"Make a wish!"
It is exactly midnight, and Dahee didn't expect Renjun to be painting on his bedroom floor, but she knows he already expected her to come in his room with a party hat on her head and a chocolate cupcake in her hands. The single candle on top flickers as she takes one step closer to him. He stands up and cleans the paint on his fingers with a wet wipe before blowing it out. Going to each other's rooms with a cupcake and a candle on the very first hour of one's birthday has been some sort of tradition since they were kids.
"Thanks, Dai." He says as she side-hugs him.
"Happy birthday, gēge," she grins. "What did you wish for?"
He shrugs, "The same thing I wish for every year."
She holds back the urge to roll her eyes. Renjun only wants one thing: a complete family. He wants his dad to get back together with his mom and for Dahee to not resent her anymore, but it is too much to ask for. His dad doesn't love his mom anymore and his sister is blinded by anger to even care about that woman. He can't blame them though, they have their reasons. But he still wishes they all go back to being a happy family, even if it seems impossible.
"Let the pieces remain broken, it will only hurt you if you try to pick it up." She tells him like she always does every time he brings it up.
"Dai," he says, ignoring what she said as he has heard it over a hundred times now. "We should go back home for sem break and visit mom, we haven't in a while."
She stiffens at the idea of seeing her. It has been a couple years since the last time they talked and it was on the phone, their conversation was awkward and short. She doesn't want to see their mom, let alone talk to her again.
"You can visit her," she says. "I'm gonna have to stay back."
"If you don't want to visit her, just come along," he sighs. "You can go see your grandparents."
"They're already planning to visit me on sem break," she tells him and shifts her weight on her other feet. "Nǎinai and yéye want to see where and how I'm living now, so they insisted on coming here instead."
The tension in the air isn't thick, but they feel it. He stays quiet and she doesn't know if she should stay or leave. She should have done the latter before he can ask her the question he has already asked multiple times before. It is too late though when the words escape his lips.
"Will you ever forgive mom someday?" He asks, to her dismay.
Her answer is the same everytime, "I don't know." And she says it with a shrug.
"She loves you─"
"She doesn't. She never did." She cuts him off immediately. Her tone is blunt and her eyes are colder than the campus library. "Stop trying to make mom seem like a good person. News fucking flash: she isn't. But you wouldn't know, you're always on her side. Try seeing her from a different perspective, maybe then you'll understand me."
"Dai─"
"Happy birthday, gē." She interrupts him again, not wanting to go further into the topic. Talking about their mom always makes her mood sour. "I'll see you in the morning. Good night."
She places the cupcake on his desk and leaves his room. Just as she is about to enter hers, the front door bursts open and gives her quite the startle. There stands Donghyuck, Jeno, Jaemin, and Jisung (with an excited Daegal in his arms). The latter's hair is messy and his eyes are puffy, looking like he was pulled out of a peaceful sleep─which is most likely the case.
"We're here for the birthday boy," Jeno announces enthusiastically. "Is he still awake?"
She nods and calls out her brother's name. His door opens not too long after she does.
