Almost blind | Haobin Eng

2| What if we tried it together? |2

It was Hao's fifth birthday. The sun was shining, and Hao was feeling really happy. he loves his birthday! Especially the idea of getting older and taller.
Hao was thrilled. Both his parents were at home, no one was at work and he had invited many of his cousins to the party. Hao didn't have friends outside of his family; it was usually just his cousins and those close friends of his parents.

But this year was different. Ever since Hanbin had defended him against that girl, they'd been inseparable at kindergarten, often ending up playing and laughing together. Even though Hanbin was a year older and in a different class, they still found ways to spend time together -sometimes even sneaking in toy cars into their beds, whispers and joking around during nap time.

Today, Hao was especially excited because he had invited Hanbin to his birthday party. He helped Jiwoong prepare the cake while Ricky set up the decorations around the house.
"Dad, I don't like these candies," Hao pouted when Jiwoong pulled a pack of candies from the pantry. "Oh? Would you prefer gummy bears?" Jiwoong asked, raising an eyebrow. Hao's eyes sparkled, and he nodded eagerly, obviously loving this idea. He loved gummy bears, even though they sometimes made his teeth ache.

"Don't go overboard with the gummy bears!" Ricky called from the living room, making Hao roll his eyes. "Daddy has ears everywhere," he grumbled, but quickly snatched the bag of gummy bears Jiwoong handed him. Ricky didn't let him have sweets very often, so this felt like a special treat.

Hao carefully arranged colorful gummy bears on top of the strawberry cake, admiring his work. The cake looked amazing and he couldn't wait to taste it. After placing it in the fridge, Hao helped Ricky with balloons and other decorations. There ware lot of colors, since Hao really loves colorful things but at the same time, it was eating Ricky up because these colorful things were disrupting aesthetic of his house.

It didnt take long the first guests arrived, bringing gifts like plush toys and toy cars. His parents gave him a canvas for painting, and Hao could hardly contain his joy. They always know how to make him happy.

An hour passed, Hao was playing in living room with his cousins. They were playing with his new toys until the doorbell rang. Hao's ears perked up, and he knew instantly who it was. His little legs moved faster than ever, and he reached the door before anyone else. As the door opened, Hao could see Hanbin standing there with a bright smile, holding a gift bag.

His tall, red-haired father standing right behind him.
"Hyung!" Hao squealed, immediately hugging Hanbin warmly. Ricky appeared behind Hao to greet Hanbin as well, smiling as he watched his son hugging his new friend.

"How long is this birthday party? Just so I know when to pick him up," Hanbin's father asked with a friendly smile, his red hair falling over his eyes and his long fingers were resting on Hanbins shoulders. Ricky checked his watch and shrugged. "About four hours, i guess," he said, glancing at Hanbin's father, who was slightly taller than him - a rare sight for Ricky.

"Have fun, buddy, and don't do anything silly... at least not without me," Hanbin's father teased, patting his son's shoulder. With a quick wave, he headed back to his car. Hao just laughed at that comment, while Ricky just raised his eyebrows.

"Come on, let's go to my room! We can play there!" Hao said excitedly, grabbing Hanbin's hand and leading him upstairs, forgetting about his cousins with whom he played a while ago.
"Hold on! I need to wish you a happy birthday first!" Hanbin said with a grin when they reached Hao's room.

Hao shut the door and turned back to Hanbin, he was holding a small gift bag, eyes twinkling with excitement. Hao straightened up playfully, as if he were a soldier.
Hanbin chuckled at his Hao's act. Gently holding Hao's hand, he said, "To my best friend: I wish you lots of happiness, health, and love. And if anyone's ever mean to you again, I'll hit them!" With a proud smile, he handed Hao the gift bag.