Luhan has been trying to stay away from Chanyeol these days. He will like to think that it's because he doesn't want to get sick too, but the real reason is more of a personal one.

 

Just imagine hearing your hyung saying that he wants you to have eternal happiness out of nowhere. Isn't that just a little... Awkward? Luhan doesn't know whether to laugh or cringe everytime he relives that memory barely days ago.

 

Fortuitously, Chanyeol has absolutely no memory of that incident, and Luhan has been successful in convincing himself that it was just  nonsensical sleeptalk, even if it was coincidentally one that made a lot of sense.

 

So for the past three days, Luhan has stayed far away from Chanyeol's bedroom, venturing into it only to give Chanyeol his tablets or some food.

 

Today, however, is different. For one, Chanyeol is well recovered, leaving Luhan no excuse to avoid him. And, it's also Chanyeol's birthday.

 

Now that, is a recipe for absolute disaster.

 

Chanyeol takes birthdays seriously. It's like am magic ritual or something to Chanyeol. Or maybe it's just because he's turning twenty two.

 

So, Luhan has to go get Chanyeol. He knows, it sounds rather cold-hearted to think of Chanyeol's birthday only now, but Luhan finds it a surprise that he remembered before Chanyeol could remind him incessantly.

 

Presents. Another rather.... Complicated matter. Chanyeol wants his present to be something he wants himself, just that he expects you to know what it is even though he didn't even so much as provide a clue. Luhan can't buy a tub of ice-cream, for sure, because there's no more space in the freezer for anymore. 

 

Luhan will have to tread carefully on this day. Getting on Chanyeol's bad side is not particularly terrible, but quite upsetting. Chanyeol's practically still a child, a little kid, and watching him sulk and sniffle can be a heartrending.

 

As for Sehun, Luhan doesn't even know how he manages to make such good impressions on Chanyeol all the time. Maybe it's something about ice cream. Funny, Sehun seemed like the controlling one all the time although he was younger than Luhan last time. And now he's giving in to Chanyeol? No way. Luhan will have to find out what's Sehun's secret.

 

Just as Luhan's about to walk out the door, Chanyeol catches him. Literally. He leaps out from the pillar and locks Luhan's hand in an unintentional death grip. Luhan mentally groans and pries Chanyeol's hand away.

 

"Guess what day is it today, Luhan hyung!" Chanyeol says excitedly, skipping from side to side.

 

Luhan's about to remind Chanyeol that he's not his hyung, but he stops himself in time and just grits his teeth.

 

"Happy birthday Chanyeol."

 

Chanyeol smiles brightly, brighter than usual. "Happy what? You forgot something."

 

Luhan gives up and lets a scowl onto his face.

 

"Happy fifth birthday, Chanyeol." Luhan retorts, pulling the door open wide, already regretting his decision to buy Chanyeol a present.

 

"That's more like it." Chanyeol beams, not noticing Luhan's jibe. Then he skips off, presumably to bother Sehun. Good riddance.

 

Luhan shuts the door after him and turns down the street. He passes a couple of Chanyeol's favorite ice cream palaces before reaching his destination. It's going to be easy, really.

 

Chanyeol is a kid who wants ice cream but doesn't have space in his freezer, so what else can be a better present? An ice cream soft toy!

 

Yep, the toy shop does have them. Ice creams with ice cream smells in cones as high as Luhan's waist.  They're normal size for a bolster. However, Luhan faces another problem. They don't have vanilla.

 

There's chocolate, strawberry, mint, coffee (which reeks of coffee in a good way), mango and the triple decker which is a supersized cone with mint, mango and strawberry.

 

So which one should Luhan pick? What if Chanyeol DEOSNT like it? Luhan remembers the last time it happened- he hadn't known Chanyeol well enough to know what he liked besides ice cream, and he bought a thick notebook and a Shakespeare book entitled 'Romeo and Juliet'. Chanyeol had cried in his room for two days straight. Luhan assumed it wasn't because of the sad story.

 

Maybe he should just buy all except the triple decker,Yes, that's what he should do. Go home, ask Chanyeol what flavor he likes best, then refund the rest. Yes.

 

Luhan, after avoiding the weird stares the cashier was giving him, walks out of the shop feeling rather satisfied. He rushes home and hides tha bag in his room.

 

"Chanyeol ah!" Luhan shouts. Chanyeol comes tearing into Luhan's room.

 

"Hey Luhan!" Chanyeol pants.

 

Luhan stares." Why are you running?"

 

Chanyeol shrugs, a smile creeping into his face. "Dunno?"

 

Luhan just sighs and proceeds. " Chanyeol, tell me your favorite flavor. Chocolate, mango, strawberry, mint or coffee?"

 

Chanyeol ponders on this for a moment. "I... Like them all!"

 

"Can't you choose one?"

 

"No, I swear I like all ice cream equally, unless you put mint and any other flavor together." Chanyeol wrinkles his nose. "Mint doesn't go well with anything except mint." 

 

Luhan sighs again. Looks like he's not going to get any money back.

 

-----

 

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to Chanyeol hyungggggggggg..... Happy birthday to yooou!"

 

The chorus ends with a burst of applause from Chanyeol and soft snickering from Sehun, soft enough that only Chanyeol can't hear it.

 

"Open my presents first, Chanyeol." Sehun says. He hands Chanyeol a big box. Chanyeol smiles with anticipation, and begins to tear the wrapping apart.

 

Luhan leans towards Sehun skeptically. "What did you get him?"

 

"Wait and see." Sehun replies confidently. Luhan scowls. Sometimes, birthday presents are somewhat a competition between Sehun and Luhan.   

 

Chanyeol lifts up the box lid and positively beams.

 

"Oh!!!! A remote control ice cream van!" Chanyeol squeals. Luhan just shakes his head while Sehun smiles in triumph.

 

"Open mine next, Chanyeol."

 

Chanyeol grabs Luhan's wrapped present with eager arms and opens it in one rip. For a second, Chanyeol looks confused, then his smile grows to an impossible size.

 

"Ice cream soft toys! Yay!" Chanyeol picks one up and hugs it tightly. "It even smells good."

 

Sehun frowns a little bit.

 

"I win?" Luhan whispers.

 

"This time. But I just want you to know -" Sehun motions for Luhan to move closer.

 

"What?"

 

"Gay soft toys , man. You're gonna turn Chanyeol into a full-blown gay like you."

 

Luhan pulls away, furious, seething, while Sehun lets out a roar of laughter and scrambles up the steps.

 

"Luhan?"

 

At the sound of Chanyeol's voice, Luhan turns around, momentarily distracted.

 

"Yes?"

 

Chanyeol's eyes widen. "Thank you."

 

Luhan flushes a little. "It's okay. It's your birthday, right?"

 

"No, not that, hyung."

 

Luhan raises both eyebrows.

 

"I mean, not the present. Thank you for thinking of me.your my best friend, hyung."

 

Luhan is suddenly overwhelmed by a wave of emotion, and for no reason at all, his cheeks turn beet red.

 

"It's o-okay." Luhan murmured, then runs up to his room. 

 

Park Chanyeol, Luhan thinks desperately to himself, what are you doing to me?