21 | The Birthday
My Perfect Stranger
✗ Lee Gikwang ✗
I check the clock which is hanged on the wall of the bakery. It's fifteen minutes to midnight. I guess I can make it on time.
"Is this the cake you asked?" the waiter asks me politely, showing a white cake with musical notes made by chocolate on top of it.
"Yes, this is the one," I smile and walk to the cashier to pay the cake. I bow slightly to the cashier and step out from the bakery.
I take out two small jewelry boxes in pocket. The one with pink color is mine while the other one with white color is the one from Rima's father. I smile, wondering what Rima's reaction will be.
Two days ago when both Junhyung and I visited Rima, when she forgot to lock her door, I heard from the news that Kim Rima is going to celebrate her birthday, which means Rima's birthday.
Yesterday after my schedule, I went out to meet Rima's father in secret. Yujin allowed me to go inside and meet him and he confirmed that it's true that Rima will turn 23 soon.
"Can you choose one for me?" he handed over a booklet of luxurious accessories to me. "I will buy it for Rima. I think I need your help to hand it to her."
I blinked in confusion and he smiled at me sadly, "I'm not good in choosing presents. I know you must think that Rima doesn't need expensive birthday presents but for now, this is the least thing I can do for her."
"I will give it to Rima if you come to our event next week," I told him calmly. "Rima will perform that day and I hope you will come to watch her."
Mr Kim frowned and intertwined his fingers, thinking about the answer. His lips turned into a curve and he said, "You are a really interesting man, Lee Gikwang."
He walked to me and patted my shoulder, "Choose a beautiful one for her. Don't say it from me and I'll see you at the event. Tell Yujin the time and place."
I smiled and opened the booklet to choose a necklace that I thought would match with Rima.
"Is Rima doing good?" Mr Kim asked me kindly when Yujin gave me a cup of tea. "I hope she doesn't do anything stupid."
"She is doing really good," I assured him and took a sip of the tea. "Somehow I can understand why you are so protective about her, Mr Kim. She is kind of careless sometimes."
Mr Kim laughed and then sighed in relief, "I'm glad Rima met you, Gikwang. I know I can believe you to take care of her even though I just met you."
"You know, I think I will be alright if she return and tell me that she wants to be engaged with you," Mr Kim joked and I just smiled politely to him, shoving away the tease quickly.
I ordered a cake for Rima because I think it will be lonely since no one knows your birthday. At least I can celebrate her birthday since I know her secret, right?
I also took my times to buy my own present for her; perhaps I would be the only person who gave her a present other than her father.
After I step out from the elevator, I check my phone screen.
Three minutes to midnight.
I walk to her apartment and stop right in front of her door. I open the cake box and put the candles carefully before light them on.
"Huff," I take a deep breath and then call Rima with my phone. I hope she will wake up if she's already sleeping now.
Click.
She picks up my call.
"Rima?" I mutter her name. "Are you sleeping or... I need your help, Rima..."
"Eh?" she reacts and I feel relieved that she sounds pretty much sober. "W-What is it? What happened?"
It's cute how she sounds so panic just by the simple question. I grin and whisper, "Can you come out first? Please, Rima..."
"Ah, okay," she responds and I can hear her footsteps coming near to the door. "A minute. Where are yo-"
When she opens the door, I greet her with a smile and the birthday cake. I put my phone back in my pocket and sing to her, "Saengil chukkahamnida, saengil chukkahamnida..."
As usual, she covers with the back of her hand while her face burns red. I chuckle and tilt my head, "It's your birthday, right? I saw it on the news two days ago. Are you surprised, Rima?"
She bites her bottom lip and murmurs, "H-How did... Why..."
"Can I step inside or the candles will be ruining the cake, you know?" I grin and she quickly opens the door wider for me. I step in carefully and put the birthday cake on the table.
"Here," I call her over and she sits across from me. "Make a wish. Blow the candles. Hurry, hurry."
Rima closes her eyes, intertwining her fingers together. After seconds she opens her eyes and then blows the candles. I clap my hands and smile to her, "Saengil chukkahamnida, Rima."
"Thanks...," she murmurs without looking at me. She is still blushing, staring at the floor.
I stand up and sit next to her. I take out the small jewelry boxes, both the pink and the white boxes. I put the pink on my right hand and the white on my left hand, "Pick one, Rima. It's your birthday present."
She looks up at me and drops her gaze to both boxes. She reaches out her hand slowly to the white box, the one from her father. Slowly but sure she opens it and reveals the necklace with butterfly pendant.
"I hope you like it," I grin awkwardly. I chose the present so I hope she likes it somehow. From her expression I think she likes it though.
"It's... beautiful...," she puts the necklace back, closing the box. "Gikwang, this is too much... I don't think it's inexpensive. I can't-"
"Open this one," I interrupt and hand over the pink box. I don't want her to return the gift; it's from her father. "It's not really expensive and it's your birthday anyway so don't complaint, okay?"
After hesitating for seconds, she takes the box and opens it so she can see the silver hairpin with the musical note as the decoration. Ever since I know that she always lets down her hair when she wears the hair pin I gave to her, I decided to give her another hairpin.
"Since you really love music, I think this one suits you pretty good," I pat her head while she puts the hairpin on her hand. I take it from her, "Here, let me help you put it on."
I carefully put the hairpin on her hair, feeling my fingers run through her long and soft hair. I look to her to tell her that it looks really beautiful, "Now you-"
I stop when I realize that our faces are only inches away.
✗ Kim Rima ✗
I don't even remember it's my birthday. Everything in my life is too messed up that I don't even remember that I'm turning 23 years old.
Furthermore I didn't expect Gikwang to give me a birthday surprise. Not to mention that he prepared a cake and two birthday presents for me. I never expected that he will be this sweet for me.
Can I believe that I'm special for him?
When I stare at the silver hairpin, he takes it from me, "Here, let me help you put it on."
Since I'm speechless after all the surprises he gave to me, I let him to put the hairpin on my hair. I'm obviously blushing really hard yet I want to see his smile.
"Now you-" Gikwang looks at me as he finishes with the hairpin. Our faces are only inches away that I can feel his breathe. My heart is beating really fast that I think I can hear it out loud.
"I-It looks good on you!" he looks away and laughs awkwardly. I feel a pang in my heart for an unknown reason when he stands up and returns to his seat. "Let's try the cake, birthday girl!"
I clench my fists in silence. I feel like my tears are threatening to fall. I am happy, really happy, because of the birthday surprise he gave to me but I can't help to think why he does everything for me.
"Gikwang...," I gather my courage and look at him firmly. "Why did you do all of these to me? All these... surprises?"
His smile disappears. Gikwang rubs the back of his neck and clears his throat nervously, "Well... I know your birthday and birthday is important, right? You're a really important friend for me so... Well..."
A really important friend.
The words stab my heart really bad that I feel like I want to cry. I can't believe I become this weak. What is happening to me?
"I see...," I force a laughter and stand up. "I am a really important friend of you. Of course I am. I compose songs for your new album..."
I step away to the kitchen, afraid that I'm going to cry if I look at him again. I feel like a fool now; of course there is nothing between me and Gikwang, just the way I don't want anything to happen between me and Junhyung.
"Rima?" Gikwang approaches me with worried tone. "Are you alright?"
He grabs my wrist, making me to turn and face him. My tears betray me and they roll down without any warning. I pull my hand away and wipe them away roughly.
"Rima, don't hurt yourself like that!" Gikwang tries to stop me and wipes my tears with his thumb gently. "Don't cry... I'm sorry if I said something that hurt you... Please don't cry... It's your birthday..."
He pulls me into a hug, letting me to cry in his hug. I clutch his shirt and bury my face on his chest. He my hair with his fingers, trying to comfort me, to stop me from crying.
"Tell me something...," I try to control my emotion, pulling away from him so I can look at his face. "What if I don't think of you as just friends?"
Unfortunately before Gikwang can answer me, the knocks on my door interrupt us. Gikwang lets me and I wipe my tears quickly before walking to the door.
Who would pay a visit for me at midnight? It can't be Junhyung... right?
I open the door and find no one. There is a brown envelope on the floor without any name on it. I bend down and pick it to open the envelope and find at least a dozen pictures.
When I see the first picture, my eyes widen in surprise. I quickly look around, hoping that I will see the person who put this envelope.
"Who is it?" Gikwang asks me and I turn around with panic rushing in my mind. He tucks my hair behind my ear and asks me with concern, "Are you alright, Rima? You don't look really good."
"Just a mail someone sent to me...," I clear my throat nervously. Even his gesture can't calm me down right now. "I-I'm just tired. I think I need to sleep now."
"Thank you for the presents and cake," I step away from the door, still avoiding his gaze. "Forget what I said. I was not thinking straight."
"Rima...," Gikwang reaches out his hand and caresses my cheek. "Please tell me if I did something wrong. I'm sorry... I made you cry on your birthday..."
"It's alright. Good night, Gikwang," I bid him good night, a sign that I want him to get out as soon as possible. He looks at me with sad look but I don't even bother to feel guilty right now.
"Good night, Rima," he pats my head gently. "Once again, saengil chukkae, Rima."
After he leaves my room, I quickly lock my door and pour out the pictures in the envelopes on the floor. I look at every picture, hoping that my eyes are deceiving me.
A picture of Junhyung holding my hand. A picture of Junhyung kissed my forehead. A picture of Junhyung hugging me.
A picture of Junhyung kissing me.
Someone took these pictures when I was with Junhyung two days ago.
There is a paper inside the envelope.
"Think of these as your birthday present. You know what will happen if these pictures go to public, don't you?
It's easy if you don't want it to happen. Reveal your true identity in front of public, that you're my fiancee.
I'll wait for a week or I'll upload these pictures to the internet.
Happy birthday, my dear Rima.
Your dear fiancee,
Eric Hazelwine"
I crumple the paper, gritting my teeth with disbelief. I can't believe everything turns out this way.
My relationship and Junhyung is bad enough. Even I'm not sure that I can act as if nothing happened around Gikwang now.
And now these pictures...
This is the worst birthday ever.
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