XI.
I still feel numb after what happened. It was just minutes ago.I was left hanging in thedoor of our house, and I can see him no more. I almost forgot my own birthday.

But how did he knew?

I entered the house withthe lights off. Suddenly it opened and that made me shock. Instead of screaming, I cried. My parents are here. They came back from work. Jackson is also here.

They are all wearing cute birthday hats and Jackson happily placed one on me too. I was crying and I don't have any hankerchiefs, so I used my fingers to dry it up. The three of them were happily clapping, and I am crying since this was so unexpected. Really. It's been years since my last birthday with them, and now that I'm 16, I can say that this is the best birthday so far.

"Happy Birthday, Jang Chae Rim." Jackson whispered while the four of us are eating. He called me by my full Korean name, and it was pretty unusual. I half-smiled back at him and focused on eating my food.

"Saeng-il chukha hamnida~!" they happily sang while clapping. Tears are still streaming down my face. "Stop crying," he whispered after. "Happiness should be spilled. This is your very day." he added. I still can't believe that they came home for my birthday. Not to mention that tomorrow will be Jackson and Aril's Anniversary and he hasn't prepared for anything. Usually, he'll be staying home for weeks. But this time? He's with me. I don't want to ask questions--he might eventually leave.

By 9PM, The four of us stopped partying and my parents said they'll be in their room. They gave us time to talk privately in the living room... or maybe spend some time together.

I realized I've been holding BamBam's gift so I decided to put it down. "Came from?" Jackson asked, looking at the gift. "BamBam." I bit my lip.

"Oh." he said with a plain look and then nodded. "I also got something for you. Something for the girl who has been there for me for years. The girl who loved me."  he handed me a very big stuffed duck. It's size is almost the same as a 5-year-old kid. I covered my mouth in shock. "T-Thank you..." I shyly said, stuttering. 

I accepted his gift and carried it on my lap. I stared at it for a second, and I looked at him after. He was staring at me. I half smiled.

"Mind if we go outside?" I shook my head. I took my polaroid cam from my parents and went outside with him. I am carrying the stuffed duck he gave me.

"Remember this?" he said, slowly moving himself in the swing. "Yeah," I looked up and smiled, "First place where we met." the playground.

"Can't believe I am like a gay crying that time," he laughed so hard that made me smile. He's burying them all in the past. 

"Guess you became a wiser and happier person now, huh," I said, and took a picture of him in the swing. Happily laughing.

I smiled when the picture came out. "Hey!" he came towards me after realizing I took a stolen picture of him. "You wasted a film." he pouted and get the picture. "May I see the pictures awhile ago?" I handed him the polaroid pictures that was taken hours ago, during my birthday.

Mom was holding the camera. There were a lot of pictures. Good thing I have a huge stock of polaroid films. Both of us were scanning through it. There were several shots of me holding my cake, shots of me when I came home the house; there were family pictures taken by Jackson and there are shots of me and Jackson, too.

"May I have those?" he said, pertaining to my picture holding the cake happily and the one where his hand was around my back while we're both wearing birthday hats.

"Sure," I handed him those. "Remembrance for this very special day." he loudly whispered. 

"I know," I looked down for a moment. "Thank you for being a part of it." I half-smiled.

"Well, I should be the one thanking you." he sighed. "Thank you for being a part of it, too. A part of my life."

***

I headed home by 11PM. Jackson changed. I don't know in particular, but something really changed.

The lights were dimmed. My parents are probably sleeping this time. I held the gift that BamBam gave and was left in the living room, and headed to my room after.

I opened it afterwards.

It's a sweater that says, "Worry Less, Live More" and a pullover that has a penguin design in the middle that has pink hair on the top. I can tell that both of these were personalized. The tag at the back says 'Owned by B', and I assume that he intentionally put that.

I suddenly looked at one of the polaroids of him posted on my wall, and I smiled.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

And yes. The story is going so fast and huge clues are given now. I hope you all know that every word here has its own purpose, and titles will be explained after the story. I'll be posting the Epilogue before April ends, and hopefully this novel(?) will exceed 15 chapters. I am being too fast and I don't like it. I don't wanna be slow either.

Please pardon me though-- I've got a lot of things to do. 

AAAAAAAND ALSO:

I am not even sorry if there were not gangster and cold guys and other ing things like that. Aside from I OWN THIS STORY AND YOU ARE JUST A READER, aren't you tired of things like that that are too cliche? I mean can you really find a gangster that will eventually become sweet after?

I don't wanna spoil you all. I am not here to satisfy your fantasies, but instead, to write something gold and presentable. I can write things like that, too, but I choose not to. I choose to be unique and better.

Again, if you're waiting for BamBam/Jackson to do drugs, smoke and drink heavy alcohol, you may leave. I am not going to write chapters where BamBam/Jackson will pin Chae Rim to the wall, French Kiss her or things like those that won't probably happen in real life. /tears/ lol

BUT if you're still enjoying this story without those, thank you. I love you ho ho ho

xoxo