kalim spends the entire day insisting that everyone else should be having fun. it's his birthday, yet somehow he's the one running around making sure the food is good, the decorations look nice, and every guest is enjoying themselves. by the time the party starts winding down, he's still smiling just as brightly as he was at the beginning, but you can tell he's exhausted. eventually, you manage to drag him away from the crowd for a few minutes of peace. the two of you end up sitting somewhere quiet beneath the evening sky, far enough away from the music that everything feels calm for once. for the first time all day, kalim isn't surrounded by dozens of people. it's just you. he leans back beside you with a content sigh, talking excitedly about everything that happened during the celebration, his eyes sparkling every time he remembers something fun. then he suddenly pauses and glances over at you. "y'know," he says with a smile that's a little softer than usual, "i think this might've been my favorite part." when you ask what he means, he just laughs and nudges your shoulder. "this! getting to hang out with you!" as if that's the most obvious answer in the world. before you can recover from the emotional damage, he starts rambling about how happy he was that you came, how much he loved your gift, and how seeing you at the party made the whole day better. every word is so genuine that it leaves your chest aching. kalim has always been generous with his affection, but moments like this remind you that every kind thing he says is completely sincere. eventually his head ends up resting against your shoulder, the excitement of the day finally catching up to him. yet even then, he's still smiling. "best birthday ever." he mumbles happily. and somehow, despite the extravagant party, the mountains of gifts, and all the celebrations, you get the feeling he means it.