I’m so lucky to have you
So happy to love you
Don’t wanna live without your love without your love
Without your smile
Without your sentimental
Cause I know I love you

– Lucky Me (Mocca)

***

Ray of sun’s battling to enter the very room when I pulled the curtain and let some light showered the room. And even if bundled under thick comforter, Jinki found it disturbing his precious morning, makes him crawled deeper and continued his journey to galaxy far far away.

I walked closer to him and yanked the blanket without thinking that he’s much stronger than me, ended me up intruding his territory, flat tummy laid beside him on the bed.

“Five minutes, please.”

Nothing’s more ier than Jinki’s morning rumbles, husky tones from throat, eyes closed, and mouth pouting cutely you might choked yourself with such a view.

“Come on, birthday boy. We’re going to be late.”

Waking him up with such harm is a futile action that I learnt since the first month we were dating, so I rather peck his nose while hands slyly peeled the blanket down.

“It’s my birthday. I deserve something’s decent.”

“And it’s my Mom’s birthday too! We’re agree to attend the lunch party she held.”

His eyes still shut tightly, but I’m sure he’s already awake, “Why can’t you choose me over your Mom?”

“You married to me a year ago after dating me for five years. You know the answer already.”

“But honey, I’m so tired.. can we go there a bit late?”

I leaned closer, nose almost touch each other, and make sure he could feel breath on his chin, “If we’re coming late, we’re back home late. And if we’re back home late, you’re getting another present later.”

Someone’s suddenly unwrapped himself from his cocoon and thrown his blanket away, “Captain Lee to the rescue!!” he gave me a deep kiss before rushing to the shower, “I can’t wait for the present!”

I’m still laughing so hard on the messed up bed when he yelled from the bathroom, “Honey, how about the present for your Mom?! I was so bu––“

“I got it two days ago when I went shopping with Jonghyun!”

Suddenly he stormed out with only boxer left, “The best wife ever!” then he showered me with butterfly kisses all over my face.

“Go away you, ert!!”

He singsongs right away, mixing some happy birthday songs with chicken and dumpling in the lyrics on the way back under the shower.

***

“Happy birthday, Mr. Lee!”

My Mom’s gardener greets us from the front yard when we arrived in front of her fence. An old man with wrinkles and thin arms smiles widely and hugged Jinki abruptly when we finally entered the yard.

“Ugh, wow, okay. I’m flattered. Thank you so much, Mr. Park! I’ll bring you bucket of chicken in the next visit!” his face drawn happiness and perplexes at the same time, meanwhile I only could let out giggles behind his shoulder.

“How the hell he could know my birthday?”

“I don’t know, maybe you’re too famous!”

“Please don’t say you put my name a happy birthday message on a billboard at the intersection!”

I rolled my eyes to his exaggerated expression which looks silly rather than annoyed, “Honey, as much as I love making surprises for you, I’m so not doing that kind of stuff.”

The bells need to be rang two times before it finally opened with my vibrant Mom behind the door.

“Happy birthday, Mom!!” I run to her and kiss her cheek, hug her tight so both of us can’t even breathe.

“Thank you, thank you, oh my God! You’re getting fatter, what Jinki gave you?! You’re suffocating me!” I released her and grin but she just let it slipped because the next second she’s already kissing Jinki’s cheek, shocking both of us, “Happy birthday, you, Mr. Sunshine! Look at that handsome face! Isn’t it too young for such a middle age man?”

“Eeeyyy, I’m still young, Ma’am! Strong and alive! Happy birthday to you too!”

I almost forget who is Jinki’s wife because right now, the one who’s clinging to his side and linking their arm together was my Mom. Not that I would mind with this rare and beautiful view.

“Come on! The party wouldn’t start without you!”

We were dragged to the living room with my Mom unstoppable ranting on the way there. He looks like someone who’s getting kidnapped, asking me some help through his eyes, but I can’t help but cracking at the scene.

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JINKI!!”

It supposed to be my Mom’s birthday lunch which is limited to Mom, Dad, me, Jinki, Minho and his fiancée but what we found there are at least half population of a high school class.

Kibum, his wife, their twins, and – not being left at the house – Comme De and Garcon. Jinki’s brother Taemin brought his new girlfriend along. Even Jonghyun who said will be out of town until next week.

“What’s this?” Jinki’s dumbfounded by lots of love filled the air.

“It’s your birthday party, idiot!” Jonghyun and Minho approach and squeeze him in a human sandwich. People start cheering a bit louder and Taemin raise his glass to make a toast for his brother.

“Is this your idea?” when Jonghyun and Minho back to their place, he tilted his head to my side still in disbelief.

“Nope.”

“Really?”

“I swear to God! But whoever came up with this plan must be worked really hard. Foil balloons and colorful origami along with too much Christmas lamp, like seriously? I have two suspects right now, Kim Kibum who always got a bit more energy than us or my very own mother who loves you too much sometimes I almost got jealous on her.”

“Kibum’s busy with his new bag’s launching, too busy to prepare. Oh, Gosh! Like mother like daughter,” he cracks right away by his own statement.

And that’s the most wonderful scene to be seen, Jinki’s feeling loved, burst into laugh eyes get all teary shaped in half moon. So I tugged his collar down to reach his lips for a kiss, “Whatevs. Happy birthday, Lee Jinki! I love you.”

When he slipped his hand around my waist, I heard people clapping behind my back vaguely.

***

The water is running down my hand on the sink when warm hands find their way on my waist and chin rested on my shoulder. I continue washing the dish with Jinki attached behind me, chest enclosed with my back.

“What?”

He doesn’t answer it and just kissed my ear or nuzzled at the crook of my neck at the other time.

“It’s ticklish. Let me finish this.”

“Emmhh.”

I can feel he’s shaking his head on my shoulder, so I turned back facing him and rest my hand behind his neck after dried it on the nearest table cloth.

“You’re another year older.”

“And another year happier.”

I pull him for another kiss. This one is more intense since we had our private time at the kitchen so I’m not complaining when it includes tongue and teeth.

“About the present you talked about this morning,” muttering on my lips which I replied with giggles, “What’s that?”

“I’m not telling you,” finally apart to take some breath, I closed his forehead with mine.

“Is it big?”

“It could be.”

“Ugh, come on!”

“God! Is it your fifth birthday or something?!”

“I won’t let you go if you’re still not telling me!”

“Fine!! Go get me my purse!”

“Right away, Mrs. Lee!!”

Less than two minutes he’s back with purse in his hand and smile brighter than the sun and wider than the ocean across his puffy cheeks. His eyes entail me when I search something inside.

“Well. It’s not the one I expected,” he took the saffron colored enveloped from me anyway, “What’s this?”

“You can check it yourself.”

He raised his eyebrow in curiosity then with a huge enthusiasm he opened it to find a small white stick with two red stripes on it.

“I don’t get it.”

“There’s more.”

He pulled the paper inside, scanned it quickly and the next second his eyes bulging out, confirm what he saw just now by look at me and the paper on his hand one and another.

“Wh––What..? How?”

“Remember when I said I was feeling unwell and nausea a week ago and I thought it’s just because I got overworked and stressed with the next exhibition preparation? The next day I went to the doctor the next following day. He gave me the test pack and yeah..”

“So it means..”

“Yeah, maybe around Sept–– OH MY GOD!!”

He cut me off on the way by scoping me from the ground and squeezing me hard until while his lips kiss me anywhere he felt to left invisible mark furiously. Something warm fell on my cheeks, not sure what it was until I saw his face drenched with tears.

“Jinki, we need to be more careful,” I pushed his chest lightly, hope not to kill the mood.

He put me down but still showering me with his kiss, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. It’s just.. . _______! I am so happy! I.. I.. I don’t know what to say!”

“Me too, honey.”

“This is the best birthday ever. I love you so much, _______! You make me the happiest person on earth!”

My face cupped by soft fingers so carefully as if it made from thin antique ceramic that can be shattered anytime people held it too tightly.

“I can’t believe this happening! I love you so much!! I love you, I love you, I love you soooooo damn much!!”

The Christmas carol played by my Dad on the turntable is no longer heard. People’s chatter on the living room is disappeared gradually. The clock ticking, the water dripping, the wind rumbling, nothing’s going through our ear. Because right now the only back sound we heard is my heartbeat. And Jinki’s. And the little angel’s inside my belly. Our eyes closed in sync, enjoying the quite, and embracing each other company because starting tomorrow, it’s not only both of us. It’s three.

My chest pressed onto him while his chin rests on the crown of my head. His heartbeat marched gleefully, sent my hands to clutch on his back, in rhythm with him caressing mine.

“Happy birthday, Papa.”

***