Chapter 83: Happy Birthday (1)

Saturday mornings were the only time we could meet freely.

But looking at it another way, our meetings were only permitted on Saturday mornings.

Even though we didn’t do anything special when we met, not being able to see each other was unbearably tantalizing.

There were times when we just gazed at each other, feeling every passing moment was too precious to waste.

When the time came to part, we were both filled with reluctance, and So-yul’s eyes would droop with disappointment.

Above all, it was a problem that we couldn’t celebrate “important days” if they didn’t fall on weekends.

We’d barely exchanged a simple “thank you” on our 100-day anniversary—that says it all.

Messages and phone calls weren’t enough for celebrations. We wanted to face each other directly and share our sincere emotions. We longed to feel that subtle warmth while looking at each other’s smiling faces.

Creating special memories with someone you love is so meaningful, after all… Though for us, this remained just a dream.

In the midst of these bleak circumstances,

Another important day was approaching.

◎

[“My, it’s been a while. Have you been well?”]

Monday lunch after enduring the grueling midterm exam period.

When I answered a call from an unknown number, this greeting came out of nowhere.

A random call asking how I’ve been. Normally, I would have dismissed it as a wrong number. Or I might have suspected it was a voice phishing scam and hung up immediately.

But I did neither.

I recognized the caller instantly just from the voice.

Suppressing the feeling of my breath catching in my throat, I bluntly replied:

[“Nice of you to call after abandoning your child… Mom.”]

Mom wants to live her own life too.

With that ridiculous excuse, it had been nearly two years since I was abandoned.

By now, I’d grown quite accustomed to living alone, to having no parents to lean on.

I’d prefer she’d just leave me forgotten… but even that courtesy was too much to ask of my mother, who called two or three times a year.

She even used other people’s phones each time to prevent me from calling her back. I almost had to admire her thoroughness.

[“Why are you calling for no reason again?”]

When I asked curtly, I heard an “oh my, oh my” from the other end.

[“Why is my child being so prickly? After I gave birth to you, raised you, and even helped you become independent, there’s nothing you won’t say to your mother.”]

[“No, what the…”]

It was absolutely ridiculous.

[“What independence? I never asked for it. Is it ‘independence’ when you just rent a studio apartment and cut off contact? That’s just abandonment.”]

At the very least, if there had been some way to contact her in emergencies, it might have been different. Every time the school asked for parental consent, I was at a loss for how to explain. She talked so easily without knowing any of this pain.

Of course, she wasn’t the type to care about my feelings either.

[“Fine, think whatever you want.”]

My mother answered coldly. She didn’t sound upset or uncomfortable; rather, she acted as if it had nothing to do with her.

Well, there was no point in wasting energy on this.

This was a waste of time. Afternoon classes were about to start, and I wanted to get going. I deliberately sighed loudly enough for her to hear and said:

[“So why did you call?”]

When I asked about her purpose, my mother let out a light snort and said:

[“It’s your birthday this Saturday, isn’t it? I was going to wish you a happy birthday.”]

[“…Huh.”]

This wasn’t even funny.

I wanted to ask what she was doing wishing me a happy birthday after abandoning her child, but she was an incomprehensible person anyway. I’d just hear more nonsense about “independence” which would be meaningless.

More importantly:

[“If you know my birthday is on Saturday, why are you calling to congratulate me on Monday? If you really wanted to congratulate me, you’d call on the actual day.”]

It’s my birthday, the one day of the year that comes around. If she truly cared about me, there would be no reason to congratulate me five days in advance.

It would have been better if she hadn’t contacted me at all. This felt like she was just mocking me.

In response to my retort, my mother showed no sign of remorse:

[“Is that how you talk to your mother? I called early to congratulate you in case I forgot.”]

[“In case you forgot…”]

This was beyond absurd. She was even getting angry as she said she’d called early to congratulate me in case she forgot.

What was the point of continuing this conversation?

I was stupid to have expected anything different this time. I’d foolishly hoped that maybe she’d had a change of heart and was thinking of coming back, but it was a vain hope. Some things never come true, no matter how desperately you want them.

Stamping on the ground to suppress my anger, I managed to say:

[“Fine, I’m hanging up. Don’t call again—class is about to start.”]

[“Alright, do as you please. Oh, and one more thing.”]

She seemed about to hang up but then tried to add something.

[“What else?”]

My tone was sharp even to my own ears.

What else could she possibly have to say? I’d already given up on any expectations. No, rather, I was just waiting to hear what nonsense would follow.

After a moment, my mother said in a quite serious voice:

[“As I told you before, when you graduate high school, I’ll end the apartment contract. From then on, you’ll have to earn money and live on your own.”]

With just those words, she immediately hung up.

The call-end tone sounded, but for some reason, I couldn’t put the phone down, as if some lingering attachment remained.

I stood there frozen, staring blankly.

Various emotions twisted inside my chest, and it would take time to digest them all.

“…Seriously.”

What a nice birthday present to give your child.

It wasn’t unexpected since she’d previously declared she would only help until high school graduation.

But deliberately leaving such a parting message felt like she was saying she would never come back… though of course, that was actually the case.

She was truly an absurd person.

I should probably count myself lucky to have cut ties early.

Anyway, there was nothing I could do now. If my mother wanted to live her own life, I had no choice but to live mine.

With that mindset, just as I was about to head toward the classroom, I heard a familiar voice near the main entrance.

“…Han So-yul, what are you doing? Mom’s here, so let’s go.”

I turned my head reflexively.

Standing there was So-yul’s mother, dressed in office attire, and So-yul in her school uniform, just as I’d seen her this morning.

After hearing her mother’s urging, So-yul lowered her head and began to walk. So-yul’s mother walked alongside her.

They were naturally heading toward the arts track building where the piano room was located.

Had she been waiting by the main entrance for her mother to arrive?

She had waited so patiently for her mother, yet the first words spoken to her were so unfriendly.

I thought that both So-yul and I were suffering tremendously because of our parents.

At the same time,

I briefly hoped that So-yul hadn’t overheard my phone conversation just now.

◎

“…Is your birthday this Saturday by any chance?”

But predictably, my wish hadn’t come true.

That night at the path bench, as we greeted each other in the cool autumn breeze, So-yul immediately asked this question as if she’d been waiting for the right moment.

There was no other reason she would suddenly bring up my birthday. I suspected she must have overheard the phone call from my mother during lunch.

For reference, So-yul had once revealed that her birthday was December 31st.

I vividly remembered teasing her, “Ah, so that’s why you’re so much smaller than everyone else,” and nearly suffering a barrage of punches. The memory was clear.

I scratched the back of my neck and answered:

“Well, let’s see. How should I explain this?”

“I asked when your birthday is—what is there to explain?”

So-yul poked my side lightly, smiling.

She probably thought I was just joking around. Well, I was half-joking, so she wasn’t entirely wrong…

“It feels wrong to ask you to celebrate my birthday when I’ve missed all the important days.”

More precisely, this was how I felt.

Although we’d been dating for quite a while, I’d always avoided mentioning my birthday. If I told her, So-yul would try to celebrate it for me. But after letting so many anniversaries pass without celebration, it felt unfair to receive birthday wishes just for myself.

“Dummy.”

But So-yul used her customary word and then said:

“Which is sadder: celebrating only your boyfriend’s birthday, or not celebrating your boyfriend’s birthday at all?”

She asked this undeniably reasonable question with a faint smile.

It made sense. Even I wanted to celebrate So-yul’s birthday somehow. If I found out her birthday had already passed, wouldn’t I feel sad? She might even be hurt that I had hidden my birthday from her.

“Well, that’s true. But I still feel a bit bad about it.”

When I responded in a shrinking voice, So-yul chuckled and said:

“There’s nothing to feel bad about. Besides, since it’s on a weekend, we can meet in the morning. Shouldn’t we celebrate what we can?”

“I guess so…”

“Yes. So let me ask again. Is your birthday really this Saturday?”

So-yul asked with sparkling eyes.

I’m not sure why she seemed more excited than me when it was my birthday, but with her looking this delighted, there was no point in hiding it anymore.

I reached out to gently comb through So-yul’s hair and said:

“Yes, it is. This Saturday.”

“…Hmm, is that so?”

Letting out an indecipherable chuckle, So-yul wore a gentle smile on her lips.

Perhaps she enjoyed the feeling of her hair being stroked. Or maybe she was happy to have discovered my birthday in time. It could be both. Whatever the reason, So-yul looked extremely happy right now.

Then she looked up at me and said:

“Hehe. Then I should throw you a little celebration party on Saturday morning.”

“You don’t need to go as far as a party. Actually, just saying ‘happy birthday’ would be enough.”

“Well, with my current budget… considering what’s in my wallet…”

“Please, just listen to your boyfriend for once.”

I was getting the ominous feeling that something had gone terribly wrong once she started talking about budgets.

Fortunately, it seemed to be So-yul’s own brand of humor. She covered her mouth with both hands and giggled.

There was a peculiar mischievousness in her eyes as she looked at me.

“Alright. Honestly, I’d like to give you something amazing… but since we can’t go out, it’ll be hard to prepare anything by Saturday. Plus, it would make you feel burdened.”

“Yes. Thanks for understanding.”

“But in exchange.”

She rolled up her sleeves as if fired up with enthusiasm.

“I’ll prepare a gift filled with my sincerity.”

A gift filled with her sincerity?

“What kind of gift are you planning to give me?”

When I asked without thinking, So-yul gently placed her index finger on her lips and said:

“It’s a secret.”

“…A secret?”

“Of course. It’s a birthday present—it would be boring if I told you in advance. So wait anxiously until the day comes, wondering what the gift might be. I’ll work hard to prepare it.”

“Don’t push yourself too hard with your concert practice too. I’m fine with anything.”

As I said this, I gently rubbed So-yul’s cheek with the back of my hand.

The way she squinted one eye as if ticklish was adorable as always. The warmth of her cheek that transmitted through my hand warmed my heart again today.

But soon So-yul’s cheeks puffed up as if pushing away my hand.

It was the sulky expression she’d been showing quite often lately.

Then she whispered in a disgruntled tone:

“How could I prepare it half-heartedly? Dummy.”

“Why not?”

Couldn’t she just take it easy and not stress over it? Even a simple, inexpensive gift would be more than enough.

When I casually asked this, So-yul gave me a slightly embarrassing smile and said:

“…Because it’s the day someone precious to me was born, I want to make it a happy day for you.”

She pressed her face against my chest as she said these words.

Because it’s the day someone precious to me was born.

The moment I heard this, a ticklish sensation bloomed in my ears. My heart warmed, and a smile naturally spread across my face.

The emotion boiling inside me was crying out that I wanted to protect the So-yul before me for the rest of my life.

How could I protect So-yul?

Not knowing the method, all I could do was hide her fragile body in my embrace.

Holding So-yul tightly with all my strength, I brought my lips to her ear and whispered:

“I feel like I’ve already received a wonderful birthday present. What should I do?”

“…What present?”

So-yul raised only her head to look up at me while still leaning against me.

With a puzzled look. With a bewildered expression.

I had a girlfriend who was as happy about my birthday as if it were her own.

So-yul didn’t seem to understand yet that just this alone already felt like receiving more than I deserved.