Chapter 35

July 01 - July 31

Last month, I missed the usual monthly meet-up due to an overwhelming schedule. Though I felt Taeyong was a thoughtful gift and wished him a happy birthday over the phone, guilt lingered. It wasn't the same as being there in person. As the new semester approached, assignments piled up, leaving me with little time for anything else. Zach stepped in like a true friend, handling most of the workload so I could focus on exams.

On July 3rd, I finally flew back to South Korea. The first two and a half weeks were a whirlwind of activities like reconnecting with friends, attending brand shoots, and starring in back-to-back music videos for Jungkook and Jimin. My schedule was bursting with endorsements and appearances, as well as I didn't forget to visit the site preparations for Chaeyeon and Haeven's solo debut.

The manager unnie approached me several times this month about debuting solo. Each time, I declined. Despite having several recorded tracks, years of singing unreleased songs on music shows. I wasn't ready to release anything. My heart craved perfection, a flawless debut when the time was truly right.

"I want to wait," I explained during a meeting with my manager. "My seniors, like Jimin, Jungkook, Jisoo, and Lisa, are still shining. I don't want to compete with them, and still, a group's fame is more than that of a single person. I want to debut when the timing makes sense for all of us."

"You're being too cautious," my manager replied. "But I respect your decision. We'll keep your tracks in the vault until you're ready."

Her understanding was a relief. I knew my perfectionism could come off as stubbornness, but I wasn't willing to risk a mediocre reception for the sake of speed.

By mid-July, our group had the annual gathering earlier than usual. This year, we chose the serene Boseong Green Tea Fields. The landscape was breathtaking, with its vibrant green hills and fresh air. We spent the day enjoying tea ceremonies, snapping photos, and catching up on each other's lives.

"You've been avoiding us lately, Yeim," Hani teased, nudging me as we walked through the fields. "Too busy being the Bugatti girl?"

"I've been drowning in work," I admitted, laughing. "But I'm here now. Does that count?"

"It counts," Yuji said firmly, wrapping an arm around my shoulder. "But don't disappear on us again, okay?"

The day ended with a quiet dinner under the stars, laughter echoing in the night. It reminded me how much these moments mattered, moments where the chaos of our lives faded away, leaving only friendship and warmth.

I flew back to Boston before the month ended, preparing for my sophomore year. The jet lag was brutal, but it didn't stop my friend group: Nora, Wyatt, Ryan, Owen, and Zach from dragging me out for a late-night town run.

"Come on, Yeim," Wyatt said, grinning. "You're not going to spend the whole new semester stuck in books again, are you?"

"I might, if you don't get your act together for Brown," I shot back.

That earned a collective laugh from the group, but it didn't stop me from scolding.

A day later, I found him at a racing arena instead of preparing for his freshman year.

"Wyatt!" I called, my voice sharp enough to cut through the roar of engines.

He turned, helmet in hand, looking sheepish. "Uh... hey, Yiyi."

"Don't 'hey' me. You have orientation tomorrow," I said, crossing my arms.

"I'll be fine," he replied, attempting a grin.

"You'll be tired," I countered, dragging him by the arm. "Get in the car. We're going home."

Despite his protests, he obeyed. Moments like these made me feel more like his older sister than his fake girlfriend.

August 01 - August 02

The first two days of August felt unusually quiet. With Ivan out of the country for work and Nora pulling away from me, I buried myself in studies. The silence of the house pressed down on me, but I refused to let it show.

On the 02nd, it was late at night and I decided to sleep earlier than usual and went to sleep.

August 03

I had just drifted off into a peaceful slumber when the faint sound of giggles reached my ears. It was a fact that I couldn't fall into a deep slumber.

I thought I was dreaming at first, the kind of silly dream where laughter feels like it's surrounding you. But as the sound grew louder, I groggily sat up, blinking in the dim light of my room. My clock read '12:03 a.m.', and I frowned slightly, wondering what on earth could be happening at this hour. Ivan was out of the country, and no one usually disturbs me at this hour.

As I pushed myself off the bed, I noticed an unusual glow coming from the hallway. My feet barely touched the ground before the door creaked open, and a wave of silver and blue hues spilled into the room. Standing in the doorway, holding a glittering sign that read "Happy Birthday Yeim!" were my members and also Xingyi, Aaron, and others.

"Surprise!" they all shouted in unison, their voices loud enough to shake me fully awake. My hands flew to my mouth in disbelief.

"Oh my god, you guys!" I stammered, my voice a mix of shock and delight. "What... how...?"

Yuji walked forward with a mischievous grin. "Did you really think we'd let your 18th birthday start without something special?"

"And this is your coming-of-age birthday!" Hani winked and raised her eyebrows teasingly.

"She just wants to drink with members all together, as you're officially not a minor anymore."

They led me into the living room, and I gasped at what I saw. The room had been transformed into a dreamscape of silver and blue. Glittering balloons in every shade of blue floated in clusters around the room, their strings curling elegantly downwards. Silver streamers draped the walls like waterfalls of light, reflecting the glow of string lights that twinkled overhead. At the center of it all was a table adorned with a breathtaking cake. Nanny and Butler were also waiting on the side. There were a few staff, probably either the members' bodyguard or their staff. They were waiting on the side all the time, recording the moment.

The cake was a soft, serene blue, delicately frosted and crowned with intricate sugar butterflies. White and gold accents danced along its surface, and perched on top was a graceful golden hoop with a sign that read "Happy Birthday." I stepped closer, my eyes wide with wonder.

"Is this... is this really for me?" I whispered.

"Who else?" Hani said with a smirk.

"We've been planning this for weeks." Chaeyeon chimmed in.

Yuji handed me a sparkling tiara, placing it gently on my head. "You're officially a queen now. Eighteen suits you."

I turned to Xingyi and Aaron, who were adjusting the lighting to make the scene even more magical. "You really didn't have to do all this. I'm... I'm speechless!"

Somi grinned. "Don't worry, you deserve it all. But if we didn't do it, who else would?"

"Stop crying, Yeim!" Haeven teased, noticing the tears welling up in my eyes.

"I'm not crying!" I said defensively, wiping at my cheeks as a few tears of joy escaped. "Okay, maybe I am."

We all burst into laughter as I hugged each of them, feeling overwhelmed by the love and effort they had poured into this surprise.

Haeven pulled out a speaker and started playing one of my favorite songs. "Enough of the mushy stuff. It's time to celebrate!"

The night unfolded in the most magical way. They told me how they had spent the entire day sneaking around the house while I was asleep to set up everything. Yuji had coordinated the entire thing, managing every little detail from the decorations to the cake design after contacting Xingyi.

Lily chimed in proudly, "And that cake? I picked it out myself."

I laughed, teasing, "Sure, and did you bake it too?"

"Okay, no, but I did taste-test the frosting! Hani did the baking part."

The room filled with laughter again, and I felt an overwhelming warmth in my chest. These weren't just my group members; they were my family.

We sang songs, ate slices of the beautiful cake, and reminisced about our best memories together. I couldn't help but feel lucky to have such incredible people by my side.

As the night went on, Haeven nudged me playfully. "So, what's your wish for this year?"

I thought for a moment, looking around at all their smiling faces, the sparkling decorations, and the midnight glow of the silver and blue theme.

"My wish?" I said softly, "That we stay like this forever. No matter what happens."

They all cheered and raised imaginary glasses to toast to that wish. Usually, all my birthday wishes were to "Be myself and be perfect in everything," knowing that I have a new wish to add, I smiled softly to myself.

When the clock struck 1.00 a.m., and the party began to wind down, they surprised me one last time. Each of them handed me a handwritten letter, detailing their favorite memories with me and their hopes for my future.

By the time I finally crawled back into bed, I couldn't stop smiling. Before coming to my room, I double-checked if the accommodation for all the staff and members is ready. The midnight surprise had turned my 18th birthday into a moment I would treasure forever. I don't have to capture my own photos, as I'm sure that Xingyi and others have taken them for me, and there are also videos captured.

Despite it being my 18th birthday. I woke up at 9 a.m., maybe because of the late night exhaustion, and I overslept. I went to my bathroom and looked in the mirror, and muttered, "Happy birthday, me."

I dressed in an oversized sweater and leggings, since the surprise was over, there was no one to record, and I was free to do anything. After breakfast, the members went away, saying that they had packed schedules. As I, the understanding maknae, I said goodbye to them.

I spent the remaining morning in my art room, painting quietly. My hair was tied in a messy bun, a pencil sticking out of it as I focused on blending colors. I was quite embarrassed that last night I was wearing a night gown and probably had some messy hair. Even though I have silky hair and don't get it messed up easily, I am not sure at all.

Around 11 a.m., Nanny called, saying I had guests. I walked into the living room, puzzled, and asked, "Where are they?"

She smiled and pointed outside. Since the members already surprised me early, I was wondering who else. I really forgot about my friends.

When I stepped onto the porch, I froze. There they were, Wyatt, Ryan, Owen, Zach, and Nora, cheering loudly with balloons, flowers, and a cake.

"Happy birthday, Yiyi!" they yelled in unison.

"What are you guys doing here?" I asked, laughing despite myself.

"Celebrating you, obviously," Wyatt said, wrapping me in a hug. "Did you think we'd forget?"

I cut the cake brought by them and again celebrated my birthday.

The cake has a minimalist and elegant design. Its color is a soft, pastel green that serves as the base. The top features a simple inscription that reads "Happy Birthday," written in a muted tone. Around the sides, delicate white flowers with yellow centers are hand-piped, resembling daisies. The flowers are connected with thin green stems, giving a natural and garden-like appearance. Small pastel-colored decorative accents, resembling stones or buds, are scattered at the bottom edge of the cake. They knew. Although my favorite colors are purple and black, my favorite flowers are Chrysanthemum and spider Lily. I have a soft spot for green color and daisies.

The time until lunch, I spent with them, and we had our lunch together. After lunch, I send them away. Normally, Nora would stay, but she was the first one to slip away. I decided not to think about it and give her an excuse myself.

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