Story title: The Birthday Proposal
Shipping: SpringTempo (Top x Bom)  
Rating: G
Date posted: 4.11.2015 (TOP's Birthday)

The sun was nowhere to be seen as the moon was still there, working its shift diligently high up in the sky, giving out its glow, accompanying Park Bom. The full moon radiated its glow ever so brightly, ever so round and ever so pretty. It captured her attention so much that she had walked out of her company building and stood there for quite some time admiring that scenic beauty on the isolated streets. A sudden wave of spine-chilling breeze broke the silence with its howling and caused the autumn leaves to rustle, while wrapping her in an embrace as the breeze was heartened that it wasn’t out there alone for the first time in hours. That coldness made her seek for warm by putting on her hoodie and rubbing her hands together to seek warmth in her jacket’s pocket.

“Winter should be here soon,” Bom commented to herself as she quickly walked back to her company’s building.

Bom didn’t know why she was so careless today, so careless that she left her phone in the building. Upon hearing it, Dara volunteered to send her to the company’s building so as not to bother their manager who had sent the group back to their dorm an hour earlier.
Upon arrival, Dara parked her car at her assigned car park slot in the YG car park and Bom dashed out of the car in search for her phone.

After getting her phone back with her, Bom was bewildered that instead of seeing Dara’s car on the parking spot, it was a new fresh car that she had never seen before. Neither had she saw this car before nor had she saw this car plate before. She knew that there was no way that this is Dara’s new car. Feeling rather afraid, she tried to peek in the gleaming polished car timidly. To her dismay, the car has its windows heavily tinted.

She mustered up her courage by clenching her fist and that made her brave enough to walked towards. She inhaled a deep breath of the oxygen. With cold hands and wobbly legs, she knocked twice at the window by the driver seat. That caused the driver’s lips to curve up into a smile showing his gleaming white teeth. The driver winded down the window to below his eye level. The eye contact between the the driver and Bom created sparks. Bom saw the distinct y eyes and she knew who he was.

Immediately, Bom gasped in surprised, “Seunghyun?”

Seunghyun flashed his widest grin at Bom and looked intently at her. Then he broke that staring contest by a wink and he asked seductively in his husky voice, “Were you mesmerised by my charm?”

Bom realised that the side of her face where heating up and she knew that he had hit the jackpot. Reluctantly, she nodded her head and admitted.

“Hey, come on in, my Bommie,” Seunghyun invited.

“You can drive?” Bom raised her brow.

“I guess got my license yesterday.” Seunghyun grinned.

“Yet, you didn’t tell me? I am your girlfriend!” Bom exclaimed.

“I just want to surprise you, can’t I?” Seunghyun asked.

With that, Bom smiled and entered his car. After settling down on the front seat beside the driver seat, she put on the seat belt. She looked around the car, it already has all the add-ons which made it awesome.

“Is this your car?” Bom asked, looking at Seunghyun.

He gave her a nod as he concentrated on driving off the car park of YG Entertainment building.

Just then Bom suddenly remembered Dara and asked Seunghyun, “Where is Dara?”

“Youngbae came and brought her away for a date,” Seunghyun said.

“I can’t believe that she would abandon her beloved sister,” Bom sighed.

“But it’s not as if you are all alone. I am here with you, my lady,” Seunghyun said.

And that made Bom smile. She just liked the way he used ‘my’, it made him sound rather possessive but it’s the truth anyway. Bom then noticed that he was taking another route and that route will not take her back to her dorm.

“Where are we going?” Bom asked, looking at him with puppy eyes that tried to impress him so he would tell.

“Secret,” Seunghyun said while looking at her and signalling a finger on his lips. He was waiting for the red light to switch back to green so he had the time to look at her.

That cause Bom to frown.

"Hey Bommie," He nudged.

Bom looked away and kept on looking outside the window. It was as if the isolated roads were the most interesting things in the world.

"Hey Bommie, don't be upset with me. I will make you your favourite butter corn," Seunghyun bribed.

Immediately, her eyes lit up, just like how a little girl smiles when she can buy the soft toy that she earns for. With that, Seunghyun managed to change the topic and both of them, continued to talk to each other throughout the ride.

"Here we have arrived," Seunghyun said and unbuckled his seat belt.

"Where are we?" Bom asked as she saw a foreign place.

"This is my new house," He informed her and he got down his car. Walking over to Bom's side, he opened the car door.

“How many new things have you gotten? How can you dare to keep me in the dark?” Bom exclaimed with a tint of anger and glared at him yet he just flash him a smile.

His smile made her anger dissipate instantly. For the umpteenth time, she was impressed with how he can change her emotions easily. Maybe it was because she have a soft spot for his smiles.

Bom eyes begun to wondered at the house and asked, “Why are the lights on?”

“It’s a house-warming party,” Seunghyun declared.

“At 3am?” Bom gasped in surprise.

“Why not?” Seunghyun asked and he offered his hand.

She intertwined her smaller fingers between his larger fingers. Bom leaned his Seunghyun’s shoulder as Seunghyun wrapped his arm around her shoulders and in this position, they walked to the door of his new house.

As the two were too engrossed into enjoying the moment with each other, they didn’t saw the maknae of all the guests. Minji was up at the second storey, looking out of the window. She was told to look out for the incoming couple while the rest of them help out on the various aspects for this house-warming party.

Upon seeing the main couple for the event, Minji dashed down the staircase and announced to her oppas and unnies, “Seunghyun oppa and Bom unnie are here already!”

“Hurry into your positions!” Jiyong whispered to the people in the house who were the members of Big Bang and 2NE1.

With Jiyong’s command, all of them went to their respective hiding places that they had planned earlier. Dara, Youngbae, Daesung and Minji were allocated by the door with party poppers while Chaerin knelt down behind the sofa while holding a cake and Seungri held on a lighter to light up the candles on the cake. As Seungri cannot lighted up the cake in his first attempts, Chaerin giggled. Jiyong dashed for the light switches and switched off all the lights on the first storey, only the first storey was lighted up anyway. Then he squatted by Chaerin’s side.

Initially, Jiyong only needed to stand by the switch but his jealousy overwhelmed him when he saw Chaerin and Seungri together for that little moment. He recognised that familiar giggle that he loves. He thought that her giggles were exclusively for him but not anymore. Though Jiyong was trying to be like a possessive boyfriend, he isn’t Chaerin’s boyfriend. The two have a good relationship as best friends and n-nothing more.

If he claimed that he does not have feelings towards Chaerin, he would be lying. In fact, he likes her. He likes her so much to the extent that it is love, he loves her. Yet, there was one thing that hindered him from showing his love to her. That one thing was that he was afraid that they would no longer be best friends if they break up. He knows that after breaking up, it will not be the same anymore and he feared that. Maybe he was thinking too much but there’s a high possibility that his fear might come through.

Unlike Jiyong, Seungri showed his affection towards Chaerin openly. That day when he heard that Seungri asked, “I like Chaerin. Hyung do you know what she likes?” It was like there was a sudden pain in his heart. He actually can tell that Seungri likes Chaerin but hearing it himself is painful. How can his beloved maknae likes the girl his likes? How can Seungri keep Chaerin entertained just because he failed to light up the cake? In fact, there was nothing funny about. That stirred the thick soup of jealousy within him.

Seungri held onto the cake while Chaerin stood up and Chaerin did the same while Seungri stood up. Since Chaerin stood up, Jiyong went back to his position by the switches.

“The cake is lighted up already,” Seungri said.

On cue, Youngbae opened the door. The team of party poppers pulled the string and sent confetti exploding into the air. The team of seven people then looked at Jiyong for the cue as Jiyong signalled with his fingers. 3, 2, 1 and he snapped his fingers.

“Happy birthday to you...” The crowd of seven people sang the birthday song to Seunghyun. It had past midnight and was the 4th of November already. Upon the song’s ending, Bom gave Seunghyun a peck on his cheek. That caused the crowd to cheer.

Jiyong switched the lights on again.

“Hyung cut the cake already!” Daesung said..

Seunghyun had no choice but to abide to his request. After cutting the cake, Seunghyun gave Daesung a quizzical look and mouthed, "What are you doing? This isn't in my plan!"

"Hyung, we are here to celebrate your birthday and also your housewarming! We are killing two birds with one stone!" Daesung explained.

"Oppa, come here," Minji called out from few steps away and she signalled him with a hand signal. Hearing his dongsaeng’s request, Seunghyun walked towards Minji. Suddenly, someone from behind hugged onto Seunghyun tightly locking his arms from removing the blindfold. Using this chance, Minji put on an eye mask on Seunghyun in which he yelled, “Yah! What are you doing to me?” That made the room explode with laughters. With his two arms occupied by hugging Seunghyun tightly, Minji gave Daesung two thumbs up instead of doing a high-five for their good chemistry and timing. It is not and easy task to blindfold someone against one’s will.

“Hyung, we know that you hate being blindfolded but for this once, please do as we say. I am holding onto a string, if you attempt to remove the eye mask, we will tie your hands together,” Seungri threatened.

“Yah! Isn’t this suppose to be a joyous birthday celebration for me?” Seunghyun complained.

“This is your birthday celebration so we won’t handcuff you. Oppa and I will be holding you wrists to the location okay?” Minji suggested.

“Fine...” Seunghyun grumbled.

While Daesung and Minji slowly walk the blindfolded Seunghyun, the rest of them already reached the dining area. On the dining table were a variety of ingredients from meat to vegetables with an electronic barbeque grill and an electronic steamboat pot taking the centre stage. The remaining of the event team and Bom had already started cooking the raw beef, fresh prawns and the other ingredients. Again, this wasn’t part of Seunghyun’s plan. This was the plan from the event team.

“Why do I smell meat?” Seunghyun asked in a cautious tone. He knew that his house didn’t have meat, in fact it was just an empty refrigerator.

At that moment, Daesung pulled down Seunghyun’s blindfold. Seunghyun eyes took sometime to adapt to the lighting. He scanned through the dining room and gasped upon seeing the table full with ingredients and the new electronic items on the dining table. At the wall opposite the table by his mini bar had a newly installed item and it was a wine rack which consisted a dozen of high quality wine that he likes.

“Hyung, that’s not all,” Youngbae said as he pointed towards the refrigerator.

When he opened his two-door refrigerator, it was fully filled.

“Now this is what a house should contain,” Jiyong commented.

“Hey guys, thank you so much. I like this surprise,” Seunghyun expressed his gratitude.

“Oppa, we also have contributed to this event,” Chaerin said.

“Thank you everyone for helping me in furnishing my house and celebrating my birthday,” Seunghyun said.
 
While everyone were being joyous, someone at the corner of the room wasn’t feeling the vibe to celebrate. Instead, crestfallen hazel brown orbs were welled with warm fluids. She doesn’t want to be a party pooper but her internal turmoil overwhelmed her. She felt a stinging pain in her heart. She felt outcasted in the group. She had been hanging out with the people for a lustrum, at least. Yet, they left her out for her boyfriend’s birthday celebrations. To her, she felt that they had hurt her like sharp blades piercing through her heart. She had always enjoyed being with all of them but why do they suddenly left her out? Or do they not like her so it’s better to exclude her? She didn’t know.

All she knew was that she felt that she was currently excluded from the closest eight people in YG family. Being bonded with them for many years, she treated like her siblings. Being the oldest amongst them, she always tried to look after each and every of them. She was always the one who noticed the person being left out and she would try every possible way to remove the imaginary border that excludes people.

She knew that she had to compose her feelings to match the birthday celebrations but her negative feelings ate her composition. Her emotions overwhelmed her thoughts on having a poker face. Despite her constant efforts to control her pearl-shaped tears, her brown hazel orbs continued to letting it stream down her cheeks. She tried to wipe away her tears but the waterfall couldn’t stop, her heart wouldn’t allow it to stop.

While some thought that she was tearing up due to tears of joy, Seunghyun saw a layer of sorrow beneath her eyes. He always disliked seeing people burst into tears of sadness, it pain him especially when the person he’s close with cry in front of him. Seunghyun paced towards her and only then the rest started to notice that there were contrasting emotions in the room. Feeling concerned, the others stopped on what they are doing, allowing a deafening silence crept into the room.

Seunghyun wrapped his warm arms around Bom’s shoulder and he whispered, “Bommie, what’s wrong?”

“N-nothing,” She mumbled.

She hoped that he would buy that lie and brush the matter off though the chances were extremely slim.

“I don’t believe that,” Seunghyun insisted

Indeed, she had expected his answer as she knew that he’s someone who would persevere till the truth is out. As such, she tried to challenge him.

“What will you do if I tell you the reason why?” Bom asked.

“I will solve it, no matter what!” Seunghyun spoke with confidence.

Hearing his lightning speed reply, she felt brave to come clean to it. Though there’s a part of her who still was afraid to do so.

“I feel left out. Everyone played their part in planning your birthday but me,” Bom confessed.

Though it was soft, everyone in the room heard it.

“Noona, we have a surprise for you,” Jiyong said. Seunghyun wasn’t sure if the surprise Jiyong talking about was the surprise he was preparing so he chose to be silent. All of them were wondering which surprise was Jiyong referring to and shot him puzzled looks.

“Follow me, it’s at the platform between the staircases,” Jiyong said. All of them looked at Jiyong as it wasn’t in the plan. In fact, is that even counted as a surprise?

Jiyong led everyone to the platform between the 1st level and the 2nd level. On the two walls by the platform was full of photographs in a shape of a heart shape, half a heart of each wall and the heart is joined by the intersection of the walls. Each photograph contained the couple. Some even have their members together. Each piece of photographs contain a unique memory that were worth remembering about.

“Thank you dongsaengs,” Bom cried. Shiny crystals slide down her eyes due to the massive amount of glee that flooded her heart. It was surprising that within moments, her emotions had completely flipped around from sadness to happiness. This combination is explosive and no words can ever describe her current feelings. Maybe it’s a magnification of the scenario of a little girl who wept as she drop her candy and ended up gettting an ice-cream in return. Her eyes were still puffy but her lips had curved up into a brilliant smile that will light up everyone’s face.

“This wall was specifically done by hyung. We did the other parts on furnishing this house. I am glad that noona likes it,” Youngbae credited and flashed his smile.

“Bom, I have something to tell you,” Seunghyun begun, enunciating each word carefully. His eyes were locked into hers like never before. Hearing the cue, Seungri and Daesung immediately went on to the plan.

There was something different about his voice, his tone and his actions but she couldn’t detect. Was it seriousness? Was it sincerity? Was it love?

“You know Bom, we have been dating for some time now.”

Insecurity overwhelmed Bom as her first thoughts were that he wanted to break up with her. That thought made her nervous and she bit her lower lip.

“You know how jealous I get when other guys approach you alone, I want to keep you in my pocket by claiming you mine.”

That made Bom heaved a sigh of relief because the probability that he might break up with her suddenly became minute.

“ You know how I miss you once we bid good nights and goodbyes to rest for the day, I don’t want to say good nights and good byes any more.”

That made her confused. She didn’t understand what he was trying to drive at. Maybe he wanted her and the rest of the guests to stay in his house? Well from the outlook of the house, there are enough rooms to accommodate each and every of Big Bang and 2NE1 members.

“You know how I love the food you cook, that I want you to cook for me everyday.”

Now Bom understood what Seunghyun wanted. He wanted her to stay at his house to cook for him everyday! She doesn’t mind to do that but he’s sure weird!

“You know how important you are to me, I will protect you and cherish you.”

She knew her importance to him because she is his girlfriend and soon to be chef in his house. Is she?

”You know that I love you so much that I want to claim you mine now,” Seunghyun ended his confession.

W-wait. Bom eyes suddenly widened in realisation. He was trying to confess to her all along!

That was when another wave of tears rushed into her eyes. Instead of disappointment and happiness, she was moved by Seunghyun’s words. His words made her heart ran a thousand miles. She thought it a spoken confession but there’s more in store.

Seungri passed Seunghyun a bouquet of roses. The roses’ stems were bind with a lacy white ribbon. Each and every rose attempt to capture Bom’s attention by competing in striking their the different shade of red, from red to wine red.

Sweat were escaping from Seunghyun’s palms. The butterflies in his stomach that fought to escape made Seunghyun uneasy. He took in a deep breathe before turning around to his girlfriend. Seunghyun gave out a nervous smile walked a step towards Bom so they are approximately five steps away from each other. Shyly, Seunghyun said, “Here Bom, these are for you,” and passed her the bouquet.

The humongous bouquet made her heart squealed and the salty water droplets from her eyes continued on dripping out of her eyes like a broken tap.
 
“There are a hundred and eight red roses, do you know what does it signifies?” Seunghyun asked Bom as he wiped her tears with his hands.

His warm touch on her face caused the sides of her face to heat up. Not wanting to be teased, she burrowed into his broad chest and Seunghyun grinned.

“Love?” Bom questioned.

“For the colour red, you are right,” Seunghyun complimented.

Gently, Seunghyun pushed Bom to stand still and not lean on him in which he reached his hand out backwards and Daesung immediately hand him a 15 inch white teddy bear holding onto a heart. On the heart imprinted 4 words written in English and a diamond ring was attached between the heart the bear was holding.

“For the 108 roses, it meant...” Seunghyun paused and knelt down, using English, Seunghyun spoke in his husky voice, “Will you marry me?”

Hearing that, her heart became an active volcano which would erupt any moment due to the turmoil of emotions. Afraid of the core, the tears escaped like prisoners in search for freedom, gushing out as a tsunami.That dawn’s happenings have greatly touched Bom’s heart. It was the first time where her emotions were rotated like a compass in searched for the North pole. In fact, her feelings were more than what words can express and what photographs can show.

“I do,” Bom followed the suit and spoke in English.

Hearing her answer, he took out the ring from the teddy bear. He slid the ring onto her ring finger on her left hand smoothly and the ring gleamed on it’s permanent spot.

“It’s beautiful,” Bom awed.

She held onto Seunghyun’s hand and tugged him to get up from that position. Together, they gave each other a tight embrace. Their eyes sealed their vision. In that moment, iit was like they were the only one in the room, in the house and in the world. That was one unforgettable moment. It was one that is overwhelmed with feelings, one that locks in their memories together and one that brings that relationship to the intermediate level. They were one step away from the advanced level of love which is marriage.

The newly engaged couple were drawn back into reality by the astounding claps that echoed in the house. To the couple surprised the initially emptied house was already crowded with each and every artist of YG family. While the couple were drowned in emotions, the invited guests bursted into Seunghyun’s house. All of them suddenly chorused, “Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!”

Bom flushed redder than any tomatoes. She gave her fiancée a quick peck on the lips and immediately hid in his chest yet again. Though Seunghyun enjoyed that kiss, he felt that Bom had been badly tortured by the emotional multi-flavoured juice she had drank that day.

“That was just a preview the kiss on the day of our marriage,” Seunghyun announced.

“I will be waiting for your invitation!”

Soon, all the guests trailed towards the dining room for their supposedly breakfast. But barbeque for breakfast?

Seunghyun and Bom remained at the platform.

Bom had been avoiding his gaze for the past few minutes.

“S-Seunghyun,” She begun.

“What is it, Bommie?” Seunghyun asked.

“I am sorry,” Bom apologised.

“For?” Seunghyun shot her a quizzical look.

“I didn’t prepare you any presents, you have everything so I don’t know what you would want,” Bom said as she looked down at the floor.

“It’s okay,” Seunghyun smiled.

“It’s okay?” Bom questioned.

Seunghyun nodded and explained, “You accepting my proposal is my best birthday present already.”

That made Bom said, “I love you.”

“I love you too.”