With a loud yawn while stretching, Soyoung jumped out of bed, more jolly than ever. Today was a day that was different from just every day. Today was to be a happy day, thus the reason for being jolly.

Being excited than ever, she quickly showered and chose a dress to put on.

Soyoung wasn’t the type to regularly wear dresses. In fact, she hated it, but for today’s sake, she was willing to wear it.

The dress wasn’t passed her knees, but it wasn’t too short either. It was just decent, mid-thigh length. The blue dress flowed nicely around her body in which she would consider as classy.

Although she hated wearing dresses, Soyoung felt comfortable wearing this dress, because it was today. After feeling the dress was okay on her, she grabbed out her make-up box, in which she barely ever uses and opened it up.

She picked up the brush and slightly brushed it on the dark gray pallet eye shadow before bringing it up and brushing it on her eyelids. After the eye shadow work, she picked up mascara and lifted her eyelashes with the make-up tool.

After feeling contented with her eyes, she moved onto her lips as she picked up the light lip gloss and applied it onto her lips, creating the shiny gloss that swiped across her bottom and top lips.

Examining herself in the mirror, she beamed brightly. Although Soyoung doesn’t like to wear dresses nor does she like putting the slightest makeup, but today, it was an exception in which she wouldn’t complain.

With a bright smile, she picked up her brown leather wallet along with the gift bag on the counter and left her room, only to bump into her neighbor that had been staying over for the past two days.

“Sorry,” she muttered as he leaned against the wall to keep him from falling from the harsh encounter in the hallway.

“Yeah,” he responded as he got himself together before knitting his brows together. “Did your parents say that you don’t like wearing neither dresses nor make-up?” Luhan wondered.

Soyoung rolled her eyes. “I don’t,” she replied. “But today’s an exception. Have fun staying there. Bye.” She brushed passed him and left the house without notifying her parents about her plans for the day.

Luhan scoffed as she left. “As if. I have plans too, you know?” He then walked into the bathroom to wash up.

She headed towards the park that Kyung had told her about just yesterday night. It wasn’t a place she wasn’t familiar with. In fact, it was the complete opposite. Back in their high school days, the three would always go there and chill before heading home. Today, that special occasion was going to be there at that very park that held so many memories.

Soyoung arrived earlier than she thought. Kyung wasn’t there and neither was Zico. She grabbed out her phone and checked the time.

“8:50 AM on the clock,” she muttered and shrugged it off. “Ten minutes earlier. Not a big deal. I’ll just wait until they get here. They should be here soon.”

After waiting for twenty minutes at most, she grew tired of waiting.

“Where are they?” Soyoung complained, getting up from the swings. “They should’ve been here 2O minutes ago.”

She took out her phone again and was about to dial Kyung’s number down when she heard a familiar voice call out her name.

“Soyoung?”

Brows raised, Soyoung turned around to see the person she had been waiting for. She lit a smile. “Zico!”

He was walking towards her, but slowing his steps as he got nearer, looking Soyoung up and down. His brows were knitted as confusion crossed his face.

“Um, what are you doing here… in that kind of clothes?” Zico finally asked the question on his mind.

When Kyung had ushered him to come to the park, he was wondering what was up. After a small argument with the guy, Zico gave up and came right away as Kyung had mentioned Soyoung in the process.

Yet, when Kyung mentioned Soyoung, Zico hadn’t thought that she would be here in a dress with make-up. It was so not like her. Not at all, and it only caused Zico to frown.

“What do you mean what am I doing here in this?” Soyoung slightly frowned. “Of course I dressed like this for you!”

“Me?” He was taken aback with her response.

The smile returned to her face as she nodded and approached him. “Yup, you! Don’t like it?”

“Of course I do,” he answered immediately, a bit too fast. Catching the way he had spoken, he cleared his throat. “I mean, you look great in it. But, why are you dressed… in a dress with make-up for me?”

He had to admit, it felt quite awkward to say it like that, but he liked the sound of it.

“Because,” a sly smile came across the female’s face, “It’s your birthday today! Happy birthday, Woo Jiho!” She shouted as she jumped onto him, arms wrapped around his neck as she jumped up and down.

And Zico couldn’t help but give a warm smile as he returned the embrace. He’d be honest, he had nearly forgotten that it was his birthday, the day he was brought onto earth. If it weren’t for her, Zico wouldn’t have noticed at all, like every year, yet, every year, she was always here to say it to him, so of course he had never forgotten that it was his birthday. Then again, there was Kyung, too, who always says it to him. Zico’s heart felt warm upon thinking of the two who had been there for most of his life.

“Thank you,” he replied softly as he pulled back. “I wouldn’t have remembered if it weren’t for you.”

“Of course, like you say every year,” she laughed as she held out the gift bag she had in her hand. “For you.”

Once again, he was taken by surprise. “Me?” Yet, Zico took it anyways and peered into it before breaking into another warm grin. There, in the gift bag, sat the white head phones that he had been having his eyes on for a month now. He looked up at her again. “You didn’t have to, you know?”

“I know,” she shrugged it off. “But I wanted to and chose to. I hope you like it.”

“You know more than I do that I love it,” he chuckled, causing her to laugh herself.

“Glad you do then,” she sighed with content before noticing that only Zico was here. “Where’s Kyung?”

“Kyung?” Zico answered. “He said --“ He paused before speaking further.

*He told me that you were waiting for me here… and that was all.* Zico thought. He broke into a grin, realizing what Kyung was doing.

“I guess he’s not joining us today,” Zico finished his thoughts.

“I knew that he would ditch out on this. Tsk tsk tsk.” Soyoung shook her head in disapproval, playfully. “Oh well, your birthday will still be as awesome as ever without that Kyucumber!”

Zico couldn’t help but laugh at her lameness. “Say, why are you wearing a dress with make-up just for my birthday?”

Soyoung smiled as cheeks rose to her cheeks. She was never one to take it easy when eyes were on her. “It’s your second birthday present. In the past, you’ve complained about how I need to start being more like other girls and wear make-up and dresses more. Remember? We had a dumb argument and you even got tired to the point where you wished that one day, I would do so without having to be told by my mom? So I did so today. She didn’t tell me to wear this. I did it on my own will.”

Although the guy was cracking up, inside, he couldn’t help but feel warm all over. And this was exactly why all he needed in his life were the people he loves.

“So you basically wore that because I wished for it?” Zico queried. “So if I never did, you wouldn’t have worn it?”

“Yeah,” Soyoung nodded.

Zico rolled his eyes and glided his forefinger down the stem of her nose. “Pabo Cheonsa.” ((Stupid Angel))

Soyoung laughed. “Anything for our Woo Jiho.”

Feeling touched, Zico pulled her in for another embrace in which he didn’t let go of. As Soyoung was about to pull away, Zico held on tighter. Confusion crossed Soyoung’s face as she heard sniffing.

“Zico?” her voice serious and full of concern.

“Y-yeah?” he held his voice firm, but Soyoung could hear it shake.

Pain hit her heart.

*He’s crying.* She softened as she slowly wrapped her arms around his waist, not saying anything and that was enough to tell Zico that she knew he was.

“Thank you,” he said once more, his voice shaking into a mere whisper. “You have no idea how lucky I am to have you by my side, Soyoung. Only you and Kyung could only bring me to remember that I’m an importance to this world.”

Soyoung sighed lightly as she rested her chin on his shoulder. “You’re forever an importance to this world, orphan or not. Our Woo Jiho is important to us.”

She knew the reason why he was crying. She knew that he was referring to the fact that he had no parents like others.

“That’s why the day of Woo Jiho’s birth is one of the most important day in the world,” she continued as she patted his back, while Zico sniffed. The embrace didn’t loosen though. If any, it tightened in which Soyoung didn’t mind one bit.

“Thank you,” he said once again. And he repeated it over and over, out loud for her to hear, in his mind, in his heart. He would forever be thankful to her and Kyung. Even the word wouldn’t make up for how thankful he was for them always being there for him.

Soyoung softened and smiled warmly as she listened to him repeat the word over and over as he broke down into sobs, in which she hadn’t seen nor heard since forever.

He was a blessing to her life and she was the same to him.

And that was why today was so important.

That was why today, Woo Jiho’s birthday, was an exception of why Soyoung would wear dresses, in which she dislikes, and make-up, in which she hates.

Because it was a small wish that he had made long ago and she would gladly fulfill it for him today.

 Because it was his birthday.

Because it was the day that he was brought onto earth.

Because it was the day fate decided that he would play an important role in her life and be a blessing to her.

This was why, today, it would be all dedicated to Woo Jiho.

*Happy Birthday, Woo Jiho.*

Author's Note♥:

Here's the bonus chapter for Zico's birthday! I was almost late! I thought I woudln't finish before his birthday passes, but I did it! Woot Woot! I can't help but tear up as I wrote this bonus chapter. It reminded me of how much I love this beautiful leader. I've missed him so much. Happy birthday to the tough guy, Woo Jiho ;)