As the boys were cheering in excitement, Boo raised his voice, "Then what are you waiting for? Call the girls and propose to them already!"
The rest of the boys chimed in with wide grins, chanting, "Propose! Propose!"
DK and Minghao laughed nervously.
DK smirked and said, "Guys, not so fast. We still need to change into our outfits, test the background music, and wait for it to get dark. The lighting has to be perfect!"
"Haaa…" the boys groaned in dramatic unison, then grabbed DK and Minghao by the wrists and dragged them to the dressing room.
Both boys changed into the exact outfits from the Love, Money, Fame era—DK in a crisp white shirt and blue pants, and Minghao in his iconic red. Their faces were bare, no makeup, just nerves and excitement. While the rest of the boys were clicking selfies in the mirror, DK and Minghao sat in silence, their hands clasped around the proposal rings.
Noticing this, Zheng smirked, grabbed his camera, and tiptoed over. He tapped DK's shoulder and started recording.
DK turned, startled. "Zheng! What are you doing?"
The boys gathered around, laughing.
"Just capturing the moment," Zheng said, grinning. "DK, tell me—how do you feel right now?"
DK blinked, trying to find the words. "Honestly… even I don't know. I'm happy, nervous, excited—" He clutched his chest dramatically. "—and I feel like dancing!" He suddenly stood up and started dancing awkwardly, making everyone burst into laughter.
Zheng turned the camera to Minghao. He blinked at the lens, composed as ever.
"I'm happy," Minghao said simply. "I just can't wait to see Xuanye's reaction. And… I'm really looking forward to dancing with her."
Zheng nodded with a warm smile. "DK—happy birthday. I hope this one becomes your most unforgettable."
DK grinned. "It already feels like it will be."
The boys started singing "Happy Birthday" loudly, clapping along. But amidst all the joy, Vernon sat quietly, a subtle sadness in his eyes. Jun noticed first and whispered to Woozi, "Uji… look at Vernon."
Woozi followed his gaze and sighed. "I know. He's been so quiet the past few days. I want to tell him we've got something special planned too, but we have to wait a little longer."
As the song ended, Zheng turned the camera to the boys. "Alright, boys—how are we feeling?"
Scoups: "It feels like our 10th anniversary or something. I'm proud DK and Minghao found their true love."
Jeonghan: [Covering his face] "Zheng, I'm blushing! I'm happy… and a little flustered. It's a big moment for us."
Mingyu: [Waving at the camera] "DK, Hao—if you ever watch this again, or even at your wedding, remember this moment. I'm proud to be part of your story."
Hoshi: [Doing horanghae with a sleepy eye] "I'm excited! Can't wait to see the girls' reactions. And I'm ready to be the fun uncle! I'll play with your kids!"
Boo: [Fixing his hair, then shooting a bombastic side-eye] "Ahem. To DK and Hao, I bless you both. May you be happy forever and ever!" [Throws heart]
Joshua: "I'm thrilled. Honestly, pulling off two surprise events in one day has been chaotic, but it'll be worth it."
Jun: "Nian, Xuanye—you two feel like sisters to us now. DK and Minghao are definitely more chaotic since falling for you, and our dorm is noisier—but in the best way. Come fast, or we'll go insane."
Wonwoo: "I'm just really happy. You're part of our family now, and I can't wait to see what happens tonight."
Woozi: "DK, Hao—congrats on taking this step. Girls, please always be happy together. And also…" [Whispers to the camera] "Nian, Xuanye—come fast. Vernon's about to cry."
He pans the camera to Vernon.
Vernon: [Smiling warmly] "I'm happy you joined our group. Looking back, it's crazy how far we've come. Now… we're really becoming a family."
Zheng turned off the camera and looked at the boys with a proud smile. Everyone stood, and DK said, "Alright, guys. Let's head to the main room."
The boys erupted in cheers and followed him out.
---
Meanwhile, at the office…
The girls had just gotten off work and were in the car. Nian was driving while Xuanye leaned back, smiling.
"Nian," she said, "I'm really happy. This time, we're not celebrating DK and Vernon's birthday as fans—but as family."
Nian giggled. "Right? Oh, and text the cake shop's address in the group chat—just in case someone else receives it."
Xuanye nodded and sent the message.
---
Back at the studio…
The boys were doing warm-up stretches in the practice room. DK and Minghao sat nearby, quietly fidgeting with their rings.
"It's 7 p.m.," Minghao whispered. "Should we call them?"
"Yeah," DK replied, "but how are we gonna convince them to come without being suspicious?"
The boys huddled.
Boo suggested, "Let's tell them we're having dinner and ask them to join."
DK shook his head. "No way. She'll just say—" [He mimicked Nian's voice] "'Loudie, you guys go ahead. We're still working.'" He laughed at his own impression.
The boys chuckled.
"I'll call them," Jun offered confidently.
He stepped to the corner, checked the group chat, saw the cake shop address from Xuanye, and smiled. Then he called Nian.
Inside the girls' car, Nian handed her phone to Xuanye. "It's Jun."
Xuanye picked it up. "Jun?"
"Xuanye! Can you guys come to the studio?" he said urgently.
"Huh? Why? What happened?"
"We ran into some decoration issues. The others aren't here. Please come fast!" Then he quickly hung up.
"Hello? Jun?" Xuanye blinked in confusion.
"What's wrong?" Nian asked.
"He said there's a problem with the decorations and asked us to come right away."
Nian sighed and made a U-turn. "Let's go, then. We've got to fix it if we want the surprise to work."
Back in the studio, Jun giggled and gave a thumbs-up. The boys cheered quietly while DK and Minghao clapped with excitement.
"They're coming!" Minghao said.
"Then let's get the lights ready," DK added.
The boys nodded, and one by one, they turned off the studio lights.
The stage was set. The moment was near.