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“Happy Birthday!” Shouts Mingyu wildly, limbs flailing about while trotting through the doorway. “Welp, there goes the cake.” The tall and deeply tan boy pouts at the ground where the vanilla insides of the cake’s core are broken up and mushed, surrounded by the whipped cream frosting décor.
Seungcheol rubs his temples in annoyance and disbelief of this giant tree’s idiocy. “Well maybe if you hadn’t come in here swinging your large branches you call arms, we wouldn’t have that issue, would we?” He kneels down to where the mess Mingyu had created lies, swipes a finger into the frosting, and sucks off the excess goop. “You were holding the cake when you came bursting through my door, so I don’t know what you expected.”
“I mean my fingers are pretty long, I thought it would’ve stayed.” The pout seems to have been pasted permanently on the younger’s face.
Rising from his kneeling position, Seungcheol reaches an arm up and pats his hand on the other’s back. “You still need to grip the object you are wanting to hold onto. Why do I even bother. You’re probably gonna do it again.”
Mingyu’s face, one twisted into sadness, has now become an array of disbelief, mouth wide open and everything. “I am a very wise human being. I’m offended you think so little of my memory skills.”
“Honestly I’m surprised that you even remembered my birthday.” Looking over at the clock on his microwave, Seungcheol attempts to check the time, but his tired eyes are struggling to make out the numbers.
“12:11am is when I came in, but it’s about 12:15 now.” Mingyu giving the answer to Seungcheol’s silent question.
“Eleven minutes for you to give my praise on my birthday. What kind of friend are you?” Asks Seungcheol in a lighthearted manner.
“A good one because I bet your ass that no one has sent you a single text regarding your birthday,” states Mingyu matter-of-factly. “But have no fear, for I am here, maybe just a little bit queer, and am as tall as a deer. Okay maybe that last part isn’t true, but the other two are, as you know.” He spins around the room at the speed of sonic, almost knocking over Seungcheol’s novelty leg lamp in the process.
“Careful! That’s my favorite lamp!” Calls Seungcheol as he leaps forward, catching Mingyu by the shoulders. In this close proximity, Seungcheol is able to get a whiff of the earthy, floral, at a little bit skunky aroma drifting out of Mingyu’s leather jacket. “Dude, are you high?”
No response comes from Mingyu’s perfectly sculpted mouth, but his eyes morph into crescents as his mouth stretches into a large smile, exposing his sharp canines. His actions alone, answer Seungcheol’s question.
“Just another added explanation to the reason why the cake fell, and is still currently a mess, on my floor.” With a sigh, Seungcheol looks into Mingyu’s eyes which are held by slightly drooping eyelids, and releases his grip on the taller’s broad shoulders. “Now clean that mess up, will you?”
Mingyu obeys Seungcheol’s demand and bounds over to the mess, grabbing handfuls of what would’ve been a delicious dessert, and tossing the globs wildly into the trash bags. This action causes Seungcheol to roll his eyes as he plops himself onto his couch. If he’s already exhausted by this short amount of time together, he doesn’t know how he’ll survive whatever insane and unnecessary plans Mingyu has in store for them tonight. Suddenly, the sounds of the sink turning on jerks Seungcheol from his beginning stages of sleep. “What do you need water for?” He asks while turning his head in Mingyu’s direction.
“Water and a rag are great when you’re trying to clean up a mess on hardwood,” replies Mingyu as he rings out the excess water. “Pfft, and you say that I’m the dumb one.”
“I never said you were dumb, maybe just a little… slow.”
“Oh whatever, basically the same thing. I seem to always prove you wrong.” On his hands and knees, Mingyu wipes away the last of the cake’s remains, not really paying much attention to the fine details. As long and Seungcheol doesn’t notice that it isn’t sparkling, Mingyu figures that he’ll be in the clear.
“So, since you’ve ruined the cake you bought for my birthday, what do you have planned that will make up for it?”
“Ooo!” Mingyu perks up very much like an excited puppy, or a small meerkat. “It’s gonna be so fun! The whole crew is gonna join!”
Now, Seungcheol’s worried. He can’t imagine what kind of havoc will be spread across whatever building he’s going to be placed in with all of those hooligans. A shudder rolls through his shoulders and down to the tips of his toes at this. “Oh man, I don’t know if I’m up for this.”
Before Seungcheol can completely protest, Mingyu’s yanking at the birthday boy’s wrist and pulling him through their apartment door, and doesn’t release his grip until they’re standing in front of a 2010 Hyundai Elantra. Considering the owner is a monstrous hurricane of a human being, it’s in wonderful condition. “Are you actually going to make me get in the passenger’s side? You’re going to drive in the state you’re in?”
“Don’t even worry. I’ve driven high a billion times,” reassures Mingyu as he twirls his keys around his index finger, nearly sending it flying across the parking lot. “You just put on cruise control and hope you don’t forget where you’re going. I’ve done that a few times and I ended up driving across the same intersection for almost an hour.”
Realizing he doesn’t want to argue, and would probably lose if he even tried, Seungcheol walks to the side opposite to Mingyu and waits. “If i die it’s on you. Now unlock your door.”
“Slow down Speed Racer!” Beep Beep. “Enjoy the ride.” Mingyu moves his arms up and down, as if they’re going over soft hills.
The inside of Mingyu’s car is fairly clean, and the only thing that has a little touch of his personality is the ungodly sight of two Minions hanging down from his rearview mirror instead of fuzzy dice. Seungcheol flicks one of them with his left pinky. “Why do you love minions so much? They’re disgusting yellow creatures who have a sexual attraction toward bananas.”
“Hey! Don’t disrespect my sons in this car!” Mingyu caresses the side of one of the minions and coos to it softly. “It’s okay Bob, he didn’t mean it.”
Seungcheol delivers a blow to Mingyu’s shoulder. “Dude! Knock it off! That’s fuckin’ weird!”
All he receives in response is a gut-busting set of laughter releasing from the minion-loving loser in the driver’s seat.
“Minion fucker,” mutters Seungcheol under his breath while Mingyu starts the car.
“Hey! I heard that!”
Another shove is gifted to Mingyu’s shoulder, but less intense, and more in a teasing way. “It’s okay. I can look past this minion obsession for now, just as long as this craze doesn’t last much longer. It’s starting to give me a headache.”
“One day I’m gonna die, and when I do, I’m requesting to be buried with a large plushie of Bob. You won’t be able to do anything about it because I’ll make sure to request it as my dying wish.” Sticking out his tongue, Mingyu finally drives the pair of them out of the parking lot and into the street.
Since it’s past midnight, the street's filled with a few cars here and there, but it's nothing compared to the clogged traffic that invades the city at around five in the evening. Street lamps pass rhythmically, sending Seungcheol into slumber.
“Seungcheol look out!” Mingyu yells as he slams on his breaks. With wide eyes and lungs gasping for air, Seungcheol whips his head back and forth, startled out of his sleep, confused and unaware of his surroundings.
“What the hell Mingyu!” A heavy smack from Seungcheol’s palm makes contact with the driver’s chest. “I thought we were about to get into a car accident? I THOUGHT I WAS GONNA DIE! What is wrong with you?!”
Beside him, Mingyu is doubled over in laughter, unable to contain his fits and giggles. “Oh my god! You should’ve seen your face!” The laughter continues for a bit until he’s able to finally stop himself and calm down for the time being. “Anyway, we’re here.”
“Here? Where?” Questions Seungcheol as he scans the darkened expanse of the empty park in front of him.
Mingyu looks over at Seungcheol and states the obvious, “The park. Duh.”
“Oh c’mon. You couldn’t take me to somewhere fun like a club or something?”
“Be grateful that I’m even doing anything for your birthday you stupid boob.” Mingyu unbuckles his seatbelt, waiting for Seungcheol to do the same. After the second click inside the car sounds, Mingyu bolts out of his vehicle and into the darkness.
At this point, Seungcheol shouldn’t be surprised, but he is, and scrambles out of the car and into the general direction of where the tall beast had been headed. To Seungcheol, it doesn’t seem like the safest idea, but he’s already been in a car with someone who is seemingly fairly high, so how much more dangerous could this be?
The grass is damp from the sprinklers that must’ve gone off less than thirty minutes ago, and it squishes gently under each step of his sneakers. Yes, it’s dark outside, but he should be able to see Mingyu. How the hell could he have gotten so far without me seeing? Shrugging off his feelings of unease, he continues to squish more grass and venture forward into the unknown. What he can’t shrug off, is the feeling of someone watching him from behind, so he turns around and begins walking backward through the park, keeping an eye out for any suspicious characters. Step by step he inches his way down onto the sidewalk and follows the path, no eyes guiding him, just his awkward blind steps back.
SNAP! POP!
“Surprise!”
Spinning around, Seungcheol is greeted by his closest friends; some with sparklers in their hands, others with confetti poppers, pulling at the strings wildly, and one, very special and important friend who loves minions, seafood, and acting like a fool, is holding a replacement cake out in front of him with the world’s largest smile. Even in the dim lighting, Seungcheol can see Mingyu’s eyes twinkle. He swears his eyes sparkle like the light of a thousand diamonds under bright lights. Yeah, so he may not be the most convenient person to be around sometimes, and he might break an item in Seungcheol’s apartment every time he visits, but he’s kind, and has a heart of gold, and means well even when you may not understand his plans of action.
Leaning over the cake and toward Mingyu’s ear Seungcheol whispers a sincere, “Thank you,” followed by a chaste peck on the cheek.
“Don’t just stand hovering over fire!” Exclaims Mingyu. “Make a wish and blow out your candles!”
So he does. He would’ve wished for a new cake, but he has one. Instead, he wishes for every one of his friends here tonight to have a successful and happy future, since he has everything he could ever want surrounding him in this very moment. Warm smiles and praises of love toward Seungcheol and his birthday heat his insides and make him feel content with his life. If he dies come morning, he would die a happy man, and that’s all he could ever ask for.
Mingyu sets down the cake on a portable beach chair and places himself on the damp grass, motioning for Seungcheol to do the same.
After Seungcheol sets himself onto the grass, he swings his arm around his favorite pair of broad shoulders. “I know I already said this, but I’m going to say thank you once again, because I’m truly grateful to have a minion-loving loser like you in my life.”
Resting his head on top of Seungcheol’s, Mingyu closes his eyes and releases a sigh, “Happy Birthday.”