1:35 AM

You kept staring at the clock on your phone as if waiting for a sign from him. It was exhausting, but you could not fall asleep either. You would put your phone down and bury your face in the pillow, then pick it up again only to see that not even 5 minutes passed.

Everything felt like a dream after the dance show in which you and Jungkook made everyone's mouth drop, people were showering you with compliments, more offers came your way, and definitely more recognition. Messages and calls coming from every direction, rumors, headlines, news, pictures, they were almost overwhelming for you, a person not used to the spotlight. There were times when your relationship was on the brink of being discovered, and that put you both under great pressure. But a month or two after the heat died out and things went back to normal.

It had already been half a year since you started dating, a time filled with good and bad things, just like in any other relationship. The only thing making it harder for you was time, or better said lack of it...Meeting was hard, and most of the time it was in the studio, practicing for some event. At times he would crash at your place, making your problems shrink to almost nothing as the everything around you faded to black. In those precious moments it was just you and him. Missing him was something you were used to, but now a special day was just around the corner -your birthday- and you wanted to spend every second of it with the person you loved most. You could not stand it anymore, you had to talk to him, to hear his voice at least, so you called him. The phone kept ringing and ringing with no answer, but just as you were about to give up, he picked up.

"Hello, love!"

"Oh! Hey, stranger!"

" Stranger?"  Jungkook laughed.

"I haven't seen you in a week..."

"Well you know how things get when there's a concert ahead."

"I know, but still...I miss you..."

"I miss you too, Y/N," his voice softened and you both went silent for a second. "Why did you call so late at night? Did something happen??"

"No, no, I just wanted to listen to your voice. And..."

"And?"

"I was wondering...do you think you can convince your manager to let you spend tomorrow with me? At least for a couple of hours..."

"I am so stupid! Y/N, I am sorry, I was so caught up in everything that I forgot to tell you."

"Tell me what?"

"We have to go a day earlier..."

"What do you mean you have to go a day earlier?" you felt everything shatter in your chest.

"I am sorry, Y/N, that's what the management decided, there's really nothing I can do..."

"But why?" you were trying so hard to fight back the tears, it was hard to speak.

"I don't know exactly, they didn't give any details. They just told us to be ready in the morning."

"Why does it have to be tomorrow..."

"Why? Is tomorrow a special day or something?"

"You...never mind. Were you rehearsing right now?"

"Yeah. Actually I have to go."

"Jungkook..."

"I'm sorry, love. Talk to you later?"

"Ok," you said disheartenedly.

"Sleep well, Y/N. I love you!"

"Love you too! Don't overdo it, ok? Drink lots of tea and take care of your vocal chords, please."

"Got it! I'll call you tomorrow after we land, ok?"

"Ok."

"Bye!!!"

"Bye..."

You wanted to be angry, you wanted to blame him, you wanted to scream at him, but his voice was so tender, so sweet it melted your screams, turning them into silent tears. Tiny wet spots were forming around you on the bed sheet as you stood there speechless. It was going to be a fantastic day; and to think it was supposed to be the best since you two became a couple...You had had everything planned out for the past month, but apparently did not take into consideration the possibility of the company changing their schedule. And you could not figure out why. That did not happen before. But you were too tired to let yourself slip into overthinking.

Sometime at dawn, right when the sun starts pushing away the darkness, making the sky a beautiful canvas of shiny stars and soft light around the blue horizon, a message popped up on your phone. And next to it, wrapped in sheets, with messy hair and clothes, was you. The tiredness that accumulated throughout the past week plus the sadness from the night before put you into a deep sleep, resulting in you only reading the message three hours later, being thankful it was not a call that would disrupt your sweet dreams.

"Morning, love! We arrived safely. It's a bit chilly outside, make sure to take a hoodie if you go out today. I didn't want to wake you up so I didn't call. I'll be back soon, baby, and then we'll see each other for sure. I'll call you tonight if I have some free time. Take care of you, and I love you! ❤"

A bittersweet smile made your lips curve. You put the phone down and stared at the ceiling.

"Happy birthday to me..."

You let it go with a soft sigh and went in to take a shower. The hot water seemed to wash all your problems and relax every muscle in your body. You put on your usual 'practice attire'. You had nothing to do all day without Jungkook, so you thought it would be better to just work on some choreographies to keep your mind occupied. You opened the door and almost tripped on the cute and vividly colored flower basket left at the entrance.

"Oh !" you exclaimed as you calculated where to put your foot so that you won't ruin the gift nor fall and smash your face on the floor. "Phew, that was close. Who put this here?! Jeez, I almost died." you laughed. You crouched down next to it with a smile on your face and admired the delicate flowers. "So beautiful," you mumbled. Then your eyes landed on a piece of paper that was carefully placed in the middle of the bouquet.

Hope you have a wonderful day.

Sincerely,

Your secret admirer.

"Secret admirer? What secret admirer?" you laughed thinking they were from Jungkook. "This boy..."

Then you jumped up, startled by the loud sound of your ringtone.

"Oh, Jesus! Hoseok?" you looked at the screen, a bit confused, a bit worried. "Hey, Hoseok, what's up?"

"Happy birthday, kiddo!!"

"Oh, my God, Hoseok! My ear!" you chuckled.

"Oh, I'm sorry! You know I always get excited when your birthday comes."

"Thank you, my dear friend!"

"So, how are you going to celebrate?"

"Uhhh...Dancing?"

"Dancing? As in practice?"

"Yeah..."

"No, you're not! Jeez, Y/N, take a break!"

"Well there's nothing else to do. I'm bored. I had something in mind, but then you left one day earlier and..."

"Oh, I am sorry about that..."

"It's ok, there's nothing you could have done. Is Jungkook there with you?"

"No, he's on the stage for the sound check. Why?"

"Nothing, never mind. Did you, perhaps, sent me flowers?"

"Flowers? No?"

"Did Jungkook mention anything, then?"

"No, why?"

"I received this basket full of flowers and apparently they are 'from an admirer'"

"An admirer? Lol, that's not me, kiddo, my gift will arrive a bit later. I got you something nice, hope you'll like it."

"Aww~ I am sure I will. Tell Jungkook to call me when he's done, ok?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Ok, take care and good luck on the concert!!!"

"Thank you!!! Happy birthday!!!"

"Oh, my! How many times are you going to say that?" you laughed again.

"As many as it takes."

"Well, at least someone remembers it..."

"No way...did he- did Jungkook forget your birthday?!?"

"It seems like it...I guess he was so focused on the concert, that it slipped."

"This kid..." he seemed angered.

"It's ok, don't worry. It can happen to anyone, I'm not sad nor angry."

"But still...Oh, anyway, I have to go now. Have a great day, kiddo, and don't overwork yourself, okay?"

"Got it! Do well on the concert! See you soon!"

"See yah!"

-Call ended-

"So he did forget...but the flowers? Secret admirer...Eh, whatever," you said as you picked the basket with a smile on your face. You indulged in their sweet smell as you took them inside and placed them on the coffee table in your small living room.

You kept thinking about Jungkook on the way to the studio, he never forgot your birthday. It was really weird. You blamed it on the schedule, but it was not the first time he had shows, and he would always find the time to at least send you a text. Now there was nothing, and it was somewhat fishy. He acted just the way he always did, so he was not mad at you. That is precisely why you decided to go practice your moves instead of staying home in front of the TV.

"Hello!" a cute kid on the street said, handing you a piece of paper.

"Oh, hey there!" you smiled as you took it and he left.

You looked at it. The words 'You are beautiful! Have a great day, and may your smile never fade away' were written on it. Your lips curved up into a bright smile. You looked back at the small kid.

"This is so sweet," you said.

You read it again and then put it in your pocket, where it was safe. Now you were walking down the streets with a more cheerful expression. You were confused at first, seeing this random child come to you and hand you a piece of paper out of nowhere, but the kindness of the gesture made it vanish.

You made it to the studio after you got yourself a large cup of coffee, enough to bring you back to life. The hallways were so silent compared to the days before, when people were running everywhere to get the outfits, to hand in paperwork, arrange things for the schedule of the boys, everything that needs to be done before a tour. It was exhausting for the staff, just as it was for the boys. You were glad you got green light to stay home this time to work on your projects. You like it when it was like this, it gave you complete freedom and peace.

You made your way to the dance studio and just as you turned the lights on, your heart almost stopped. The bright light coming from a video projector that was right in front, blinding you, and the loud sound coming from the speakers gave you a great scare. You turned the lights off again, took a few steps inside and looked at the wall where images were dancing on their own. The familiarity of the faces that appeared one after the other made your smile grow gradually.

"Happy birthday, Y/N!!! You're getting old, kiddo!!" Hoseok screamed with the same energy he always seemed to have around you. "I'll have to make sure you keep those knees moving. We need to work on that dance routine you showed me when I get back. I already miss you. See you soon!!!"

"I miss you too, sunshine!" you said, and took a seat on the chair that was strategically placed right next to the projector.

"Happy birthday, Y/N, my dearest dance teacher! I hope you will stay with us for a long, long time, and laugh with us while we practice new moves. It's always a pleasure to work on choreographies with you. Have a wonderful day, Y/N!" Jimin said cutely and threw you some hearts.

"Happy birthday, Y/N! You are a blessing for a dancer like me. Hah! Thank you for always having the patience to teach me the moves. I hope we'll be together till the end. I think a person with your passion, dedication, and positive energy is hard to find in this world. You are wonderful! Have a great day, Y/N! Love you!" Namjoon followed, with a smile that could melt the hearts of every woman in the building.

"Y/N!!! It's your birthday!! Hope you have a beautiful, beautiful day, just like you! Happy birthday!!! Get ready for my surprise when I come back! I won't cut you any slack just because I am not there right now. You won't be able to escape." Taehyung said, beaming like a child.

"Happy birthday, Y/N! Stay as awesome as you are! And never forget to take a rest every now and then, it's not good to work non-stop. I am always grateful for what you do for us. Hope you have a really nice day! See you soon!" Yoongi sweetly said.

"Look who's talking! You should take a break, always hiding in that studio of yours," you replied.

"Yaaah~ it's already your birthday. It seems like only days ago you were running around the room, trying to pay Taehyung back for painting your face with cream from your birthday cake. This time we can't be by your side, but we made this to make up for it. Well, actually, it was not my idea, but having me here is enough to make your day better,right? Hahahaha. Here's a present for you," he blew a kiss towards the camera. "Happy birthday!!"

"Oh, my God. Here he goes again," you laughed.

You were getting so excited, breathing stopping for a second, anticipating who was going to appear next. But the screen suddenly went black, washing away all the happiness on your face. You looked at the projector, thinking it broke or something, but it seemed to be working just fine. You fell into the pit of sadness, this time not able to stop it. He really forgot... you thought. But just then the wall lit up again.

"You thought it was over?" a soft voice said.

Your head snapped up. Jungkook was staring back at you, with eyes as gentle as the way words left his lips.

"I hope you are not crying right now, baby. That's the last thing I'd want."

"This isn't helping! Oh, my God, I can't believe you, Jeon Jungkook!"

"This time of the year came again, huh? My dearest friend and beautiful girlfriend is turning one year older. Saying this in front of a camera is really weird, but I wanted to make something special for you. You deserve the whole world, my love. I am so sorry I can't be by your side right now, but I promise I'll make up for it. I knew you would come here, and I am thankful you did, to be honest, but don't overwork yourself, okay? You know that for me you are the most important, right? I will be home soon and I promise I will give you all my time. Thank you for being by my side, Y/N. Happy birthday, baby! I love you!"

"I love you too!" you said between sobs.

You could not help but cry at his sincere and warm words. He did it, he fooled you. You laughed at yourself for the sole fact that you even thought he would actually forget your birthday, him of all people. You stood there for a few minutes, trying to calm down, and then put some music on and danced till day turned into night. On the way back home it seemed the stars were shining even more than they usually did, like even nature was celebrating. You were a bit worried that Jungkook did not call you back, even though you sent him a message before you left the studio. But you thought that maybe he was tired. You took out the keys and unlocked the door.

Your mouth dropped. Dozens of rose petals were carefully scattered across the floor, making it your personal red carpet. On both margins there were candles, lighting up the path towards your bedroom. There was a sweet scent filling the air, and soft music playing in the background. You took small, shy steps, as your heart raced. The door to your bedroom was slightly open. A soft scream came out of your lungs when you entered.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you~ Happy birthday, my dear Y/N~ Happy birthday to you!~"

Just a few steps in front of you Jungkook was standing with a cake in his hands, smiling brightly at you as he sang. Tears fell down like drops of rain. He was closing the distance between you, but you could not even look at him. A strong waves of feelings was making you shake.

"Happy birthday, love!" he said when he was right next to you.

"When did you come?!?"

"I never left," he chuckled.

"What?! Oh, my God! I can't believe this!"

You were a mess, smiling and crying at the same time. He lifted the cake in front of your face.

"Y/N, the candles. Make a wish."

You nodded, closed your eyes, and, after making the wish, blew out all the candles in one try. He was so happy that his surprise event went well from beginning to end. You wrapped your arms around him and buried your nose in his chest. He kissed your forehead multiple times before you let him go place the cake on the kitchen  table. You followed him, still wondering if all of this was a dream. Forget what you planned to do on your birthday, this was ten times better.

"When did you have time to do all of this??" you said in awe, playing with the petals under your feet.

"I had the whole day and house to myself," he smirked.

"So this was all your plan from the beginning?"

"Yeah. I knew you would be going to the studio if I was not here with you, and I took the chance."

"I can't believe you did all this."

"If it's for you, I can do anything."

"That's so cheesy!"

"But you like it."

"I like it. And the boys? They didn't leave either?"

"No, they did leave. I convinced the management to give me a free day, a whole day to spend with you."

He came in front of you and put his arms around your waist, pulling you closer.

"This...is so beautiful. It's perfect!"

"I am glad you like it." He pressed his forehead on yours.

"I love you!"

"I love you too, baby!"

You pushed your body up and locked lips with him in a sweet, slow, soft kiss. You were also the first one to break it, saying you needed to take a quick shower. While you were in the shower he the TV and searched for something nice to watch. Twenty minutes later you were both cuddling on the sofa in the living room, eating the delicious cake he bought for you. The room was dimly lit by the candles he brought from the hallway, giving the moment the perfect, intimate touch. After you were done eating you placed your head on his shoulder, eyes falling on the basket full of flowers.

"Oh, right! Was this also your doing?" you looked up at him as you pointed at it.

"Yeah," he smiled. "Do you like them?"

You looked at him for a couple of seconds then placed a kiss on the corner of his lips, taking him by surprise.

"I love them!"

"Did you also get the note?"

"The note? Aah! That was also you?!?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, my God! I just thought the kid was just giving people those notes, and I happened to get one."

"No, that was all for you. I knew you would be down, and I wanted to keep this beautiful smile on your face for the whole day. But the only way I could do this, was to get you out of the house, and for that I had to put you through some pain. I'm sorry about that, Y/N."

" No, no! It's alright, really. It was all worth it."

You snuggled closer to him and hugged him tightly. He roamed his fingers through your hair, sending shivers down your spine. He was so warm, and being in his embrace made you feel so safe, so at peace, it was almost addicting. His love was the drug that kept you going.

"So when do you have to leave?"

"In the morning...24 hours is all I got."

"Time flies so fast...How many hours do I have left?"

"Hmm, it's 1AM now so that makes it...7 hours?"

"We should make the best out of it...but I am so tired..." your eyes were closing.

"You should sleep. Just being by your side is enough for me. And I am quite drained too. These past few days have been so exhausting. Let me lay on this side (of the sofa) so you have enough space."

"We can go to the bedroom..."

"Do you have enough energy left?"

"Nah..." you giggled, eyes closed.

"See? Me neither. So let's just sleep here."

"Did you set up your alarm?"

"Yeah."

"Ok, then."

You moved around so that he was laying on the edge of the sofa, occupying more than half of it, and you on top of him, head resting on his chest and feet tangled with his. He did not mind the weight of your body, pressing down on his. You were still fighting sleep to try and watch the movie till the end, but his tender way of playing with your hair made it impossible.

"I love you..." was the last thing you mumbled before you entered Dreamland.

The next morning you both woke up feeling recharged, cheerful, and ready to face whatever challenge was to come in your way. You brushed your teeth together, making fun of each other, then you helped him style his messy morning hair. You did not notice until that morning that he actually brought his suitcase there, already aware that he had to rush to the airport. You stood in front of the door for a few more minutes holding hands and whispering sweet words as you were lost in each other's eyes. Then his phone started ringing, sign that his manager was outside.

"I have to go..."

"I don't want you to..."

"I don't want to either. I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too. Stay safe, take care of your vocal chords. Drink the tea I made for you, I heard it is good for singers. And come home fast."

"Noted! Love you!" he gave you a quick kiss.

"Love you too!"

You opened the door and stood there till he got into the car. You waved him goodbye one more time as the car got lost in the distance. You might have not done everything that was on that list you made, but it definitely was the best birthday of your life.