He was going to be twenty-one in a few days and he still had one more wish that was not fulfilled. It was quite painful, and he hated it. It was embarrassing as he didn’t want his hyungs to too much so he mostly kept the frustrations to himself. But he had never been one who was good at keeping his feelings a secret and they were observant enough to know.

            “So you really like her, don’t you?” Luckily it was Youngjae-Hyung who brought it up. If it had been the other two older ones, Junhong would have died. They would never let him live it down. At least Youngjae would be a little more understanding.

            “Is it that obvious?”

            “You tell me. Daehyun-ah! Do you think it’s obvious who our baby maknae likes?” Scratch that. These two were the worst people in the group to even begin this conversation with. Youngjae-Hyung was her best friend, and Daehyun-Hyung, her bias. So in his head, he considered them rivals, even if just secretly and kill him before he dared to admit it out loud to either of them.

            He first met her three years ago. It was two years into their debut and that was when they began to be more open about their outside friends. She knew Youngjae since middle school and they had managed to keep in touch. The first time he introduced her to the group, Junhong had thought that sooner or later, he’d be hearing about dating news. But it never happened. Instead, she joined the group on her days off from school, or when they had days off and could go out without being too noticed.

            She was pretty, but not drop dead gorgeous. But to call her simply girl-next-door was too unfair. She was caring to all of them and also had a sense of humor that could match Himchan-Hyung’s. She was sharp-tongued, quick-witted. How else could she have lasted in a friendship with Youngjae? But she also made it very clear that her favorite in the group was Daehyun. And when at first, she would stare at him, slack-jawed, Junhong was positive that if it wasn’t Youngjae, it would be Daehyun who would be dating. But again, it never happened.

            He figured it must be because his hyungs were too shy. But when they began talking about other girls, Junhong started to have hope. Even if she liked either of them, it would be unrequited. So, at the tender age of nineteen, he decided he was going to try to express himself.

            To say that his attempts failed would clearly be an understatement. Here he was, days before his twenty-first birthday and still pining away. He had tried to get her alone, but it seemed like she was a two-in-one with any five of his hyungs. From the moment she joined their group to the second she left, he could never manage to speak five words with her alone before someone else joined.

            The others first began noticing when they saw how quiet he became whenever she came. At first, they had chalked it up to shyness. “Our Junhong is still so young. He doesn’t know how to interact with girls,” Himchan laughed one night as they were talking about the female idols who tried to greet him but always failed to get anything but a quick bow and nod from him. But it became more evident when he began to add a blush to his pale cheeks whenever he saw her. However, they left him alone for the most part.

            Junhong tried to give her gifts on her birthday. But she always seemed to receive all the presents the same way; with a large smile and a welcoming hug in gratitude. There was no favoritism and that was both comforting and worrying. Maybe she didn’t like any of them.

            Youngjae-Hyung suggested messaging her privately, outside of their group chat. “I do the same.” But that would be too scary. Junhong didn’t know where to start. So he tried instead to just stay by her side when they all hung out because proximity can breed warm feelings.

            Last year, she had gone out drinking with just Youngjae and Daehyun. Junhong was up when they came back, and they were sitting out on the terrace. It made his heart sour to see her sitting between the two older men. She had her arms flung around both their shoulders.

            “Who is your ideal type?” Her words were slurred and it was evident that she was tipsy. Youngjae laughed and knocked his head on hers.

            “Between the two of us, who’s better?”

            She had giggled and kissed Daehyun’s cheek. “I just kissed my bias!” All three of them laughed and Junhong wanted to look away, wanted to force himself to walk away and go back to sleep so he could forget the painful scene before him.

            Daehyun turned to her and asked, “Of the six of us, who would you date?”

            She made a noise with her tongue and shrugged. “I don’t date younger guys so Jongup and Hongie are out.” That was when Daehyun turned around and stared right at Junhong. He colored, embarrassed at having been caught eavesdropping and prayed his hyung wouldn’t give him away. Daehyun must have been the least drunk of them all because he only gave a small nod and turned back to the conversation, changing topics as quickly as it had started.

            It bothered Junhong every night for a good month. Once he swallowed the hurt, he decided it was probably better that he had kept his crush to himself. It definitely spared him some misery of rejection.

            But a lot has happened in a year. He grew to like her more, and they seemed to be closer. His hyungs were more open to teasing him, a sign he took to mean that he may have a chance. Who knew what she told them when they were alone? He made it his goal that before his next birthday he would confess to her, and whatever happened be damned.

            She didn’t visit them until the day of, and they were backstage before a concert. His hyungs were practicing in their dressing room and that was when he saw her walking down the hallway to their room.

            “Noona!” She turned to him and smiled.

            “Happy birthday! Let’s go see everyone.”

            “Right in here.” And he walked into a random room. The moment he opened the door, he saw that it was dark. She gave him a confused look but he pulled her in anyway. Maybe the darkness would give him courage.

            Junhong allowed their eyes to adjust to the dark and then in a quick breath, confessed his long-felt feelings. “I like you. I’ve liked you for a very long time. I know you may not necessarily date younger guys but I just wanted to let you know that I like you a lot.”

            There was more silence and he was grateful for the tiny beam of light coming in from the cracks of the door. It was now or never. Junhong bent at the waist and took her hand. She didn’t stop him. He took in a deep breath and quickly kissed her, pressing his lips against hers a little harder than he meant to in his urgency and nervousness.

            He counted to five before pulling away. He had done it. Regardless how the ending was, he had done it. Junhong took a deep breath and shyly confessed, “That was my first kiss. I had to do it or I’d regret it forever.”

            Now that the act was done, the embarrassment came on in full force. He started towards the door, ready to leave when another door opened behind them and the lights came on in full blast.

            “Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday, our baby maknae, happy birthday to you!” Junhong felt his face burn. He was caught between the girl he liked and his hyungs, who was bound to question them.

            The room became silent as the five other people observed what was going on around them. Then suddenly, Youngjae let out a groan. “Please just say yes already. Grant the poor kid his birthday wish and allow yourself to finally admit to yourself that you do like him.”

            Junhong stared at her and saw that she was a bright pink. She coughed nervously, nothing like her usual composed self and then smiled shyly at him. “Happy birthday, Hongie. I like you too.”

This is for hyunyoungpark

Thank you for waiting so patiently for this!! 

Happy birthday to our precious baby maknae ♥