That Friday was the last day of school, and it was also Seung Hee's birthday. She was all excited that morning, but it died down as no one was around. Yoongi had spent the night at the dorm – in fact, she hadn't seen him since he had come to her with a headache three days ago.

She ate cornflakes for breakfast, not up to making seaweed soup, something all Koreans had on birthdays, just for herself. Ha Na's mother had promised that she would make some when she came to spend the night over.

Seung Hee had always dreamed that her eighteenth birthday would be perfect – she had finally become an adult! Mrs Min called, and so did Ha Na but not Yoongi. How could he forget? And how could he leave her alone today? In a bad mood, she set off for school.

To make things worse, Ha Na told her that her father was sick and she had to go with him to the hospital, so that meant no sleepover. Seung Hee kept telling Ha Na that it was ok as she kept on apologizing.

“Really,” said Seung Hee. “It's ok, I have other plans.”

“Are you sure?” asked Ha Na. “Because-”

“I'm doing something with Yoongi,” she lied, and finally Ha Na stopped apologizing.

Seung Hee's heart sank – now she would really be all alone. She was getting tired of it. And she had no desire to talk to Yoongi ever again. She knew that she was being awfully petty, but still – he had started it first.

He even had the nerve to call her during lunch, all cheerful. “Hey, kiddo!”

“Hi.”

“What are you doing tonight?”
“Why?”

“Because I have a surprise for my birthday girl.”

So he had remembered after all.

“Hey,” he said. “You're not sulking because I didn't call earlier, are you? Because I just finished-”

“I'm not,” she said, her bad mood lifting. “What's the surprise?”

“If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise anymore,” he said.

“Now I'm going to die of curiosity...”

“You're not mad at me for not calling earlier, right?”

“I am,” she teased. “So you better get me a big present.”

“Kiddo,” he said quickly. “I gotta go – the directer spotted me! See you later!”

 

The clock seemed to move even slower than usual during the class, and at one point, Seung Hee could have sworn that it stopped moving.

Yoongi called again when school ended – finally! - to tell her that he would only be able to come at eight. Grumbling, Seung Hee made her way back, after promising Ha Na that the next day they would hang out and it would be her belated birthday celebration.

In fact, today was pretty much like any other day. Seung Hee mooched around, zapping channels, and basically waiting for Yoongi. When he finally turned up, she tried to contain all her excitement so he wouldn't think that she was like a dumb kid. But he knew that she was glad to see him, and he caught her when he said, “Not happy to see me? Fine, I'll just leave.”

“No!” She jumped up and then blushed with the realization that she had just given herself away. Yoongi half-smiled and pulled her ponytail.

“Have you been here alone the whole time?” he asked.

She nodded, and he became puzzled. “Why? I mean-”

“Eomoni thought I was doing something with Ha Na and since Ha Na can't, I told her not to worry because I was doing something with you.”

“Why didn't you tell them the truth?” he demanded. “And why didn't you tell me? I thought you were out with Ha Na, too – that's why I only came now.”

She shrugged. “Everyone seemed busy, I don't want to bother them. It's just a birthday, after all.”

“You dumb kid,” he said, but not in a mean way. “You have the right to ask for some attention, you know.”

"Yeah, well, I'm not important enough to anyone to ask for it.”
“You can always ask me.”
Seung Hee thought she misheard. “W-what?”
Yoongi suddenly became embarrassed and looked down at the floor. “You could always ask me for attention – you're important enough for that.”
That was so unexpected, so out of character, so… sweet…
“Thanks,” she said softly. “No one's ever said anything like that to me.”
He cleared his throat and said gruffly, “That's probably because you never asked.”

She smiled again and asked teasingly,"Where are my presents?”

“Here, you brat.”

Yoongi a bag toward Seung Hee. She gasped with delight when she pulled out a white dress – the length was just above the knee, had cap sleeves, a round neck, and little silver buttons down the front. It was simple, but elegant and on another girl, it would have almost been glamorous – which was something Seung Hee never could be. Her round face and big eyes made her look younger than she really was and the most that could be said of her was that she was cute.

Yoongi watched her hold the dress against herself and squeal over it, and he hid a smile – he had made a good choice. She loved it and it looked good on her.

Eventually, he said, “You're not going to find your other present?”

“Huh?”

Her eyes widened.

“Look in the bag.”

Seung Hee reached into the bag and pulled out a shoebox. She couldn't help jumping up and down when she saw a pair of white and silver high heels which matched the dress perfectly.

“Thank you thank you thank you!” she cried, jumping up and down. “I love these!”

He hid another smile, amused. “You like heels that much?”

“I've never had heels before! This is my first pair and they're the best!”

“Let's see if it fits, then.”

He made her sit on the couch and knelt. He pulled off her socks – seriously, what was with this girl and Hello Kitty? First her pyjamas and now her socks! But that was really adorable…

Yoongi lifted one foot at a time into the heels. His fingers handled the delicate straps easily and he sat back, satisfied. “Perfect fit.”

Even sitting, Seung Hee could feel that it would be hard to walk – her toes were pinched together and she felt as though she were walking on stilts, but she would get used to it. They were so beautiful, and Yoongi had given them to her.

“You can't wear these now,” said Yoongi suddenly.

“Why?” asked Seung Hee, panicked.”Are you going to take them away?”

“No, kid,” he chuckled. “Where are you going to wear these shoes to? School?”

“You're right...”

“That's why I got you something you can use everyday.”

Yoongi reached underneath the couch and pulled out a bag – this one had English letters on it and held it out.

Seung Hee couldn't even speak. He had already given her a lot, and none of them were cheap.

Without giving her time to thank him, Yoongi took out a dark purple hoodie which was similar to the red one he usually wore. This overwhelmed her and she stuttered, “I-I don't know what to say, b-but why so… m-much?”

“I have a confession to make,” he said. “Actually, I didn't just get the Converse when I went to America. I just…. I didn't know how to give it to you, and I lost the opportunity. Sorry for making you wait so long...”

“You bought this for me?” asked Seung Hee, and oh, great, she was about to cry. “From such a long time ago?”

"Yeah...”
“You idiot, why did you do that? You already got the shoes because your mom asked you to and-”
“She didn't,” said Yoongi. “No one asked me to get you something.”

Seung Hee's heart began to thump. He had thought about her even back then, and it was during a time he supposedly hated her – well, she hated him, in any case. That was so unbelievable… but totally believable at the same time. After all, Yoongi was an unpredictable guy...

Without thinking, Seung Hee leaned down and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. It lasted barely a second, but it was enough for her to blush furiously and think, oh no! What had she just done?

Yoongi ducked his head, but not before Seung Hee saw that his face was turning pink, too.

“Sorry!” she said hurriedly – please, don't let him get mad at her! “I'm really sorry – I wasn't thinking and-”

“Sorry for what?” he asked.

The question surprised her. “Oh, um… you told me, you know, not to touch you without permission and-”

“You don't need my permission any more,” he said, and put her socks back on. He looked up at her, and held her confused gaze. His eyes were so warm – and a strand of red hair hung in front of them. Nervous, Seung Hee brushed it away, and waited, holding her breath, for his reaction. He didn't even blink, and his gaze intensified so much that she had to look away, scared that he would know how fast her heart was racing.

Yoongi slipped her feet back into the Converse and said, "Let's go.”

He stood up.

He seemed so normal, that even though her heart had been racing just a second ago, Seung Hee somehow became normal, too.

“Are we going somewhere?”

“I bet you didn't have seaweed soup yet, right? Or a cake.”

“You've already done more than enough-”

He shook his head. “Not as much as you've done for me.”

“But I haven't done anything-”

“You have, so shut up.”

“Can I wear the hoodie now?”

“Why are you asking me? It's not mine.”

She grinned and put the hoodie on over her T-shirt. It was warm and soft, and when Yoongi told her to put a coat on because it was freezing outside, she said that it was warm enough.

Yoongi drove to a really posh district to buy a cake.

“Any old bakery in Seoul sells cakes!” said Seung Hee. “See, like that one – yah, why did you pass it?”

“I can't eat just anything,” said Yoongi.

They then argued about which district in Seoul was the best.

Finally, Yoongi stopped at a bakery that he said was good enough for him, and told her wait in the car and he went in. Seung Hee watched the salesgirl fawn over him, and he gave her his autograph. He pointed to something in the display case, and she took it out and packed it. Yoongi thanked her and took a picture with her before coming back.

“You can be so polite,” remarked Seung Hee.

He started the car. “She was a fan and she put in two cookies as a gift.”

“You're useful for something after all.”

“Unlike you, you brat!”

Seung Hee liked the way he called her 'brat' – it wasn't mean or anything, and made her feel closer to him. You did not call people you did not like 'brat' in the tone he used.

“Which cake?” she asked.

“I don't know.”

“But you just bought it!”

“Did I?”

She burst out laughing, and he half-smiled.

“It's chocolate, you big baby,” he said. “What else can it be?”

“I'm not a baby! I'm eighteen years old!”

“That's still a baby, kid.” The corners of his mouth twitched. “Actually, I thought we could eat this in front of the Han River, but it's too cold.”

“Let's do it!”

“Are you crazy?” he yelled. “Yah, I almost froze to death going that short distance to the bakery! By the way,” he said slyly. ”All the Hallyu stars go there.”

“Really?”

Yoongi fought to keep a straight face. “Yup. I saw Baekhyun and Chanyeol drinking cappuccinos.”

“Go back!” she yelled. “I wanna see EXO! Does VIXX go there, too?”

“Of course.”

“Go back now, please,” she begged.

Yoongi pulled the hood over her head. “You idiot! You're so easy to fool!”

“You mean… EXO doesn't go there?”

“There's more than one bakery in Seoul, you know.”

“You're mean.”

Yoongi drove along an empty little street and parked the car right in front of the Han River. Fog hung heavy in the air, giving it a mysterious look.

“Reminds me of a murder movie scene,” said Seung Hee.

“Yah, don't talk like that.”

“You're scared, huh?” she said. “Watch out or I might throw you in the river.”

“If you do that, you won't get any cake.”

“Ok, I won't!” cried Seung Hee as he poked her in the ribs. “Can I have cake now? Oh!” she exclaimed, suddenly remembering. “You have to sing for me!”

“Sing?'

“Yeah, you have to sing 'happy birthday'! Come on, you promised!”

“No I didn't.”

“Yes you did! Please?”

He sighed. "Can we talk about something more serious first?”
“Ok,” said Seung Hee. “But you have to sing after, ok?”
Yoongi, dead serious, took out a piece of paper from his pocket.

“What's that?” she asked.

“The marriage certificate.”
Her heart sank – maybe Yoongi was telling her that they should stop all this, that they should go their separate ways…

“Do you want this legalized or not?” he asked, still serious.

She couldn't read his expression… did he want it?

“Can I say it honestly?” she asked in a soft voice. “I… I do want it, but-”
“Why do you want it?” asked Yoongi. “Because your grandfather wanted it? Or because you want it?”
This was getting too uncomfortable. “Why are you even asking my opinion?”
“Because it counts,” said Yoongi. “More than anything, your opinion counts. I will never decide something for you, I will never do something without asking your opinion.”
Yoongi said her opinion counted – she must mean something to him, then…

“Do you want it legalized?” she asked.

He hesitated. “I… I don't want you to do something you don't want. Think about it, you're still young-”
“I want it,” said Seung Hee quickly before she could lose her nerve. “I really want it – and not just because of Grandfather. But if you don't...”
Her words trailed off as Yoongi pulled out his MP3Player and the white headphones.

“I was planning to do this later,” he said, suddenly a bit nervous.

“What is it?” asked Seung Hee, confused. “Did you write a new song?”

“Maybe.”

“And you're letting me listen to it? Thanks!”

He placed the headphones over her ears and she whispered, “Can you sing for me for real after?”

He nodded, and pressed 'Play.'

And Seung Hee forgot to breathe when she heard that same heavenly voice from last time. It wrapped around her like a blanket, bringing her entire being serenity. The voice sung no words, just notes strung together like the smoothest silk. Except there was a change – she could have sworn that she heard a word. Ah, there it was again: saranghae, I love you. In spite of the beautiful, soothing voice, her heart began to pound.

She opened her eyes and sneaked a glance at Yoongi. Oh no! He could hear the pounding of her heart, he was looking at her! But his eyes were strange – they were filled with tenderness, and something else.

Love, a voice in the back of her head whispered. Love? Yoongi? She wasn't sure about that, but it was something close to it.

Slowly, the heavenly voice retreated, until it was just a whisper. She pressed 'Play' again. It was really too short, and the voice and the melody and just everything was too beautiful not to listen to over and over again.

Her eyes fluttered open when she felt Yoongi's hands on the headphones. She thought that he was going to take it off, and said, “Just a little bit more...”

Yoongi said something, but she didn't hear because the voice wasn't letting her pay attention to anything else.

Several things happened at the same time. Yoongi pushed the headphones so they hung around Seung Hee's neck. Her heart stopped racing – it stopped beating – as he leaned forward, his warm hands framing the sides of her face. He pressed his lips against hers in a sweet kiss and she shut her eyes, her heart exploding with fireworks – Yoongi kissed her! And now that the heavenly voice no longer demanded her attention, she could focus completely on Yoongi. He was so close, he was all that mattered right now – no, all that mattered forever.

Too soon, the gentle pressure left, and Seung Hee had to take a deep breath before she opened her eyes – and immediately covered her face with her hands, her face flaming.

Yoongi was looking at her too intensely, and she peeked at him through her fingers and he leaned forward again. His breath tickled her ear, and the heavenly voice whispered, “Saranghae, Seung Hee.”

She almost died - Yoongi had just told her that he loved her – and that was something she had never even dreamed about.

Seung Hee felt his hands close over hers, and take them away from her face, and those sweet lips kissed her forehead. And she couldn't stop smiling, but she was too shy to look at him.

But that didn't stop her from wrapping her arms around Yoongi – just like she had wanted to do for a long time – and he held her close. His heartbeat reverberated through her, and she couldn't say anything, her mind was empty of everything – including words – besides Yoongi. She knew that he understood, and anyway, words were not needed.