Happy Birthday Son 34

Author: Thank you for reading and for supporting.

Sung Yoon: Please comment and rate the book if you like it.

Hae Jin: Thank you.

Sung Yoon:.........I.........

Hae Jin: Do you have something to say Sung Yoon?

Sung Yoon: Huh..... no.

Author: I have to continue the story.

Sung Yoon: Are you trying to pick a fight?

Author: I said it gently.

Sung Yoon: I don't believe you! Let's fight.

Author: What's up with you? I don't want to fight.

Sung Yoon: Oh, now you're backing out? Scared?

Author: Excuse me what? I don't know what's wrong with you but if you want to fight. Okay fine.

Hae Jin: Enough both of you! Enough!

Author: Humph! Chapter 34 begins now.

Sung Yoon: Weakling.

Author: Oh, now you're asking for it.

Hae Jin: Enough!!!!! The chapter begins now!

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It was a two bedroom apartment, one bathroom, a living room and a nice kitchen.

This apartment was where his mother stayed. So did he. And she was not planning on moving out soon. She loved the place for its small space and it was just the two of them. There was no need to buy or rent a house with huge spaces. Her mother's words. But he didn't agree. He needed space! The one thing his mother plans on not giving him.

*Sigh,

This was his new home and he didn't like it.

 If it wasn't because of Hae Jin, he would have never agreed to come back (To Korea) when his mother asked him to.

Truth be told, he wanted to come back a long time but his mother never agreed.

It was somewhere in the ending of last month when his mother suddenly called, telling him how much she missed him even though they always spoke on video calls.

Pressuring him to come back......... Okay fine!, she asked one time and he agreed to come back. Mainly because of his Hyung and also because he missed his friends. Not to mention, it was no longer fun being in that school (In the state) and in the house as well. It suddenly felt lonely after that incident.

Anyway!,

He had no idea why his mother sudden had a change of mind and an urge to have him by her side.

It was until he came back that he found out the reason.

It was because of his father. His father wanted to see him, mend their relationship, spend time with him and that's why his mother was eager to have him back.

In all the twelve years he was away, not once did he talk to his father.

He never picked up his calls and when he called Shin Hye or the telephone in the house (They used to stay in in US), he always refused to the man.

Why? Because he hated him. He was the reason why their family fell apart. He's the reason why he had to leave this country, his mother, friends and hyung behind.

And if he could, he would very much like to leave. He did not want to be in the same country or city as his father.

However, he wasn't staying because of father but because of his hyung, mother and friends.

He really missed them a lot and didn't want to part ways with them ever again.

After climbing up the stairs and getting to his mother's apartment, Hae Jin came to a stop, staring at the door.

He was back again. After his fight with his mother, he ended up staying with his friend, (Se Jong) in his apartment. 

What was the fight about you ask you?

It was about his father. Without his notice, his mother arranged a meeting for them in a restaurant and was forcing him to join her.

Arguing with her because he was too tired (To leave the house and also of his mother who wasn't telling him why or where they were going), his mother finally let out the truth, telling him they were going to meet his father.

And when he found out, all hell froze in place as he yelled at his mother for making a decision without consulting him and his mother didn't held back. She also yelled back.

And after exchanging harsh words, Tae Jin left the house and slept over at Se Jong's place.

But now, he was back, what was he going to do? What should he say to his mother when he comes face to face with her?

Apologize?

Yeah, that was it.

*Sigh, he sighed and finally decided to go in.

The moment he opened the door, 

*Pop!!

That was the loud popping sound of party poppers (Which each of them were holding) before the voices of his friends and mother sounded out.

"Happy Birthday" he smiled, closing the door behind him as he entered.

It was no surprise to him as he knew something like this will happen after Shin Hye's call earlier, calling him back but he was happy.

His friends were here, his mother was here.

The only one missing was his hyung but that didn't mean he wasn't happy.

He was very happy.

"Happy Birthday babe" his girlfriend, Shin Hye said as she walked towards him, a smile on her face. 

Shin Hye was a young beautiful girl, same age as Tae Jin. Dark-black hair and scarlet red eyes. She had a slim body like a female k-pop idol and almost reaching Tae Jin's height.

Now, back to the story,

Giving him a hug, Shin Hye kissed his cheek and he smiled brightly. Shin Hye always did this (Kissing him on the cheek on his birthday) even before they got together.

Pulling away from him, his mother hugged him next, kissing his right cheek as she said, "Happy Birthday Son" with a smile on her face.

 "Thank you" Tae Jin replied and his mother pulled away from him. They stared at each other, smiling.

Tae Jin's mother, Kim Hee Young, was a beautiful lady with long pink hair and light pink eyes.

Growing up, people used to say he looked more like his mother (Whether they saw them together or they saw a picture of him and his mother)

And now he was back, the people who knew his mother (And didn't know him as a kid but was introduced to them after he came back) even said the same. 

'Grown up now, you look a lot like your mother' many who knew his mother and him (As a kid) and also people who has just met him (Friends or people familiar with his mother. Example, neighbors and so on) said.

People who knew both his parents and him has never said he looked like his father and he didn't know whether to be happy about that or not.

Oh, well, now wasn't the time to think about all these.

"Mom"

"Huh?" Hee Young asked, looking at her son with a smile.

"I'm sorry for the way I acted last night. Sorry for the harsh words I said. It won't happen again" He really needed to apologize cause he didn't do the right thing. Speaking, acting rudely and saying harsh words just shouldn't be done or said to a mother.

He thought and watched as the smile on his mother's face brightened.

Shaking her head in disagreement, she replied,

"No, I should apologize. I'm sorry, I made such a huge decision without letting you know. It won't happen again"

"Thank you mom" Tae Jin said and hugged his mother once again. Feeling grateful his mother understood him and accepted his apology as well.

Parting away from each other with smiles on their faces, Tae Jin's other friends (Se Jong and Hyun Seo) who stood behind his mother made their way beside him as Shin Hye and Hee Young stepped back to give them space.

Se Jong was a handsome boy. He had blond hair and blue eyes. A bit taller than Tae Jin in height.

Hyun Seo had the looks as well. But one can say, his stupidity covered his handsomeness.

He had dark-black hair and enchanting will eyes. They both had slim bodies and were almost at the same height. Hyun Seo, was a bit taller than Se Jong.

Continuing.........

Smiling, Hyun Seo said, "Happy Birthday dude. You're 17 now"

"Yes, aren't you glad?" Se Jong said with a smile.

"I'll be more glad if I complete high school" he answered back and they burst out laughter.

"Come on son, let's go in and cut the cake" his mother said and he nodded with a smile watching as his mother and friends led the way to the living room before he followed behind, holding hands with Shin Hye who smiled happily.

Getting to the living room, they all sat on the floor around the center table (Which occupied, he believe everything he needed to celebrate his birthday) putting the party poppers (Which they believe they were done with it) on it.

Tae Jin sat between his girlfriend and his mother while his firends, Hyun Seo and Se Jong sat opposite them.

On the table was a huge strawberry cake with candles on it. Non-alcohol drinks and his favorite snacks as well.

Shin Hye looked at her boyfriend who kept staring at the strawberry cake with a sad smile on his face.

Why? Didn't he like the preparations they made?

Actually, this wasn't the kind of birthday party she wanted to throw for him.

She planned on celebrating his boyfriend's birthday in a grand way.

She wanted to throw a big birthday party for him with all kinds of cakes, drinks, foods and snacks but then, his mother had already prepared everything.

The only thing she brought was the strawberry cake because she remembered Tae Jin loved strawberry cake a lot.

But now, she was regretting not making the preparations herself. He looked unsatisfied.

Back in the states, Tae Jin's birthday was always celebrated in a big way and he loved it.

Every year (On his birthday) that beautiful smile of his was proof.

But not this year, not today.

.............. Wait a second, Shin Hye looked at Tae Jin again.

Come to think if it, she knew this expression very well.

Guess it wasn't because of the birthday preparations after all.

Thinking about it now, Hae Jin always had this unsatisfied, sad look even though his birthday was celebrated on a grand way.

It was as if he was missing someone, thinking about them, wishing they were with him to celebrate his birthday.

Yes! He looked happy, satisfied with their preparations for his birthday but something just wasn't right.

Not to forget, he always left for sometime and would later come back.

Looking extremely happy. Even more happier than when he first saw the preparations for his birthday. But even so, the longing and discontent couldn't be missed.

Back then she thought it was because his mother and friends were not there to celebrate with him.

However, this year everyone was here. And she was starting to think, this mood she knew so well was about something else.

Moreover, this mood,......this mood didn't always show on his birthday. Staying in abroad, Tae Jin always looked something was on his mind and he refused to share.

Like she said before, it was..... like he was thinking about someone. Someone or something was on his mind.

And she believe it had nothing to do with his father. Tae Jin hated his father, so much that, he didn't even want to hear the man's name or something about him.

So, what was it all about?

"Tae Jin" Se Jong called out his name, drawing him out of his thoughts.

It seems Shin Hye wasn't the only who noticed how unsatisfied Tae Jin was with his birthday party.

Se Jong, Hyun Seo and his mother noticed as well.

The worried expressions on their faces as they looked at him was proof.

"Yes?" Tae Jin answered his friend's call.

"Are you not satisfy with your birthday preparations?" Shin Hye asked exactly what Se Jong was about to.

Noticing how worried they were, Tae Jin panicked as he hurried to clarify things up before everything got out of hand.

"No, I love the everything" Tae Jin looked around (The room which was decorated with birthday stuffs) with a smile on his face before looking back at the people around him, one after the other.

"I love everything you did for me and am grateful" He really was. He never got used to the big birthday parties Shin Hye and her grandmother used to arrange for him, though he was happy and grateful.

He appreciated what they all (Shin Hye, her grandmother, the caretakers and the bodyguards who were involved in the preparations for his birthday) did for him.

It was just that,.........he preferred to have a small party with fewer people around. A birthday celebration with the most important people in his life with him was enough.

This birthday party was enough for him.

"You were staring at the strawberry cake with a sad expression?" Hyun Seo spoke up and Shin Hye's eyes sparkled in realisation.

Right, and there was that thing. Shin Hye doesn't know why but every time Hae Jin sees a strawberry cake, there was this.....this....sadness, longing in his eyes.

That's right! Every time on his birthday, it wasn't just because it was his birthday but also when he saw a strawberry cake (He would looked sad, longing and unsatisfied with his birthday celebration)

Why?

"I'm sorry son, I couldn't arrange a big birthday party for you because I didn't have enough time. Is okay if you don't like " his mother said sadly. If only she left work earlier, she would have prepared a big party for him.

Tae Jin turned to her direction.

Taking a hold of her hand, he said sternly, "Don't say that mom" before smiling, "I'm grateful for everything you do for me. This is the face time since my six birthday that we're celebrating my birthday together. Don't say stuffs like that"

Right, it was the first time. Gosh! She feels so bad for sending her son away. If she didn't make that decision, she would have celebrated his 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th and 16th birthday with him.

She really made the wrong call.

But then, nothing could be done now.........She can make up for it. She will be here, every year on his birthday.

"Okay" His mother said with a smile and smiled back, hugging her. Both Shin Hye and Se Jong watched them with smiles on their faces.

"I still want to know, why were you staring at the mouth dropping strawberry cake with that sad expression?" Hyun Seo looking all serious.

They all burst out laughter as Tae Jin pulled away from his mother.

The reason why he was staring at the strawberry was because it reminded him of Hae Jin and the fact that strawberry cake was his favorite.

It was just a shame, that he wasn't here to celebrate with them.

"You don't have to know why?"

"Huh? But am curious"

"Yes, you're always curious about stupid stuffs"

"Humph, am annoyed " Hyun Seo said, his hand folded on his chest.

"Come......." Hee Young said but didn't get to complete her sentence when she suddenly got a call.

Taking her phone out of her pocket, she looked atghe call ID and realized it was a call from one of her co-workers at work.

"Excuse me kids" she said and got up, going to her room to pick up the call.

After Hee Young left, Se Jong began to tease Hyun Seo while he continued to be angry.

Watching them, Tae Jin smiled.

"Tae Jin"

"Huh?" He looked at Shin Hye who had a smile on her face.

"You trust me right?"

"More than you think"

"And if something is bothering you, you will tell me right?"

"You'll be the first one to know. Always "

"Good"

"Why are you asking me this?" Because she wanted to know the reason behind that sad expression Tae Jin always had whenever he sees strawberry cake.

"Is nothing. I just wanted to know" but she couldn't bring herself to ask. Tae Jin said he trusts her and whenever there's something bothering him, she will be the first one to know this.

She will trust his words and continue to believe in him, until, the day finally comes and he'll open up to her about the story behind the strawberry cake and why he always seemed sad when he sees it.