after finishing up at build a bear, seonghwa stopped by the assorted chocolates store to pick up some chocolate covered strawberries. he obviously knew about hongjoong's strawberry obsession, so he felt like this would be the cherry on top of a perfect gift.

seonghwa contemplated on texting hongjoong that he was coming, but he ultimately decided against it. he wanted to surprise the boy, to see the smile on his face when he opened the door.

thankfully, the drive to hongjoong's house wasn't too far. seonghwa parked in front of his home, grabbing the house shaped box holding the stuffed animal and the heart shaped box of strawberries before exiting. he walked his way up to the front door, beginning to sweat a bit from how nervous he was.

thank god jongho isn't home... i have no idea how i'd explain this to him.

seonghwa rang the bell, waiting impatiently for the door to open. he heard little footsteps run towards him, the person cracking open the door and peeking out the open slit.

seonghwa saw it was hongjoong and smiled widely, wishing his hands weren't full so he could attack the boy with a big hug. when hongjoong realized who was at the door, he threw it open without a care and squealed out loud.

"seongie! what are you doing here? mommy is home, you don't need to watch me today." hongjoong asked, confused as to why the boy was there.

"what, an i not allowed to see you on my own terms?" seonghwa gave the boy a fake stern look, receiving giggles from hongjoong.

"well come on in!" hongjoong cheered, moving to the side to allow seonghwa inside.

hongjoong noticed the gifts in his hands and tried his best to hold back his excitement.

are those for me? does he know it's my birthday?, hongjoong thought to himself.

"so, a little birdie told me it was someone's birthday today. hmm, i can't remember whose birthday it was though... was it wooyoung's? maybe yeosang's?" seonghwa looked up at the ceiling with his finger on his chin, pretending to think hardly.

hongjoong couldn't hold his excitement any longer, "no, it's mine! it's my birthday!" he screamed out with a smile.

seonghwa made a clicking sound with his mouth and looked into hongjoong's eyes, "oh yeah, it's joongie's birthday!"

hongjoong jumped up and down and ran into the living room to take a seat on the couch. he didn't know what seonghwa had bought him, and he couldn't wait to open the gifts.

"are those for me?" hongjoong asked politely.

"maaaybe." seonghwa dragged out, winking at the boy as he walked over and took a seat next to him.

"please please please let me open them! please!" hongjoong begged and seonghwa chuckled, setting the build a bear box down next to him and holding the box of strawberries in his hands.

"ok, open this one first." seonghwa handed the fruits over and hongjoong snatched them out of his hands, quickly opening the lid and clapping when he saw what he received.

"wow! chocolate covered strawberries! i love chocolate covered strawberries!" hongjoong smiled widely, immediately taking one and putting it in his mouth to eat.

"i know how much you love strawberries, so i figured you must love chocolate covered ones as well." seonghwa smiled and put a hand on the boy's thigh as he continued chewing his snack, hongjoong too excited about his gift to notice the intimate action.

"did you know that i once dyed my hair red? that's how i got the nickname strawberry joongie, because i always ate strawberries and i looked just like one!" hongjoong smiled, chocolate covering his front teeth. seonghwa's heart fluttered at the sight of hongjoong's sweet smile.

"that's so adorable, my strawberry joongie." seonghwa bopped hongjoong's nose, using the nickname he just spoke about.

hongjoong looked down at the container and noticed the shape of it, "the box, it's in the shape of a heart." hongjoong blushed lightly.

"of course, that's why i picked that one." seonghwa pinched the boy's cheeks, "but now, here's the better gift."

"there's an even better gift than strawberries?" hongjoong asked in disbelief.

"of course there is! do you think i'm a cheap gift giver, only giving you a small box of chocolate covered strawberries?" seonghwa pretended to be hurt, putting his hand on his heart to add dramatics.

"no! i didn't mean that!" hongjoong put his hands on seonghwa's chest, worried that he hurt the boy's feelings.

"honey, i'm just joking with you. open the box! i think you'll love it." seonghwa smiled, excited for hongjoong to see what stuffed animal he made for him.

when hongjoong ripped the box open, his eyes lit up. he lifted the toy up and stared at it in awe. seonghwa smiled widely, knowing hongjoong loved it. he was proud of his decision.

"you got me light fury?!" he screamed out as he hugged the toy tightly, closing his eyes and cuddling his head into it.

"yeah. i know how much you love that movie, and i knew you already had toothless. and since you said toothless reminds you of me, i thought i'd get you his girlfriend... since she reminds me of you." seonghwa replied kindly.

"why does she remind you of me?" hongjoong asked, curious of seonghwa's response.

"duh, her white skin! toothless is black, matching my hair and dark vibe. light fury is white, matching your blonde hair and light vibe. it's a perfect depiction of us, baby boy." seonghwa answered, pointing to hongjoong's head of platinum blonde hair.

"the outfit, it looks just like the one i have!" hongjoong observed, moving the doll around as he looked at each and every part of it.

"yeah, i picked that out on purpose. it's the outfit you wore the day you... the day you said you liked me." seonghwa mumbled, almost too quiet for hongjoong to hear.

"yeah, you're right." hongjoong hid his face, slightly embarrassed at the memory.

hongjoong looked through the box and found the birth certificate for the toy. he lifted it up, inspecting everything seonghwa typed out. after reading the name seonghwa picked, his heart fluttered in his chest.

"and you named her strawberry shortcake." he smiled down at the piece of printer paper.

"yeah, it reminds me of the time i cut you a piece of cake that your mother made. by the way, i'll have to let her know that it was in fact delicious." seonghwa laughed, hongjoong joining him with quiet giggles.

"seongie... i love her so much. thank you so much for these amazing gifts, you really didn't have to do all of that." hongjoong looked at the boy and seonghwa immediately shook his head.

"no, i did have to. you're worth more than just light fury and strawberries, though. i wish i knew earlier that today was your birthday, i would've gotten you something even better." seonghwa smiled as he put an arm around the small of hongjoong's back.

"no! seongie, this was the bestest gift i've ever received. nothing could top it, ever! i mean that!" hongjoong hit the boy's chest lightly, not liking that seonghwa said he wished he could've done more for him.

"well what matters is that you're happy, and i'm glad i was able to put a smile on your face." seonghwa said calmly.

the entire time the boys were in the living room, hongjoong's mother pretended she wasn't listening in on the conversation that was happening only a few feet away from her. once she felt it was appropriate, she made an appearance in the room, startling both boys on the couch.

"oh, i'm sorry to scare you boys, but dinner is ready. joongie, would your friend like to stay?" she asked her son, smiling sweetly at seonghwa. hongjoong looked over to the boy, suddenly feeling shy at the idea of him staying for his birthday dinner.

"seongie, do you wanna stay for dinner?" he asked, sounding a bit nervous as he spoke.

seonghwa nodded his head, "i would love to stay, as long as it's ok with you, ms. kim."

"i wouldn't have asked if it wasn't!" she cheered, waving the boys on, "let's go, we don't want the chicken to get cold!"

hongjoong stood up, holding his hand out for seonghwa to grab onto. seonghwa kindly accepted, intertwining their fingers as they made their way into the kitchen. before hongjoong's mom could see, hongjoong quickly let go, taking his usual seat at the table.

"ms. kim, where should i sit?" seonghwa asked, not wanting to take anyone's seat.

"right next to joongie is fine, honey." she guestered her hand to the seat, seonghwa smiling and sitting down.

while waiting at the table, seonghwa was quite literally shaking in his boots. he wasn't expecting to stay for dinner, especially with hongjoong's mother, but he couldn't say no... he didn't want to say no, to be frank.

after hongjoong's mother finished cutting up the big chicken she had cooked, she placed some pieces on a plate for hongjoong and handed it to him.

"seonghwa, take as you please." she said, sitting across from the boy in her seat.

seonghwa was extremely intimidated, even though the woman was the sweetest he'd ever met in his entire life. all he knew was that he didn't want to mess this dinner up.

the boy grabbed some pieces of chicken and mashed potatoes for the side. he was afraid to eat too much, not wanting to take food away from the family.

"seonghwa, is that all you're going to eat?" hongjoong's mother looked down at his plate, noticing that he didn't take much food at all.

"uhh..." seonghwa trailed off, sounding very nervous.

hongjoong's mother noticed the waiver in seonghwa's voice, "hun, don't be shy. look how much food i made! i mean, i know jongho can eat a lot... but not this much! take whatever you'd like, our food is your food!" she encouraged the boy, making him smile. after what she said, seonghwa took some corn, string beans, and put gravy on top of his chicken.

as the trio were eating in silence, hongjoong noticed how shaky seonghwa's leg was becoming. hongjoong took it upon himself to place a hand on his thigh, trying to ease the boy's nerves. seonghwa visibly relaxed, placing his hand on top of hongjoong's. hongjoong looked up, smiling at seonghwa as the older continued eating, not noticing his stare.

this truly is the greatest birthday ever, hongjoong thought as he took another bite of chicken.

don't speak to me... i'm too soft!!! by far one of my favorite sequence of chapters i've ever written, someone bring the tissues🤧y'all don't understand how long i was waiting to post joongie's birthday chapters!!!!

-vic