Jin liked birthdays. Lots of people called him and texted him and gave him things, and even if he had to work just like every other day, it just meant there were more people around to call him and text him and give him things.

For instance right now, Yamashita Shoon was standing in front of him, handing him a little bag of cookies and congratulating him from both him and his brother.

The cookies were sugar cookies, star-shaped, with a J written on each one in icing. Jin thought they were the best thing ever, and didn't mind sharing one with Shoon in the first corner he could shove him into.

Ueda and Kame had already told Jin that they were taking him out to lunch wherever he wanted, and Jin was still contemplating his choices as he licked some icing off his thumb and sauntered down the hallway. Nakamaru was off doing some MC thing, but had promised to take Jin out shopping later, which was always good.

Koki and Junno had been snickering when they said they'd have to bring Jin's present by his apartment later. That was never good.

In fact, just about the only person Jin hadn't heard from was…

The cheerful dingle of Jin's cell snapped him out of his thoughts, and he dug it out of his pocket to see Ryo's number flashing on the screen.

"Ryo-chan!" Jin chirped, making Ryo give a little click of disgust.

"Congratulations and all that," he said. "I've left your present in the closet of the third floor conference room."

"That's kind of a weird place to leave a present, Ryo-chan." Jin wrinkled his brow, turning around to head back towards the elevator bank. Then he brightened; maybe Shoon would still be trying to pull himself back together.

"It had the biggest table," Ryo answered, and then hung up the phone.

"Hunh," Jin said to himself, then stuck his phone back in his pocket.

Two cookies, one Yamashita, and one elevator ride later, Jin found himself in the third floor conference room, which was empty, and headed for the closet.

"Ryo-chan's present!" he called in a sing-song voice. "Come out, come out wherever you…"

When he flung open the door, he found Yamapi on the floor of the closet, wrists tied behind his back, a gag in his mouth and murder in his eyes. Also there was a note.

"Congratulations from Ryo and the rest of NewS. Please take care of our leader any way you like since we have off tomorrow and we have booked the conference room until noon."

Pi was still glaring at him, and Jin thought that this was the best birthday ever. And also that he would probably leave the handcuffs on until Yamapi was convinced of that as well.