And the day of Yoona’s birthday came.

“Joohyun ah, your cousin is here. Are you done?”

“Ne umma” Seohyun took one last look at the mirror before running downstairs. “Yuri unnie”

“Whoa, you look pretty at that white dress”

“Really? You’re aren't messing with me again, unnie?”

“Of course not” Yuri crouched and whispered to Seohyun. “You really made yourself look prettier today for Yoong, right?”

“I – I did not!”

“Hahaha! I’m just kidding”

“Now, now, the two of you, you should go now. Both of you are going to be late”

“Auntie that party won’t start without me. I’m the best friend”

“But still, the two of you should go now.”

“Hyunnie, your mother doesn’t want us anymore. She’s throwing us away” Seohyun chuckled.

“Kwon Yuri”

“Hehehe, I’m just kidding auntie. Alright, let’s go Seohyun so that auntie can have the house all by herself and relax” Seohyun’s mother just shook her head.

“Yuri, remember. 8 pm”

“Yes auntie. I will bring back Hyunnie safely here before 8 pm” Seohyun’s mother nodded in approval. “Let’s go Hyunnie”

-----------

The two arrived at Yoona’s house. When they entered, the lively atmosphere, the loud music and the people’s chatter welcomed them.

“Yuri dear, Seohyun dear, at last the two of you are here” Yoona’s mother welcomed the two.

“Yoona is still at her room. Ah, is that gift, for Yoona? Let me take care of that”

“Ah, auntie, you still have things to do at the kitchen, right? I’ll help you”

“Eh? But the gift”

“We’ll take care of the gift later” Before Yuri dragged Yoona’s mother back to the kitchen, she motioned Seohyun to go to Yoona’s room upstairs. The former hesitated at first but eventually did what her cousin said. She went upstairs and searched for Yoona’s room

“Where could Yoona unnie’s room be?” She looked at the doors. She stopped at the door that has a sign that says: Deer’s Room. “This must be it” She knocked first then entered.

“Oh? There’s no one? Maybe this is not Yoona unnie’s room”

“Who is – “ Yoona who went out of the bathroom saw Seohyun. “Oh, Seohyun. You’re here. Where’s your cousin?”

“She’s at the kitchen with auntie”

“I see. Ah, that” Yoona pointed at the gift that Seohyun is holding.

“It’s for you, Yoona unnie. Happy Birthday” Seohyun handed the gift to the older girl.

“Thank you” The latter gladly accepted it. “You know what? I’ll leave this gift here in my room”

“Eh? Why unnie?”

“It’ll be the last gift that I will open”

“The last?”

“Yep. The last gift that I open every year is the gift that is given to me by the person whom I treat as special to me the past year of my life”

*DUGEUN DUGEUN

“You made my 19^th year of existence a very happy year, Seohyun. Thank you. I hope on this 20^th year, you will still be my special person”

*DUGEUN DUGEUN

“Seohyun”

“Ne unnie?”

“I’m happy that I invited you” Yoona crouched to Seohyun’s level. “And I’m even happier that you came tonight. It feels like an angel has been sent to me. You look like a little angel with that white dress of yours” You smiled.

*DUGEUN DUGEUN

“T – Thank you”

“Ah~” Yoona stood up. “Well, let’s go downstairs and get this party started.” She held out her hand to the little and the little girl gladly took it. They went out of Yoona’s room and started walking downstairs.

“Ah, right, my little cousins are here so you are not the only little child here. I think most of them are about your age. Play well them, okay?”

“O – Okay”

“Oh, the birthday girl’s here” One of Yoona’s friend announced. Yoona motioned Seohyun to go to her cousin. The former walked towards the living room and smiled.

“Thank you everyone for coming to this little party for my 20^th birthday. I hope everyone will have a good time so time to have fun”

They played some games before eating. After eating, they resumed the games.

“Okay, the next game requires a pair so those who want to participate better search for a partner now” Yoona announced on the microphone. The pairs started to line up in front of Yoona. “Yah, Kwon Yul, you’re not going to join? You’ve been participative in the previous games.” She asked her best friend using the microphone.

“I’ll pass” Yuri shouted.

“Ei~ you’re no fun. You don’t have a partner? Okay, I’ll find you one. Hmmm….” Yoona saw her cousin, Jessica, standing alone on the corner. “Jessica, come here” Yuri quickly ran towards her best friend.

“Ya, Im Yoona, what are you planning?”

“I’m not planning anything”

“I’ll pass” Jessica shouted.

“Aw c’mon. Please, Jessica? It’s my birthday” The latter heaved a sigh and walked towards Yoona.

“Alright, Yuri you’re going to be partners with Jessica”

“Eh but” Yuri protested.

“What? You don’t want to be partners with her?”

“It’s not like that. I just don’t want to impose on her”

“It’s fine with me” Jessica said with a cold tone

“She’s fine with it so I guess we’re good?” Yoona asked. Yuri nodded. “Okay, that settles it then. You two go on the spot there” Yuri and Jessica went to the spot which Yoona pointed. “Now, the name of our next game is paper dance” Most of the participants groaned when the name of the game was mentioned.

“Now, now, I know that all of you will enjoy this game in the end. Here are the newspapers” Yoona handed the pairs their newspaper. “The game is just like what you all know; all of you need to dance and when the music stops both of you need to be inside the newspaper. Failure to do so, you’re out. As the game goes on, the paper will be folded. You all can use any technique or strategy. So, is everybody ready?”

“Yes!”

“Alright, Hyo unnie, you know what to do” The music started.

“Just so you know, when it comes to contest, even little games like this, I hate losing. I’m a very competitive person”

“Oh don’t worry about that Ms. Jessica Jung, we’re the same”

“Glad to know that we have the same goal”

The music suddenly stopped. All of the participants stepped on their respective newspaper.

“Of course, nobody is out” Yoona announced. “It’s time to fold the newspapers.” The participants followed. “Music please”

Jessica and Yuri are not talking to each other nor looking at each other or any other interactions.

“Stop!” Yoona shouted and the music stopped. All the pairs quickly stepped on their newspapers. Since the newspaper was initially small, the folded one was smaller making Jessica wobbled but before she could completely lose her balance, Yuri grabbed her waist and pulled her closer to her. Jessica sent the latter her infamous glare. Yuri is avoiding her partner’s glare and is not looking at her.

“You said you hate losing” Yuri whispered to Jessica. Yoona who can see the whole situation smiled. That smile was not unnoticed by her best friend.

“Ya, Im Yoona, we’re shaking already” Yuri complained to her best friend. The other participants followed suit and started complaining.

“Okay, okay. Calm down everyone. Music please”

The game continues, the newspapers become smaller and smaller thus making a lot pairs to be eliminated except for Yuri and Jessica who made it to the last part.

“And we’re down to our last two pairs. To our last two pairs, once the music stop and two of you had already have a stable position, we will start counting up to 5. The pair who wouldn’t lose their balance or let any part of their body touches the floor, wins. Oh this is going to be exciting” Yoona said. “Music please”

“When the music stops, jump on my back” Yuri said to Jessica.

“What?”

“I said when the music stops; jump on my back so that I could carry you”

“Like Hell! I wouldn’t do it”

“You don’t want to?”

“I don’t want to”

“Alright, I’m easy to negotiate with. You don’t want to do it then we’re going to lose”

“Alright, music stop!”

Before Yuri could step on the newspaper, Jessica jumped on her back. She adjusted the latter to make her comfortable and tiptoed on their newspaper.

“You’re unsurprisingly light” Yuri commented.

“Shut up”

“Time to count. Everybody, count with me. 1…2…3…4…. – “

*thud*

“Oh, looks like we have a winner. Umma, would you like to announce who the winner is?”

“Oh? Sure, sure. The winner is the pairing of Jessica and Yuri! You two dear, approach me later for your prizes, okay?”

At the announcement of their winning was finished, Yuri let Jessica down but the latter won’t get off of her.

“Oi”

“Just a little bit more”

“H – Huh?” Yuri blushed at what Jessica said.

“Huh? What? No, I didn’t say anything” Jessica quickly jumped off of Yuri.

“Ya, you two are really a great pair” Yoona approached the two. She realized that the two are not looking at each other nor talking and they are just blushing. “Yo, what happened here?”

“N – Nothing happened” Jessica walked out. Yoona looked at Yuri confusingly.

“Don’t look at me like that. I also don’t know what’s gotten into her”

“You know Yul, if I didn’t know that my cousin is not in good terms with you, I would think that the two of you are a couple”

“W – What are you talking about?”

“If only you could see what the two of looked like during the game, you would also think like me”

“Pshh, quit it, Yoong”

“If you say so”

“Pssst, Yoong”

“Hmm?”

“Look at Hyunnie”

“Where is she?”

“There at the food table” Yoona looked at the table. Her right eyebrow twitched because of the scene before her. “Look, she’s talking to a boy who is around her age. She seldom does that before. She really is growing up now. Do you know who that little boy is?”

“He’s my cousin. Wait here Yul. I’m will just go somewhere”

“Where?” Yoona didn’t answer Yuri and just left. Her eyes roamed around the living room. “There she is” She walked towards the staircase.

“Jessica”

“Oh Yoona, what are you doing here?”

“Can you entertain Yonghwa for a while?”

“Yonghwa? Why? Where is he?”

“He’s at the food table talking to a girl”

“If he is talking to someone, why would I disturb them?”

“You know Yonghwa. That little boy likes to pull pranks on girls his age or younger”

“Even if you say that, I see and feel no harm in him today. It looks like that he is just being friendly with the little girl”

“Well I do sense harm in him today” Yoona heaved a sigh “Unnie~” She used her aegyo voice.

“Argh. Don’t use that on me. It’s better you don’t call me unnie if you will just going to use that tone”

“Unnie, please~”

“Okay. Okay. Wait. That little girl that he’s talking with, do you know her?”

“She’s my last gift this year”

“Really? Then that little girl is surely very special to you”

“She is”

“Okay~ I will do what you want now”

“Thank you” Before Jessica could leave, Yoona stopped her. “Wait. I’ve changed my mind”

“What do you want now?”

“Don’t bother about Yonghwa anymore. Spend time with Seohyun instead”

“Seohyun?”

“The little girl”

“You want me to talk to her?”

“Yeah”

“Okay. Then, I’ll go now”

“Wait”

“Hmm?”

“Thank you, unnie”

“You calling me unnie gives me Goosebumps. Just call me by my name” Jessica left.

--------------------------

Time passed and the party is still at its hype but it is already time for Seohyun to go home. Yuri looked at her watch.

“7:20. it’s time for Hyunnie to go home. Now, where could that little girl be?” Yuri scanned the whole. “Ah, there she is” She saw her cousin sitting alone in a couch at the corner.

“There you are, Hyunnie.”

“Yuri unnie”

“You need to go home, now”

“I’m back, Joohyun” Jessica appeared. Both young adults were surprise to see each other.

“Jessica unnie, she’s the one I’m talking about. My cousin, Yuri unnie”

“W – Wait, Hyunnie. You know her?” Seohyun nodded.

“Just now, unnie. Why?”

“Nothing, nothing. Anyway, you need to go home now. I promised auntie that you will be home at 8.”

“After you walked me home, you will go back here, right?”

“Huh? Uh, y – yeah”

“That’s unfair!”

“Hyunnie, please”

“Joohyun ah” Jessica crouched at Seohyun’s level. “You should listen to your cousin. A good girl listens to what elders say. You’re a good girl, right?” Seohyun nodded. “I’ll go get Yoona so that she could bid you goodbye” Jessica left the two.

“Hyunnie, how did you become close to Jessica?”

“Well, earlier, when I was talking with Yonghwa oppa, Jessica unnie approached us and excused me. When I asked her why, she said there’s no reason then we started chatting.

“That Yonghwa boy, he’s Yoona’s cousin, right?”

“Cousin…Jessica excusing Hyunnie with no apparent reason…Buddy, you’re being protective of the little angel, huh?” Yuri muttered under her breath.

“Are you saying something, unnie?”

“Huh? No. Nothing. Say Hyunnie, did Yoong say something to you about gifts?”

“Gifts? She did. She said that the gift I gave her will be the last gift that she’ll open.”

“You’re her last gift, huh? No wonder why she’s acting like that”

“Seohyun” Yoona arrived with Jessica.

“Yoona unnie”

“You’re going home, already?” Seohyun nodded.

“Made a promise with auntie that she should be at home by 8” Yuri said.

“I see.” Yoona crouched. “Thank you for coming. You really made me happy”

“Thank you too unnie for inviting me” Yoona smiled and spread her arms. Seohyun smiled also and hugged the older girl which the latter warmly reciprocated. Jessica and Yuri smiled at the scene before them. Yoona broke the hug.

“Go now”

“Bye unnie. Happy Birthday again”

“Goodbye, Seohyun”

“Goodbye Jessica unnie”

“Goodbye Joohyun”

“Kwon Yul” Yoona called Yuri.

“Hmm?”

“Be careful”

“Aww, don’t worry. I’ll come back here in one piece.”

“Not you, dork”

“Hahaha! I know. I know. I will walk this little girl safe and sound. Hyunnie, let’s go. See you later, buddy” The two went out of the house and left.