Suayeon's room

5. Dear Laugh Song

A familiar sound brought them back to reality. The song playing inside the living room was deafening. Several voices cried out their excitement. Siyeon distanced herself from the petite woman.

"Sua, this is your song! I think it's 사이다!" She whispered.
tr: Cider (by Norazo)

"어머, 어머! 맞아요! If I don't go back right now, Yoohyeon is going to kill me! 자! 빨리빨리!"
tr: Oh my, oh my! That's right! Come on!

The young woman smiled back at Sua. She let her partner guide them inside. Her fingers detached from Sua's right hand as soon as the older woman had joined their friends to dance on the modern trot song. A party was never successful without Sua, Yoohyeon, and Handong performing a drunken choreography of this pure gem of great fun and off-the-wall morality. The black-haired girl grabbed a drink at the mini-bar and sat down on the leather sofa. She observed the presents, still in their wrapping paper, piled up on the dining table. Sua was tapping so hard on the floor that Yoohyeon was cracking smiles every thirty seconds. Soon, they were laughing uncontrollably in the arms of Handong. Sua's rendition of the recording's high notes was hilarious. Minji approached the young woman, snapping Siyeon out of her reverie. Her friend was holding the cake they had ordered together from an expensive French pastry shop in Hongdae. They had to light it up now; Norazo's famous track was about to finish. On the very last second, Siyeon blew out the incandescent matchstick. Gahyeon, who was in charge of the ceiling pendant of her home, turned it off. Dami paused the music before the next song could start. Both girls grouped around Minji that was holding the cake. Yoohyeon covered Sua's eyes with both her hands and Handong started to guide her safely through the room. The intense sparkles were getting closer as the brown-haired woman was approaching her destination. The scent of chocolate happily seized her nostrils.

"생일 축하해 수아야!!!" All of her friends shouted as the birthday girl had finally retrieved her sight.
tr: happy birthday Sua-ya!!!

Sua felt her lips tremble under the overpowering emotion. She looked at the flawless arrangement before her; the cake was a masterpiece and her friends' smile the purest delight. She held her breath for a minute, letting some time for Yoohyeon, the photographer appointed for the night, to carefully set up the camera. On the count of three, she blew out the whole cake by herself. Yes, she was getting the hang of it with time. Nothing but smoke remained under the earsplitting sound of applause and glorious yelling. Each year, Sua was experiencing the same blessing. And yet, each year she was left speechless. You would have thought that her birthdays all had the same flavor by now, that they would all hold a sense of deja-vu. But that wasn't the case. This year again, for the twenty-sixth time in her life, she was feeling the luckiest person to ever exist on this Earth. The party her dearest friends had prepared for her was perfect. Everything the petite woman had wished for a twenty-sixth birthday, was happening thanks to her amazing group of friends. The woman caught hold of the tears that wanted to stream down her face. Her scintillating eyes met Siyeon's half-way. If her gaze could talk, it would be shouting its profound gratefulness.

Gahyeon turned back on the lights before complying with Sua for a warm hug. Yoohyeon and Minji added themselves to the tender moment, quickly followed by Dami and Handong. Siyeon, as always, closed the embrace by encircling most of them with her wide arms.

"Thank you so much, girls!! Really, I spend the best time when you're around me! Just don't go anywhere this year either!" Sua said when they were breaking up the cuddle.

"걱정 마, we aren't leaving any time soon!" Dami replied, winking.
tr: don't worry / no worries

Minji had already cut the cake in eight pieces. She gave the first plate to Yoohyeon who in turn gave the biggest slice to Sua. They all sat down around the dining table, with the exception of Siyeon. The young woman took out a piece of paper that she had cautiously folded into the inner pocket of her jacket earlier on. She cleared her throat before locking her eyes into Sua's. This year, losing at the 가위바위보 game, she had to read the letter she wrote to Sua out loud.
tr: rock, paper, scissors game