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"Anything is fine. Besides, if it's from you, I'll still like it."
This was the third time Daeyoung had asked—if he asked one more time, he would probably get a pretty plate thrown at him. The point was, Riku's answer gave him absolutely no idea what kind of present he should get for him.
Accessories? That was usually Sion's specialty, since they both liked rings and things like that.
Stickers or plushies? No, those were usually the maknaes' or Yushi's territory.
Clothes? Riku would probably laugh him to death, considering Daeyoung's own taste in clothes was the one that needed fixing.
Ugh... what should I get him?
Time kept passing, and Daeyoung's eyes were practically drying out from all the doomscrolling.
"What are you giving to Riku-hyung?" Daeyoung asked Yushi before dance practice started.
"A jacket. The brand he likes."
Damn it.
He had literally just thought about buying Riku a jacket. After all, a jacket could never be the wrong birthday gift.
For some reason, he felt slightly annoyed with Yushi. In his mind, Yushi looked like a cat that had stolen his idea with those bright, innocent eyes. And Daeyoung simply wasn't the kind of person who could stay mad at that.
"What about you?"
His imagination disappeared instantly.
Should he be honest and admit he had no idea what to buy?
"I don't know yet. Give me an idea."
"Huh? Why don't you ask the birthday boy directly?"
Daeyoung grunted.
"I did. He said he'd like anything I give him."
Yushi frowned in confusion. "Isn't that a good thing? Then you can give him whatever you want."
"That's exactly what's so difficult! Hyung, I'm scared I'll choose the wrong gift and he'll get mad, or lose interest in me. Then next year on his birthday, he'll say, 'Daeng, you don't have to get me anything this year.' I won't be able to forgive myself if that happens."
"Daeyoung, you're overthinking."
Ah, Yushi-hyung and his simple way of thinking that always turned out to be right.
Damn it.
"Just follow your feelings. You do realize you have a privilege, right?"
Was that really true?
After dance practice ended, Daeyoung's mind still refused to clear up. Not a single idea came to him, even after he spent the day observing everything Riku had brought with him. Sakuya even interrogated him about why he was acting so strangely; peeking inside Riku's bag and watching him carefully from head to toe. According to the younger boy, Daeyoung looked like someone who had developed an obsession with Riku.
Oh, lil baby! if only you knew how panicked I am right now.
Daeyoung didn't have much time left. There were only two days until his favorite hyung's birthday. Technically, there was no rule saying a birthday gift couldn't be given late. But somehow, it would feel as though he wasn't willing to put any effort into Riku's special day. Like, Riku had done so much for him, and this was how he was going to repay him?
That night, Daeyoung went back to his newest routine: doomscrolling through countless social media platforms, especially YouTube. One video managed to catch his attention.
It was about physicist Erwin Schrödinger's cat—or at least, that was what Daeyoung understood from it.
For some reason, even though the video was clearly discussing the sarcasm behind the famous quantum theory, it ended up giving him an idea for Riku's birthday present. The next morning, he decided to buy him a necklace.
On the day of Riku's birthday, Daeyoung couldn't calm himself down even for a second.
He was terrified that the gift he had chosen would disappoint Riku. Or worse, that it would make Riku question everything about their relationship.
Argh! Shut up, stupid brain!
Riku had said that as long as the gift came sincerely from Daeyoung, he would still like it, right?
"Are you okay, hyung? You've been walking around this room five times already. Not that I've been counting, but it's making me dizzy just watching you."
Ryo complained while sipping on a cup of boba tea (since when did he start liking boba tea? Oh, it was probably Yushi's.)
"Sorry, Ryo. I'm panicking. I'm not sure my gift is meaningful enough for Riku-hyung."
"Huh? You're actually thinking like that? The Kim Daeyoung, the one Riku-hyung is always glued to?"
Ryo's words sounded almost exactly like what Yushi had said the other day. Why did everyone keep assuming he was someone special to Riku?
Is that how it supposed to be?
Riku's arrival, followed by the enthusiastic surprise party from the members, only made Daeyoung's anxiety worse. For the first ten minutes, he managed to celebrate normally. He helped carry the birthday cake. He even secretly wrapped an arm around Riku's waist while they were taking pictures together. But then the panic returned. Especially when the other members started handing their presents to Riku.
"Daeyoung, is this one with the green ribbon yours?" Riku's voice pulled him out of his thoughts. He had almost forgotten which present was his.
"Y-Yeah! When are you going to open all of these, by the way?"
"You're that impatient?" Riku laughed. "Wow. I'm the birthday boy, you know."
"H-Huh? That's not what I meant! I was just asking. Yeah, just asking."
"Hmm... probably later tonight. We still have practice after this. Why? Do you want to watch me open them?"
"Oh, I see." Daeyoung scratched the back of his neck. "No, I think that's something intimate that you should do it by yourself, so you can really... feel it."
"Alright, if that's what you want."
Riku was about to walk away when Daeyoung stopped him with one last question. "Hyung ... is there any chance you actually won't like the gift I got you?"
"Umm... of course? Possibilities always exist."
Daeyoung's shoulders slumped. Like a little puppy whose owner had come home without bringing its favorite snack. But then Riku smiled, his eyes curving into crescents. Daeyoung had always been weak against that smile.
"But I'll still appreciate any gift that comes from you."
If you asked whether Daeyoung managed to sleep peacefully that night, knowing Riku would finally open the presents, the answer would be no.
Instead, late into the night, his thoughts wandered back to Schrödinger's cat.
That damned cat.
In his imagination, Daeyoung was the owner of the box containing the cat and the poison. He would press the button from outside the box, releasing the poisonous gas to determine whether the poison would kill the cat. Before the box was opened, there would be a phase called superposition, where the cat existed in both states at once; alive and dead simultaneously.
And just like that, Daeyoung couldn't know whether Riku would like his present or not until the box was finally opened.
Had Schrödinger's cat ever wondered whether the human outside the box was waiting with such mixed emotions?
Probably not.
It was only a cat, after all. It had no idea that its life was supposedly at risk that day.
Daeyoung decided to walk to the vending machine near the convenience store by the dorm. He remembered there was a cute cat plushie there, with eyes that looked exactly like Riku's. He saw it every time he stopped by the convenience store.
Just in case, but I hope Riku-hyung likes my first gift.
Daeyoung also bought two Papicos, one for himself and one for Riku. He planned to stop by Riku's room under the excuse of bringing him ice cream, then casually peek to see whether his present had already been opened.
It was time for Kim Schrödinger to look inside the box. To find out whether Riku, his black cat, had been struck by the poisonous gas—the disappointment inside Daeyoung's gift—or not.
Daeyoung knocked on Riku's door three times. After hearing a weak ‘Come in,’ he opened the door with a frown.
"Oh my god, Daeyoung ... you're so cruel to me."
Whatever he had imagined, none of it prepared him for this.
Kim Schrödinger's face immediately turned pale when he saw ‘Cat Riku’ crying. Riku's eyes were swollen. His nose was red. Exactly like the first time they performed Wishful Winter when Riku gave his ending speech at the concert.
Daeyoung hurried over, pulled the thick blanket aside, and sat down beside him. At first he hesitated, but eventually reached out to stroke Riku's hair.
Riku crying. Daeyoung couldn't believe it. What could possibly make him cry on his own birthday?
Then he saw it.
The gift box wrapped with the green ribbon rested in Riku's hands. The lid was nowhere to be seen. Daeyoung froze.
The cat died from the poisonous gas! Damn you, Kim Schrödinger!
"Daeyoung... what is the meaning of this?" Riku looked up at him, eyes still glistening.
"The necklace I wanted when we went to Hokkaido? The one I said was so pretty, but too expensive? The one where the color I wanted was sold out? Why would you do this?"
"H-hyung... do you want some ice cream? You should eat it now before it melts—"
"Daeyoung!"
"Ah... well,” He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.
"I remembered that you never stopped talking about it. Ryo even said you talked in your sleep once. You kept saying the necklace was being fought over by you and Kamen Rider-sama, but then you lost. So I figured maybe, deep down, you really wanted it. And I honestly think it would suit you perfectly.”
Riku was left speechless after hearing Daeyoung's explanation.
"But believe me, Riku-hyung... I was really conflicted when I was about to buy it. I was so afraid you'd think it was too ordinary, or not personal enough. Especially since I'm not an accessories expert like Sion-hyung. I can't even tell which necklaces are good, because to me, anything you wear ends up looking beautiful. Maybe... because you're the beautiful one. Oh—”
Riku hugged him. No, that wasn't unusual.
Daeyoung had been hugged like this plenty of times before, even when the cameras were rolling.
Riku kissed him. Now, that was unusual.
God, if this is even a glimpse of what heaven feels like, then please let me have just a little taste.
Daeyoung melted into the kiss. It felt as though he'd been hypnotized. He had no idea how to kiss properly, so he simply followed Riku's lead.
He didn't even realize he was already lying flat on the bed until Riku was on top of him, kissing him hungrily. Riku looked beautiful beneath the dim bedroom light, dressed in nothing but a white tank top. Daeyoung's idle hands found their way to Riku's waist, and somehow, that alone felt incredible.
When they finally broke the kiss, both of them were busy catching their breath. Daeyoung felt ridiculous. He wasn't good at kissing, and here he was having such a heated moment while still wearing his favorite blue tracksuit. The contrast with Riku—who always looked effortlessly hot and sexy—was almost embarrassing.
"You have no idea how touched I was by your gift."
Riku rested his forehead against Daeyoung's. "If you hadn't come here... I think I would've kept crying until morning."
"Why were you crying in the first place?"
Riku let out a small laugh. "Maybe because you still hadn't realized that what we have isn't just friendship anymore. I was going crazy thinking about it."
"We're... family, aren't we?"
"Oh my God, Kim Daeyoung!"
"Ah! Right, right, sorry." Daeyoung laughed sheepishly.
"I get it. Well, I was actually planning to confess to you with that necklace. Look, even the jewelry box looks like a proposal ring box. I'm sorry, Riku-hyung … I should've just told you instead of having a full-blown panic attack."
"You're so annoying and adorable, Daeng, I can't help but forgive you anyway."
Riku smiled through the last traces of tears. "And I'm sorry too. We should've just talked to each other as soon as we realized we felt the same way."
Daeyoung smiled. He pulled Riku onto his lap.
"If we'd done that, we would've been dating this whole time, huh?"
"And whose fault do you think that is?!" Riku huffed. "Oh, right, you said you brought ice cream? I want some!"
Daeyoung grinned. "Uh... I think it got squished under me while we were kissing."
Without another word, Riku lunged at him again, pinning him down in the exact same position they had been in moments ago.
"I have a great idea involving melted ice cream." He smiled mischievously. "Want to try it with me?"
Daeyoung's eyes lit up.
"Really? So, the ice cream's still edible? Sure, I want some!"
And that was how Kim Schrödinger's cat finally survived the poisonous gas and leaped out of the box. As it turned out, it was a hybrid cat capable of transforming into a beautiful human.
Quantum physics was actually kinda fascinating!
(Daeyoung fell asleep halfway through the YouTube video explaining the theory, so he didn't actually understand it. He was just making his own conclusions.)
"So... none of the other members' gifts moved you?"
"Of course they did."
Riku smiled. "But it feels different when the gift comes from your boyfriend."
"Oh, right! I almost bought you a jacket just like the one Yushi gave you. He really understands people's tastes, doesn't he? It feels like every gift he gives is exactly what the other person needs. Just yesterday, he gave me a wallet after I complained mine had ripped."
Riku snorted. "So... if Sion-hyung got matching couple underwear from him, does that count as 'exactly what he needed' too?"
Daeyoung blinked.
"He got what for Sion-hyung?!”