The process of celebrating Park Juu’s birthday was long and arduous. This was because the person known as Park Juu was uniquely peculiar, unlike anyone else.

If I were to describe Park Juu in one sentence, it would be “a round-hearted, stone-fisted chinchilla with sensitive senses.”

He was picky about many things, but never used it as an excuse to bother others; he possessed a strong fist but never brandished his strength recklessly; and beneath his dazed-looking eyes, he held a tenacity for rock music.

In short—the man was impossible to pick a gift for.

“Considering how Juu hyung washes our blankets whenever he has a spare moment, we should really replace his entire bedding set...”

“What if it’s not to his taste? Juu hyung wouldn’t even be able to say it if he didn’t like it.”

The faces of Lee Cheonghyeon and Kang Giyeon were filled with worry. As the younger members who had received a lot of care from Park Juu, they wanted to celebrate his birthday properly, especially since our debut was just around the corner.

Jeong Seongbin was no different. He had been diligently practicing power hard rock for Park Juu, but he lamented that no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t imitate the ferocious screams that leaked out of Juu’s headphones.

“Can’t we just buy him a new headset?”

Choi Jeho spouted some foolishness.

A new headset for a guy who’d been buying the same pillowcase model for years because he refused to change it? Did he want to see Park Juu’s pupils shake, not knowing what to do with the gift?

Even now, we were using the 30 minutes Park Juu spent showering as a window to hold a meeting. If he followed his usual routine, we had at least another 30 minutes.

That was the kind of person Park Juu was. Spotlessly clean, with his own firm rules, and while he was flexible in other areas, he would never break those few rules.

“A birthday gift that he’s guaranteed to like, doesn’t take up space even if he doesn’t, and still feels like a proper celebration...”

I dredged up the experience I’d once gained researching farewell gifts for quitting coworkers.

And after a long search, I reached one conclusion.

“Let’s prepare a birthday meal for him!”

Park Juu’s tastes, officially certified by Jeong Seongbin, were:

─ Lukewarm milk, low-acidity yogurt (around the level of Onesome Place’s plain yogurt, no smoothies or frappes)

─ Bone broth soup (no salt), clear beef rib soup (no pepper)

─ White porridge, white rice

─ Salad (only eggs and sweet potatoes as toppings, no dressing)

─ Basic flavor chicken breast

.

.

.

“Can we even make a birthday meal with this?”

Choi Jeho muttered as he read the list. For once, I agreed with him. What on earth did this kid eat before he became an idol?

“It sounds like a normal diet meal...”

Lee Cheonghyeon covered his mouth and added a word.

“How about a rice-flour cake?”

“It’s not certain, but don’t you think Juu would hate something that sticks to his teeth?”

“Ah.”

Kang Giyeon immediately agreed with Jeong Seongbin’s opinion. You’re a difficult man, Park Juu.

After racking our brains, we decided to use the “one of these has to be to his taste” technique. We decided to prepare all the bland foods that Park Juu might like.

“Let’s split into a cake team and a cooking team. One side will prepare the cake, and the other will handle the actual cooking.”

Choi Jeho and Lee Cheonghyeon were in the cake team, which would use ready-made products, while Kang Giyeon and I, who had to control the spiciness with our own hands, were in the cooking team. Jeong Seongbin took on the role of supervisor for both sides.

“Everything has to be prepared in advance, out of Juu’s sight. Got it?”

Because our future main vocal had sharp ears. If we tried to do anything in the dorm, he would notice with uncanny senses and come trotting out.

The members nodded with grim determination. The preparations for the birthday celebration, reminiscent of a spy movie, had begun.

The night of the 21st, the day before Park Juu’s birthday, arrived. After group practice, Kang Giyeon and I would stay behind at the company under the pretext of extra practice, while Choi Jeho and Lee Cheonghyeon would say they were going to the gym and wait. When Jeong Seongbin gave the signal, we were scheduled to move the cake and other ingredients that had been picked up during the day.

“Hyung and Giyeon, are you guys doing extra practice again today...?”

Park Juu, who was sprawled out on the floor as usual, asked us.

“Yeah. You go on ahead.”

“...”

Watching me and Kang Giyeon intently, he opened his mouth.

“Should I stay a little longer too...?”

“Huh?”

Kang Giyeon sent a signal with his eyes that said, “Has this hyung already figured it out?!” I tried my best to remain calm and asked back.

“Why? You’re tired.”

“Everyone is working so hard, I feel like I’m being too lazy...”

“Juu, you’re a big hexagon person, so you don’t have to put in the same level of effort as a small hexagon person like me.”

Park Juu stared at me with blank eyes.

“What I mean is! Let’s save our stamina and use it efficiently! It’s a bigger loss if we overdo it today and can’t practice tomorrow.”

It seemed the analogy was too difficult for him, so I quickly changed my expression. Fortunately, Park Juu agreed readily.

Before the kid could say anything else, Jeong Seongbin quickly took him and returned to the dorm. When the two of us were finally alone, Kang Giyeon and I repeatedly swept our chests in relief.

“What’s with that hyung’s intuition?”

“He is extraordinary. I don’t think I can lie in front of Juu.”

To become clean chefs, we even showered at a nearby sauna, changed into the clothes we had prepared in advance, and then headed to a shared kitchen that was said to be open 24 hours.

The act of cooking itself wasn’t difficult. It was just that I was a little worried about Park Juu, who would be eating this... completely unseasoned food.

“Want to have a taste?”

I cut a small piece of the freshly pan-fried tofu (ingredients: tofu, cooking oil) and gave it to Kang Giyeon. He chewed, then nodded.

“It doesn’t taste like anything.”

“Success.”

It was a good start. After that, we sweated bullets and cooked for a good three hours straight.

When I came back carrying a bundle of airtight containers in one hand and shoes in the other, padding around in just my socks, the dorm was quiet. Jeong Seongbin came to greet me, barefoot.

I wondered if Park Juu knew. That all for the sake of celebrating just him, everyone was walking around barefoot, of one mind and one accord.

“You’ve worked hard. You too, Giyeon.”

“It’s no big deal. Where’s Juu hyung?”

“He washed up and fell asleep as soon as he got here.”

Kang Giyeon and Jeong Seongbin whispered to each other, exchanging information on Park Juu’s movements.

“What about Choi Jeho and Lee Cheonghyeon? Are they in their room?”

“Yes. They’re decorating the cake in their room.”

Jeong Seongbin pointed to our room.

But something was strange. Not a single sliver of light was coming from inside.

“Looks like they’re already done decorating. Are they asleep?”

“Well... you’ll see when you go in.”

Jeong Seongbin avoided my eyes.

Honestly. Can’t they even decorate one cake when I’m not looking? At this rate, how are you going to film a top-tier cake-decorating video after you debut?

Grumbling inwardly, I opened the door, and what did I see?

Choi Jeho and Lee Cheonghyeon were decorating the cake, relying on the flashlights of their phones. They looked like primitive humans discovering fire for the first time in a cave.

“What are you doing?”

“In case Juu hyung sees the light on when he goes to the bathroom and finds out...!”

Lee Cheonghyeon said in a voice that sounded like he was swallowing his tears. It seemed he was in the middle of a lonely “try not to laugh” challenge by himself.

I closed the door and sat on the floor, and Choi Jeho shoved a spare phone at me. The sudden blast of flashlight bouncing off the back of the phone blinded poor Cheonghyeon, who rolled on the floor like he’d been hit.

“Is this how you were supposed to make it?”

Ignoring his dongsaeng being taken down by a laser beam, Choi Jeho stayed completely unfazed.

“Um... sorry, but I can’t see the cake.”

“Ah.”

Choi Jeho shone the flashlight on the cake again. Honestly, I wondered whether he realized we couldn’t see the design at all. But I held back my nagging since it was supposed to be a good day.

The cake was all white. Even though they had clearly put a lot of things on it. It seemed the problem was that they had put marshmallows and white chocolate on a milk cake.

“What’s with the peppermint candy?”

“You said to put white things on it.”

“You didn’t think at /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ all about how they’d taste together, did you?”

“We can just eat them separately.”

Choi Jeho was merciless even to the birthday boy. And to think Kang Giyeon and I had just come from being hit by an oil bomb.

“Hyung.”

Lee Cheonghyeon, who had successfully readjusted to the darkness, slowly crawled over to my side.

“We even drew a picture with whipped cream.”

Lee Cheonghyeon brought his phone even closer to the cake. The “ㅇㅅㅇ” face that Park Juu often used in his messages was drawn on it. On the side, it was written, “Birthday of Park Juu, the epitome of purity.”

“The details are great. You must have worked hard.”

“The cream on top might be a little thick. Jeho hyung and I kept covering and redrawing it, so we layered the cream on top of each other.”

“We bought low-fat cream. It’s fine.”

Spurred on by the encouragement, Lee Cheonghyeon began the finishing touches, decorating the surroundings with sugar flowers. His hands moved delicately.

“I hope hyung likes it!”

Lee Cheonghyeon said in an excited voice.

Even if he wouldn’t exactly like this bizarre cake... at least he’d appreciate the effort, right? Hoping so, we hid the cake deep inside the refrigerator.

The morning of Park Juu’s birthday dawned. When the alarm we’d set a little earlier than usual went off, Choi Jeho, Lee Cheonghyeon, and I shot upright. Jeong Seongbin and Kang Giyeon, for the sake of the surprise event, waited for their chance in their room to create a normal environment.

While we were setting the table, we heard a slight noise from Park Juu’s room. The voice of Park Juu, who had woken up early, and the voice stopping him from his trip to the living room reached the kitchen.

Nevertheless, after many twists and turns, we were able to successfully set the all-white birthday table. On the white tablecloth (we had torn off last month’s calendar and laid it with the back side up), we also wrote a birthday message.

“Can I come out now...?”

Jeong Seongbin, who had run out of excuses, got the signal from a knock on the door and let Park Juu out of his cage. The door opened and the birthday boy entered.

“What’s this...?”

The pure white cake, decorated as lavishly as a wedding cake, the meal that had been stripped of all color, and the utensils wrapped in white napkins—every element was perfect.

“It’s your birthday. We all prepared it together.”

At my words, Park Juu’s eyes widened.

“All of this...?”

Park Juu’s eyes sparkled. It might have just been my imagination, but he also seemed a little conflicted.

“You always have a hard time because of food. We hoped that for today, you could eat whatever you want comfortably, without having to pick anything out.”

Jeong Seongbin said gently. Park Juu’s face was colored with emotion.

“Hyung, we couldn’t buy a white candle, so...”

Lee Cheonghyeon, who had been hesitating, took out a bundle of candles from behind his back.

“Even though it looks like this, it’s not for ancestral rites, it’s a scented candle! Really! They said it’s for decorating on top of candles as an interior prop! Really!”

At Lee Cheonghyeon’s cry, Park Juu smiled brightly.

“Anything is fine.”

With a cheerful grin, he blew out the flame on the fist-sized candle I lit.

“...Thank you, everyone.”

Park Juu’s cheeks flushed. He ate half of the milk cake, and cleanly finished the rice with pan-fried tofu and the bone broth soup. He carefully folded and took the calendar that had our handwritten messages.

“I’ll never forget today’s party. I promise...”

Park Juu looked genuinely happy. For those of us who had celebrated his birthday, there was nothing more joyous.