Seduced by My Childhood Sweetheart’s Brother

"I love them a lot. By looking at them, I can imagine the serious face you had when you were knitting them. Thank you, babe. I love you."

My ears turned even hotter. Colin seized the opportunity to confess his love to me again as if I didn't already know his feelings. I was flustered, but deep down, I enjoyed what I heard very much. "Happy birthday, Colin. I..." It was so hard to complete the sentence that all I could utter was a few inaudible syllables. I hoped the love in my eyes told him succinctly what I meant to say. "What did you say, babe? I couldn't hear it properly. Say it again."

Urgh! He was doing this on purpose. How mean! But fine, it was just "I love you." How hard could it be? It was his special day today, so I mustered the courage to say it out loud.

"I love you too. Do you hear it now?" I pulled his ears closer, took a deep breath, and yelled.

His eyes lit up almost immediately. As I took in the mesmerizing beauty of those sparkles, he seized my cheeks and planted a deep kiss against my lips. When the kiss was over, my lipstick was all smeared. Some of which tainted his lips too, making him look wild and sexy.

As Colin started the car engine, I used the mirror to fix my lipstick. It only took a few minutes to drive from my apartment to the campus. During the trip, he drove and glanced at me regularly. The passion in his eyes threatened to melt me.

How wonderful it was to have an older boyfriend. He was thoughtful and indulgent. When we arrived, the usually quiet Crystal House had become bustling. It was so different.

As we walked to the entrance, the male and female students in charge of receiving us turned giddy as if they had found a rare treasure. They jogged toward us, surrounded us, and ushered us in.

Like two diligent porters, they lowered their frames, extended one of their arms, and greeted loudly, "Welcome the star of today, Mr. Colin White!"

Inside the house, a group of around 30 to 40 students screamed, not dissimilar to their reactions when they saw their favorite pop idols. They gave us a warm reception.

Before we came, Colin and I had anticipated that there would be a crowd. However, we were still surprised by the sheer number.

Around 25 feet above us were countless colorful fluorescent lamps descending from the ceiling like a sky full of shooting stars. I wonder how they hung them.

To make sure that the sunlight did not outshine the starry tapestry, the upper part of the floor-to-ceiling glass was covered in drapes that extended parallel to the lamps' length. There was just enough natural lighting to illuminate the space without overpowering the decor.

Balloons of various colors filled the house. On a wall, someone wrote artistically, "Happy 30th Birthday, Mr. White." A drawing of a baby growing up to become a man served as the backdrop. To be frank, I was impressed by their drawing techniques and creativity.

Wait. Wasn't it his 29th birthday? Why was it 30th? Could we amend it now? Ah, never mind. It wouldn't make a huge difference anyway. As long as everyone had fun, who cared if it was his 29th or 30th birthday?

The long desks where we often placed our oil paints were joined together to make space for food. Flower-shaped bowls filled with fruits, nuts, and snacks were placed on the table. Easels had been replaced by rows of benches forming a square.

It looked like an annual party organized by a big company. I wondered if the students had prepared cliché party games too.