How to be an ordinary human:

1. Have birthday parties

“Hey Tae.” Minho called Taemin out when he was in the kitchen.

“When’s your birthday?”

“July 18.” he replied back. Minho had been wanting to plan him a birthday party. He wanted Taemin to feel like a normal kid with an awesome birthday. However right now

“That’s today.” Minho shocked.

“Yes.”

“And somehow it didn’t occur to you to tell me.” Minho slightly angered.

“It didn’t seem important to tell.” Taemin walked into the hall to face Minho instead of talking loudly from the kitchen.

“Birthdays are important.”

“No one made it seem that way. I haven’t had a birthday since I was seven.”

“Seven?”

“What? Did you think torture camps for spies-to-be got a cake for every little boy there?” Taemin questioned Minho.

“No presents too?” Minho’s tone went slightly down. He felt sorry for Taemin. He felt bad when he never not celebrate his birthday. He got presents every year. He knows the joy of people making you feel important and special on your birthday and Taemin didn’t have that.

“No presents either unless you count the extra chicken piece the cafeteria guy put on my plate when he saw the tag around my neck.”

 Taemin heard knockings on his door hours later when Minho left the apartment.

He opened the door and saw Key,Onew and Jonghyun at the door.

“Get your jacket birthday boy.” Onew said with a smile his face.

“Eh?”

“Come on. Hurry up.” Key said.

“Oh-kay.” Taemin was slightly confused by the excited boys.

Onew drove them to a kiddy restaurant. A burger diner with a big frog as a mascot standing in front of the place. The place was filled with colourful balloons and banners written Happy Birthday.

“Minho?” Taemin asked them.

“Yeah.” Jonghyun pulled the reluctant Taemin in front of the green froggy mascot.

“Happy Birthday!!” the mascot shouted in enthusiasm. Taemin recognized the voice.

“Minho. Are you in there?” Taemin poked the costume.

“How do I look?”

“Like a frog.” Taemin tried to suppress a smile.

“Come on birthday boy. We have cakes to cut.” They pushed Taemin into the empty diner. Party decorations filled the place. The waitress there was waiting at a table filled with food and drinks.

“Cakes?” Taemin questioned.

“Twelve cakes to be exact.” Minho took his froggy head off.

“Twelve?” Taemin shocked.

“All from when you were seven to eighteen.” Key said.

“Do you how hard it was to find all those cakes? We had to go to three shops since Minho said the cakes had to have different flavours.” Jonghyun mocked a complain.

Then Onew came in with a cart filled with those cakes lit up with candles.

“Come on, let’s blow the candles.”

They started singing Happy Birthday for him.Taemin was filled with all kinds of different feelings. He felt like jumping and just moving because he couldn’t contain all the emotions.

“Make a wish.” Key excited.

“Actually, he gets twelve wishes.” Minho hugged Taemin from the back.

“I don’t think I have that many wishes.” Taemin said.

“You could always give us one or two or more.” Jonghyun said earning a step on his foot by Key.

“Its Taemin’s day.” Key glared at Jonghyun.

After all the candles were blown and wishes were made.

“What did you wished for?” Minho asked Taemin.

“If I tell you, then it wouldn’t come true.” Taemin replied playfully. Minho felt happy seeing Taemin being a little more carefree than he usually is.

Taemin then seemed like he was looking for something. Scanning the room.

“What are you looking for?” Key asked. All of them were eating the cakes though it would be difficult to finish up twelve cakes with just the five of them there.

“No-nothing.” Taemin dug into his cake. Slightly surprised by Key’s question. He’s not suppose to be asking for things. He wasn’t used to asking for things. He’s used to keeping his wants a secret. Minho noticed the twinge of sadness in Taemin’s eyes and knew what the boy was looking for.

“I left them in my car. Guys help me.” Minho called the other three. Wiping the icing off his fingers with a tissue.

“Left what in the car?” Taemin asked.

“Your presents of course.” Minho grinned at the boy. Taemin’s eyes lit up like Christmas lights.

“This is for when you were seven.” Minho passed the first one to Taemin.

“Sorry we didn’t get you anything. Minho said we wouldn’t get the right presents for you.” Onew said.

“A yoyo?” Taemin opened the wrapper.

“This is for when you turn eight.”Minho passed out the next item.

“A toy car.”

“When you turn nine.” Key passed the next thing.

“Six water guns?” Taemin questioned.

“You didn’t think we wouldn’t want to play with it too?” Jonghyun took one of the guns.

“A cowboy costume?” Taemin asked. Surprised by the gift.

“When I was ten, I always wanted that.” Minho said.

“This won’t fit me.” Taemin looked at the costume and placed it against his upper body.

“They only had it for kids aged ten to twelve.” Minho defended himself.

“Which is next Minho?” Onew asked. Looking at the two presents in his hands.

“The one wrapped in blue.” Minho took it from Onew’s hand.

“A Gameboy.”

“A Xbox.”

“A bicycle?” Key wheeled in the next one.

“A handphone.” Taemin opened up the next box.

“A puppy? You kept a puppy in a box? You didn’t think it would suffocate it?” Taemin yelled at Minho. Caressing the brown fur.

“What are you going to call it?”

“I don’t know. Puffball maybe.”

“What’s next?” Taemin asked. Placing the bubbly puppy on the ground. Letting the puppy  move  its stiff legs around the diner. Minho is so ignorant sometimes.

“A charm bracelet.” Minho clasped it onto Taemin’s thin hand.

“What is this key for?” Taemin asked when he took it out of the next box.

“Your new car.” Minho said.

Taemin finished opening up everything though he was slightly confused. Shouldn’t there be one more gift?
“You do know I turn eighteen today?” Taemin asked Minho.

“Yes.”

“Where’s my las-“ Minho crashed his lips onto Taemin’s. Minho deepened the kiss,holding on to Taemin’s flushing face.Nibbling onto Taemin’s lower lip making Taemin gasp and opened his reddening lips a little. Minho’s tongue entered Taemin’s mouth. Tasting every bit of Taemin’s sweetness.The others looked away. Too shy to look at the intensity of the kiss.

“Happy eighteenth birthday.”