CHAPTER 040: Birthday And Laundry    

It's Chanyeol's birthday and you wake up early to go to the grocery store with your mom to buy him some cake and balloons with a gift card. 

  When Luhan and Kris come down stairs from playing videos games for the whole afternoon, they're surprised to see the cake on the table, gift card sitting on top, and the balloons tied to a chair.    Kris thinks that maybe this is for him because his birthday had passed earlier that month and it wasn't the best so he thinks that whoever bought this is trying to redeem themselves. The only event he got that day was a cupcake from Lucy and twenty dollars from her husband, which was really rude considering that Kris knew the guy got paid well and he was basically surviving in allowance money. Nana had made him breakfast and kissed him on the forehead and your parents had also given him money, which he was okay with because they each gave him twenty which made forty bucks. On the other hand, you had given him nothing but an awkward fist bump. He had been left unsatisfied but he figures that your awkward fist bump was better than Luhan's gift, which was a picture of himself as he was getting off the plane. Kris had sighed and told Luhan a very numb, "Thanks."            "Who's Birthday is it?" Kris asks, just to make sure; however, your parents nor nana answer.    Luhan pokes one of the balloons just as you walk in           You smack him on the arm and he whimpers. "Don't do that," you glare at him.    Kris turns to you and he looks very uncomfortable. You raise your brow at him but don't point out his stiff posture.    The boy had dreamed about you in a very promising position doing a very promising thing that you shouldn't really be doing. Of course, he feels more guilty because he was the one that dreamed such a thing.            "Is your fever better, Kris?" Nana mumbles as she sips into some warm tea.    Kris nods, "I'm better." Then he asks again, "Who's birthday is it?"           "Chanyeol's," you respond.    Kris feels bitter.            "I'll be going now," you then say, picking up the cake with the card on top of it, as well as grabbing the balloons.            "Who's gonna give you a ride to Chanyeol's?" Your dad asks.            "Myself," you smile.            "Nevermind, I don't trust you just yet with your license. You haven't drove in years. I'll take you," your dad changes his mind and grabs his car keys.    You smile because you don't mind the turn of events.    Once you're gone, Kris puffs out his cheeks and sits down on the dining table.            "They really are cute," Nana says.    Kris raises his eyebrows. Your mom looks up from her coffee, "Who?"             "Hana and that boyfriend of hers," Nana responds.    Kris wants to scoff.    Luhan grins, "Do you think they'll last a long time and get married. Chanyeol seems like the type to take that into consideration. So does Hana."    Kris intervenes, "It's a little too early to think about marriage. They barely know eachother." It upsets him how he's saying this as if it's really a problem, as if it could really happen, as if it's happening right now.            "That's not true," your mom mumbles. "They've been friends for a while. He knows her long enough."             "For marriage?" Kris deadpans, almost irritated.    Your mom tilts her head in thought. "I mean," she begins, "Not marriage. At least not now."             "So you're considering their marriage," Kris stands up, crossing his arms.    Your mom grows nervous, she looks around the room for backup. Luhan meets her eyes, "Leave her alone. Maybe she thinks Chanyeol is a good husband candidate."   Kris snorts. "He's not a good husband candidate unless he proves himself to be so. Besides, why are you defending him, Luhan?"            "Why? I cannot defend him?" Luhan says.   Nana snorts, "Besides, it's not like you're a great husband candidate."            "No one said anything about me!" Kris glares at his own grandmother, "Stop getting me involved."   Your mom leaves the kitchen because she feels like she's in danger. Instead, she seeks asylum on the living room.    Nana laughs and then she abruptly stops laughing to glare at Kris, " my ."    Luhan gasps and Kris almost falls to the floor.    Nana nods her head, "You heard me." And then she's walking away, slowly whispering to herself, "I've won this battle."    Kris turns to Luhan when she's out of the kitchen, "What the hell is wrong with her? And did she just tell me to her ?"    Luhan nods, "Yes, she did tell you to her . And she's mad because you won't admit your feelings for Hana."    Kris snorts, "I don't have feelings..." But then it trails off and he begins to think about how he had a wet dream about you. However, that doesn't mean he loves or likes you. It just means that he thinks you're hot, which is cool because you are very physically attractive.            "You don't have feelings...?" Luhan raises a brow.    Kris glares at him, "I mean... I might find myself like, I don't know, attracted to her..." And he doesn't know why he's revealing this piece of information to Luhan. Though the boy is his best friend and he has always told him everything.    Luhan smiles now, all smug and annoying, "Really? And what made you come to the realization?" He figures that this is a small step for Kris to the realization that he's in love with you. This is a small step but it's meaning is much larger than just that.             "Huh?"    Luhan crosses his arms, smiling, "When did you realize this?"    Kris thinks about this. I don't know since the first time I saw her at the airport and she was wearing my least favorite type of clothing article: short overalls. Though he had decided that you were lame after that and kind of avoided you, he then took notice that you were extremely attractive. How ever he could have realized it the day that you barely knew each other and nana and him were standing right outside the bathroom door as you opened it and you were wrapped in a white fluffy towel and he thought, "Wow, she's completely under there. Wet and ". Of course that's after he got to know you and actually spoke to you. Which wasn't a very nice conversation since you two just started yelling at eachother and then you guys fought. All just because Kris had accidentally slipped.    Memories, Kris thinks to himself.   Luhan realizes that Kris will not tell him that so he goes with the next big thing. "Why are you telling me now that you find her attractive?" Luhan says, "Did you have a wet dream or something?" He laughs. However, the laughter stops when he sees the way Kris freezes and looks like a deer caught in the headlights.    He frowns, "Wait, you're serious? You had a wet dream about Hana?"    Kris tenses and knows better than to encourage the subject.           "You had a wet dream about Hana?" Nana pops her head in the kitchen.    Luhan laughs and Kris groans. He stomps away with Luhan following behind.    As they both climb the stairs, Nana yells, "Keep trying, honey! The dream could become reality!"    Kris marches to his room and is about to slam the door in Luhan's face but the other boy is too fast and walks in before he can.    Kris groans but shuts the door anyway.    Luhan sits on his bed. "I can't believe you had a wet dream about Hana..."   Kris glares at him and lies down on his bed, placing his lap top on his lap.             "How hot was she?" Luhan raises a brow.    Kris looks up at him, "What?"            "You know," the deer looking boys smiles, "How hot was she in your dream?"   Kris thinks, really ing hot. However, he wants that information to be for only him to know, for only his eyes to see and his brain to remember. Even if it's a dream, it's only his wet dream.             "You're gross," he says and looks down at his lap top, not knowing what else to do.    Luhan chuckles and he decides to add salt to the burn because he then says, "It doesn't matter, anyways. Chanyeol's the only one that will get to see the real thing now."    Kris looks up to see Luhan staring back at him, and he wants to say something offensive because it feels like that's the thing he should do; however, he feels like he's in no position because he realizes- and he hates himself for even thinking about it- that yes, Chanyeol is, possibly, the only man who could see you that way now. It bothers him a lot and for the first time ever, he lets the conversation go.        ****************       Out of all places you could have taken with Chanyeol, you pick the restaurant he and his ex girlfriend enjoyed the most in the past. You don't know about this until you ask him why he's so tense and he refuses to tell you until you pry the truth out of him.            "I'm sorry," you say because the last thing you wanted to do was make him remember someone who hurt him.    Chanyeol looks flustered, "No, don't be! This is great. We can make new memories in this place."    You smile at him.    Earlier you had made reservations to this place without having any idea it contained history. However, after a while of chatting and Chanyeol making jokes that make you snort out water, the atmosphere turns into a colorful one. For the first two hours of the evening, you guys look like a happy couple with a great relationship and amazing sense of style since you made sure to dress formal and Chanyeol looks just as handsome. You both order food, and in the middle of eating you tell Chanyeol that you will pay, which arises a playful argument. At the end, it's decided that you will both split the bill in half. You pout at him because you planned this and so you find it your responsibility to pay for it as well.    Except that as you guys are waiting for the check, a familiar face enters. Chanyeol sees Yuri and her mother first since he's facing them, while they face your back.    You frown at his tense face and turn around only to see her wearing a beautiful purple cocktail dress. You tense as well and suddenly feel like an intruder. This isn't the way you pictures your day with Chanyeol to go. There's sudden guilt gnawing at your chest.    To make things worse the waiter has not come with your check and Yuri's mom so happens to recognize Chanyeol.            "Chanyeol!" She walks over, and you can hear each step she takes as her heels clack against the floor.    And then she hugs Chanyeol. Now everything is just uncomfortable for you.    You turn back around and meet Yuri's eyes and the girl looks frantic, trying to decipher what to do in the moment. She looks at you with wide eyes and since you don't give her a bad face (instead one that says, "Hey, this is awkward...") She instead smiles sheepishly, turning red.    You look away and then hear her coming over to the table.    Chanyeol's mom is bombarding Chanyeol with questions. "Where have you been?" And "We missed you. Will you ever come over?" and, "Did you know Yuri just won't stop talking about you! She said you'd visit soon but you never did! She told me two days ago that you went on a trip and that's why you haven't been around? Where did you go?"    You think she talks a lot but not even that will beat the realization that you just had: Yuri is yet to tell her parents about her and Chanyeol breaking up.    Your heart's mood goes down. You feel saddened. It feels like you got between a healthy relationship.            "Mom," Yuri looks like she's about to sob in embarrassment. She doesn't meet Chanyeol's eyes, you note; however, Chanyeol's staring at her.    You feel like an intruder again.           "What's wrong? It's Chanyeol," her mom laughs.    Yuri frowns, "He's eating..."    Yuri's mom then looks at you and then she smiles, genuine and sweet, "And with a guest too! Who might you be?"    You think she's too nice and in your head you say, "I'm sorry I stole your daughter's boyfriend."           "I'm Hana," you smile at her, awkwardly.    She smiles, "Nice to meet you, Hana."   Yuri intervenes, pulls her mother to her side. "We're gonna leave. Going to let you guys have a nice dinner. I'm so sorry." She begins to walk but her mom looks at her and stops. "But he's your boyfriend? Why would we leave- we could just eat-"           "Mom," Yuri practically begs. "Please, let's go."    The waiter comes with the check and he eyes all of you warily before placing the check on the table and then walking away.    Chanyeol places the money inside the check and then he stands up. "No, it's fine. We'll leave. We're done eating." And then he smiles, fake but bright and happy enough to believe.    You stare at his lips. The way his teeth show and his eyes dart to Yuri, who's red but looks emotionally touched.    Her mom smiles, "You're always such a gentleman!" You stand up by instinct when Chanyeol moves out of his chair to give Yuri's mom his seat.    The lady smiles wider, old and gentle this time, "What a gentleman you are, Chanyeol." Chanyeol waits for her to sit before he pushes her seat in. "I'm so glad my daughter has found a man like you!"    Chanyeol doesn't tense, nor does he pause in shock or any other type of feeling. He just keeps smiling, looking at the lady with