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[ineedanepiphany]

He's not pouting about it, really. People are still coming over, mostly, and there will still be sweets, even if it's not birthday cake. Seokjin tries to keep Namjoon's suggestion in mind that they've asked for hotteok so that he doesn't have to cook all by himself (never mind that he wouldn't have to cook at all if he bought a birthday cake). He's almost finished getting everything ready too. The hotteok batter is proofing. The miyeok guk is simmering on the stove.

A text went off an hour ago with a generous birthday gift from his father. The number still makes Seokjin's stomach twist to think about.

And maybe he should have just reminded the others that today is his birthday. It's just that he'd sort of hoped they'd remember without him saying but maybe that's just a selfish expectation.

He really shouldn't pout. But he does have the face for it.

There's a knock on the door and a buzz from his phone and Seokjin smiles his biggest smile. At least someone's come. That should be enough.

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[ineedanepiphany]

Taehyung
It defies the laws of science, the six of them in a space and managing not to cause a commotion, but somehow they've managed. Jimin is in the front, right in front of the door with cake in hand, candles lit by Namjoon's lighter shielded from the wind by the wall of their bodies. He's just behind Jimin, crouched down to put his chin on his shoulder and ~eye the strawberries~ peer at the cake while they wait for Jin, and he's practically vibrating from excitement.

There had been some pangs of guilt when Namjoon mentioned how sad their hyung had been, but once Taehyung commits to a game, it's rare for him to see any true reason to back down. He thinks they've done well, keeping this hidden, and hopefully, Taehyung thinks, they make up for weeks of acting with good company and cake.

Seokjin opens the door and he throws both arms up, straightening up and starting to sing 'Happy Birthday' at the top of his lungs.


Jimin
The sound of Taehyung’s yell is bright and piercing in Jimin’s ear, startling even though he’s expecting it. He jumps a little, bursting into a bright laugh before he joins in on the last two syllables, the cake held precariously atop the box it came in.

“You thought we forgot, didn’t you?” he asks at the sight of his hyung’s face, walking into the apartment one careful step at a time.

Seokjin
There's a second where he's not actually sure what he's seeing. The six of them are at his door with a cake and it's a far cry from the noncommittal 'maybes' and 'I don't knows' he'd gotten when he texted them all. But they're here, all at once, and Jin realizes what is coming out of Taehyung's mouth in what seems to be the most deliberately discordant tone to ever be unleashed on a happy birthday greeting.

They didn't forget, he realizes, mouth falling open in surprise and then curving into a delighted smile. They remembered. And they've been pretending.

"I did!" he admits to Jimin, voice shaking with sudden laughter.

Jungkook
A couple of the glitter bombs might have burst in Jungkook's pocket on the way to Jin's apartment, but it all works out now as he tries to gather a little bit of it in the palm of his hand, then tosses it merrily in Jin's direction. There might be gripes from the building's apartment crew - or even from his own hyungs - but today is all about the details that suit Jin most, and Jungkook can't imagine letting the day go by without adding a little sparkle here and there.

"Yah, how could any of us forget our most precious mathyung?" Jungkook asks, grinning as he tiptoes ahead and slings an arm up and over Jin's shoulders. (edited)

Namjoon
Namjoon had stood at the back of the group obediently, following the repeated reminders started by Taehyung, but that didn't mean that he was any quieter as he joined in singing Happy Birthday at their startled friend. At the first moment he can, he edges towards the front of the group, holding up a hand in a futile attempt to shield his face from glitter. Laughing and grinning, he stands on the other side of Jin, joining Jungkook in throwing an arm over his shoulders and facing him towards the cake.

"Make a wish, make a wish!"

Yoongi
Yoongi does his best to duck out of the way of the glitter, but it's hopeless. By the time the party's over, they'll all be covered in it. That's just the nature of glitter. He finishes the song with the others, laughing when Jin does, delighted to see the look of happiness and relief on his face. As bad as he felt tricking him, it's worth it now.

"What he said," he says, nodding to Namjoon. "Come on, make a wish and let's get inside!"

Seokjin
It happens so fast that Jin doesn't have the chance to run from the glitter, doesn't even have the chance to make some dire threats on Jungkook's life if he tries. Already, it's too late and he can feel glitter cascading down his hair and the back of his shirt. He's going to need a robot vacuum by the end of tonight, he thinks fleetingly as he's roped into Namjoon's embrace (and tries not to enjoy it too much).

The cake and candles are in his face and Seokjin worries it'll catch something on fire if he doesn't do as told. He makes his secret wish and then blows out the candles.

He'd thought he was going to have to force his smiles all evening and now already his face hurts from the real thing. "You tricked me!"

Jimin
There’s glitter everywhere already and Jimin couldn’t be happier. It’s like an explosion of fairy dust that scatters all over, catching in hyung’s hair and shoulders. Some of it gets on the cake too, but it’s not enough to actually hurt anyone, Jimin’s pretty sure.

“Like we’d forget your birthday, hyung,” Jimin grins, carefully shifting balance the cake with one hand, the box against his chest. He grabs one of the strawberries with the other and holds it out to Jin, forcing him to eat at least one before Taehyung inevitably tries to steal the rest.

Jungkook
"Have more faith in your dongsaengs," Jungkook grins, carding his fingers through Jin's hair, causing a little bit of the glitter to scatter further. It's nice to see Jin's smile, the brightness in his eyes, and Jungkook pokes Jin's cheek playfully before he backs off a step, giving Jin more space and the others opportunity to dote on their hyung.

Backing into the apartment, Jungkook quickly ducks down to make sure all shoes are cleared off to the side of the entrance, slipping out of his own and lining them up at the end. He sniffs at the air, grinning at the scent of cinnamon wafting throughout the space.

Namjoon
"Aish, Jungkookie, I wonder if this part was worth it." Namjoon tries his best to wipe off some bits of glitter stuck to Jin's face, only to find that it sticks to his own hand instead. Untangling himself from his hyung, he rubs his palms on his jeans and takes a step back. Now there's glitter on his hands as well as his jeans. He's not sure how it multiplied, but it's a phenomenon around the nature of glitter he feels he's going to have to accept.

The relief he felt upon seeing Seokjin's face light up was welcome. He was glad to know he wasn't hurt too badly by their prank, and that it seemed to work out in the end. He grinned from a few feet back from the group, having a view of everyone together, making noise -- and a mess -- in the small space. "Let's get inside so we can eat!"

Yoongi
“And give you your present,” Yoongi adds. He’s pretty sure the glitter is _traveling_ somehow and it’s only going to get worse, but getting out of the hall might help. Besides, he wants to see Jin’s reaction when he opens his gift.

Stepping towards the door to head inside, he reaches out to rest a hand briefly on Jin’s shoulder first. “We’d never forget you, hyung.” They all love Jin, so much more than he realizes.

Seokjin
Jimin shoves a strawberry in his mouth and Jungkook pokes him in the face. Namjoon tries to rescue him from the glitter on his but he's pretty sure it's a lost cause and he's simply going to have to get them all back later. In the corner of his eye, he catches Jungkook carefully putting his shoes aside, which strikes him as hilarious everything seems to only get sparklier by the second.

"Present?" he asks, stepping backward to let them in properly. Yoongi touches his shoulder and Jin briefly rests his hand over it, a tiny show of gratitude.

"I hope it's not more glitter." He's still smiling from ear to ear.