It was snowing on New Year’s Eve this year. It started off as a small flurry in the morning but had progressed to fat, gently falling flakes by the afternoon. Sehun and I spent the day on a date in our favorite coffee shop, and later at his place, getting ready for the party that night following a trip for me to the hair salon.

“What kind of dress are you wearing?” Sara asked, eyeing me carefully. 

I changed into the dress and did a spin for her. The dress that I was planning on wearing was a strapless red number that was tight on the top and loose at the bottom. It cut off halfway down my thigh and I had purchased it just for this event.  

“Oh my god, Sehun is going to love you in this,” Sara giggled, clapping her hands together. “That dress would look amazing with your hair in loose curls.”

I sat back and let her do as she wanted, curling my hair into perfect waves that fell gently over my shoulders. I let her do my makeup, lathering on heavy mascara and winged eyeliner. When she finished, she spun my chair around and presented me proudly to the mirror in front of me. As usual, she had done magic. 

“I don’t know how you do it, Sara,” I said, shaking my head. 

She laughed, helping me slip the gold bangles onto my wrist. “I am the best, after all,” she agreed. Then, she gave me a more serious look. “You know, Kai asks about you every time he comes here,” she said. “He always tries to request for me to do his hair, because he knows that I talk with you the most.”

My heart gave a feeble clench, as it always did when I thought about Jongin. “Oh? What does he ask?”

“He just...wants to know how you are. How you and Sehun are.”

“And what do you tell him?”

“To mind his own goddamn business because he has no right to ask about your life,” she answered triumphantly. 

I couldn’t help but laugh and give Sara a big hug. 

“You know, I claim some responsibility for your currently love life; I was the one who said Sehun was your boyfriend first, after all. Who knows where you two might be without my careless comment. You two were always so cute together from the start, so I support it completely.” She paused for a second, then shrugged. “Kai can off for breaking your heart.”   

I picked Sehun up from the garage, parking my car inside and hurrying up to the second floor. Tao opened the door when I rang the doorbell.

“Who is it?” Kyungsoo asked, coming up behind him.

Tao just let out a low whistle. 

Kyungsoo rolled his eyes, and then gave Tao a kick to the shins that had him doubling over in pain. I was reminded, yet again, to never make Kyungsoo angry. 

“Sehun-ah, your girlfriend is here all dolled up, so you better be ready too,” he called over his shoulder. Then he shoved Tao aside and waved for me to get in. I found Kris and Sehun sitting at the kitchen table, with Kris fussing over Sehun’s slightly crooked bowtie. 

“Hyung, yah, let me go,” Sehun groaned, batting his hands away. 

They both stood up when I entered. Sehun’s eyes widened as he took me in and he smiled, blushing slightly. “Nana, you look amazing,” he breathed, enveloping me in a hug and dropping a soft kiss on my cheek. 

“You don’t look so bad yourself,” I teased, holding him at arms length and eyeing his sleek black suit. Sehun’s hair was a sandy blond color that hung over his eyes in the perfect way.   

Kyungsoo pretended to throw up, making retching sounds from the doorway. 
 
“Can I get a picture before you guys leave?” Kris asked, already posed with his phone in midair. “I feel like I’m sending my kids to prom or something.”

“Hyung is so embarrassing,” Sehun muttered in a staged whisper. Nevertheless, he indulged Kris, putting an arm around my waist and pulling me closer. 

“Sehun, you need to smile,” Kyungsoo said, moving to stand behind Kris. “Stop doing your smoldering glare and smile for once. Look how nice Naeun’s smile is.”

He turned to look at me and I gave him my most dazzling smile. Sehun shook his head, pouting at me.

“No way,” he groaned, turning back to glare at Kris. “Put the camera down, Hyung. No more pictures.”

About 20 minutes later, Kris was finally convinced that he had enough pictures. Sehun could not escape the apartment fast enough. 

“That was the most painful half hour of my life,” Sehun grumbled even as he settled himself behind the wheel of my car. I usually just let him drive since he loved my car as much as I did. “I hope Kris hyung gets a girlfriend soon so I can embarrass him in front of her every chance I get.” 

“I thought it was kind of cute,” I replied with a laugh. 

Sehun rolled his eyes. We parked the car in the underground garage along with the rest of the guests, but had to enter the building through the front door because the garage entrance had been blocked off for the night. To Sehun’s surprise, there were paparazzi out on the sidewalk, waiting in front of the building. 

“What are they doing?” Sehun leaned down to whisper into my ear.

“My parents know a lot of rich and important people,” I replied, shrugging. “Just keep walking and ignore the cameras. The media isn’t allowed into the building so they’re all out here.”