You And I

Chapter 27: Birthday Revelations

A few months had passed since that memorable night at the bakery, and life had settled into a comfortable routine. It was lunchtime at school, and Mei and I headed to our club, laughing and teasing each other about our recent assignments. The atmosphere was relaxed, filled with the usual chatter and the clinking of lunch trays.

Once we finished our lunches, Jane suddenly perked up, holding her phone aloft. "Ooh, look at this, guys! It's an app where you type your birthday and it tells you what kind of person you are!"

Ryan burst out laughing. "Is that app serious? Wait, let me look it up." He grabbed his phone and started searching for the app. As he read the reviews, his laughter grew louder. "Look, it has 2.7 stars!"

"Come on, it can't be that bad!" Jane said, rolling her eyes.

"Let's try it out!" Mei suggested, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Okay, Ryan, when's your birthday?" Jane asked.

"July 7," Ryan replied, still chuckling.

Jane typed it in and read aloud, "Okay, here's what it says: 'You are a natural leader, confident and energetic, but sometimes you can be a bit impulsive. People admire your ability to take charge, but you need to remember to think before you leap!'"

Ryan feigned offense, placing a hand over his heart. "Impulsive? Me? Never!" he exclaimed, laughing.

We all giggled at his dramatics, and Jane rolled her eyes. "Alright, who's next?"

"Let's do Mei!" I suggested, glancing over at her. She looked a little nervous but was clearly intrigued.

"What's your birthday?" Jane asked.

"January 29," Mei replied shyly.

As Jane typed it in, I felt a rush of anticipation. Mei had always been kind and thoughtful, and I was curious to see what the app would say about her.

Jane read the results: "'You are compassionate and generous, often putting others before yourself. You have a creative spirit and a strong sense of empathy, but be careful not to let people take advantage of your kindness.'"

Mei blushed, and I could see her thinking about the accuracy of the description. "That's kind of true," she said, her voice soft.

"Alright, let's keep going! Who's next?" Ryan encouraged.

"Let's do Levi," Jane said, nudging me.

"Fine, but I'm not expecting much," I said, a bit sheepishly.

"What's your birthday?" she asked.

" September 11," I replied.

As Jane typed it in, I felt a mix of curiosity and nervousness. When she read out the result, I was surprised: "'You are intelligent and insightful, often overthinking things. You have a unique perspective on life, but you can sometimes be seen as aloof. Make sure to connect with those around you.'"

I looked around the table, and everyone was staring at me, eyebrows raised. "Aloof? Me?" I said, trying to sound incredulous.

"Just a bit!" Ryan teased. "But you're also pretty cool, so it balances out!"

We laughed, the lighthearted banter easing the lunch break into something memorable. The app became a fun distraction, each birthday revealing amusing insights that sparked lively conversations about our personalities and how we saw ourselves.

As we finished our impromptu birthday session, I felt grateful for these moments with friends. Despite the ups and downs of the past months, this kind of laughter and camaraderie was exactly what I needed.

As we wrapped up our lunchtime fun, a thought struck me: Mei's birthday was coming up on January 29. I quickly marked it on my phone, setting a reminder. I wanted to make it special for her.

Just then, Yvonne reached for her phone, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "Okay, guys, let's take a picture!"

We all gathered together, squeezing in close, laughing as we posed. Yvonne snapped the photo, capturing the moment perfectly.

"Alright, it's a wrap!" she said, grinning as she reviewed the shot.

Ryan then chimed in, "So, any plans for Christmas? I'm thinking of throwing a Christmas party for all of us."

We all exchanged surprised glances, then nodded enthusiastically. "That sounds great!" Jane said. "Count me in!"

"I'll help with the decorations!" Yvonne added, her excitement infectious.

"I'll bring snacks!" Mei suggested, her face lighting up.

As we finalized our plans, I felt a warm sense of camaraderie. The idea of celebrating together during the holidays made me feel grateful for the friendships we'd formed.

Afterward, we said our goodbyes and headed home, each of us buzzing with the anticipation of the Christmas party. As I walked, I couldn't help but smile, thinking about how much fun the upcoming weeks would hold, especially for Mei's birthday.