Surprise?

There are four players, each sitting on each side of the table. Both of your elbows are resting on the table, fingers steepled, covering half of your face as you keep your eyes on the shuffled cards like a hawk. Jisung is sitting behind you, being all anxious and restless.

“Do you even know how to play? And we don’t have anything to put a bet on,” Jisung yell-whispers to you who are paying attention on the shuffled cards. The guy doesn’t even try to hide his panic, and he couldn’t understand how you can appear so calm.

“We’re playing Big Two. It’s a simple game and we don’t need those chips sht or whatever. And who says we have nothing to bet on? My life and death literally depend on this game!” you whisper back, eyes not leaving the cards that are starting to be distributed.

Jisung blinks, lips pursing into a thin line, “What is Big Two?”

You just roll your eyes, lowkey annoyed with the lad’s antics, “Just shut up before I put your life on bet too,”

Cautiously, you take the cards into your hands, inspecting to every single of it. The colours, the numbers, the letters and the suits. The pretty guy with the burgundy locks flashes a smirk when he can see your brows furrowed, lips turning into an ugly frown with your eyes still going across the cards. What an amateur, he chuckles internally, ready to see you cry in despair after you lose this game. Big Two is a simple game, but isn’t played widely in Korea. And for someone that is in your age? Impossible to win with that lack of experience and brilliant strategies.

What the man, and probably all people except your friends don’t know is you own a deck of poker cards in your dorm for the past five years for reasons.

Maybe what they don’t see what’s about to come is ‘lack of experience and strategies’ isn’t actually an accurate phrase to describe your poker skills.

…

Jimin has a lot of fun today since he gets to spend the evening with his boys, starting with them making a surprise visit to his studio. They went straight to a fun fair, going on tons of rides and Jimin swore he could lose his voice just by screaming throughout the whole ride. Jimin knows that the guys are up to something, because it has always been the same since the past several years. Everyone would gather and free their schedules on the evening of the day before one’s birthday, just spending time with each other before they can throw a celebration for the birthday boy. Even though the plan is repeated and expectable, all of the members are still fond with it.

However, Jimin somehow feels a little off when he can see couples sauntering around the premise, hand in hand, bright smiles decorating their lips. His envy burns even brighter when Jungkook and Tae excuses themselves to take a ride on the ferris wheel by themselves. It would be wonderful if you can come along with them, maybe Jimin can take the ride and be all cheesy with you too, just like how Tae and Jungkook do. If you’re here, maybe Jimin can treat you all the cotton candies and funnel cakes you can have, even though Jimin is the birthday boy. Sadly, he can just dream about it for now.

It’s already 11 but Jimin hasn’t received any calls or texts from you. He shouldn’t expected any to be honest but he can’t help but to put a little hope. Maybe because it’s probably too early for you to wish. Do you even know that his birthday is this midnight? What if you don’t? What if you do but you don’t want to wish today? What if you’re not going to wish at all? Jimin shakes his head a little, ignoring the voices in his own head and tries to avert his attention on the song playing in the radio of Namjoon’s car. They’re on the way to the party venue together.

On the other hand, Namjoon can clearly pinpoint that something is going on in that head of blonde, but the man just keep his lips shut. It’s easy for Namjoon to notice the younger’s sorrow cause Jimin is never good in faking a smile, at least not as good as the older. Namjoon knows pretty well the reason behind that frown Jimin is wearing right now, if not the whole story, Namjoon knows the person to say the least. The fact that only you can make Jimin all giggly and smiley - appearing happier than the whole members can ever witnessed in their whole lives - is fond to Namjoon. At last, Jimin knows how precious and rewarding to be in a relationship can be.

When the whole squad arrive in the club, the place is already crowded with their colleagues and acquaintances that are here either for the celebration or just for free booze, Jimin welcomes everyone nevertheless. All of the members are sticking close with Jimin but all of them are interacting with the guests, most of them congratulating on Jimin’s signing with the recording label and also Tae and Jungkook’s boyfriends status. Jimin wishes he could do the same too, but that needs further discussion with you.

“Hey, Jimin!” Nayeon approaches the soon to-be birthday boy, catching him off guard.

“Oh, hey, Nayeon! Thanks for coming,” Jimin pulls a genuine little smile.

“Oh, come on, Jimin. It’s your birthday! I can’t miss free liquor,”

Both of them break into warm cackles, just like the old days when they were still classmates and used to hang out together. It’s a very natural progression for both of them from being awkward one-sided crush thing to friendship again.

“Finally, you smile. How can you not smile when your birthday is 15 minutes away?” Nayeon pulls up an akimbo, shaking her head.

Jimin just smiles bitterly, prefers to not either fabricate any answer or to be honest with her. The blonde knows that Nayeon has always been a good listener, but Jimin doesn’t want to ruin the mood now. Everyone is turned up and hyped, tipsy smiles and twinkling eyes in each of them. He should have had the same smile on his lips, the similar emotions evident in his features. Yet with the thoughts about his rocking relationship shrouding in his mind and his pathetic heart demanding for your presence right now, he really couldn’t even fake a smile properly.

“Hey… If you miss her that much, just tell her, would you?”

Nayeon gives him a pity look and beams warmly, tapping the guy’s shoulder lightly before stepping away. Fishing out his phone, Jimin stares on it for a few moment, taking Nayeon’s words into consideration. He’s hesitating, and for whatever reason, he doesn’t know why. However, he decides to give it a try, sneaking into random corners and way to find a quieter place for him to make a call.

Jimin stands there in a narrow, empty hallway and quite far away from the wild deafening music. The long hallway is only illuminated by dim bulbs, and Jimin is sure no one can find him in here. Jimin is ready to press the call button on his screen, desperate to receive any form of your existence, even if it’s only your voice - when suddenly, a loud gibberish is audible at the end of the hallway. The guy chooses to follow into his instinct - which is why he’s dashing to see what is the scene about. His intention on pressing the call button is instantly delayed.

And, trust me readers, Jimin is about to lose his .

…

The burgundy haired guy slams a pair of Jacks on the middle of the table dramatically, face painted with overload arrogance, seeming so convinced that no one can beats his pair. He only has another two cards left in his hands, a 2 of spade - the most powerful card according to Big Two’s hierarchy and a mundane 3 of heart. The other two colleagues of his have three cards in each of their hands, while you? Seven undrewn cards. The first person who gets to finish his or her cards is the winner, and the man finds it hard to hold back his urge to mock you. But he has to spare the moment just for a bit. He just has to put the powerful 2 of spade and yeets the hell out of that 3 of heart to win, since no one’s drawing any pair to beat h-

Wait… Is-is that a pair of Twos?

You keep your stoic face plastered on, expressing no emotions on your facial features when you gently put a pair of cards - Two of Diamond and Two of Heart - on the middle. The guy attempts to conceal his bewilderment, but his hanged jaw says the opposite. The only way to beat that pair is to put another pair of Two. Unfortunately, neither of the men has any, which indicates that all of the men lose their turn to draw any cards out and makes you to get a turn automatically.

The man collects himself and try to appear unbothered. You have five more cards, and that’s still many compared to all of them. You can’t win the match, unless…

Something comes across his mind, and then when it clicks.

The man shoots his gaze from the scattered cards on the middle of the table to your eyes, just to find those irises already pinning sharply into his. Your gaze is held unswerving and sharp, locking into his it almost feels like you want to burn a hole in his eyes. He flinches when you suddenly wink, catching him off guard before flashing your devilish smirk, lips a little apart, showing your tongue a little stuck out purposely.

You unmask the rest of the cards in your hand to the other’s view, putting the cards horizontally on the middle. All of their eyes widened when they’re trying to feign apathy. Well, who wouldn’t amazed with that?

Because it’s a Royal Flush in Club laid before their eyes.

A sudden interrupt of boyish ‘woohoo’ breaks the silence makes you flinch, which comes from an over excited Jisung who flung from his stool and shoots his arms to the air, celebrating the victory when the real warrior in this battle is you. You roll your eyes, shaking your head in disbelief with how incredulous this latter can be. Jisung out of sudden spreads his arms enthusiastically, offering you a hug in utter joy.

“No thanks,” you grimace, before turning yourself back to the men.

“So,” you raise your voice a little higher, trying to beat Jisung’s celebration incantations, “I’ve won, so let me-” you groan exasperatingly, when another sound interrupts your bragging session. The sound comes from your pocket as you immediately pull your phone out just to get startled when the caller is Jimin. After shouting a loud ‘SHUT UP’ just so the boy can stop with his shenanigans, you clear your throat before picking up.

“Hey, Jiminnie,” you say rather so sweetly, ditching the stool and begin to walk away, decide to just leave the bragging session undone. You wait for a reply, but only silence comes afterwards. You keep talking and walking while your eyes find Jisung’s, just to signal him that you should leave now before throwing your gaze ahead. There’s a familiar man standing at the threshold.

“Are you ready for your birthday…”

And only then, you just realise that the man is Jimin, hands by his side with his phone in his right.