Turning on your back, you stare at the ceiling as you stretch the sleep away. Today is meant to be a happy day since it's your birthday but you couldn't get yourself to smile, not even a little bit. You're tempted to stay in bed the whole day and wallow in your sorrows — not feeling like celebrating without your best friend there — but you know your girlfriends will be there soon.
Standing in the shower with the hot water cascading down your body, your thoughts drift to your best friend. Im Jaebeom. You just had to become best friends with an idol, didn't you? Because of his occupation, this isn't the first birthday that he has missed. You're just sulking because you turn twenty-one this year — a special milestone — and because it will be the first he misses since you found out that you have feelings for him.
How cliche, you think, to fall in love with someone as unattainable as him.
Standing in front of the mirror wearing the cream dress that he bought for you with your hair curled and tousled to the side just as he likes, you plaster a smile on your face as you hear your friends arrive to take you out as planned.
xxx
Jaebeom watches nervously from around the corner of your apartment building, waiting for you to emerge. Your friend comes into view and coughs — a signal that he and her agreed upon — with you in tow and as soon as you jump in the car, he comes out from his hiding spot and heads to your apartment.
Jaebeom laughs as he strides up the stairs, excited that his plan is working. Well of course it would, he planned it after all. He felt the same way as you did about missing your birthday so he knew that he had to come up with a plan to make sure that he could be there.
He had a lengthy meeting with JYP after the tour dates were released. The group was schedule free on your birthday but they would've been on the other side of the world. Usually, he would've spent it exploring with the members but he managed to convince them to allow him to come back home for a few days to celebrate with you.
Jaebeom worked hard and was allowed to do so, granted that he would keep indoors and that nobody would know that he was back home. He'd thanked them profusely before setting his plan in motion, leading him to where he is now today.
He enters your apartment and the warmth fills him instantly. Feels like home. He walks in further and is glad to see that nothing has changed; everything is right where they were before he left. Walking towards your nook, he spots a familiar photo frame by the window sill.
Jaebeom picks it up and examines the frame in front of him that holds a picture of one of his favourite moments with you. It's the one from his birthday a few months back when the two of you spent the day at Han River. You'd taken him out on a picnic and the day was filled with food and laughter.
Neither of you knew that the boys had stalked you to see if the two of you were out on a date. Youngjae managed to snap a photo of the you both mid laughter — a look of pure joy on your faces — gifting it to you guys at the end of the day.
He brushes his fingertips against your photo, hoping that he can get you to look that happy again tonight.
xxx
At the end of the day, your friend pulls up to your building and tells you that there's one more surprise waiting inside your apartment. You start to pester her about it but all she tells you is that it's the thing that you want the most for your birthday.
Your eyes widen as she smiles at you knowingly. Before she knew it, you've said your goodbyes and you're sprinting up the stairs, opting to skip the lift.
Opening the door to your floor, you notice him standing in front of your apartment. With a bouquet of flowers in hand and a smile on his face, your best friend Jaebeom is here. In the flesh.
