[Year 19 of Exile]

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY JEN!”

Sitting at one end of the long dining table, I gasped when the backyard lights went off and gramma emerged from the kitchen with a birthday cake. Her face was slightly aglow from the flames of the candles that adorned the cake. Zitao, Kai, and Sehun were shielding it, keeping the candles lit. The way that they walked around the old lady cracked me up, but I kept the snicker suppressed while numerous pairs of eyes darted to me. I kept my own on gramma who slowly made her way towards me and carefully placed the cake in front of me.

“A very happy birthday dear.” She wished me before proceeding back to her seat. Grandpa circled his arms around her as she sat down next to him. I gazed at them fondly as their eyes made contact with mine. They smiled and gestured to the cake. Oh. I turned my attention back to cake and realised that it was slightly floating above the surface of the table.

“Just thought you might like it closer to your face, so you don’t have to bend down that much to blow the candles.” Luhan’s gentle voice came from my left and the corners of my lips tugged upwards slightly.

Ever so considerate, Luhan.

“H-Huh? Luhan?”

I was shocked to see him. Pulling me into a hug, my face reflexively buried itself into the crook of his neck, nuzzling my nose deep into it. He doesn’t have Chanyeol's height but their hugs are the same; warm and secure.

I let my arms circle around his waist, not caring that probably the whole school was watching, as I returned his embrace and started to sob.

“There there. I’m here. No one can harm you Jen. No one.”

Was it a figment of my imagination or did I hear malice in his words?

“Don’t aggravate her, I’m telling you.”

I paused, my feet stopping just as I was about to round the corner to my room. Hushed voices travelled out of the slightly ajar door, and I knew better than to intrude.

“Yes hyung, I understand. There’s no need to repeat.” Sehun muttered as I heard the springs of my bed recoil. “I know what happened. Heck, I even heard it from my teacher himself that James Piga–”

“Shush!” Jongdae growled.

I blinked profusely, keeping the tears at bay while trying hard to not remember what had happened during class that afternoon. It was so hard, so, so hard on my part, to not just rip into that man and avenge my parents. It took so much restraint and self-discipline to not go mad and kill him.

“Just remember guys, don’t do anything stupid tonight. In addition to the incident that happened three years ago and now we have this, bloody thing, that happened today, Jen’s going to be sensitive tonight.” I let my eyes fall to the floor as Baekhyun continued. “Don’t aggravate her. I swear I’ll murder anyone who does that by blinding you with light!”

“Blow out the candles!”

Zitao goaded as I did. The cake then settled gently onto the table and I efficiently cut the huge cake into numerous slices. Luhan floated the plates over to the adults and got one for himself. The rest of the boys pursed their lips, and huffily grabbed plates for themselves.

Nine plates disappeared from the table, and I searched the backyard, my mind mentally skimming through the faces for the identity of the remaining two. There they are, sheesh.

Grabbing a tray and three plates of cake, I made my way over to them. “Here.” I pushed the plates into their hands and settled down comfortably beside one of them. Nibbling on a piece of cake I've forked, I glanced at them. They weren’t touching their slices. “Come on, eat.” I prodded their cakes with my fork and gave them a large smile. Don’t be worried about me. I’m fine.

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