“Look, all I’m saying is that school lunch would be much better if they replaced anything healthy with pizza.” Junhong says as he throws his bag down to open his locker, “Like they tell us to eat stuff that’s healthier but then the salad costs more than hot dogs – that is just messed up.”

 “Um,” Daehyun speaks up, “Yeah uh Junhong that’s nice to know but that’s really not what I asked.”

The said boy blinks as he takes a popcorn bag out of his locker and chews it in front of the Busan boy. “Yeah I know what you asked. I just chose to ignore it.” Junhong answers easily and takes out a milkshake – god this kid has everything in his locker.

“Junhong, this is serious.”

“So am I.” Junhong again answers. “I truly believe I should be the king – of everything.”

Daehyun mentally face palms. It’s the other’s birthday and Daehyun is only asking what present he would want. He didn’t ask for this entire drama story.

“Hey Daehyun hyung, Junhong, I have big news!” Jongup runs down the hall at lightning speed with that I-can’t-stop-smiling face.

Junhong just rolls his eyes like the sarcastic little twerp he is and puts his milkshake back into his locker. “Hyung, eggs and froot loops are not big news so let’s start you over and say, ‘Hey guys I have something really boring so say.’”

Jongup blinks. “Hey, eggs are really confusing. Sometimes they’re sweet, sometimes they’re salty, what if I want it for dinner and then what is it? And Froot Loops, why do they look like colorful Cheerios?” Jongup says with a shrug and a smile. He looks at his younger brother who in his teeth.

“Froot Loops are gay Cheerios, Jongup hyung.” Junhong answers with a straight tone as he closes his locker. He grabs his back and is about to leave with his hyung until he remembers Daehyun is still here (well mostly because Daehyun grabs them back).

Daehyun groans. “Junhong, you still didn’t answer my question.”

“Hyung, I thought we established this.” Junhong says with an exaggerated whine. “You should totally get the pizza instead of salad.”

“That’s not what I asked!”

Junhong squints and fixes his beanie. “That’s not?” He questions with a genuine confused face. “Oh, I think I ignored you when you asked the first time. What did you ask?”

Daehyun sighs. “Your birthday is coming up so I was wondering what you would want. I don’t want to be some cheapskate and give you nothing on your nineteenth birthday.”

“Hm, let’s see…” Junhong ponders, tapping his finger gently against his furrowed chin. “I want a puppy, a waterbed, archery lessons, a mac book, and a diet coke.”

“Hyung, that’s not funny.”

“Hey, you said you wanted to get me a present.”

 “I have pepperoni under my shirt.”

“Jongup hyung, those are your s.”

Maybe Daehyun should just ask Youngjae what the kid would want.

“Junhong,” Himchan umma’s voice roars through the house as he stomps his way to his youngest son. He has a pissed look on his face, something usually reserved for Junhong only. “I got a call from your math teacher that you missed three assignments?”

Junhong blinks blankly and puts down his phone. He sits on his bed and scratches his hair through his beanie. “Really…that’s the first time I heard about this.” He questions himself, looking up at his umma.

“What, the first time hearing of your three assignments…?”

“No, the first that I’m in math, pfft,” Junhong laughs but his umma’s expression doesn’t drop and Junhong awkwardly stops laughing, “Wow tough crowd.”

“Do your homework.”

Junhong gives a small whine and plops his onto his seat. “Fine,” he says as he glumly takes out his books from his bag. “I just don’t understand why we need to learn about areas of triangles – it’s like hey we don’t need to know about to balance a check but finding triangle areas are awesome.”

“Honey,” Himchan leans down next to his youngest son and hugs him contently. He pecks Junhong’s temple and pats his shoulders. “Deal with it.” Himchan says before exiting the room.

Well now we know who Junhong gets his little sarcastic side from.

But just a few minutes as his umma leaves, his appa arrives. “Hey, Junhong, I need you in the shop.” Yongguk says as he points downstairs where the family diner/cafe resides. Junhong gives his appa do-I-want-to-work-right-now look.

Yongguk sighs. “It’ll get you out of homework.”

“Oh it’ll be in honor.” Junhong brightens as he fixes his beanie and heads downstairs with his appa.

Youngjae hyung stands at the counter, tapping his pencil against his pretty lips. Junhong walks closer and peeks over his shoulder, noticing that his older brother is drawing for his art class.

“Hyung, what are you drawing?” Junhong asks and Youngjae shoots up, staring into younger brother’s eyes. Junhong smiles innocently (because oh, how Youngjae thinks he is so innocent) as he his head to the right.

“Oh hey Zelo,” Youngjae calls because gosh Junhong loves that nickname. “Nothing, I was just drawing for class.” He wipes her palms against his apron and decides to get back to work. Junhong watches as his brother places his precious sketch book under the counter before he heads off to clean a table.

Music blasts through Junhong’s earphones as he works. He knows he’s not supposed to listen to music on his shift but honestly Jessie J has the most amazing voice ever. Besides, what can he father do to him? Fire him? LOL

“So,” Yongguk begins as he walks closer to his youngest son. “It’s your birthday today. Is there anything you want?”

“No.”

“Really…?”

“No. I don’t want anything, appa.” Junhong repeats and heads off to wait the new customer. Yongguk just chuckles as his son walks away.

“Is everything alright?” Himchan gently asks as he places a hand on Yongguk’s shoulder. He stared at his husband and Yongguk shakes his head but smiles.

“Tough kid,” Yongguk answers and presses his lips against Himchan’s temple. He sighs once he’s out of sight. Lately he’s been feeling very heavy. Is it because of work? Being a real estate agent and a college professor is difficult. Or maybe it’s because Junhong turns nineteen today?

Speaking of his son, Yongguk watches his maknae take the order of a customer and secretly dance his way over to the backroom.

The café doors open again and Daehyun walks through it with a bright smile. “Good afternoon.” Daehyun says to Yongguk who only nods in return and Daehyun walks over to his little boyfriend behind the cash register.

“One order of cheesecake, and you please,” Daehyun teases as he leans over the counter to his boyfriend. Youngjae laughs because Daehyun is oh, so funny.

He doesn’t react and takes out a slice of cheesecake from the pantry. He might be joking about ordering Youngjae but he definitely isn’t joking about the cheesecake. “$2.50,” Youngjae says as he flicks Daehyun’s forehead.

Daehyun pouts his puppy pout at his boyfriend and batters his eyelashes. “Discount please~” He sings and Youngjae rolls his eyes but smiles.

“No.”

Sighing, Daehyun grumbles as he places the money onto Youngjae’s palm but he brightens as his boyfriend feeds him the first piece.

“So,” Daehyun begins, “It’s Junhong’s birthday today.” Youngjae nods and Daehyun continues. “What are you getting for him?”

His boyfriend shrugs with a glum expression and feeds Daehyun another piece. “I don’t know.” He answers. “Every time I ask him, he says some bizarre things like a monkey or a helicopter.” Daehyun nods. “I know I’m supposed to be a good older brother and such but I actually have no clue what Junhong is interested in.”

Daehyun nods and stares at the upset expression on his boyfriend’s pretty little face. He leans over and presses his lips the younger’s lips before standing up straight. “When are you off shift?” He asks, his thumb gently rubbing against the back of Youngjae’s palm.

“Not until another two hours.”

“Skip it.”

Youngjae blinks in shock. “What, I can’t do that. Mom will kill me.”

“What’s the worst he can do, fire you?”

The younger pauses and rolls his eyes. “I hate you.” Youngjae says and Daehyun only smiles that stupid but so handsome smile of his.

“You love me.”

“Too much,” Youngjae finishes and softly presses his lips against the other.

Meanwhile Junhong is still in the backroom for the order (and because he wants to avoid gross DaeJae moments) and he sighs to himself.

He turns nineteen today. That’s a year before twenty. That’s a big change in his life. And what has he accomplished? Childhood was just like a day away. He still remembers being picked up onto his dad’s shoulders and playing horsey with him.

Now he’s grown up.

“Why do you look so down?” A sudden voice clears through Junhong’s mind. He looks out to the café and there Jongup stands with his usual happy expression.

“Why do you look so up?” Junhong challenges and Jongup blinks in response, “Never mind.” What are you doing here?”

“For your birthday…!”

“…No.”

“Why?”

“No.”

“Why?”

“No.”

“Why?”

“Look, I don’t want anything for my birthday okay? Not a party, no presents – nothing!”

“How about cake…”

“…Okay I’ll keep the cake but that’s it!”

“Do you think Junhong would like this?” Youngjae asks as he picks up a stuffed panda. He blinks at his boyfriend who sips his ice coffee. The younger rolls his eyes. “Can you put the coffee down just for a second and help me – gosh, such a gentleman.”

Daehyun pouts at the statement and strolls over to Youngjae. “Which one does he like?” He asks but Youngjae shakes his head.

“I have no idea.” Youngjae says. “Junhong has always been a secretive boy. He keeps his problems and pride to himself and he doesn’t talk about himself much…maybe I should just go with the stuffed frog.”

“You mean like the one your dad flushed down the toilet?”

“Okay that was to give it freedom. Junhong was feeding it steak for god’s sake.”

Daehyun chuckles and presses his lips against Youngjae’s temple. “Let’s just get him the frog.”

Junhong sighs as he finished cleaning a table. People just don’t know how to eat. Why must they make a mess? He’s a waiter not a garbage man for god’s sake.

“Calm down,” Himchan says as he watches Junhong vigorously stuffs the leftover food into the large garbage bin. He chuckles at his son and leans against the table, “Honey, why don’t you tell me what’s in your mind lately?”

 “Nothing…”

“It doesn’t seem like nothing. It seems like you actually hate today, your birthday.”

Junhong sighs and sits down on the counter seats across his umma. “I don’t know.” He begins. “I just don’t want anything for my birthday.”

“Sweetie, you’re turning nineteen. In just a year you’re twenty. This is an important year for you, why are you so disappointed?”

“Well, maybe I just don’t want to grow up.” Junhong says a little louder, silencing Himchan. “You don’t understand because you’re not young anymore! I don’t want to be an adult! I don’t want to grow up!”

“Well you’re certainly acting like a child right now.”

Junhong groans. “I already have want I want for my birthday. All of you – I don’t need a car or a birthday party or some dumb presents. It’s cliché but you’re all my presents…”

Himchan smiles and rubs away the first few tears of his youngest son and he presses his lips against Junhong’s forehead. “Sweetie,” He whispers and brushes Junhong’s bangs. “That shouldn’t make you hate growing up or not wanting to celebrate your birthday. Sure you might already have what you need but we still want to celebrate.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, whether you like it or not, you’re growing up. There are things people wish for but cannot receive. Being a grownup isn’t all that bad either. You need to grow up in order to live your life. Do you understand?” Junhong nods and Himchan smiles, pressing another kiss, “Now let’s go to the backroom. It’s supposed to be a surprise but I guess I’ll have to spoil a party for you.”

Junhong smiles as his umma leads him to the surprise party in the back. Small party pops fired at him as he enters and everyone enjoys the party throughout and that’s when Junhong realizes, that it’s not only for him, but for everyone else as well. People grow older but the memories stay young.

So yeah it’s Zelo’s birthday!

Sorry this story wasn’t really that good, I was rushed and I hate

Writer blocks

But yeah it’s Zelo’s birthday today and he’s turning nineteen (Korean age)

Aigoo our little baby is growing up!

He’s a year before twenty can you believe that gosh time flies fast.