82 "SUPRISE!!!" (Part-1)

The day- Friday- January 12th

Hana, Ye Rin, April and So Hee all were standing in the hallways as the school was about to start.

The day had arrived about which they were planning for the last 4 days.

All were discussing and giving the final touches to their plan as suddenly they heard a friendly voice of none other than, Mia.

"Hey Guys! Good morning!" She greeted them cheerfully as always.

Jun walking by her, gave a nod to all of them. It was his way of greeting.

As both of them reached at the girls,

"Say hello to Birthday Girl!" Jun said, doing a hand gesture as if he was presenting Mia, the birthday girl.

"WHAT????" Everyone shouted together.

"It's her Birthday????" Hana did a shocked expression.

"OMG Mia!! I can't believe this." April said putting both of her hands on her mouth.

"That's it Mia. You are really mean!" So Hee said with a bit grumpy and a little pouty tone.

"Huh? What? Why?" Mia asked.

"What do you mean why?" April said. "It's your birthday today and we get to know about this now? On THE day of the BIRTHDAY?" She said widening her eyes in a dramatic way.

"Yeah. That's not fair Mia." Ye Rin complained too. "If we'd known it before, we would have got something for you…A cake or gifts…" Ye Rin tried to be pouty, but her face got a little weird while doing that.

'Oh god! For how many times we've practiced this!!!' So Hee thought as she was glaring at Ye Rin. 'She is the worst actress….*sigh….'

"That's okay guys…" Mia beamed a bright smile. "It's okay if you don't get me anything…I'm just happy to be with you all….."

"Ahhh!! Here comes our iconic Mia. Sweet like a cupcake!" saying this So Hee approached Mia and gave her a tight hug. "Happy Birthday cupcake!"

"Aw! Thanks So Hee…"

And like that, everyone greeted Mia a happy birthday with a warm hug except for Jun.

"Thank you so much you all!" Mia was smiling from ear to ear.

She was really happy and grateful that she had got so many nice friends; now she was wishing for nothing more.

Suddenly the bell rang and everyone went to their respective classes.

"The first part of the plan went smoothly. Nice work people." This message sent by So Hee got received by everyone except Mia.

~

After having the lunch with everyone, Mia came out of the class and went towards the wending machine which was at the end of the hallways.

'Woooo…..It's really cold today….I need something hot to drink….' As she was thinking this, she heard someone calling her name from distance.

"Mia…."

When she looked in the direction of the voice, she saw Ray jogging towards her.

"Hey there!" She gave him a bright smile.

Her cheeks turned pink, as always they did whenever she saw him.

"Hello there, Birthday girl!" Ray said as soon as he reached at her.

"Hehe….How do you know?" Mia asked.

"Jun told me." Ray said. "Why didn't you tell us before? We would have got you something…."

"That's what girls said too." Mia said laughing a bit.

"Did they?....Haha….Well, you should have told me at least!" There was a little disappointment in his tone.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I mean, I'm the one who got to know about this at the very last. You are a great friend of mine and I don't know nothing about you…..It's just….It feels really left out…" He lowered his eyes.

Looking at his sad face, Mia didn't know what to say, she just kept finding the words….

Ray said further, "You know, all the girls are close to you so they know….Jun is your childhood best friend so he knows too….But me….I just don't get what am I to you.....I wanna know more…about you…"

On those words Mia looked at him in surprise. Her eyes widened, her heart racing fast….. 'Did I really hear what I heard? Did he just say that….?....I mean….I…..I…..'

Ray suddenly snapped out of it, 'Oh shoot! This was not in the plan!! Why do these emotions empower me every time she is standing before me?….Ughhh….I should say something…..'

"I…" Ray talked. "I meant as a friend! I want to know you better as a friend of mine! Haha…."

Ray said those words but Mia's eyes saddened on that, 'Ughh….Why does my mind always go in the wrong way??? He doesn't have such feeling for me. He thinks of me as a great friend of his….And I am just ruining all this for him…..I am so stupid!!!'

"Cluck!!" The sound of the wending machine got Mia out from her thoughts.

"Here!" Ray offered her the can of hot tea.

"Huh?" Somewhat still startled Mia took the can in her hands. "Thanks…"

"Happy Birthday Mia!" Ray said with a bright smile of his.

"Thank you, Ray…."

And saying that Ray turned back and left.

Mia looked at the can in her hands and then his walking away figure from back. 'I don't know when you'd get my feelings….' She thought.

Walking away from her the same thought was going on in Ray's mind, 'I don't know when you'd understand how I feel….'

As he turned at the corner he nearly bumped into So Hee and April.

"Oh god! You startled me!" Ray said. "What are you two doing here?"

"Looking if the plan is going smoothly." April answered.

"But…" So Hee was looking at him with narrowed eyes. "….What took you so long?" She asked.

"Huh? What do you—"

"We gave you 2 and a half minutes for this….but you took 4 minutes 12 seconds! What were you talking about so much? Does she know about our plan now? Did you spill all the beans?" So Hee asked glaring at him.

Ray looked at April with confused expressions as if asking, 'What's wrong with her?'

Getting what he's thinking, April did the mouth movements saying, 'Sorry.'

"Tell me!" So Hee said again.

"No. I didn't spill anything. And she doesn't know about our plan."

"Thank goodness!" So Hee sighed relieved. "I knew you'd never do it! Hehe…" Saying that she patted on Ray's shoulder and started to walk away.

Before following her, April whispered to Ray, "I'm sorry Ray. She gets really hyper at such things. Especially when she is the one who's planning."

"April?" So Hee called.

"Coming!" And April ran to catch up with her.

~

"I'll treat you all as it's my birthday! What say people?" Mia was asking to all of them as they were standing in the gate of the school.

"Let's go! And where is Ray and So Hee?" Mia asked excitedly.

"Well…." Jun talked. "….They went already."

"What? They did?" Mia.

"Yeah."

"But why?"

"Ray had some chores to do." Jun answered.

"And So Hee had some family function to attain." Ye Rin answered.

"Ohh….Umm….Then…."

"I cannot come too." April said. "I'm sorry Mia but I have to go to the Piano class."

"The piano class? Can't you just…not go?" Mia asked pouting.

"I'm sorry. But my teacher is really strict."

Mia's face got really sad. She looked at Ye Rin and Hana.

"I'm sorry Mia." Ye Rin said. "But there is no one at home. And so I need to go early."

"You too?" Mia asked with the puppy eyes.

'Oh no! Not the puppy eyes. No…..I should keep it together.' Ye Rin thought. "I…I am sorry. If we knew about your birthday before, we all had kept time for that…"

Mia lowered her eyes. She was feeling really down as one by one everyone was going.

"Well, I'm off to go too." Jun said.

Mia looked at him.

"You know that I have an audition tomorrow, right? I have to go and practice."

"Yeah. I know…."

"It's only us then." Hana said as she put her arm around Mia's neck.

"You are not going?" Mia asked as a little light came in her darkened eyes.

"Yes! I am totally free today. So it's just the two of us. Let's go then." Hana tried to cheer her up.

"But…What about others?"

"Don't worry about them. They are missing a great time. Forget it now. And let's just enjoy. What say?"

"Umm…."

Before Mia could answer, Hana dragged her with her.

"We'll go to eat something first. And then we'll go to do shopping and then…."

And with that both the girls went.

"Great!" April said as she took out her phone and texted So Hee that the second part of the plan has gone swiftly.

"According to the plan, Ray and So Hee had gone to bring the decorations. By that time, all three of us will head to her house and start helping her mother in preparations. As Ray and So Hee would come, we'll start decorating….And I'm sure Hana will do her task properly of keeping Mia away from her house till we all get ready!" April said looking at Ye Rin and Jun.

"Let's go then!" Ye Rin said enthusiastically.

"Yeah."

And with that, all three of them headed towards Mia's house.