School was over.

Han Tae-sun’s Ajhumma friend had come through.  Kim Dong-Hyub was taken as an apprentice to a director of photography who worked with a team that created commercials.  He had to start from the bottom, prove himself and then grow to be a cinematographer.  It was a long way to climb.  But he was happy he had started.

Han Tae-sun had decided to completely stop modeling.  After school, he had all the time to focus only on music.  He got busy pretty quickly.  Some of the songs he had written were already popular. 

They still continued their living arrangements.  They needed more money to be able to move to the new apartment.  It did not feel right to live together at Kim Dong-Hyub’s place that still belonged to his parents.  Despite how much time they spent there together, just moving in fully did not feel right.

It was different that, more and more of Han Tae-sun’s things started appearing there.  He started buying stuff for both of them to put in the refrigerator.  When some cups broke in the kitchen, Han Tae-sun replaced them.  It all happened so naturally, neither of them noticed. 

They did not have enough money yet.

‘Perhaps another year or so’ Han Tae-sun thought….

……

One day Kim Dong-Hyub told his parents, he still would appreciate the apartment but they could stop transferring money to his account.  He could manage to get by.

……

A week after that chat, a SMS alert on his cell phone told him the usual money transfer had come in.

……

He decided to open his own bank account.  It was very meager.  But he felt better that he had takenhis first step towards independence. 

The fact that his parents did not cut him off made him feel better.  They still spoke with the same frequency they had.  But the conversations always felt stressed.  Mom could not talk about girls and events anymore.  His conversations with his dad had gotten better.

His dad asked him about his work.  Showed interest when Kim Dong-Hyub spoke about it with passion.  ‘How did it happen that I feel more comfortable with my dad than my mom?’  It was mom that had always felt like family.  His dad; just a gruff presence.  Nothing uncomfortable.  He was just Dad.  He was around and spoke gruffly and sat silently reading if they decided to have a drink together at home.  Dad was also very busy while his mom had reduced her own obligations when he was growing up.  He had nannies.  But mom was there. 

His brother was not a warm person in general.  He was good in studies, ambitious and had excelled in everything.  Kim Dong-Hyub was more of a cheerful person in the family.  His mom was a cheerful person and he had inherited her genes when it came to personality.  His brother had inherited his father’s. 

‘Did I simply ignore my dad so much because I was just close to mom?’  He thought sometimes.  ‘How had he lived being so ignorant about the closest people around him?’

…..

It was Han Tae-sun’s birthday today.  Celebrations on birthdays were made up to sell more greeting cards and merchandize he thought.  His parents had celebrated his birthday till he was 12.  It had felt like a special day.  When he was thirteen, when he had started feeling different and when he had started feeling that his parents had sensed the change and did not mention it to him and when he had felt alone, he did not want to celebrate his birthday.  It had felt to be meaningless.  He had told his parents, he did not want a cake and did not want to celebrate his birthday.  It was like they did not know what to do with him so, they had listened to him and said ‘okay’. 

Birthdays were not celebrated after that year.

He remembered celebrating it once after he became a model.  ‘Was that the first year?’

He wanted to celebrate it this year.

……

Han Tae-sun “Do you even know when my birthday is?” he asked Kim Dong-Hyub.  He had decided to stay over at Kim Dong-Hyub’s place the previous night because he wanted to be with Kim Dong-Hyub on his birthday.  Han Tae-sun had not told him.  It also made him wonder when Kim Dong-Hyub’s birthday was.  He felt slightly ashamed.  But, today was his birthday.  So, when Kim Dong-Hyub was getting a cup of coffee and he was toasting slices of bread, he had decided to just bring it up. 

This was the best he could come up with at the time.

Kim Dong-Hyub “Huh.. what?”

Han Tae-sun, looked very irritated “Do you know when is my birthday?”

Kim Dong-Hyub “No, when is it?”

Han Tae-sun “Go find out!”

Kim Dong-Hyub “How?”

Han Tae-sun “Ask me then”

Kim Dong-Hyub “Jeez!  What’s with you?   I just asked”

Han Tae-sun “Only when I told you to”

Kim Dong-Hyub “What the hell is this?”

Han Tae-sun felt stubborn.  He did not want to tell Kim Dong-Hyub.

……

Kim Dong-Hyub was very confused by that interaction. 

So, when Han Tae-sun almost threw the toasted bread on the plate, he just got more confused.  ‘What did I do?’

‘Birthday?’ Kim Dong-Hyub thought.  ‘Why is he ing talking about his birthday?’

It took him a few minutes. 

“Today is your birthday?” Kim Dong-Hyub asked.

Han Tae-sun humphed.

‘Ah.  Today is his birthday!’ Kim Dong-Hyub realized.

“Yah, are you a girl?  What’s the big deal?” Kim Dong-Hyub asked.

“I thought someone could celebrate it this year” Han Tae-sun said.

‘Why is it that I am this dumb?’ Kim Dong-Hyub thought to himself. 

Kim Dong-Hyub immediately was reminded of Han Tae-sun’s life.  Han Tae-sun had told him to get over it and he did not dwell on that too much.  But when Han Tae-sun said I thought someone could celebrate it; it all just washed over him.

“Is it too late for me to say happy birthday?”

“Yes” Han Tae-sun said.  Han Tae-sun knew he was just punishing Kim Dong-Hyub for no reason.  He just felt bad.  It was not rational.  They had not discussed birthdays.  He did not know Kim Dong-Hyub’s birthday.

“I will make it up” Kim Dong-Hyub promised.  This was not the time to tell Han Tae-sun that they had never discussed birthdays.  He wondered if Han Tae-sun knew his.  He was sensible enough to knew this was not the right time to bring that up.

….

Han Tae-sun was upset when he left and went to work.  ‘Why could he simply not tell Kim Dong-Hyub it was his birthday and just do something together instead of this immature behavior?’  He did not know the answer himself.

So, he focused on his work.

One hour into his work, he had deliveries.

First hour he got flowers.

Second hour he got 12 roses.

Fifth hour he had a teddy bear.

All of them said “Happy birthday!”

‘A teddy bear?’ Han Tae-sun thought.

He did not throw anything in the trash.

Someone around him heard he was getting a lot of deliveries and it said happy birthday.  So, everyone started wishing him happy birthday.

It was all ridiculous.

‘Kim Dong-Hyub had to overdo this’ Han Tae-sun thought. 

He did not remember when he had enjoyed his birthday as much.

It had also looked like Kim Dong-Hyub had called Lee Pil-suk.  He got the text from Lee Pil-suk “Happy birthday Jong-suk”.  Though he was disappointed it was not more than that, he understood why she was low key.  He had never responded back to her.  So this time he texted back “Thanks”.

…..

Lee Pil-suk knew Han Tae-sun’s birthday.  He had made it very clear that it was not special to him.  So, she had always resorted to a simple text “Happy birthday” in the past.  She knew he had ignored the texts as she has never gotten a reply.  Over a period of some years, she had let it slip from her.

When Kim Dong-Hyub called and said it looked like it mattered to Han Tae-sun, she suddenly came alive. 

“Let’s plan a surprise” she told Kim Dong-Hyub.

Kim Dong-Hyub was excited. “Tell me how”

So, they planned.

……

Kim Dong-Hyub called Han Tae-sun.  “I hope I made up a little bit”

Han Tae-sun said grudgingly.  “There was special effort”

Kim Dong-Hyub “Let’s go out in the evening.  Have a special dinner” 

Han Tae-sun “Ah..Don’t get all corny.”

Kim Dong-Hyub “I want to make up for not knowing your birthday”

Han Tae-sun finally admitted honestly “We did not talk about birthdays.  So, ..”

Kim Dong-Hyub “If you don’t want to go out, at least come to the apartment”

Han Tae-sun “Okay, I’ll come. “

Kim Dong-Hyub “What time?”

Han Tae-sun snapped “I don’t know.  How does it matter?  I have the key”

Kim Dong-Hyub “Come on, you want me to keep waiting for you?  It’s your birthday.  Let’s at least fix a time.  We can have dinner together”

Han Tae-sun “I should be able to come over around seven”

Kim Dong-Hyub “seven it is”

……

At 6.30, Han Tae-sun got a text.  “You said seven.  Just reminding.”

“Yah!  Don’t control me” Han Tae-sun texted back.

“I am waiting” Kim Dong-Hyub texted back.

‘Why is he a nag today of all days.  I must have made him feel real guilty?’

…..

Han Tae-sun opened the door at ten minutes after seven. 

“SURPRISE!”

…..

Lee Pil-suk, “I thought you would never come.  Jeez, you are so difficult!”

Collin “Kim Dong-Hyub threatened, it is very sensitive.  Nothing to do with your birthday”

Park Hyun-ki “I like Kim Dong-Hyub.  Happy birthday”

Woo-bin “Happy birthday.  It was free drinks”

And someone he would never expect.  ‘Ajhumma?’

……

Then Kim Dong-Hyub “I love you.  We will celebrate every single birthday from now on”

…..

It was the best birthday ever.  He was glad he had thrown a fit in the morning.

…..

Author's note: In case you wondered why I suddenly decided to write about a birthday party, Sept 14th is Lee Jong Suk's birthday.  I felt I owed him.  When you are a fan, this is what happens.