103│Bbangsaz

17. Birthday girl

Hanni's POV:

"Should I wear the necklace or not?" I asked a sleepy Hyein, who looked like she couldn't care less about how I looked on my birthday.

"Hanni, for God's sake, let me go to bed. You've been doing this for the past two hours. I promise you'll look beautiful," Hyein said in an obviously irritated voice. I still wasn't sure about the dress I chose to wear for tomorrow. Being the indecisive person I am, I need other people's opinions on what I should and shouldn't wear. Danielle and Haerin weren't answering their calls—God knows what they're up to—and I obviously wouldn't let Minji see the look before tomorrow; it was a surprise for her. So Hyein was my only option.

"I mean, the dress is really pretty, but don't you think it's too much? It's just a small birthday between my friends and family. Should I go for something more casual?" I asked, unsure, as I twirled around and looked at my dress in the mirror for the nth time. It was a nice yellow dress that reached my knees, with visible shoulders and a black ribbon tied at my waist, giving more dimension to the dress—a perfect fit for my body. I decided to pair it with black heels and another black ribbon tying my hair into a half ponytail. The look perfectly fit Minji's suggestion of a honeybee theme.

"Hanni, it is not too much. It's just a plain dress. Plus, it's your birthday—you're allowed to overdress as much as you want," Hyein replied as she got up from the bed and gave me an assuring nod.

"You think so?" I asked, making Hyein give me another nod.

"So should I wear the necklace or not?" I asked as I turned back to look in the mirror. Hyein groaned out of annoyance.

"Yes, wear it. Now if you're done, I'm going to bed," Hyein said as she walked out of my room with strange excitement.

I took one last look in the mirror and finally decided the look wasn't so bad. With that done, I took off the birthday clothes carefully, not wanting to accidentally damage anything, and got comfortable in my pajamas: just a half-sleeve shirt and some sweatpants. They guarantee top-tier comfort. I laid in bed and stared at the ceiling for a few minutes. Should I wait for the birthday messages?

I glanced at the clock on my bedside table; it was already eleven fifty-five. Never mind. I really need to sleep. Can't have dark circles for tomorrow, can I?

My eyes slowly started to shut but fluttered back open when I heard murmurs and laughs coming from outside my room. Is Hyein still awake? Deciding to ignore it, I tried to go back to sleep, but a light turning on in my room awakened me yet again. I couldn't even process what was happening because the light was hurting my eyes.

When I finally adjusted my eyes, there they were—Danielle and Haerin, wearing birthday hats and holding colorful balloons in their hands with a ridiculous childlike look on their faces. Hyein came running into the room and popped a party popper, or whatever that thing is called. Minji came in with a cake in her hands, walking slowly to make sure the candles stayed lit.

To say I was confused would be an understatement. Then realization hit me: it was past twelve, and technically my birthday. My four favorite girls started singing "Happy Birthday" with ridiculous grins on their faces, and the smile on my face only converted into hearty laughter as I got up from the bed and made my way over to them.

Danielle put one of the birthday hats on my head, and I greeted everyone with hugs and a few thank-yous.

"Make a wish," Minji said as she practically shoved the cake toward my face. I could only laugh as a response. I closed my eyes and wished that I'd stay this happy forever, with my family and with the girl I love. When I was done, I opened my eyes and blew out the candles. Loud claps erupted in the air. My cheeks hurt from all the laughing I was doing.