Jeonghan had been hidden away in the bedroom doing the phone interviews for hours with Jisoo closely supervising. Somehow Seungcheol had been designated the unofficial party planner as crates of cold champagne and beer arrived, a caterer turned up and began making plates of food in the kitchen, and finally Jisoo emerged to oversee the preparations. “A spur of the moment party?” Seungcheol said as he picked at a plate of fruit that had appeared in the kitchen and Jisoo shrugged. “He can’t really go out so why not? You should have learned by now that what Jeonghan wants Jeonghan gets.” Jisoo grabbed his car keys and headed for the door. “Keep an eye on him until I get back.”

Seungcheol chewed a grape while he pondered the truth of that statement. He didn’t see Jeonghan getting what he wanted. He saw a fragile man pushed and pulled into mostly doing what others thought he should do. He saw a grown man who’d never had the chance to enjoy his money or make a life outside his work or make the kind of connections with people that were normal and healthy. He decided he agreed with Jisoo. Jeonghan deserved to have a party.

Seungcheol wandered outside after he checked the caterer’s clearances and identifications. He wandered the fence line again and saw no obvious problems. The front of the mansion was open to the street but the back yard was secure with a fence that was easily ten feet high and made from solid colourbond steel. He went back inside to check on Jeonghan and found him, fresh from a shower, being blow dried and styled and freshly made up.

“Are you excited for the party?” Jeonghan’s eyes sparkled under the many hands working him back into idol style. The hairstylist was working his hair into messy curls and Minghao was in the corner choosing something for him to wear. “This?” he held up a thin, almost sheer, white tshirt with a low vneck and Jeonghan smiled. “Okay!” he said brightly as Minghao began to toss an assortment of jeans onto the bed for him to choose from. Seungcheol was not excited for a party but he smiled and nodded anyway. He didn’t want Jeonghan to know how stressed he was.

When Jisoo arrived back with the kitten and a huge brown box Seungcheol recruited him immediately. “I need you to help me. We have to stand at the front door and let everyone in. I need you because I don’t know these people. Once everyone invited is inside I can secure the front of the house and we can all relax knowing Jeonghan is safe. Okay?” Jisoo nodded. “Okay. The only people invited are Jihoon, Soonyoung and his new boyfriend, and Monsta X.” Seungcheol frowned. “Monsta X as in the group?” Jisoo nodded. “Yeah they’re Jeonghan’s friends. They debuted at the same time. They’re hard work but they’re his only friends outside us. His staff.”

“What’s in the box?” Seungcheol asked as he opened the cat cage and got the kitten out. “Pool floaties.” Jisoo opened the box and got out a pump and began inflating an enormous unicorn.

As soon as the sun dropped the lights came on. Seungcheol stood at the door with Jisoo and let in Jihoon, who arrived by himself and was swallowed up inside a huge hoodie, and Seungcheol guess