Birthday wish

Carrie and Jae-wook stood at the entrance of a brightly lit local Chinese restaurant, its golden lanterns swaying gently with the evening breeze. The inviting aroma of sizzling stir-fry and freshly steamed dumplings filled the air, yet Carrie's expression remained distant—her brows furrowed, lips pressed together in unease.

Jae-wook tilted his head, catching the shift in her mood instantly.

"What's with the face?" he asked, his voice light but laced with curiosity.

Carrie exhaled sharply, folding her arms. "Of all places to have my birthday dinner, Ava picked my childhood nightmare."

Jae-wook raised an eyebrow. "Childhood nightmare?"

"You don't want to know," she muttered, shaking her head.

He studied her for a moment, then offered, "We don't have to eat here. We can go somewhere else."

"No way," Carrie sighed. "I already turned down so many of their plans. Saying no again would look rude."

Jae-wook gave her a small nod. "Then let's go in."

With a reluctant breath, Carrie followed him inside. The restaurant buzzed with chatter, the clinking of chopsticks against porcelain bowls, and the soft hum of a traditional melody playing in the background. At the far end, Ava and Leo waved them over, seated at a booth near a decorative koi fountain.

"How was your day?" Leo asked as they slid into their seats.

Carrie shrugged. "Not bad."

Leo opened his mouth to continue. "Today was a bit exhausting—almost frightening, too. Someone—"

Before he could finish, Ava shoved a spoonful of cake into his mouth, cutting him off. "Today is about Carrie," she said quickly. "Let's leave work out of this."

Carrie smirked at Leo's muffled protest. "Okaayyy." She leaned back and swayed the conversation. "So, what's the plan after this?"

Ava's eyes gleamed mischievously. "How about… the amusement park?"

Carrie's nose scrunched up. "Aren't we too old for that?"

Leo scoffed, shrugging. "I've seen people way older than us there. Besides, the rides aren't for kids."

Carrie rolled her eyes but kept eating. "Whatever."

An hour later, the four of them stood beneath the towering structure of The Spiral Abyss, the park's most infamous roller coaster.

The ride loomed over them like a mechanical beast, its twisted steel track illuminated by flickering neon lights. The air buzzed with the nervous energy of thrill-seekers, the scent of popcorn and adrenaline mixing with the cool night breeze. The distant clatter of the coaster echoed in the background, followed by bloodcurdling screams that faded into the sky.

Carrie swallowed hard.

Each of them pulled out their tickets—small, crumpled stubs of fate. One by one, they slid them across the scratched-up counter to the ride attendant. He barely acknowledged them, his dark sunglasses hiding whatever lay beneath.

No turning back now.

They boarded the ride, Ava and Leo taking the front seats while Carrie and Jae-wook sat directly behind them. The harness locked into place with an ominous click. Carrie's fingers trembled against the cold metal bar, her skin turning cherry red before the ride had even begun.

Jae-wook noticed immediately.

"You've never been on a roller coaster before, have you?" he asked, his voice low, steady.

Carrie's eyes darted to him, a nervous tremor in her tone. "No! And why on earth would I willingly ride something that literally has 'Abyss' in the name?"

Jae-wook chuckled softly, his voice smooth. "It's fine. You don't have to be nervous. I'm right here, just hold on to me if you feel frightened."

Before she could reply, the ride lurched forward.

At first, it was smooth—a slow climb toward the peak, the rhythmic clank, clank, clank of the ascent filling the silence. The city lights stretched below them, beautiful yet distant.

Then, everything plunged.

The first drop stole the breath from her lungs, the wind slashing against her face as they plummeted into a spiraling abyss of steel and speed.

The world blurred. Screams erupted around them. The track twisted violently, flinging them through loops, corkscrews, and drops that defied logic.

Carrie didn't think—she reacted.

Without hesitation, she buried her face into Jae-wook's chest, her fingers gripping his arms in a death grip.

Jae-wook didn't flinch. Instead, he let out a small laugh, tilting his head slightly to speak over the rush of wind. "Told you it'd be fine."

Carrie wasn't convinced. "I hate this! I hate this so much!" she screamed, but her voice was lost in the chaos.

Another loop. Another drop. Her heart pounded so hard she was sure it would burst.

And then—just as suddenly as it began—the ride slowed, gliding smoothly into the station.

Carrie's entire body felt weak, her breathing uneven as the safety bars lifted. Jae-wook smirked at her disheveled state.

"Are you alive?."

Carrie shot him a glare but couldn't deny the slight adrenaline rush still buzzing in her veins. "…Barely."

Leo turned around in his seat, grinning. "Who screamed the loudest? I think it was Carrie."

Ava giggled. "Oh, definitely Carrie."

Carrie huffed, standing up on shaky legs. "Shut up."

Later on, Carrie and Jae-wook sat watching Leo play the balloon dart game, aiming to win a gift—for Ava, of course.

Carrie exhaled sharply and muttered under her breath, "You know, this isn't really fair, is it?"

Jae-wook, eyes still fixed on his phone, barely reacted. "What's not?"

"It's my birthday," Carrie pointed out, swirling her straw in her drink. "Yet, here we are, playing to win a gift for someone else."

Jae-wook finally looked up, one brow raised. "Jealous?"

"No!" Carrie hesitated. Her fingers tightened around the cup as she looked away. "Why should I be?"

Jae-wook smirked knowingly and put his phone away. "Do you still like him?"

"No." Carrie bit her lip, choosing her words carefully. "I believe I'm over that now. Ever since I—" she paused, recalling the night she had broken down in his car, "—since that night, I felt a little… lighter."

"Hm. Interesting." Jae-wook leaned back, his gaze unreadable. "Don't you owe me a thank-you for that?"

Carrie scoffed. "No! Certainly not."

Jae-wook's lips curved slightly. Then, as if making a sudden decision, he stood up. "What if I won one?"

Carrie blinked. "What?"

He turned to face her fully, his expression unreadable but intense. "Let's make a deal." He gestured towards the dart game. "I win a toy, and you grant me one wish. If I fail, I'll fulfill yours."

Before she could process what was happening, he was already striding toward the game booth.

"He must be crazy, this is driving me crazy" Carrie muttered under her breath.

Ava raised a brow. "You're suddenly interested?"

Jae-wook twirled a pin between his fingers, testing its weight. "Hm. I find it odd too."

Carrie watched, her heart beating oddly fast. He wasn't the type to participate in carnival games. Something about the way he stood there, the subtle determination in his posture, sent a shiver down her spine.

With a smooth flick of his wrist, he threw the pin.

Whoosh!

The pin brushed past the balloon, barely grazing it.

Carrie's gasp turned into laughter. "Ha!!" she exclaimed in relief, leaning back with a smug grin.

Jae-wook turned his head, amusement flickering in his eyes. "Ms. Evans, relax. I still have two tries."

He rolled his shoulders and threw the second pin.

Missed again.

Carrie clutched her stomach, laughing harder. "I thought you were good at this?"

Jae-wook's lips twitched, but this time, his expression grew serious. He adjusted his stance, his eyes locking onto a single red balloon.

"I have a perfect record in archery. This shouldn't be hard," he muttered, exhaling slowly.

He threw the last pin.

The world seemed to shift into slow motion as the pin soared through the air. Every eye followed its trajectory, the anticipation thick in the air.

Whoosh!

The pin flew over the balloon and smacked against the wooden board.

Silence.

Jae-wook's jaw tensed. "Damn it."

Carrie, barely able to contain her laughter, leaned forward with a smug smile. "Seems like you lost."

But before she could fully savor the moment

Pop!

The balloon suddenly burst.

Heads turned in shock.

The attendant gasped. "You won!"

Ava blinked. "Wait. Is that even allowed?"

Jae-wook, completely unfazed, smirked. "It's me. Things always work out my way."

He reached for a fluffy bunny plush and turned to Carrie, holding it out to her.

"Always."

Carrie stared at the stuffed toy, her thoughts racing. She knew more than anyone that Jae-wook—his wishes were never simple.

Especially with that damn smirk still on his face.

Jae-wook leaned in slightly, his voice lower, more deliberate."what do we do now? It seems like I won" he said and waved the fluffy toy.

Carrie swallowed hard as her eyes met his.