Chapter twenty nine

My birthday wasn't spent as lonely as I thought it would be. Jungkook kept me well company, taking care of me and making sure that I was feeling comfortable.

However, my parents sent me a message that night, apologizing for them not being present at my birthday for the first time, neither for Christmas, nor New year's Eve. That was actually before them telling me that they were obliged to stay even more at the States, for probably two months or three.

My disappointment got more, for I was deprived from seeing their faces, feeling their embraces, nor hearing their voices for such a long time, for we couldn't do calls because of the time gap between the two countries.

Jimin also messaged me to apologize for not visiting me because his family and him were still at Daegu, and would come on New year's Eve for the sleepover, after a long quarrel between him and his parents.

Regarding the breakup, I was completely recovered from it, and was once more sufficed with treating Jimin hyung as a close friend to mine. Although, there was something that did worry me a tad; I was getting more and more habituated to Jungkook next to me, and not only that, but his special place in my heart grew wider and vaster by the bypassing of minutes, considering the gentle side he would always show me, and the amount of worry he had for me, and the plain fact of him helping me to get through the whole heartbreak incident I went  through was just marvellous.  

When I woke up the next morning, my head was way less in pain, my coughing eased as well as my repetitive sneezing. Well, I was grateful for a certain black haired guy at that moment for watching out for me and treating me like he would treat a broken-winged bird.

At the morning, I searched for countable good films to watch. Also, I got the Christmas tree from the previous year out of the storage room, in which I found difficulty , but still was more than glad to decorate it.

I even looked for green and red hair-pins in my mother's belongings to put on Eungo-ah's tender fur.

I killed time by playing some games on my mobile phone, and 8 pm came eventually.

A bell ring was heard shortly after. I opened the door, to be greeted by Namjoon hyung who had several bags in his hands, and an excited looking Seokjin, who brought me into a tight hug.

"Happy birthday, Kim Taehyung! I can't believe that you have indeed gotten three years older in what seemed like five days of knowing each other~" I giggled at the other's dramatic nature.

"I am getting older fast, I should worry about wrinkles already." both of the males laughed before entering.

A couple of minutes later, the bell was once again pressed. That time, all of the other hyungs and Jungkook had arrived.

"Happy birthday, kid." said Yoongi hyung with a warm smile that didn't have much occasions to show up on, and then he side hugged me.

"Happy birthday to you~" sing-sang the dancer before hugging me as well.

"Taehyungie, stop getting older, your voice would be a tad bizarre some years after." commented the other hyung before enfolding me with his tiny arms, and then came Jungkook-ah's turn.

He didn't even say anything; he just brought me to a warm and pleasant embrace, his muscled hands enveloping me securely, and fully.

"I was earlier than them all, I see." said he without breaking the hug. I nodded against his shoulder before backing a tad, then going together to the living room.

As any other sleepover, each of us was wearing  his comfortable pyjamas, some were wearing pants and some were wearing shorts; and the youngest was amongst them, and as if the muscle on his upper body part wasn't enough, his thighs were also hulking, the slight curve of the tissue at the upper side of his knee making his legs even more appreciable.

"Taehyung-ah!" the eldest's shout got me out of my daydreaming session."Come to the kitchen, please?"

I did as told to, praying that Jungkook didn't see me..ogling his thighs.

At the other room, there was Namjoon hyung getting boxed salty pastries and placing them on a plate, along with Hoseok hyung.

"Taehyung-ah, I didn't know which plate to place the cake on." said the dancer.

"Oh, just a second." I grabbed a large platter and handed it to the other.

"I want to see the cake, wh-"

"You will, but afterwards, now let us do our thing."

A pout made its way on my lips, an unsatisfied look in my eyes, then I went back to the living room where I saw the other three choosing a film amongst the ones I picked beforehand, so I joined them.

An hour later, the hyungs, Jungkook and I were sitting on the couches and chairs, watching a film Yoongi hyung insisted on seeing, each had a food item in hand.

The cousins were sitting on two individual sofas as always, Hoseok hyung was sitting on the thick carpet on the ground. Jungkook-ah and I were on the other couch, our legs touching a tad, while Jimin hyung and Yoongi hyung sat on the other, the elder's head on the other's lap as he played with his hair a tad.

I looked at them for too long, perhaps, but the mere memory of me being at Yoongi's place was too nice to not long for, but I had already promised myself to mourn over the past no more.

The film ended approximately two hours later, exchanged comments and generic song as a background noise.

"Guys" called I "Don't you think that it is the right time to cut the cake?"  I was too excited to see the cake Seokjin hyung made, knowing that he is definitely a great cooker, as well as baker.

"Of course, birthday boy!" said  Namjoon hyung before getting up. "I will get it, don't open the lights, okay?"

We nodded, then waited for the elder, who came back, singing with his deep voice, to which the others followed.

"Happy birthday, Taehyungie~ Happy birthday, Taehyungie~ Happy birthday, happy birthday, happy birthday Taehyungie~" I displayed my large boxy smile before blowing the two white candles on the cake, one of them had the shape of a 9 and the other of a 1. I got several hits from  Yoongi hyung and Hoseok hyung who's hands were opened, while Jimin hyung drummed on my head. The touches were gentle and didn't annoy me, nor hurt me at all.

As one of the others opened the lights, I finally saw the cake; it was a two layered white sponge cake, a pink frosting separated the two layers. My name was spelled on the surface by some powdered sugar, that was also on top of the whipped cream.

"The cream is cherry flavoured. I thought about doing something other than basic cheesecake or chocolate cake, so there you go." I hugged the elder as a thanking, then he gave me a huge knife to cut the dessert with. "Do it with caution, Taehyung!"

Few minutes later, each one of us was sitting, relishing the fluffy texture of the dough and the marvellous taste of the rich cream.

The Tv was already opened, waiting for the new year to come at last.

Eventually, the MC of the show we were watching announced the start of the countdown as we all quickly gathered together for a selfie Hoseok hyung was willing to take using Namjoon hyung's phone, our food going unnoticed for a tad. But then, I remembered something.

"Yah, Jungkook-ah, didn't you tell me to say the cringe-worthy things today?"

10.9.

He cleared his throat. "Hyung, I want you to know that I am so happy that I had the honour to be a part of your life, to be able to see your face and talk to you each day, to be your best friend."

8.7.6.5.

"You're my closest best friend Jungkook-ah, I guess that saying that is enough." I was so lucky that the others were distracted by choosing the right grimace and position.

4.3.

A teeth-less side-smile from him was directed to me, my heart pondered a bit at the sight of the charming facial expression.

2.

"Smile for the selfie!" screamed Hoseok hyung, as I did as told. And yet, to my bewilderment, the next thing I felt was soft flesh on my own cheek, that got me infinitely startled and embarrassed. Did the boy just kiss me?

1.

"Say CHEEEEEEESE!"

"Tae hyung, it's just a kiss, relax." he took a glance of the photo. "Or maybe not, your expression is priceless." several chuckles were heard.

"Y-you little !" I cursed the stutter.

"Ah-ah, watch your language." warned Seokjin hyung, mouth full of cake and cream. The younger just giggled.

"You liked it, huh?" my cheeks felt even hotter at that exact moment, my hands wanting to cover them, but couldn't move, and I just wandered; what has gotten into me that I was acting so shyly, for no reasonable cause?! Thankfully, the others weren't paying attention to us as they wished each other a good year. The other's chuckles faded tad by tad. "Omo, you really did, hehe"

I frowned, trying to act tranquil "Um, no I didn't." why would I, right?

He just scoffed, his head was still up but his gaze was a tad downwards.

"Anyways, I was just teasing, you know me."

"Well, yes I do know you, young man." He, for the nth time that day, chuckled.

"Let's just eat the cake, it's cherries' after all."

Some minutes passed, Namjoon hyung called us to gather again, so we did.

"Alright, so Taehyung-ah." I nodded. "Each one of us six had cooperated together to buy you a birthday present." I smiled warmly.

"You didn't need to, radically."

"Open it and believe me, you will regret what you have just said." I looked quizzically at the eldest who handed me a box wrapped in red paper that I tore apart, then uncovered the container to see something I would have never imagined to be mine one day; a pair of perfectly slick leather loafers, a bit of beige fur at the sides of each slipper-like shoe, along with a Gucci bee on each one's facade.