"Shhhh! She's still sleeping!"

"Don't wake her yet!"

"Have the candles been lighted yet?"

"Yah! Stop pushing me!"

Byeol stirred in her sleep. What were all those voices? "What day is it..." she mumbled and sat up, rubbing her eyes.

"Happy birthday!!" Everyone screamed, holding a birthday cake out to her.

"Don't you guys mean 'in advance'? Today is christmas eve." Byeol yawned.

"Isn't it better to have your birthday one day earlier?" Gongchan grinned.

"No...?" She laughed. "It's okay, i don't mind."

"See, i told you she wouldn't mind!" Sandeul said smugly.

"Make a wish and blow the candles." Baro smiled warmly.

Byeol closed her eyes. *I wish everyone will remain happy after i leave.*

★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆

Everyone was gathered in the living room silently. 

"Were we too much?" CNU whispered.

"It was just cake..." Sandeul pouted.

"Maybe stars hate getting cake on their face." Gongchan mumbled.

"Right.... i almost forgot she isn't human." Jinyoung sighed. "It was probably a bad idea to smash cake onto her face."

"I'll go check on her." Baro stood up and went upstairs."Byeol?" He knocked on her room door and entered slowly.

Byeol was hunched up on her bed, crying softly.

"I'm sorry, were we too much? We didn't mean to make you cry." He rushed forward and cradled her in his arms. "I'm sorry."

Byeol shook her head. "I'm not crying over that." She wiped her tears. "It's just...."

"Just what?"

"I can't believe a year's passed by like this."

"Like what? We had lots of fun."

"It's not enough fun."

"Then we'll have more next year."

Byeol hesitated, wondering if she should tell him, but decided to keep shut. "Okay." She nodded. "Next year." She sniffled and smiled.

★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆

Everyone was silent as Byeol helped Jinyoung to prepare breakfast in the kitchen. 

"Breakfast is ready!" Jinyoung hollered, bringing plates of food out.

Byeol helped the set the table and sat down happily. "Why is everyone so quiet?"

"We were afraid you were mad at us so..." Sandeul trailed off.

"Sorry." CNU finished Sandeul's sentence.

Byeol burst into peals of laughter. "You guys were worried over that?"

Gongchan nodded cutely. "Sorry."

"I'm not mad." She smiled.

"You're not?" Sandeul asked.

She shook her head. 

"You guys worry too much."

Everyone turned to Baro for confirmation.

"Why are you guys staring at me like that?" Baro gave an innocent look.

"Because you went to comfort her." Jinyoung said with a straight face.

"She's absolutely fine." Baro smiled, digging into his meal.

"Told you." Byeol giggled. "I was just shocked. Now can everyone stop staring at me like this and start eating? It feels weird if you guys aren't snatching for food. Especially Sandeul oppa."

"Yes ma'am!" Sandeul saluted Byeol and they all started eating.

★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆

"Are you sureeeeee you're not mad?" Gongchan asked for the billionth time.

"Nope. I was just a little startled. It's not everyday i get cake smashed into my face. Especially not up there." Byeol laughed.

"In-coming tree!" Jinyoung hollered, bringing in a freshly chopped tree from the market. "Where's the pot?"

"Here!" Baro came running from the backyard.

"I've got the spade!" CNU grinned from the couch.

"And i've got the soil!" Sandeul smiled. "Eww it has earthworms." He wrinkled his nose.

"Stop being a baby and help me with this." Jinyoung shook his head.

"Yes sir!" Everyone chorused.In the next few hours, they all helped with decorating the christmas tree, making a huge mess while doing it, which caused Jinyoung to flare up at some times. But of course, he could never stay angry for long at those kids who always made him smile.

"We need to go get presents... so... you two enjoy yourselves!" CNU waved happily and pulled the boys out of the house, leaving Baro alone with Byeol.

"You guys have planned this for weeks, haven't you?" Byeol laughed softly.

"Sort of." Baro grinned sheepishly.

"I knew it."

"I want to show you something." He took her hand and led her up the stairs to the rooftop.It was a beautiful night. The sky was so clear you could see all the stars there were in the galaxy.

Baro flicked a switch at the side of the wall, and thousands of lights flickered on before their eyes. The tent in the middle of the rooftop lit up.

"Come on." He pulled her gently into the tent and smiled. 

Byeol's eyes widened as she slowly took in her surroundings. Baro had secretly taken hundreds of photos of her, printed them out in polaroid forms, and hung them inside the tent.

"People would think you were a stalker." Byeol murmured after several minutes of silence.

He laughed. "It's okay, i don't mind."

"When did you take all these? I don't have any impression of them at all."

"I'm a skilled paparazzi okay. Look, this one was taken when you first tried eating a lemon." He pointed to a photograph where her face was all scrunched up. "It's cute."

"And this is the one where i ate chocolate for the first time." She pointed to another. "But... why did you add fairy-lights in here?"

"To make you feel more at home. Aren't there fairy-lights like stars shining brightly in the night sky?"

Byeol smiled. "That's so sweet."

"I'm glad i met you." He sighed contently and sat down on the cushions, pulling Byeol down with him.

"Sunwoo oppa... what made you fall for me? Why did you choose me out of so many others?"

"Hmm. You're just different. You're pretty, cute, honest, sincere, have a heart made of pure gold... it's impossible to list everything out."

Tears threatened to spill out of her eyes.

"Hey, are you going to cry again?"He ruffled her hair. "Don't cry. It'll make me feel bad. You've been crying a lot today. Girls get wrinkles if they cry too much."

"I'm not human. I'm a star."

"I know. You've drilled that fact into my mind." He paused. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"It's nothing." She smiled. "I still can't believe it's Christmas tomorrow. The last time i checked, i was lying in the backyard over there, with 5 strange creatures peering at me."

He chuckled. "Time really flies, doesn't it?"

She nodded. "Was Christmas any different before i arrived?"

"It's rotated 180 degrees now. Christmas used to be insane too, but it wasn't as fun as the Christmas when you arrived. It's the first time i celebrated someone's birthday on Christmas."

"Is that a good or bad thing?"

"Of course it's good. It's a new experience."

"Then i guess christmas would be a lot different if i weren't here, right?"

"You bet. By the way, you sound really sad today."

"I do? I think i sound perfectly normal."

"You sound like someone's who's leaving."

"Cha Sunwoo. Are you doubting me?"

"No. But must you do this?"

"Do what?" She gave him a confused look. 

"I can't just say 'Byeol'. It has to be 'Lee Byeol' or 'Seo Byeol' or it won't sound strict! On the other hand, you easily get away with sounding strict because i have a surname." 

Byeol burst into laughter. "Well, it's not my fault stars don't have surnames!"

"Can't you make one up?"

"I thought everyone decided on Lee Byeol?"

"But that would mean you're related to Sandeul in a way and that's just weird!"

"Then think of something else."

"Hmm... Kim? But Kim's too common. It has to be something unique."

"Is Byeol Byeol unique enough?"

"Byeol is a surname?"

"Korea's so huge, there might be someone with a surname Byeol. You never know."

He laughed. "The guys are all giving you their presents tomorrow. Can i give you mine now?"

"Why not?" She smiled.

"Close your eyes."

She did as she was told. She felt something warm press against her lips.

Baro pulled away from the kiss. "Happy birthday." He whispered.

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

So many questions about Byeol's departure heheh. I'm not saying anything yet. There could be a possibility of her staying. Am i a bad author? Hehe. 

Read on to find out! ^^