Loves Awakening Melody

Chapter 8: Happy Birthday Yune! Meeting the full family!

The day directly after the sleepover, Nov 14 is Yune's Birthday, Daniel had prepared a few days in advance and had prepared a bunny plushie with freshly baked cookies and a small batch of roses. He leaves in the afternoon at 2:00 PM and knocks on her door. As it opens, he realizes that Yune was ready for him, giving him a warm hug and invites him in, as Daniel greets her.

"Happy Birthday Yune! You're 15 now, right?" Daniel asks, getting a nod from Yune as she smiled, grateful that Daniel could arrive.

Daniel leaves his gift for her on the gift table and finally meets Yune's Father.

"Hm? Are you a friend of Yune?" Her father - Gregory Ashley asked.

"That I am Sir, you are likely Yune's Father, I can see a plentiful amount of resemblances, it's a pleasure meeting you!" Daniel replies and greets, respectful in the way he speaks.

"I believe my daughter mentioned something about a boy named Daniel who protected her on her first day, was that you?" He asked.

"Well, I don't like to toot my own horn, but I most definitely am." Daniel says, boasting a little, but showing modesty.

Gregory smiles gratefully. His daughter has been through a lot and it was nice to know that Daniel was someone she could rely on. "Thanks kid, Yune's been through a lot, and it's nice to know you've got her back."

With a small wink, he adds. "Between you and me, you've got my approval if you wanna try to go for it."

As they had finished, a kid walked into the room where they were, seemingly being 7-8 years old. They tugged on Daniel's sleeve as he stood there, confused about the little girl tugging on him.

"Oh! Rosa! Go back into the bedroom!" Yune says, gesturing and nudging her back to her bedroom.

"Okay cousin Yune!" The kid - Rosa - replies before heading back to Yune's room.

"Sorry about that, she's my younger cousin, she's really nosey." Yune concedes.

As that had finished, it was time to eat the early dinner as her Birthday was finally beginning. Daniel sings Happy Birthday with her family to Yune as she sits in front of a beautifully made red velvet cake. As the song finishes, she blows out her candles, everyone begins to eat, Yune sits next to Daniel and asks him if he was having fun.

"Not fun particularly, but I'm really enjoying your birthday, and your company." Daniel replies.

"How flattering, come on! Something is about to happen!" Yune replies.

As they finish eating, It is announced by Yune's Mother that everyone will line up in front of Yune, give her your gift and you'll have a chance to say a few words to her.

As everyone lines up with their respective gifts, they give it over to Yune and say typical words such as "Happy Birthday Yune!" or "I hope you enjoy my gift!" However, Daniel had more to say than anyone else, including the parents of Yune. As Daniel gives Yune his gifts, he says: "These gifts are not only for your birthday, but my thank you to you from me. You changed me, you made me a better person with your influence, You're kind and funny and the best person I know. Thank you for what you've done for me. Happy Birthday Yune."

As everyone looked at Daniel as he finished his sentence, they were stunned as they looked at Yune, blushing as she thought to herself, her mind with only one thought. 

"I... I love you."  Yune thinks to herself.

As the giving of gifts finished, Yune was asked if there was an activity she wanted to do, she stated clearly that she wanted to perform the waltz as she did for her performance task with Daniel again.

Daniel accepts immediately, they did it the exact same way they had the first time - perfectly in sync, ultra-complicated waltz, and perfect coordination. Everyone cheered loudly at their perfect coordination, their elegant dancing caught the eye of everyone, at the end, Yune and Daniel kissed lovingly, everyone cheered and applauded furiously.

Afterward, they participated in many games, Daniel had won 1st place in all the physicality-related games. In the games that didn't require such physical ability, he landed in the range of 10th - 5th out of 17th. Daniel had a very fun time. He decided that around 7:45 PM that he wanted to go. Before he could, Yune wanted to have some time alone with him so that she could tell him something. She takes Daniel into her bedroom and they sit on the floor and Daniel asks Yune what she wanted to talk about.

"Um... remember your birthday? When I confessed to you?" Yune asked, her words carried weight, and it seemed this topic was going to be emotionally somber.

"Yeah, I remember it, it's one of the happiest moments of my life. Why?" Daniel asks.

"...Did you just say that because you wanted something from me?" Yune asks. She doesn't doubt Daniel's goodness, but she just had to be sure.

"What? No! Of course not! Why?" Daniel replies, his voice sincere and honest.

"...I once had a boy in my life, just like you, stronger than anyone else I knew, kinder than anyone else I knew... but when I thought we had something special, he tried sexually assaulting me..." Yune answers, the memory locked onto her mind, painful, and unable to be erased. "I was so shocked... I was so scared... I felt so betrayed... I just ran and ran, and before I knew it, I was at my house... and in the morning, my parents filed a lawsuit and then put my transfer for Crescent Heights. I haven't trusted boys since then... until you..."

Yune wipes a few tears off her face before she continues. "You were the first of the boys I was friends with that treated me as a true person, and more, you managed to renew my trust." Yune says, now seemingly... happy. "Emotionally, I was a broken girl until you stumbled into my life and picked up the shards that were my shattered emotions and trust and pieced it back together with your gentle and comforting words, your will to protect others and a resolve to fight for what's right. That's why I've always trusted you more than anyone, you fixed me, Daniel... and I can't thank you enough."

"Wow... that's so sad..." Daniel replies, saddened by her story, and the struggles she dealt with as a child. "I... I may not be the ideal person you'd want to talk to about that... I've never been in such a situation... but if you don't have anyone to talk to... you can talk to me."

"Thank you... that means the world to me..." Yune replies, incredibly happy that Daniel is so understanding and gentle. "Well... it's getting late, you should head back."

"Right, I'll see you next week." Daniel responds, getting up and preparing to leave.

"Hey," Yune says, right as Daniel is about to leave her bedroom. "I love you, Daniel."

"...I love you too, Yune." Daniel replies, a small, but warm and loving smile, gracing his lips.

Daniel would then go on to leave Yune's apartment and go back to his own. The shocking revelation of what Yune had been through put a thought in his mind, one that could help to geet her over it so it doesn't have to hurt her anymore, but he shoves it to the side, he felt as if he wasn't ready for that yet.

Daniel would then go and rest, for an amazing and thrilling experience was going to occur on Monday. Something that would further reinforce the bond he had with Yune.