I always knew 17 was the worst number ever created. Some 17th birthday this is. *sigh* Along the way, she kicked an empty can that was on the edge of the sidewalk to release her disappointment and frustration.

"Ow!" a voice cried.

"I'm so sorry, I--" Rayna paused in her tracks and with her words, shocked to see the owner of the voice. "You. What are you doing here?"

                                                                                                *             *             *

"Hey, is that how you greet your best friend, hm?"

Rayna rolled her eyes. "No, seriously. What are you doing here, Jeannie?" (A/N: Jeannie is pronounced like 'genie.')

Jeannie shrugged casually and kicked imaginary dust, "I was just on my way home from English tutor. What're you doing here?"

"Err.. Long story," Rayna sighed.

"Well, I have time. And, it's dinner time. Did you have dinner yet, birthday girl?" Jeannie questioned.

"Nope."

Jeannie hooked her arm with Rayna's, "Good! You can tell me about everything that's stressing you while we have ourselves something to eat. It's on me!" Jeannie dragged away a mopey Rayna.

They arrived at a somewhat fancy restaurant. It couldn't be denied that the restaurant had class. The huge dining hall was dim with quiet classical music playing in the background. The waitress handed them their menus and left the two to choose their desired dinners.

Rayna began to feel better. In fact, she was glad that she had happened to come across her best friend. On top of that, free food at a classy restaurant? Maybe today wouldn't be too bad of a day.

The waitress came back with her notepad ready to write, "What would you like to order?"

"What are you going to get?" Jeannie looked at Rayna.

"Mmm, I think I'm going to get... uhh.. Steak. Yeah, steak. That sounds good," Rayna smiled at the thought of a big, juicy steak placed in front of her.

"Haha, you wish you were getting steak. She'll have this salad," Jeannie told the waitress, pointing to something on her menu, "and, I'll have steak."

The waitress nodded, "Your orders will be out shortly."

Rayna stared at Jeannie, dumbfounded, "You did not just do that."

"But, I did," she taunted, "anyway, it's healthier. You need to stay light on the food, man."

Soon enough, the waitress brought out their food, "Enjoy."

"Here," Jeannie placed a tiny portion of her steak onto Rayna's enormous plate of pasta salad, "I'll be nice and let you have some." She chuckled at her own "kindness."

Rayna grumbled, "You're so frustrating."

"I know. I hear about it everyday," Jeannie complacently commented before placing a chunk of her steak into .

After finishing their meals, Rayna and Jeannie walked out of the restaurant and into the brisk, night air. The streets were busy with cars and people passing by without another thought. The lights starred the bustling city, taking turns with their sporadic twinkling.

"Let's take a detour," Jeannie proposed, "don't you feel like going through the park? I always feel like something magical will happen when I walk through the park on these dark nights." Jeannie smiled in her thoughts; she had always been very ideological and unrealistic. But, Rayna accepted her for that, although she did a whole lot for it.

"You and your fantasies," Rayna shook her head. But, some odd feeling told her Why not? There's no harm in dreaming a little.

"What the hell. Why not?" Rayna gave in to her abnormal thoughts. "Let's go through the park."

"Yay!" Jeannie slapped Rayna's back, "that's really unsuspected of you, though."

Sore, Rayna rubbed her back while mentally cursing Jeannie and her roughness, "I don't know. It's better than spending my birthday alone at home. And, we haven't been to the park in such a long time. Remember all those good times we had at the park?" Rayna had a goofy smile on her face now, reminiscing about the past.

"Yeah, I do," Jeannie replied, "until you left me for Minho," Jeannie added bitterly. Rayna scrunched up her nose at the last part.

Jeannie instantly came back with a cheerful and sincere comment, "Not that I mind too much. I'm glad that you're happy!"

That made Rayna feel better, but she still felt a bit heavy in the heart.

Jeannie noticed and comforted her, "Really, Rayna. I couldn't be happier. Do you know how long you've crushed on Minho? Crush isn't even a strong enough word to describe what--"

"Hokay, okay," Rayna cut her off. She didn't want to be reminded of all the agony she went through, wanting Minho. Those were some tough times. "Thanks, Jeannie. You've always been there for me."

"I know!" Jeannie exclaimed, "I'm such a good friend. What the heck. Why can't I be friends with myself?"

Rayna shook her head in disbelief and laughed, "How did I ever become friends with you?"

"I ask myself that same question all the time," Jeannie supported.

The park was gorgeous, even in the night. It couldn't have looked any more spectacular. The park had many lampposts, but the lightbulbs were fairly dim and some even flickered. Nevertheless, the park was grand. The pathway led to a wide, open circular plaza. The circular plaza was surrounded by a sprinkle of large trees, while the edges of the park were lined with spaced out benches. Couples filled these benches, while others walked through the park. It made Rayna and Jeannie feel almost uncomfortable with the unproportional ratio of couples to non-couples.

All of a sudden, the lampposts lost all life, only to give way to a new set of lights that were as bright as stage lights. They flashed from within the trees, lighting up the entire plaza.

Rayna latched onto Jeannie's arm and nearly peed herself from shock, "What was that?!"

"I have no idea.." Jeannie trailed off as she searched for the cause of the light attack, "but hey, at least I can actually see your face now."

"Haha, why would you even--" Rayna tried.

"Not that I want to," Jeannie finished. Rayna gave her an annoyed "want-to-die?" face, making her best friend laugh. Rayna simply shook her head with her lips twisted.

Coming back to the situation they were in, Jeannie and Rayna continued to walk through the bright plaza. It was a nice contrast from the sphere of light in the plaza and the still-existing outer darkness of the night sky.

Oddly, Rayna began hallucinating an echo in the back of her mind to two of the most meaningful songs to her soul: Love Like Oxygen and Noona Is So Pretty. She would hear a slowed down version of the chorus line "love like oxygen" as the chorus line "noona is so pretty" would follow after with the same slowed down, echo effect. It was weird, but Rayna didn't mind. In fact, she thought it sounded pretty neat in her head.

"Do you hear that?" Jeannie almost whispered, "or is it just me?"

"Wait.. what?" Rayna responded, "you mean, you can hear it too?"

"Okay, so it's not just me," Jeannie sighed in relief, "I thought I was going crazy for a moment. But what--"

Out of nowhere appeared Taemin. He came into the center of the plaza -- where Rayna and Jeannie happened to be standing -- dancing with agility.

Rayna's eyes narrowed and she couldn't help but question What is going on? Rayna opened to ask Jeannie her question, when she found that Jeannie was nowhere to be in sight. Now, Rayna was really confused.

"Wh-- Taemin, what are you doing here?" Rayna asked. Taemin gave her a cheery smile that was meant to tell her that she would find out soon enough. Rayna didn't catch on though; it just made her more confused by his mysterious smile.

Taemin was then followed by a singing Jonghyun who began the chorus of Love Like Oxygen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouOKV_e9AwM (A/N: go to time 2:16)

You’re like oxygen

Onew and Key, who also appeared out of no where, then chimed in along with Taemin at the last note to perfectly harmonize amongst the four of them:

When I drink you in
I can’t breathe you out
Inside this intense agony
Can’t you see I’m dying away like this

Rayna stood there, eyes wide. She didn't know what was going on. That was, until a certain someone finally appeared.

An all-too-familiar voice came from behind the four performers. A deep, smooth voice with suave. It was almost godly. And, it was rapping. 

The voice moved in closer as one by one, the four moved aside, but the man did not appear yet.

Key started rapping:

Flown away,
Abandoning me in the end
The strong scent that had me isolated and disconnected

Finally, the man could be seen. It was Rayna's one and only, Minho.

"Min--" Rayna was once again cut off as Minho began to move backwards and join the four in the back. He gave her a reassuring wink that told her to hold on because everything would unravel itself to her. Unlike with Taemin, this time, she understood. It was Minho after all.

The instrumental track in the background smoothly transitioned with a musical mix into "Noona Is So Pretty."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzQ6pNlK7X0 (A/N: go to time 2:53)

Minho took Rayna's hand and brought her into the center of the circle that the five of them had formed.

Rayna, you’re so pretty (Minho: my love)
Crazy
But now I’m tired
Replay, Replay, Replay (Minho: I, I, I love you girl)

The five of them were circling around her.

Memories scratch at my heart
My head hurts, so now I’ll
Mend it
With the approaching farewell (Minho: I wanna hold you girl)
Replay, Replay, Replay (Minho: I, I, I love you girl)

Slowly, Jonghyun, Key, Onew, and then Taemin began to widen the circle while Minho stayed in the center, right in front of Rayna's watering eyes. Rayna could barely even watch what was going on in front of her. Tears were streaming down her face. This was her ultimate favorite song of all time. She knew the lyrics by heart. And, Minho knew that too.

Minho continued to sing and dance in his place. The voices of the other four began to fade and solely remained as supporting vocals for Minho.

Rayna, you’re so pretty
Rayna, you’re so (Minho: I keep thinking about you)
Rayna, you’re so (I keep dreaming about you)
Pretty
Minho: A time when I tasted sincere love
Rayna, you’re so pretty
Rayna, you’re so (Minho: I keep thinking about you)
Rayna, you’re so (I keep dreaming about you)
Pretty
Minho: My heart of sincere love

Minho simultaneously stopped his fluid movement with the last word of the song. He was glimmering with sweat, his proof of his "sincere love." He had just performed and pronounced his unfailing love for Rayna in front of, now, a crowd of couples in awe. The crowd hooted and hollered at the performance. Comments could be heard throughout the audience.

"That was the most courageous thing I've ever seen."

"Obba, why can't you do something like that for me?"

"Why does he have to go and raise the bar for guys like us?" (A/N: This guy obviously got a smack from his girlfriend.)

"Wah, he's so cool."

"His girlfriend is so lucky!"

Minho still stood in his spot, slightly heaving from the intensive performance. From the corner of Rayna's teary eye, she saw Jeannie sneak to Minho's side with a bag in her hand. She pulled something out of it and placed it into Minho's hand, which was hidden from Rayna's view as he kept it behind his back. She quickly slipped away after waving and winking at her crying best friend.

The crowd quieted as they saw Minho slowly walk forward, keeping his hands behind his back. The instrumental music was completely gone now. It was all Minho and only Minho. He slowed down the rhythm of the fast-paced song to give each and every note a different meaning:

Rayna, you're so pretty
Rayna, I keep thinking about you
Rayna, I keep dreaming about you
Replay, Replay, Replay

Minho changed the last line to fit in perfectly, although it wasn't the line that originally belonged there. Minho wasn't much of a singer, but he had practiced months and months for this moment. If he set his heart out to do something, he would do it. No matter what the cost. And, if it was for Rayna, his beloved, anything was possible.

By the end of his mini-serenade, he was standing a foot away from her. Minho brought forth what he had prepared, a bouquet of flowers and his charming smile.

Rayna was sobbing by this time. Tears. Tears. Liquidy substances any normal person would not want to know about. Tears. More tears. They were everywhere: face, hands, arms. Her shirt was beginning to soak with tears.

Minho smiled at his shaking girlfriend. How much cuter could she get?

He saw that she was incapable of moving on her own will, so he took Rayna's tear-stained hands and placed the flowers in her hand. Then he wrapped her fingers around them. Now that his hands were free, he wiped away her unending tears with his slender fingers. He then kissed her on the top of her head and whispered for only Rayna to hear, "Don't cry. It only gets better from here."

Rayna could hear Minho's smile. She stopped crying for a moment, sniffling to catch up on her delayed breathing.

Then, Minho did something out of the blue. Something that Rayna had not been prepared for. At all.

Minho got down on one knee.

"Oghh, no-uer," Rayna blubbered incoherently. She began to catch on to what was going on.

Minho then reached into the inner pocket of his black casual-tux jacket. He brought out a small black box.

Rayna's knees buckled. Taemin, who was standing nearby, moved in to catch her from falling, but Minho was already there for her. He caught her and put her back on her feet. Minho gave Taemin a small smile, thanking him for watching out for his love.

Rayna was a terrible mess. She was violently sobbing and shaking. She could barely stand. Minho wondered if he would be able to get through this without her having a seizure. But, he had to do it. It was now or never.

"Rayna," Minho began, "we've known each other for ten years now. We've dated for five. And now, I'd like to spend the next eternity with you. I know I do."

Minho took a deep breath, "Ever since I've met you, my life's taken a 360. It's become a life truer than life itself. You've painted my colorless world with every shade of love and emotion. It's become a shiny world." (A/N: See what I did there?)

"Imagining a world without you now.. It's just not possible. You've shown me what it is to live. To enjoy the present. To treasure what we have. But, most importantly, to love. To love like no other."

"You taught me happiness, despair, hope, limits, respect, and so much more. I'm still learning to this day."

"You've become a part of me. And me, a part of you. You've sewn yourself into my heart. An irreplaceable portion. A poisonous portion. But, my favorite portion."

"You may have forgotten, with the commotion and all, but I haven't. And, I never will. You may forget. The people around you may forget. But, I will never forget today. Because, seventeen years ago, today, was the day that you were born. The day that you took your first breath of air. The day that you were brought into the world to bless me and my life. That was why I had chosen this day."

"The times I've had with you, every moment, have been impossibly memorable. I've never experienced this sort of feeling in my life. Only you can give me this. All the good smiles we've had. All the unhealthy tears you've cried. Everything. Every moment we've spent together has been a blessing to my life."

"If I could, I would replay this romance with you forever. But I can't," Minho concluded. A cold silence hung in the air.

"So, can we just press play forever?" Minho finished, "You and me?"

Rayna was a ball of tears at this point. Nobody had ever made her cry this much in her entire life.

"Ughh. Yes--" Rayna barely managed to speak through her sobbing.

The crowd went into an uproar. There was cheering and high-fiving and hooting and hollering. Hugs and kisses from couples that weren't even involved in the event, but felt the overwhelming impact of all the emotions, enough that they felt they were part of the act although they really weren't.

Minho got off his knee and stood up, towering over Rayna. He cupped her face and lowered his head to match the height of hers. He then tenderly kissed his fragile Rayna, almost as if he were scared he would break her. Rayna gained strength from Minho's radiation of love, and Minho noticed. He then pulled her in for a more passionate kiss, breathing in all of Rayna -- his oxygen.

After all the confusion Rayna had gone through, it all made sense now. Minho's sudden leave for work. Jeannie's too coincidental appearance upon Minho's absence. Her best friend starving her. Taemin, Onew, Jonghyun, and Key popping out of nowhere. Everything that had once completely puzzled her, clicked. And, she couldn't be any happier or more thankful, despite all the brain games they played on her.

"I love you," Minho smiled into Rayna's neck.

Rayna replied, "I love you, too, my Choi Minho."

Rayna smiled and couldn't help but think Maybe seventeen isn't such a bad number.

Minho took Rayna by the hand and led her away from the scene. The crowd soon dispersed as there was nothing left to see. The bright lights shut off and the flickering lampposts revived, barely. Nevertheless, the magic of the night continued to linger in the air.

                                                                                                *             *             *

*end of flashback*

"And, you know what, kids, your grandparents left us like that! They went off to have a special dinner with flowers and roses and dimmed romantic lights and good food and wine and all that good stuff... And, Rayna got bitter when I didn't let her have her steak.. She doesn't know what's good for her. In the meantime, I had to clean up all the confetti and the entire mess that the crowd had left behind. Luckily, I had Jonghyun's, Key's, Onew's, and Taemin's help though. But, how evil. I still haven't forgiven them for it to this day. Hmph."

The grandkids laughed at their favorite unrelated grandma. She was basically like kin to them.

"And, it still icks me out how lovey dovey they are. Blegh!" she continued and stuck out her tongue, "I'm going to be forever alone." Grandma Jeannie sighed.

"But, we love you Grammy Jeannie!" The kids giggled and tackled the elder with a big hug.

"Aha, I only have you guys!" Grandma Jeannie said with overflowing love. She hugged them and tried to give them kisses when all the kids screamed, "Yuck! Kisses!"

They scattered around the room, running away from the kissing granny.

"Hey, you guys! These are forms of expressing love!" Grandma Jeannie's voice trailed off into the distance as she attempted to run after the children, "I thought you guys loved me! Come here!"

At this time, Minho and Rayna were still as close as could be. They were practically glued to each other. Old and wrinkly, but still just as in love.

They held each other's bony hands and smiled at their precious generations of young ones. Minho pecked his wife's cheek, never failing to cause her heart to flutter, even 50 years from when he first proposed to her.

"And, their love still has not ended to this day," Grandma Jeannie wearily concluded after giving up on chasing the wild children and watching the couple and their sweet and neverending love.

"If I could, I would replay this romance with you forever."

-----

A/N:

WAHHH! IT'S FINISHED!

It is now 3AM and my shoulders are cramping and I'm probably not in my right mind so maybe the stuff I wrote didn't even make sense. I don't even know.

The things I wrote from Minho's perspective are basically how I feel, although I couldn't properly put it into words. Nor even say nearly enough of everything I wanted to say. But, it'll do for now.

Thank you for those who actually read this! I really enjoyed writing this two-shot. It was actually pretty easy for me to write too.

My second finished fanfic ^__^

Happy belated birthday, Rayna<3

By the way, guess what. It's the 27th today. mehehe n_____n