the tutor | choi beomgyu

chapter 30: happy birthday

4:00 PM, Saturday, March 13th, 2022

"Karaoke! Karaoke!" Yeeun and Choerry skipped down the street, a cake box in Yeeun's arms.
"There you are," you said as you approached them, Jeno walking next to you. You were holding a white gift bag.
"Sorry, my laundry needed an extra run," Choerry sighed.
"You guys ready?" Yeeun said, shaking the cake box.
"Yep, the target is in the designated area," Jeno said.
"Okay, this is not a spy mission," you chuckled.
"Whatever, let's go," Jeno gestured his hands to the right. Today was Beomgyu's birthday. And so you had all conspired a surprise for him. Jeno and Choerry had told you that Beomgyu had a birthday tradition. He would always go to the PC café for lunch on his special day. So, you proposed the idea of surprising him there with a cake, and going to karaoke. Thus, you were on the move.

"Cake?" Jeno stood with his hands on his hips outside the PC café door.
"Check," Yeeun said. The three of you stood in a line facing Jeno.
"Presents?" he asked.
"Check~," Choerry replied.
"Y/N?" he looked at you.
"Check...?" you raised an eyebrow. The others laughed.
"Oh what, am I a checklist item?" you rolled your eyes. There was another moment of laughter.
"Okay, okay, I'm going in, be ready!" he said before opening the glass door. The three of you watched Jeno disappear into the building. Choerry looked up at the grey-ish sky.
"You guys sure it's not gonna rain?" Choerry squinted.
"It has been raining a lot lately," Yeeun looked up too.
"The forecast said the chances were low," you were all looking at the sky now.

"How could he have left?!" Jeno was now back outside the PC café with the three of you. He was pacing back and forth.
"Seriously?" Choerry whined.
"I swear to you, Jeno and I saw him in there just before we met up with you guys," you said.
"She's right," Jeno placed his hands up his hips.
"Well he can't be far," Yeeun said.
"Where could he possibly be headed?" Choerry asked. You all looked at each other.
"Home!"

______

[BEOMGYU]

Die, die, die, yes!!! Beomgyu's eyes were focused on the computer screen. His fingers danced around his keyboard, with his right rapidly clicking the computer mouse. His expression full of concentration. I need to heal, he bit his lip. I'm gonna die if someone doesn't revive me in time, he continued. Suddenly, his phone began vibrating on the table.
"Oh?" his attention turned to his phone. Without hesitation, he flipped the phone over, making the screen light up.
"Mom?" he picked up the phone.
"Mm," he nodded with the phone up to his head.
"Already?" he placed his hands back on the keyboard, using his shoulder to hold the phone up to his ear. C'mon, c'mon...
"No, no ones messaged me yet," he said.
"Yeah," he said. Ah, he rolled his eyes and slumped back in his chair as he watched his game character die.
"Well I'm sure there's a reason," he said in a loving tone.
"Uh-huh, yeah, okay, yeah, yes, I know, bye, ah-, ugh, I love you too, now goodbye," his removed the phone from his ear. Time to go home, he sighed.

______

[Y/N]

Rain was falling down at regular pace.
"Our plans could not be more ruined," Choerry panted. The four of you now stood on Beomgyu's street, trying to protect yourselves from the rain, while catching your breathes.
"Let's just hurry, there's no point in trying to make a surprise now," Jeno sighed. You began jogging again, the other following.
"Don't go too fast, the cake'll get ruined!" Yeeun held the cake box underneath her shirt.

You only became more antsy as you grew closer to that big brown house. The four of you trudged up the wet grassy lawn.
"He better be here," Jeno panted. The four of you gathered on to the doorstep quickly. Jeno banged his knuckles on the front door. The rain continued pouring down. A figure could been seen approaching through the blurry door window. Then, the door knob turned and the group was greeted by a familiar face.
"Oh, hello?" it was Beomgyu's older brother.
"Uh, hi, is Beomgyu here?" Jeno asked as he shivered.
"No, he should be on his way though," he said awkwardly. The four of you all stared directly at him, soaking wet.
"Well, would you like to come in?" he asked.
"Yes please!" Yeeun said loudly as she shoved her way into the house; the cake box was still protruding out from under her shirt. You were second to last to file in the house, with Choerry behind you.
"Oh it's you," Beomgyu's brother looked directly at you. You froze.
"Huh?" you muttered. He just scoffed and then walked past you to the kitchen. Your heart was jumping out of your chest. What does that mean?! Wh-what?! you were utterly confused.
"What was that?" Choerry had stopped with you. You turned to her and shrugged with a confused expression.