From A Producer To A Global Superstar

The party was already in full swing by the time Dayo settled in. Music filled the living room, lights were dim but warm, and people he cared about were scattered everywhere — laughing, talking, dancing, eating, recording videos, teasing each other.

For a moment, he just stood still in the center of it all, watching everyone.

It hit him harder than expected.

Five years.

He had been in this world for almost five years now.

Five years of working, grinding, building, fighting, improving… five years of trying to be useful, trying to make a name for himself, trying to be someone worth respecting.

And somehow, in the middle of all that, he forgot something simple — that people could plan something for him too.

That people cared enough to surprise him.

He swallowed slowly.

It wasn't sadness.

It wasn't shock.

It was… gratitude. Pure gratitude.

People always saw him as the guy who gave, who supported others, who uplifted everyone around him. He rarely got anything back. Not because they didn't want to — but because Dayo rarely slowed down enough to let people do something for him.

Tonight was different.

Tonight, the love was pointed at him.

He exhaled and smiled.

Alice brushed past him with a plate.

Valery danced barefoot on the rug.

Wayne held a camera, streaming.

Even his coach Richard was there, wearing a sweater instead of his training gear.

Timon was leaning on the balcony railing, waving at the stream chat.

The younger artists he signed — Jayron, Mimi, Calix — were shouting somewhere in the background.

Every corner of the room felt alive.

Dayo sat on the arm of the couch, finally letting the "shock" settle. He watched the people he had helped in different ways enjoy themselves like everything was normal. No pressure. No training. No nonsense. Just peace.

Timon walked toward him with a bottle of soda and a grin.

"Bro," he said, raising it slightly. "Happy birthday."

Dayo smiled. "Thanks, man. And thanks for coming."

"Come on, don't make it sound formal," Timon laughed as he sat beside him. "You've done too much for me already. Me showing up is the bare minimum."

Dayo shook his head lightly. "Still… I appreciate it."

Timon leaned back, scanning the room.

"By the way, I wanted to tell you before — the audience is asking for more content. Your numbers are crazy right now. Even with everything happening online… it's like your presence doubled overnight."

"Really?" Dayo raised a brow.

"Really," Timon nodded. "Your swimming clips, your behind-the-scenes videos, even old music content — everything is blowing up. They want more. And honestly, I think we should plan something big sometime this week."

Dayo nodded slowly. "Alright. Let's talk tomorrow."

"For sure," Timon said. "But for now… enjoy. No work talk."

Dayo laughed. "Fair."

While they spoke, the doorbell rang.

Everyone paused for a split second before going back to whatever they were doing.

It wasn't unusual — people were still arriving.

Jennifer, Dayo's younger sister, jogged toward the door.

"I'll get it!" she said.

She pulled it open—

And screamed.

A sharp, surprised scream — not of fear, but shock.

"OH MY GOD!"

Dayo immediately stood up, confused.

Jennifer turned toward him with eyes wide before stepping aside.

When Dayo reached the doorway, his breath caught slightly.

Luna stood there.

The one person he didn't expect tonight.

The one he honestly believed would never show up to something like this.

She looked the same — soft, composed, beautiful — but there was something extra tonight. Something unfamiliar in her expression. Maybe nerves. Maybe surprise. Maybe both.

They both froze for a second.

"…Luna?" Dayo finally said.

She gave a small smile. "Yeah. Hi."

He blinked. "You… came."

"I wasn't planning to, honestly," she said gently. "But… you sent me gifts every year. Even after everything. It didn't feel right not to give you something back. So I just… decided to come."

She lifted a small, neatly wrapped gift in her hand.

"And I didn't know you were having a party," she added quickly. "I honestly thought it would be just you at home."

Dayo shook his head lightly, still processing. "No, it's fine. It's just… unexpected. But you can come in."

She nodded and stepped inside.

Some people stared quietly — not judging, just curious.

Alice, from across the room, paused for a second before resuming her conversation.

Dayo led Luna into the living room.

The music softened as more people noticed her entrance.

He guided her to an open space near the couch.

"Um… do you want a drink?" he asked.

"Water is fine."

He handed her a bottle from the cooler and they stood for a moment.

"So…" Luna said softly, "happy birthday, Dayo."

"Thank you."

Then she offered him the gift.

He took it carefully, and their hands brushed for a split second.

It was brief, barely a second, but he felt it.

And she did too — he could see it in her eyes.

"I hope you like it," she said.

"I'm sure I will."

Dayo didn't linger after that as a few people came to talk to Luna. He went back to the party and danced with his brother and parents.

Before long, it was getting late, the sky was darkening, and people started leaving.

Alice walked up to him, smiling.

"I'm heading out," she told Dayo, pulling him into a gentle hug.

"Oh— alright. Thanks for coming."

She kissed him lightly on the cheek.

It wasn't romantic — but it was intimate enough.

"See you tomorrow," she whispered.

Alice stepped back, gave him a small wink, and said, "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," Dayo replied.

He felt someone's eyes on him.

He didn't even need to turn; he already knew it was Luna.

He ignolingered.

He'd be a liar to say he didn't feel like a jerk a bit. Even though he and Luna broke up because of Alice, it was for the best, and if they didn't break up, Dayo would've cheated, which he didn't want to.

That was why, when she came for a breakup, he didn't argue much. He knew the kind of person he was, and he had already told Luna before they started that he was a player, and she still went ahead. He felt guilty. That was one of the reasons he sent gifts to her every year, even after the break.

Still, the words lingered.

As the night went on, Dayo talked to a few more people, laughed, danced, and enjoyed the moment. He escorted several guests to the door as the party slowly quieted down.

When he returned, Luna was sitting alone on the couch, twisting the bottle cap slowly between her fingers.

Dayo walked toward her.

"…Hey," he said softly.

She looked up.

"Hey."

And that's where the moment truly started.