The velvet seats of the theater were soft, almost swallowing him whole. The air was cool, carrying the faint, nostalgic scent of buttered popcorn and expensive cologne. In the dim, flickering light of the massive screen, Seongjii could see her.
Zoe Kim.
She was sitting right next to him, her eyes sparkling as they reflected the movie's climax. For the first time in his life, the world felt quiet. There were no bullies, no magical lamps, and no life-threatening contracts. Just the two of them in an empty hall.
"Can't believe we got the whole theater to ourselves," Zoe whispered, her voice leaning closer to his ear.
Seongjii's heart hammered against his ribs like a trapped bird. "Yeah… perfect setting, huh?"
He took a deep breath, his hand trembling as he reached into his pocket. He pulled out a small, velvet box and slowly slid off his seat, kneeling on the carpeted floor before her. The flickering light of the screen illuminated the determination in his eyes.
"Zoe… I've liked you for a long time. I don't want to just be the guy you know from class. Will you—"
Zoe's breath hitched. Her eyes widened, her lips parting as if to say the words he had been longing to hear. But then, her gaze shifted. She looked past him, pointing at the massive cinema screen behind him.
"Wait—Seongjii, look at the screen!"
Seongjii turned around, expecting a romantic scene. Instead, the movie had vanished. In its place was a giant, high-definition close-up of Araya's face. She looked furious, her eyes glowing with a mischievous golden hue.
"WAKE UP, BIRTHDAY BOY!" Araya's voice thundered through the theater speakers, shaking the very foundation of the building. "WAKE UP, DUMBASS! WAKE UP QUICKLY, OR I'LL KILL YOU!"
⸻
Seongjii jolted upright in bed, his heart nearly leaping out of his chest. He was gasping for air, his hand instinctively reaching for the non-existent velvet box.
The morning sunlight was streaming through the curtains, mocking him with its brightness. Beside his bed, Araya was floating cross-legged in the air, a smug, triumphant grin plastered on her face. She was still wearing that semi-human form, her hair shimmering like liquid gold.
"Ugh…" Seongjii groaned, burying his face in his pillows. "That was a beautiful dream… and you ruined it! Why did you have to scream like that?"
Araya barked out a laugh, doing a somersault in the air. "Hahaha! What dream was so important that you were talking in your sleep, mortal? You looked like a fish gasping for water."
Seongjii felt his face heat up. "I… I was about to propose to Zoe in a theater. It was perfect. The lighting, the mood, everything."
Araya's smirk faltered for a micro-second, replaced by a strange, sharp glint in her eyes—something that looked suspiciously like jealousy, though she'd never admit it. She crossed her arms and sniffed. "Well… I guess it's a good thing I ruined it then. Proposing in a dream? How pathetic. Hehehe!"
She stretched lazily, her ethereal form expanding slightly. "Anyway, mortal, I've decided. I want cheesecake. Right now. My royal palate demands it."
Seongjii rubbed his eyes, looking at the clock. "What? At this hour? Araya, it's early. Let me at least shower and breathe first!"
"Fine," she huffed, hovering toward the door. "But after that, you're taking me out. Consider it my fee for saving you from a boring dream."
⸻
Breakfast felt… ordinary.
Seongjii sat at the kitchen table, picking at his eggs. His mother was humming a tune while cleaning the counter, and his father was buried behind a newspaper, occasionally sipping his tea.
He waited. He kept his ears open for a "Happy Birthday" or even a "Do you know what day it is?" But the house remained stubbornly normal.
Maybe they're waiting for the right moment, Seongjii thought, trying to stay positive. He cleared his throat. "Hey Mom, Dad… doesn't today feel… I don't know… kinda special? Like an important day?"
His mother stopped humming and tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Hmm… special? Not that I can recall, sweetheart. Oh! Wait, the grocery store has a sale on laundry detergent today! Is that what you meant?"
His father didn't even look up from his paper. "Yeah, just another usual Tuesday, champ. Why? You have a test or something?"
Seongjii's heart sank. A heavy, cold lump formed in his stomach. Unbelievable… they really forgot.
⸻
The rest of the day was a slow, painful crawl.
Seongjii walked through the bustling city streets with Araya floating invisibly beside him. Usually, he enjoyed the sights, but today, every happy group of friends he saw felt like a personal insult.
"They forgot my birthday, Araya," he sighed, leaning against a railing overlooking the river. "Even Mom and Dad. I thought… I thought I mattered more than that."
Araya was busy licking a slice of cheesecake she'd forced him to buy earlier. She looked at him, her expression uncharacteristically quiet. "Maybe they're just too busy being boring adults, Seongjii. Humans have small brains; they forget things that don't involve taxes or work."
"Heh… maybe," he whispered, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.
Just then, he saw a familiar figure. Zoe Kim was walking toward the library, her bag slung over her shoulder. Seongjii's heart gave a small hopeful flutter.
"Hey, Seongjii!" Zoe smiled brightly as she approached. "Out for cheesecake again? You really have a sweet tooth lately."
Araya materialised just enough for Seongjii to see her jealous scowl. "'Again'? You two go out often?" she muttered under her breath.
Seongjii ignored her, looking at Zoe with a faint hope. "Haha, just once or twice. So… Zoe, any plans for today? It's a pretty big day, right?"
Zoe checked her watch, her expression apologetic. "Oh, right! It is a big day—I'm late for my advanced chemistry prep! I have to run, Seongjii. See you later, guys!"
She waved and ran off, leaving Seongjii standing in the middle of the sidewalk. The hope he'd been holding onto shattered. She doesn't remember either…
Even his best friends—Minho, Satoshi, and Hyunwoo—were the same. When he met them at the street corner, they talked about games, girls, and gym routines. Not once did they mention his birthday.
"Yo, Seongjii! You look down, man," Minho said, clapping him on the back. "Late-night gaming hangover?"
"Or heartbreak?" Hyunwoo teased with a grin.
Seongjii forced a hollow laugh. "Haha, nah… I'm good. Just tired. Catch you guys later."
As they walked away, Seongjii felt like he was becoming invisible again. The power of the lamp didn't matter if no one cared about the person holding it.
⸻
By 10:00 PM, the city was draped in shadows. Seongjii sat by the riverside with Araya, watching the orange sunset reflect in the dark water. The silence was heavy.
"Guess… no one remembered," Seongjii said, his voice cracking slightly. "Not even the people I'd die for."
Araya sat beside him, her feet dangling over the water. For once, she wasn't teasing. "So what? I remembered, didn't I? The great and powerful Araya never forgets a detail about her contractor."
Seongjii gave a half-smile. "Heh… yeah, thanks Araya. At least I have a genie."
He looked down at his hands. "Maybe I was wrong yesterday. When I told you my friends care… maybe I'm just an option in their lives. Someone who's there, but not essential."
Araya watched him quietly, her golden eyes softening in a way he'd never seen before. "Seongjii… you think too much, mortal. Sometimes, people show love in silence. You'll see."
"Maybe… but it hurts when that silence is on your birthday."
⸻
They walked back to his house in near-total darkness. The streetlights flickered, casting long, lonely shadows on the pavement. It was already 10:10 PM.
"Well, mortal… it's late," Araya said, stretching her arms. "I should probably head back to my lamp before your parents catch me hovering in the hallway."
Seongjii walked up to his front porch, his movements slow and defeated. "Relax. You don't have to worry—Mom and Dad are always asleep by ten. The house is probably a tomb by now."
He reached for the doorknob, noticing the house was pitch black. Not a single light was on. It felt cold. "See? Told you. Everyone's asleep. Just another day."
He turned the key and pushed the door open.
POP!
Suddenly, the world exploded in color.
"SURPRISE!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SEONGJII!!"
The lights flashed on, blinding him for a second. Confetti rained down like colorful snow, sticking to his hair and clothes. Seongjii froze, his jaw dropping as he took in the scene.
His living room was covered in banners and balloons. His Mom and Dad were right at the front, blowing party horns. Behind them stood Minho, Satoshi, and Hyunwoo, laughing like madmen. And right in the center was Zoe Kim, holding a chocolate cake with glowing candles, her smile wider than he'd ever seen it.
Seongjii's eyes welled up with tears. He couldn't speak. They remembered… all of them.
"You really thought we'd forget?" Zoe stepped forward, the candlelight reflecting in her eyes.
"Bro, we've been planning this for a week!" Minho shouted, throwing an arm around Seongjii's neck. "Do you know how hard it was to act like we didn't care? I almost gave it away three times!"
His mother stepped forward and hugged him tight, burying her face in his chest. "Happy birthday, my son. We just wanted to see that look on your face. You deserve the world."
His dad grinnned, ruffling his hair. "Gotcha, champ!"
Seongjii stood in the center of the room, surrounded by the people he loved. He felt a presence behind him and glanced back. Araya was floating near the ceiling, watching the scene with a soft, knowing smile.
She caught his eye and winked. "Told you, mortal… people can't forget you, even when they pretend to."
Seongjii wiped a stray tear and laughed—a real, deep laugh that came from his soul. "Yeah… guess you were right."
As he blew out the candles, he realized that magic didn't just come from lamps. Sometimes, the quietest love speaks the loudest.
— END OF CHAPTER 12