I woke up to the sound of my phone ringing. I rubbed my eyes to see better in the bright light then I checked who was calling and suddenly, a smile appeared on my face. I quickly swiped right to answer the call.

"Baby,"

I sobbed hearing her voice. How long has it been? Two months? Three? I lost count already.

"Mommy..."

I heard her chuckle on the other line, "Why are you crying? You're not supposed to cry."

"Mom, I missed you." My sobbing continued as tears slowly casdaded down my face.

"I missed you too, baby."

"Why did you call mom?" I checked my clock and it was only 8 in the morning. "It's still early there, right?"

"Aren't you forgetting something, young lady?"

I thought hard. Is there something important that's happening today?

I gasped, "Is it your anniversary? Oh my gods, mom! I'm sorry! What should I send you? What will daddy like?"

I quickly hopped off the bed to grab a hoodie on my dresser but my mom's laugh stopped me from bolting out the door to search for a present. "No, silly. You're really getting old, baby."

"It isn't your anniversary?"

I think she was shaking her head on the other line while still chuckling. I scratched my head, "So, whose anniversary or birthday is it?"

She laughed harder. Oh, that sweet melodious laugh that my mother produces. I smiled while imagining her face and her nose scrunching up from laughing too much.

Mommy, I miss you.

"Have she not figured it out, yet?" I heard my dad's voice from the other line so I squealed like a child.

"Daddy!"

"Your dad said that you're still a little slow, darling. Put me on hold and check your calendar please."

My eyebrow shot up while doing what she told me to do and when I saw the date, I giggled like a child.

I quickly resumed our call and with a throaty laugh I said, "It's my birthday, mom!"

"Indeed it is. Happy birthday, honey!" They both chorused the greeting. I smiled but felt a pain on my chest. Another celebration without them. Another year without my family.

However, I removed any trace of sadness and with enthusiasm, I shouted, "Thank you, mommy and daddy!"

"We sent you a little amount so that you could celebrate with your members. Treat them well, okay?"

I nodded even though they wouldn't see it. "We better go, honey. Your dad is really busy. Yeah?"

"Mom?" I whimpered while speaking. 

She paused, "Is everything all right, baby?"

Mom, I'm sad and scared and uncertain. Will you tell me that everything's going to be okay?

I released a strained breath and forced a smile, "Nothing, mom. I love you. Thank you for calling me. I miss you so much."

"Lisa, you can tell me everything, okay?"

I swallowed the forming lump in my throat before answering, "Yes, mommy. I l-love you." However, my voice still broke. I coughed to let my mom think it was normal.

"Lisa..."

"Go, mom. I don't want to take too much of your time. Bye bye."

"Love you, honey."

When the call ended, I let my body fall on the soft matress of my bed. I am only year older today but I feel like I've aged 5 years since I discovered my feelings for Jennie.

My phone rang again and I just swiped answer without looking at the caller's name.

"Hey.

"You don't sound too energetic for someone who's celebrating her birthday." The person on the other line chuckled. The throaty laugh and the voice was familiar that I had to quickly check who the caller was and when I did, butterflies in my tummy erupted. It's her first time calling me.

"Niki..."

"Aye! At your service!"

I chuckled, "Why does this feel too normal?"

"Which is what normal?

"Talking to you on the phone. We've been texting for a month or so already, but this—"

"Is the first time I called you?" She completed for me. 

"Yeah."

"Uh huh. That's correct, honey. I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to greet you, you know."

I stood up from my bed and lazily walked towards the kitchen, expecting no one was awake at this hour. "Thank you."

"Ey, don't thank me. Nope. This call isn't over, I haven't sung you the customary happy birthday, yet."

"I would love to hear that." I heard her clear multiple times that made me chuckle. Such a child.

"Listen well, okay? I'm walking on a public place so this is kinda embarassing but here goes nothing,"

I stayed quiet in order to hear her melodious voice and pressed my phone closer to my ear.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! HAPPY—" I quickly distanced my phone from my ear because she wasn't singing, she was belching the notes!

I laughed at her antics. "Niki! Calm down! You're butchering the song!"

She wasn't able to finish the song because she was laughing so hard as well. "Oh my god, that was so embarassing!"

I was laughing with her while telling her that any five year old could sing that better than she did when I heard shuffling of feet on the kitchen and when I entered, they seemed surprised to see me. Which made me think, shouldn't I be the one to be surprised to see them at this hour?

"Hey?" I asked unsurely at the three who were still shocked. My phone was still close to my ear so Niki thought I was talking to her.

"What?"

"No. I'm not talk—"

They seemed to overcome their shock that they instantly grabbed the party hats and horns and blew it with the best of their abilities.

"Happy birthday, Lisa Manobal!" They chorused. I rolled my eyes hearing my butchered last name.

"It's Manoban! Ban! Not Bal!" I signalled them to wait and turned my back against them.

"Oh, your members?" I heard her ask.

"Yeah, wait. I'll call you later, okay? Thank you for the early greeting."

"I hope you appreciated my effort of embarassing myself just for you."

"Just for me?" I chuckled. "It was my pleasure to hear you screaming at the top of you lungs so early in the morning."

I heard the people behind me choked or coughed or a mixture of both then they started whispering. I gave them a glance and they all stared at me unblinking.

Niki laughed on the other line, "Okay, you're making me blush, Lisa. Happy birthday again!"

"Thank you! I'll call you later."

We both said our goodbye's and the smile on my face never left as I turned to them and Chaeng handed me a steaming hot chocolate.

"Who was that?"

"Wha