CHAERIN’S POV

I will keep his promise in my heart forever. Two weeks after Kibummie left for America, I celebrated the loneliest birthday of my life. He left with a promise of sending presents to make up for his absence. As a child, presents would be enough to compensate for lost presence. But as we grew older, I had the courage to throw tantrums at him over our daily video chats and hours of phone conversations especially when my birthday is drawing nearer. It’s been sixteen years since I last saw him in the flesh, but the distance seemed to have disappeared as technology evolved through the years. Back then we used to ask our parents to send our snail mails which included scribbles and photo print-outs. And then email happened, and inch by inch our distance didn’t seem to matter anymore. Today is my 20th birthday, and I plan to tell Bummie that distance aside, I only have him in my heart. Yes, I will tell him when I talk to him later, I’m sure he’ll call. He does it every year just so he can confirm if his package arrived on time.


“Eomma! Is it there already?” I got on the phone with my mother as soon as my last period ended in school.

“What is? Oh Kibum’s gift? Nope. None.”

“Oh. Okay. I’m meeting Taemin and Minzy okay. I’ll be home soon. Love you.” And then I stared at my phone a little longer. Maybe the delivery man will come a little later. I smiled by myself again and headed to Minzy’s classroom.

“Hey Taemin!”

“Hey birthday girl-nuna! How’s your birthday so far?” The pretty-boy boyfriend of my bestfriend smiled at me and winked.

“Oh pretty effed up. I left my lunch at home, so I had to spend for lunch at the cafeteria. And then my camera got drenched in the rain – how incredibly smart of me also. And then Kibum has not called, nor sent a message, plus his gift isn’t at home yet.”
 

MINZY’s POV

“Hi Eonni!”

“Minkkiah!” And then the birthday girl ran to me with a hug. “He has not called yet.”

“Just wait, he’ll prolly call you in a bit. I’m sure he will.”

“But what if he forgot?”

“Didn’t you just talk to him the other day?”

“Yeah, three days ago. But he hasn’t called ever since. No messages, no emails, no video chats, no calls. Nada!”

“He’s probably busy then. Kibum-hyung isn’t the type to forget, especially not your birthday.” Taemin butted in as he swiftly took Minzy for a quick-kiss. “And hello jagiyah, if you noticed I’m here too.”

Minzy giggled and kissed him back as I almost gagged over the excessive mushiness of the scene.

“Oh eonni, Teddy-sunbaenim says happy birthday. And Dara-eonni wants to see you in her office too. As for us, we have to cancel on our afternoon date. Jinki-oppa needs us for his homework. Raincheck?”

Eonni’s eyes were round and misty by the time I finished my litany. I can actually feel her disappointment from most things. But I have to do it or else we won’t be able to finalize our preparations for the surprise party. Her mom’s done with the food and she’s leaving their house as soon as Chaerin-eonni arrives and sees everything we have set up. While it’s real that Jinki-oppa needs us, it’s not for his homework, but for the cake that he ordered for Chaerin-eonni, since we gave him that task and he almost said no. Taemin finished calling everyone, gave out instructions on where to go, what time and what to bring. I am done with, well, breaking Chaerin’s heart for the meantime.

 

CHAERIN’S POV

I went to Dara-eonni’s office and had a long chat with her. The moment I stepped out of her office, it was dark and raining. And behold, I don’t have a jacket nor an umbrella with me. Why is everything not cooperating? Of all the days, why on my birthday? Luckily, Dara-eonni was still there and gave me a ride home. When we got to my place, the house was pitch black and my mom’s car wasn’t there too.

“Oh Chaerinnie, mind if I use your toilet first before I leave? I really need to pee.” Dara-eonni scrunched her face and with her pleading eyes how could I possibly say no.

We went in the house and as soon as I the lights,

“SURPRISE!” pop went the confettis and then fell the balloons. I saw Minzy and Taemin, Bommie-eonni and her twin brother Teddy-sunbaenim, my classmate Seungri, my cousins Jiyong and Tabi, my neighbors Youngbae and Daesung. Taemin also brought his brother Jinki, and his bestfriend – Jonghyun. Dara-eonni’s boyfriend Minho-oppa was there too. There was food on the table and music suddenly started playing. Tears fell and I hugged them all one by one as they sang happy birthday and gave me their gifts. And then I looked for his gift, still none.

“Eonni, are you happy?” Minzy asked me as I stared at a blank nowhere outside the window.

“Thank you Minzy. You are such a sweetie.”

“Taemin helped too!”

I looked at Taemin who is currently trying the cake bought by his hyung and then smiled at Minzy again before hugging her tight. I couldn’t help but cry because Kibum was missing from all of these. He’s a million miles away, and he probably forgot about my birthday already.

“Chaerin-ah, there’s someone at your door!” Teddy-sunbaenim said.

It’s already two minutes before midnight and it’s raining really hard plus everyone in my circle is already here, who could possibly be waiting outside? I went to the door with a heavy heart and a long face.

“Happy birthday, Lee Chae-chae.”

Nobody else calls me Chae-chae, just one kid. And he’s here, right on my doorstep, drenched in the rain with flowers on hand and a wet suitcase to match.

“KIBUM!!!”

I hugged him as tight as I could.

“What are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be in Manhattan?”

“I did tell you that I have big news for you, right?”

“Big news?”

“Yeah.”

“No.”

“Aigooo, you are such a Dory. I told you about it over Skype once!”

I stared at him blankly, probably one of those days when I didn’t really listen to anything he said and just stared at his perfection instead.

“Well, big news is I got a scholarship here in SNU and I was able to convince my father that staying in Seoul would be more advantageous since I can take care of the business while I am here.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning I’m moving back to Seoul starting today.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“What? And spoil part one of the surprise? Hell no.”

“Part one?”

“Yes, part one. Part two is, wait for it. I’m staying at your place in the meantime, while I’m still looking for an apartment. I also talked to your parents about this already, thank God they still remember me perfectly. Your mom even said you can help me pick out the flat and the furnitures, which means you have to be with me when I look for a place to move in to, help me buy stuff and join in decorating the place.” I beamed like a sunflower bathing in amazing sunshine. Kim Kibum really knows what I love doing. I was speechless. Kibum can’t keep doing this or else I’ll start anticipating more for birthdays after birthdays.

“Oh yeah, here’s part three.” He handed me the flower bouquet he was holding. White roses and pink stargazers. Perfect. He knows me too well. A small black box also came into appearance and shock came through my veins. I felt like I was coiled by a chain, preventing my every movement as a tiny black box popped out of his pocket.

“I’ve been in love with you since before I even left Seoul for the first time. I keep coming back to countries nearby but never to Seoul, and you have to know that it shatters me every single time I set foot anywhere but Korea.” And then it kicked in, Kibum was already crying. “I wanted to make your every birthday perfect, if that is what it takes for you to never forget me. Each year passed and I kept on wishing for the exact same thing, to celebrate this special day beside you, hold you and witness you grow older.”

“Yah.” I retaliated. He smiled back, wiping his tears with the back of his hand, just like how he used to do it.

“And then I saw a ray of light. An angel sent me an application form to an SNU scholarship and I gave it a shot,” I saw him look at Minzy. And then I figured, she was our angel. I smiled at her and she hid herself behind Taemin, hugging him tighter from behind. “And luckily, the stars lined up and I got the scholarship.”

“Lee Chaerin, this is not an engagement proposal yet. But I want you to know that I want to marry you someday, that is if you will accept me.”

I was already in tears when he finished talking. The ring was brilliant and so is he and his eyes are shining even brighter. I held his face and started planting small kisses, much to his surprise. “Yes Kibum, I will marry you whenever you want it, wherever it may be.” And then I sealed it with a kiss on the lips.

I heard my friends clear their throats in what seemed like a choreographed manner, which also became our signal to cut off the sweet body link.

“Oh. Hi! I’m Kim Kibum, Chaerin’s…”

“Future husband? Yes, we know.” Dara-eonni answered, and everyone broke into laughter.