"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

Loud pops of confetti and toy trumpets ring across the dining hall, festive even though the clock strikes 12 at night. Luka gives out a yelp of surprise and presses her hands on the spot on her chest where her heart is, gazing fondly at everybody present in the room, touched. "Aww!" She gushes.

Luki takes a hat from Gakupo's hand and places it on Luka's head, grinning at how happy she is right now. "Were you part of this too?" She eyes Luki suspiciously and he shakes his head with a chuckle.

"I was just the dress,"

Luka gushes yet again and fans her eyes, holding her chin up in an effort to stop her tears from streaming down her cheeks. "I'm so glad I have you guys with me. Thanks for being with me and for all this," She says, beginning to sniffle.

Everybody in the room chuckles and Luki reaches out to put an arm over her shoulders. "Hey, hey," He tilts his head to peer into her face, now lowered and teary.

"I'm sorry, it's-" She clears her throat as her voice cracks and then looks up with a smile. "You know I'm emotional,"

And with that, the cake comes out of the kitchen upon a trolley, rolled in by who else if not Luka's favorite chef.

"Hiroshi," She mewls gratefully at him, holding out on a sob. "I was just starting to be able to hold back from crying,"

Everybody starts to sing Blow Out the Candles and Luka closes her eyes for a moment, making a silent wish, for everybody's happiness and health, right before she blows out the candles smoothly.

Applause ripples throughout the room and Luki hands her some tissues, allowing her to blow her nose and wipe her tears. Gakupo helps her cut the cake and hands a slice for her to give out.

"First cake, huh?" She smiles down at the piece of cake in her hands. "It goes to you," Luka looks up to meet Luki's eyes and stands on tiptoes to peck his cheek. "Thank you, so much," Her eyes lock on his and for a moment, nothing passes in between them except for the overflowing affection they feel for each other.

"Second and third," She moves on and turns at her heels. "Gakupo and Hiroshi, respectively, and you guys know I cherish you as much as I cherish these three, but distributing this big of a cake at this time of the night; it'll get me no sleep,"

Laughter rings out in the hall and everybody starts digging into the cake served. For hours, chatter drags on and eventually, Gakupo persists on making Luka get some sleep instead of cleaning up.

"I'll get things done down here and Luki, please take her to her room," He stops Luka from saying another word with a look.

"That never stops working on me," She looks away and Luki gives out a hearty laugh before taking her hand and walking her to her room, which is right across from his.

"You really should stop crying," Luki stops her before she makes her way into her room through her door, grinning down at her teary face. He wipes away a fresh tear with his thumb.

"Shut up," Luka blinks repeatedly but doesn't pull away. "I'm always very insecure about getting loved back, since, my parents, you know," She trails off. "So I didn't expect them to love me back as much,"

"Of course they do," Luki shakes his head incredulously. "Of course they do,"

Nodding quietly, Luka leans into the warmth of his hand, putting her hand over his. "I really appreciated it. I may not express it well, but I really did and will always do,"

"I'll make sure to get that message to them," Luki smiles down at her and pulls out a long, velvet box from his pocket. "By the way, I didn't think the dress was enough, so, um, here's my, uhh, second present?"

"Wha-No way!" Luka steps back in surprise, shaking her head. "The dress is enough,"

"It goes with the dress," Luki advances towards her and opens the box to reveal a simple golden necklace with a leaf-shaped pendant. "Here," He gestures for her to turn around and Luka, unable to refuse, does so, putting up her hair and allowing him to put the necklace around her neck. "It symbolizes happiness," Luki says gently, turning her around to face him. He frowns in thought as he stutters. "I, err, I thought that a ring might be too, what's the word, weird? Too much pressure? Too much of a statement or, you know, too restraining? It's-"

Her lips quickly stop his words, as Luka stands on her tiptoes to kiss him softly. In surprise and reflex, Luki's eyes flutter closed and he wraps his arm around her waist, and find himself kissing back as his other arm rests on the wall besides Luka's head, with her sandwiched between his body and the concrete structure. Luka's fingers tangle itself among Luki's hair and pulls him closer to her as she tilts her head and puts her hand behind his neck.

Luki becomes the first to draw back and he quickly pulls the woman towards him, enveloping her in a tight hug as their chests heave with heavy breathing, lacking air from the kiss they just shared. "Not here," Luki says into her hair. "No control. Not now,"

Luka nods in understanding and in reluctance, they let go of each other and come into their separate bedrooms, sliding down their doors as their knees buckle under them.

They had no idea their feelings could do that.