Just as I prepared a birthday meal for Eun-ha, she prepared one for me as well.
But unlike my menu of braised short ribs, japchae, and seaweed soup, her spread was much more extensive.
There were salmon dishes and all of my favorite foods densely packed on the table.
However, I couldn't help but notice the eel and chives, foods known to boost stamina, scattered throughout.
"Happy birthday, Han-gyeol! Eat up! Let me know if you need more!"
"Why did you go through all this trouble? Just the seaweed soup would have been enough."
"No way! You made me a birthday meal too! This is the least I could do!"
"Thank you. I'll enjoy it."
I feel so loved.
"Yeah! All you have to do is eat it up happily!"
With a bright smile on her face, Eun-ha watched as I took a spoonful of seaweed soup.
The seasoning was perfect, and the deep flavor brought an immediate smile to my face.
"It's incredibly delicious!"
How long has it been since I had a birthday meal prepared by someone else?
Thinking about how Eun-ha must have painstakingly prepared everything from the crack of dawn made my nose tingle slightly.
Still, I didn't let any tears fall and instead devoured everything she made.
Each time I emptied a dish, Eun-ha looked more and more pleased.
"Did you enjoy it, Han-gyeol?"
"Yes, it was so good that I think I overate a little."
"There's still some left, so let's put it in the fridge and eat it tomorrow!"
"I'll help you clean up. Let's do it together."
"No, it's your birthday, so don't do anything today. Got it?"
"I'm so full; I need to digest. Let's clean up together, Eun-ha."
"Alright then, I'll do the dishes, and you can help me clear the table."
"Okay, I'll do that."
After putting the dishes in the sink, I wiped down the table with a cloth.
Eun-ha seemed delighted that I enjoyed the birthday meal so much.
She hummed a little tune and kept flashing cute smiles.
I hugged Eun-ha from behind and thanked her once more.
"Eun-ha, thank you so much."
"Do you like it that much?"
"Of course. It was incredibly delicious. Promise you'll do it again next year."
"Of course! I'll be responsible for Han-gyeol's birthday meals forever."
"Then I'll be responsible for your birthday meals, too."
"Hehe, that sounds great."
"Are we going out after we clean up?"
"Yeah, let's go for a walk since we're full, get some coffee, and go on a date. How does that sound?"
"Sounds perfect."
"You shower first."
"Okay, I'll be quick."
After I showered and came out, Eun-ha got ready quickly.
She looked beautiful as always and took the lead, holding my hand.
We started our date with a coffee at a nearby café.
"Eun-ha, where are we going today?"
"Hmm~ I picked somewhere I thought you'd like. But I'm not sure if you'll really like it."
Now I'm even more curious.
"What is it?"
"Hmm... I looked up popular date spots that guys want to go to."
"Okay, what did you find? PC bang? Movie theater? Hotel staycation?"
"An electronics market... want to go?"
"What...?!"
Thump.
My heart started pounding.
The holy land of countless electronic devices, also known as the playground for men: computers, laptops, phones, headsets, keyboards, game consoles, drones…
There’s nothing that’s missing from that place.
I never imagined Eun-ha would suggest going there first.
“Oh- um, is it a bit too much?! Haha... I also thought of some other places just in case-”
I grabbed both of Eun-ha’s hands tightly and said,
“Let's get married, Eun-ha. I love you.”
“W-what?! Is it that good?!”
“I fell for you all over again… I love you.”
****
To be honest, I didn’t expect Han-gyeol to be this excited.
He was touching this and that, checking the specifications, and trying to explain everything to me, but it wasn’t easy for me to understand.
“Eun-ha, don’t you want a laptop? As a film major, it wouldn't hurt to have a good one, right?! Oh, wait a minute, Eun-ha, your phone is an Apple, isn’t it? How about we check out the Apple store? Of course, if you’re primarily using Premiere or After Effects, you don’t necessarily need an Apple, but considering future use of Final Cut and the expandability with your phone, Apple could be a good choice.”
I expected him to be happy about building his own computer, but not to this extent.
Han-gyeol was thrilled, holding my hand as we entered the store.
“What size do you like? How much storage do you need?!”
“I don’t think I need a laptop just yet~ Is it really that good?”
“Yes! The processor performance is great. But the price increases significantly with more storage… that’s the downside.”
“Han-gyeol, don’t you use Apple?”
“Yeah. Apple doesn’t support call recording. That’s a huge drawback…”
Seeing him so excited made me happy too.
I carefully took Han-gyeol’s hand and moved closer to him.
“Let me see. Oh? This! I thought about buying a watch before, but I didn’t know much about it, so I didn’t.”
“Really?! Personally, I think it’s good to start with an entry-level model. If well-maintained, they don’t depreciate much and can be resold at a reasonable price. Do you want one? Should I buy it for you?!”
“Maybe next time~ Today is your birthday. Should I buy it for you?”
“Oh- I don’t need a watch yet, so I didn’t buy one. And it’s not really necessary~”
“If you want one, let me know~ I’ll get it for you. Seriously!”
“Get it for me next time. You’ve already bought my birthday present, haven’t you?”
He is incredibly perceptive.
Even though Han-gyeol loves electronics, the gift that I picked out with care for him was more precious to him.
“Eun-ha, I prefer the gift you chose for me. Let’s not change it now, okay?”
“Ugh-! Sometimes it feels like Han-gyeol can read my mind completely.”
“I love electronics, but I love the gift that Eun-ha chose for me while thinking about me more. Got it?”
“Got it~ Let’s look around a bit more.”
“No, I’m satisfied enough. I’ve seen all the new products.”
“Huh?! No way. I’m enjoying this too. Let’s stay a bit longer~”
“It’s alright~ I’m hungry. Let’s go eat~”
I knew he was being considerate, worrying that I might be bored.
I wasn’t bored at all, but I decided to accept Han-gyeol’s kind heart as it was.
He really is a warm person.
****
After lunch, we visited a movie theater, a manga café, and an arcade. Lastly, we enjoyed some bite-sized sushi before heading home.
While it’s nice to have dates in atmospheric places with Eun-ha, sometimes a relaxed date like this is just perfect.
"Eun-ha, I had an amazing time today. Honestly, this is the most fun birthday I’ve ever had in my life."
"Really? I was worried you might not like it because it wasn’t fancy enough..."
"Why would you worry about that? Thanks to you, today was truly wonderful. Thank you, Eun-ha."
Eun-ha beamed with a big smile, feeling proud of herself.
"Han-gyeol, let's go home and eat cake now!"
"I’m not sure if I can fit any more in~"
"If you're too full, we can just light the candles and save the cake for tomorrow."
"Oh, that sounds great. You’re a genius. I adore you."
"Hehe. Let’s hurry back."
We bought a cake and returned home.
After changing clothes, we turned off the lights in the living room and lit the candles.
Eun-ha cheerfully sang the birthday song for me.
"Happy birthday to you~ Happy birthday to you~ Happy birthday dear Han-gyeol~ Happy birthday to you~!"
"It’s kind of embarrassing hearing it in person. Thank you, Eun-ha."
"You're welcome! Now blow out the candles."
As I blew out the candles, Eun-ha carefully stood up.
She quietly went to the room, possibly to get my gift, and came back holding a small paper bag, which she handed to me with care.
"Can I open it?"
"Yes, of course!"
When I opened the paper bag, I found a beautiful glass bottle of perfume inside.
"Wow, perfume?! Thank you! Since you gave it to me, I’ll wear it every day."
"They say giving perfume as a gift means you want the person to always remember you..."
Eun-ha’s face turned bright red, clearly feeling shy about saying something so sentimental.
"Really? That’s a nice meaning~"
"So, please wear it every day...! It’s a scent that suits you so well that other girls might get attracted to you, but...! Just remember that it’s a gift from me...! I love you..."
Seeing Eun-ha so shy and with her head down made her even more adorable.
I gently approached her and hugged her.
"I’ll never forget. I’ll wear it every day and think of you."
"Then, can you quickly shower and try it on...?"
"Uh?"
"I want to smell it on you..."
Judging by the atmosphere, she didn’t just want to smell the perfume.
Understanding what she meant, I immediately agreed.
"Okay, I’ll go shower."
"Oh, wait! I’ll go first today!"
"Huh? Okay. Then I’ll put the cake in the fridge. Go ahead."
"Got it! I’ll be quick!"
Eun-ha, still feeling shy, quickly grabbed her clothes and went into the bathroom.
I've never put on perfume before, but I guess I’ll just do it like they do in the dramas.
To be safe, I’ll use just a little.
"Han-gyeol, I’m done. You can go shower now!"
After some time, Eun-ha finished her shower and came out of the bathroom.
"Alright, I’ll go now."
"Take your time!"
"Nope, I’ll be quick!"
I flashed a smile at Eun-ha and quickly took my shower.
After applying lotion, I lightly sprayed the perfume she gave me and walked out of the bathroom, drying my hair with a towel as I entered the bedroom.
"Eun-ha, I’m done show-!!"
The sight before me made me drop the towel I was holding.
Oh my god...
"You’re here...?"
"Is that... a bunny...?"
View Image
"You said I look like a small animal...! Is it weird...?"
The best gift is right here.
--- The End OF The Chapter ---
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