One-shots, chapter ninety-three

"I am crying! This is too much..."

Thea trudged home from university, her bag heavy on her shoulder and her heart even heavier. It had been one of those days—lectures felt endless, assignments piled up, and all she wanted was to see Mun waiting outside, like he always did. But today, he wasn't there.

She had waited a few extra minutes, scanning the crowd of students pouring out of the university gate, hoping to see his familiar smile. But no sign of him. He hadn't texted or called to say he was busy, and though she tried to shake off the disappointment, it clung to her. It stung more today, of all days, because it was her birthday.

Maybe he just forgot, she thought, trying to keep herself from feeling too hurt. After all, everyone had their off days. Still, it didn't stop the hollow feeling from settling in her chest as she made her way home.

When she opened the front door, the house was unusually quiet. No one was around—no Ms. Chu bustling in the kitchen, no Mo-tak laughing at the TV, no Jeok-bong tripping over his own feet. It felt empty, and that only made her heart sink further.

She sighed, dropping her bag by the door and kicking off her shoes. "Maybe they're all just busy," she mumbled to herself, though the words sounded hollow. Her birthday wasn't a big deal to anyone, it seemed. Even her friends hadn't sent her more than a casual "happy birthday" text in passing. There had been no grand gestures, no plans for the day, and it made her feel small. Forgotten.

She made her way into the living room, ready to curl up on the couch and call it a day, when—

"SURPRISE!"

Thea froze, her eyes widening in shock as the room exploded with cheers, laughter, and applause. Balloons and streamers hung from every corner of the ceiling, colorful lights blinking in a rainbow of colors. A huge banner stretched across the wall that read, "Happy 23rd Birthday, Thea!"

She stood there, mouth agape, her heart racing as she took it all in. Ms. Chu was smiling from the kitchen, Mo-tak and Jeok-bong grinning like madmen, and Mun stood front and center, holding a bouquet of her favorite flowers. Hana, Jangmul, SooJin, Sooah, Tae-hoon, Seo-jun, SuHo, Ung-min, Ju-yeon— everyone was there, cheering and clapping. Even the ones she hadn't seen in months had gathered to celebrate her.

Thea's eyes immediately filled with tears. "What... what is this?" she whispered, her voice shaky with emotion.

Mun stepped forward, his smile soft as he approached her. "Did you really think I'd forget your birthday?" he teased gently, holding out the flowers. "We've been planning this for weeks."

She took the flowers, but her hands trembled as she stared up at him, overwhelmed. "I... I thought... you didn't even come to meet me at school," she stammered, trying to make sense of it all. "And no one said anything... I thought everyone forgot."

Mun's expression softened even more, and he stepped closer, cupping her cheek gently. "How could we ever forget someone like you?" he murmured. "We just wanted to make it a surprise."

Before Thea could respond, the rest of her friends swarmed her, hugging her tightly, wishing her happy birthday one by one. SooJin and Sooah pulled her into a tight embrace, their laughter filling the room.

"We had to keep it a secret," Sooah said with a giggle. "You should've seen your face!"

"Yeah, you looked like you were about to cry," SooJin added, though her own eyes were a little misty too.

"I am crying!" Thea laughed, wiping at her eyes as the tears flowed freely. "This is too much... I've never had a birthday like this."

Hana came over, offering her a tissue and giving her a warm smile. "You deserve it. We wanted to make it special."

Thea looked around the room, at all the faces of the people she loved—her family, her friends, and Mun. They had all come together to make this day perfect for her. It was more than she ever could have asked for.

"I don't even know what to say," she whispered, her voice cracking with emotion. "Thank you. Thank you all so much."

Mo-tak clapped her on the back with a grin. "Don't get too emotional yet, kid. There's cake to eat, presents to open, and plenty of embarrassing stories to tell."

The room erupted in laughter, and Thea couldn't help but laugh through her tears. As everyone gathered around her, chatting, laughing, and enjoying the moment, she felt her heart swell with gratitude.

Mun slipped his hand into hers, pulling her aside for a brief moment of privacy. "Happy birthday, Sweetheart," he whispered, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. "I hope it's everything you wanted."

Thea looked up at him, her eyes shining with happy tears. "It's more than I could have ever imagined," she said softly, squeezing his hand. "No one's ever done anything like this for me. I don't know how to thank you."

Mun smiled, brushing a tear from her cheek with his thumb. "You don't have to. Seeing you happy is all I wanted."

Thea leaned into him, resting her head against his chest as she took in the moment. The sound of her friends' laughter, the warmth of the room, the love that filled every corner—it was everything she had ever dreamed of.

As the party continued around her, Thea knew this was a birthday she would never forget. She had never felt so loved, so cherished, and as she looked around at all the people who had come together just for her, she realized that this was more than just a surprise party.

It was a reminder of how much she meant to the people in her life. And that was the best gift of all.

The house was quiet, with the soft hum of the night settling in as everyone else had already gone to bed after the long, joyful evening. The birthday party had been perfect, filled with laughter, love, and more surprises than Thea could have ever imagined. But now, with just a few hours left before her birthday officially ended, she and Mun lay side by side on her bed, wrapped up in each other's warmth, not ready to let the day go just yet.

The moonlight filtered in through her window, casting a soft glow across the room. Thea's head rested on Mun's chest, and she could feel the steady rise and fall of his breathing beneath her. His arm was draped around her, holding her close, while his fingers lazily traced circles on her back.

"I don't want today to end," Thea whispered, her voice soft in the stillness of the room.

Mun smiled, his hand gently brushing through her hair. "Me neither," he replied, his voice equally quiet, almost like he didn't want to disturb the peacefulness of the moment. "I wish we could just stay like this forever."

Thea closed her eyes, savoring the feeling of being so close to him, so completely at peace. "You know," she murmured, "this was the best birthday I've ever had."

"I'm glad," Mun said softly. "You deserve it. All of it."

She lifted her head slightly to look at him, her eyes filled with gratitude and love. "I don't think I've ever felt this happy before. Not just because of the party, but because of you... and everyone. It's like... for the first time, I really feel like I belong."

Mun's eyes softened as he looked at her, his hand coming up to cup her cheek. "You do belong, Thea. We all love you. More than you know."

Thea's heart swelled at his words, and she leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. It was slow, tender, filled with all the unspoken emotions she felt but couldn't quite put into words. When she pulled back, her face hovered close to his, and she smiled, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

"I don't know how I got so lucky," she whispered. "To have you. To have all of them."

Mun chuckled softly, his thumb brushing away a tear that slipped down her cheek. "We're the lucky ones."

They fell into a comfortable silence after that, just lying there, their bodies pressed close together as they soaked in the quiet moments. Thea's fingers absentmindedly played with the hem of Mun's shirt, and she felt the soft rumble of his chest as he laughed quietly.

"What's so funny?" she asked, looking up at him with a curious smile.

Mun shook his head, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "I was just thinking about how you looked when you walked into the surprise party earlier. You were so shocked."

Thea groaned, burying her face in his chest. "I was so surprised. I almost cried right there in front of everyone."

"You did cry," Mun teased, his hand rubbing her back soothingly. "But it was cute."

She lifted her head just enough to playfully swat at his arm. "Hey! It was emotional!"

"I know, I know," Mun grinned, catching her hand in his. He brought it to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to her knuckles. "And I loved every second of it."

Thea blushed, feeling the warmth of his kiss linger on her skin. "You really went all out for me, huh?"

"Of course I did," Mun said softly, his gaze serious now. "You're worth it. Every effort, every plan. I just wanted to make you happy."

Thea smiled, her heart swelling with love for him. "You do make me happy. Every day."

Mun smiled back, his eyes full of affection as he pulled her closer. "Good," he whispered, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Because that's all I ever want to do."

They lay like that for a while longer, wrapped up in each other, not needing to say much. The clock on her nightstand ticked softly, and Thea knew the day was almost over, but she didn't mind. This moment, this feeling of being so loved and cherished, was enough to carry her through.

As the minutes slipped by, Thea nestled deeper into Mun's arms, her eyelids growing heavy. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice laced with exhaustion but filled with sincerity. "For everything. For today. For always."

Mun tightened his hold on her, his lips brushing the top of her head. "Happy birthday, Thea," he whispered, his voice gentle and filled with warmth. "I love you."

Thea smiled, her eyes fluttering shut as she let his words wrap around her like a warm blanket. "I love you too," she murmured, her voice barely audible as she drifted off to sleep, content and happy in his arms.

And as the quiet night settled in around them, Thea knew that this birthday—this day, this moment—would be one she would hold in her heart forever.

Mun lay still, his arms wrapped around Thea as he watched her drift off to sleep. Her breathing had become slow and steady, her body relaxing completely against his. Her soft hair spilled over his chest, and he couldn't help but smile, feeling the warmth of her so close to him.

As he stared down at her peaceful face, his mind wandered back to the past few weeks. He had put so much into planning her birthday, making sure every detail was just right. It hadn't been easy—coordinating with everyone, keeping it a secret from her, making sure she didn't catch on. There were moments he thought he might slip up, especially when she looked at him with those curious eyes, wondering why he'd been so busy lately.

There had been late nights texting her friends, sneaking off to buy decorations, and working with Ms. Chu and Mo-tak to plan the menu. The biggest challenge was acting normal around Thea, pretending everything was fine while he was secretly worried about getting it perfect.

He wanted it to be perfect for her.

Her birthday meant more to him than just celebrating another year—it was a chance to show her how much she meant to him, to remind her of all the love and care she deserved. He thought about her smile, her laugh, the way she lit up the room, and all he wanted was to give her a day she'd never forget.

Seeing her walk into the room earlier, her face lighting up with shock and joy, had been worth all the effort. The way she had looked at him, tears in her eyes, overwhelmed by the surprise... it was everything he had hoped for. He had held back his own emotions in that moment, but now, lying beside her in the quiet of the night, they hit him all at once.

He loved her so much it almost hurt. And knowing that he had made her happy today—truly happy—filled him with a deep sense of contentment.

Mun gently brushed a strand of hair from her face, his fingertips grazing her cheek. She stirred slightly, snuggling closer to him in her sleep, and he smiled softly.

She had no idea how much she meant to him, how much thought he had put into today, or how every moment with her made him feel like the luckiest guy in the world.

"Happy birthday, Thea," he whispered, though she was already fast asleep. His heart was full, and as he lay there with her in his arms, he knew that, no matter what challenges they faced, he would always do everything he could to make her feel loved.

Because she was worth every bit of it.

Author's note:

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I wanted to explore what it would be like to spend a birthday with Mun, as I believe he would be the type to throw you a surprise party just to see you happy. I feel like it's something he would plan for weeks to ensure everything goes perfectly according to his plan.

See ya in the next chapter! ❤️

4/10 ✅