The Midnight Birthday Serenad

Midnight. One AM. I was jolted awake by a sudden burst of "Happy Birthday" from the dorm room across the hall.

I stepped out to take a look. Through the glass doors of their balcony, I could faintly make out the flickering glow of candles and a huddled group of figures.

I rolled my eyes, utterly speechless. *Are these people insane?* Celebrating a birthday in the dead of night, they'd accidentally set the place on fire with all those candles and no proper lighting.

Still fuming, I went to the bathroom, then returned to my room, grabbed a pair of earplugs, shoved them in, and drifted back…