Earlier before the loud speaker incident
After a seven-hour long shifts, both Eponine and Grantaire rest for a while in the staff's room of the coffee shop they've been working on. They're planning for this day since it was a really special for them. The two friends decided to ask their boss which is also their friend, Musichetta, a petite young woman, to leave the café early, which eventually agrees to them.
Before going back to their apartment, they went to buy a simple present on an arts and crafts store that they knew their friend will appreciate. Grantaire has chosen a calligraphy set while Eponine picked an elegant set of stationaries. They both knew that their friend will like this.
On their way home, they stopped by from the bakery near their apartment, hoping to find their friend's favorite chocolate cake. Luckily, the store was not yet closed since Cosette was only preparing the pastries to be stored. The blonde woman smiled to them as they entered the bakery making them enough time to pick their friend's favorite chocolate cake.
After buying the cake, both quietly entered their apartment to avoid any unnecessary noise if Jehan will be in his room, since they knew that he won't be at home at this hour, but to their surprise, he's found in his room, working on his commissions, they thought. They didn't expect that he'll be in their home since it was a habit of Jehan who really loved to stay for about 30 minutes in the bookshop.
"What the fuck? I thought that he'll be outside before we got here?" Eponine whispered to Grantaire, still holding the gifts for Jehan. Grantaire just shrugged, getting the gifts to place on the coffee table in the living room. "Let's go surprise the birthday boy." Grantaire grinned and strode towards Jehan's room as Eponine lit the candles of the cake. The door in Jehan's was slightly ajar, making them see that Jehan is sitting on his favorite chair, reading his poetry book.
Jehan heard someone humming, which made him close his book. Walking slowly, he went to see if his friends were already in their apartment.
"Ep? Grantaire? Are you already here?" Jehan open the door, but there's no sign of Eponine and Grantaire. Suddenly, a distant heavy metal remix of 'Happy Birthday Song' were heard, making Jehan shake his head, also hearing his friends laughing.
As he went to investigate the distant music, the distant music now turned into a more obnoxious happy birthday song, which Jehan kinda like. "Fuck you guys. There's nothing wrong with this musi—" He stopped on his tracks upon seeing that Grantaire holds his favorite chocolate flavored cake while Eponine has taken her phone, making them live on Instagram. He was unable to find his words, making him hug tightly his two best friends.
"Careful there, Jehan. Your favorite cake will fall." Grantaire joked, putting the cake on the coffee table. "Happy birthday, Jehan." He added as kissed his best friend's forehead. "Have a Merry Christmas, man. Here's a gift for the very good boy" Eponine chuckled as she kissed Jehan's cheek.
"I really kinda expect that you'll throw a party, but this? Just the three of us? This was the best." Jehan smiled, hugging his friends more tightly. Grantaire pulled out first, "It was really an honor to celebrate your birthday, Jehan. I'll go prepare our birthday treat!" he said, going to their kitchen. Jehan sat in the sofa. Seeing his friends so worked up despite this simple day made him so happy. He didn't want it to end.
Eponine only smiled at him, giggling as she turned the volume so high. As carefree she was, she did not know someone will be startled at the middle of the night.
"So, basically, that's why you went out of our apartment." James Combferre, one of his roommates, said as he sips his early morning coffee. Staring at his blonde friend made him stifle his laugh. It's too common for him this to be annoyed for so many things, aside from hating the government.
The blonde man just nodded in his annoyance, not wanting to remember the night he went to call out his neighbor.
"Good for you, you're in your night duty in the hospital. But, for real Courf? How can you be so naive?" he said, glaring daggers at his friend.
"Well, I admit that I'm that naive!" he just shrugged. "I guess I'm gifted for not having a good sense of hearing when I'm in my eternal slumber," he joked as Combeferre just stared at his friends bickering.
"Fuck you, Courf." He gave him the finger as he stood up to go to his room. Courf just grinned as he cracked the marble man again, making Combferre shake his head.