Now where did I put those earrings grandma gave me? I dug through the stuff piled onto my vanity table and came up with nothing. I got down on my knees and looked under my bed, using a flashlight to look for the two little pieces of jewelry that cost more than my car did. All I found down there was a tube of Cherry Chapstick and an old tube sock. I glanced at the clock embedded in the wall above the vanity and realized that I had less than thirty minutes to finish getting ready. Wait. She gave them to me while we were watching that Twilight spoof. I probably left them on the entertainment center. 

 

Clad in the lacy black and pink Victoria’s Secret underwear set that one of my friends had somehow managed to shove into my luggage while I wasn’t looking I made my way to the living room. I flipped the light switch on the wall and frowned when I saw that there was nothing sparkly or purple on the entertainment center. There was nothing on or between or beneath the cushions on the couch. The earrings weren’t on the center table or in the DVD and CD slots of the DVD player and stereo. Sighing out loud, I shoved the center table off to one side and got on my knees to see if just maybe they were under the TV stand that housed the 32 inch Toshiba flat screen, DVD player, stereo and the cable box. I had brought the flashlight from my room with me and I used it as I turned my head first this way then the other to look beneath the TV stand. The light glinted off something and I pulled my head back, sliding my free arm along the cold tile until my fingers touched equally cold metal. The elusive earrings have been located, I thought in a really cool announcer voice, and the day has been saved once again by the illustrious –

 

“Lara?” Someone called my name, alerting me to the fact that I was no longer.  

 

I looked behind me and wanted to crawl under the TV stand and hide there for a while. Standing in a line that stretched horizontally across the route to the door were the five members of SHINee.  Jonghyun was the one who had called me. He was standing nearest to me with a “what the hell did I just walk in on?” expression on his face. Key was next to him, eyes and mouth perfect circles as he stared. Minho had facepalmed and left his hand covering his face. Taemin, next to Minho, was holding a box with both hands and staring just like Key. Onew was clutching a pile of colorfully wrapped small boxes to his chest and looking at my grandmother’s carpet as if it was the most fascinating thing he’d ever come across. FML.

 

“I-I found my earrings,” I said weakly, getting to my feet and dashing into my bedroom as quickly as I could.

 

I put the earrings on and pulled my dress over my hips carefully, not wanting to rip it in the process of putting it on. It was only after it was perfectly in place that I remembered that I needed somebody to zip up the back for me. I sighed and moved on to my black platform heels. I caught sight of my reflection in the mirror when I was done and I had to admit, I looked great. The hair and the fire engine red lipstick I’d cautiously applied made me think of a 1950’s pin up girl. The dress was more modern gothic. Now all I have to do is face five men who just saw me in my undies. Fun.  A part of me wanted to run and hide. A bigger part of me was commanding me to it up. So, taking a deep breath, I forced myself to walk the short distance between my room and the living room.

 

The five of them were waiting for me. They were standing in a line again and as I entered the room those in the middle of the line, Key and Minho, slid to the side to reveal a two tier topsy turvy cake in black and blue with a 3D 21 perched on top of it. They even had candles lit. I squealed when I saw it. 

 

“Omo, thank you so much!” I exclaimed, wanting to cry just a little from their thoughtfulness. “You guys didn’t have to do this.”

 

“We know,” Key stated.

 

“But we wanted to, so we did,” Onew added.

 

“Come and blow the candles out before we end up eating cake mixed with wax,” Minho said with his signature smile.

 

“Don’t forget to make a wish, noona,” Taemin reminded me as I leaned over the cake and took a deep breath. I thought for a second, made my wish and then blew the candles out after three tries.

 

“Time for presents!” Jonghyun announced as I sat beside him on the couch. He had a package in his hands already and he passed it to me, his fingertips brushing against mine as he did so.

 

“This one is from Onew. I wonder what it is,” I brought the box close to my ear and shook it, trying to see if I could figure out what it was by listening to the way the contents moved. No luck. I frowned and slid my fingernail beneath the wrapping paper. A minute or so later I was holding an autographed SHINee album and a smaller box. The smaller box was wrapped and I had to go through the whole unwrapping process again, trying not to give myself a paper cut. I had too many Bella Swan birthday incident scenes in my head. Then again, the boys being vampires would be freaking awesome. They’re already all very attractive. If they were vamps – oh yeah, this is reality and I’m unwrapping a present. Sigh. The second present was a silver iPod touch. 

 

“This is awesome! Thank you!” I turned to hug Onew who was sitting on my other side. 

 

I got a Kindle from Key, a stack of books and a pair of huge sapphire blue headphones I’d been really wanting from Minho and a really cute Prada shoulder bag filled with a Bath & Body Works Japanese Cherry Blossom gift set from Jonghyun. Taemin’s gift came in a large cotton shopping bag that had the word “Bella” on the front. I pulled out a Ghiradelli chocolate gift basket which came in an actual basket and an adorable white teddy wearing a tee shirt that said “my heart belongs to Lara” before he stopped me, whispering something about the rest being for later. 

 

We sat around hacking off chunks of my cake to eat and eventually somebody threw a slice at somebody else and I ended up hiding from airborne deliciousness. Then the boys helped me clean up, sweeping, vacuuming and even mopping until all traces of icing were gone from the floor and the furniture. We sat around talking until the clock struck nine and they had to leave because of their curfew. Even though most of them were older than me I was allowed to stay out longer than they were. Why? Because they were Korean Idols and Idols have to follow a schedule that restricts their freedom in certain ways. 

 

I walked them out, reaching as far as the driveway where their car was parked. It was a 2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara the color of charcoal. Jonghyun slipped into the driver’s seat, Key claimed the seat next to Jong and Minho, and Onew slid into the backseat. Taemin alone lingered, walking slowly towards the open door before he his heel and ran back to hug her. He lifted me off the ground and swung me around before putting my back down and dashing to join his band mates. “See you, soon!” He called as the car drove off, waving through the open window.

 

“See you,” I whispered at that strange moment when the vehicle you’re waving at melds with the darkness around and becomes completely invisible. Then I walked back inside and closed the door. I was putting the remainder of my cake in the freezer when my grandparents got home. They said a quick goodnight and headed straight to their rooms. I took my gifts to my room and spread them out on my vanity before I looked for the rest of my gifts from Taemin. First came a Taemin tee shirt. Then I pulled a Nikon Coolpix from the bottom of the bag and a plan notebook fell out. I smiled. The first time I’d talked to Taemin I told him how much I wanted to document my time in Korea. It seemed like he remembered. I found a pack of pencils held together by a paper. As I took them from the bag I noticed there were words on the paper. Holding it up to the light I saw a phone number and an arrow pointing to the words “call me.” 

 

That reminded me. My phone. I had no idea where I’d set it down or when last I had it in my hands. I don’t remember using it during the party so the last time I must have had it was before the guys arrived. That means it’s around here, somewhere. Meh, I’ll find it tomorrow. Right now, I have Bath & Body Works stuff to try and chocolates to nibble. It took two trips to get the gift set and the gift basket into my bathroom. Fifteen minutes later I was up to my collarbones in bubbles and warm water, hair piled on top of my head to keep it dry and a truffle in my hand as I relaxed in the Jacuzzi. SHINee’s “Replay” was on repeat with the volume low enough to count as background music. Happy birthday to me.