EIGHTEEN:

When Donghae went outside to buy food for a little celebration for his birthday, Aki excitedly ran off to the kitchen room and took the ingredients in refrigerator that she bought yesterday from grocery store, she placed the ingredients and think of what food she will bake. “I know! Strawberry cupcakes with chocolate sprinkles” she said to herself then she giggled, as she was excited to bake “How many cupcakes we will bake?” Aki asked herself again

“Strawberry cake please,” he ordered in the cashier, he paid and went outside from the store as he got the cake. His cell phone rang and he receive a message from Eunhyuk, “Ya! Lee Donghae let us meet at the restaurant where the menu is chicken ribs! I bet you know the location HAHAHAHA. Today is your birthday and it’s your char mastic and handsome best friend’s treat even though I don’t want to”

After Donghae read the message, he decides not to reply Eunhyuk “That guy has high pride on himself after all” he said as he smirked. Then he went at that restaurant, Eunhyuk waved cutely at him and Donghae gave him a fake disgust expression but deep inside he was glad to see Eunhyuk on his birthday

Eunhyuk asked the boy if where Aki was and Donghae replied that Aki has things to finish in the office and it is about the case. “I’m sorry” Donghae apologized and bowed at Eunhyuk, “In what I did at your house two days ago” he said. The boy patted him “It’s okay...since my sister is staying at your house while the case is open, how’s your conversation with her?”

Before Donghae answered Eunhyuk’s question, he took five chicken ribs on his plate as it placed on their table, “She was fun to be with and I like her kimchi soup with tofu also she bought fish cakes as a side dish” he said. Eunhyuk agreed on him, “Totally and I will not let you court Aki in the future”

Donghae shocked on what his best friend said, “I feel, I will get busted if I court Aki because I think she will choose career than love life,” he said and Eunhyuk “So you are planning court her huh?”

“I’m not”

“Yes you are”

Donghae felt irritated but remain calm, “Eunhyuk today is my birthday” he paused in short “Why we are talking about Aki?” and Eunhyuk answered “Because you like her” he continue teasing Donghae and the boy just eat the chicken ribs “Because you are one who started that topic” Donghae said as he corrected Eunhyuk

Eunhyuk grinned as he decides to make Donghae angrier, “And you want Aki as our topic” he said. Donghae groaned and he hit Eunhyuk’s shoulders hardly as he stood up and went to his place, Eunhyuk laughed hardly when he saw Donghae’s angry face, “You are blushing!” he said as he saw Donghae’s expression

“I-I’m not...stupid Hyukjae” he mumbled and looked away from him

The boy decide to stop tease Donghae as he continue to eat his chicken ribs and the atmosphere became silent as the two guys were busy eating chicken ribs as it became noisy again when they talk each other about their lives. Then, they said goodbye each other as they were going separate ways

On Aki’s side, she succeed bake the strawberry cakes, put a chocolate icing on the top and she put the cupcakes in the refrigerator. Next task was she would put ‘Happy Birthday’ poster on the corner while she putting it, her foot slipped and she was going to fall from the chair. Crap

She shocked as someone catch her, looked on her back and it’s Donghae, she felt embarrassed for letting Donghae see her clumsiness “You lied to me” he said

Aki immediately pushed away from him, stood up as she fake coughed, “Well I want to surprise you, even though we were not close yet” she said as her mission failed and she blame Eunhyuk for giving her short time to prepare it

Donghae smiled and ruffled Aki’s hair, “Thanks for doing this and I appreciate it” he said. “By the way, I bake a strawberry cupcake,” she said and the boy rubbed his nape, as he felt guilty on Aki “Should I accept it?”

The girl pouted and poked Donghae’s forehead, “You should idiot!” she said, “I—“ Aki was going to say until someone pressed the doorbell and Donghae looked on the window, it’s Minwoo and he told it to Aki

“I-I think it’s your chance to arrest him” Donghae said to Aki in anxious tone

“I don’t have evidence to prove that Minwoo is really the suspect unless you lend the diary to me and investigate to make sure that it really belongs to Andy” Aki said, Minwoo called Donghae’s and Aki decide to go upstairs as she will hide from him, “Let’s talk about it later”

Donghae took a deep breath and keep saying on himself, which he must talk him comfortably as they were friends and then he opened the door as greeted Minwoo with fake smile and his hands were shaking

Minwoo brought him a gift with blue ribbon on top and he greeted Donghae “Happy Birthday!” Donghae thought that Minwoo does not seem suspicious, as he cannot believe that Minwoo was Minato in Andy’s life

“You really bought strawberry cake for yourself” he said as he saw the cake in the table and then he smirked wickedly “Donghae you must confess to me something since it’s your birthday” and in what Minwoo said made Donghae nervous, he asked “What is it?”

Minwoo shook his head as he waved his index finger and said, “It seems that you have new girlfriend”, Donghae felt relief Good thing it’s not about the diary or something and he said that he does not have new girlfriend. The person glared at him in disbelief, “I will forgive you today because it’s your birthday,” he said and he added as he thought, I will keep an eye on you, Lee Donghae

He looked on the wall clock, “I have date with my girlfriend” and Donghae accidentally asked him as his mouth slipped, “How does your girlfriend look like?”

Minwoo glanced and chuckled, “She’s the girl I admire since junior high school days but she has relationship with the person I dislike until I won on her heart”

“When?”

“When she told me that she was just force herself to be with him for the sake of someone,” Minwoo said and then he went to main door, said ‘goodbye’ to him and went outside

Donghae amazed on himself that he does not feel the pain on his heart anymore as he finally move on Rin and he asked himself “Why?” he shrugged his shoulders, “At least it healed”