Chapter seventeen:THE BIRTHDAY PARTY

Shin Min asks jong soo

"have you given the medicine to him,how is he now?"

Jong soo:"He feels better,would recover by evening"

Jong soo yawns :"Iam tired,going to sleep"

Shin Min:"Ok"

Shin Min,Sun Ri ,Alex assembles in Shin Min and Sun Ri's room

Shin Min:"We need to start birthday preparations of jong soo and give him a surprise in the evening"

Sun Ri:"Yeah"

Alex:"I will go and ask the staff to assist me in making his favourite dishes"

Sun Ri:"I think i should start baking the cake"

Shin Min:"I will be starting the decoration work, I will be decorating the hall with the things we bought the other day,I'm so excited"

Three of them smiles and leaves for their respective works

Shin Min goes downstairs to the hall, where they are supposed to organise the birthday party

Shin Min unboxes the decoration items like balloons to decorate the hall

Staff members join to help her

Shin Min:"it's ok, you people need not trouble"

Staff:"sir has asked us to make sure to help you out with the arrangements "

Shin Min:"oh really"

(thinks):" He is not as ruthless as he pretends.. he is kind of good"

smiles and gets back to her work

Alex starts preparing the dishes

Sun Ri wears aprons and have a cap on

Alex looks at her:"professional chef"

Sun Ri smiles

she starts to take out the ingredients required for the cake in a place

Joo won enters the kitchen

Alex gets startled :"sir, surprised to see you here"

Joo won:"Ah, as i had nothing much to do i thought i should assist you people"

Alex:"no sir, we can't trouble you"

Joo won insists

Alex:"ok sir, how would you like to assist, i mean have you ever cooked earlier"?

Joo won loos at Sun Ri and says it loud enough to make sure Sun Ri hears it:"I am pretty good at baking"

Alex smiles:"ah that solves your problem (looking at Sun Ri ) you have someone to assist you"

Sun Ri:" i can do it on my own"

Alex:"ah no, it's good to work together to get things done soon"

Sun Ri nods

Alex handsover apron to joo won

joo won wears the apron and cap and enters the kitchen

Alex and sun Ri looks at him and smiles

Joo won:"what? "

Alex:"nothing sir, let us get back to work"

Joo won dutifully assists Sun Ri

She asks him to knead the dough whereas she gets busy with taking other ingredients

Shin Min takes a break from her decoration work

She goes to Kim's room to check whether he is still sleeping

Shin Min slowly opens the door

she finds Kim in deep sleep

she then slowly closes it again

Shin Min(thinks):"let me have a look at the kitchen and their preparations before I get back to my work"

Shin Min enters the kitchen sees Joo won as a "chef"

Joo won is seen taking instructions from Sun Ri

Shin Min smiles

Alex looks at her

"oh Shin Min you are here,what about your preparations"

Shin Min:"Yeah thanks to Mr.Joo won,the staff have been assisting me well"

Joo won smiles

Shin Min looks at the smiling faces of Joo won and Sun Ri as they cook

Shin Min:"May I take a picture?"

Joo won smiles

Shin Min takes pictures of them

Shin Min while looking at the pictures(thinks):"They are too adorable"

Alex:"hey kid,are you not going to click my pictures?"

Shin Min:"Yeah I will"

Alex poses with all the different ingredients there

Shin Min clicks the pictures

Shin min:"Ok i think i need to get back to my work,bye"

Alex:"bye"

Sun Ri operates the microwave oven,sets the temperature and waits for the cake to get baked

Joo won looks at her

Sun Ri suddenly looks at Joo won

Joo won turns away his eyes and his heart starts beating fast

Sun Ri:"I didn't expect this from you Mr.joo won"

Joo won is overpowered by a sense of fear with a trembling voice he asks

"what?"

Sun Ri:"I mean when you said u can bake,i didn't expect you to be such a perfect one,where did you learn this?"

That question makes Joo won little relaxed

Joo won:"Ah....When I was in United states, I have learnt cooking as i enjoy it and worked part-time as well"

Alex:"Wow,even when you are from such a super rich family,you did such job,very impressive sir"

Joo won smiles:"I love to do the things that make me happy, nothing great about it"

Alex:"So how long have you been in abroad?"

Joo won looks intense:"May be its safe to say,my entire life..I mean i went there when i was 8 year old and came back two years ago"

Joo won gets immersed in deep thoughts

Alex and Sun Ri continue with their works

Sun Ri looks at Joo won:"Are you okay"

Joo won:"Yeah"

Sun ri:"Lets start decorating our cake"

Joo won:"Sure"

Shin Min completes the work and goes upstairs,wakes up jong soo

"Jong soo,get up"

Jong soo:"Ah..what?"

Shin Min:"Are you here to sleep all day?"

Jong soo doesn't reply

Shin Min:"Hey,get up we are here for work"

Jong soo:"Why are you behaving like Mr.Alex"

Shin Min:"Sometimes i feel its not wrong on Mr.Alex's part to beat you and set you right"

Jong soo:"Shin Min"

Shin Min:"yeah,get up already"

Shin Min hands over new suit to jong soo

Jong soo:"What is this?"

Shin Min:"Mr.Joo won has organised some party for guests today,this is the dress code,get ready and come down soon"

Meanwhile Sun Ri,Alex finishes their work

Shin Min goes to Kim

"oh you have already got ready?"she asks looking at Kim

Kim:"Yeah"

Shin Min comes closer to Kim:"Are you okay"

Kim hugs her and says:"Yes iam honey"

Alex enters the room

Shin Min and Kim feels embarassed

Alex:"Iam sorry,i just came here to see whether Mr.Kim is doing fine"

Kim(clears his throat):"Yeah im fine"

Alex:"Shin Min,is jong soo ready?"

Shin Min:"Yeah he may be ready by now,let's hurry up and move down stairs"

Alex goes out

Shin Min and Kim follows

Jong soo goes to the hall downstairs

He sees no light,he gets little afraid of darkness

"Is anyone here?"

Nobody answers

He asks again:"Is anyone here?"

Shin Min bursts a balloon

Jong soo trembles

Sun Ri,Alex,Kim burst balloons together and the tiny pieces of paper fall on jong soo

They all scream together

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY JONG SOO"

'many happy returns of the day"

Jong soo's fear turns into happiness,he couldn't hold back his tears

Shin Min,Alex hugs him

Sun ri brings up the cake

"come on jong soo"

Jong soo tries to blow the candles

Shin Min:'stop jong soo"

Jong soo looks at her

Shin Min:"Make a birthday wish"

Jong soo closes his eyes

"dear god,i have always resented you for making me an orphan,may be that's why you have compensated me with people who are now my family,make each one of them stay happy,healthy and smiling always"

Jong soo opens his eyes and wipes his tears

Joo won enters and wishes Jong soo happy brithday,jong soo thanks him

Shin Min asks Jong soo to blow the candles

Jong soo blows the candle

He cuts the cake and makes Mr.Alex eat the first piece

Sun Ri,Shin Min claps

Shin Min puts cake on jong soo's face

Jong soo follows her to revert

Shin Min hides behind Kim

They all laugh together

Jong soo looks at the dishes and is amazed

"wow,the table is full of my favourite dishes"

Shin Min:"Yeha,Mr.Alex has made sure no favourite dish of yours misses out,he has been working really hard"

Alex smiles

Jong soo tries to hug Alex

Alex:"Yeh...stop it and eat"

Kim and Shin Min laugh together

Shin Min looks at joo won

:"jong soo we should all thank Mr.Joo won,he has made his staff help us in decorating and above all,he has himself assisted madam in baking the cake"

Kim looks surprised:"He baked ,really?"

Shin Min:"yeah"

Jong soo:"Thank you sir"

Joo won:"Iam very happy that the presentation went really well"(looking at Alex)

Alex:"Thank you sir"

Kim:"Sir what was the feedback from the team"?

Joo won:"It was positive,we have two minor glitches to fix and we are good to launch the game by next week"

Kim:"Wow,that's amazing"

Alex takes out a champagne

"this calls for celebrations"

Joo won:"congratulations all and happy birthday jong soo"

jong soo:"thank you sir"

Joo won:"Iam very happy with the way things have gone,i wanted to do something for your team"

Sun Ri:"You have been more than generous in allowing us to celebrate our personal event,i don't think you need to do anymore"

Joo won looks at her and smiles

Kim:"Sir are you planning to have a trek and camping as you do always"

Joo won:"yeah,i wanted to do with you all"

Shin Min,Jong soo looks excited

Shin Min:"That sounds amazing"

Jong soo:"I have never done such things,it should be quite fun"

Alex looks confused

Shin Min:"Don't worry you will be able to do it,we can do it"

Alex smiles

Sun Ri:"Have fun guys"

Joo won looks disappointed

Shin Min:"Madam,you should also join us"

Joo won looks at her

Sun Ri:"You know i don't go out.."

Alex interrupts her:"We know that's why we are insisting"

Shin Min:"She is joining us"

Jong soo:"Madam,please join us,you can't say no to birthday boy"

Kim smiles

Sun Ri:"Ok,i will join you"

Shin Min,jong soo screams:"yay"

Alex looks at them,

they both realise the presence of joo won and controls their screams

Joo won smiles knowing Sun Ri will join

Joo won:"That's great,so everyone is joining us"

Everyone looks excited

Joo won:"We have to start very early in the morning,things needed for you people shall be looked after by my staff,hope to see you tomorrow"

Joo won finishes his dinner:"Good night everyone"

Everyone :"Good night sir"

Joo won leaves for his room

Jong soo,Shin Min screams:"yay..we will be having a great time tomorrow"