ꜱᴘʀɪɴɢ ʀᴀɪɴ ᴛᴏ ᴍʏ ᴅʀᴏᴜɢʜᴛ ✧ ʜᴀɴɴɪ ᴘʜᴀᴍ

Chapter 37

20th February 2024

Throughout your morning class till the end of your afternoon class, you've been singling out. As much as you're trying to concentrate, your mind's kept on drifting away from time to time. Even though today's your special day, it didn't make it much happier with the fact that you're feeling lonely today.

But so did Hanni when you left her on her birthday and somehow you kept telling yourself since you woke up this morning that today's more like a payback for what you did to her and your friends and you don't have the right to complain about it.

As soon as the final class ended, while all the other students were busy packing up and leaving the room, you and the rest of the exchanged students grouped up to discuss about reports writing for the final assessments once you return to Korea.

During the discussion, you contributed your part when necessary while the rest of the time you spent being silent all the way till the final part of the discussion. Satisfied with the meeting, the rest of the group finally took their leave and while you're the last one in the room, or so you thought, Danielle greeted you.

"Happy birthday Yongjae~" She wished you as you're confused as to why she knew about today. "How did you know...?" You squinted your eyes as she gave you this rather teasing look on her face before a giggle followed through her. "The literature club greeted you by the group chat this morning. You haven't check it out?"

"Oh right... Sorry I haven't check my phone the whole day today..." You settled back onto your seat as you got your phone out and immediately replied all the text messages from the group chat that wished you a happy birthday.

"Thanks for the birthday wish as well Danielle." You then thanked the girl who then sat next to you. "How're you feeling today? I hope you're feeling happy and blessed." She asked as you just faked a smile and nodded your head at her.

"You should be, okay?" Shen then went through her bag as she fetched her poem book. She then flipped open the front cover as she handed you a piece of folded paper from the book. "I'm sorry I didn't get you something better, but I hope this will help you out."

You glanced at the paper she's holding as you accepted her gift. "Thank you Danielle. I'm sure this is more than enough. I'll cherish this over anything else."

"See you tomorrow then. Happy birthday again. Safe travel home okay?" She then stood up as she got her book back into her bag. "Bye~" She bid her goodbye with a wave as you waved back at her.

As Danielle finally left, you slowly unfolded the paper she gifted you and realized that she wrote you a poem as a gift. As you leaned back against your seat, you read what she had written.

My dear friend, Yongjae. Happy Birthday to you

If you ever feel like you're not sure
if it's worth it to wait?
You want to believe that things
will work out, but you're afraid
of being disappointed

Then I hope this poem is for you...

"The questions hangs in the air,
unanswered, yet so clear.
Is it worth it to wait?
To hold on to hope,
when the future is so uncertain?

The heart says yes,
but the mind says no.
The heart wants to believe,
That everything will work out.
That the wait will be worth it.

But the mind knows better,
It knows that life is unpredictable.
That things don't always work out
the way we want them to.