Just A Few Numbers Away

Chapter 67

The Silent Sacrifice

​March 9th arrived, and for Aen, it was one of the most important days of the year.

While the world celebrated the birth of Min Yoongi, she had a secret she had been keeping for months-a quiet rebellion against every rumor that claimed she was with him for his status.

​For Aen, this wasn't just about the rumors; it was about redemption.

She couldn't help but remember his birthday from exactly one year ago-the day at the bridge where he had poured his heart out, only for her to shatter it and for him to grow cold.

She remembered the sight of his taillights disappearing in the dark, and the way the numbers on her wrist had climbed, marking the distance she had forced between them.

​Last year, she had made him cry on his birthday.

She had let him believe he was a fool for loving her.

That memory had been a ghost haunting her for months, and she was determined that this March 9th would be the absolute opposite.

She didn't just want to give him a party; she wanted to give him the security she had robbed him of back then.

​Despite the "gold digger" labels, Aen had been secretly taking on high-volume freelance projects at night.

Her routine was grueling: she would finish her full 8-hour shift at the Korea Yakult office, immediately head out to meet Yoongi for their scheduled date nights to ensure he never felt neglected, and then-once she was finally home and he thought she was resting-she would sit at her laptop and work until the sun began to peek through her curtains.

She was building a fund that was strictly hers, fueled by milo and the desire to give him a birthday he would never forget.

She wanted to prove to herself-and to him-that she could give him the world on her own terms.

​She had even gone as far as requesting a private meeting with Bang PD-nim.

To her surprise, he had been incredibly moved by her dedication and had granted her special approval to use the main dance practice room at the Big Hit Entertainment building.

Meanwhile Yoongi's day had been long.

After finishing his shift in public service, he was exhausted and looking forward to the quiet, intimate birthday dinner he and Aen had planned at his apartment.

However, his phone buzzed with an "urgent" message from his manager claiming there was an emergency at the building that required his immediate signature.

​Guilt-ridden, he had called Aen to tell her he would be late, unaware that she was already at the company, directing the final touches of the setup.

​Yoongi walked into the Big Hit building, his shoulders slumped with fatigue.

​As he pushed open the heavy doors to the practice room, expecting a manager with a clipboard, he froze.

The room was transformed.

The sight of the fairy lights draped over the mirrors, and long tables were filled with his favorite foods hit him with a wave of vertigo.

It wasn't an over-the-top, flashy party, but it was elegant and deeply personal.

His mind flashed back to the cold, silent interior of his car at the bridge a year ago.

Back then, he had felt like he was "pouring his feelings into a vessel that was already full."