blue birthday - yang jungwon.

I. PRESENT DAY, 2026.

"Happy birthday, (Name)!"

You hate your birthday.

It should be the happiest day of the year - you're a year older, and you're celebrating it with friends. But all you remember when you think of your birthday is the sickening sound of a car screeching to a stop, and seeing a body, lying on the ground - crimson staining his clothes.

Yang Jungwon.

That was his name.

Your first love. Five years ago on your birthday, there was a terrible accident. You remember frantic screams, and you remember seeing Jungwon getting hit.

You two were heading back to his apartment to celebrate. He was so excited too - he had a cake prepared, decorations strewn across his apartment, and he even bought his dog Maeumi a party hat.

Maybe if you two headed out just a few minutes late - maybe if you lied, and said that you needed five extra minutes at the library then he would still be here, next to you.

Maybe he would still be alive.

So no, it's not a happy birthday.

Every birthday of yours has been absolutely horrible ever since the accident. In fact, you dread for the day to come. When it rolls around every year, your friends insist on celebrating with you because they know all you'll be doing is sitting at home, crying with Maeumi in your lap, wishing that Jungwon was here.

"So... do you wanna open your presents?" Hikaru asks, gesturing to the pile in the corner of your apartment.

"Okay," you hum, and Youngeun gives you a soft smile. She knows that she despises this day more than anything, but she hopes that her presence, alongside with Hikaru and Intak's, will at least make you feel a little less lonely.

Youngeun remembers how in high school, you would celebrate your birthday with Jungwon. It was tradition - he'd always go all out for you. Buying balloons online during class when he knew you weren't looking, ordering a cake from the bakery that you liked even though he needed to take the train there, and buying you the giant teddy bear that you had gushed over for months as a gift, despite how finding a box to put it in was a pain.

She sees the longing look on your face. You've set up an empty plate and set of cutlery on the table, and Youngeun knows who it's meant for.

Hikaru happily brings over the stash of gifts with a giddy smile, and Intak takes his gift out of the pile first. "Here," he says, handing it to you. "I hope you like it," he smiles.

You open the box, and you see a candle alongside a bracelet that you've remembered mentioning to Intak before. A silver chain, with a tiny charm of a butterfly on it. "Thank you, Intak - I love it." You clasp the bracelet onto your wrist.

"I'm glad you like it," Intak says with a grin. "Hikaru, give your gift to (Name)!"

"Here you go! Happy birthday, (Name)." Hikaru chirps, and you smile. "Thank you, Hikaru." you say, and when you open the box, you can't help but let out a small chuckle. It's the headphones that you've been gushing over for a while now, but you just never decided to buy it.

"I knew you'd never go to the store to buy it for yourself, so I just... did it for you! Happy birthday," she grins, wrapping her arms around you in a hug, and you smile. "Thank you - they're really nice," you respond.

Maeumi crawls into your lap, and you pat him on the head gently. Jungwon's phone number is still on his collar - you can't bear to change it to yours, even if he lives with you now.