All situations in this story are fictional. The only thing real is the main characters.  🙂

Birthdays are meant to be special and fun. After all, how many times do you get to celebrate the only day out of the whole year that you can pretend is exclusively yours? Yes, pretend. There are hundeds of thousands of people who share your birthday with you. You are unique but there are only 365 & 1/4 days in a year. Except leap year of course.

 As our tale unfolds try to imagine that this day is exclusively Kim Jaejoong’s in which to celebrate his birthday–to laugh, to have fun, and to share it with others……Sigh….. (sudden grinding halt….)

Enter Scene One

La-ti-da-ti-da…Jaejoong awakes to the smell of freshly brewed expresso and JiJi lounging luxuriously on his new bedspread. “JiJi!! Get off the bed!!!  Huh? Is someone here? I smell expresso”. Then he remembers, “OH Yeah!! Today is my Birthday!!”
He has put the timer on the Expresso Machine just to awaken him on this special morning, and to begin his birthday with zest!! Sadly, Junsu has flown to Japan the night before, calling late to express his regrets for not being in Seoul on Jaejoong’s birthday, and… to tell Jaejoong of the wonderful present he will give him upon his return. “Regrettably’, said Junsu, “That will be next week”.

Jaejoong is not dsturbed. Yoochun is in town, not to mention family and friends, so today is looking up.and his anticipation grows of an exciting birthday among loved ones.  Jaejoong has received several calls from family members wanting him to drop by to pick up his presents.

Suddenly, his cellphone rings. “Jae hyeong, this is Micky. I’ve just been called out of town by the new casting director for “January Blessing”, you know–that new drama I was telling you about?  I’m so excited. I’ll be away for your birthday. but don’t worry, Ricky said that he would come over and spend some time with you”. “I gotta run, See ya”.  Oh, BTW, I have a cool gift for you. I’ll give it to you soon’.

Jaejoong puts down his cellphone with a puzzled look. “Why didn’t they tell me that they were leaving earlier than this? That’s odd. Oh, well, I’m going to get my day started with a fresh cup of expresso and a decent breakfast.”

Jaejoong follows his nose to the kitchen where the expresso awaits, hot and hearty. He cooks some ramen, pores a huge cup, and sits down to read the morning paper, but it isn’t distracting enough to keep him from thinking about Junsu and Micky leaving town so abruptly on his birthday. If he allowed himself to dwell on it much longer it was going to ruin his mood.  Draining his cup, Jaejoong cleans up, then picks up his cell phone to call his family. “I’m supposed to be there at 11:00. I wonder what I should bring”?  The telephone rings and rings. No answer. Then a message kicks in. “Due to an important family event the Kim’s will not be in town from today until February 3rd’. If you have something important to tell us, please leave a message after the beep. We will get back to you as soon as possible.”

Jaejoong stares at his cell phone. This is unbelievable. Most of the people he has depended upon to help him celebrate his birthday have gone out of town. ‘If I didn’t think it was crazy, he thought–I would assume that they are running away from me. Oh Well, Yunho and Changmin promised to stop by on their way to that red carpet gala event.

What is the name of it? ‘Promises for The Future Road Show’?  “I can’t remember–I’m starting to get a headache”… I think that I’ll just grab a pillow, lie on the couch and take a nap until someone calls. JiJi, keep a look-out, will ya?– And take that Santa suit off!!!

(Scene Fades)

(Enter Scene Two)

Jaejoong has fallen sound asleep.

 “I’ll protect You” starts to play. it is Jaejoong’s cellphone. “Snort”. Jaejoong startles awake and flips the phone.  ‘Hello, this is Jaejoong”. “Hi Jae Hyeong, this is Ricky”. “Oh yeah, great–you’re coming over right?” ‘You’re spending time with me on my birthday, right”?  Complete silence. “Aw. it’s your birthday?  Sorry, hyeong, I was calling to tell you that I’ll be going out of town and I heard that they needed you to call the office. You didn’t answer your phone earlier. Bye”.

Jaejoong’s jaw drops three inches. “What is going on?  What event is  more important than my birthday? So Ricky has decided to go out of town too”?

” I’m not calling. I’ll just get dressed and go on down. Naw, that won’t work. They’ve probably gone out of town. If I wasn’t a grown man I would cry”.

Just then the phone rings. “Jaejoong, did Ricky tell you we had an assignment for you? You need to hurry”. There’s a photoshoot today at Seoul Forestry. Did you forget?  Your manager set it up. You need to meet the crew at the reserve”.

Jaejoong is so stunned he can’t answer for a moment. “A-a- photoshoot? At The Forestry Reserve? O.K. I’ll be there soon”.  After closing the phone. ” I am so mad. I ate that great big breakfast and now they want me to do a photoshoot on my birthday? They told me I had the day off!

(Scene Fades)

(Enter Scene Three)

‘Where is this Forestry Reserve? I’ve been driving around for two hours!! Oh, wait a minute–that looks like an entrance. Yes!

Jaejoong drives up into a clearing. There is no one in sight. It is winter. The birds aren’t singing, there is snow on the trees… ‘What kind of photoshoot is this going to be? There’s so much snow I can hardly drive. I wonder if the crew is held up? I’ll call the office”.

Two calls later and there is no answer. Jaejoong is starting to panic. It is also starting to snow. Suddenly–“I’ll Protect You”. Jaejoong answers the phone with “Why am I here? Where is the crew?

‘What crew, Jaejoong? This is your manager. I stopped by for your birthday but you aren’t home. Where are you?

Where am I?  Don’t you know? The office said that I had a photoshoot at the Forestry Reserve and that you had set it up. I’m sitting here with the car running and no crew in sight”.

‘I know nothing about this. There must be some mistake”.  Come on home and I’ll be waiting for you”. The manager rings off. 

Unbelievable. Jaejoong turns the car around–grateful to be heading back home. “The office never makes mistakes like this. I wonder what really happened. Following a back road to avoid detection, Jaejoong pulls into his Private garage 90 minutes later. “Br-r-r-rrrrrrrr, it is cold. I may as well be in Alaska”.

 The journey to the Penthouse seems endless, especially since Jaejoong has made it a habit of climbing the stairs for exercise. When he arrives at the entrance winded and tired, he stops for a moment and leans against the wall. “What a birthday”, he says to himself. “I could have stayed in bed’

Turning the key he enters the luxurious apartment expecting to see the manager. JiJi meets him in the foyer with a bag of kitty treats in his jaws. “Thank, You, JiJi, but I can’t eat those. Oh! You want me to open them for you? O.K.  Someone should get a present”!!

A crashing noise from the master bedroom sends Jaejoong sprinting down the hall. As he skids around the corner he sees the manager calmly picking up pieces of his prize Taiwanese urn from the floor.  Jaejoong is too tired to care. All he wants to do is to go back to sleep.

“Hey, I’m sorry man. I accidentally hit it with your suitcase”.  As Jaejoong stares at him he points toward two large suitcases filled with Jaejoong’s clothes and toiletries.

“I took the liberty of packing for you. We don’t want to be late”.

Jaejoong just stares at him blankly. What more surprises could the day bring? “Late for what ? Where are we going”?, he asks.

“On a little trip; just you and me going to a friend’s lodge. The staff decided to pull together and give you a week away for your birthday. You’ve been pushing it rather hard these last few weeks. You deserve a rest”.

‘You’re right”, Jaejoong stifles a big yawn. “I deserve a week’s rest right here in my own home away from forests and trees.  I’m going to bed”.

“No, No, you can’t do that”.!  The manager is frantic. “We really need to go right now. Look, I have a picture of the lodge right here. Remember the fun you had there with Yoochun”?

The manager grabs the suitcases and starts heading for the door. “We have to catch the plane in a hour. I promise there will be plenty to do, even in winter. I already called your housekeeper. She’ll take care of JiJi and the house.

Jaejoong sways on his feet. “O.K. O.K. I’ll go, but only if I’m allowed to sleep for two days”.

“Fine with me.. You can sleep in the car”…………………………..ZZZZZZZZZZZ.

(Scene Fades)

(Enter Scene Four)

Jaejoong is so exhausted that he can’t remember the trip to the airport or the flight. When he awakens they are traveling down a snow-covered road that looks slightly familiar. He has  been here before.  Stretching and yawning he watches the scenery go past and reflects on the fact that his birthday will soon be gone with no celebration; no presents; no family; and–well, he does have the manager. That knowledge does nothing to lighten his mood. At least he will have a whole week in which to choose his own pursuits.

As they round a corner the lodge appears ahead. It is dark and looks cold and totally uninviting. “I’ll sleep well, though, he thinks. Yeah!

Suddenly, as the van comes to a stop, there comes a loud shriek followed by a sudden blazing of lights at the windows. Jaejoong sits stunned as the door flings open and Micky and Junsu, grinning from ear to ear, drag him from the car and half-carry him to the door, legs flailing. Yunho and Changmin rush out to form a chair with their hands to carry the birthday boy inside. All of a sudden people are popping out from every corner of the lodge. There is his umma and appa; and his sisters and their families. Friends, relatives, and staff all grin from ear to ear as they clamor for his attention. Story after story of keeping this a secret for weeks rolls off of their lips while Jaejoong slowly comes alive with the excitement of it all. Just think–a whole week with all of these people…. (sudden grinding halt)   🙂

End of Play

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAEJOONGIE.   Momma Cha @jyjfantalk

Picture Credits: as tagged + mjjeje@twitter.com