Peep, peep.

The door opened.

The first thing I saw was a pair of shoes, black highheels actually, with one of them lying on the floor. Making both corners of my lips lifted. Tiredness after working all day suddenly reduced.

I left them, deliberately not tidying up.

Then I saw every corner of my apartment looks neat _so unusual_ when I finished hanging my taxedo.

My gaze then stopped at the dinner table. I walked over, stretching my tie and ing the top of the shirt I wore. Ugh, so stifling.

There was a bottle of wine in 1989 with a wine bucket and a tube of ice in it to keeping the wine cool and not to forget the two glasses of wine. Beside them, there is a red velvet cake saying "Happy Birthday Jungkook" with three candles on it.

So all of then filling my dining table.

I looked around, once more. Then I saw a women's bag, with the Guess logo, on top of my couch. I know it clearly because I was the one who bought it last year as her birthday gift. There is also a suitcase and a paperbag next to the couch.

When I thought that this room is too quiet for two people in it, I started looking again.

"Hall.." I called quietly.

There's only me and Halla here, I guessed. So I'm sure my voice can heard throughout the room. But there is no answer.

"Lee Halla?" I opened the door of my room.

I stepped inside to look for her. My room is so neat, makes me smile again. But Halla is not there. So I walked out.

Then my eyes fixed on the slightly open bathroom door. All my life, I never left the bathroom door open, so I went in to make sure.

And of course there she is, with closed eyes, her calm and peaceful face was blurred by the steam. Her hair was rolled high in messy bun, also the vanilla scent that burst out when I opened the door. Her body was covered in turbid white water.

She was soaking in my bathtub.

"Unlocked?" I walked slowly toward her.

"What for?" she answered casually, still with her eyes closed.

"How if is not me?"

"Even your parents don't know your apartment password."

"Why didn't you answer?"

"Ah, you called me? I thought that was just my hallucinations, Mian."

"As always." I told Halla who just smiled at what I said.

I sat on the floor, next to a bathtub which just as tall as my shoulders and made my head rest comfortably. Facing straight to the door of the bathroom, back to back Halla who was soaking.

"Still the same, you're too cold," I said, leaning against the bathtub then closing my eyes.

I smiled. Enjoying the vanilla scent that filled the room.

"Don't you know how much I've missed you for the last four years?"

"Does my weekly video call not enough to heal your longing?"

"It feels different than you are here, next to me, and the time difference, so irritating me."

"I know, I feel it too, Pabo." Her voice narrowed at the end of her sentence.

"I heard it."

"Hehehe."

I feel her hand my head gently, playing with my hair. Makes me feeling too comfortable until I feel sleepy. Then she stopped then kissed my forehead.

"I miss you more," she whispered in my ear. Then she plays with my hair again.

I turned my body to face her. I put my arms on the side of the bathtub to prop my chin. Halla looked at me as she straightened her position.

"Is this the face that I miss?"

"Tsk," Halla rolled her eyes with a thin smile.

"When did you come?"

"This afternoon .. Ehm .. around five o'clock?"

"How's London?"

"Daebak! That was crowded, but also quiet at the same time "

"And how are you now?"

"I'm tired."

She leaned her neck again against the bathtub with a tired and weary look on her face.

"You didn't go back to your parents' house before ?"

"No, kind of busy."

"Ah, right. Seems like your surprise gone failed."

"I know."

My eyebrows lifted at her short answer.

That's all? No explanation? Jungkook thought.

But then Halla began to explain.

"You know, when I landed at the airport I have to drag my suitcase while I bought the cake and wine that you like, that was so inconvenient you know. And then I also bought some ingredients to make seaweed soup-"

"You made me some seaweed soup?" I asked interrupting.

"Of course, I'll warm it up after this " she replied quickly, confidently "Then when I got to your apartment, oh God bless you, I was wondering what kind of the war had been happening here? It was so messy, so I cleaned it up and I couldn't see you after all that time with a lot of sweat on my body, right? So I cleaned up myself. But this place is too comfortable that makes me hard to move."

I nodded, staring at her. My smile did not come off during all of her explanation. So noisy, but funny though.

"So, how long will you be here?"

"Ten minutes, please?" Halla grinned.

Then I stood up and just stared at her.

"Yah, can you just let me enjoy the city view under there for a while? I've just soaking for fifteen minutes before you came," Halla protested to me.

"Yah?" my eyebrows furrowed.

"Ahaha, mian. Geurae, oppa. Ten minutes, okay?" She grinned again

"Geurae, ten minutes."

I walked out, go to the living room then watching TV to killing the time. Ten minutes for a soaking woman it was half an hour. But no, it turns out Halla kept it.

Just using a towel wrapped around her body with her rolled up hair, she pulled her suitcase up from the couch and brought it into my room.

A sight that's too common for me. I've even explored every inch of her curve. Three times? Four times? Forget it, too .

Soon she came out of the room wearing an oversized white shirt and black jeans, then heading to the kitchen.

"That's mine?"

Halla looked down at what I saw, stretched out her hands, showing the shirt she wore.

"Well, I don't think I can find a comfortable outfit in my suitcase. So I'm looking in your closet," she replied while nodding "Clean yourself! I'll prepare the seaweed soup."

Like a child who obeys his mother, I turn off the TV then walking to the bathroom. Vanilla scent is still linger when I come in. 
No wonder why Halla likes to be here. The spacious room, the cozy bathtub and the full city view, make me admitted that this apartment is quite luxurious.

I just realized, I have enough money to rent it. And for a moment, I feel so proud of myself. 

Like I did, for Halla seeing me walking cross the room just by wearing a towel when I finished is just her regular sight.

Then I looked at the contents of my closet. No wonder, I have 45 white shirts inside my closet. And finally decided to wear the same oversized white shirt as Halla wearing and the black jeans.

Knock, knock.

"Jungkook-ah, the soup is ready," she called while knocking.

Halla was still behind the door when I opened, and she saw me from top to toe.

"Oh, haha, couple!" While looking at my clothes and hers back and forth.

Oh God, I missed this moment, really.

Then I grabbed her waist and hugged her. Keeping my chin on her lower shoulder, making her stagger in surprise.   

I also missed this hug.

"Wae ire?" she asked quietly.

"Neo gwenchanha?"

I tighten my arms. Spilled all my longs.

"Ani. Geunyang, bogoshipoyo, Neomu bogoshipoyeo."

Halla wrapped her arms around me, returning my hug.

"Just a moment. Stay like this for a moment." I said as I closed my eyes. The smell of vanilla again and the fragrance of her shampoo that doesn't change, penetrate my nose.

I still can't believe that now Halla is here. The four years I spent without her yesterday became meaningless.

Halla patted and rubbed my back. I could feel the heat of her body flowing into me. Then she pushed me slowly, ending her embrace.

But then both her hands moved around my neck, and she kissed my lips.

"It's your birthday. Come on, blow the candle," she said. Make me smile.

Her behavior is always unreadable.

She pulled my hand. Guided me to the dining table and asked me to sit.

Halla carefully lit three candles on the cake she bought. Then sang a happy birthday song for me.

"Saengil chukhahamnida, saengil chukhahamnida, saranghaneun uri Jungkook, saengil chukhahamnida..."

"Let's blow the candle, don't forget to pray first," she added.

I closed my eyes and pray.

"1, 2, 3!" she count, then I blew it out.

"Chukhahae!!" She exclaimed while clapping "Taste the seaweed soup first."

Nothing special from the seaweed soup Halla made. But it feels good.

"How?" she asked as she prepared the cake slices.

"Not as my mother made."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," she said, pouring the wine into my glass.

"You're just preparing this? Red velvet and wine, yeah, it fits, but seaweed soup?"

"So you're not going to say thank you?"

"Arasseo, gomawo.."

"Seaweed soup is a tradition, I can't miss it. And I didn't intend to make dinner. I think this cake is enough."

"Are you sure?"

"Arasseo, if it isn't enough, after this we go eat out."

"Hahaha, you're so serious."

"Nae.. nae.."

And that night we spending time together. sharing our stories for four years back. Enjoy the wine and eat the cake till everything gone. But finally we ordered the pizza because it wasn't enough to fill our stomach.

We also make popcorn for our snack while watching DVD's that Halla had bought when heading to here.

And paper bag that I saw next to the couch was filled with a gift she bought for me. A pair of latest edition of Timberland shoes that has been prepared since last month, she said.

 

But, I think the most beautiful gift of my birthday is you, here, with me.

EPILOG

"Jungkook-ah," Halla said as we were watching the DVD.

"Hmm?" I replied without looking at her.

"What if I continue my studies?"

"Hmm, that's a gwoowd!" I said while chewing a bunch of pop corn.

"In Australia?"

Hearing it made me look away quickly.

"Andwe!! Hajima!"

***