HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOE: HAPPINESS? 5

David was excited about the day. This day, his goal is to ask Joe's forgiveness and he will get it come what may. He made another discreet glance at Joe's direction. Joe was quietly eating her breakfast.

He smirked and thought, 'Just wait 'til later, Joe. You will have the best birthday ever!' Because David was busy the past day, not to mention excited with Joe's surprise birthday party, he was unaware of simple things like Joe not dressed for school.

He quickly stood up and said, "I'll see you guys later. I have to pick up Christine." With that he left without waiting for them to say anything.

Joe watched him leave. 'He forgot my birthday.' She sighed and went back to eating. From the corner of her eye, she saw Kenji standing up. But she did not bother. She just continued eating while singing in her head. 'Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday…' then, it was stopped with a real song.

"Happy Birthday to you…" Joe looked up and saw Kenji with a slice of chocolate cheesecake in his hands. It has one candle in the middle. Joe chuckled as Kenji continued singing, "happy birthday to you, happy birthday Josephine Eliza Chen. Happy birthday to you…"

She smiled, "Thank you. You remembered."

Kenji shrugged and placed the cake on the table, "Make a wish."

Joe closed her eyes and was about to begin when Kenji stopped her, she opened her eyes again.

"Make sure you wish for yourself not for other people," he said and smiled.

Joe nodded and made a wish. 'I wish to be proud of myself.' Then, she blew the candle.

"I know you can't finish a whole piece because you will be leaving this afternoon. But I have another present for you," he said and handed her a small box.

"Awww, Kenji, you shouldn't have," she said and opened it. She looked at him once again. It was a pair of butterfly jeweled hair clips.

"You will need that when your hair grows," Kenji said.

Joe chuckled, "I promise to wear this the moment I come back."

Kenji smiled, "You should because I'll look for it."

Meanwhile at school, David could not explain why he felt too anxious for the day. It was a surprise party but somehow he's worried. It was his last class, and after that he will head to Joe's class and then to the surprise party. He forced himself to listen to the professor but he silently prayed that it would end soon. His wish came true. The class ended earlier.

He smiled and got up quickly. Then he raced to Joe's class. His heart was pounding and he couldn't stop grinning. Joe's classmates were walking out one by one from the classroom. He waited outside until he realized that all of them came out and Joe wasn't there.

"Wait," he called out.

One of the students in the class looked back, "Yeah?"

"You know Joe Chen, right?" David asked.

"Yup," he answered.

"Where is she?" he asked again.

"She didn't come today," the classmate answered.

He scrunched his forehead, "What?"

"Pete," the classmate called for another one, "have you seen Joe Chen anywhere?"

The one called Pete shook his head, "Nope, I heard she dropped out from all of her classes," he said.

"WHAT?" David raised his voice. What is going on?

"I thought you lived with her," Pete asked.

David did not respond anymore but instead he headed to the Department's office. His heart continued to race.

The secretary was there and smiled at him. "What can I do for you, David Ji?"

"Joe Chen?" he asked immediately.

"Your butler Matthew took care of everything already," she answered.

"What do you mean?" David asked.

The secretary chuckled, "Come on now, she dropped off from all of her classes. She is moving to a different school."

It was all a surprise for David, "WHAT?!!!" he could not help but raise his voice. Then, his phone rang. It was Christine.

"Where are you at? We're all waiting here at the gym," she told him.

"I'll be there," he said, then walked his way.

On the way, he dialed his mother's number. The Madame's phone was unattended. When he called her office, they told him she was at an official business meeting. He called Joe's number. It was turned off. Then, he called Kenji.

*****

Kenji's phone kept on ringing. He looked at it. It was David. "Should I answer?" he asked Joe who was sitting beside him. They were at the airport waiting for Joe to board the plane.

"Is it David?" Joe asked.

"Yup," he replied.

"Don't answer until I'm in that plane and that plane is up in the sky, " she said and smiled.

Kenji nodded, "Okay."

FLIGHT NUMBER 443 CHINESS TO PAREE, FRANCUA IS NOW BOARDING. PASSENGERS OF 443, YOU MAY NOW BOARD.

"This is it," Joe said and stood up.

"Yeah… I guess I'll see you in a year," Kenji stood up as well.

She smiled, "Promise me something…"

He smiled, "Sure…"

"When I come back, even if I am not pretty, tell me I'm pretty," Joe told him.

Kenji laughed, "Is that all?"

Joe nodded, "Yeah…"

"I'll pick you up from the airport on that day and I'll be ready with a bouquet of twelve red roses, how about that?"

Joe chuckled. "You're such a player! But I want yellow tulips instead. Bye, Kenji… Take care of David."

Kenji nodded and watched as Joe walked to the boarding gate and disappeared from his sight. His phone rang again. He sighed after seeing David's name. He pressed the answer icon, "Hey…"

"What took you so long to answer?" It was David.

"I put it in silent," he lied

"Where are you at?" David asked immediately.

"Airport," Kenji answered and headed for the exit.

"Why?" David asked again.

"To drop off Joe," Kenji replied as he headed to his car.

"WHAT? WHY?" David raised his voice.

"She's leaving for Paree," Kenji answered again

"WHAT?!!!"