"November 10th"

11:59pm

Just one more minute, he thought to himself as he stared at the clock to go by.

He wanted to be the very first one to say it. He wanted to be the very first one to wish his lifelong friend the best birthday ever. Hakyeon is away in Osaka for his musical 'Interview', so this year, he isn't able to spend Taekwoon's birthday together with the rest of the members.

He's happy about his musical experience but at the same time, he couldn't help but feel rather lonely knowing that it's another year gone by and one year in counting that he won't be able to say happy birthday to his dear friend.

30 seconds.

He couldn't pry his eyes off the clock and was staring intensely as the needle moved by every second. 

He took a deep breath. He opened his Twitter account, typed the message in the box and was ready to hit 'tweet' at any time. It actually took him all day after rehearsals to think of something to write. He didn't want it to be too cheesy or too long since he knows that the others would eventually pick on him for it. So, he wanted something simple.

[Happy Birthday My Friend #정택운 #HBMFTW] He wrote. 

Is it too short? Is it too long? He kept thinking as the second gone by.

Just then...

12:00 am, November 10th 2017.

Hakyeon pressed that button as soon as the clock hit midnight. As if he had successfully completed his mission, he sighed of relief and smiled to himself. He was quite satisfied to be honest since he knew he would be the first one out of their entire group to wish Taekwoon a happy birthday. He waited for a minute to see if any of the other members tweeted out a birthday wish to the older of the two vocalist but there was no notification popping out from any of them.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, Daeguni is going to scold them later for not wishing his a happy birthday right on twelve," Hakyeon giggled to himself since he could just imagine it being a possibility especially since Taekwoon can get quite childish at times.

Hakyeon let out a long stretch and changed into his pajamas. He was actually really sleepy since rehearsals ended but he stayed awake until midnight just so he could say happy birthday. He made sure he had a tweet about it as well as sending another message privately to Taekwoon through their KakaoTalk.

Just as he was ready to dive into his bed, his phone rang.

It was Taekwoon.

Hakyeon flew towards his phone and picked it up immediately. Before Taekwoon could even say anything, Hakyeon said it first.

”Happy Birthday!!” Hakyeon felt like he was wide awake suddenly.

”Heh. Thanks,” Taekwoon chuckled on the other side of the line.

”So am I the first one?”

”For what?”

”You know~ telling you Happy Birthday on your birthday!”

”Kind of.”

”What do you mean?”

”Jaehwan and the others said it earlier before they went to bed.”

”Che,” Hakyeon pouted a bit. “I wanted to be the first one.”

”Well you are, kind of.”

”But it’s not the same~~” Hakyeon whined adorably through the phone making Taekwoon chuckle even more. He could just imagine Hakyeon’s cheeks bloating up like a balloon as he whined.

“Hakyeon-ah,” he said.

”Hmm?”

”When will you be back?”

”Well I still have two more stages after today and I think there’s a farewell party afterwards too with everyone so... at least not for another week,” he sighed regretfully.

”I see,” Taekwoon hesitated for a bit and then said, “I miss you.”

”M-me too,” Hakyeon was flustered by the latter’s sudden honesty. “I wish I could celebrate your birthday with you.”

”This year... it seems we both missed each other’s birthday huh?”

”Yeah...”

During Hakyeon’s birthday, all the members were so busy, including Taekwoon that they all didn’t celebrate their leader’s birthday this year on time.

so, in the end, Hakyeon went on a trip with Wongeun instead but even so, Taekwoon’s musical schedules were so hectic that the two barely get to see one another. And now, it was the opposite.

”Sorry...” Hakyeon felt like he should apologize. 

“It’s not your fault. It’s not like you could control the schedule for the musical. Plus, you’ve always wanted a role like that so it’s great that you could finally perform something you’ve always wanted. I’m happy for you,” Taekwoon tried to comfort Hakyeon.

”But still... I really miss you.”

”It’s okay. It’s not like there won’t be next year and the year after that and the many years after that. Did you forget? We’re lifelong friends remember?” 

“Mhmm! Of course I remember,” Hakyeon felt happier again as if Taekwoon was reassuring their lifetime together. 

“Hakyeon-ah?”

”Hmm?”

”Hakyeonie?”

”Mhmm?” 

“Cha Hakyeon,” Taekwoon continued.

”Yes?” Hakyeon was anticipating. 

“I love you.”

”Me too!”

”Let’s be together forever, okay?” Taekwoon asked.

”Yes!” 

A/N: Happy Leo Day! Happy Taekwoon Day! Happy Daeguni Day! Happy Gramps Day! Happy Jung Noodles Day!