Happy Birthday
Member: Sehun Words: 1763 Reminder: English is not my first language Plot: Your birthday is in a few days, but Sehun won’t be there. Will he make it up to you?
«Are you sure you’re going to be fine?»
«Of course, I will!» I answered while diligently making the bed.
«So, me being abroad for your birthday is not a big deal?»
I exhaled «Listen, how many times do I have to tell you? I am going to be fiiiiiiine» I said elongating the “i” in an attempt to make my point clearer «Besides, you know I’ve had my fair amount of birthdays before I met you. I mean we’ve been together for only eight months» I added while putting the pillows on the window to get some air.
Sehun was getting ready to leave. He just came out of the shower.
I was standing in the middle of the room and took a glance at his suitcase abandoned near the door. It seemed to be there to mock me, to make fun of me and the fact that it will leave alongside Sehun, whereas I will have to stay behind, waiting for him to return. I turned away and looked at my boyfriend who was now brushing his teeth by the door, which linked the bedroom and the bathroom.
«Surely more than I did, Noona» Sehun flashed me with one of his signature half smile.
«Yeah about that» I snapped back «Is this how you talk to your elders? What would your mother say, uh?» I pushed him pretending to be looking for a fight.
Sehun raised his shoulders and took a step back raising up his hands, still giggling.
«I was simply stating the facts»
«Well, guess what, this will surely help me NOT missing you for my birthday»
«Oh, come on now» Sehun said still smiling. He leaned closer to me for a kiss, but I moved away for I wanted him to think I was mad.
He laughed off my perseverance and seemed to have given up, but when I turned to fetch the pillows, he imprisoned me in a hug.
I could feel his muscular torso pressed against my back. It has always amazed me how perfectly our bodies locked themselves together. It felt as if we were meant to be: we were like two souls combined.
I could smell the musky scent of his shower gel as if I was swimming in it. I know this was just something you can buy at a store and that, probably, a lot of people had it in their house. But… this was different. It was the way in which the shower gel mixed with the odour of Sehun’s skin that made my knees weak.
His skin, his perfume, his person… simply him. After all, when I lied at night – glad to be in his arms – his scent was what lulled me to sleep.
I could hear his sweet laugh as I was struggling to set myself free from his embrace. It felt like a raindrop tracing a line on the back of my neck. It gave me shivers all over my body.
I didn’t even try to put up a fight. I knew I could not. I just let him kiss my jaw and enjoy his victory.
I turned around and kissed him letting my mouth get filled by the air he just breathed himself. Even that tasted sweeter.
Sehun placed his forehead on my shoulder while still keeping locked in a hug.
«I am sorry» he began «I wish I could come back for your birthday, I even asked but they wouldn’t let me»
I shushed him and took his face in my hands because I wanted him to look me in the eyes.
«Honey, there’s nothing special about my birth-»
«Don’t say that!» he retorted
«Hey, let me finish» I squeezed his cheeks «I was never the type who loved to celebrate. I’d rather spend my birthday with you? Of course, but not because it’s a special day for me, just because I love spending time with you.
While I spoke Sehun let his head rest on my hands and when I finished talking he closed his eyes as if that would help him print my words in his mind.
«I know… it’s that sometimes. I – I just want to make you happy» he admitted «and you never complain, but I think that if it is just half as hard as it is for me… it must be unbearable»
I felt my heart sink. I was sure that it was now in my belly and that my stomach was already digesting it. I mean, it was either that or I couldn’t even describe how I was feeling in that moment.
I could feel my eyes tear up, so I said something to lighten up the mood.
«I want to go with you, you want to stay home with me… boy will we ever find a way to please both of us?» A quick smile slipped from his lips as he exhaled loudly.
He locked his gaze into mine and kept looking at me.
He seemed under a spell. Enchanted. Absorbed.
«You know, that I-» I could see he was struggling. He exhaled loudly and looked down «I lo--»
The sound of the doorbell cut him off. We snapped out of a living dream.
It felt like we literally just woke up.
The bell rang again and Sehun cleared his throat.
«I’ll get that» he said letting me go and disappearing behind the door.
I stood there dumbfounded, what had just happened? I touched my face for I felt it burn. I was sure I blushed.
Was Sehun… was he… did he almost say that he loved me?
Sehun, my Sehun? Could it be?
I could hear him talk to his manager.
Our time was up.
He came back and kissed me goodbye. Sehun stared at me before taking his suitcase and leaving without saying a word.
I could see that it was too hard for him to speak.
The days leading to my birthday went by slowly. Sehun would call me whenever he could – which of course wasn’t often – and I would keep myself busy with work and house chores.
The fact that he couldn’t be home for my birthday didn’t bother me at all. I was positive about that.
Butt that didn’t stop the strangest thing started to happen. I started to grow impatient. I was actually looking forward to my birthday.
At first I didn’t realize it, but then I understood that I was impatient for my birthday to come, because in my mind, I was convinced Sehun was going to surprise me. Even though I knew, he wouldn’t.
I knew he couldn’t.
My own mind tricked me into thinking that he secretly planned to come home.
I kept telling myself that he wasn’t. I knew that and I had accepted it. It wasn’t his fault he had to work! However, there was this part of me that wouldn’t stop dreaming.
And when my birthday came along and nothing happened and I got mad at myself.
My friends throw me an awesome birthday party, but I couldn’t enjoy it.
I kept thinking about Sehun and I actually got frustrated because I let my mind convince me of something that wasn’t bound to happen.
I was such an idiot to even think about it. As if, my stupid birthday was so much important than his career.
I was so mad at myself because I missed my boyfriend and I let a stupid illusion of mine ruin my mood.
I stayed up until late, eating the cake I nonsensically saved up for Sehun. Not only I was already feeling low, but he didn’t call and midnight was long past.
He didn’t even wish me happy birthday!
Of course, I wasn’t mad. I knew how tight his schedule could be, that and the fact he was somewhere with a different time zone was enough to forgive him, but I was still sad.
That’s the thing with expectations. You cannot control them.
My eyes started burning and my stomach to ache, so I decided to go to bed and finally rest.
«Those things only happen in movies» I murmured burying my face into the pillow.
The day after was a Monday. I woke up, made some breakfast and started getting ready for work. I was still grumpy, but at least I wasn’t feeling miserable anymore.
I was putting on mascara when I heard the doorbell and almost stabbed myself in the eye. I wasn’t expecting anyone, let alone this early in the morning!
Today was not the day for a random visitor. I swear I was ready to kill whoever was at the door.
«What?» I barked out before feeling my lungs deflate in shock.
I was speechless. I didn’t know what to think, say or do. The only reaction I got were my eyes starting to tear up, all because I was overwhelmed by joy.
«Sehun»
«I’m so, so sorry» he started «my flight got cancelled and the second one delayed» I moved closer to him, admiring his beautiful face and tired eyes «and of course that made me lose my coincidence and I had to wait four hours at the airport of Singapore… and I… I couldn’t even eat because I was afraid..»
I tried to dry my cheeks, but the tears were flowing without control.
«I was afraid someone might recognize me, you know, and… okay what’s wrong?» He asked when I covered my face and started sobbing.
«You make me so happy» I whined, shoulders moving uncontrollably. Sehun let out a “ooooh” and hugged me. It looked like he was trying to squeeze all the tears out of me.
«I am sorry, love»
«Don’t be!»
«But I am one day late»
«Or 364 early»
Sehun laughed and caressed my head. «I have to go back tonight, but I wanted to be here for you, even for just a couple of hours»
I smiled and pressed my forehead on his shoulder.
«And also, before leaving I didn’t get the chance to tell you how much I love you.»
I stared at him with my eyes wide open.
He smiled the most beautiful and sweet smile I’ve ever seen on his face.
I felt warm, happy and complete.
I kissed him to mark that moment.
The wind, the traffic noise, the bird’s chirping. Everything was sealed forever.
I placed my head on his chest and giggled because even if he looked calm I could hear his heart pounding loudly.
I closed my eyes, letting his arms engulf me.
«And I thought this things only happened in movies»
