(Seoul, 08-19-2011)

A handsome young man looks so busy to see himself in front of the big mirror. He fix his tie and turn around to check his back. He smiling and takes his cellphone from the table. He got a message and without waiting read it carefully.

From: Jessica

To: Donghae

Happy birthday handsome!

I have a present for you

I’ll see you at school… love ya *kiss*

He smiles and quickly grab his bag. He runs to dining table and found his father has waited for him, reading newspaper with a cup of coffee accompany him on the table. Donghae join him.

“morning appa,” he greets her softly and start to eat his own breakfast.

“morning son, how are you? You look so happy today,” his father said as he ruffle Donghae’s hair. “oh, let me guess! Is this because of your birthday? I don’t doubt about that,”

“of course not appa, I always be happy just like you always said to me,” Donghae laugh. “a strong boy should be happy in the morning, I never forget about that appa,”

“that’s my boy!” the old man pats his back proudly, after that he takes something on the floor. It’s a big box. “here is your present son, hope you like it,”

Donghae pause for a while, his eyes looking straightly to the big box. He never hope to get a present on his 18^th birthday. That’s too old for him to had a present again. But he should take it, he doesn’t want to let his father down.

“thank you appa, wow! This one was so big,” Donghae said. “I wonder what’s in inside,”

“you can open it now,” his father smiling.

“well, if I open it now, it won’t be fun anymore, I will see after school, thanks appa,”

“you’re welcome, by the way son I guess you should go to your school right away before your girlfriend get mad, she phoned me before and asked about you,”

“Sica? Called you? Oh God, she’s not suppose to did that, I will talk to her later appa, I’m sorry,” Donghae looks unhappy.

“it’s okay, she’s a nice girl, I like her,”

Donghae smiles bitterly and slowly he gets up. He should meet his girlfriend now and tell her to do not bother his father. Although they both are pretty close to each other but still, she’s not suppose to call him like that. It’s so irritating! When he wants to get inside the car suddenly he remembers about someone. A guy who also look alike with him, though not that so similar. Donghae sighs. He never meet him for a long time and he wonder where is he now. Is he okay? Is he also be happy like himself no?

“young master, we need to get going,” his driver tells him.

“oh right, let’s go,” Donghae get inside his car.

Finally he arrived at school. a few boys come closer to congratulate him of his birthday. Then he finds his girlfriend. Jessica Jung, the blonde hair girl who was dating her since first grade. She waves toward him and come closer. Donghae pats her head.

“happy birthday!” she shows him a birthday cake. Cheese cake. The favorite dessert of Donghae. “my mom made this for you, I help her to create it, do you like it?”

“wow, thank you, means a lot me Sica,” Donghae takes the cake and hug her very tight. “you’re the first person who congratulate me, thanks,”

“only thanks? Not else?” Jessica pouted.

Donghae lifts his eyebrows. Then he remembers about something. “oh yes, I love you,”

Jessica smiles. “I love you too, let’s go to cafeteria, you should eat the cake so I can tell omma about your opinion! Come on,”

They run together to cafeteria. They taking a seat and eat the cake together.

“how’s it? Delicious or terrible?”

“awesome!” Donghae answers honestly and Jessica claps her hands. Then she realize that Donghae start to getting sad. “Hae-oppa, what’s happen baby?”

“nothing,” he sighs. “I’m just thinking about somebody…”

Jessica knew who he is. Slowly she takes Donghae’s hand and hold it very tight. She always hope to see Donghae keep smiling. Although his problem was so hard. She believes he can handle it.

“he’ll be okay, you will meet him someday, as fast as possible,” Jessica kiss his hand and smiles.

Donghae smiles back. “I hope so…” he sighs and closes his eyes, thinking about a boy that he always play together since they’re in inside their mom stomach. “happy birthday Hyukjae… I hope I can meet you someday and bring you back to our house… gather together again like the way our past a few years ago,”

(Busan, 08-19-2011)

“Hyukjae-ah! Happy birthday!”

A handsome young man turn around and see a old woman and young girl come approaching him. They bring a small cake then put it on the table. Hyukjae doesn’t know how to say this. He never expect that his mom will give him a big surprise like this. For a moment he keep staying on his place. The young blonde hair girl come and takes his hand.

“I’m sorry, if it’s too small, your mom and I didn’t have any money anymore,” she explains and show him a chocolate cake on the table.

“well, you guys shouldn’t do this to me, it’s so expensive right?” Hyukjae hugs his mom. “omma, why did you buy this cake?”

“it’s because today is your birthday, I won’t let you celebrate it without cake just like last years, now, let me give you a cake okay? You love chocolate cake right?”

“yes, omma, this is too much… I don’t know what to say… Hyoyeon-ah,” Hyukjae look at his best friend, Kim Hyoyeon.

“ssh! You don’t need to say anything, you should eat it if you want to thank us, right eomonim?” Hyoyeon glances over Hyukjae’s mom. And the woman nods certainly.

Hyukjae slowly smiling when Hyoyeon feed him with the chocolate cake. Then his mom do the same thing. They three laugh together and start to discuss about what will they do after this. Hyoyeon asks him to see their street dance’s friends. They also prepare a celebration of his birthday. Hyoyeon holds his hand along the road. She doesn’t stop to talk like a kids. Sometimes she swings Hyukjae’s hand and tell him that this is the best birthday of his. Hyukjae just can laugh and ruffle her blonde hair.

“Hyoyeon-ah…”

“oh there they are! Come on Hyukjae, you gotta love this!” Hyoyeon run toward their street dance’s friends and start to dance with them. A hip-hop music start to surround around the park.

“hey birthday boy! Come over here!”

“happy birthday Hyukkie!”

“yeah, let’s dance all day long to celebrate it!”

Hyukjae join them and can’t help to laugh in happiness. Hyoyeon also laughing and dance with him happily. Although Hyukjae doesn’t have anything but he has so many friends with him. And there’s nothing more precious than it.

When his friends still dancing Hyukjae takes Hyoyeon to get along the park together. The blonde girl still look excited and dance by herself while Hyukjae just laughing at her. They have been a great friends since elementary, they also became dance partner since junior high. That’s why they’re so close to one another. Well, secretly Hyukjae had a crush toward her since a long time ago. But Hyoyeon never realize it because they’re too long to became friends. And Hyukjae doesn’t brave to confess his feeling. He scared that Hyoyeon will be awkward and their friendship breaking up.

“well, you’re 18 already,” Hyoyeon said after she has done with her dancing move. “I can’t believe it oppa,”

Oppa? Yeah, for Hyoyeon he just an oppa, a brother who always taking care of her. But Hyukjae didn’t mind about it. As long as he can keep closer with her every nickname that she gave will never bother him.

“really? Is it too old for you?” he teases her and she punch his arm playfully.

“ya, don’t say that! I never thought you’re old,” Hyoyeon make a big grin on her flawless face. “I’m just one year younger than you,”

“then, why don’t we try to become a couple?” Hyukjae pinch both of her cute cheeks.

“ya oppa! We can’t be a couple, you’re my oppa and I’m your dongsaeng, we’re just like a sibling, don’t you know?” Hyoyeon pats his shoulder softly. “oppa, if someday we had our own soulmate, will you keep stand by me as your dongsaeng?”

Hyukjae pause for a while and he smiling. “sure, you always be my dongsaeng no matter what,”

“really?” Hyoyeon’s eyes sparkle and she claps her hands.

Suddenly Hyukjae remembers about somebody that he never met since several years ago. Somebody with similar face with him, although it’s not that identical. He also had a birthday today. Slowly his face turn gloomy until Hyoyeon come and hold his hand.

“miss him, oppa?” she asks and smiles.

“no,” Hyukjae shakes his head. “I never… miss him… I hope I can forget about him… just like he does to me for these years,”

“don’t say that oppa, he’s also in birthday like you right now… why don’t you say anything to him?”

“he won’t listen to my words, he’s in nowhere now and I don’t know what should I say…” Hyukjae said firmly.

“congratulate him…”

Hyukjae stares at Hyoyeon and he shakes his head, he walks first leaving the blonde hair girl on behind. Hyoyeon follows him with slow steps. Hyukjae keep walking while closes his eyes, he imagine about his mom and him, play happily in the park together without disturbed by somebody. But then, the face that he hate so much appears like a ghost, smiling softly toward him and offers his hand to hold Hyukjae’s hand.

“happy birthday…” slowly Hyukjae’s mumble and sighs. It’s really hard to mention his name. the boy who always together with him since inside their mom’s stomach. “I hope this the last words that I say to you… I doubt you still remember me, hope we will never meet anymore… that’s the best way for us,”