~CHAPTER 38~

"Birthday part 1"

"What the heck?!" I sat with annoyed face.

“Hana, wake up! Wake up!” I was disturbed by Daeji. She pulled the cover off me.

“What the-“I looked at the alarm clock on the table. *8:00am* I buried my face on my pillow. “I want to sleep more. It’s too early.”

“Today is an important day, isn’t it?”

“Mwoh?” I looked up and sat. My vision wasn’t that good yet.

“Happy birthday, Hana!” She jumped and hugged me. I was surprised.

*Oh yeah, I forgot.* “Thanks.” I hugged her back.

 “Here.” She released me from the hug and handed me a blue box. “Open it. It’s my gift for you.” She smiled.

“Owwiiiee..” I accepted it. “Are you sure this is not one of your weapons or something?” I raised my eyebrow.

“Yah, just open it.” She clenched her fingers together. “It’s small but I hope you’ll like it.”

I nodded. I opened it and I saw a figurine. “Dolphins! EXO!” I remembered the dolphins yesterday. Eira was pink, Xenon was the dark blue one and Orion was the light blue one. “Omo! I love it! Thank you, Daeji!” I hugged her.

“Yes! I’m happy you liked it.” She patted my back.

I placed the gift on the small table beside my bed. “For now, let’s display it here.”

“Guess where we’re going today.” She sat on the bottom part of my bed.

“Where?” I tilted my head.

“The biggest mall in Jeju! We’re going shopping today!”

“Mwoh?!” My eyes widened.

“Today is a grand day, remember? Dance ball, remember?”

I shook my head. “I want to sleep more.”

 “Oh no, you won’t. This day is a VERY special day. I just couldn’t let you sleep your eyes out today. NOT TODAY.” She laughed and pulled me from my bed.

“Daeji... I need to sleep. I slept late last night.” I whined while rubbing my eyes.

“And so did I!” She grinned. “It’s already 8am! We’ve got lots of things to do. So, I ask you to change or else.” She deepened her voice.

I gulped hard. *Yash, this voice gives me the chills.* “Or else what?”

“I’m going to take back that gift.”

I looked up and saw her crossed her arms. “Omo, not my EXO.” I pouted.

“Not working, young lady. Hurry up and prepare!” She shouted.

*What’s making her act like this? She’s being like this because of the ball?!* I sleepily walked to the bathroom and prepared myself.

“Preparation. Finished.” Daeji smirked in front of the bathroom door.

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“Yash! What are we doing here, Daeji?!” I placed my hands on my waist. I was inside a dress store.

“Picking dresses, of course. So what do you choose? This one or this one?” She smiled at me while showing me two dresses with different style and colors.

“I don’t know.” I wasn’t interested in this kind of things. Maybe that was the reason why I have 3 bank accounts. I never bought anything unnecessary. *Sigh.*

“Hey, are you kidding me?!” She snapped her fingers in front of me while I was blankly picking clothes.

“Huh?” I gasped. “Yash, what do you want me to do? I don’t have anything I lik-“ Something caught my attention. “That.” I pointed my finger at a dress on the rack.

Daeji turned behind her and her eyes twinkled. “Omo, you’d really wear that?” She grabbed a gown with y line. She had a mischievous smile. “I didn’t know you’re that type..”

“Yash! It’s not that one! The other one beside it.” I pinched her and motioned towards the white gown with normal design. She gave me an “are-you-kidding-me” look. I nodded.

“Nu-uh.” She wagged her finger in front. “I think it’s best if we go with my instinct as a lady.” She shoved the dress back.

The two of us walked near and far just to find the dresses that fitted Daeji’s taste. Guess what, we finished shopping after 3 ½ hours!

“Ugh, my feet are aching.” I whined while limping towards a snack restaurant.

Daeji laughed. “I love these gowns!” She hugged the paperbags.

“Yash, she’s not even minding me...”  I pouted as I bent down to massage my foot. “Owwiiee.”

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Daeji and I were having our lunch snack by the corner in the restaurant.

“I love this smoothie!” I happily tasted its cold sensation. *This brightened my day. At last!*

*Slurps.* “You knobwu bwat...ssshhhrp...-“

“Yash, swallow all of it first before talking. Rian was right about your manners, Tsk Daeji.” I crossed my arms. She cutely smiled at me while swallowing hard. She drank her iced tea and started to talk.

“You know what, I think you’re being influenced by that evil girl.” She crossed her arms and pouted while leaning her back on her seat.

“Mwoh? What do you have against her?” I sipped my iced tea.

“I just don’t like the way she acts, alright? Those long fake eyelashes, dark eyeliners and make up; she’s just putting it on a WAY different level!” She shook her head while constantly looking staright in my eyes.

“So- it’s just because of that? Come on, she is not as bad as you think. Besides, don’t judge her by the way she looks, she a warm-hearted girl inside. Trust me, you’ll like her. Just give her some time.” I intertwined my fingers and placed it below my chin. “Please?”

Daeji scrunched her nose and blew her bangs. “Alright. It’s your birthday wish, I couldn’t say no.” She grinned. Both of us laughed.

My attention was caught by figures that entered the restaurant. I looked at their direction. *Omo.* My eyes widened when I saw Kris and T. Jung walking towards the counter. “What are they doing here?!” I whispered to Daeji while secretly pointing at those two.

“Do you think they’re following you?” She raised her eyebrows while asking me this absurd question.

I flicked her forehead. “Why would they follow me?! Yash! Can’t this day get any worse?” I pouted and slightly lowered my body. I was looking at the two of them when I realized that T. Jung smirked at me. *god, she saw me!* I sat back on my seat and looked outside the window. It’s such a beautiful view, isn’t it Daeji?”

“Huh? What are you talking about?” She noticed me narrowing my eyes as if a trouble is about to occur. She looked beside her and saw T. Jung dragging Kris towards them. “Oh. It’s a really beautiful day, isn’t it Hana?”

Both of us started pointing outside the window. *Please go away. Please go away.* I begged inside my mind.

“What a coincidence! What are you two doing here?” T. Jung crossed her arms. Daeji and I looked at each other and we gulped. I looked at Kris. He raised his eyebrows.

*Omo, I totally forgot the thing that I did to him yesterday. What to do?! Kai! Why did you bring me to this mess?!!* “Huh? Oh. We just bought our gowns for this afternoon.” I awkwardly smiled at her. *You masked face teacher.*

“Oh really? What another coincidence! Kris and I were buying our attires for THIS afternoon. You see, it will be a date.” She grinned.

*What the?!* I felt my heart was being crushed into milli-pieces. *I declare it. This day just got totally worse!* I clenched my fist under the table. I kicked Daeji’s foot and she winced a bit. “I think it’s getting too crowded here. We should go.” I stood up and grabbed the paper bags.

“Hana, wait up.” Daeji glared at T. Jung who just rolled her eyes. She also glared at Kris. “What a bad day for your birthday Hana.” She whispered to herself while walking away. She caught up with Hana who was walking outside the door.

*Birthday? It’s Hana’s birthday?* Kris looked at the door.

“Hey, we’ve got seats...” She smiled at Kris while clinging unto his arm. Kris turned to her and nodded.

“I-I’ll go get our orders.” He awkwardly slipped outside T. Jung’s grasp and walked away.

T. Jung narrowed her eyes and stared at him walking away. “Tsk.”

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