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"I want to experience a real prom," said Donghyuck.
Jeno and Donghyuck sat at the park close to the river, drinking a can of beer. It was one of those midnights where they both decided to stay outdoors at an area was that was quiet, and the only people they would see ephemerally were those who were rushing to get home.
They had blankets laid out on the grass as they leaned on each other side by side, looking at the lights that illuminated the bridge. The stars were clear up in the midnight blue sky and the summer air was cold as it kept them cozy outdoors. Memories of when they were kids came flashing back – the time when they still had a bit of obscurity and the only people who knew them were the viewers of their Disney Channel kids show and those who followed their company's teasers. Even then, they still had the freedom to do what they want and go out in broad daylight.
Now, it was different.
They weren't able to finish their schooling the way normal teenagers would, and they had to wear disguises all the time if they wanted to go out in broad daylight. Although they were grateful for the experience, there were times when they'd mention the "what ifs." They would oftentimes talk about what it would be like to do what normal kids would outside of the spotlight, how they wish it would be possible to keep their dream but also manage a normal life.
"You watched way too many high school romcoms."Jeno replied, taking the last sip from his can before keeping it in the paper bag where they stashed their garbage."Plus, I don't think proms are like the ones shown in movies anyways. I'm pretty sure it's just boring and uneventful, like any other school activity."
It took a while for Donghyuck to reply before letting out a sigh, "You're such a killjoy. Of course, prom would be fun if you went with the people you like, you know?"
Jeno gave him a small smile before slipping his hand in Donghyuck's and locking their fingers. He did it to appease the pout formed on Donghyuck's lips — it gave him butterflies and he'd take a picture of it if it wasn't for their no-phones-during-alone-time policy. It was something they made up when they made it a habit to spend time alone together at least thrice a year, outside of their usual group setting and friendship circle. They agreed to only have their watches with them and a curfew of 2 am.
Donghyuck and Jeno had this unsaid bond, something they didn't label because they were too afraid of the change it would bring. Their friends would point it out every now and then, how Jeno would treat Donghyuck differently, how Donghyuck would mention Jeno a lot more when they weren't together, and how if they were together, it was like they were in their own little world.
But at the same time, Jeno knew that it wasn't him that Donghyuck really, truly wanted. It was his best friend, Mark. The revelation came to him when Donghyuck admitted he liked boys more in one of their night outs together. When he asked how Donghyuck came to establish his sexuality, he admitted it was because he felt a bit different around Mark, like he felt more at peace when they were together and never really liked girls romantically.
However, tonight wasn't that night where he would mull over HIS very own unrequited love for the boy that was beside him. This moment was his to selfishly keep.
"So if you were to go to a prom, what would it be like?" Jeno asked.
A cheeky smile formed on Donghyuck's lips and he began narrating the whole scenery, which was probably inspired by 80's movies Mark had introduced him to.
"I want it to have a theme. The lights would be dim," he hit Jeno in the stomach when he mentioned, duh before he continued.
"I want it to play 80's dance songs or like indie-pop songs. It would be cool to dress up too and have spiked punch… oh and a disco ball!"
Donghyuck's enthusiasm was infectious. It made Jeno want to plan out everything there and then just to see how happy it would make him.
"I also want to slow dance at the end, too," Donghyuck added.
"Slow dance with Mark?" Jeno teased, half-heartedly.
To which he gained a glare from the younger. But in the end, Donghyuck gave in to it and merely replied with, "Yeah, whatever."
"What song do you want to slow dance to?" Jeno asked further.
Before Donghyuck could give his reply, the watch on Jeno's wrist rang to signal it was time for them to go back to the dorm. They began keeping their belongings with Jeno's question left unanswered.
As they walked on their way back to the dorm, Donghyuck sidestepped towards Jeno and bumped him his arm playfully, "Will You Still Love Me by Chicago. That's the song I want to slow dance to."
Jeno blushed.
It was they both agreed would be perfect for the last dance at a wedding or the background music they would use as they decide to run away from their schedule to go on a cross country trip in the US (which of course, didn't happen but they both laughed at the thought of it).
"So predictable," Jeno said.
"Hey! I could have picked Glory of Love, you know? On second thought that would be the slow song playing before Will You Still Love Me," Donghyuck replied.
"Whatever you say, Daniel-san"
Doyoung was being fishy.
Not only did he treat Donghyuck to dinner before practice, but he also offered to treat him to ice cream. Although he agreed to every single temptation, he still couldn't help but think the latter was trying to prevent him from going to the dance studio.
"Hyung, my birthday's tomorrow," perhaps his hyungs had a surprise for him. And true enough, it would make great content for their group's channel, he found it weird how there wasn't a camera set up yet to film his part of the video. Maybe they would meet the staff once they got to the ice cream parlor.
"Yeah, I know," Doyoung replied. "That's why I'm treating you."
His hyung's answer still didn't shake away his suspicion. There was more to this day than meets the eye. But then, he was being treated well before any of their schemes, so he might as well go along with it and see what happens.
Doyoung received a phone call while they were in the car with their manager. His replies were all so cryptic, and he couldn't help but wonder if they were from the other members of NCT 127 or Dream who were off somewhere preparing his surprise.
"Alright, how about we get ice cream after practice since Jeno just called me to say your teacher arrived," said Doyoung.
Oh, so it's Dream that's filming his surprise party.
Donghyuck simply nodded, and despite himself, felt excited to see what they had planned for his birthday video surprise.
As he and Doyoung were walking toward the dance studio, he could hear the booming sound of the stereo playing old school dance music echoing through the halls. There were no video cameras or staff members greeting him for the surprise video, which was strange.
Instead, he was greeted by his make up artist who pulled him away from Doyoung and into one of their dressing rooms, "Hey Donghyuckie, I got a special request from your Dream members to prepare you for prom."
"Prom?" Donghyuck retorted. "What prom? It's my birthday!"
"Oh, you'll know once I'm finished with you," she said.
"Hey Jeno, are you sure I'm his last dance?" Mark asked, for the nth time.
Jeno already oriented him 3 times. Donghyuck was going to come in; Renjun would boogie with him to Footloose; next, Johnny was going to take him for that Rick Astley song that annoyed him but would probably make him laugh and dance because he was with Johnny, and lastly, Mark was going to slow dance with him because Jeno has always known that even if there was something between him and Donghyuck, Mark was always first. He was always Donghyuck's safe place, something Jeno can never be.
"Yes, hyung. You'll be his last dance once the Karate Kid 2 soundtrack comes in," Jeno replied. "And make sure to have him once the next song to that ends. I want him to have his moment."
"Are you sure about this?" Mark asked. "I think you should have his last dance. You prepared all this for him. And it's high time you guys talked about your feelings. We're tired of you both just dodging the labels and talking about it when we all know there's something there."
"I don't want to assume there's anything there, hyung," Jeno said. "Just dance with your best friend, alright? Give him a prom he won't forget."
He didn't want to go on arguing with Mark before Donghyuck arrived, so he decided to go to the DJ booth where one of their staff members was and ran through the playlist again.
This was going to be the prom that Donghyuck always dreamed of. And if it was the perfect moment for him to confess his feelings for his best friend, so be it. He was going to make it the happiest birthday Donghyuck's ever had.
This was definitely Jeno's plan.
The songs, the setup, and the whole theme of the party. It was all he had narrated when he and Jeno were out the last time they were together. He even got a disco ball to hang on the ceiling as people moved their bodies to the beat of the sound. The first person to approach him was Renjun who wore a simple long-sleeved shirt and a tie as opposed to a black suit.
"Well, hello there captain of the drama club," Donghyuck rolled his eyes at Renjun's introduction. So they were also incorporating high school tropes now, huh. Well-played, Lee Jeno. "Would you like to have this dance?" Renjun offered his hand out to Donghyuck to which the younger complied.
Renjun led him to the center of the dance floor where there were trainees and members of NCT alike that grooved to the beat of the music. There was laughter and fun as Donghyuck and Renjun moved in total disarray, unmindful of the beat but rather in the moment.
"So what high school trope are you supposed to be, Renjunie?" Donghyuck asked.
"I'm the kid from the astronomy club pissing his pants because he finally got a dance with his crush," both of them burst out into a fit of laughter, apologizing at the people they'd accidentally bumped into but couldn't control their laughter.
Johnny was next.
And the look on Donghyuck's face was a mixture of amusement and annoyance. He remembered those days when he and Jeno were going through Youtube, trying to watch videos, only to be bamboozled into listening to, "Never Gonna Give You Up." From that day on, he swore he was never going to listen to this song ever again.
Until now.
"Come on, Donghyuck-ah, dance with me," and of course Johnny knew all the lyrics to the song.
In the end, he decided not to spoil the fun and joined Johnny in dancing and singing to the tune. He only knew until the chorus, but it didn't stop him from singing incomprehensibly for the heck of it. Both he and Johnny were the center of attention with guests laughing at how both of them were simply just having fun.
And Donghyuck didn't want to admit it but the song was starting to grow on him.
After a couple more dance battles with Johnny (with Chenle, Jisung, and Taeil joining in on the fun), a slower and more romantic tune started playing.
It was the love song he had wanted to Jeno to play for the finale of the dance.
He'd expected Jeno to come in after Donghyuck spotted him dancing with Renjun, but instead, Mark was the one that approached him.
"Hey! Can I have this dance?" Mark asked.
Donghyuck didn't want to look disappointed. After all, this was his best friend. He decided to simply bite back his disappointment and slow danced with Mark.
"Jeno asked if I could be the last dance," Mark confessed.
"I knew he'd do this," Donghyuck sighed.
"I think he still thinks you like me," Mark said, as they swayed past Jaemin and Renjun who seemed like they were also in their little world. At the far end of the room was Jeno who was sipping at his red solo cup looking at Donghyuck's direction. The boy gave Donghyuck a forced smile and a thumbs up before looking at his phone as if to look busy.
Donghyuck's heart sank.
He really is an idiot.
"How about we finish this song because I actually love this song, and we watched Karate Kid together. And then, you go confront your stupid admirer," Mark proposed to which Donghyuck nodded.
"Agreed."
It was the last song of the night and some of their guests were already leaving as it was getting very late. Jeno checked his watch, seeing that it was almost 2 am, he got up and started moving to clean so that it was set later when he'd clean. The staff had told him that since he was the one who planned this, he also had to clean up first thing in the morning. Luckily, some of his hyungs and his members from Dream promised they would help him out, so they could finish faster.
"Hey,"
“Take me as I am
Put your hand in mine
Now and forever”
"This is our song," Donghyuck told him.
“Darling here I stand
Stand before you now
Deep inside I always knew”
Jeno was at a loss for words.
“It was you
You and me
Two hearts drawn together
Bound by destiny”
"But Mark hyung," he said.
Donghyuck swiped the garbage bag he held and set it aside to pull Jeno to the dance floor. "Not without dancing with you, idiot. It's a lot more fun when you're with the person you like."
Jeno couldn't help but smile. "Am I the person you like?"
Donghyuck didn't answer. Instead, he asked, "Jeno, I have one last birthday wish."
"What is it?"
He pecked Jeno on the cheek. "You'd let that slip for once."
Jeno stood wide eyed, pursing his lips before burying his face against Donghyuck's shoulder in embarrassment. "You're an idiot."
"Hey Jeno," their bodies pressed close as they swayed to the music. "Thank you."
"Happy Birthday, Donghyuck-ah"