7/31 Kamui Gakupo🎈Happy Birthday✨

💜💗💜💗💜 Story 💗💜💗💜💗 The Secret Plan Backstage After the birthday cake was taken offstage, the cheers from the audience still showed no sign of fading. Gakupo and the others thanked the audience once more before returning backstage under the guidance of the staff. The heavy curtain slowly closed behind them, and the dazzling stage lights gave way to the softer illumination of the corridor. Even as they turned the corner, Gakupo could still hear the audience calling his name. “The audience was really energetic tonight,” KAITO said, glancing back toward the stage entrance. MEIKO nodded. “They didn’t stop cheering until the very end. When the staff come in later, remember to thank them properly too.” Una looked surprised. “We’re still celebrating backstage?” “Of course,” Miku replied with a smile. “The staff have been busy since this morning. Everyone agreed that we would have a birthday party together after the performance.” Teto immediately brightened. “So the cake from earlier will be brought in too?” “Of course the first thing you think about is the cake,” Len said. “What else are we supposed to eat at a birthday party?” Rin tried not to laugh as she reminded her: “At least wait until all the staff members have arrived.” They continued chatting as they entered the backstage lounge. The room, which had originally been used to prepare for the performance, had already been transformed for the party. Several long tables had been placed together and covered with purple and white tablecloths. Drinks, snacks, and meal boxes were arranged across them. A birthday banner hung on the wall, surrounded by handwritten cards from the staff. Members of the sound, lighting, costume, and stage crews gradually entered the room. Some were still wearing headsets, while others carried schedules they had not yet finished organizing. Nevertheless, every one of them smiled and offered Gakupo their congratulations when they saw him. “Happy birthday!” “Tonight’s performance was a great success!” “The final fan dance was incredible!” Gakupo thanked each of them in turn. “Thank you for all your hard work today. Without everyone supporting us behind the stage, we could never have completed the performance so smoothly.” One of the staff members laughed. “You don’t need to say anything so formal today. The birthday boy’s only job is to enjoy himself.” Gakupo smiled as well. However, when he reached the long table, he suddenly noticed that someone was missing. Una and Miku were arranging the drinks together. Teto stood beside the food while MEIKO stopped her from taking any snacks early. KAITO was placing the folding fans they had temporarily set aside into a storage box one by one. But Luka was nowhere to be seen. Gakupo glanced toward the doorway. “Where is Luka?” The lively room seemed to grow quieter for a brief moment. Teto was the first to give him a slightly unnatural smile. “Luka? Wasn’t she just here a moment ago?” MEIKO glanced at her before answering calmly. “Luka said she needed to prepare something.” Gakupo raised an eyebrow. “Prepare what?” Miku’s smile seemed especially bright. “She only said there was still a birthday party backstage, so she wanted to check that everything was ready.” “She didn’t say what she was preparing?” “No.” Una lowered her head and began rearranging the drinks, clearly trying not to laugh. Gakupo watched their reactions carefully. “Are all of you hiding something from me?” “No!” Teto answered immediately. MEIKO sighed. “At least don’t answer so quickly.” KAITO placed the final fan into the box. Although his expression appeared calm, his eyes held the same restrained amusement as the others. “Since Luka said she was preparing something for the party, let’s wait for her. She should be back soon.” Although Gakupo remained suspicious, he decided not to press them further. The staff were still arranging the lounge, so it did not seem unusual for Luka to leave temporarily to help with the preparations. Una handed him a drink. “This is for you.” “Thank you.” “Y-you’re welcome.” She avoided meeting his eyes as she answered. Gakupo became even more certain that everyone was planning something. Just then, the sound of cart wheels rolling across the floor came from the corridor. Everyone turned toward the doorway, and several staff members immediately smiled with anticipation. The door slowly opened. Rin appeared at the front of a cart, holding the handle with both hands and carefully guiding its direction. Len stood behind it, pushing while occasionally glancing down to make sure the wheels passed smoothly over the threshold. A ribbon-wrapped gift box rested on the cart. “Slow down,” Rin called over her shoulder. “The left side is almost touching the doorframe.” “I’m already adjusting it,” Len replied. “A little farther to the right.” “If I go any farther right, we’ll hit the wall.” They continued coordinating their movements as they carefully guided the cart into the lounge. Teto immediately hurried forward to move a chair out of the way. “Come through here!” MEIKO quickly warned her: “Don’t stand directly in front of the cart. Let Rin and Len see where they’re going.” Miku and Una moved to either side to check the box’s position. KAITO cleared several objects from the edge of the table, making enough room for them to pass. Every one of them wore a smile they could barely contain. Gakupo watched as Rin and Len brought the cart to the center of the room. “Is that for me?” Teto laughed. “Is there another birthday boy here today?” Gakupo looked at the box on the cart. “What’s inside?” Their smiles immediately became even more mysterious. “We can’t tell you yet,” Miku replied. “Why not?” “Because it isn’t time to reveal it,” MEIKO said. Gakupo looked toward the doorway again. “Does this have something to do with what Luka went to prepare?” This time, no one answered immediately. Teto pressed her lips together as she tried not to laugh. Una quietly hid beside Miku. Len lowered his head and pretended to inspect the cart’s brakes, while Rin turned away to straighten the ribbon around the box. KAITO gently patted Gakupo on the shoulder. “For now, you only need to trust everyone.” “You’re making it much harder for me to do that.” KAITO only smiled and said nothing. Rin pressed down the brake and checked that the cart was secure. “All set.” Len lightly pushed the frame. “It won’t move.” MEIKO observed the position for a moment before asking them to adjust it slightly. Rin and Len released the brake again, moved the cart to the designated spot, and secured it once more. Gakupo stepped closer and lightly touched the side of the box. There was no response from inside. “I can’t open it yet?” “No.” Everyone answered almost simultaneously. Their overly perfect timing made Gakupo laugh. “It sounds as though you practiced that.” “We didn’t,” Len replied. Rin added: “We only discussed it beforehand.” “That doesn’t sound very different.” Miku walked over and gently led Gakupo away from the cart. “You should sit down and rest. You performed for a long time onstage, and you still haven’t finished your drink.” “But—” MEIKO interrupted him. “Today, the birthday boy has to follow everyone else’s instructions.” Under everyone’s urging, Gakupo finally sat in the chair prepared for him. The staff continued arranging the food, and the room became lively again. Some discussed the lighting effects from the performance, while others shared photographs taken from the wings. Several excitedly recalled the audience’s reaction when all nine performers opened their fans at the same time. However, whenever Gakupo looked toward the cart, someone nearby immediately found a new topic to distract him. “Gakupo, which part of the lighting did you like best?” Miku asked. “Probably the final—” Before he could finish, a faint sound seemed to come from inside the box. Rustle. Gakupo immediately turned his head. “Was that a sound from the box?” “No!” Teto answered far too quickly again. “I definitely heard something.” Len rested a hand on the cart and tried to remain calm. “It might have been the ribbon rubbing against the box.” “The cart isn’t moving.” “Then perhaps it was one of the wheels.” Rin could not help looking at him. “Wheels don’t sound like fabric rubbing together.” Len immediately fell silent. For a brief moment, no one spoke. MEIKO casually picked up a schedule from the table. “You just finished performing. Perhaps you’re tired.” Gakupo looked at her. “If even MEIKO is saying that, then this must be more suspicious than I thought.” MEIKO maintained her calm expression, although the corner of her mouth lifted slightly. Just then, a staff member leaned in through the doorway and gave everyone a small nod. “Everything is ready.” Miku’s eyes immediately lit up. “Great.” Teto eagerly stepped beside the cart. “Can we begin now?” MEIKO raised a hand to stop her. “Wait a little longer.” “What are we waiting for?” “For everyone to get into position.” Following her directions, Miku, Una, Teto, Rin, Len, KAITO, and the staff members quickly gathered on both sides of the cart. Each of them tried to appear completely ordinary, yet they could not stop exchanging excited glances. Gakupo remained seated nearby, watching their unusual movements. “What exactly are all of you planning?” Una finally answered in a quiet voice: “A birthday surprise.” “I’ve already figured out that much.” “But we can’t tell you what it is.” As soon as she finished speaking, she hid beside Miku again. Gakupo smiled helplessly. “All right. I’ll stop asking.” He looked toward the doorway once more, but Luka still had not appeared. “Still, did Luka really only go to prepare something? She has been gone for a while.” The smiles on everyone’s faces became noticeably more obvious. KAITO lightly cleared his throat. “She’ll appear very soon.” “How do you know?” KAITO hesitated, then looked toward MEIKO. MEIKO finished his answer for him. “Because the entire plan is ready.” “What plan?” No one replied. Gakupo looked at the cart Rin and Len had brought in, then at the silent box resting upon it. His curiosity continued to grow. He did not know where Luka had gone, nor did he know exactly what everyone had arranged. He only knew that they were all smiling far too happily. Even MEIKO and KAITO, who were usually the calmest among them, were clearly waiting for a particular moment. Another faint sound seemed to come from inside the box. This time, Gakupo did not point it out. He simply watched it, curiosity and helpless amusement appearing in his purple eyes. Since everyone was working so hard to protect their secret, he decided to cooperate with them for the time being. After all, Luka had said that she was only going to prepare something needed for the party. As for what she had prepared— Gakupo still had no idea. Meanwhile, Rin, Len, and the others stood on either side of the cart, struggling to contain their excitement as they waited for their carefully arranged plan to move into its next stage.