It's Just A Picture (BL)
Chapter 207: We shouldn’t have taken it seriously

Chapter 207: We shouldn’t have taken it seriously

"Our birthday."

Dongwoo immediately opened the door and looked at them. Then, he saw in Seojun’s arms, a big chocolate cake with a lot of strawberries on top.

"Since when does chocolate go with strawberries?" He asked, out of the blue, but that was definitely the wrong thing to say at that point, so he cleared his throat and turned serious again. "Ahem."

He looked them in the eye. They were sincerely apologetic but he couldn’t get it.

"You knew today was your birthday," Dongwoo said and they nodded. "Then why did you scare me?"

"Because you forgot." They both ended up chorusing.

"And what makes you think I did?" He asked but then realized he didn’t exactly wish them a happy birthday before they left.

Well, that was because they made him unable to wake up and see them off before they left for work, and even if he did see them, he wouldn’t have wished them either because of the surprise he was preparing.

"Never mind that. What connection does ’me’ not remembering your birthday have to do with that stunt you two pulled?" He asked.

"Ah," Seojun exclaimed and looked away. "It seems we’re the only ones who end up remembering most of the words you said back then."

It had been like that since they reunited. The very words Dongwoo said when they were together they were the only ones who carried in their hearts and minds, remembering every single detail, but he seemed to have forgotten all of them.

They didn’t want to blame him because he had been through a lot, so they could not be in his mind like he was in theirs. Yet, it was hurtful to know he forgot his own words.

"What does ’ah’ mean? And what did I say? I... I don’t exactly have the best memory." Dongwoo said. Now, he was anxious about the situation.

If it was what he said that led them to this then... Wasn’t it his fault in the end?

"Don’t be like that, Hyung; if you don’t remember, then let’s leave it at that." Seojin said, trying to force out a happy smile but it was clear that it was forced. "It might’ve just been something you said on a whim and we were the ones who took it seriously. We’re sorry for pulling such a prank on you. It’s our fault."

"No," Dongwoo insisted. "If it was something I said on your birthday then it was definitely not on a whim. So," he grabbed Seojin’s arm. "...tell me."

Seojin looked into his eyes. Now, he was eager to know about it but thinking about it now, it didn’t make sense. They should’ve known better.

"Let’s just forget it, Hyung." He said but Dongwoo furrowed his eyebrows.

"Tell me."

"You asked us to scare you if you ever forgot our birthday." He finally told him.

"You said no one that cares for us," Seojun continued. "... Should ever forget your birthday. And you... You were the only one who cared for us then so you asked us to give you a good scare if you ever forgot our birthday."

Dongwoo let go of Seojin’s arm and bowed his head. He recalled it slowly and really, it had ’not’ been on a childish whim. He really meant it.

"You two, come in." He said and opened his door. He stood in front, waiting for them to get in.

It was a bit sudden, but they would not miss that chance, and so they entered his apartment. Once they were in, he also walked in and closed the door.

He rested on the door, with his head down but it scared them. They thought maybe they had made yet another mistake.

"Hyung, are you mad?" Seojin asked.

"We shouldn’t have taken it seriously. We’re sorry." Seojun apologized. "Please, don’t be like that."

"No," Dongwoo shook his head. "I meant what I said back then." He said and raised his head. "And that is because I knew I would never forget your birthdays."

He had this sad look in his eyes. He wanted to cry for some reason. Well, there was no time he did not want to cry. His heart felt shattered, knowing the twins thought he had forgotten their birthday.

He could... He could never forget.

"Year after year," he began, "For every year that comes and goes, this same day, I would make sure to light a small candle on a cupcake and sing a happy birthday song for the two lovely kids who never had a caring person sing for them. I would sing, make a wish, hoping you two got the best in life and never lacked, hoping you were at least happy wherever you were."

He bowed his head and sniffed.

"I did that every single year without fail and if I knew I wouldn’t have money to afford that single cupcake, I would start saving up on my meals. The day before that, I wouldn’t eat a thing, keeping the little I had, hoping to add it to two more meal money and then buy the cupcake. Maybe I wouldn’t eat that day too," his tears slowly rolled down. "And the day after that too, I’d take water and listen to my stomach growl. I... I did this for the past 14 years without fail for the twins who might’ve already forgotten my existence. Who might never come back to me? I asked myself one day. Was it worth it?"

He cleaned his eyes but the tears kept rolling down.

"I asked myself, ’If they never come back, will I continue to do this till the day I die?’ And do you know the answer my heart gave?" He raised his head, showing his face that was wet with his tears, breaking the twin’s heart for whatever reason his pain may be. "It wasn’t because of guilt or for some self-righteous liberation on my part. Rather, this was the least I could do for the two who have me ’hope’ in this life. That hope was the reason I hadn’t jumped off a roof yet and because of that, I could at least dedicate all I had to that one day that brought them into the world."

He bit his lip, shutting his eyes as the tears came flooding down more heavily than before.

"How could I forget your birthday?" He asked. "When it was the only thing, that I did that made me feel like a ’human’. "And then now that I finally have enough, now that you’re right in front of me after all those years, I decided to plan a surprise. I bought a cake," he pointed at the table. "I set up these fancy designs that I just ripped out just now because I felt stupid. So stupid that I got pranked after making all these efforts."

He beat his chest and looked them in the eye.

"I decided," he bit his lip harder than before, clenching his fists as well as his heart thumping painfully. "...I decided to make you feel special and thank you for coming into this world this very day 26 years ago. For coming to me again." He said and threw his face aside. "I’m sorry if I made you feel like I forgot your birthday but that is the one thing I will never forget."

(Note: The twins will be turning 26, and Dongwoo will be turning 30, too, so the equation is balanced, in case anyone was wondering.

But this is kinda sad. I feel so sad for Dongwoo. After all this? Come on, my baby deserves the best. No one can argue about that.)