The Unexpected Rhapsody || ✅

Bonus Chapter

"Okay, so let's do one final rehearsal," announces an excited Hana with an amusing smile. "Shall we?"

All the listeners inside the gymnasium nod with the same enthusiasm and rush to take their respective positions. Beomgyu rushes out to the main power board of the floor; Sunghoon and Huening Kai stand on either side of the entry gate; Yoonseul, Stacy, Haein and Rubina kneel around the balancing beam on which Heesung had placed the cake awhile ago; and Hana stands on the center treadmill with her back against the glass walls.

"I think we're all set now," notes Yeonjun as he squats near the pull-up bars. Sunoo raises a thumb at him right after crouching next to the large mirror. Yes, he had perfectly fixed his hair.

Just then, an overhead balloon falls on Hana's head.

"Oops," lets out Hana. "I guess someone is not."

She grabs the purple balloon and just when she's about to extend her arm to re-fix it, someone grabs it away from her.

"Wait," speaks Jay. "Let Ni-Ki do this."

Hana looks at the balloon and then at him for a second before agreeing with an "Alright." Ni-Ki was the giant here.

"Hai, let me do it!" exclaims an excited Ni-Ki as he runs over to the duo. "I am an adult now."

He has been saying this for years now, by the way.

Seating cross-legged on the bench-press, Jungwon shakes his head before saying, "Ni-Ki-ya, that has nothing to do with you being an adult, okay?"

Small giggles ripple through the gymnasium.

It is cut short with Haein's sharp whisper: "Tae sunbaenim says that the birthday boy just got done with his live and his heading for the gym."

"Ow okay okay," mutters Ni-Ki right after fixing the balloon and dragging his Jay hyung away with him.

"Okay, let's all be quiet," says Soobin's soft voice from near the dumbbells.

Two seconds later, Taehyun speaks, "I can't believe I missed sunbae's V-Live for this."

"At least it's for prepping for his surprise party!" Rubina reminds him.

"No but why does he come to the gym in the middle of the night?" Jake asks out of the blue.

"This must be the only free time he gets," suggests Heesung.

"Please, let's all be quiet!" Sunoo softly bursts out. "I'm getting anxious in here!"

The room finally falls silent. Soobin rolls his eyes at the quiet.

Soon enough, the ding of the floor's elevator is heard and a casually dressed Jungkook walks out whilst typing away on his phone.

When he is three feet away from the doors, Sunghoon signals for Beomgyu to strike.

The second Jungkook pushes the doors' bars, all lights go off.

Only when his screen's light becomes too bright for him does he realize that he has stepped into darkness.

He takes a few steps back towards the door but fails to open the doors successfully locked by Huening Kai.

Before he can dial for help, he hears an all-too-familiar voice echoing into the deep silence:

"Oh, holy night, the stars
Are brightly shining~"

He smiles a relieved smile to himself and slowly makes his way inside.

Thanks to the knowledge of his way around the gym, he doesn't bump into any equipment. The Enha and Todoro boys' effort of adding cushions enhance their dear senior's safety.