Chapter 225: Kim Tae Yeon: “i Want To Say ‘happy Birthday’ One More Time”
Late at night, cold moonlight sprinkled by the window, in a quiet apartment in Seoul, soft lighting outlined a corner of the living room.
Kim Tae Yeon sat on the sofa hugging her knees, wearing a loose set of home clothes, with a half-drunk cup of hot milk by her feet, its temperature already cooled by more than half.
Today she had been tormented by vocal lessons all day, and according to her usual habit, she should have been lying in bed in deep sleep by now.
But now she just sat quietly, her brows and eyes lowered, as if pondering something, or perhaps just spacing out unconsciously.
The television was on but muted, its flickering scenes reflecting on the side of her face, casting faint light and shadows.
Like some emotion rippling on the water’s surface, yet never splashing out any sound.
Suddenly, a soft “creak” came from the room door.
Lin Xiuyuan, dressed in pajamas and wearing slippers, pushed the door open and walked in, carrying his usual casual and familiar aura.
“Taeyeon, what urgent matter do you have calling me so late?”
While closing the door, he teased lightly, “From your tone on the phone just now, I thought something big happened. You just went to Georgia and came back already.”
Seeing Lin Xiuyuan arrive, Kim Tae Yeon also stood up and asked, her originally lifeless eyes gaining a bit more brightness, and the corners of her mouth lifting into a slight smile.
“Weren’t you and Soo Jung going to London for Wimbledon? How did you end up somewhere else?”
Lin Xiuyuan shrugged, his tone relaxed, “There’s still a few days. Since we’re out, might as well play around in other places.”
He glanced around the familiar living room, then walked to a nearby single sofa and sat down, his gaze returning to Kim Tae Yeon, “Alright, sit. What exactly happened? You weren’t clear on the phone, said we needed to meet.”
The questioned Kim Tae Yeon didn’t answer immediately.
She just lowered her gaze, sat back on the sofa, hugged her knees, and silently gazed at the muted television ahead.
The flickering light and shadows from the television reflected on the side of her face, outlining a vague and complex emotion.
It was a mix of longing, sorrow, and a bit of an unspoken plea.
Lin Xiuyuan looked at her, seeming to realize something, and didn’t press further.
He just quietly propped up his elbow, leaned sideways on the sofa armrest, and gazed at her like that.
The entire apartment suddenly felt excessively still in the air, even the faint hum of appliances running sounded especially clear.
After a long while, Kim Tae Yeon finally spoke softly, her voice low but clear like a pebble dropped into a lake.
“Xiuyuan…”
She didn’t look at Lin Xiuyuan, but continued gazing ahead, “Do you remember what we said last time over there in Jeonju?”
Lin Xiuyuan nodded, then shook his head, “We said a lot, but I don’t know which one you’re referring to.”
Kim Tae Yeon softly hummed in acknowledgment, then seemed to organize her words, her arms hugging her knees tightening a bit.
“Lately… I’ve started dreaming about my father again.”
Her voice was so light as if afraid to disturb something, “But it’s different from before… this time it’s not him in the hospital, or our family of three going out to eat… but…”
Pausing her words, Kim Tae Yeon took a deep breath, finally turned her head to look at Lin Xiuyuan, as if gathering courage under his gaze to say what followed.
“But dreaming of him still alive, sitting in the living room of our old home, watching television waiting for me to come back.”
Lin Xiuyuan’s gaze immediately softened a bit, he leaned forward gently, but still didn’t interrupt her.
Kim Tae Yeon lowered her head, as if afraid her emotions would lose control, her voice becoming even lighter, “I know this sounds selfish… I also understand this might not be appropriate… but I still want to ask you…”
She paused, her breathing a bit rapid, then lifted her head to look earnestly at Lin Xiuyuan, as if suppressing for a long time before finally pouring out her heart.
“Find some time, find some way, to talk to ‘me’ from 2013, okay?”
At this point, Kim Tae Yeon lifted her head, her eyes showing an unusually serious and stubborn determination.
“I don’t want to tell her about the future, or change fate… I just hope for a reason, a suitable opportunity, to see my father.”
She paused, her voice extremely low, yet piercing like a needle into the heart.
“Even if we can’t meet, even if… even just making a phone call, saying ‘happy birthday’ would be fine.”
She gently bit her lower lip, as if forcibly holding back her emotions, her voice almost swallowed by the night.
“In a few more days… it’s his birthday. I just really want to say ‘happy birthday’ to him again, wish him ‘good health’.”
Lin Xiuyuan frowned slightly, he understood, yet couldn’t truly empathize.
The obsession and complex emotions in Kim Tae Yeon’s eyes left him momentarily at a loss, unsure whether to comfort her, advise her to let go, or… agree.
Moments later, Lin Xiuyuan spoke, “What’s going on? Weren’t you doing better lately?”
He tried to soften his tone, gently probing, “After we met at the shop last time, didn’t you say you were slowly starting to accept it all?”
Kim Tae Yeon pursed her lips without responding immediately, just gently rested her head on her knees, as if sorting out her chaotic thoughts.
After a long time, she slowly spoke, “Yeah, after that meeting, I did feel much lighter, especially when we went to 2013 together, I was so happy, felt like he was in the air.”
But at this point, Kim Tae Yeon pursed her lips again, “Yet the closer the time gets to his birthday, the harder it is for me to bear.”
She smiled a little, with some self-mockery, “In the past, every year at this time I’d buy him a cake. Even though he’d say he didn’t want it on his mouth, he’d eat it all in the end.”
Then she looked at that cup of milk, “But now even that ritual is gone. I can only sit here alone with a cup of hot milk, no more cake.”
She turned her face to look at Lin Xiuyuan, her gaze carrying a hint of plea, like carefully guarding some fragile cherished thought.
“I want to see him once, not to bring him back to this world, not to change fate… just want, even using my 2013 identity, even through ‘me’ from there, to say ‘happy birthday’ to him, and hear him respond once.”
Toward the end, Kim Tae Yeon’s voice dropped to almost inaudible, as if afraid that once spoken, even this wish would be crushed by time.
And Lin Xiuyuan gazed at her, his heart filled with mixed feelings.
Also a bit conflicted.
After a long time, having thought about many things, Lin Xiuyuan exhaled softly, then slowly stood up, walked to Kim Tae Yeon’s side and sat down, “You’ve been thinking about this for a long time, haven’t you.”
Kim Tae Yeon didn’t move, just said softly, “I didn’t dare tell you… afraid you’d think my state is unstable, and not let me go there anymore, then I’d be even more upset.”
Lin Xiuyuan didn’t reply, just lowered his eyes to gaze at the side of her face, that stubborn yet fragile face, lit by the night lights, making one’s heart soften.
After a moment of silence, he nodded.
“Alright, I’ll find an opportunity, think of a way.”
Kim Tae Yeon was slightly stunned, lifted her head, gazing at him in disbelief, “Really?”
“Mm.”
Nodding, Lin Xiuyuan’s tone was as always mildly firm, “These few days let’s think about how to operate it. How many days until the birthday?”
“10 days.” Kim Tae Yeon answered almost instinctively, her voice carrying a hint of lit-up light.
“That should be enough time.” Lin Xiuyuan nodded.
Then he gently tapped Kim Tae Yeon’s forehead, “But this time you have to promise me, don’t go crazy like last time, understand?”
“Mm-hmm.”
She nodded vigorously, her eyes full of irrepressible joy and relief.
Then just as Lin Xiuyuan turned his gaze away, thoughtfully considering the next step, Kim Tae Yeon suddenly flipped over, throwing her whole body into his arms.
“Xiuyuan, seriously, if it really doesn’t work, how about I offer myself to you? I should be pretty good.”
Lin Xiuyuan was amused by her sudden action and chuckled lightly, looking at the “goddess of thousands of male fans” so close yet with such a serious expression, couldn’t help teasing.
“What are you thinking? This isn’t offering yourself, this is clearly taking advantage of the situation.”
Just as Lin Xiuyuan finished speaking, the Kim Tae Yeon who had been emo all evening finally laughed out loud.
And that smile seemed to finally break through the evening’s emotional gloom, carrying relief and a bit of sweetness after suppression.
Then she leaned a bit closer to Lin Xiuyuan, her eyes still shining, but no longer with sadness, but a soft joy and an inextricable sorrow.
“Taking advantage?” She chuckled lowly, her voice a bit hoarse, yet with a seductive playfulness.
Saying that, she reached out to wrap around his neck, her voice falling softly by his ear, “Xiuyuan, you have no idea… how long I’ve been thinking about this. That you’re willing to help me… I’m really… really so happy.”
With that, the emotions surged up fiercely.
The next second, Kim Tae Yeon threw herself into Lin Xiuyuan’s arms, her cheek pressed tight against his neck, breathing rapid, body trembling slightly.
That heartfelt moving emotion and unease all transmitted over the moment she leaned in.
Lin Xiuyuan was also stunned for a moment, originally wanting to say some comforting words, but before he could open his mouth…
She suddenly lifted her head, kissing him without warning.
No pause, no hesitation, she directly cupped his face, pressing her lips to his.
This kiss was tender yet passionate, resolute yet fragile.
Lin Xiuyuan was slightly surprised for a moment, but soon he closed his eyes too, responding to her approach along with her emotions.
His hands slowly wrapped around her slender waist, palms against the temperature of her back, like a response, like carefully placing her.
Moonlight outside the window filtered through the half-open curtains onto them, casting a layer of faint silver glow. In this moment, the entire living room seemed quiet with only each other’s breathing and heartbeat sounds.
The kiss lasted a long time, until Kim Tae Yeon’s breathing was slightly disordered, then she slowly pulled back the distance, gently pressing her forehead against Lin Xiuyuan’s forehead.
Her eyes misty with unshed tears, yet in this moment utterly quiet.
“Thank you, Xiuyuan…” she murmured softly, like a prayer sinking into the night, “Really thank you. Fortunately there’s you, fortunately I met you.”
Lin Xiuyuan touched her, smiled helplessly, “This doesn’t seem like thanks, more like eating and taking without giving back, a bit of biting the hand that feeds.”
Kim Tae Yeon smiled a bit shyly, but didn’t leave his arms, just leaned even closer.
……
……
Meanwhile, in 2013 Seoul, the night was equally cold. After finally ending rehearsal late at night, Kim Tae Yeon sat in the car back to the dormitory.
Earphones in her ears, listening to a soft English folk song, gazing out the window at the slightly blurred street scenes in a daze.
Her gaze occasionally dropping to the calendar page on her phone screen.
That familiar note prominently read: Dad’s birthday countdown 10 days.
This reminder was set by her a long time ago.
“Gotta prepare a gift in advance.”
Kim Tae Yeon thought to herself, but also felt a trace of worry.
Because every year at this time, she would prepare a unique and practical little gift for her father in advance.
Not because he particularly liked receiving gifts, but because her father always said “don’t waste money” on his mouth, yet would secretly smile so widely upon receiving one.
“Last year it was a razor, the year before that a badminton racket…”
What to give this time?
Writing Tae Little Soft is so tiring every time, sigh~
Daily ten thousand ended, thanks to godfathers for support and votes.
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