— ...I recommend you to audition to YG. Yang Hyung Suk and me made a company about the same time. I think his company should be a perfect opportunity for you.
I indeed have heard about YG, but I thought they were more focused on Hip Hop.
But if father says so, I think I'll listen to him this time.
I simply nodded at his suggestion, and prepared to stop bothering him before he said.
— Now, aren't you forgetting something?
Puzzled, my head naturally tilted as I stared at father. He looked kind of surprised, and wide eyed kept asking me.
— Do you really not know what day is today?
Then it hit me, Isn't today the end of the century? And millenium at that? December 31th of 1999.
— End of the year? — Just as I said that, he was even more surprised, and even though I kept thinking, I couldn't remember anything else.
After a couple of minutes of him weirdly staring at me, he ended up sighing and saying.
— For future reference, today is also my birthday.... — it seems he was really disappointed because of his lowkey continous suspiration. That word "Birthday" he said it in English. After I heard him, I innocently asked.
— "Birthday"? You mean the day you were born? Is it today? Why is it so important? — By this moment, Father was initially completely slack-jawed, but instantly, a new frown appeared on his face.
— Haven't you celebrated your birthday all this time? — I simply shook my head while directly staring at him.
I've been living all of my life with Damian, and even though I've spent a lot of time with Claudia Noona, he didn't ever mentioned nothing about celebrating a so called "birthday". That being said,
I don't know why Father is making a fuzz over it.
While I was deep in my thoughts, Father kept staring at me with his serious face, and finally asked.
— You were born in 1990 right? — I nodded — October 23th, right? — I nodded once again, that's what Damian said.
He seemed to be making some quick calculations in his head, just 1 second or two before he said once again.
— That makes you 9 years old, or 11 years old in korean age as of tomorrow. — I nodded, where was he trying to get to?
— Well, you've been missing 9 birthdays, that makes it 9 birthday gifts I owe you. — I was surprised, what gifts was he talking about?
— Now, you're all sweaty, take a bath and we're going to make us a birthday party tonight, as well as celebrating the new Millennium. Quick quick! — As he said that last part, he was almost shooing me from the room towards the showers that were next to it.
It was quite frantic, I couldn't even enjoy the shower as I could hear Father hurrying me up every second. After I showered, I noticed there were a pair of blue Jeans, with a white T-Shirt on top of it. There was even a Black Fedora with a red stripe on it, I'm sure he wasn't expecting me to wear it.
How wrong I was, not only that, after silently getting out of the bathroom to get some new clothes, I noticed Father was waiting for me with the SAME EXACT CLOTHES. It seems he wanted the "Father and son duo" look tonight.
After reluctantly wearing the clothes he left, I got out of the bathroom, all prepared for the "War" we were going to spend tonight. Then, as a last resolve, I asked.
— Father, shouldn't you spend the night with.... Mother — that last word was quite awkward while I was saying it. I mean, Seo Yoon Jeong-ssi was kind to me, even though I wasn't her related family or anything, but she wasn't a Mom to me, not as I've come to understand.
Anyway, Father replied back with a glint in his eyes.
— Don't worry about it she's with her family, there isn't a chance we're missing this birthday night. Do you understand?
He definitely was embarrasing me on purpose, but anyway, that birthday night didn't sound that bad.
Instant regret, just as we left the building, that was quite empty because of the majority of trainees being at their parents' homes, EVERYBODY was staring at us.
I initially thought we were going to get a car or similar, but it seems the place we were going to spend the night was quite near, so we walked there. It was about a 15 minutes long walk, that was eternal for me because of all the stares, and even people coming close to call me cute and pinch my cheeks....
After that disastrous walk, we entered a really nice looking restaurant. The front was nicely illuminated and even though It looked quite rustic, it gave a cozy feeling. Just over the entrance, was a sing that said "Tamachart Natural Food".
After we entered, I kept looking at the place while Father talked in the counter. The whole floor was an oak colored wood flooring, while the walls were also wood but a slightly darker color. All the place was in wood, except for a central section that had a lot of flowers and other green decoration it.
Just as I finished looking at the place, Father asked me
— Nice huh? This is my favorite place, not only is it really beautiful, the place is quite silent, so I come some times to think or write. Also, the food here is all natural and really delicious, do you like it?
I absent-mindedly nodded. Father noticed I was distracted, because the only thing he said was to follow him.
We ended up going to side room of the restaurant, that had a really cool mini waterfall inside it, a TV at the front, and a wood 2-person table just at the center of the room.
It was my first time at a restaurant this classy, so I was quite nervous of everything, a menu was resting closed just in front of me, and Father was already peering through his.
I didn't really know what to do.
I was looking everywhere, when Father said while amused.
— Want me to suggest something? — a life saver, I simply asked him to order for me to what he nodded but kept staring at me.
— You really will be a lady's killer in the future, just like me.... — that last part, he said it with his cheeky expression making me roll my eyes at him.
Even though it was cringing, I felt really grateful because it made some of the nervousness I was experiencing disappear.
After that, the rest of the night we kept talking and talking about our lives, or more likely, my life.
I told him about Eimi, Damian, Claudia-Noona, and even about Yuri-Noona. I told him about my dreams, my experiences, the good ones and even the horrible ones. I told him about my accident, and how some Changmi little girl was the one that basically saved me, as well as her mother that paid for all the expenses.
I told him about my appreciation for Sang Min Hyung, and how I ruined his life, or so I thought. I told him about my competitions with Ji Hoon Hyung, and how I lost everytime, to which Father laughed.
We talked for a lot of time, and before we noticed, the food we ordered completely disappeared, and midnight was approaching. The whole world was making an issue about the New Millenium but neither Father nor I really cared about it. But still, we were going to celebrate it.
Just 10 Minutes before midnight, the door to our room was knocked and a young man entered with a huge box on a tray. He left the box on our table, and excused himself before leaving.
I was really puzzled about the box, but Father started to carefully open it before I could ask, so I helped him.
Inside was a really huge black and white food. It was really big, and had the form of a cylinder and a lot of colorful candles on it. I counted the Candles and there were exactly 37 candles on it. I turned to Father, waiting for him to explain.
— This is our Birthday Cake, the custom is to eat one at one's birthday party. The number of candles is usually the age of the one whose birthday is being celebrated. As it is my 28th birthday, and even though it's not your birthday I want to celebrate it, there's a grand total of 37 candles. — He said that while smiling at me., before talking once again.
— The custom is also to blow the candles and making a wish. — As he said that, he was already lighting up all of the candles. After he did it, he started a countdown.
— 3...2....1 — He started blowing just after it, and I also did it, a wish huh? I silently made a wish.
Being as curious as I am, I asked father.
—What did you wish? — He said while smiling at me.
— If you say what you wished, there's a myth about your wish not being fulfilled, so, don't ever say it — he said while flicking his finger at my forehead.
I simply nodded. So, there was that kind of custom huh?
—Even though today is my Birthday, I don't expect you to give me anything, but just this time okay? Anyway, Chirs ah, I did say I owed you 9 gifts. So, today I'll give you the first one.
He started looking for something in a handbag that I didn't even notice he had, and took something out from it.
— Chris ah, your dream is a really good one. But you have a really long path ahead of you. You also have a special problem with Park Do Joon that I can't help you with. But still, I hope you won't ever give up fighting for your dream. So, here's my gift, it's something that will let you debut, and become a singer, just like you want, even though it's quite simple. — Just as he gave me the gift, a lot of noise started, it seems it was exactly midnight, and a new millennium has started.
The gift, was actually a really big bandana that had a king cobra engraved on a black background. I was initially puzzled about the gift and what did he mean, but after wondering a little bit, it hit me.
It seems, I was going to be a singer that won't reveals his face.
That gift, really changed my life, and if I must choose something that will define my path, was precisely that same simple bandana.
— Your birthday is not really today, right? — I asked confidently.
— I needed an excuse — he excused himself while shrugging his shoulders.
My life, was not going to be boring after all...