Author's Note: THIS IS EMBARRASINGLY OVERDUE OMFG BUT HERE IT IS! THE LAST CHAPTHER OF GRADUALLY.

-X-

Late December

"Are you really hiding your face from me, Alex?" Jimin has an amused twinkle in his eye as he watches his girlfriend through the small screen of his phone. She's attempting to cover up her face with her sheets, so that the only thing visible is her eyes.

"Ugh, I don't look great right now, okay?" Alex responds with a whine. She's wearing a bonnet and an old jumper since she hadn't been expecting his FaceTime call. She also doesn't want to postpone the call just for the sake of looking more presentable...so she answered it and hid.

"I've literally seen you , sweetie. Move the camera and those sheets back so I can see my woman." He demands in a teasing tone. Alex let's out a long, exaggerated sigh but does as asked. He finally gets to see her full face, free of makeup and looking a little tired. He smiles at the sight. She's beautiful.

"Happy?" Her tone is flat but if she's honest with herself, she's kind of glad she doesn't have to hide anymore.

"Very." He replies simply, his eyes roaming her face. She rolls her eyes at his response, and pretends the way he's looking at her isn't making her cheeks feel warm.

It's Christmas break. They're both staying with their respective families for the holidays and haven't seen each other since the last weekend after the semester break started. They've been texting, calling and FaceTiming constantly, but they both can't help but long for that physical touch.

"Anyway...what did you want, ?" Jimin pouts playfully at the insult she still hasn't stopped calling him but continues on to answer her question.

"I haven't seen you in person for almost three weeks. I miss the little things." She lets a smile slip through and raises a questioning eyebrow.

"Oh yeah? Like what?" He pretends to ponder about it for a second before responding.

"I miss you slapping the out of me for no reason." This gets Alex to laugh. She has to admit, with that response its established that she's definitely been missing this boy too.

"So, you miss the slaps I gave you more than me, an actual person?" Jimin bites his lip as he continues to look at her through the screen. She's being difficult for no reason and yet he loves it.

"Now you already know I've missed you, baby girl," Alex hates the way she shivers at the sudden low octave of his voice. How it always has the effect of leaving her almost powerless after all this time is beyond her.

"You're not slick," She tells him once she's composed herself, eyeing him up like she's onto him. He chuckles, and there's a pause before she speaks up again.

"All jokes aside, I've missed you too, you know."

"Well of course you have." He replies like it's a known fact. The smirk is back on his lips and she immediately, glares at him.

"Don't make me come all the way over there and smack you." She threatens him with a wag of her finger and he chuckles again.

"You're saying it like it's a bad thing."

"Ugh. Why do I put up with you?"

"Because you love me?" At that the scowl vanishes and the smile is back on her face. The playful mood has suddenly turned into something else.

"You're right, I do." He smiles back at her, his stomach flipping over at the warmth in her voice.

"And I love you too." She looks away for a moment, feeling bashful before turning to face him again with a smirk of her own.

"You've turned into such a sap." Jimin gasps and sends her his own glare through the screen. The tables have suddenly turned.

"Way to ruin the moment, Al." She flashes him a grin and then notices the time.

"Ugh I've got to go. My brother at his grown age is gonna burst into my room any second now to force me into helping him bake cookies for Santa." Jimin stares at her for a moment, not sure if he believes what she just said.

"...Isn't he twenty-eight?"

"Yeah, I don't get it either." Jimin laughs and shakes his head.

"I guess the child Christmas spirit never dies for some." He lets out a sigh. "Okay, I'll let you go. I can't wait to see you in a few days." Sometimes she can't believe he's like this now. So open about how he feels about her. She has to keep him in check though.

"Don't miss me too much." She tells him and he's back to his smirking self.

"I'll try my best."

-X-

"This apartment is a mess!" Alex exclaims, running around her living room with her vacuum in hand. Leah stands there somewhat confused, as she watches her friend scurrying around and cleaning areas that are pretty much already spotless.

A couple days have passed since Christmas and it's the 31st: officially the last day of the year. Alex is back home at her apartment with her best friend...and she's freaking out for no particular reason.

"Alex? Girl, why are you having a breakdown? The guys aren't coming over for like six hours!" Alex slows down to a halt once she processes Leah's words. She laughs awkwardly, flipping her freshly done braids over her shoulder. She's right, why am I acting like this?

"Ugh, I don't know Lee. I just...I haven't seen Jimin in a while and..." She looks up and bites her lip. Leah stares back at her with expectancy when she doesn't finish her sentence.

"And?"

"And, I don't know I guess I'm nervous?" The confusion is back on Leah's face, if anything she's even more confused after hearing the reason behind her friend's behaviour.

"Why? Everyone knows that boy is obsessed with you!" Alex shrugs, but can't help the small smile that dawns her lips after hearing that."

"It's just...what if he see's me and thinks huh, she was prettier three weeks ago?" Leah scoffs and crosses her