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soobnny · 1 year

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wishlist — yang jungwon. best friends to lovers. fluff.

synopsis. jungwon doesn’t understand why you won’t just tell him what you want for your birthday. clueless and determined to give you the best present, jungwon is left at a crossroad. instead of getting it wrong, he might just… confess? (7.1k words)

note. since 2022 is ending, i only saw it fit to write something for my bias based on my spotify wrapped top song. drum roll please … wishlist by txt! i have also missed writing for jungwon so i hope this is good!

I. 30 days before d-day

Yang Jungwon would like to think his meticulous 15-step plan for your birthday was going perfectly.

Despite still having a month until the celebration, he had prided himself in his preparations. A surprise birthday party should always be in order for his person where he can quietly hide his feelings, yet show them at the same time – through platonically giving you a bouquet of your favorite flowers, and writing a lengthy letter on how much you mean to him as a friend.

It is your birthday anyway, and he thinks you need to be reminded everyday of how loved you are. Nevermind if his love has seeped past the boundaries between platonic and romantic. You didn’t need to know that.

So, with 14 steps down his plan, he’d like to think it was going perfectly.

He has gone back to the venue thrice the past month to double check if his reservations went through, he has made sure to tell all your friends to free their schedule for your celebration, he has ordered your favorite cake with the exact proportion of icing and cake (just how you liked it) — just step after step to make sure you had an unforgettable birthday.

Yang Jungwon would go through all the trouble again and again to make sure you’re happily fixed in a golden daze on your special day, and maybe for the rest of the days after that too.

But something was bothering Jungwon, almost like an itch he couldn’t scratch. An itch that had spread through his whole body, and he didn’t think any form of medicine could ever remedy him. It had started out as a small bother and grew into an overwhelming rash.

He has the “15th step” to thank for that. Your birthday present.

It was never easy shopping for you. Even during Christmas, you would happily tell him you didn’t really want anything. You were very much satisfied with your life right now, with the friends you had, and you wanted nothing more than to create memories forever captured in the lense of your cameras and engraved in your memories to look back on when you were older.

While it was a sweet answer, Jungwon was not having it.

He’s been discreetly trying to get an answer from you for months to no avail. All he ever gets from you is a laugh, and an annoying “guess!”. But, he knows there’s something you want. Deep down and hidden behind your sweet laughter was something he knew you’ve been wanting for a while.

Yang Jungwon prides himself in knowing you like the back of his hand. With each other, there’s an absence of needing to pretend because you know you understand each other very well. He knows you as if you’re a reflection of himself. He has drunk up your movements enough to know how you feel with a single flick of emotion.

When your legs start to bounce a little, he knows you’re feeling a little nervous. When he finds you chewing on your bottom lip, he knows you’re deep in thought.

So, when he asks you what the best present to you would look like, he doesn’t miss the glint in your eyes.

You know exactly what you want, and Jungwon doesn’t understand why you won’t just tell him.

“Hyung, I know there’s something she wants. You don’t understand!” Jungwon is whining about you again. Jay is no longer bothered. He has learned long ago that being friends with him came with the consequence of him never shutting up about you.

It was funny how Jay practically knew everything about you before even meeting you. Your favorite color, what your go-to-drink was at cafe’s, your favorite fast food chain, even little mannerisms like how you curl your lips when you concentrate enough. Jungwon unknowingly slips pieces of information about you in everything that he does.

Jay buys him Mcdonalds? Best believe he’s sharing about the time you had both gotten a happy meal the night of his birthday a few years ago. Jake brings over Layla? Jungwon’s talking about Maeumi’s particular soft spot for you.

Jay’s eyes twinkle with amusement. Perhaps Jungwon is unknowingly falling deeper and deeper in love with you – Jay only hopes you’ll be there to catch him when he eventually feels the pressure of the fall.

“Hyung, are you there?” Jungwon’s eyes are fixed on his as he tugs gently on Jay’s sleeve, almost mirroring the mannerisms of a child when they want to get someone’s attention.

Although, Jay thinks he’s partially to blame as he did allow his mind to wander off while they were walking along the crowded halls of the mall.

“I’m listening. I don’t get why you’re so worried? Just get what she wants then.”

Jungwon’s boba eyes squint as he glares at the boy he had dragged along with him. Jay just doesn’t get it! However, he doesn’t have it in his heart to get upset with the boy. Jay had willingly accompanied him to the mall despite the crowd of people.

Jungwon knows Jay isn’t fond of overcrowded places.

The mall is packed with people — officer workers, street vendors, the poor and the rich. A variety of people walk through the limited space, pushing past one another to get to where they want. Jungwon’s convinced he would’ve gotten lost without his companion.

“How am I supposed to get it if I don’t know what it is?” He’s pouting now, and Jay resists the urge to pinch his cheeks.

Perhaps Jay should’ve expected this the moment he had volunteered to go to the mall with Jungwon, but he didn’t mind. Even if he had expected it, he would’ve still accompanied the young boy..

“There’s still a month left before her birthday. You have all the time in the world.” Jungwon feels a pat on his head as he’s frantically scanning around the mall for anything you might like.

“A month means I’m running out of time.”

Jay laughs, choosing to stay quiet. He prompts to keep Jungwon close, wrapping an arm around his shoulder to make sure he doesn’t lose him in the crowd.

Jungwon tends to get lost in his thoughts, and in turn, get easily distracted in public spaces.

Old people and children were pushing their trolleys of groceries left and right. If you didn’t pay attention to where you were going, Jay was convinced you’d fall victim to the wheels of the grocery carts or accidentally bump into someone and tip their shopping bags over.

When Jay drives Jungwon home empty-handed, he tells Jungwon there’s always tomorrow, and the day after that. There was still time to figure out what you wanted.

Still, Jungwon doesn’t get an ounce of sleep that night.

II. 15 days before d-day

Six in the morning is too early.

Jungwon doesn’t understand why classes start as early as seven — he’d have to wake up at five or six, prepare breakfast for himself, get changed and look presentable, and pack his backpack.

There was too much to do crammed into an hour.

He isn’t sure how he isn’t used to getting up even earlier when training for competitions. Then again, he truly believes six in the morning is just too early.

Yet, despite his disdain for the early hours of the morning, Jungwon never fails to get coffee. Even more than that, he never fails to show up at your doorstep to walk you to school either.

None of his friends tell him he doesn’t need to get up so early in the morning if he chose not to walk you to school every morning. Something tells them Jungwon already knows this. He’s a smart boy, and they know his constant habit of walking you to school every morning is to make sure you’re safe – because he cares a lot about you.

Six in the morning is never too early to see you.

“One cold brew.” He politely tells the barista, reaching out for his wallet in his book bag. “And a matcha latte, please.”

“Would you like anything else?”

Jungwon looks up from his bag, unzipping his purse as he scans over the menu and the specials for the day. And then his eyes widen.

With a smile on his face, he adds, “A slice of strawberry shortcake please.”

Your face flashes in his mind, and he vaguely recalls you’d texted him a few days ago mentioning that you were craving the strawberry shortcake his grandmother makes whenever you came over.

However, because it wasn’t harvest season yet, his grandma couldn’t make another as of recent which prompted you to randomly text him about how you had missed his grandmother’s baking. He thinks spending a little extra this morning is worth it in exchange for the look on your face when you see what he got you. While it isn’t his grandmother’s, he knows you’d still greatly appreciate it.

And Jungwon is absolutely right.

When you catch sight of the familiar box from the bakery you frequent, Jungwon notices the smile on your face right away — trying to capture it long enough for him to remember and look back on for the rest of the day.

“Jungwon, you didn’t have to.” You flick his forehead before wrapping your arms around him in a short hug. Jungwon bites back a very obvious smile as he returns the hug.

“But I wanted to.”

He doesn’t know when his heart started beating a little faster every time you pulled him into a hug. One moment, it was a completely normal thing. The next, he couldn’t stop thinking about the short display of affection for the rest of the day.

Somewhere along the lines, Jungwon had fallen in love in the silence between best friends.

Maybe he had realized just how much he’d fallen when he realized he could do nothing next to you forever and he’d still want that – he’d still greatly appreciate just being around you.

The silence of falling in love expands as you share the slice of cake on the way to school. Jungwon snorts at the sight of icing carelessly gracing your cheeks and your nose — though it's fond in a way only you can bring out of him.

So cute, he thinks.

He knows six in the morning is too early for cake, but it wasn’t too early to see the smile on your face as you're blissfully unaware of the mess you had left on your face.

Jungwon’s lip twitches at the sight.

He doesn’t really give you a chance before he’s taking the spare tissues the guy behind the counter had given him and wiping the icing so carefully on your face.

You’re taken aback by the sudden gesture, halting in your steps as Jungwon places a hand on your shoulder to steady you and make sure there won’t be traces of icing on your face when you reach school.

When he’s done, he simply places the tissue back in the plastic bag and carries on walking. You, on the other hand, turn a bright, embarrassing red. Jungwon had been at such a close proximity without warning, and while innocent, it seemed strangely intimate.

You brush the thought at the back of your head before racing after him so you aren’t left behind.

Silence greets the both of you as you comfortably walk side by side. Jungwon shifts his weight a little bit, enough that your hands brush while walking.

“Sooo…” Jungwon starts.

“Sooo…” You continue, looking at him funny.

“What do you want for your birthday?” You laugh at his question, having heard it too many times the past month. You had already known the direction of the conversation the moment Jungwon decided to say something.

In truth, you didn’t really want anything materialistic and you’ve already told him this. You don’t know why he refuses to believe you. There wasn’t much you really wanted. So long as you get to spend your birthday with him, even in silence, you’d think that would be the best present he could give you.

You laugh at the thought that he might’ve bought you cake as a bribery tactic to finally get you to say what you wanted for your birthday. You don’t know why it’s such a big deal to your best friend.

“Is this why you bought me cake? Jungwon, I already told you I don’t want anything in particular.” You say through a laugh, bumping your shoulder with his as you take the steps up to your school’s entrance. He pouts, nudging you back while mumbling, “you’re such a liar.”

Guessing your heart was so much harder than an exam, that Jungwon can conclude as he walks to his first class after dropping you to your classroom.

With an exam, you have all the time and resources to study. And there was so much material to learn from. Guessing your heart, on the other hand, was a little more complex. While Jungwon generally knows what your heart feels like, it’s still difficult to know what it truly wants.

He spends the rest of his free time pondering over your birthday gift, phone in hand and your feed on his timeline.

III. 7 days before d-day

You didn’t mean to fall asleep on Yang Jungwon’s shoulder, with your cheek against his shoulder and your hands gripping on his sweater. It was honestly meant to be just a quick little rest after staying up all night doing Chemistry homework, so you wouldn’t fall asleep in class later on.

What stems from a lean on his shoulder results in a nap.

Jungwon makes an effort not to move too much as he makes the homework given to him prior in advance. While it was due next week, Jungwon finds that there’s free time during his lunch break to start working on it as early as now.

Although it’s a little hard to focus when your fluttering eyelashes and parted mouth is directly in his peripheral vision. Jungwon would like to believe he controls himself well – he’s mastered the art of being meticulously planned. If he could, he would’ve mapped out the rest of his life already.

He’s a little untrusting of fate, and he didn’t like the uncertainty of not knowing. So, he makes sure everything he does is in his control, whether that’s the homework due next week or his responsibilities as class president.

Jungwon didn’t see you coming though.

Your soft breathing sends him into a frenzy, and he struggles to keep on writing down ideas on his essay despite his mind being clouded by the feeling of your hands wrapped around his arm and your head drooping on his shoulder.

He doesn’t think much work can be done when he sees his friends make their way over the pair of you with smirking faces and knowing looks. Nishimura Riki is the first to nudge him teasingly, motioning over to you before giggling to himself.

“You’re so whipped, hyung.”

Instead of replying to him, Jungwon pressed a finger to his lips before running a hand down your back to make sure you hadn’t awakened from the sudden ruckus.

He knows how much you worked on your homework last night. He had been there on video call, ready to tend to any of your questions. He had also been there to convince you to sleep already, and that he would help you on the way to school the next day.

“You’re so whipped, hyung.” Riki repeats in a whisper, laughing as Jungwon moves him aside with his foot. He messily places his books on the table before pulling out the lunch box his mother had prepared for him.

“How long has she been sleeping for?” Jake slides in the seat across Jungwon, asking curiously while being careful not to raise his voice so you could continue your soundless nap. Unlike Riki, Jake neatly stacks his notebooks aside on the table.

“Just around 15 minutes now.” Jake hums in acknowledgment, smiling at the sight of Jungwon’s flushed cheeks as he constantly checks to see if you’re still comfortable in your position.

“What are you so focused on?” Slipping beside Jungwon, Jay peeks at the notebook plastered on the cafeteria table.

“My essay.” He spots the essay Jungwon’s been working on, yet a knowing smirk creeps up on his face when he sees the other page of Jungwon’s notebook. “You sure about that?”

Jay gestures towards the messily written list, and Jungwon turns a bright red upon being caught. “Okay, maybe I wasn’t too focused.”

“What is it?” Sunoo butts in the conversation, taking a bite of his sandwich before leaning over to see what all the commotion was about.

“(Name)’s possible wishlist.” Jungwon mumbles, looking over his list.

A useful something — a new watch perhaps? He knows yours doesn’t work anymore and you’re just wearing it because you’d gotten used to the feeling of the watch around your wrist. Or maybe pretty trash? You’ve mentioned multiple times that you wanted to buy a fake plant to decorate your room with.

“How about something romantic?” Heeseung peers over to make sure you’re still asleep before asking the question. “Some flowers?”

“He’s already going to get her flowers. Jungwon doesn’t count that as a gift.” Sunghoon responds for Jungwon, stealing a bite off of Sunoo’s sandwich earning him a smack on the shoulder.

“Hey, what happened to respecting your seniors?” Sunghoon pouts, rubbing his shoulder. Sunoo is unbothered as he steals his sandwich back. “I’m special.” Sunoo replies sweetly, finishing up his lunch.

“I really can’t make a guess. What could be the best present?” Jungwon mumbles more to himself, brushing a hand over your hair absentmindedly.

He looks down at you and he smiles at how cute you look with your cheek pressed against his shoulder. His friends notice this — he’s looking at you that way again, that same adoring way Jungwon thinks he’s hidden quite well.

He looks back at his list, crossing out the things he had written earlier. While going through them, everything suddenly forms a meaning.

The neck pillow reminds him of times like these, when you’d fall asleep on him in school or on the way back home when you’d decide to take the bus instead of walking. He’s reminded of times when he’d have to shake you awake as you’d arrive at your doorstep because you’d fall asleep even on the short walk from the bus stop to your home.

Jungwon made sure to always help you out though, and you’d gratefully smile up at him and squish his cheeks in thanks before stepping into your home.

The hoodie reminds him of all the times you’d steal his. He doesn’t even act surprised when he’s picking you up one day and you’re clad in what used to be his favorite hoodie. He knows you won’t even wear the hoodie he’d get you, prompting to keep stealing his because freshly bought hoodies just don’t smell the same.

The bracelet reminds him of the ones you’re wearing right now. Although a little messy and mismatched, you had both made them when you were a little younger — friendship bracelets. He remembers designing yours with a little too much heart beads. At the time, he didn’t even know he had the biggest crush on you.

A jewel box with a star called you inside is overflowing in his heart. The yearning feels a little too overwhelming.

Jungwon feels like he’s just been thrown off a plane, freefalling with everything out of his control. The harsh winds feel like it can tear him apart, and the acceleration increases with every hoodie you steal and every moment you fall asleep on his shoulder. There’s a deafening silence as he falls.

“What were you guys talking about?” You peel your head from Jungwon’s shoulder, rubbing your eyes gently before dropping them down so your best friend doesn’t scold you. Then, you lean your head back on his shoulder.

Jungwon crashes.

“Good morning noona.” Riki changes the topic shamelessly, waving at you enthusiastically.

You’re too exhausted to respond as enthusiastically, so you prompt to wave back at him instead, sending a smile his way.

A reserved smile plays at Jungwon’s friends’ mouths, greeting you as they continue to eat their food. You aren’t necessarily from the same circle, but you’ve learned to bond with the boys in different ways.

Although shy at first, you’ve found various interests to talk to them about.

You always made an effort to get along with your best friend’s circle, and they reciprocated that. The way Jungwon beams at you so wholeheartedly is enough for them to know you’re good for Jungwon. Besides, you’d known him the longest and it didn’t really take much to know that all his gentle smiles have always been reserved for you.

With Heeseung and Jake, you talk about video games to the point where they’d invite you to game lobbies without having to ask Jungwon. They regard you as one of their friends.

With Sunghoon, you share the same love for ice skating. Sometimes you’d see each other at the local ice rink and spend the rest of the time skating side by side and talking about whatever came to mind. You’ve always been hesitant with Sunghoon since he was a little introverted like you. You didn’t know if he wanted you to strike up a conversation with him. Yet, when you were ice skating one day, and he decided to skate towards the direction you were in and guide you through the rink while joking around, you knew he didn’t mind being a friend.

Jay had become like an overbearing brother. Because you were so close to Jungwon, he had naturally grown a sense of overprotectiveness when it came to you. Maybe it had something to do with protecting Jungwon’s happiness, but somewhere along the way, you’d become like a little sister to him. You knew you could always confide in him.

Sunoo was the easiest to get along with. You’d talk gossip, on the latest shows and movies you were obsessed with, on practically everything. To the extent where Jungwon would joke around about how Sunoo was stealing his best friend from him.

Riki was the sweetest. He treated you as an older sister and always got on Jungwon’s nerves with your help. You’d come along with him as he’d set up pranks on his friends, and you’d listen to him blabber about how Heeseung and Jake would kick him out of lobbies because it was way past his bedtime.

Because you meant a lot to Jungwon, his friends naturally gravitated towards you. They’d become your friends too.

Truth be told, it wasn’t the most difficult thing falling into a friendship with the six boys. While branded as intimidating, they were actually really nice.

“You can go back to sleep. There’s still 30 minutes before the next class.” Jay smiles softly at you, apologizing if their ruckus might’ve shaken you awake which you dismissed immediately.

“Wait, before you head back to sleep…” Jungwon says, cupping your cheeks and looking down at you through your droopy eyes. You hum in response, waiting for what he has to say.

“What do you want for your birthday?”

The question elicits laughter from the table, including you. With a playful glare, you tear Jungwon’s hands from your cheeks before situating yourself back on his shoulder.

“You shouldn’t take advantage of a sleepy girl.” Jungwon laughs, resting an arm around your waist to make sure you’re comfortable, and so you don’t strain your neck.

“It was worth a try.”

There’s a gentle smile adorning Jungwon’s pretty face as he rests his head atop of yours. Jungwon recovers from the crash and is ready to jump again.

IV. 1 day before d-day

Jungwon was going to go absolutely mad. It was inevitable, how he was going to go insane, the madness creeping slowly and slowly until it consumed the entirety of Yang Jungwon.

It was a day before your birthday, and while his 14 steps had been ready a month prior to tomorrow, he could not, for the life of him, get the fifteenth step down.

He thought 30 days was a good enough marker for him to have some time to get you the perfect present. He thought wrong as he scrambles through lists on end that he had previously written days.

Jungwon had already gone through it multiple times. He knows he won’t get anything new when he reviews it again, yet he still does it anyway. Jungwon has never known frustration quite like this.

Sure, he had crammed a few tests and homeworks before, but not like this. He had never been completely unprepared. He had never gone without a backup plan, a Plan B of sorts.

The stress over your birthday present has reared into a good first place of the list that was driving Jungwon straight into madness. Forget about the exams. He had studied for that long before it was even announced.

Heeseung raises an eyebrow at the sight before him. He had never seen Jungwon this out of control before with his eyes wide and his shoulders slouched over his notebook. “Still thinking about (name)’s birthday gift?”

Heeseung knows he’s right, and the blush on Jungwon’s cheeks is enough confirmation that you were yet again the reason as to why he had blown out of proportions and was panicking as he was going through your surprise birthday party with his and your friends.

There’s that sincere, loving look in his eyes that solidifies Heeseung’s question. Although Jungwon tries to appear composed and stoic, the visible panic in his voice while he reviews the plans for tomorrow was enough to blow his cover. Besides, you’re the only person that can make Jungwon go from calm to insane to flustered in the blink of an eye.

“You’re so in love.” Riki giggles as he wiggles his eyebrows at the older boy. He supposes he should’ve seen the shove coming.

“Jungwon, I’m sure this surprise birthday party is the greatest gift you could give her. Your time and effort into planning this just goes beyond. You don’t need to get her anything.” Everyone at the table hums at Jay’s insight.

While it was amusing seeing their friend on the brink of madness, it was still just a little bit concerning. Jungwon was always the one who had his shit together, and the uncharacteristic insanity was slowly creeping the boys out.

“I just really wanted to get her something.” Jungwon mumbles, staring down at his notebook before sighing out in defeat. He really wanted to get you what you wanted, but he just couldn’t figure it out. Since when did you get so hard to read?

“Maybe if you confessed to her instead.” Sunoo giggles at his idea as if it’s the most genius thing he’e ever said. It might just be.

While he meant it in a joking manner (everyone knew Jungwon was way too much of a coward to tell you how he feels, instead choosing to hide behind platonic gestures), Jungwon seriously considers it.

“As if Jungwon could actually do that.” Sunghoon looks at Sunoo incredulously, shaking his head. Sunghoon’s absolutely right and Jungwon knows it.

“Oy, hide your notebook. She’s coming this way.” Jake is quick to close the notebook that had all the details of your surprise birthday party, hiding it on the bench between him and Jungwon before waving at you innocently.

Before you can approach their table, someone calls out to you quietly. Your head whips at the sound, smiling politely at your classmate who greets you an advance happy birthday.

“Any idea on what you want for your special day?” Wonyoung smiles sweetly, hoping to hear a response.

She was planning on going to the mall after dismissal today so she could get you a gift before coming to your surprise birthday party tomorrow. Sullyoon had already gotten you a present days before, but had volunteered to come with Wonyoung anyway.

Jungwon hopes none of his friends notice the way his head whips so fast at the question.

If you won’t tell Jungwon, maybe you’d tell Wonyoung.

“Nothing comes to mind.” You laugh quietly and Wonyoung pouts at your lack of response. “Nothing?”

Guess Wonyoung has quite a challenge when she goes shopping later.

When you finish talking, Wonyoung politely excuses herself before waving you goodbye and walking off to the halls of the school.

You break out into a wide smile as you walk over to where Jungwon and his friends are. Jungwon returns the smile, cheeks burning red when your eyes fall to him. He doesn’t recall when art and beauty was capable of looking back at him.

He motions you over and pushes Riki (who was seated on the other side next to him) aside so you could sit next to him. Riki simply finds another seat across from the group.

Besides, no one could adore you in the way that Jungwon does. You don’t receive that kind of admiration from Jungwon so easily. And it’s only yours.

“Advance happy birthday.” Jungwon smiles up at you, pulling you down to sit next to him. “Thank you.” You hum sweetly before quietly thanking everyone around the table who had joined in on the greetings.

The group easily falls into banter, and your surprise birthday party is kept a secret from you for the rest of the day.

Jungwon walks you home that day, just like he always does. He admits with little shame that he was distracted the whole walk home.

You’d have to pull him back so he doesn’t walk directly into a streetlight.

He’s incredibly busy thinking about tomorrow, how the day just had to be perfect. And it’s even harder to focus when the golden light of the sun was hitting you just right, his favorite person walking right next to him.

Jungwon can’t contain his smile. He needed to make sure tomorrow was unforgettable for you. It’s one of the few days he can shamelessly show just how much he cares for you in disguise of celebrating your birthday.

He doesn’t stop thinking about you even after you’ve called him out.

“You look deep in thought, Wonie.”

“I have a very good reason to be.”

He doesn’t stop after dropping you off either. Jungwon just can’t stop thinking about you.

His thoughts range from different things — homework, his friends, you, class president duties, extracurriculars, you, competitions, exams, you. His mind always finds its way to the color of your eyes or the quirk of your lips.

He only hopes he can keep himself calm enough tomorrow that his feelings don’t bleed through.

Maybe then Jungwon can stop thinking about going in for the first kiss, maybe he just needs to busy himself with the preparations so you can stop being the subject of his dreams for a moment.

Obviously, he’s in denial. Because even with preparations, you will always be the first person he thinks about. Even more after tomorrow when there’s nothing else to be busy about.

His thoughts cut short when he meets the front of his house. So, he stops spinning the daydream of you for a moment — he can always resume in his dreams.

V. D-Day

You couldn’t say you saw it coming.

While you knew your best friend, Yang Jungwon, was up to something — you didn’t think he’d go far and beyond to actually plan a surprise birthday party.

You’d thought your birthday would just be a repeat of last year. A simple dinner with your family and Jungwon coming over to throw you a mini celebration. He knew that was enough for you, and it was enough for him too.

However, this year, he decided to take it a step further.

It was wonderfully planned. He had borrowed Jay’s house for the evening and carefully strewed colorful balloons of red, blue, and yellow around the walls (ones that the boys blew up the entire afternoon and taped themselves).

At the center, with the table of food and cake, lettered balloons carefully lined up to spell “Hapy B1rthdy”.

It was strangely endearing – how the balloons were spelt wrong. The effort was so visibly there, and you don’t know why the simple spelling error has your heart bursting with happiness. Sunghoon won’t tell anyone he almost got a scolding from Jungwon for cramming the purchase of the balloons.

They had to make do with the material Sunghoon got.

Jungwon spots the smile on your face as your friends jump out to greet you with a happy birthday. He finally feels calm. His peace has always depended on your own, and nothing warms Jungwon’s heart more than seeing his efforts in full effect.

The moment was sweet. It was just an intimate get together with you and your friends, and you had Jungwon to thank for that. If only you could actually find him through the string of people making their way to you and greeting you.

“Happy Birthday!” Sunoo wraps you up in a big hug after Wonyoung and Sullyoon had collectively greeted you and showered you with compliments.

You smile at the boy, linking your arms around his to complete the hug. “Were you surprised?”

“I was!” You exclaim, pulling away from the hug so you can face him while you’re talking. Though, your conversation doesn’t last long when Riki pulls you away from Sunoo.

His expression is serious as he drags you away, but before you can ask him what’s wrong, he stops in his tracks. With a pout on his face, he opens his arms wide and greets you with a happy birthday.

You laugh endearingly at the boy and grant him the hug he was demanding. He mumbles something about how everyone was hogging you, and he’d been meaning to greet you first but everyone beat him to it. You thank him, patting his back and he pulls away with a smile.

While grateful to see all your friends and be greeted on your birthday, there’s one person you’ve been looking for since everyone had jumped from their hiding spots. Quickly scanning Jay’s house, you finally find your best friend.

Jungwon’s eager eyes brighten at the sight of you before they motion towards his phone as if to tell you to check your own. Then, he brings his gaze up to shoot you a warm smile.

The way you mirror his smile brings a splash of giddiness into his heart.

wonie: come here. let’s go to the rooftop! i’m tired of sharing u >:(

Your feet easily bring you towards the boy behind the whole evening’s surprise. He reaches out and you sigh happily when you find his arms, inching closer so you can rest your head against his chest, cheek pressed against his shirt. He wraps you up, encasing you in his embrace, with his lips brushing over the top of your head.

“Thank you, Won.” The melodic sound of your gratefulness and the laugh that escapes your lips feels like the purest definition of heaven.

He’d plan a million birthday parties to make sure you’re forever genuinely happy.

“Oh, before I forget.” One of his arms unhook from your figure, grabbing something from behind him before carefully placing the party hat on your head, hooking the band just under your chin. He puts one on for himself too.

“Now let me borrow you for a bit.”

Without a single warning, you feel a large hand grip onto yours, tugging at you to follow him up the steps to Jay’s rooftop. You smile warmly at the giddiness radiating from the boy at his gift.

The moon has risen, taking the sun’s place as it leaves to rest. A mass of stars follows suit, taking over the skies and shining particularly brighter for you and Jungwon.

You stand there in silence for a bit, glancing at Jungwon who is clearly having a battle in his own mind. He looks pretty with the full moon flooding a silver glow on his face.

“Are you okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” You laugh, pressing the palm of your hand on his cheek to check if he was still there.

Jungwon had a tendency of dozing off into daydreams.

He swats your hand away with a sheepish grin, turning his attention back to you and pretending not to feel a new wave of giddiness in his heart.

“Why wouldn’t I be okay?” He shakes his head at you before he sighs out in a poor attempt to calm himself down.

It was now or never.

Despite the pounding of his heart, Jungwon knows exactly what to do, but it doesn’t really help when he’s a string of nerves that’s about to untangle with a single wrong move. He feels like he’s floating.

Your smile brings him back on Earth.

When he finally catches his breath, he reaches to slide his hand into yours. He gives you a soft smile before speaking gently. “Close your eyes.”

You’re about to make a retort, to tease him a little, but the look in his eyes was too delicate for you to ruin with a stupid joke. And your heart melts in your chest at how softly he speaks, with his heart on his sleeve like that. So, you comply.

You absentmindedly play with the fingers that lock between yours as you wait for his next move. Then, you feel a gentle squeeze on your hand.

This moment right now is making Jungwon’s heart burn in his chest, making his head hurt in a good way. You look so pretty with your eyes closed and your hands in his, and the moonlight pouring wonders to your face.

“Okay, stay still. I’m about to give you your gift.”

You laugh. So that’s what this is about.

“Finally figured it out?” You bounce between your feet, playing with his own fingers nervously. Did he actually figure it out? He couldn’t have.

“Stop moving, I’m really nervous right now.” His transparency makes you laugh even more, and he curses you for having to laugh with your sunshine smile. He curses himself even more for saying everything in his head when he’s nervous.

“I’m not moving!” You curl up your lips in a smile, planting your feet to the ground to quietly oblige with his request. “Wonie, how much longer?”

You've been closing your eyes for a good 3 minutes now, and you wonder what’s taking Jungwon so long to give you his present. You’re blissfully unaware of the measures and lengths he’s going through to push through with his plan.

“I’ve been trying to figure out what the best present would be. For a month, I’ve gone back and forth on whatever could be on your wishlist. So… rather than getting it all wrong. I just…”

There, on the rooftop, half drunk from his overwhelming emotions, with the sound of music from the party downstairs and you smiling and his heart bursting with something he couldn’t quite identify, he needed to confess.

You wait for him to continue, but no words come after. Instead, you feel soft lips press against your cheek in a kiss. You feel him linger there for a moment.

Your eyes shoot open and your cheeks flood with warmth when he squeezes your hand and looks at you with his stupid eyes. “I like you.”

Your mouth opens, then closes, then opens again.

You can’t seem to escape his eyes and his smile, and you find the longing in your heart intensify as he pulls you closer.

“I really, really like you.”

You blink. And in one fluid motion, you lunge forward and pull him into a hug. “Jungwon, that was the only thing on my wishlist.” You murmur into his shirt, holding onto him as if the moment could vanish at any second.

The poor boy turns into the deepest shade of red you’ve ever seen, hugging you back and staring blankly ahead of you. Did that actually just happen? Did you… did you like him back?

Yang Jungwon tries not to be big on public displays of affection, but he reaches for your hand while you head back downstairs.

Before he fully allows the pair of you back into the party, he brings his lips to your cheek again, letting it linger there for a moment before looking at you with the biggest smile you’ve ever seen on his face. “This means you like me back, right?”

“I do, you idiot.” He doesn’t fight the giddy grin on his face as he contentedly squeezes your hand.

Jungwon’s heart is bursting with genuine happiness as his and your friends eye your intertwined hands. They send him a cheeky, knowing smirk as they pat his back – as if to congratulate him on finally getting the girl he’s been pining for forever.

When you blow your cake, they ask you what you want, and while looking at Jungwon, you tell them you already have everything you want, and he smiles that giddy smile of his and wonders when it’d be appropriate to kiss you.

The whole room joins in on making fun of the both of you, vomiting air and telling you guys to get a room while nudging each other.

It bothered neither of you.

The evening draws on with games and greetings, with opening presents and singing “happy birthday” in one breath, with your friends spreading icing all over each other’s faces. You look over at Jungwon who is already looking at you, and a smile creeps its way to your face. An identical one crawls on his.

When it was time to say goodbye, Jungwon walks you home and wraps you up in a final embrace. And he thinks he could stay right here in this moment – even if the world ended right now. He’d stay like this forever.

All his life, Jungwon has fought to gain the upper hand. He has always made plans and back-up plans to make sure everything was under his control. He only now realizes that falling in love was never in his control, and one sight of you has Jungwon willing to throw caution in the wind and dive head first.

This time, he doesn’t crash. He finds that he’s landed in your arms, safe and wanting to freefall for you all over again.