Minwoo opened the blindfolds. They're standing in the rooftop in some buildings. She doesnt even know where she is right now. But the view was breathtaking.

The food, the candle even the flower. "What is this for?"

"Happy birthday....", Minwoo said smiling brightly. "Come on..."

"Wait..."

"What?"

"You're not gonna asked me to be your girlfriend or anything like that right?", Sooji really cant accept that if that's the case.

Minwoo smiles in understanding. "Nope....this is a platonic birthday dinner with my platonic friend who've been being amazing human...so you can eat everything peacefully...", Minwoo knew that Sooji wasnt ready. And he's not gonna force her to some uncomfortable situation. She might not tell him everything yet. But he knew that she has been through so much. For now, knowing her and being her friend is more than enough.

"Okay then..", Sooji smiled happily.

They eat, chat, mock each other and laugh. Being with Minwoo is easy. No need to pretend about anything. No shadow of the past that keep haunting like when she was with Shihyun. That man. That stupid man that keeps poping in her head. He kissed her yesterday. How could he kissed her like that. Without warning. She really wanted to slap him again, but she did it before and it didnt even affect him. So she thought maybe it's better to just ignore him.

"What are you thinking?"

"Huh?", Sooji startled with Minwoo sudden question.

"You seems spaced out..."

"Sorry..."

"I have something for you...", Minwoo gets up from his seat. And go to the little stage in the centre of the place that usually used by live band.

(Just imagine this is Minwoo singing for Sooji 😋)

Saying I love you 
Is not the words I want to hear from you 
It's not that I want you 
Not to say, but if you only knew 
How easy it would be to show me how you feel 
More than words is all you have to do to make it real 
Then you wouldn't have to say that you love me 
'Cause I'd already know 
What would you do if my heart was torn in two 
More than words to show you feel 
That your love for me is real 
What would you say if I took those words away 
Then you couldn't make things new 
Just by saying I love you

More than words 
La di da, da di da, di dai dai da

Now I've tried to talk to you and make you understand 
All you have to do is close your eyes 
And just reach out your hands and touch me 
Hold me close don't ever let me go 
More than words is all I ever needed you to show 
Then you wouldn't have to say that you love me 
'Cause I'd already know

What would you do if my heart was torn in two 
More than words to show you feel 
That your love for me is real 
What would you say if I took those words away 
Then you couldn't make things new 
Just by saying I love you

"Oppa....", that's the only word that come out from her mouth when Minwoo back to his seat.

"Yaa....why are you crying..."

Sooji didnt even realize that she was crying. The song was beautiful. But the irony is when Minwoo sang that song, all she was thinking was Shihyun. How that song fits so perfectly their situation right now. She felt so guilty to Minwoo. "Mianhe oppa...."

"You dont need to say anything...and I wont say anything too...I am just glad to get a chance to know you...please be happy...that's the only thing I always wish for you Sooji ah...", Minwoo smiles.

==========

"Ok...go inside...it's almost midnight...I dont want this car to turn into pumpkin in front of you...", they've arrived in front of Sooji's building.

"I am not cinderella...I am the evil stepmother...", Sooji replied. Minwoo laugh at her reply. "Good night oppa...thank you for the dinner..."

"Your wellcome...Oh...here is your phone...", Minwoo give her phone back. Minwoo asked her to handed her phone to him before he blindfold her.

"I almost forget...thank you oppa..."

She turned on the phone as soon as she entered the building. And there's 4 voice messages from Sejoo and one from Shihyun.

Sejoo : Yaa!! Choi Sooji where are you??
Sejoo : I am waiting outside your studio...
Sejoo : why are you turned off your phone??
Sejoo : Let's just meet at the nest okay?

The nest? Did he really mean that nest? Their nest that he sold years ago? She tried to call Sejoo back but he doesnt pick up the phone. She checked the time he send the voices messages. 9 pm. Maybe she just called him again tomorrow.

Then she listened to shihyun voices message.

Shihyun : Happy birthday Choi Sooji...I wished I could say this directly to you at our nest...but too bad it seems like you're busy right now...so...happy birthday my favourite human...do whatever it is that make you happy...🤗

She stopped right in front of her apartment door. The  time he send it was 10 pm. Was he stil there? She tried to call Shihyun but the phone was off. She started to worried. So she run back to the street, wish she still can find a cab at this hours. After 10 minutes waiting, she finally gets the cab.

She arrived at their nest at 11.46 pm. She tried her luck and push the old passcode, really didnt expect that the door will open in the first try.

Door open..

Her breath hitched in her throat, listening to that sound. It send shiver down her spine. She loved and hated that sound with equal amount. She entered the room carefully. Dont know what to expect.

When she finally inside the room she was frozen. There is birthday banner at the bar and baloon everywhere, everything still looked the same like the last time they failed to celebrate Shihyun's birthday. It's almost scary. She feels like she jumped into time machine or something. But then her eyes caught someone laying on the floor.

"Kwon Shihyun!", she run to him. He was laying motionless on the floor beside the sofa. She stroked his cheek gently, trying to wake him up. "Shihyun ah...", his face feels cold againt her palms. He doesnt wake up. She shakes his shoulder, "Shihyun ah...wake up...", when he doesnt budge, she starts panicking. "Dont you dare leave me again!"PLAAK!!! So she slaped him. That's the only thing she could think of to wake him up.

"AARGH!!", he wakes up. Shocked from sudden pain in his cheek.

"You're alive....", Sooji looks at him dumbfounded.

"Of course I am alive...", Shihyun sits up, stroking his sore cheek. "Why did you slap me again...", he grumbled with barely opened eyes.

"Mianhe...I thought....", her voice is cracking.

Shihyun looks up and realize that Sooji is crying. It's her birthday. Why she keeps crying on her birthday? She scolded herself. "Yaa...why are you crying..I just fell asleep...", he reached her shoulder and pulled her into a hug.

"Why were you sleeping on the floor...", she said between her sobs.

"I didnt know...I guess I feel from the sofa and too lazy to get up...", he tried to remember how he could ended up sleeping at the floor.

"You scared the hell out of me..."

"Mianhe...", he chuckled. "Please dont cry...", he's stroking her hair gently. He is trying hard to resist the urge to nuzzled into her neck.

She pulled back from his hug. "Why are you here? Why this place still exist???"

"Surprisee!!!", he's grinning like a pabo. Sooji just rolled her eyes. "Oh come on...at least pretend to be surprised...I lost my sleep for preparing all of this...", Shihyun is pouting now.

Sooji smiles. "Okay...let's repeat it then...."

Shihyun excitedly gets up and drags her to the door. "Get out..."

"Why??", Sooji confused.

"You said we can repeat this..."

"Seriously??", Sooji didnt believe that Shihyun will asked her to get out just to repeat the surprise. He just nodded. "Ok fine..."

"Count to 10 then enter the room..okay?!"

As soon as Sooji's get out from the room. Shihyun run to the bar to take the flower boquet that he already prepared.

Door open...

"SURPRISEEEESSS!!!!", Sooji jumps in shock for real, because Shihyun yelled in front of her face.

"What the...", she's almost getting mad. But the anger is gone when she saw Shihyun standing there holding a boquet of white roses with eyes full of hopes.

Shihyun give the boquet to her. "No red roses?", Sooji raised her eyes curious. Did he forget what he just said few days ago?

Shihyun smirks and walk to to the bar to take something. He's back with huge present, that obviously looked like a cello.

"You bought me a cello?"

Shihyun shakes his head. "Nope...it's the red rose..."

"Huh?"

"Just opened it..."

Sooji teared the wrapping paper eagerly and nervously at the same time. She really didnt want it to be a cello. Turned out, it's not a cello, but a cello case. Black cello case with single red rose painted on it.

Sooji was staring at it in awe. "Did you paint it yourself ?"

"Yes....why? It's not that bad isnt it?", Sooji didnt reply instead she touched the painting carefully, still didnt believe that Shihyun made it for her. "I know you loved your cello too much, you will never want to replace it...so I bought you the case...I tried to find the old purple case but I failed...so I tried to make something more....special...something that only yours to have..."

=============

Ps : was my story getting boring?? I am sorry...😟