𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘-𝐎𝐍𝐄:
Half a century older and a bit wiser
(October 06, 1974)

"IT'S NOT EVERYDAY THAT A VAMPIRE TURNS FIFTY,"

Corazon rolls her eyes, "Way to make a girl feel young, Em."

Emmett chuckles, "Come on, sis! You don't look a day over twenty." He bumps his hips against hers, and Corazon refrains to smile. Emmett decided to help Rosalie decorate the dining room.

It's her 50th birthday today.

Corazon feels like she has come a long way to be here. She never even thought that she'd be celebrating her 50th birthday. She said that she'd never even reach this far, but she did, and that is the reason that this birthday is different from the others. It's a milestone.

Corazon had reflected on the events that led her to where she is now. Dealing with the war and the aftermath, meeting Alice and Jasper at the bus stop, meeting the Cullens, and becoming part of a family that she soon learned to cherish. Accepting vampirism, its terms and conditions.

Then Jasper and all she could say was that all roads lead to him. After everything that she had been through, someone could finally understand and speak her language. In more ways than one, she and Jasper helped each other heal from the traumas of the past, embrace today, and be hopeful for tomorrow. Jasper helped her realize that gentleness does exist, and she wants to share all of it with him.

Jasper knows that this tenderness he feels for Corazon will never end but continue to flourish; Corazon shaped him for the better, and for the both of them, they are each other's favorite hiding place.

Jasper and Corazon are two broken people who fit each other's shattered pieces and mend each other perfectly.

Thus, Corazon is more than happy to celebrate her 50th birthday. Because this time, she isn't surviving, she's living and thriving. Her nineteen-year-old self wouldn't ever believe that unexpected turn of events in her life that led her here.

Vampirism wasn't her choice in the first place, but Corazon decided—even if she had trouble accepting it for a long time—to make the most out of her new life, and she's glad that she did.

Fifty. Corazon couldn't believe it, yet she's here. She decided it was best not to have gifts and instead give; she encouraged her family not to give her anything and donate to a charity of their choosing. The living room is adorned with festive decorations—streamers in vibrant hues of red and gold cascade from the ceiling, and a large banner spelling out "Happy 50th Birthday, Corazon!" hangs proudly on the wall.

It's been two years since the President of the Philippines declared Martial Law; even if Aika and Corazon had sources in the Philippines, it was still difficult to pass through and gain information not when news and editorial pieces were edited, falsified, and filtered by Marcos.

The military had closed down mass media, banned incoming overseas calls, and stopped flights. Marcos suppressed public criticism and controlled the information that the public could obtain by putting an end to opposing viewpoints and establishing a media organization that was under his authority. Marcos held the last word on whatever was considered to be the truth—his twisted, falsified version of truth.

Corazon received news that in the first week of martial law, a lot of journalists disappeared from the public eye, never to see the daylight ever again. It wasn't only journalists who disappeared but civilians who were detained in various parts of the country that were suspected of overthrowing the Government or opposing Marcos's rule. It was only a list with no warrant of arrest. If the military wanted to arrest a civilian out of whim, they could. Marcos gave them that kind of power and authority; it was a violation of the people's human rights.

It didn't sit right with her. While her fellow Filipinos suffered under the rule of a dictator, she's...celebrating her birthday.

Guilt is a nasty and all-consuming emotion.

"Corazon," A soft voice called her attention from behind. It made her snap back to reality as she blinked rapidly and turned around to face Esme. Looking at her with worry behind her warm topaz eyes, yet she continued with a fond smile, "Would you mind checking if I did this correctly?"

"Of course," Corazon nodded as she took a few steps towards Esme and wore her apron, tying the strings to her back. Cooking was something that Corazon remembered well when she was human.

Food always has a connection to one's cultural identity. Filipino cuisine has no recipe for a single person. It's always meant for a group of people. It's meant to be shared and enjoyed to bring people together, pakikipagkapwa.

It's one of the things that Corazon loved and nurtured about her Filipino culture. While it is not perfect, it is the paragon of ideal humanity.

The aroma of pancit has filled the household. Pancit is a traditional Filipino noodle dish made with rice noodles and various combinations of meats, seafood, and vegetables. It's one of Corazon's favorite dishes. Corazon took a fork and served herself a bite. She hummed in delight as the burst of savory flavors invaded her tongue.

They might not be able to enjoy human food anymore, but one of the incredible abilities of a vampire with their enhanced senses comes with heightened taste buds; the flavors she experienced when she was human only magnified tenfold. It was delightful. To taste food on a different level.

"It's perfect. Thank you, Esme." Corazon smiles as she wraps an arm around Esme's shoulder, giving her a light squeeze. "Oh, I love exploring different recipes. I'm glad you shared your mother's recipe with me." Esme tells her with a delighted beam on her face.

Corazon only gave her a smile in response as she started to peel the garlic and mince it to sauté in the pan. The smell of sautéed garlic gave her a sense of nostalgia; the sharp fragrance reminded her of when she and her mother were always the ones in charge in the kitchen preparing a huge feast for every family occasion.

Corazon didn't want to make too many foods. Since they won't be able to eat—or digest it properly, it'll be a shame if it only goes to waste. Corazon plans on giving the food that they had cooked to the nearby hospital to serve to the staff; she knows many of the nurses who worked there are Filipinos; they would enjoy the food more than them.

After preparing the meals, Emmett and Jasper helped Esme and Corazon bring the food to be displayed in the dining room. Alice brought out the cake; it was an ube cake that she had learned to bake, the ube cake's layers adorned with swirls of lavender-colored frosting and delicate edible flowers.

"I know you said no gifts, but I couldn't help myself!" Alice excitedly exclaims as she lightly grips Corazon's right hand and sits her at the head of the table. Vibrant streamers adorned the ceilings, cascading in an array of colors that danced in the soft glow of vintage lamps. Balloons of every hue swayed gently, adding a festive touch to the elegant surroundings. In the spacious dining room, a long table was adorned with a crisp white tablecloth decorated with delicate lace trimmings.

Aika quickly placed a plastic gold crown on top of her head while Corazon released a light laugh. Rosalie, Alice, and Aika outdid themselves with the decorations.

"Patience, Alice." Carlisle reminds her as he approaches the end of the table with a grin and leans on the chair, "We haven't even sung a happy birthday for the birthday girl."

"Oh, right!" Alice beams as she speeds out of the dining room and back in again for a second, with a camera in her possession. "Pictures first for memories!"

Corazon looks at her family sheepishly, rubbing her hands together nervously. It's been a while since she celebrated her birthday. She doesn't celebrate her birthday like Rosalie, who always makes her birthday month quite extravagant, or Carlisle (who in Esme's persuasion, set a date for his birthday that he had forgotten) and Esme prefer each other's company and travel to their Island in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.

Jasper remembers his birthday because of the journal that he wrote. He and Corazon often celebrate his birthday by buying books, reading together, going on night drives, or gazing at the stars and drinking each other's presence—just like they do every day. Corazon told him that they should do something different, but he only rebuked that it's basically his birthday every day as long as they're together (Corazon knew it was a bit corny, but nothing's corny when in love.)

Alice has no recollection of her human memories, but ever since recovering her files from the psychiatric hospital, she deemed it as a clean slate. Alice prefers traveling alone for a week on her birthday. She loves her found family deeply, but as Corazon told her countless times before, there's nothing wrong with prioritizing oneself and taking the time to enjoy one's company. Alice enjoys organizing and throwing parties for others, but when it comes to herself, she prefers doing something for herself. Besides, Alice won't say it out loud, but she does see their faces every day. It can get a bit tiring, but there's nothing wrong with a bit of separation for a week—Alice does get homesick.

Edward doesn't celebrate his birthday; he often says that he doesn't remember it, but they all know that he does. He reasoned that there was no use in celebrating his life when he was already dead. Edward's always been a bit bitter, but that just adds to his natural persona. Corazon was surprised—but not really when he started gaining attention from the girls in his classes at university. He wasn't fond of their attention and their unwelcomed lustful thoughts. Corazon could only guess that their type is dreadfully brooding men. Edward possesses every characteristic of a vampire that every vampire romance novel has. Tortured. Pessimist. Wealthy.

Emmett prefers having a free pass to his pranks. He's always been a family man and drags them everywhere, either to concerts of his favorite bands, The Harptones and The Platters in the '50s, The Supremes in the '60s, and Fleetwood Mac and Queen now in the '70s. Emmett blasts music in the stereo whenever it's his birthday week and sings along with his favorite band while he drags Edward and Jasper to play the piano and electric guitar. He does it every day, but since it's his birthday, he doesn't get their refusals and rejections of his antics. After all of that, he and Rosalie spend their time together in their vacation house somewhere in the Mediterranean Islands.

"A birthday candle for the birthday girl," Rosalie grins, and as she lit the candles with a match. The candles flicker, casting a warm, golden glow on her face. Corazon's eyes sparkled with happiness and gratitude, and the lines of her face softened as she looked at her family that surrounded her. Emmett begins to lead the song with his boisterous voice combined with the clap of his hands,

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you..." The familiar melody fills the room. Corazon, her undead heart swelling with emotion, closes her eyes for a moment, savoring the love that surrounds her – she feels like a child again, one that is not familiar with the trials and tribulations of the world. As the song draws to a close, she opens her eyes to see that Jasper has moved closer to her as he places a hand on her waist.

"Make a wish, my heart," Jasper softly tells her, and Corazon looks at him with nothing but pure admiration. Corazon smiles as she clasps her hands together, focusing her attention on the flickering candles. She has everything that she could ask for, so she dedicated her wish to the unanswered pleas and silenced voices to finally be found and acknowledged. Then, with a deep breath, she leans forward and blows out the candles in a single, graceful breath. The room erupts in applause and cheers.

Jasper placed a kiss on the side of her head. "Thank you, all of you. This is the best birthday I had in a long while," Corazon gave them a grateful look.

"It's not over yet," Rosalie began as she took out a small box wrapped in pink polka dots with a white ribbon designed on top. Corazon gave her a scolding yet teasing look; Rosalie shrugged it off while Corazon opened the small box carefully filled with anticipation; inside it was a key with the familiar logo of Aston Martin, and Corazon released a surprised, breathy laugh, looking up at Rosalie with shock. "Since I taught you how to drive," Rosalie boasts as Jasper scoffs, rolling his eyes.

"Bragging rights," Alice reminds Emmett and Jasper. "I wasn't going to say anything," Emmett lifted his hand mid-air as he shook his head in dismissal. Now, it's Corazon who rolls her eyes. Rosalie chooses to ignore them.

"Why not have your own car?" Rosalie continues with a prideful look in her sublime features. "I know Jasper wants to drive you wherever you want to go, but we all have our own cars, it's time to have your own."

It's true. They all have their own individual cars. The garage has its own property because of how many vehicles the family has. It's either Rosalie's car with customized engines or cars that they bought because only ten models are sold in the market. Sometimes, suppose they need to get rid of a vehicle. In that case, it's sold to a car museum twice the price because of how good the condition was when presented to the dealers, and it's an outdated model that's considered vintage – it's rare in the market to have a vintage car that's still in great condition.

Rosalie led her towards the driveway where a beautifully painted dark red 1974 Aston Martin Lagonda Series I was parked. Corazon gasped, "No way." Corazon took a few steps toward the car, "This hasn't even been released on the market yet! It was only launched earlier this month!" She says in utter disbelief.

"I have my connections and you have yours," Rosalie shrugs again as she crosses her arms to her chest, clearly proud. "I changed the paint job as well to the color of your liking, changed those ugly chrome window trims, and changed the cream interior to black,"

"I love it!" Corazon exclaims with an excited clap of her hand and gives Rose a quick hug. "She's absolutely beautiful,"

"She's never going to buy a car after that," Aika teases and Corazon agrees with a sharp nod. They have way too many cars to begin with. Corazon thought to herself.

"I know," Rosalie answers with a chuckle, "That's why it's good you have a hell of a car mechanic, I could make this car last for decades."

"Wonderful then! My first and last car, marvelous." Corazon expressed with awe as she observed the inside of the car. "I'm going to test drive this later. We'll deliver the food first to the hospital."

"We haven't even tasted it," Alice protests. Corazon turns around, her pointed look directed at Emmett, who was standing at the porch, his mouth mid-chew of rice noodles, holding a plate of adobo, pancit, lumpia, and rice.

"You're too busy looking at the car and I served myself some food because it smells heavenly," He defends himself. He groans as he takes another bite, his eyes closing in bliss as the flavors explode on his tongue. The balance of salty, tangy, and umami notes is perfect, and the meat is so tender it practically melts in his mouth.

"Wow, this is incredible." then he groans in disappointment, "Man, why is our digestive system dead because I would kill to actually eat this." He exaggeratedly points his fork towards his plate. Corazon laughs.

After Corazon and Carlisle delivered the trays of food at the hospital Carlisle worked in, she decided to call it a day and that her birthday was well-spent. Now, she finds herself staring at the framed photo of her with her family, a family portrait. She could only hope that her siblings were celebrating her day, too, while also honoring her life with a candle and a prayer. Corazon can rely on them that their memory of her will never be forgotten.

"Don't think I'm going to follow the rule of no gifts." Jasper's voice caught her attention like it always does.

"You are always a breaker of rules," Corazon hums. Corazon extended her left hand in his direction while Jasper took her hand in his with no hesitation. While he took her right hand and placed a chaste kiss on her palm.

"And will I ever see this gift?" She questions with an innocent glint in her topaz eyes, and Jasper shakes his head with a boyish grin. "I know you've been eyeing this for quite some time but you refuse to buy it for yourself. So I did."

Jasper took out a flat velvet box from his back pocket and opened it; in it was a jewelry set of earrings, necklace, ring, and bracelet, each with an opulent heart-shaped ruby gemstone as its centerpiece. Each ruby is meticulously cut to highlight its vibrant red hue and is surrounded by a halo of small, brilliant-cut diamonds, and an 18-karat yellow gold gives the set a warm, rich tone, and the intricate gold lacework.

Corazon's eyes widened as her hands went to her mouth, "A diamond, beautiful yet contains unimaginable strength," Jasper took the necklace from its box and placed the velvet box on the nearby wooden table. As he guided Corazon to turn around, she shivered as his fingertips brushed her skin as he brushed her hair to the side, "Gold is known to symbolize warmth and generosity," He clasped the necklace around her neck, and her hands immediately held the pendant, tracing the shape. She turns around to face him as he places a thumb under her chin, their eyes connected, souls that have already met and intertwined, "And the ruby heart for your endless love for everyone, including me,"

Jasper then smiles, "And of course, for owning my heart, I ask of you to never return it,"

Corazon has been made speechless again by him, which he finds himself doing so often, and he likes it because they both know that they don't need to do anything when it's already known from the start.

It's a memorable 50th birthday indeed.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

━━ I am establishing a new rule that I won't update any chapters until the previous chapter I posted isn't receiving the amount of attention/hype (comments & votes) I would have preferred, so this time I know that ya'll actually want to read my updates. This might get a weekly update if I am satisfied with the feedback!

━━ Fun fact! Corazon's birthday is the day she popped into my brain and gave me flashes of her life like a film and gave me the opportunity to write a character as beautiful and precious as her.♥️

━━ Finals month is actually kicking my ass right now, so updates might come slowly until my semestral break start. Regarding my last author's note that I deleted, I'm still thinking about it AHAH. I don't want to make any impulsive decisions.