spent my lunch break randomly talking about simbols with my friend so... i present you this~

Chanyeol lets out a relieved sigh after he settles down inside the van. He’s just finished another night radio program—yes, alone, because the others have different schedules as well—and wants nothing but to go back to the dorm and take a good rest as soon as possible. He’s just soooooo tired.

The van starts moving and Chanyeol smiles. However, a snicker escapes his lips a few seconds later as he realizes how his birthday is turning out this year. Today is his birthday, yes, but being an idol doesn’t give you any privilege of getting a day off just because it’s your birthday. He was out for schedule since six in the morning and, Chanyeol is one hundred percent sure about this, it’d be almost midnight by the time he arrives at his dorm.

Junmyeon was the first one to say happy birthday to him in person since the leader was the one waking Chanyeol up. When Chanyeol was fully awake, he finally noticed a small polygon glass terrarium with a cute little turtle inside it placed on top of his favorite backpack on his desk. He didn’t know who gave him that, though.

It may be from his manager. Who knows?

Jongin and Kyungsoo were next to greet him; they said it during breakfast time before each of them went to their own schedules. Sehun and Baekhyun… well, they were nowhere in sight because, as Junmyeon said, they needed to do some photo shoot with the theme of winter sunrise.

They wished him a happy birthday through a video message taken together, though, and the members in China also skyped with him before he did his schedules.

Chanyeol doesn’t remember when exactly he fell asleep but he jolts up awake as someone shakes his shoulder a bit hard. He opens his eyes only to see that it’s his manager.

“We’re here, Chanyeol,” his manager says. “I left some documents at SM so you go up first. Don't wait for me because it seems like I'll be sleeping at SM.”

Chanyeol sleepily nods before doing what he was told. When he enters the dorm, it’s entirely dark which means that he’s the first one to come back from schedules. He was initially hoping he could at least get a memorable last minute simple birthday party with s but it seems like he won’t get that this year. With a dejected face, he steps out of his sneakers before feeling the wall and turning on the lights.

He goes straight to the kitchen to make himself some hot cocoa but then—

“PARK CHANYEOL WHAT DID YOU DO TO THE TURTLE?!”

Chanyeol turns his body around to see Baekhyun, cutely bundled up in dark purple winter coat, glare at him while pointing at the small polygon glass terrarium on the coffee table in the living room. Yes, he moved the terrarium there this morning before leaving the dorm.

“Chanyeol, I know turtle isn’t your favorite but—”

Chanyeol just casually shrugs his shoulder off before pouring the hot water into his glass. “I moved her, Baek.”

“It’s a male, you dumb,” Baekhyun rolls his eyes. He follows Chanyeol to the kitchen and stands next to him. “Where is he now? Chanyeol, don’t tell me you mov—”

Chanyeol stops stirring his hot cocoa and takes Baekhyun by his wrist before dragging him out of the kitchen. He opens their shared bathroom’s door and points at the bathtub. “I safely put him there so that he can freely move around. The terrarium is too small.”

Oh how Baekhyun wants to punch Chanyeol and kiss him continuously.

“Soooo, the turtle is from you?” Chanyeol shows his big grin. “Is it?”

“And the terrarium, too,” Baekhyun answers before walking to the bathtub and sits on the edge to look at the turtle. Chanyeol copies his action because his hand is still wrapped around the singer’s waist. “Please keep this turtle safe.”

The smile Baekhyun gives after saying the last sentence brings the butterflies in Chanyeol’s stomach into life. “Why did you give me a turtle, Baek?”

“Turtle symbolizes sure and steady and its shell is an amazing self-defense mechanism to protect themselves from pre