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A knock sounded on his door.  Jimin rolled over and glanced at it.  He hadn’t even stepped from his bed yet.  Today was his birthday.  Wasn’t he entitled to be lazy on this good day?  If he couldn’t relax on his special day, when would he ever take it easy?

Still, that knock had sounded.  Now he was curious.  Who had rapped on his bedroom door at – he glanced at the clock – eight thirty-seven in the morning?

Yawning, he stretched.  Then he pulled himself reluctantly from his warm bed.  It was mid-October now, and there was a definite chill in the air in the early morning.  He shivered and reached for his baby blue robe.  He pulled it on and tied the sash before ambling across the floor.  He opened the door.  No one was waiting for him.

Disgruntled, he shoved the door shut and wandered back to his bed.  Grumbling the whole way.  Couldn’t a guy get a break on his birthday?  One of the guys – or maybe several of them – must have decided to begin the pranks early this year.  Before Jimin had even climbed from bed.

Well, he wasn’t having it.  He was going back to bed.  He was exhausted.  The concerts over the weekend had taken it out of him.  Both physically and emotionally.  He was out of practice.  No longer used to the crushing pressure and pace of pleasing thousands – no, make that millions – of people in one night.  

The euphoria he had felt during their performances had faded in the early morning light of the next day.  Now he just wanted to sleep.  And not to think about how disappointing this year had been.  How discouraging it still was.  

He climbed back into bed and pulled the covers over his head.  To block out the cruel light of day.  It was conspiring to keep him awake.  When all he desired was the oblivion of slumber.  He inhaled sharply as he closed his eyes.

And another knock sounded on his door.  He gritted his teeth.  Whoever was on the other side of that door was now jumping on his last nerve.  He flew out of bed and pounded across his room before jerking the door open.  He was ready to catch them in the act.  

But once again, no one was there.  However, as he prepared to slam the door shut again, he happened to glance down.  So this time he spied what he had failed to notice last time.  A beautifully wrapped box resting on the floor at his feet.

His eyebrows challenging the next floor up, he bent to retrieve his gift.  Now a delighted smile lit up his beautiful countenance. Someone had left him a birthday present!

He was hoping it was legitimate and not part of some prank.  He didn’t wish to open the box and find it empty or stuffed with plastic bags.  He sighed as he anticipated finding just such a disappointing stash.  He picked up the bright blue box and turned to walk back into his room.  He pushed the door shut and headed for his bed.  There was no reason that he couldn’t open it while he was lying in bed.  In fact, today it seemed imperative that he do so!

He slid between the sheets once more before investigating the vibrantly wrapped box.  It was a perfect cube.  His curiosity overwhelmed him in the next instant, and he slid his finger under the overlapping paper to free the tape that was sticking it to itself.  A few seconds later, he had pulled the paper away from the box.  He stared at it for a moment before removing the lid.  

Intrigued, he glanced down into the box.  Grinning Jungkook was staring back at him.  He grimaced.  This must be a prank.  Jungkookie had given him a picture of himself.  Just what he needed.  Another picture of the Golden Maknae.  

Still, he reached inside and pulled it out.  But he was shocked to discover that it was not just a photograph but also a cube.  Obviously, with six sides.  And Jungkook’s picture was only one of six.  

As Jimin tilted it to the right, he revealed a lovely photograph of Yoongi.  Another tilt in the same direction uncovered a dimpled Namjoon.  One more unveiled a sweetly smiling Jin.  Then he tipped it forward and found a hopeful Hobi.  Jimin spun it two more times and discovered a charming Tae.  

In each photograph, his friends were smiling up at him.  But that wasn’t all he noticed.  As he examined the box, he discovered a latch on one edge.  Between the pictures of Jungkook and Tae.  Jimin undid it, and the box popped open.  He uncovered a music box inside and a folded piece of paper nestled alongside it.  He wound the music box’s key, and a mysterious song began to play.  One he had never before heard. 

Frowning, he picked up the folded piece of paper that had been lying along the side of the music box.  He snapped the box shut and set it on his nightstand before unfolding the paper.  His eyes perused its message.

“Happy Birthday, Jimin!  We wanted to get you something extra special this year.  So we all spent a little time in the recording studio together.  The key will lead you to your gift.”

The key?

Jimin opened the cube again.  And discovered a key wedged under the music box.  But a key to where?