin couldn’t help but let his tears fall silently before he suddenly felt a pair of arms wrap around his waist. “Thank you.” Baekhyun whispered, "thank you."

Jongin turned around to face Baekhyun and gulped in as much air as he could manage in his trembling state. “I was always scared, I was always so... scared that I would make a mistake again. So I lied to myself. I told myself that I was fine creating for others, and not myself. I—“ But Baekhyun gently cut him off.

“You told me that if you truly love something, then you should pursue it. Jongin, I think that you should give it another shot. Please give your dream another shot.”

These words made Jongin cry even more than before, except for a different reason all together. Dancing was what he truly loved, and it was all thanks to Baekhyun that he realized it again. But much more than that, perhaps, Jongin finally accepted that maybe he had always loved the one that was in his arms right now just as much. "Please don't be afraid anymore, I'll always be here to help you... and... I love you, Jongin.” And that was all it took for Jongin to lean down without restraint and kiss Baekhyun, who kissed him back.

“I love you too, Baekhyun and thank you... thank you for existing."

Author's Note:

How did this end up so fluffy *side eyes self*

Even though I'm 800% sure this chapter made no sense, thank you for reading :D