The room was fairly dim, only lit by colored Christmas lights that no one had bothered to take down after last week's Christmas party. A lopsided banner hanging up on one side of the room read "Happy New Year!" to remind you why you had come to this party in the first place, since with the blaring music and the milling partygoers in a refreshing variety of either Drunk or Completely Plastered, you kept seeming to forget.
     You were almost tempted to drink some of the spiked punch that seemed to the the hit accesory of the night, complete with red plastic cup. After all, maybe you'd be having as much fun as everyone else seemed to be having. You raised the cup to your nose and sniffed the fruity concoction, wrinkling your nose and setting it back down without bothering to take a sip. You knew that the only reason your friend had bothered to drag you along was as the Designated Driver. She knew you didn't really like rowdy people or loud music, but she also wanted to get Completely Plastered and she didn't want to have to hail a taxi in the freezing snow. She'd promised to make it up to you, and now you were wondering how she would manage that. 
    A particularly amorous couple didn't seem to feel the limitations that usually come with being in an area containing other people. Perhaps the alcohol had liberated them from the tethers of "boundaries". Whatever the cause, you didn't love being a spectator to their sudden inability to keep their hands to themselves, or the sickening murmurs that apparently no volume of Top 40's Hits could drown out. Edging carefully around them, you moved unobtrusively toward the stairs to seek out a quieter spot where you could possibly hear your own thoughts. 
    Narrowly dodging a swing of Sehun's arm as he gestured dramatically, too immersed in a lively conversation with with Tao on the staircase to notice you trying to move past him, you finally made it upstairs which was, to your immense relief, quieter. You wandered down the hallway until you noticed a door hanging open, and you peered cautiously inside. Thankfully, despite the suspicions in the back of your mind, you had not intruded on some indecent scene. It appeared to be some sort of rec room, so you stepped inside to get a better look. There was a television with a couch across from it and a few beanbag chairs, and the walls that weren't covered with shelves of comic books, anime, and video games, were decorated with an assortment of posters (including a quite large one of just Chanyeol's face). 
    Your friend Baekhyun was sitting in one of the beanbag chairs, video game controller in hand, playing some fighting game that lit up the television screen with flashes of red and emitted screeches from the foes that Player One conquered effortlessly. You took another step, the floorboards suddenly letting out a loud creak, and Baekhyun's head shot up to look at you. Suddenly, there was a loud explosion effect and the whole screen was a blaze of fire. Baekhyun's head whipped around again, and he frantically pressed a few buttons, but it was too late. "Game Over" flashed across the screen in harsh, black letters.
    "Uh, sorry, I'll just-" you began backing out of the room, but he interrupted you.
    "No, it's all right. I was getting tired of this game anyway. You can stay if you want."
    "Okay," you agreed readily, not really wanting to return to the drunken chaos downstairs. Moving over toward the shelves, you perused the video game titles before one leapt out at you. "Oh my god. You have Mario Kart Grand Prix?" You snatched the case off the shelf. "I haven't played this in forever!"
    Baekhyun laughed. "Yeah. Do you want to play with me?"
    "Really? Aren't you playing your own game on there right now?" 
    "No, no, I'm tired of this game," Baekhyun said quickly. "Let's play Mario Kart! I haven't played it in a while either."
    "Okay!" Without further hesitation, you tossed the case to Baekhyun so he could set it up, sinking comfortably onto the couch. Maybe it wasn't so bad that you'd come to this party after all. "Why aren't you downstairs at the party?"
    "I've been trying to beat Chen's high score for weeks. I thought I'd take advantage of him being gone at the party, but I still can't beat him. I think he's messing with me somehow."
    After setting up the game, Baekhyun handed you one of the controllers and joined you on the couch. "I'll be Yoshi," he announced, choosing his character from the selection screen. 
    You giggled as you selected Peach as your character. "You're going to be the squibbly-faced dinosaur?"
    "He's not squibbly-faced," Baekhyun protested. "And he's the best character! He steers better." 
    "Oh, he does not," you scoffed. "They all steer the same."
    "They don't! Yoshi steers better. He just does."
    "Suuure he does."
    "I don't appreciate your sarcasm." Baekhyun pouted.
    You pretended to cry, drawing dramatic tears over your face with your fingers, and he snickered. "Just press 'Start' already."
    Obliging, you pressed 'Start' and the two of you awaited the countdown. 3... 2... 1... GO! You began to drive, and watched as Baekhyun zoomed ahead of you. "Hey, no fair! How did you do that?" 
    "Hmm, it's been so long since I've played, I don't remember!" teased Baekhyun wickedly, giggling and dodging as you tried to hit him and steer at the same time. FInally, you gave up and tried to concentrate on steering. Suddenly remembering something from when you used to play, you turned your little kart and headed off the path.
    "See, I told you Yoshi's steering- Hey, how'd you do that?" Baekhyun cut himself off as your character was suddenly ahead of him on the track.
    "Secret tunnel." You stuck out your tongue at him.
    "Oh, I see, so we're playing dirty are we?" 
    "I'm not playing dirty," you argued indignantly. "The tunnels were put there on purpose so we could use them!"
    "Yeah. You know what else they put there so we can use them?"
    "What?" 
    "First-place seekers!" crowed Baekhyun triumphantly.
    "No!" You gasped, staring at his screen. There it was indeed, that blasted blue turtle shell from hell, and Baekhyun's fingers were poised to release it at any moment.
    An evil grin spread across Baekhyun's face, and he pressed the button. "Oh, yes."
    You watched in shock as that pitiless, periwinkle projectile of crushed dreams headed straight toward the unwary princess and blew her kart sky-high. Yoshi zoomed heartlessly by, not sparing a glance at the wreckage being towed away by a tiny cloud, and crossed the finish line unopposed. Baekhyun smiled innocently as you glared at the screen, until you finally found your words. "I demand a rematch!" 
    Baekhyun willingly obliged, and the two of you played the same stage again. This time, you recalled how to get a speed burst at the beginning of the game by syncing up your pressing of the "gas pedal" with the "GO!" and stole the beginning advantage from Baekhyun. The two of you chased along down every shortcut there was, but in the end of the third lap you had a big lead. The win was sure to be yours.
    "Guess what I have." Baekhyun's voice sounded over the mesmerizing music that made the video game more addicting.
    "What?" you asked, not breaking your focus. He wouldn't distract you that easily.
    "Guess," he pressed, and something in his voice made your eyes dart to the corner of his player screen.
    No. Not again. That ignoble, indigo, insult to ambition of a missile was there, ready to tear down the glory of your rightfully deserved win. Speaking quickly, hoping to delay his fire, you asked him in a feigned whine, "How do you always get those and never me? It isn't fair."
    Taking the bait, Baekhyun smiled smugly. "Because the universe knows that I am the superior Mario Kart player and wishes to aid me in my noble quest to destroy you in this game."
    "If you're the superior Mario Kart player, then how come the universe has to help you win?" you challenged, continuing with your diversion as you carried out your plan. 
    "The universe is worried that I'll take pity on the poor princess who couldn't beat me if I had both hands tied behind my back." Baekhyun winked at you, and you quickly turned to face the screen before you got distracted by his dastardly charm.
    "Is there a risk of that happening?"
    "Maybe. I have a weak spot for pretty girls."
    You didn't dare look at him now. "Then why didn't you let me win?"
    "I wouldn't dare be so rude as to reject a gift from the universe." Baekhyun snickered, and shot the missile. 
    A second later, it turned around and blew up his kart.
    For a moment, Baekhyun was dumbstruck. Then he looked at you. "What just happened?" 
    You cackled as you zoomed past the finish line. "Victory!"
    Baekhyun groaned in disbelief and put down his controller. "But how? I never passed you! You were in first place."
    "I WAS in first place. Then I went backwards through a shortcut and let you get ahead of me."
    Baekhyun's mouth was hanging open at your ingenious tactic, and you teasingly reached out and put your finger under his chin, shutting it for him. 
    He looked at you for a moment, and his eyes seemed darker than usual and you gulped, but then he just grinned. "Let's play another round."
    The two of you continued playing Mario Kart, no longer holding back as you both got intensely into the game, each determined to be the champion. Toward the end both of you were fighting dirty, throwing couch pillows at each other to steal the game. You were about to win for the third time in a row, and Baekhyun was not willing to accept defeat. When he ran out of pillows, he reached over and started pressing buttons on your controller. 
    "Cheater!" You protested as you tried to move the controller out of his reach, but he pulled it out of your hands before you succeeded and laughed as he started driving your character backwards. 
    With this unacceptable turn of events, you gave up any last shred of dignity you had and basically tackled him. 
    Yelping in surprise, Baekhyun struggled as you stretched out to grab your controller from his hands, managing to keep it out of your grasp with his long arms. 
    "Give it back," you grunted, pulling uselessly at his arm. "Give it back or I'll bite you."
    Suddenly, Baekhyun rolled over so he was on top of you and whispered in your ear, "Promise?" 
    Your eyes widened and you stared up at his smirking face, ears reddening.
    Baekhyun snickered and got off of you, poking you in the side. "I win."
    "Wh-what?" You stammered, still flustered at his sudden change, and he pointed to the television screen. Baekhyun had somehow won the game.
    "Ugh, you massive dirty cheater!" You threw pillow after pillow at him, and he dived to the floor to dodge your upholstered assault, choosing to stay there as he laughed until he was gasping for breath. 
    Baekhyun returned to his seat next to you on the couch for the next game, despite the threatening look you shot him. As the two of you played, you were relentless. You shot missile after missile, dropped banana peel after banana peel, and yet somehow he was still in the lead. As you aimed another turtle shell at him, you heard chanting from downstairs, "Ten... Nine... " and you realized it was almost midnight, almost the New Year. 
    "Eight... Seven... Six... " 
    You had an idea. Shooting the shell, you knocked him off the course and gained the lead.
    "Yeah, that'll last," teased Baekhyun with another devilish smirk. He was already gaining on you.
    "Five... Four..." 
    You leaned over. "Wanna hear a secret?" 
    "Three... Two..."
    Baekhyun leaned toward you without turning his head, his eyes locked on the screen. "What?"
    "ONE!" 
    As everyone downstairs cheered, you quickly kissed him on the cheek before you lost your nerve. "Happy New Year!"
    Baekhyun's head whipped around and he stared at you in shock. His ears were turning pink, and he didn't even glance at the screen as Yoshi plummeted off a cliff, kart and all. 
    You focused on the television screen and took advantage of your lead, finishing lap 2 with a massive lead and closing in on the third lap.
    Baekhyun was still looking at you, and you gulped. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. 
    "Did you just kiss me?"
    "Y-yeah, so I cheated. You play dirty too," you returned defensively.
    "I didn't kiss you." His gaze was unrelenting, and you felt your cheeks growing warm.
    "Sorry," you managed, still avoiding eye contact. 
    "Look at me."
    Slowly, you turned your head to meet his eyes. 
    He was smirking. "You like me, don't you?"
    "Aren't friends supposed to like each other?" you responded, dodging the real meaning behind his question.
    "I think you like me more than that. I think you have warm, squishy, sparkly feelings for me," teased Baekhyun, and you wished you could wipe that smug look off his face.
    "Maybe that's just wishful thinking on your part. Maybe you have secret tingly, lovey-dovey feelings for ME," you accused, hoping to get him on the defensive.
    "Maybe I do." Baekhyun winked, and you threw a pillow at him.
    "Shut up." You returned your attention to the video game, getting your character back on course to finish the third lap.
    The screens became motionless, the pause screen appearing over both. You turned to look questioningly at Baekhyun, who put down his controller. He turned and sat facing you, looking more serious. "Listen to me."
    "Okay," you said, not quite sure what was going on.
    "I... like you."
    You laughed. "Yeah. I like you, too. That's why we're friends, remember?"
    Baekhyun rubbed his face in his hands. "No. I want to be more than that. I have... feelings for you."
    The smile fell away from your lips. You looked at him for a long time. His eyes were too dark, too serious. "That's not funny," you said quietly.
    "I'm not joking." He put his hand on your knee, gazing at you intently. "I have feelings for you. Since pretty much forever, and I'm tired of being only a friend to you. I need to know if you feel the same way."
    Your heart was racing, your skin tingling at his touch. "I..." You couldn't lie again. "I.." But you also couldn't face him when you finally admitted your secret. You covered your face with your hands. "Ilikeyoutoo," you finally said all at once. Hearing no response, you peeked between your fingers. 
    Baekhyun was grinning broadly. "You... what? I don't think I heard you correctly, with your hands on your face like that." 
    You've got to be kidding me.
    Slowly removing your hands from your face, you muttered, "I like you, too."
    "Sorry, could you repeat that a little louder? There must've been some fluff in my ear; it sounds like you're speaking very softly." 
    "I'm not going to say it again!" you scowled.
    Baekhyun was smirking again. He took hold of both of your wrists, pinning you down onto the couch. He leaned close to you, and you gasped. His breath tickled your ear as he whispered, "Say it."
    "I like you."
    His lips met yours immediately, and he released your wrists, propping himself up on one arm and skimming along your side with his free hand. With your hands now free, you ran your fingers through his hair like you've wanted to do for so long. Baekhyun groaned, and he moved away from your lips to plant kisses along your jaw and down your neck. You felt his soft lips against your skin, his tongue poking out lightly to taste your neck, and you couldn't hold back a soft moan. You heard his breath catch in his throat, and he on that spot, grazing it lightly with his teeth. Another involuntary moan left your throat, this time slightly louder. 
    A quiet laugh escaped Baekhyun's lips. "You're going to have to be quieter than that. There are still people downstairs."
    With his lips momentarily releasing you from their captivity, the fog lifted from your mind for a moment. "Oh, crap. I have to give my friend a ride home," you recalled suddenly.
    "Who?" Baekhyun still looked dazed, and it was all you could do to keep from pulling his lips back down to meet yours.
    "My friend, the one I came with. You met her at the Christmas party."
    "She's not here. Chen gave her a ride."
    "He- he what?" you groaned. "Are you serious right now?" 
    "Yeah. They left, like, an hour ago. Probably went to hook up somewhere." 
    You sighed, annoyed that she hadn't bothered to text you. Although, come to think of it, she probably could have and you might not have heard it over the Mario Kart war that had been happening not too long ago. Pulling your phone out of your pocket, you checked it and saw three new text messages. Baekhyun climbed off you as you pressed "open". 

[Chen's taking me to get coffee or something. You're off the hook.]
[Helloo? You can go home and be antisocial now if you want :) ]
[I heard you playing Mario Kart upstairs. Nerd. Have fun.]

     The door shut. You looked up from your phone when you heard the lock click. Baekhyun walked slowly back to the couch, a smile slowly appearing on his face, and you wondered why there was even a lock to the rec room. You were distracted from your thoughts, however, when Baekhyun's lips met yours once more. Smiling into his kiss, you began tugging at his shirt, and he obligingly raised his arms so you could pull it off him. 
    Okay, so maybe it was a good thing you came to this party after all.