Aira stepped out of the car the moment it stopped, she couldn't handle anymore being inside of a moving car without any words exchanged with the man behind the wheel. The tension was unbearable now that she realized Seungho's feeling towards her. Her heart was still beating like crazy along with a slight dizziness from trying to make sense of what just happened.

It can't be.. he doesn't..

"Aira, stop!" Seungho shouted as he closed his door and ran towards Aira, who was already a couple of steps ahead of him.

"They're waiting for us." Aira didn't slow down her steps and she finally succeeded at reaching the restaurant's front door. Walking into the fancy place she felt so unfamiliar with, she tried hard to calm her nerves and put on a straight face. It wasn't an easy thing to do because at the moment Seungho already catched up with her and walked with her side by side.

"Aira.." He started.

"Later, Seungho. Please.." She pleaded and forced herself to smile when she saw Mir and Byungki waved their hands from their reserved table, where she also saw Joon, Cheondung and G.O smiled at her arrival. It's time for celebration, I should feel excited.. she thought. She didn't have to force herself though, excitement rose in her without trying upon seeing how much they have prepared for her. Byungki pulled out a seat for her and she sat there thankfully.

"I'm sorry, we've ordered for everyone. You can add something later, is that okay?" Byungki said as Seungho sat at the end of the table, two seats away from Aira. It's her birthday celebration, he understood if Aira didn't want him to bother her for a while.

Aira looked around the table and noticed boxes and paperbags stacked on one of the chair.

"Are those.." She asked.

"Your birthday presents! I told you I'd take care of them, right?" Joon answered lightly.

She looked at the enormous amount of presents there were. Those can't be for me alone..

"Why are there so many?" She creased her forehead in confusion, "When did you buy it? You guys were working all day!"

"We spent all day thinking about what to get, so shopping didn't take that long. Well, maybe except for Joon who changed his mind every ten seconds." G.O said.

"I was just looking for the perfect gift, what if I bought one then I found something better?!" Joon defended himself.

"Just buy everything then, like Cheondung did." Mir shrugged.

"What?" Aira snapped her head at Cheondung, who rubbed the back of his head shyly.

"Yeah.. I kind of lost myself at the department store. I mean, I found so many things that I think you would like noona. Hehehe." Cheondung grinned widely at her.

"But these are too much.."

"Aish. Stop saying that.. let's just open your presents." Byungki grabbed several boxes carefully but then Mir grabbed his own from the bottom of the stacks, making the rest fell on to the floor, "YAH!" Byungki shouted at the maknae.

"Mine first!!" Ignoring Byungki, Mir gave Aira a medium sized box covered with stary paperwrap. She received it with a laugh and flipped the box to find a spot she could tear without ruining the whole wrapping, "Aish, don't have to be so gentle, just tear it up..like this." Mir pulled back the box and tore the paper harshly, revealing a shoe box.

"Oh." She lifted up the box cover and saw a dark red high-top sneakers, with cat designs printed beautifully. She put her fingers around them and brought it out of the box, turning it around to adore something she was sure she would use everyday from now on, "Mir.. these are gorgeous."

"I knew you'll like them! I was going to buy you heels, but I realized these are more useful for you."

"You're right, these are perfect. Thank you.." Aira smiled at the maknae.

"Why cats?" G.O asked.

"Because she's like a cat." Mir said spontaneously and added when he saw the look he got from everyone, "You know..mysterious..cold..distant, always do it's own thing, at least that's how I see cats are. Yah! Did I say something's wrong?"

"I can't believe you just compared her to a cat." Cheondung shook his head, "Don't listen to him and now open mine!" He pushed three big paperbags across the table. 

Aira started by opening one and just by glancing once she knew that there were more than one or two clothing items in there. She took another paperbag and peeked inside with eyes growing wide. They were all clothes. "Cheondung, did you rob the store?" She said in disbelief. Across her, Cheondung just smiled in satisfaction.

"I couldn't decide, I want to get something that will look good on you, but there were so many. I just realized that you'll look good in anything, noona!"

"You..you..Cheondung really, you didn't have to." She pulled out a beige colored coat from inside and looked at the boy who was still smiling at her, "Thank you Cheondung.."

"That coat is my favorite! Graceful, like you."

"Cats are graceful." Mir mumbled in annoyance.

"I like yours too, Mir. Really." Aira assured him, and it was true. They didn't even have to give her anything and she'd be happy just by the thought that they care about her.

By the time the food arrived, Aira already opened all of her presents. It turned out that the guys weren't the only one giving her gifts. She was surprised when one small box was filled with various kind of vouchers from MBLAQ's stylists. Aira knew they were vouchers from sponsors and meant for MBLAQ, but the girls sometimes slipped in some for themselves and now they're giving it all to her. Byungki gave her some music CD's, some were his own favorites which he always forced Aira to like too; while G.O gave her a new ipod, already filled with his favorite songs. 

The present from Joon earned familiar scoffs from everyone, "Designer bag, hyung? Classic." Mir rolled his eyes, "She's not your girlfriend, she doesn't need a designer bag."

"He's right, Joon." Aira said softly, knowing that the leather goods in her hand must had cost him a lot.

"I know, I know." Joon raised his hand in defense, "But I really like it and what's wrong about having one?"

"But.." Aira was flattered, but she couldn't help but feel burdened, "But it's still too much.."

"I got a discount, okay? If that's make you feel better.." Joon finally said, embarassed that now everyone knew he asked for a big discount from the store using his celebrity status.

Aira looked up and saw G.O almost bursted out laughing, in which Mir and Cheondung beat him to it. Joon's face was red in color as he looked down and scratched his head in embarassment. Upon the view, Aira started laughing to, even more when Byungki joined the other in making fun of their group's main dancer.

"Thank you, Joon. I'll keep it safe." She said between her laugh.

"Yah! Use it, not keep it!"

"Hahaha arasso.."

Just when she turned around to put the bag back into the box it came with, her eyes met Seungho's. He didn't say a thing since they sat on the table, but now that she looked into his eyes, he communicated many things at once. Her calm heart was once again beat faster as Seungho's gaze reminded her once again at what she had to deal with later.

His feelings, and her own. 

"So, how about you?" G.O asked Seungho who was still staring at Aira, "Don't tell me you don't have anything.."

"I do.." He smiled, knowing that he had a perfect gift for her inside his pocket right now. Courtesy of having a loyal stylist who helped him finding the thing he asked for in just a short notice. But it had to wait, he wanted it to be personal and the noisy crowd around him wasn't good enough, "But I'll give it to her later, when we're alone."

"Wohoo..sneaky." Mir chirped in.

"Tch. Acting so mysterious.. just give it now already." G.O said in annoyance. He wanted to know what was it that his friend bought that he looked so satisfied with himself. 

"It can wait.. right, Aira?"

"Uhm." She nodded weakly, feeling nervous once again.

"Okay whatever, let's just start the party!" Byungki shrugged and stood up, giving a hand signal to a waiter who had been waiting for it since he'd been assigned to do the task. 

The light of the whole restaurant went off and replaced by a soft lighting coming from a big cake that was brought by the waiter. A moment later she heard G.O started to sing her a happy birthday, followed by Mir who rapped the lyrics. Everyone stood up and Seungho took the cake from the waiter, he wanted to be the one standing before her when everyone blessed her birthday. 

Mir pulled Aira up from her seat and brought her to the middle of the room. Despite the dark, she knew that all of the restaurant guests' attention were on her. She bit her lips and looked up when she saw the light came closer to her. Seungho's smile was all that she could see with her eyes blurred by her own tears that were threatening to fall soon.

She felt touched and happy beyond words, even more when Seungho opened his mouth and said something she knew she would never forget.

"Thank you for being born and let us find you. Happy birthday, Aira.. "

♦ ♦ ♦

G.O smiled weakly when everyone stood up and ready to leave the restaurant. He didn't want the night to end, he still wanted to celebrate Aira's birthday, to let everyone showering her more with their loves and blessings, but he knew they couldn't. The clock already showed about an hour before twelve, and he wanted to give her his last gift. 

"Seungho, we're going back to the company, you take Aira home okay?" He said at Seungho who was putting on his jacket.

"All of you? What's going on?" Aira asked.

"There's this track I wanted them to record once again, Seungho already did his part the other day." G.O lied.

"What tra–" Seungho furrowed his eyebrows in confusion but then he saw G.O pointing to his phone, telling Seungho to check his own. When he did, his lips perked into a smile.

From : Byunghee

We're giving you time to be alone with Aira, we'd be back tomorrow. My last gift for her, or for you, whatever.

Glancing once at Aira who was totally clueless, he sent his reply to G.O.

To : Byunghee

Thank you, tell the others that too.

Seungho grabbed Aira's coat and helped her put it on, enjoying the awkwardness he got as a reaction from her. It made him happy that his kiss did something to her. Aira let him took the driver seat and drove them back to the dorm. She fell asleep the moment they reached the second intersection, exhausted from the excitement she felt throughout the night.

Seungho parked the car in the usual spot when they arrived at the building. Aira was sleeping peacefully and he didn't have the heart to wake her so soon. He buckled off his seatbelt and walked out to the passenger seat. Slipping his right hand below her knee and his left on the back of her head, he carried her bridal style towards the elevator.

The ride to his floor seemed to went by too fast as he stared at the birthday girl, who then snuggled her face deeper on his chest. He wished she couldn't hear his crazy heart beat in her sleep. Though it wasn't really mattered because he knew Aira knew his feelings already.

The elevator bell dinged as it opened, making Aira fluttered her eyes open at the sound. She expected herself to still be in the car, but the masculine scent on her nose told her otherwise. She looked up and greeted by Seungho's smiling eyes.

"You awake?"

Seungho let her down the moment she mumbled something incoherent as an answer and he took her hands to lead her out of the elevator. 

"Why didn't you wake me?"

"You seemed tired." He said as he opened the apartment door and made way for her to walk in first.

"Yeah.. I'm sorry.. I think I'll sleep first." She put off her shoes and walked towards the room she occupied while she's here. Seungho sighed and pulled her back.

"We're not finished, Aira." He led her to the living room and sat her down on the couch, "Don't act like nothing happened, please."

She closed her eyes in defeat, knowing that she couldn't run away anymore, "I just don't know what to say.."

"At least let me talk." He put his palm on top of hers, gripping it tightly, "I love you, Aira.."

"Why?"

"What do you mean why? I love you, that's all that matters, I love you and I'm dying to know whether you feel the same way too.." 

Aira fell silent at his words, she should say no like she did already, but she didn't want to lie again at the pleading guy in front of her, "I don't know.. I don't know what it is that I'm feeling, or even if it was right for me to feel it."

"You want to be sure?" Seungho said, not really asking because then he brought her chin up and crashed his lips on hers.

Her breath stopped and she struggled to let go not wanting to have to face the overwhelming feeling, but the way Seungho's lips grazed softly against hers brought a totally different sensation for her. The kiss was gentle, a confirmation for love and promises he was willing to give her. Conveying her that she was his world. As if it was the most normal thing to do, she closed her eyes. Her hand weaken its struggle and laid motionless on his chest as she felt that his heart was racing as fast as hers, if not more.

As his hand s up to her waist and pulled her closer, her insides screamed for her to send the same message to him, that her heart belonged to him for more than he could even ask. Answering the gentle pleads from his lips, she unconsciously opened hers and let her lips joined him into breathing each other's soul. 

Nothing ever felt more right than this.

And when she slowly opened her eyes, the sparkle in Seungho's eyes told her that she just did something she never intended to do.

"You kissed me back."

"I.."

"You kissed me back!" Seungho pulled her into a tight hug, never wanting to let her go once he was sure of her love for him, "Thank you.. Aira, thank you.."

"Seungho..." She bit her lips and couldn't help tears coming down her cheek due to the warmth she received from him.

He pulled back and cupped her cheek for more confirmation, although he knew he didn't need it, "Please say it, Aira."

Looking at him, whose eyes already told her again and again how he wanted to hear it coming out from her lips, she finally give up trying to lie to herself.

"I love you, Seungho.." 

AN:

I already wrote more but then the chapter got too long, so I decided to put the rest along with the next update. I will post it in several hours or maybe tomorrow.

So, see you there :)