Quiet | BTS ✓

60

"Happy birthday!" Hoseok's parents exclaim to Hoseok as his friends and family finish singing to him.

Hoseok laughs happily as he blows out his candles, the room filling with a thin veil of smoke as everyone claps. Aria beams at her best friend as she hugs him tightly, and Hoseok kisses the top of her head. Yoongi watches the two of them fondly, a soft smile painted onto his features.

Mrs. Jung cuts the cake, handing out a piece to each person at Hoseok's surprise birthday party.

"I'm married to a culinary genius," Mr. Jung says through a mouthful of cake.

"Oh, you," Mrs. Jung says, smiling as she rolls her eyes affectionately.

"This cake is really wonderful, Mrs. Jung," Rina says, smiling brightly as she sits beside Hoseok at the dining table. "I know where Hoseok gets his cooking skills from."

"Yes, from me," Mr. Jung says, smiling proudly and Mrs. Jung and Hoseok laugh.

Aria and Yoongi sit next to each other, eating their pieces of cake with one hand while their other hands are intertwined together underneath the table, Yoongi's fingers absentmindedly grazing over the ring on Aria's finger.

"How is school going for everyone?" Mrs. Jung asks as everyone finishes their cake.

"I got accepted into a graphic design program," Rina says, smiling shyly as Hoseok kisses her cheek.

"That's amazing, sweetheart," Mrs. Jung says, beaming at her son's girlfriend.

"I'm on track to graduate early," Hoseok exclaims proudly. "I've been working really hard to graduate as soon as I can so I can start to give dance lessons full time; then, I can start to save up for my own dance studio."

Hoseok's parents smile at their son with so much adoration and love that everyone in the room can feel it in the air.

"Aria and I are set to graduate at the end of May," Yoongi explains. "Just after our class's concert that my uncle has organized."

"So proud of all my babies," Mrs. Jung says, tears glistening in her eyes.

She sniffles and Mr. Jung kisses her cheek while rubbing her hair comfortingly.

"Let's open some gifts, yeah?" Mr. Jung suggests and everyone nods in agreement.

Hoseok practically jumps from his seat and moves into the living room where there is a small mound of gifts waiting for him to open.

"My uncle had to stay and grade some essays, so he sends his love," Yoongi says, pointing to the gift from Mr. Min.

Hoseok sits down on the couch while everyone sits around him on the couch and on the other surrounding chairs as he opens his first gift.

Hoseok smiles excitedly as he sees the small hand-painted design of the wooden sign.

"Hope Studio," Hoseok says quietly to himself as his fingers ghost over the letters. "The name of my future dance studio. Who told him?"

Yoongi clears his throat and gestures to Aria, who is seated between him and Hoseok. She smiles at Hoseok and winks at him playfully.

Aria turns her attention away from her best friend for a moment to grab the gift she's gotten for him. She hands it to him and gestures for him to open it, a smile spreading across her face.

Hoseok excitedly rips the wrapping paper from the object and stares down at it questionably.

It's a small, leather-bound book; on the front, "H + R" is painted in a delicate font, the light brown paint contrasting beautifully with the dark brown of the leather underneath it.

When he opens the book, a small gasp escapes his lips as he realizes the book is actually a photo album; it's an album filled with all of the candid pictures Aria has been sneaking of Hoseok and Rina since they started seeing each other.

Rina leans her head on Hoseok's shoulder as they flip through the album together, laughing and smiling at all of the memories that have been forever memorialized into such a beautiful gift.

"Thank you," he whispers as he turns his attention to Aria, the two leaning their foreheads against each other.

Aria kisses Hoseok's forehead before leaning away and back into Yoongi's arms as she gestures for him to keep opening the gifts on the table.

Hoseok nods and turns his attention back to the rest of his gifts, but tilts his head in confusion when he sees only one gift left.

"Ours is all together," Yoongi explains as he gestures to Hoseok's parents and Rina.

Hoseok picks up the small box and rips the paper off, confusion written on his features as his mind tries to work out what the gift could be.

When he opens the box, he frowns for a moment as he takes in the box's contents.

A set of keys and a single business card are carefully placed into the small box, and Hoseok takes a moment to read the business card.

"Hope Studio," Hoseok reads aloud.

Everyone else in the room watches Hoseok, their breaths held in their chests as they wait for realization to dawn upon their dear Hoseok.

After a moment, his eyes slowly widen as he picks up the set of keys.

"You..." He says, his jaw dropping open.

"Your father and I bought you a studio," Mrs. Jung says through her tears as she smiles brightly.

"I designed the business card," Rina says. "I only made one just in case you didn't like it. I can change the font, the layout or even the color of the card!"

"I'm paying for you to furnish the studio," Yoongi explains. "New flooring, paint, mirrors, anything you want."

"I-" Hoseok shakes his head as tears fill his eyes.

"We love you, Hobi," Yoongi says, grinning as Hoseok's parents engulf him in a hug.

"Very much," Rina says as everyone melts into a giant group hug.

~

"That was the best birthday ever," Hoseok says happily as he and Aria clean up the torn wrapping paper from the floor.

"I'm glad you had a great day, Hobi," Yoongi says, smiling as he walks out of the kitchen and into the living room. "Dishes are all done. I'm gonna head to bed."

Yoongi strolls over to Aria and chastely kisses her lips before giving Hoseok a quick hug and heading to his bedroom. Hoseok and Aria hear his door close as they pick up the remnants of the paper from the floor.

Hoseok takes the garbage bag out of Aria's hands and turns to take it to the kitchen when he hears something that makes him stop dead in his tracks.

"Hobi."

The garbage bag falls to the floor, long forgotten as the soft, almost melodic voice echoes in his head over and over again.

Slowly, his body turns until he is facing the person who just spoke to him for the first time in years.

Hoseok's tears are falling freely as his eyes meet Aria's, who looks both terrified and determined.

"Hobi," she says again, this time with more confidence. The corners of her lips twitch upwards as Hoseok's feet propel him forward and then they are in each other's arms as Hoseok twirls her around, his sobs mixing with his laughter.