Happy Belated Birthday to REN ><

▬「:CHAPTER ⊹ S E V E N ▫ ▪

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        sugar and spice . day and night . white and black . sweet and sour . present and absent . hot and cold . shy and bold . love and hate 
              ⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯BITTER && SWEET⋯⋯

 

“Why was he in your room?” A serious Leo sat across two nervous teenagers.

“Uhm..” Yun Hee wasn’t sure how to explain the situation.

“She wanted to go home early… she wasn’t feeling too good, so I helped her home.” Ren summed up enough courage to speak. Leo’s piercing gaze locked onto him.

“So explain why I found you sleeping in her room… in her bed?” That was a nerve wracking question to answer.

Yun Hee wasn’t sure how to explain that, she was just as shocked when she woke up to Ren sleeping next to her, arm wrapped around her middle.

“Well… At night when I sleep, I usually have a pillow I hold onto, it helps me sleep. I guess I may have been half asleep and was just trying to get comfortable…” He tried to explain it, you could almost hear how nervous he was. Do you blame him? Yun Hee’s brother looked like he could murder you with one icy stare.

“Sounds fishy, but your words sound truthful. Alright.” Leo’s harsh stare softened before he turned to his sister looking a little more concerned. “You weren’t feeling good last night? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t want to cut the time with your friends short… I figured I was fine.”

“But you weren’t…”

“But my friend brought me home safely.”

“But he slept in your bed…”

“But he didn’t do it on purpose…”

“He’s a guy, he wants you to think that.” Leo’s protective side was strong with this one.

 

[side joke XD]

“Ren, I am your father…” Leo Darth Vader breathing.

[Back to the story XD]

 

Ren wasn’t sure of what to say, without getting into an argument with Leo.

“Because it’s true,” he said in his softest voice possible. “I didn’t mean to, I swear. You think I could force myself on her?”

“... She does look too adorable to do anything bad on.”

“Exactly.”

“Not sure if I should feel insulted or not?” She looked to her brother then to Ren. “Regardless, nothing happened. He just helped me home and that was it. Now can we stop interrogating him and let him go home already? I’m sure his parents are wondering where their son is right about now…”

“Fine, he may go. Next time, come to me first. Thank you for bringing my sister home, uh?”

“Ren.”

“Ren.” Leo nodded.

With that, Yun Hee followed Ren outside to see him off.

“Well, that was nerve wracking, I thought I was going to die…” Ren mumbled as she shut the door.

“I’m sorry, Leo’s always been pretty protective of his family, particularly of me.” She giggled softly at his relieved face. “He’s never killed anyone… or so I don’t think he has…” She looked unsure about her words which worried Ren.

“What?”

“I’m kidding! Oh, you should have seen your face!” She laughed pointing her finger at him. [Blossom Tears MV... Maybe Ren should be worried?]

He pouted at her. “Eh? You’re making fun of me? You can be pretty mean too, Yun Hee~”

“Well it’s for my own good, isn’t it? I can’t always be nice…” She looked down. “I’ve only come to realize that being nice all the time doesn’t always help the situation.”

Ren’s eyes widened in surprise. “What? No. Stay the way you are. I was only joking with that. Stay nice - it’s what I… we adore about you.”

“You’re really sweet, Ren. Thanks,” she said smiling at him.

Ren suddenly felt the heat rush to his face so he quickly looked away, trying to calm the beat of his heart. “... uh, thanks. You a-are too.”

“Why don’t I buy you breakfast?” She offered. “For helping me home?”

He shook his head, aghast. “What? No way. I’ll be paying for our first date.”

“D-Date?”

Ren frowned at her surprise. “... Um, you don’t want to call it that? Okay, I’ll treat you as a friend for breakfast now.”

“What’s this I hear?” the two turned to see her brother leaning on the entrance doorway. “You spent all night with her, don’t you think that’s enough?!” the lion roared.

Yun Hee smiled apologetically at Ren before going back to her brother and pushing him inside, “Let me handle this, oppa!”

“I can’t leave you with some guy in drag!”

“Doesn’t that mean she’s safer then?” Ren chimed in.

Leo paused. “You have a point… So you eating out for breakfast? I’ll give you an hour. Go to the nearest place and come back right away, got it?”

“An hour?” Yun Hee said with a pout. “Don’t be like this, you know I don’t go out as much as you do.”

“You’re just going to have breakfast!”

“He’s right, Yun Hee. We can have our full date some other time. You might still be a bit unwell from last night.”

Leo nodded. “Yes- Wait, what date?”

“Not helping, Ren!”

“I keep forgetting you’re 16… you’re growing up too fast.” Leo pouted.

“Not this again.” Yun Hee sighed. “We’re gonna go now, so I’ll be back! Don’t miss me too much, alright?”

“Take care of her.” Leo gave the look to Ren.

“Of course, don’t worry!”

---

“What are you still doing at my house?” Em mumbled as she sat on the chair and leaned forward on their kitchen counter, still half asleep.

Aron was across her by the stove, back facing her. Em noted he wasn’t wearing his Blue Ranger costume anymore - thank goodness. She didn’t want her eyes to grow sore so early in the morning. “Did you wash up and brush your teeth? You changed your clothes, right?”

“Yes, mom,” she answered like a good child.

He turned around and began placing the food on the plates before her. Em looked down at the Western-styled breakfast he made. Her father had a habit of grocery shopping once or twice a month, but neither of them knew how to cook. At least now the ingredients in their refrigerator won’t go to waste…

She glanced at the mug by her plate, smiling slightly at the black coffee already in it. Aron took a seat across her. “Time to eat then!”

Em began eating, nodding in appreciation. “You’d make a great-”

“Mom? Yeah, you say that enough,” he said with a laugh.

“I was going to say wife, but that’s fine too.”

“... Wife?”

“Yeah. My wife.”

“... I have very mixed feelings with that last sentence of yours.”

“You don’t like it? I mean, Ren would be my husband of course.”

“What kind of polygamy are you making?!”

---

“Did you sleep okay last night?” Ren asked as they just placed their orders for breakfast to the waitress.

“I did.” She nodded, taking a sip of her water. The tone in her voice told him otherwise. “What about you? My bed comfortable?” She smiled just a little as his face grew embarrassed. He covered it with one hand.

“Again, I’m sorry… I was half asleep.”

“It’s fine, don’t worry.” She laughed. “If I could be honest with you…” she trailed off.

“What is it?”

“Well… I lied. I didn’t sleep so well last night, though… sometime through the night it changed. That must have been when you joined me.”

“Did you have a bad dream?”

“Something like that… it was about my situation with my family. But then suddenly you showed up and everything got better. I assume because you were right next to me.” A small relieved smile showed up on her face. Hearing that, Ren caught himself smiling too. She dreamt of me? “So I guess I should thank you for that too…”

“No need… I’m glad I could be there in the dream world as well to make things better.”

“You’re invading my dreams, hehe.” She giggled.

“With good intentions.” He joked.

“Well as long as you’re there, I think I’ll be fine.” She smiled genuinely. He could have sworn his heart skipped a beat upon those spoken words. If you thought about it, wasn’t that like a small confession? I’m over thinking things…

“I’ll always be here… don’t worry.” A smile growing on his lips before their waitress returned with their food.

“Rice?” Yun Hee frowned.

“Something wrong?”

“I… don’t like rice.” She mumbled.

“What? What Korean doesn’t like rice?” He laughed.

“Me.” She pouted. His laughter died when he figured she wasn’t joking.

“Why don’t you like it?” He was curious.

“I can eat it in other dishes, but plain is a no no. I ate a bowl of rice that had gone bad once… never again.” She covered shaking her head.

“You poor thing…” He frowned. Rice is such a common thing served with food here in Korea and to know she wasn’t a fan must for her. “Here.” He pushed over his non-rice food. “I’ll take your rice for you.”

“You don’t have to do that.” She protested.

“I insist.” He reassured her before taking a bite of rice. She made a face when he did so. “Hmm?”

“Nothing, nothing.” She looked away, shielding her eyes. “Just keep eating.” He just laughed and did as he was told.

Soon after, they returned to her house and parted ways at the side walk.

“I’ll see you at school then.” She waved.

“Alright… see you then.” He nodded, returning her wave before heading down the sidewalk. I kinda wanted to give her a hug… he thought regretting not doing so. Again, she just seemed so easy to hug. Huggable Yun Hee.

---

“SAFE!”

Ren rose an eyebrow at the gift box handed in front of him.

Nana grinned, proud to have reached her target. “I’m glad you came early in the morning. Damn it, if Em was around there’s no way I could get you this gift-”

The gift in her hands suddenly disappeared.

She cursed and looked around and saw her gift in the hands of a grinning rival. “You’re never early,” Nana bit out.

Em grinned in triumph. “Today is a special day.”

Ren sighed. It was going to be a long day.

---

“Whoah, how many presents did you get?” Aron said with wide eyes as he saw the paperbag filled with wrapped boxes by his friend.

Ren shrugged. “I managed to get the gifts Em stole, but who knows if she’s hiding more. Tell her to stop.”

Aron shook his head. “No way. Even Baekho’s having a good time.”

“What? Why-?”

“And thus is the way of the ninja~” they heard Baekho say.

Em bowed to him. “Thank you for teaching me the stealth of the ninja way. You aren’t as bad as I thought you were.”

“Baekho!” Ren admonished.

“... But she came with the intent of learning the ninja arts!”

Em suddenly froze and turned to her left, the ninja sense telling her the impending target.

Yun Hee was skipping over to them, a pink box in her hands.

“Hey gang, what’s up?” She smiled brightly.

Em didn’t steal it, no she slapped the gift out of Yun Hee’s hands so that the box fell to the ground. “... That wasn’t anything important, right?”

“No, it wasn’t a decorated cake I spent 3 hours on this morning…” Yun Hee sighed. “I knew something like this would happen.” She pulled out another box. “That’s why I made two.”

Em froze up. Cake…? No way. No, no, no! Without a second thought, Em quickly slapped the box out of her hands again.

“EM!” Minhyun got annoyed. “Quit wasting perfectly good cake!”

“Shut up!” Em snapped at him. “This doesn’t concern some stranger! Who the hell are you to talk to me anyway?!” She was especially irritable now.

“Don’t worry, that one was an empty box this time.”  She gave a small laugh. “The second cake is in my locker.” She baited at Em.

And she took the bait. Em glanced at Aron. “Number?”

“163,” he answered. Em was out of the cafeteria in two seconds flat.

Yun Hee looked at Aron not too happy. “Why would you give my locker number away so easily like that?”

Aron grinned. “Why…? Is it in your locker?”

“No, it’s right here.” She pulled out the second cake. Well I at least had fun making them, good thing I took pictures too…. hehe. “Here, take it. Eat it… before she comes back…” She shoved it towards Ren. “All of you, help him eat it!”

Ren accepted the present, a smile gracing his face. “Thanks, Yun Hee!” He set it on the table and opened the lid, revealing the beautiful cake.

Minhyun grabbed his fork and was about to start, but Ren quickly stopped him. “Don’t I get first taste?”

“... You’ll make me a cake too, right?” Minhyun said, turning to Yun Hee as Ren began slicing it.

“Sure, I’ll make you one, a friendship cake.”

Minhyun beamed at her. “Yay~!” He was about to grab the plate of cake Ren offered to him, but Aron quickly got it. “I don’t get first, okay. But I’m Yun Hee’s closest friend among us all! How come I don’t get the second slice!”

“I was her friend first!” Aron said.

The third slice suddenly ended up in Baekho’s hands. Minhyun complained again. “Too slow, Minhyun.”

The fourth was taken by JR. “The prince is never last.”

“I hate you all!” he wailed.

Ren placed the fifth slice unceremoniously in front of his taller friend. “Happy now?”

“No!” He took a bite. “Yes! It tastes delicious, Yun Hee!”

Ren looked around, frowning. “You’re short one plate, Baekho,” he told his friend that had gotten the materials. He placed an extra slice on his own plate. “We’ll share, Yun Hee,” he said, gesturing for her to sit next to him.

“Sure.” She smiled, he was the Birthday Boy after all, everyone should listen to the Birthday Boy on his special day. Just as he was about to take a bite of his cake, she stopped him. “Wait, let me feed you the first bite.” She took his fork from him. “It’s the Birthday Boy’s special day, he shouldn’t have to lift a finger for anything today.”

“Damn it, why did my birthday have to pass already!” Minhyun ruffled up his own hair feeling slightly jealous. He frowned when he saw them eating off the same plate. “Tch. There’s an extra one here!”

“Why would there be…? Wait. That’s Aron’s - where’d he go?”

---

The picked lock was on the side, the door to the locker of 163 wide open.

Em stared down at the beautiful cake picture in her hand that had the words Happy Birthday Ren~! iced on it. It was huge, it looked delicious, it was so well-made and pretty and…

Her grip on the picture tightened, crumpling it.

She felt someone pat her head. She glared at the picture, already knowing who it was. “Stop treating me like some dog.”

“Eh? But you’re such a cute puppy-OOF!” He barked out as he clenched onto his stomach in pain when she punched it. “Right, sorry, sorry. Bad timing… So, I came to warn you…”

“Warn me?”

“... Don’t go beating up Yun Hee, okay?” he told her. She frowned at his words. “Don’t confront her about this either, got it? Do it tomorrow, but not today.”

“Why not? I want to make her cry really bad right now-”

“It’s Ren’s birthday - you want him to get mad at you?”

“... Why would he get mad if I made her cry?”

Because he likes her, you slow…! “... Because he doesn’t want anyone to cry on his special day! All your other rivals are used to you, but Yun Hee isn’t. So… go easy on her, okay?” he told her.

Em sighed but conceded anyway.

---

“Karaoke~!” Minhyun, Baekho and Aron exclaimed as they entered the place.

“We don’t know them,” Ren told the girl by the counter that was in charge of the rooms.

“Awh,” Yun Hee laughed.

Em slammed her hand on the counter and regarded the girl with a glare. “Best room you have for seven people-”

“Karaoke~”

“... Four people, actually.”

JR rolled his eyes at his friends’ behavior. “Seven people, please.”

The girl laughed and led them to one of their larger rooms. As they came in, Minhyun made a beeline for the song book. He quickly flipped through it and took hold of the remote.

“I DEDICATE THIS SONG TO THE ONE AND ONLY LOVELY YUN HEE! SARANGHAE” He made hearts with his hands.

Em quickly stopped the song and grabbed the remote. “Are you stupid?! It’s Ren’s birthday today! You have to sing about him first!”

“... So does that mean I can sing about her second?”

Ren took the remote and threw it to Baekho. “You go first, Baekho. I don’t want to hear their voices so early in the party.”

Minhyun frowned. “But I’m a great singer too-”

Baekho looked at the songbook. “But what should I…”

Em turned to a page filled with the songs of a certain singer. She glanced at him. “You know what to do.”

Baekho grinned and entered the number, then placed the microphone by his lips.

“Mum mum mum mah~”

JR frowned. “What’s that?”

Ren’s eyes widened, a huge grin spreading across his face. “You guys…”

“I wanna hold them like they do in Texas, please~” Baekho continued, his accent affecting the lyrics. “Fold ‘em, let ‘em, hit me, raise it baby- whoah. Too fast, this is harder than I thought!” Baekho said with a laugh, returning to Korean.

“Child’s play!” Em said, grabbing the microphone. “Love game intutushion- what the hell?” she said at the lyrics playing at the screen.

Yun Hee grinned. “I know the song! Let me sing!” she said, taking the microphone from Em. “And after he’s been hooked I’ll play the one that’s on his heart~!”

Em took hold of the second microphone and Baekho grabbed the third, “Everyone!” he exclaimed.

“P-P-Poker face, p-p-poker face!” they all chorused.

“Mum mum mum mah~” Baekho sang in a deep voice.

“P-P-Pocky face, p-p-pocky face!”

“Mum mum mum- Wait… Pocky?”

“I wanna roll with him a hard pair, we will be~” JR continued, not really understanding what he was singing.

“A little gambling is fun when you’re with me~!” Minhyun quickly joined in, singing into the microphone in Yun Hee’s hand.

“Russian Roulette is not the same without a gun!” Aron added, being the only that was able to read the first two words of it.

Ren accepted the microphone Em handed to him. “And baby when it’s love, if it’s not rough, it isn’t fun, fun~”

“P-P-Poker face, p-p-poker face!” they all chorused.

“Mum mum mum mah~” This time, Minhyun sang.

“P-P-Pony face, p-p-pony face!”

“Mum mum umma umma~!”

---

Six Lady Gaga songs later…

“Just dance, gunna be okay, da do do do! Just dance, spin that record babe, da do do do!” Both Ren and Yun Hee were jamming out.

Em and Baekho groaned, leaning back on the couch. “Too much English…” Em muttered.

JR was flipping through the songbook. “Doesn’t that woman rap or something?”

“You think you can join in on her English rapping?” Aron teased with a grin.

“Shut up, American boy,” he said, throwing the book back onto the table and joining Em and Baekho with leaning back on the couch. “Too much English…” he repeated, agreeing.

Minhyun tsked at them. “You three out so soon?! The party’s just begun!”

“What are you talking about? Ba-ba-bad romance, You’re not gonna reach my telephone,  I’m on the right track baby I was born this way - I DON’T KNOW ANYMORE!” Em wailed.

“... da do do do!” Yun Hee and Ren sang into their own microphone.

“Da do do do!” Em echoed with a groan into the third microphone still in her hand.

During the song, Ren went towards the table briefly to get his drink, but stopped midway when a certain part of the song came on. The boys turned to the screen too when it came on, focusing on the two girls.

Yun Hee was still singing, and Em had finally stood up again and joined in.

 

“Half psychotic sick hypnotic got my blueprint it’s symphonic”

 

“symphonic it’s blueprint my got hypnotic sick psychotic Half”

 

“Half psychotic sick hypnotic got my blueprint electronic”

 

“electronic blueprint my got hypnotic sick psychotic Half”

 

“Half psychotic sick hypnotic got my blueprint it’s symphonic”

 

“symphonic it’s blueprint my got hypnotic sick psychotic Half”

 

“Half psychotic sick hypnotic got my blueprint electronic”

 

“electronic blueprint my got hypnotic sick psychotic Half”

 

“Go. Use your muscle, carve it out, work it, hustle~” Yun Hee continued.

Em had given up. “Damn, that was one tongue twister. I should totally ace English now… What?” she asked, when the saw the guys still staring at them with wide eyes.

Baekho gave them a thumbs up. “The power of twins.”

“You two have the same voice, so the effect… It was cool,” JR agreed.

Minhyun grinned at her. “You should remove your glasses and let your hair down!”

“No way,” she said, glaring at Minhyun.

Ren frowned. “Shame… it’d be pretty nice to see you two next to each other like that.”

She glanced at him… and then groaned, always conceding to his wants. She removed her hair tie and threw her glasses to Aron, who caught it easily. She stood by her sister, hooking her arm with a surprised Yun Hee’s. “Who’s who?” she drawled out.

Minhyun pointed to Yun Hee. “Yun Hee!” The girl decided to play a joke.

“Wrong.” She shook her head. “Nice try though.”

“But… you didn’t move a muscle.. how?” The confused look on his face was priceless.

“Idiot~” Em said. Minhyun frowned, obviously believing his own guess now. Em took hold of Yun Hee’s hand and dragged her out of the room. After a few seconds, the two girls came back in.

“Who’s who now?” Em said with a smile strikingly similar to Yun Hee’s.

… Similar, but not the same.

Without missing a heartbeat, Ren raised up his finger and pointed it at the twin that wasn’t smiling. “Yun Hee.”

Minhyun frowned. “Eh? You sure?”

"Completely,” he answered, so sure. Not trusting the girls, he turned to Aron. “I’m right, aren’t I?”

Aron gave him a thumbs up, being the one able to differentiate them from the very first day. “Yup! How’d you know?”

“... Yun Hee’s smile is wider.”

Yun Hee smiled right as he said that, while Em’s grin turned into a frown.

Scowling, Em went back to her seat, taking her glasses from Aron and putting them back on. She placed her hair back in the usual high ponytail. What was that? Her smile’s wider? How can he tell? Why does he know?... She looked at Ren and saw him staring at Yun Hee as the girl was looking through the song book again.

… Why do you always look at her?

“How about the Edge of Glory?” Yun Hee asked the birthday celebrant.

“Sure!” Ren agreed, taking hold of the microphone again and smiling at her.

Yun Hee inputted the number, another grin tugging at her lips. Even she herself found it difficult to find anything different in her appearance with Em’s… and yet Ren was able to differentiate them easily. She liked how Aron was able to tell who was who - but it was more like, he was sure because he knew what Em looked like. But in Ren’s case… he was so sure because he knew what she looked like.

“There ain’t no reason why you should be alone tonight yeah, baby, tonight yeah, baby~!”

---

“Happy birthday again, Ren!” his friends chorused at the exit of the karaoke place.

He smiled at them. “Thanks again.” They bid their farewells, Minhyun quick in offering to walk Yun Hee home, to which Baekho and JR stated that they were in the same direction as well.

Aron, Em and Ren began walking in the opposite direction. Though the birthday celebrant’s home was in the direction of the other group’s, he had another celebration with his family at a restaurant nearby, which was why he was with the two best friends.

They walked in silence, but when they arrived in the crossing where they’d separate with Ren, Aron quickly spoke up, “Sorry! I gotta buy something at the… uh… store over there real quick! Happy birthday again, Ren!” he said, heading to a nearby convenience store.

Ren nodded in thanks. “... He still at acting,” he muttered, turning to Em again. He knew why Aron was quick to leave the two alone.

It was her present giving time now.

Em reached into her bag and pulled out a small box, handing it to him, meeting his eyes throughout it all. “Happy birthday, Ren,” she said with a smile.

His eyes softened a little and he smiled. Even if she was unbelievably annoying at times, she was still his friend “Thanks, Em,” he said, taking the box.

“Open it!” she said giddily, but her smile didn’t reach her eyes.

He noticed, but obeyed anyway. In it was a mini-cake. It was the kind meant for only one person and was so small that she could only put HBD on it… and it didn’t exactly look that well decorated either.

“I know it isn’t as big or pretty as Yuyu’s…” she trailed off. “My first cakes were bigger, since I wasted most of my ingredients on them, but they weren’t very… edible.”

Assuming Yuyu was Yun Hee, Ren now understood why she was irritable during lunch. She had learned her sister had baked a cake - one that was undeniably bigger and better.

“It’s made with my feelings for you!” she quickly added, as if to make up for it.

Ren took hold of the small fork by the side and took a bite.

“... It tastes horrible,” he honestly said. “Anyway, I have to go now. My family's waiting for me. Thanks again for the cake,” Ren said, nodding in thanks and leaving her.

After a minute, Aron went towards Em who was still standing in the middle of the sidewalk. “So… how’d it go?”

“He said it tasted horrible,” she muttered, her gaze down on the gravel.

“... That… Em?” he was about to curse at his male friend, but Em was acting odd.

“It’s no fair… I like him so much more now…” she mumbled.

“Why? He just called your cake horrible!”

Em looked up at him, a pink flush on her face.

“... But he still kept eating it as he left…”

“It’s made with my feelings for you!”

 

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◞* ✄ — END CHAPTER ⋮S E V E N 

 

 Preview:  Chapter 8 

“Three days.”

“Uh… last day of November?”

“Three days! Why are you both so darn slow?!”

 

"I came to invite you to a party.”

“... Party,”

“Yup, a birthday party, our birthday party.”

 

“... Because there’s nothing left to do. Unlike you, I don’t have any friends here,”

“Why not make some?”

 

...

 

Why is it always like this…?