as your training group starts its first lesson of the day, the coach suddenly tells everyone to gather around. when you’re all listening, they suddenly call your name. “leong charlotte…” they don’t sound angry, but they’re not smiling either. are you in trouble? did you do anything wrong? “we heard it’s your birthday… isn’t it?”
before you can react, everyone starts laughing and applauding as a few more staff members enter the room with a cake and a small box. they all sing happy birthday to you, and once the atmosphere calms down again you get handed the box. it contains… letters? “you received a few letters from fans. they also sent this cake. we hope this will brighten your day despite having to come in for training.”
and right before you all get back to practice, a staff member tells you your gift from the company: a day off to use this upcoming month! you can claim it whenever you want as long as it doesn’t fall on a day with official company or group activities. have fun!
charlie had been thinking about plans for her birthday – for a while now really. but something always comes up and the thought falls away as if she had not worried greatly about it. a day out sounded nice, to an amusement park or an arcade, but that would be tedious, having to make arrangements and check if everyone would be free at the same time. it’s impossible, not to mention inconvenient, and she didn’t want to be the only one having fun that day. then she thought of maybe cooking or baking something, what exactly it would be… she has yet to figure out.
but then the day came closer and closer, and she got busier, and there was not a single plan made. she was fine with it though, stressing over a day that she promised to make good memories of was not going to help. every day is special, that’s what she tells herself instead when she goes to training that day. and it wasn’t so bad, waking up earlier than usual, grabbing something from the nearby cafe and taking her time walking to the building. her mind was clear, attention focused on the most random of things. today was going to be peaceful and quiet, the perfect day.
the laughs and applause however made her cheeks feel warm, the cake, the song, and the gifts. the very things she would always, always say that makes a birthday, well, a birthday were handed to her. charlie smiles and bows, flustered and clapping along as she quietly sang along. “thank you…” she replies, at a loss for words and holding back… tears. maybe she did want more than a peaceful and quiet day, more than a simple dinner like the ones she has every other year. this year is different than the last ones that’s for sure.
