empyrean | pjm (wattys2017)

0.21

I splashed the last handful of water against my face, grabbing a towel next and drying myself off. Going down the stairs, I noticed that my stepmother was absent. Swinging the door open, I found the usual packet of milk put there by the milkman, but beside it laid something unusual..something that was probably misplaced by someone.

There was a huge bouquet of red flowers, wrapped neatly and placed at the right angle so that It'd be the first thing I noticed as soon as I opened the door. But was it for me?

I got down on my knee to take a look at the small parchment of paper attached to it. It read,

'It takes a long time to grow young.
Happy birthday young lady.
~Park Jimin'

I almost internally screeched in happiness. Was it my birthday? And Jimin sent something for me?

Grinning wide I quickly picked up the bouquet and the milk packet, heading back into the house and kicking the door shut behind me.

I sat down with the flowers on my lap, staring at the calender on the wall. It was, my birthday; but how insignificant.

Yoona : Thank you so much Jimin! <3

I smiled one last time as the memories of so many forgotten and uncelebrated birthdays flashed before my eyes. It had come to a point where I didn't remember my own day but a stranger did.

I had no intentions of finding out how Jimin found out. Sighing all to myself, I continued with my daily chores.

♡♡♡

The town was the dirt under my nails and the haze of grey over my skin. I knew the crooked roads better than the tired facts we learnt in school. Passing past the butcher's shop, I stopped to buy vegetables for dinner. I had a small scribbled list of things to buy, handed over to me by none other than my step mom.

Glancing twice at the list, I recieved the bag full of veggies before turning to reach my next destination. But-

"Oh, Yoona?" a voice very unfamiliar reached my ears.

I turned around to find a woman in her eighties, sitting in a cubicle like shop. She raised her hand up before gesturing me to go to her.

And I did. "Yes?" I asked.

"Happy birthday dear, may god bless you" she wished, placing her hand on top of my head for a brief second before withdrawing it.

She placed an elegant hand crafted bracelet in the palm of my hand, tiny glass like prisms hanging off of it.

"Thank you but, I-I can't accept this" I shook my head, looking back up at her in confusion.

"Oh no!" She shook her head, a grin taking over her features highlighting the white of her hair, "a young lad wanted me to give that to you. Keep it"she said.

Keeping my head low and the bracelet tucked in my bag, I rushed to the next store.

When evening rolled around and the light failed to reach the grey beneath my feet, the street-lamps were aglow. Staring at my own shadow moving as I walked, I nearly bumped into someone.

"I'm sor- "

"It's okay!" a cheerful voice cheered. I had to raise my eyes slightly from the ground to meet two brown orbs of pure innocence.

A girl, barely ten years old, stood right before me, her hands behind her back as she looked up at me. "What's your name?" I asked.

"Why should I tell you?" she mocked, with a small smirk on her lips.

"You really don't have to" I grinned at her child like antics.

"I don't know you but- " she paused before bringing her hands forward to give me something and I already had a strange feeling about it.

"-but it's your birthday today. So, happy birthday!" she giggled before placing a chocolate wrapped in fancy colour paper in my hand as she ran from me.

"Who- " I started but was cut off when she yelled from across the noisy and partially crowded pathway, "Oppa!".

~☆~

[AN]

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