Following the very public rescue and hospitalization, Woohyun would refuse to leave my side. Though I would insist that his work was important, Woohyun himself would stand helpless.

“Even the old guys are saying I should be with you,” Woohyun grinned. “They say they would die sooner or later, but losing you would be….”

“Got it,” I interrupted. “You know I hate emotional blackmail.”

I hated it when he won arguments like that. One smile, a twinkle in his eye…. Done. I always wondered what would have happened if he had followed his father’s dream and become a prosecutor.

There were some issues though that would often stand pending or be dismissed by me. Like my birthday. I was never meant for birthdays. From the day I was born till I was fifteen, Mom and Dad would hold big events and invite people I never even knew existed. On the fifteenth year, I put my foot down and was left to wander around the city. My favourite spots were the city café and bookstore, the owner of the small shop being kind enough to give me a discount as a gift. It amused me how a bookstore owner understood me better than my own parents. But I’ve never bothered to rummage further than that.

I had been forsaken on my first birthday after meeting Woohyun by not telling him about it. A week later, he had stormed into my room furious.

“It was your birthday,” he had hissed. I remember nodding while listening to a CN BLUE song. Snatching away my headphones, he had forced me to step out of the house for a sushi treat. On the way back home, I had to distract him, making sure he didn’t step inside a stupid jewellery store or a clothes and accessory shop.  

Fast forward a year later. I was surprised when Woohyun didn’t throw a fuss about our second year, which was exactly thirteen days before my birthday. Suspicious of a joint celebration event, I kept quiet and observed every move of his. After a week of my espionage, I gave up and realized that Woohyun really had nothing up his sleeve.

“Are you sure he’s not planning anything?” Akane looked at me, her eyes wide and expectant. I tried to read her feelings and replied, “Don’t worry. He’s preparing something veeery coool.”

Akane sighed. “That’s good. I was thinking of throwing you a biiiig surprise party!” I shuddered at the thought.

10 July. Five days counting. Woohyun continued acting cool, with only one question thrown at me.

“You’re being honest, right? No couple rings?” Both of us were sitting with Hoya, eating our lunch.

“With a boyfriend like you?” Hoya sipped his coffee and continued. “No need.”

Woohyun furrowed his eyebrows. “What does that mean?” I burst out laughing when Hoya lifted his arms and stared at me from underneath his thick eyebrows. “You hover around her like some sort of dark energy. Anyone will see she’s taken.”

That was the first time I saw the two friends get into a scuffle.

14 July. I wondered if I really did not want any celebration. With Woohyun busy with a late-night shift, I knew that there was no chance of him landing up at my doorstep when the clock struck twelve. Deep inside though, I was really hoping for one of his surprises.

15 July. 00:00 am. Happy birthday to me, I thought to myself and answered phone calls from my respective parents. Akane and my other students sent me text messages, some asking about a birthday treat.

The doorbell rang. With every step I took towards the door, my expectations rose. They didn’t crash though, despite the late-night visitor being Hoya.

“HAPPY BIRTHDAYYY!!!!!!!” I pulled him in quickly, almost throwing myself off balance.

“I have a 60 year old neighbour,” I said. Laughing at his dazed face, I lifted him off his feet and gave him a hug.

“Thanks,” I smiled and tried to suppress a grimace when he asked about Woohyun.

“Work,” I answered. From my peripheral view, I could see Hoya placing his hands on his waist, shaking his head.

“Its alright,” I said, handing him a glass of water. “We have the whole day tomorrow.” But Hoya was not my new best friend for nothing.

“Stop lying,” he said, flicking my forehead. “If not a big party, I know you want him with you right now.”

“Of course I do!” I whined, pouting when Hoya laughed.

“Its natural,” he replied. “The way he treats you everyday, anyone would expect the Eiffel Tower in front of you!”

Hoya spent the night and when morning came around, he was off his feet first thing in the morning.

“Jump around my café, same time as everyday. I promise you a lunch delight!”

I quietly peeked inside Woohyun’s room. Disappointment greeted me when the room was as clean and untouched as the night before. Anxiety hit me as the morning passed by without any sign of my boyfriend’s whereabouts.

“Damn answering machine,” I muttered when Woohyun didn’t answer his calls. Asking Hoya was going to be my last resort and as lunch time came around, my body was suffering from a case of nerves.

“He still hasn’t met you?” I nodded at Hoya, who was standing over me with a shocked expression.

“I’m worried. What if something happened to him?”

Hoya pursed his lips. He perked up after some deep thought. “Call his workplace.” Both of us were taken in for a shock when the receptionist answered our query.

“Nam Woohyun? He left the building last night, around 11 pm.”

Hoya took the day off while I sat in my chair, reminiscing our first date. “Let’s go,” Hoya said, patting my head. “Everything’s going to be fine.”

“Where could he be?” I asked myself. Hoya sighed and cursed as a light drizzle hit the roads.

“Great,” both of us chorused. Hoya made me exchange our jackets, pulling up the hood to cover my head. “You want to fall ill on your birthday?” he answered my questioning smile.

“Getting a few tips from Woohyun?” My smile faltered at my words and Hoya put his arm around my shoulder.

“Is there any place that means something to you?” he asked. My eyes became distant and memories fogged my head. Unwittingly, I found myself standing in front of my number one haven.

“This?” Hoya pointed at the board that read ‘Second-Hand Bookstore’.

“Ever since I shifted here,” I said, “This was the only place that I could feel familiar with. I love books. The smell of pages, the ink, the feel of paper…”

We stepped inside and froze. Smiling at us was a tired and worn out Woohyun, laughing when I ran into him hugging.

“I WAS SO WORRIED ABOUT YOU!!!!!” It was the first time I was shouting at him, a fact that didn’t help make things better.

“Yah, Nam Woohyun.” Hoya punched my boyfriend in his arm. “If you had missed out today, then I swear I was gonna move in with Saya. What the hell were you doing?”

Woohyun lifted my head, making me face the book shelves. I gasped as the empty spaces echoed my question.

“WHERE ARE ALL THE BOOKS??”

Realization dawned upon me when he gave me a shrug. Fifteen minutes later, I burst into my home, exploding with joy. Covering one entire wall was a mini-library with all my favourite books lined up in chronological order.

“That’s a limited edition!!” I squealed. Woohyun nodded and yawned. Warmth spread in me, the kind that never failed to re-appear whenever he was around me.

“You need to sleep,” I suggested. Woohyun shook his head but I persisted and for once, he agreed.

“By the way,” he whispered, before knocking out. “Happy birthday.”