"What do you mean the flight is cancelled?"

"It is. They said a huge storm is approaching LA tomorrow, so all flights will be put off until the weather improves."

"But isn't your flight like, today?"

"They cancel today's and all others on the next two days. I'm sorry, pup."

That was enough to spoil Gunwook's entire day.

Ideally, Ricky should have been home for his winter break in late December, but a class he took rescheduled their lab practical and delayed his plan. Then there was an issue with his passport, so he had to wait another week. And as if 2 weeks wasn't enough, the goddamn weather had to step in and ruin this for the younger.

It's Gunwook's birthday tomorrow, and don't get him wrong: he loves his annual birthday with his parents and older brother, with all his close friends joining him at the table. But this birthday should have been different. Ricky has been out of the country for two years, and even though Gunwook would never admit it out loud, he genuinely misses his boyfriend.

He has been waiting for this day forever; Ricky has promised, that he would rush back to Korea as soon as winter break hits, because he missed his baby a lot, and his baby missed him too. Gunwook spent hours in the darkness of his room and the brightness of Ricky's campus - UCLA was draped with honey-yellow sunshine while Seoul was drowned in cloudy sadness, as always - talking about this, about what they will do when Ricky retreats from abroad, about the plan they have made with their mutual friends, and about Gunwook's birthday that he had been so looking forward to.

Which now sounds like a stab to Gunwook's heart, if you ask him.

"Baby? Are you mad?"

Gunwook stares at the ceiling, phone long forgotten somewhere on his bed.

Is he mad?

He is. But he isn't mad at Ricky, or himself, or stupid Kim Gyuvin who repeatedly asked him if Ricky would be back for winter break. He's mad at the world, at whatever higher authority or deity is having control over his life right now, for separating the two of them, and for not letting them reconcile.

"No? I'm fine. You're overthinking it again, Ricky."

"You sure?"

"I am."

"Okay...I'm sorry, again. I'll make it up for you once I get home, okay? It's late. Go to sleep, baby. You still have class tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah... Good night, Ricky."

The line dropped. Darkness surrounds Gunwook again, and he leaves out a sign, pulling the blanket over his head before drifting into dreamland. 

Somewhere on his bed, his phone lights up. 

Riki

gud night bby 

and hpbd

i love u a lot

...

"Gunwook- Gunwook! Hey! Are you even listening?"

Junhyeon violently shakes Gunwook awake. 

"Huh?"

"I asked for your thoughts on lunch today, since you know, it's your birthday. Are you okay? You seem distracted."

"What, I'm fine?"

"He's just sad lover's boy isn't here with him," Gyuvin said, mindlessly typing something away on his phone.

"Ricky? But I thought he was coming?"

"Bad weather came up and delayed the flight," Gunwook stretched his back. "He might have to wait for another week."

Junhyeon looks at him with those puppy eyes he always gives the younger. Gunwook just shrugs it off.

"Come on, let's go get Malatang. I'm starving all already."

"Yay, my treat!"

Gunwook follows along to his two friends' steps, yet lets his mind wander off. Ricky hadn't messaged him back all morning, even though it was only afternoon in LA. Gunwook knew that he shouldn't be worried: Ricky usually has DnD on during the day, and even though he wouldn't reply immediately, Ricky would still check his phone for Gunwook's texts. But Ricky hasn't replied in hours, and has yet to open the chat box since Gunwook replied to his birthday text last night.

"Hey, do you guys want to get coffee afterwards?"

"Man, I'm a bit low on cash right now... What about karaoke? There's a studio a few blocks away from here. That's cheaper."

"You've got yourself a deal, my dude," Gyuvin swings himself by Gunwook, holding tightly onto his biceps. "Birthday boy, what are your thoughts?"

"Huh, I'm okay with everything, I guess. I was gonna lock myself in the library this afternoon anyway."

"Nuh-uh, that's a no for me. Don't go too hard on yourself, the situation is inevitable. But it's your birthday, man. Chill out and let your hair down! No studying or self-pity today! To the karaoke we go!"

Gunwook guesses Gyuvin is right. It's not like he can control any of this.