BE ALRIGHT

19

Lisa's POV

I woke up to a sudden knock on my door. My senses were still hazy, but as soon as I sat up, the door creaked open slightly and my furry friend, Kuma, bounded into my room with a tiny party hat perched on his head. Without hesitation, he leapt onto my bed, and the door closed behind him. Bewildered, I furrowed my brows and picked up Kuma, inspecting the bib hanging from his neck. It read, "It's the 27th today, whether you like it or not." I was puzzled, but I gently placed Kuma back on the bed before heading to the bathroom to begin my morning routine.

As I stepped out of the bathroom, Kuma was still bouncing around, full of energy. Together, we descended the stairs, and I caught a glimpse of the kitchen. The sight of an assortment of delicious food items laid out on the counter caught me off guard. Jennie doing something, but she greeted me with a warm "morning" as I approached the kitchen.

I returned the greeting and scratched the back of my head, still a bit dazed. Suddenly, Jennie turned to face me and added, "Oh, and happy birthday" She then went back to cooking, placing another pot on the counter.

"My birthday was yesterday."

Jennie let out an exasperated groan, rolling her eyes. "Dumbass, don't you know how to read? It's the 27th today," she said, turning around to continue cooking before facing me again.

I looked around the kitchen, taking in the sight of the bountiful spread before me. "What are these?" I asked, still in awe.

"Foods, can't you see?" Jennie fired back, her tone biting.

She cleared her throat and left the room for a moment, returning with almost everyone from the security team, including Mr. Kang. "Let's eat," she said in a monotone voice, but her words were drowned out by the chorus of "Happy Birthday" from the gathered group, making me feel appreciated and special.

As we all settled around the table, I couldn't help but smile at the thoughtfulness of these people. The aroma of freshly cooked food wafted through the air, tantalizing my senses. I looked around, taking in the faces of the security team.

"Sit beside me," Jennie said, her voice firm yet gentle. My eyes widened with surprise, and she just glared at me until I nodded and walked over to her side, taking a seat beside her. As I looked at the food laid out before me, my eyes widened once again, and I couldn't help but stare in amazement.

"What?" Jennie asked, noticing my expression. "Don't you like it?" Her face betrayed a hint of nervousness, as if she feared that I might not enjoy the food she had prepared.

I mumbled a quiet "I love it" in response and looked at every Thai dish around the table, taking in the vibrant colors and fragrant aromas.

"Did you cook all of these?" I asked, turning back to Jennie. Before she could answer, however, Mr. Kang spoke up, diverting my attention.

"She called a Thai chef at 3 am to help her and teach her every famous Thai dish," Mr. Kang said. I turned my head towards Jennie once again, impressed by her dedication to making my, supposedly, birthday special. She avoided my gaze, but I leaned over to hug her, surprising myself with my own boldness. To my surprise, she didn't push me back.

"Thank you, Jennie Kim," I said, pulling back to smile at her. "I haven't had any Thai food since then." She didn't know how to respond, so she simply nodded at me, her cheeks turning a soft shade of pink.

As we all dug into the food, I couldn't help but marvel at the incredible flavors and textures that filled my mouth with each bite. I might have eaten too much, but I couldn't help myself; everything was just so delicious.