Jongin's Birthday Party

Date: January 13, 2018

“Thank you for coming. It’s always so nice to meet with fans,” Jongin says joyfully into the microphone. “And it’s extra special to be able to celebrate my birthday like this with EXO-L.”

The fans all coo at him. It’s been a good hour of relaxed talking and watching a few select home videos of little Jongin, dancing at age 9. It’s a little embarrassing to see his miniature-self struggle through simple jetés, but it brings back fond memories, too. If only little Nini knew then what all was to come.

“I’m going to have a great start to my 25th year already since I’m spending it with you guys,” Jongin says sweetly. “But did you know: There’s a special person who’s already had a birthday recently.”

Choruses of excited “ne’s” reverberates through the room.

“You know? Who then?” he eggs them on cutely, tilting the microphone toward the audience.

“Kyungsoo-oppa!” the fans call out.

“Hmmm, but he didn’t get a chance to meet with Eries,” Jongin says with a pout for emphasis. “I think we should fix that, don’t you?”

The crowd squeals their agreement, all turning to one another excitedly to exchange “omgs.”

“Ah, I should’ve been clearer,” Jongin quickly backtracks, waving his hands back in forth in front of him. “Kyungsoo-hyung isn’t here. He’s filming,” he explains with a swallow. It’s regrettable that Kyungsoo didn’t have a chance to be home here in Seoul yesterday to celebrate. “But we can call him, to wish him happy birthday, yes?”

The audience enthusiasm flags a little, but picks back up with nods and positive words. Whispers of “Kadi” are floating around the room along with half the fans covering their mouths with glee as Jongin pulls out his iPhone and opens up FaceTime to call Kyungsoo.

“Honestly, I don’t know if he’ll pick up,” Jongin says with a dorky, nervous laugh afterward. Maybe he should’ve thought this through. “We’ll leave a video voicemail if he doesn’t, okay? So be ready to—”

“Hello?”

Excited shouts go up as Kyungsoo’s face appears on Jongin’s phone, which he has angled toward the audience. Jongin beams at him. “Hi, hyung.” He shifts so that his back is to the crowd and holds the phone up fairly high, so that Kyungsoo can see the fans behind him and Jongin’s face in the lower right corner.

“Oh, it’s your birthday party, Jongin-ah!” The hardworking actor looks a little tired but is sporting a bright smile. He’s in a nondescript room, blank white wall behind him. Probably somewhere backstage at the filming site, Jongin reasons.

“Yes, I’m at my party, but it didn’t feel right to celebrate without you, too,” Jongin says with a smile, sending a wave of “awwwws” through the fans. “The 13th is just as much your day as it is mine.”

“Ahh,” Kyungsoo says with a blush and a shake of his head. “No, my day has already passed.”