Entry 7 - FF - 03
[FF-03]
Not too Busy for You
Rating: G
Pairing: Changmin and OC
Summary: Chiharu usually forgets the dates of special occasions especially when she’s busy and Changmin is well aware of this, but it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t hurt if she forgets his birthday again. This time though there is a slight difference.
Changmin came slowly awake at the sound of his alarm. He blindly grabbed for it, knowing his girlfriend didn’t like it when it was left on too long, then rolled over and pulled Chiharu into his arms with her back to his front and went back to sleep.
When his alarm rang for the third time, Changmin reached over and grabbed his mobile phone to look at the time. Six thirty. When he noticed the date, which was flashed across the screen of his phone, he grinned, realizing it was his birthday. He closed his eyes when rolled over again and reached for Chiharu, but all he encountered was air. He opened his eyes and saw that her side of the bed was empty, the indentation on her pillow the only sign left that she’d been there.
Sigh. Why is she up so early? I really should have a talk with her on how to please me on my birthday. He thought. Wait. Maybe she’s in the shower waiting for me.
On that line of thought, he quickly got up and headed for their bathroom. But no one was there. He frowned. Where could she be? He wondered. Maybe making me breakfast in bed? But their condo unit was entirely too quiet for his taste. So he went to their living room, kitchen, dining room, and terrace. She wasn’t anywhere to be found.
He sighed and headed for the kitchen to make himself coffee. Once there, he noticed that there was already a carafe of coffee waiting for him on their kitchen counter with a note next to it. He picked up the note.
It read: Good morning. Sorry to be out before you even woke up. There was an emergency at work, something about a product not getting along that well. Anyway, I’ll call you when I have free time. There’re pancakes on the table, just open the cover I put on them, butter and syrups in the fridge. Hope you don’t wake up too late and that the pancakes and coffee are still hot enough for you. Love yah. Mwah.
He shook his head in mild disbelief as he placed the note back on the counter. It’s kind of hard when your girlfriend’s a career woman and in charge of something big in the company she’s working for. Like today for example, she at work so early when the time everyone’s supposed to be in is at 9 o’clock.
“Can’t even have breakfast with her on my birthday.” He grumbled to himself. Wait a minute. He reached for the note again and reread it. “Ugh. Don’t tell me she forgot my birthday again.”
Well, technically, she forgot about his birthday twice in the five years they’ve been together, and that includes college. She tended to forget about special occasions a lot, especially when she was busy, which was the case more often than not. She could even forget her own birthday.
“Aigoo. She really has to find a way to not forget special occasions. What will I tell our kids if she forgets one of their birthdays, ‘Don’t worry, your mom’s forgotten my birthday so many times that I’ve lost count?’” He scoffed. “Yeah, they’d really love that.”
Changmin sighed as he took a mug from one of their cupboards and poured himself coffee, and then he took the butter and syrup from the fridge and began eating his breakfast.
“She better have something good for me in compensation for this latest bout of forgetfulness.” He grumbled to himself as he headed for the bathroom to prepare for his day. Chiharu always did something good for him when she forgot his birthday, and when he reminds her about it, it usually is better than when she does remember his birthday. But still, Changmin prefers that she remember his birthday.
-o0o-
“Yoboseoyo.”
“Yah, Jaejoong-ah. Is Changmin there with you yet?” Chiharu asked Jaejoong.
“Yup. He’s with Yunho right now, practicing a particularly complicated dance step.” Jaejoong answered. Jaejoong was in the dance studio with his five band mates, Changmin included, for the day’s practice. They had a Music Video shoot in two weeks time and needed to get the choreography right.
“Did he seem, you know, kind of grumpy when he arrived?”
“Yup, but he never told us what was wrong. I take it was because you pretended to forget his birthday? That was mean of you.”
“Whatever. You remember the plan right?”
“Yeah, keep him occupied until seven tonight. Though I’m not really sure how to pull it off and get the timing right. Besides I guess he’ll be tired today, and since we’ll be allowed to go home early today because it’s his birthday, I think he’ll want to go home early and rest, or sulk.” Jaejoong chuckled slightly.
“Just do your part of the bargain, and I’m sure he won’t be sulking tonight.”
“No problem.”
“Okay. Bye.”
“Bye.” Jaejoong shut off his phone and faced his band mates. Changmin was having a hard time with the choreography for their latest song, which was unusual for him, because he was a fast learner no matter how hard the steps are. He must be really bothered about Chiharu forgetting his birthday.
He sighed as he headed towards them to help, wondering all the while how he was going to pull off his part of the plan.
-o0o-
Chiharu’s mobile phone rang. She was in the middle of an emergency meeting, but decided to answer the call when caller ID identified her caller to be Changmin.
“Excuse me for a moment.” She told her staff as she stood up and got out of the conference room.
“Yoboseoyo.”
“Hey. How’s work?” Changmin asked.
“Hard. We’re still trying to solve the problem that we encountered during production. I’m starting to get a headache.”
“Have you eaten yet?”
“Umm…” She was about to lie and tell him yes, but her stomach grumbled loud enough for him to hear over the phone. “Not yet.”
“Are you crazy?!” He paused. “It’s nearly one o’clock. Didn’t I tell you to eat properly? Your staff must be hungry by now too.”
She winced, he was always lecturing her about how skipping is bad for her health which was true, but she couldn’t help it. She tended to forget about some things when she was busy.
“Don’t worry so much Min, I’ll announce a short lunch break after we talk.”
“Fine, just don’t forget again. Okay?”
“I’ll try.”
He scoffed. “Yeah right. Take care now. Bye”
“Okay. Bye.” She hung up and immediately called for a lunch break, much to her staff’s relief.
-o0o-
Aigoo. She’s really going to drive me crazy. I didn’t even get to remind her that she forgot something important today when she mentioned she hadn’t eaten yet. Changmin thought.
He instantly got preoccupied worrying about her health. He didn’t want a repeat of what happened the last time she forgot to eat, for a whole day. She almost scared him to death. He shook his head to get the memory of that day out of his head then went back inside the studio to join the others in practice. He needed to concentrate and get the choreography right so they could move on to other things. He knew it was his fault they were slowing down. He was sulking like a kid, but he couldn’t help it.
-o0o-
When the solution to the product problem was being carried out, Chiharu excused herself to go to the supermarket. She was busy looking at the different vegetables and choosing the ones she needed. At the moment she is choosing lettuce. She would pick one up, inspect it, put it back down when she wasn’t satisfied it was fresh or put it in her cart when she was satisfied that it was. She repeated this process over and over again until there were four heads of lettuce in her cart. Then she moved on to gather the other ingredients for the dinner she was going to cook for Changmin’s little get together for his birthday, although Changmin didn’t know there was going to be a ‘little get together’ consisting of his four band mates and their girlfriends.
Chiharu had planned the week ahead on what to do and asked for Jaejoong’s help. She didn’t really intend for the ‘I forgot his birthday plan’, which was a spur of the moment idea that morning when she got that call from the office that something had gone wrong in the production of their latest project. She had wanted to make him breakfast in bed, go have lunch with him, and then have the little get together. Sadly, only the get together would happen. She had had to call Jaejoong so early in the morning to ask for his help on her new ‘plan’, which he agreed to grumpily because she disturbed his sleep.
Her mobile phone rang just as she was choosing some crabs; Changmin was a sucker for crabs. She pressed for the answer button on her headset, thank God for hands-free mobile technology.
“Morisato speaking.” She said.
“Ma’am, Mr. Lee is getting agitated here.”
“Tell him to stay calm. We already found a way to fix the problem…” And on and on she talked to her assistant, on what to do with their agitated partner in the latest project, while grabbing the other ingredients she needed.
Chiharu was still on the phone as she paid for the groceries, until she reached her car and headed for their, hers and Changmin’s, condo unit to drop off the groceries before she went back to work.
-o0o-
Changmin was on his way out the studio when Jaejoong called to him.
“Changmin-ah! Chotto matte!”
He waited patiently for Jaejoong to reach him. “What is it hyung?” he asked.
“You’re going home already?”
“Uh, that’s the plan.”
“Is Chiharu, like waiting for you there?”
“I doubt it, though it would be nice if she was. There was an emergency at work, and whenever there’s an emergency she usually comes home really late.”
“Oh. So, there’s no reason for you to really hurry home.”
"Not really. Why ask all the questions hyung?” Changmin asked a little impatiently, he was really tired and wanted to go home early to rest whether or not Chiharu was already home.
“He wants to go shopping for your gift, and he wants you to go with him.” Junsu said. He and the others had caught up with Changmin and Jaejoong.
“Can’t we do it on another day hyung? I’m really tired.” Changmin asked.
“NO!” Jaejoong shouted his answer.
Changmin’s flinched at the vehemence of Jaejooong’s reply.
Jaejoong gasped. He looked shocked with himself for shouting at Changmin.
“Um, I mean no.” Jaejoong said in his normal voice.
“Why not?”
"Tomorrow wouldn’t be your birthday.”
“Why does it matter? I still know it’s for my birthday anyway.”
“Because, uh…” Jaejoong looked to the other members for, help? His gaze landed on Yoochun and inspiration struck.
He turned back to Changmin. “Because Yoochun said he’d only buy a gift for you if you agreed to come with us today, your birthday.”
“I did?” Yoochun whispered to Junsu.
Jaejoong, who was in front of Yoochun, snaked a hand behind him to pinch Yoochun hard.
“Ow!” Yoochun cried out. “Ye-Yeah, I did.”
Changmin eyed his hyungs suspiciously.
“So, what do you say?” Jaejoong said. He was getting nervous. I hope he doesn’t get too suspicious or Chiharu and Misaki are gonna kill me.
“Well…” Changmin began.
“Beside’s Minnie, I’ve missed hanging out with you. I mean, ever since you and Chiharu got together you barely spend time with us.” Junsu said as he approached Changmin and took hold of his arm.
“You’re one to talk hyung. Everytime I’m free to hang out with you guys, you’ve got a date with Kaoru.” Changmin replied.
“Whatever, the point is, now we’ve got time to hang out. Chiharu’s busy, and so are Kaoru and Misaki. Right hyung?” Junsu said as he turned to Jaejoong.
“Yup.”
“But what about Yunho and Yoochun?” Changmin asked.
“Our girlfriends are busy too.” Yunho replied.
“I don’t know, I feel like there’s something else going on here.” Changmin said.
“Like what?” Yoochun asked.
“I’m not quite sure.”
“Oh, come on Minnie. Don’t you miss hanging out with us?” Junsu pleaded again.
“You know that’s not it hyung.”
“Then what is it Minnie?”
“I’m just tired, and would please stop calling me Minnie. I am not a girl or a mouse.” Changmin said annoyed.
“Only if you come with us.” Junsu said.
Jaejoong caught on what Junsu was trying to do and so did the others. Changmin hated being called Minnie. Each of them took turns annoying Changmin into accepting, ending each of their sentences with ‘Minnie’.
“Alright already. I’m going, if that’s the only way to get you guys to stop calling me Minnie.”
“Alright let’s go!” Junsu said excitedly as he pulled Changmin towards the exit.
-o0o-
Changmin and Chiharu’s apartment was filled with activity. Inside the kitchen, Chiharu, Misaki, and Kaoru were busy with food preparation. Rui, Utami, and Yukino were busy rearranging and decorating the living room.
When the living room committee was done with their work, they proceeded to the kitchen to help with the final preparations.
“So, are you really done with work?” Misaki asked Chiharu.
"Yeah. Fortunately it wasn’t such a big problem and everyone in my staff helped, even those who still had other work to do, since my secretary leaked it to the others that I had planned something for my boyfriend today. I’m really grateful to them.” Chiharu answered.
“What is taking Hongki so long?” Rui asked no one in particular. Just then the doorbell rang.
“I’ll get it.” Yukino announced as she headed for the door.
“Well, speaking of the devil.” Yukino said when she opened the door to find Hongki standing there. “He’s here.” She called to the others in the kitchen.
“What took you so long?” Rui asked him as he entered the kitchen.
“Long line at the counter, really long line.” He answered. Hongki was in charge of buying drinks, soda and beer.
“Whatever. Just put those away in the cooler.”
Kaoru chuckled. “Rui, you shouldn’t be so bossy over your boyfriend.”
“I agree. Thanks for the help Hongki.” Chiharu said.
“No problem.” He answered. “So, what else can I do?”
Rui immediately started giving him orders. Everyone else laughed in amusement as Hongki did as she asked.
-o0o-
Jaejoong’s phone was ringing. He eyed his co-members as they argued over which shirt looked better on Changmin and then moved a good distance away from them to answer the call.
“Yoboseoyo.” He answered.
“Jaejoong-ssi, how are things going?” Chiharu asked.
“Fine. Are you guys done over there?”
“Almost. How about you?”
“Same as you.”
“Okay. Give us 20 minutes.”
“Gotcha.” Then he hung up and went back to the others.
-o0o-
“Jaejoong just called. He says they’re on their way.” Misaki announced.
“Okay everyone, places.” Chiharu said, and then they turned off the lights and waited.
-o0o-
“Really hyung, I can safely make my way up into my own apartment.” Changmin said.
“Can’t we atleast come in? You’re so cold-hearted Minnie.” Junsu said with a pout.
Changmin sighed. He really wanted to be alone now. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to be with his hyungs, it’s just he wished Chiharu was with him.
“Oh alright. You guys can come in, but only for a moment. I really want to rest now.”
“Yes!” Junsu said. The others smiled in amusement at Junsu’s childish behavior.
Changmin swiftly opened the door to his unit. When he opened the lights…
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY!”
He was surprised to find the girlfriends of his bandmates there plus Hongki and his girlfriend Rui.
Oh great. So much for alone time. He thought. He forced a smile; he didn’t want to offend any of them.
As each one went to him and wished him a happy birthday, he wished a particular someone was there to wish him a happy birthday.
“Why in the world are you frowning when everyone is wishing you a happy birthday?”
Changmin froze at the sound of the familiar voice. When he looked toward the source of the sound, he found Chiharu standing just outside their bedroom.
Chiharu walked toward him. He didn’t even realize his mouth had fallen open until she tapped in close when she reached him. She smiled at his obvious surprise.
She looked straight into his eyes when she asked him, “Did you really think I forgot about your birthday, again?”
“I-I-“ Before he could form a proper answer, she reached up to take hold of his nape then pulled him down for a kiss. It was just a gentle kiss filled with tenderness.
He was so surprised that it took him a while to respond. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer. It didn’t take long for the kiss to turn torrid. He vaguely heard the cheers of the people around them, fully concentrating on the feel of her in his arms, of her lips moving against his and her tongue rubbing with his.
“Yah! If you guys don’t stop the food will get cold.” Utami said.
Chiharu pulled away, breaking the kiss. Changmin reluctantly let her go.
“Yah! The food? Hello.” Utami called again.
“Food?” Changmin asked stupidly, gaze still on Chiharu.
Yukino giggled. “Yeah food. Can’t have a birthday party without it now can we.”
“Come on, before everything you’ve worked on gets cold.” Kaoru said, pulling Chiharu toward the dining area. They had barely gotten three feet away from Changmin when he pulled Chiharu back into his arms.
“We can walk there on our own just fine thank you.” He told Kaoru.
Chiharu giggled at Changmin’s possessive hold and tone of voice.
“Come on.” She told Changmin and led him to the dining room.
Changmin’s eyes bulged when he saw the amount of food on the table.
“You made all these?” He asked.
“Uhuh. With help, but I did most of the grocery shopping on my own.” Chiharu answered. “Now let’s eat.”
There was a constant flow of chatter all throughout dinner. Everyone helped with cleaning up and then they all gathered in the living room just talking. When Chiharu yawned for the third time, Changmin shooed everyone away.
“What? It’s still early.” Junsu protested.
“It’s ten o’clock.” Changmin said.
“So? As I said, it’s still early.”
“Whatever. I want you guys to go home now. Chiharu’s tired.”
“But-“
Kaoru touched Junsu’s arm. “He’s right Su. Chi’s tired and it’s getting late.”
“Oh okay.”
Everyone said their goodbyes. Chiharu thanked Jaejoong and the guys, and their girlfriends for helping with her plans.
In bed, Changmin pulled Chiharu into his arms, her back to his front.
“Did you really plan everything?” Changmin asked.
“Sort of. I didn’t plan for the emergency to happen so I had to improvise.”
“You didn’t really forget my birthday?”
She twisted in his arms to face him. “No Min. I didn’t really forget your birthday.”
He smiled and then kissed her.
“I love you.” He said when the kiss ended.
“I love you too Min. Happy Birthday.” She replied as she buried her head in his neck.
They closed their eyes and slept with smiles on their face.
[FF-03]
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