69)

We’ve been arguing for almost 5 minutes already.. This wasn’t going to end up good.. and we were running out of time.. He was damn stubborn, although he had the text under his nose to convince himself.. I was scolding him holding the spoon, making a mess on the floor..

Me: “Can’t you read well, Tao???? It says beat 3 medium eggs!! Medium! What am I going to do with those tiny ones??”

Tao: "These will make it more tasty…”

Me: “Ah… since when you're a cooking expert?? You only know how to eat!!!”

Tao: “Come on noona.. the cream will get a lot tastier with these eggs, especially if you mix them with the syrup… trust my wushu intuition!”

Me: “That’s exactly what scares me the most! I don’t wanna ruin this! We don’t have time for experiments! Let’s follow the recipe, please!”

Tao, pouting: “But it will be the best thing ever!”

He pushed me away and took care of the cream.. Ok.. I was totally screwed… Then… bye bye surprise… Ah… why was Tao the only one without schedule today??

I went outside the kitchen to pick up the phone, hoping that during this time, Tao will not make anything stupid, cause lately that was his best quality..

Me: “Yeoboseyo? Oh.. Xiumin!”

Xiumin: “How are things going?”

Me: “Ah… don’t ask..  I feel like taking him to the zoo, where his relatives are!! He’s damn stubborn..”

Xiumin: “Ha ha.. so.. we’ve been dealing with what you’ve told us.. Everything is set..”

Me: “Oh.. and where is he?”

Xiumin: “Rehearsals.. hi hi..”

Me: “Good.. when are you coming?”

Xiumin: “We’re on our way!”

Me: “Ok.. please come faster.. I can't handle this panda all by myself..."

*

I took out the box, handing it over to Baekhyun. I then went to help Sehun with the balloons.. We were almost done with the preparations.. I was so excited.. It was the first time for me to celebrate this special day with him and the boys.. Everything had to be perfect..

Chanyeol: “Noona.. for you…”

Me: “Thanks Channie.. hello? WHAT?? But.. you should have… yes I know.. but.. we’re not ready yet… well.. do something about that.. come on Kai! Use your imagination.. just keep him away from the dorms, until I’ll call you..”

I told the boys to rush up things then turned around and saw Luhan looking with big worrying eyes at the floor.. I got near him asking what happened.. He smiled slowly, trying to calm down.. Oh.. I get it now... clumsy deer..

Me: “Who told you to put that up? You know you’re afraid of heights.. Can someone help him get down??”

Kris: “Allow me.. yah Luhan.. get down!”

Luhan: “Are you nuts?? I am not moving!”

Kris: “Come on, we don’t have time for this! Just jump.. is not that high..”

Luhan: “Ha!!! I am not the flying dragon around here.. ”

Kris: “Are you getting down that table or not??!”

He grabbed Luhan’s hand, forcing him to get down, but Luhan kept shaking his head, leaning against the wall, afraid that he might fall.. In the end, Kris got mad and was about to lift Luhan up, when Tao, who was holding the box with drinks, stumbled, hitting Kris.. so.. the latter fell on the table Luhan was standing and… Luhan ended up on the floor, suffocating Sehun who just finished putting the last balloon..

Sehun: “Hyung.. I can’t breath.. get off me!”

Luhan: “Ah.. Mianhae…”

Me: “Are you ok, Kris?”

Kris: “Yes.. but can’t say the same thing about the drinks.. ”

Me: “Ah.. this is a total mess.. TAO!!!! How many times to tell you to get those stupid sunglasses off?! This is not the beach!!!”

Tao: “Stupid glasses?????! Honey, let me explain this to you… These are not just glasses.. These are Gucci! Got it??”

Me, expresionless: “ Excuse-moi for making such a confusion..”

Tao: "Excuses accepted.."

Me: O.o

Xiumin: “I’ll go get other drinks.. ”

BaekYeol: “Let’s clean this.. ”

Kris: “Have you talked with Kai?”

Me: “Yeah.. he was about to get back home, but Kai stopped him..”

Baekhyun: “Wonder what did he came up with to convince him..”

Chanyeol, cleaning the floor: “You know Kai… hey.. someone’s coming..”

Me: “Kai? What are you doing here? Where is Lay?”

Kai: “He’s not coming..”

Me: “WHAT????”

*

Sometimes I wish I’ve learned how to drive.. that would have been useful now.. this bike was damn slow.. I don’t understand what happened to Lay.. everything went according to the plan.. why did he behave like that??

I got in the park, looking for him everywhere, until I finally saw him sitting on the ground, throwing stones in the lake.. I let down the bike, going closer and patted his shoulder, smiling..

Me: “Why are you here?”

Lay: “This is my favourite place.. come.. sit..”

Me: “What’s all this about? Why didn’t you came back with Kai?”

Lay: “I had something more important to do..”

I looked at him with questionable eyes, wondering what was he talking about.. He smiled slowly, revealing his sweet dimple , raised his hand and pinched my cheek, then pointed to something behind me..

I turned around and saw a bunch of balloons tied up on the bridge, dancing in the air.. I got up and went there to take a better look.. I thought I didn’t see well at first, but no.. that was indeed written on them..

Some kids came near offering me white roses, shyly smiling and greeting me with a bow.. I took the flowers with a shaky hand and then startled at the sound of XOXO song being played God knows from where..

I turned and saw Lay dancing, making his way towards me, asking me to join him.. this was weird enough… did I miss something???

Me: “What is all this, Lay?”

Lay: “Shh.. let’s dance..”

Me: “Ha ha.. yeah.. stop spinning me.. I feel dizzy..”

Lay: “And I feel happy, cause you’re here..”

He suddenly stopped and kneeled down, holding a little box in his hand.. I guess words weren’t needed at this moment.. He put the ring on my finger then looked at me with sparkling eyes, making me get emotional and let out my tears..

I nodded slowly to Lay, hearing Xiumin’s part in the song: “ Wei le ni de XO qing ni jie shou wo, qing ni jie shou wo, qing qing ni jie shou wo”..   

*

“CONGRATULATIOOOONS!!!!”

Me: “I can’t believe you’ve done this boys! I was planning a surprise and got one myself..”

Suho: “Well.. since our unicorn here wanted us to help, how could we say no?”

Chanyeol: “Yeah..  while some of us helped you decorate the house for his birthday party.. the others were with Lay, preparing his surprise for you..”

Chen: “You kind of trolled each other.. if that makes sense..”

Sehun: “This is totally awesome.. Lay proposed to noona on his birthday..”

Lay, backhugging me: “And she gave me the best gift ever by accepting.. Thank you, my love!”

Me: “No.. thank you.. for giving me happiness, for loving me!”

Chen: “Ah… let’s not get emotional.. who wants some cake??”

Xiumin: “I’ll go get it!!!!”

He ran to the kitchen to get the special cake Tao made (forgot to tell you that he didn't let me help with the cooking anymore).. The rest of us gathered around, waiting for the moment, while Kris opened the champagne and poured it in the glasses.. When little baozi was back, we sang Happy Birthday for my sweet unicorn, then I cut the cake..
 
We were about to enjoy it, when Tao simply disappeared.. I tasted a little.. so did the others.. Chanyeol ate a full spoon, smiling.. but then.. slowly his smile faded away, while he made big eyes, then spitted the cake out, breathing heavily..

Chanyeol: “TAAAAAOOOOO! Have you again mistaken the chilli syrup for the strawberry one???”

Chanyeol ran outside chasing Tao, while we kept laughing about all this.. Ha ha.. clumsy panda did it again.. well.. next time we should not trust his wushu intuition or cooking skills... I got up and took the cake back in the kitchen, looking for some sweets.. Lay came after me and took me in his arms, speaking softly:

Lay: “This is the best birthday of my life..”

Me: “And one of many more that are yet to come..”

His smile brought back the sweet dimple on his face, making me chuckle.. I touched it gently, while he kept looking at me with his well known lost glare, then cupped my face to end this beautiful day with a special moment and.. ok.. I’ve told you enough… you get the idea.. ;)
 

________________

Hope you liked it! Thank you for reading! Please continue to love and support EXO! God bless you!