My Mr. Perfect, Imperfect

Chapter 47: The Best Gift

Hours Later...

9:00 p.m

Sapphire took Jade into Zoey's boutique. The whole place was dark, but she led him through by holding his hand firmly into hers. Then, she switched on the lights as the room got brighter.

"I left something here." She lied.

Jade just followed. His eyes scrolled back and forth the stuffy place.

"I don't think Zoey is here. Why would she close her shop this early... I don't understand."

Sapphire smiled at Jade's curiosity. She just led him upstairs without saying anything.

Just then, he saw a poster designed with balloons saying; Happy Birthday, My Dear, Jade.

"I borrowed her entire store just for you. Isn't that amazing?!" She jerked with excitement.

Jade stare mouth-opened. It's clear that he wasn't expecting any of this.

"Come on, let's go in." Sapphire grabbed his arm, and took him to the room, upstairs.

She switched on decorative lamps as they took their seats.

"I thought I saw on that contract we signed that today was your birthday. That's true, right?" She explained.

"I think so." He took a good look at the happy birthday ribbons, hanged on the wall.

"What do you mean you think so? It's a yes or a no question. Don't tell me you don't even remember your birthday." She took a cone-shaped birthday cap from the table and placed it over his head, fixing the rubber band to fit.

Jade just smiled at her without saying anything.

She let out a soft sigh, looking at him as if he was one of her students.

"This is why you should spend time with people, more. Feel free around others and attended your friend's birthdays. This way you won't forget about yours. Did you call your family?"

"Hmm? And say what? Today is my birthday. Give me a present because it's my birthday." He pointed out and hissed at the thought. "So sorry, Fire. I don't do such silly things."

"Who'd call their family to ask for presents at your age?" Sapphire laughed at him ridiculously.

"You're not a child, Jade. You're CEO, so you act with self-respect and dignity. Thank you for giving birth to me and raising me. Thanks for the love you've shared with me, I truly appreciate. Thank you for being my family... These are words you should tell your close relatives on your birthday." She explained to him and went to bring his birthday cake she kept at a corner of the room.

Thinking about what she just said, Jade couldn't help but to find wisdom in her words.

"Thank you for giving birth to me and raising me?" Saying this, he just realized that he'd never told his mother those words. Ever in his life.

"Happy birthday to you,

Happy birthday to you,

Happy birthday to you, My dear...

I mean Jade."

She stopped between the lines and continue abruptly.

"Happy birthday to you

Hip hip hip, hurraaaayyyy!!!" She sang with the cake in her hands. On it were three, tiny sticks of cake-candles lightened on the top of it.

"Here you go." She excitedly placed his cake on the table. "You can now say your birthday wish."

Every celebrant used to love these words, but not Jade. Hearing Sapphire say this, he couldn't help but to remember his childhood as his smile slowly fades.

(F L A S H B A C K)

It was Jade's 9th birthday at the orphanage. Other children were well-dressed and seated around a long, wooden table while Jade was seated at the middle of it. With his blue, iced cake was placed in front of him. On it was a tiny birthday candle that was still burning. His cake, untouched and the fruit juice in his cup, was still at it's full when a lady called all the children to go into the bus for prayer.

Too bad, they didn't even wait for him to make a birthday wish or to blow out his candles at least. It was a Sunday, and their every activity were scheduled just like a military school. That day, he had thought about coming back to blow out his birthday candle that was melting away. That was one of the most memorable days in his life. The day he met Sandra at the church and that same day, she took him in as a child of her own.

(E N D O F F L A S H B A C K)

"What are you doing? Hurry up. Make a wish and blow out your candle." Sapphire reminded him, but he was still lost in thoughts.

"You've never blown out candles on cake before, right? Sapphire asked. With this, he turned to her and then blew out the candles at once. She joyfully clapped for him as he smiled to himself.

"It's just been so long." He explained.

"How long has it been?" She asked him.

"About twenty-three years ago." He muttered with depression laced in his voice.

"Then I'm sure you haven't done this either!" She rubbed a finger of buttered icing on the top of his nose.

"I thought you taught your students not to play with their foods!" He whined at her as she licked her finger.

"Kids don't really listen, though. But I do see the reason now." Sapphire replied and brought out her mobile phone from her handbag.

"Come on, give me a cute smile." She encouraged Jade. "These will all be cherished memories."

One. Two. Three. Click!

She took a picture of him as she blushed over his cuteness. Especially with the colourful, cone-shaped birthday cap sitting on his head and buttered-icing on the tip of his nose.

"That's awesome. Now, let's cut the cake." Sapphire muttered, but Jade stopped her.

"Just wait a moment."

He took another cone-shaped birthday cap and placed it on her head too.

"We'll have to do this together, you see." He explained.

Jade deepened his last finger into the cake and then touch the top of her nose. Sapphire trembled in fear and begged him not to,, but he did it and licked his finger too.

"I thought you said that we shouldn't play with our food." She queried.

"I guess I'm as disobedient as your kids." Jade pointed out, happy, she has the same thing on her nose. After that, he brought out his phone from the side of the white jacket he was wearing.

"It's my birthday, try to smile, uh?" Jade murmured in a child's voice as Sapphire smiled at him. He smiled too and pressed the click button on his screen.

One. Two. Three. Click!

Jade took the picture of both of them in selfies.

"Geez! You just refuse to suffer some, right." Sapphire brought out tissue paper and handed it to him to wipe of the icing on his nose. She did the same too.

"Have you been like this since you're a child?"

"I told you, I've never had a birthday like this before." He explained.

"Really? Wow! That's surprising, you know. Do rich people not celebrate their birthdays? I thought they throw extravagant parties, throw a ball or so. Even the less privileged try to do something, no matter how little."

"Today is the anniversary of my older brother's death." Jade interrupted with an emotional tone.

Hearing this, Sapphire went silent. She had no idea why he didn't celebrate his birthday, but now she does.

Tears covered her eyes as the atmosphere went from lousy romantic to sad tragedy.

"Was he directly related to you?"

"Legally." Jade muttered. "But we never even met. On my 9th birthday, I was adopted into his family after he died."

"Then, what about your mum. Is she your real mother?"

"My mother would always be my mother. She's a good person. He explained, reading the look in Sapphire's eyes. You don't have to look at me with such pity." He smirked at her.

"No... It's not like that. I mean... I don't pity you at all. You must be lucky to have two mothers after all."

"Is that right? Someone told me today that I'm living someone else's life." His almost shaky voice reported.

Sapphire let out a heavy breath.

"That's complete nonsense! As if you'd allow yourself to do that with this personality of yours! That person should try and accept destiny, uh?" She instructed and moved closer, facing him directly.

"And just so you'll know, you're not the type to take orders from anyone either. You're so stubborn and naughty... I've never met anyone as stupidly stubborn as you are."

Jade's eyes then form a frown.

"Today is my birthday, and you're insulting me?"

"Yes, but the truth would always remain the truth, no matter how bitter it tastes." She smiled and he smiled too.

Sapphire and Jade looked at themselves from time to time as Sapphire brought out the cake knife from the side of a carton and divided the cake. They ate and gist until midnight.

After eating, Sapphire brought out her present for him. It was wrapped in a golden box.

Jade wore a curious face at it, wondering what would be there.

"It's a gift for you. Aren't you going to open it?" Sapphire leered at him.

Jade looked at her awkwardly. It's the first time a girl is giving him a gift. Well, he wasn't feeling right with it but he collected the present.

Noticing the disappointing look on his face, Sapphire decided to open up to him, a bit.