𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝'𝐯𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐎𝐧 | ᵗʰᵉ ⁱᵐᵖᵒˢˢⁱᵇˡᵉ ʰᵉⁱʳ

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟓

Seri's friends prioritise Taeri's surprise birthday party over their residency applications and sub-internships. Most of them have spent time babysitting the preschooler in their faculty library, with them studying and her doing her homework side by side. It surprises Seri that they'd drop all their plans on a Friday evening to celebrate her kid turning six.

"I'm not sure how long I can keep this up," Seri whispers furtively into her phone, hiding around the corner from Taeri while still keeping an eye on her. "She's already tried every single arcade game twice."

"Don't blame me!" Inha whines from the other end. "Taeoh still hasn't picked out a present."

In the back, she can hear Taeoh order him tersely, Pull over here. We haven't been to that store yet.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Inha sasses back before returning to her, "Seriously. This guy just can't make up his mind. I didn't even think twice before signing a cheque."

"You wrote her a cheque!?" Seri and, coincidentally, Taeoh exclaim in unison. "Are you nuts?" She blurts, "There's no need for that. There's no need for any more presents either. Taeri was quite happy after flaunting her new outfit—"

Tell her to hang up, she hears Taeoh grumble followed by the click of a door. Inha sighs loudly and mumbles 'see you later'.

Seri and Taeri spend another fifteen minutes at the claw machine before heading home. Taeri sits up front in the car, soundly sipping her raspberry lemonade and peeping out of the window.

"Sorry we couldn't have the party you wanted," Seri lies, hands on the steering wheel.

"That's okay," Taeri sticks her tongue out to check her reflection in the side view mirror and titters happily at the patch of pinkish red from the lemonade. "I've seen you cry about your tests so it's more important for Auntie Zara and the others to study."

Seri bites the inside of her cheek to stifle an amused laugh.

The soon-to-be six-year-old then pouts and wiggles her toes. "I thought Taeoh would come though," she mutters.

"Hey, you're not supposed to call him by name. He's older than you."

She rolls her eyes at the reprimand. "Dunno. Calling him ahjusshi or uncle or anything else. It sounds weird."

Their street is surprisingly empty save for the usual cars crammed under the streetlights and narrow lanes. It's not too late in the night but it's still oddly quiet. Well, Seri knows it's not odd. Their neighbours are currently ducking behind the sofa and the shelves and the tables at her house.

"Why don't you open the door while I get our shopping out?" Seri says, gesturing at the boot of the car.

"Okay." Taeri hops out of the car, grabs the keys, and hops up the stairs. She pokes her tongue against her cheek as she fiddles with the lock. Seri comes up behind as she turns the knob. "Oh?" Taeri tilts her head curiously, "We left the porch light on, didn't we?"

"Did we?" Seri feigns confusion. "Must've gone out. Come on, now. I can't wait to rest my feet."

Even after a long day of excitement, Taeri continues chattering happily about the Hello Kitty doll house they just bought. She doesn't pay attention to the darkened living room nor that Seri doesn't switch on the lights behind her. She clasps Seri's hand and tugs her impatiently into the living room, eager to open her new toys.

The lights turn on, startling Taeri. Their neighbours and Seri's friends pop out from behind the furniture, balloons and streamers tangled in her hands and (in Woosung's case) necks. They've gone overboard with the decorations but it doesn't matter.