I dragged my eyes over the room. This was starting to get depressing. It was New Year’s Eve, I was at a party – but I was bored. Nothing really exciting was happening; sure we had a lot of people over but still. I was in the kitchen looking out into the living room where everyone was.

They seemed to be having oodles of fun. Maybe it was just me – maybe I just need to relax for once. I made my way to the fridge – the real reason I even came in here – and grabbed three cokes out. I then proceeded to squeeze through the crowd to find Dara and Chaerin. Luckily they hadn’t moved from where I’d left them.

“Here.” I said handing them their drinks, they smiled and said thanks at the same time.

“You don’t seem like you’re having a great time Kibum-ah.” Dara whined. I shrugged in response.

“Eh, I guess I’m not in the mood to party.” I said sitting down between the two.

“Awh! That’s no fun!” Chae complained before sipping her drink. I chuckled.

“Go have fun then, I’ll be cool by myself.” They both glared at me and I put my hands up in defense. “Kidding, kidding.” They smiled in unison and proceeded to pull me up from my seat. They shared a knowing look and nodded once. I gave them a confused look. Dara smirked.

“We’ve got an idea.”

---

Before I knew it, the entire party – apart from a few you just wanted to watch – was sitting in a very poorly made circle with +a bottle in the center.

“How was I roped into this again?” I asked or the fifth time since we sat down to anyone that would answer. Dara shuffled over and sat down between me and Amber.

“Because you were bored, and the party was going nowhere anyway.”  She clasped her hands together and smiled widely. “Who’s going first?”

The whole room suddenly became awkward. I looked around with un-amused eyes.

“Seriously people? It’s spin the bottle grow the up.” I said reaching for the bottle. Someone reached it before me though – it was Woohyun. I retracted my hand and sat back down in my seat as I watched him spin it. It twirled a few times before settling, pointing somewhere between Dara and Amber. I covered my mouth to keep from laughing. Dara stiffened and squished closer to me.

“A-Amber. It’s pointing at you.” She stuttered. Amber lowered her gaze to Dara and rolled her eyes. Woohyun hadn’t moved since the bottle stopped spinning. A small giggle left my lips – I quickly clamped my hand over my mouth when I saw the looks directed at me from half the circle.

Amber crawled forward and sat right in front of Woohyun. The whole room was tensely quiet. Amber glanced around the room; once again rolling her eyes. She leaned in and gave a quick peck. Suddenly the room was full of O₂ as everyone breathed out. They both made their way back to their seats as the room melted back into a party atmosphere.

“Okay, who’s next?” Dara said as she detached herself from my side. Everyone looked at each other each encouraging different people to go up with meaningful glances. Three people started to move forward just has a hand shot out and grabbed the bottle. I looked up to see it was Taemin. The other three sat back down, all of them looking relieved. Taemin set the bottle back down in the center and spun it.

It twirled aimlessly a few times over before the top settled in front of Jinki. This time I wasn’t the only one trying to hold in laughter. I looked around the circle to see Minho, Jjong, Dara and Chaerin biting their lips with painful expressions on their faces. I couldn’t hold it in anymore I burst out laughing and soon Dara and Minho followed. Jjong and Chaerin had more control.

Since everyone was staring at us, we managed to calm down. Once we stopped laughing they shifted their gaze to the participants of the next kiss. It kicked in that they were calm. Too calm. My eyes darted around the room to see if anyone else noticed, I noted a few knitted eye brows and confused stares. I coughed under my breath and Taemin looked at me. I gave him a thoughtful glance and he picked up. He started to fidget and somehow forced a blush onto his cheeks.

The fake tension between the two seemed to fool the crowd. Taemin crawled over to Jinki and without hesitation pressed his lips against his. Perhaps for a second too long mind you, but he pulled away before he elevated. Taemin didn’t go back to his seat; he just sat next to Jinki. The whole room seemed to somehow relax. Maybe it’s because half the room thought ‘if baby Taemin can do it, so can I’ but maybe they just needed more than one person to volunteer.

Before long the party mood was back up. Drinks came out and laughs filled the air. The seating arrangements shifted a few time though out the night as people got up for one reason or another and moved somewhere else when they came back.

I somehow ended up sitting next to Jjong and Chaerin and Dara was on the other side of the room. It was Jjong’s turn next; I watched as he reached out for the bottle – not missing the knowing look Dara was sending me. When I looked up properly to meet her gaze she wiggled her eyebrows at me. I lidded my eyes and glared back at her. Her look in her eyes changed into amusement once she say my reaction. I rolled my eyes, focusing back to the spinning bottle. My expression when from dull to wide eyed in a split second as I realized who it had stopped in front of.

I raised my eyes back to meet Dara’s. Her expression was almost a mirror to mine – shock, with hints of fear and panic. She looked away from the bottled to look at me. Her eyes were pleading for forgiveness for what was about to happen. I nodded stiffly at her. I tried to convince myself that I was going to be okay with what was happening. I know it’s just because of the game. They don’t mean it any other way. It’s just a game.

Jjong started to move towards her, and suddenly my hand was wet. It took me a second and a few stares to realize I had crushed my can of coke.

“Oh !” I said standing up. Both Jjong and Dara looked up; he was still about a foot away from her – thank god. Just when Jjong turned back to Dara Minho stepped up behind me clapping to get everyone’s attention. Once again Jjong looked back, this time he gaze was annoyed. I narrowed my eyes. It’s just a game.

“Okay, sorry to break the fun up – but the countdown has started!” everyone murmured as they got up, conversations starting up about who was going to kiss who when he clock struck on midnight.

I was just getting up when hands came down onto my back nearly knocking me back over. I turned in great annoyance to see a freshly-relieved-hyper-and-jumping Dara. I changed my expression into a smile and got up properly.

“That,” she said panting from all her jumping around, “was terrifying.” I shook my head rolling my eyes.

“No really! I don’t want to kiss the dino-jaw. Who would?” she slapped her hand over , I narrowed my eyes. “Well, besides you. Anyway, to be honest I was more worried about you killing me than the actual kiss.”

“I wouldn’t blame you! It’s just a game.” I said in shock. It was her turn to narrow her eyes.

“Yeah, is that what you’ve been chanting in your head this whole time?” I looked to my left, avoiding her eyes.

“Yeah thought so.” I glared at her.

“Oh shut up.” I walked past her, purposely bumping into her on my way. She caught up to me and threw her arm over my shoulder.

“You’re such a when you want to be!” she laughed. As we made our way over into the next room we saw Chae huddled over the coffee table with Bom and Jiyong. We came up behind them, I bent over to poke my head in between Bom and Chae.

“What’d we miss?” they both jumped slightly and looked to see who was talking to them suddenly. I chuckled and straightened again.

“Well, it’s on commercial, and the countdown is supposed to start when they get back.” Bom replied.

“Ah,” was all I said in response. Dara squatted down to talk to the three of them, and I occupied my time by simply people watching and listening in on a few conversations. Most of them consisting of awkward ‘if you don’t get kissed, I’ll kiss you’ types of lines, others of just mindless babble and excitement. I kept lazily looking around until I noticed some people missing – two people to be exact.

“Hey where’s Jinki and Tae?” I asked searching more diligently now.

“Uhh… They went into the kitchen last time I checked.” Jiyong answered back, slightly looking my way. I nodded at him.

“Thanks.” I muttered before striding off towards the kitchen.

I stood in the door way without saying a word. Just as I thought – the two of them were there making out. Jinki’s back was facing me as he pressed Taemin up against the counter. Taemin's hands where constantly moving as he switched from gripping Jinki’s hair or holding onto the counter for balance. I let this go on for about a minute more before huffing a sigh of annoyance. The two noticed my presence and jumped apart in panic before realizing it was me.

“Oh, it’s just you.” Taemin said holding onto his chest as he tried to calm his breath. I rolled my eyes at him.

“Oh, yeah. Just me.” I said before walking up to them.

“You two need to be more careful if you guys don’t want anyone to find out.” I hissed.

“At least we moved to a different room.” Jinki retorted.

“Well, the kitchen isn’t the best place to move to. Anyone could walk in any moment and catch you guys!”

“Catch them doing what? Making out again?” I my heels to see Jjong standing in the doorway with a smirk on his face. “Kibum, if anyone is going to give them away, it’s you and your loud- mouth.”

“Shut up Jjong. No one asked you.” I heard Jinki and Taemin giggled behind, I glared at them over my shoulder. “You two too!” they bit their lip and tried to compose their faces as I turned back to Jjong.

“Okay, all three of you out – the countdown is just about to start.” And with that he turned back out of the room. We followed after briskly. Tae and Jinki went off to find Minho and Minji, and I went back to Dara.

“Where were they?” she whispered out of the corner of .

“Kitchen. Making out, of course.” I replied in the same manner. She laughed out loud bending over holding her sides before snapping back up with a completely un-amused face.

“No shock there,” it was my turn to laugh. Suddenly I felt an arm wrap around my waist. I turned away from Dara to see Jjong standing there looking at the TV.

“Can I help you?”

“Nope. Just thought I should be over here incase Dara wanted to give me that kiss.” He winked at me.

“Then go stand next to her.” I crossed my arms and looked at the TV. T-minus twenty seconds. “It’s almost time.” I said to no one in particular.

“No chance Jjong.” Dara said sitting down next to Jiyong. She looked back up to stick her tongue out at him. I turned and did the same. He leaned in snapping his teeth nearly catching my tongue – luckily I pulled in back in time.

“Don’t do that, it’s tempting.” He teased. I glared at him. He arm was still around my waist, so I used the position to my advantage and leaned on his shoulder. His grp tightend as the final ten seconds of the year passed by.

“Ten! Nine! Eight! Seven! Six! Fix! Four! Three! Two! ONE! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!” People were jumping and screaming and cheering, while other were preoccupied by kissing someone. I looked to see Taemin and Jinki in a passionate lip-lock.

“Subtle.” I muttered before turning back to see Jiyong and Chae in a lip lock as well. I was having a hard time finding a place to look without seeing someone kissing. I settled back on the TV.

“Oh no fair! I didn’t get a kiss!” Jjong said, stamping his foot, releasing my waist.

“ it up, I didn’t get one either.” Dara said moving over to us.

“Still! Somebody kiss me! Come on! It’s Midnight! I want a kiss! Come on!” I cut him off.

“Oh for the love of Pete!” I grabbed his face between my hands and smashed my lips onto his. As much as I wanted it to go on forever, I pulled away after about eight seconds. “Happy?!” I yelled as soon as I pulled away. Dara burst into laughter, Jjong just stared at me.

“Happy.” was all he said. I looked away from him quickly feeling a blush creep onto my cheeks. Dara was gone by the time I looked over to find her. I felt Jjong’s hand on my waist again as he pulled me against his chest.

“Hey” he said softly, “Want to kiss me again?” he was whispering right into my ear now. I gulped.

“Uh,” stumbled with my words, “Y-yeah.” I finally got out. He turned my around and our lips connected again. I found myself clinging to him as our kiss deepened. I twined my fingers into his hair as he pulled me closer. After awhile, we had to break for air.

“Uhm…” I said, my arms still around his neck, his hands still on my waist. We both stared at each other – unsure what to do next, or what to say.

“Oh, quick the fake tension and make out again.” Minho said as he passed by us. We both turned out heads to look at him, then back at each other. I blushed feverously and Jjong smiled.

“Good idea.” He said happily and pressed his lips against mine once again.