“Hurry up! It’s almost time!!”, Sooyoung said while running up the stairs.

“Yea, come on you bunch of grandmas! Even that sloth in Zootopia is faster than you!”, Yeri yelled while following the tallest girl.

“I think I’m going to have a physical breakdown”, Joohyun breathed out, feeling her heart in .

Her stamina had never been the best.

“Are you okay? We don’t have to run, you know?”, Seungwan asked slightly worried.

“Oh but we do, otherwise I’ll be the grandma Yeri is referring to”, she said and the blonde chuckled.

“A little bit competitive huh?”

“Trust me, this is nothing compared to my actual competitiveness. Let’s say, my pride is more at stake right now.”

“Well, let’s do something about it then”, Seungwan smiled while reaching out a hand. Joohyun frowned, confused about what the blonde is planning to do, but took her hand, nevertheless. Immediately she got pulled by the blonde who started to quicken her pace, her speed increasing to the point that Joohyun felt her breath being knocked out of her lungs with each step she took.

However, the stunned look on Yeri’s face as she failed to keep up with them was more than enough to give her the motivation she needed.

And it seemed like she wasn’t the only one.

“Do I hear a challenge?”, Seulgi asked as a smirk creeped on her face, before suddenly lurching forward into a sprint.

Soon she caught up to Yeri and the latter’s eyes widened in surprise at the monolid girl’s speed. Seulgi gave her a quick wink before adding more speed to her sprint.

She started skipping a few steps on the stairs, jumping forward, and soon she passed by the other three as well, being the first one to reach their destination.

Seulgi put her fists up in the air while doing a victory dance in the form of little jumps around the roof like she does every time she has finally managed to win something.

The others arrive as well, Yeri being last place.

Of course, Joohyun couldn’t let that opportunity escape through her fingers.

“So who is the grandma now huh?”, she said with a huge grin, pointing at the youngest girl and nearly poking her in the forehead. Yeri swat her hand away with a scoff.

“Laaaaaast place”, Seulgi said, sticking her tongue out.

“Yeri has always been a sore looooooser”, Sooyoung smirked, crossing her arms in satisfaction.

“I mean… it is not untrue so…”, she shrugged, even though some annoyance could be detected in her voice.

“Guys give her a break…”, Seungwan said, while shooting a look of pity at Yeri.

“At least someone has sympathy for me!”, Yeri said, dramatically sighing, before putting on a childlike voice. “Thank you, sis!”

“You’re welcome Yeri…’’, the blonde smiled, briefly pausing. “Now, loser, could you check what time it is for us?”

Yeri’s grin dropped, and she raised an eyebrow, obviously not amused.

Joohyun put her hand over to hide her laughter.

“Ha… ha… funny… very funny…”, she rolled her eyes, “…and 2 minutes before 12.”

“Oh my god!”, Sooyoung suddenly squealed, startling Joohyun, as it was always the case. “Can you guys believe that we are about to enter a new year, a new beginning in just two minutes?”

“A new beginning? More like people trying to convince themselves that they are going to change, but will only endure it for like 2 seconds”, Yeri scoffed.

“Sssst”, the tallest girl put a finger in front of the youngest girl’s mouth. “There is no place for negativity during New Year.”

“To be honest, I think the best thing about tonight is that we are all together’’, the blonde smiled, looking at Joohyun as she uttered the word ‘together’.

The older girl felt a wave of heat within her and bit her cheek to keep it under control.

Which was proven to be useless as Seungwan suddenly took a hold of her hand and intertwined their fingers.

She then extended her other arm towards Sooyoung, who immediately embraced the blonde in a side hug.

“Come on Yeri, quit standing there and join us!”, Sooyoung said.

Yeri rolled her eyes at the cheesiness, but walked towards them nevertheless.

“Such a tsundere”, the tallest girl chuckled, earning a poke in her side from the youngest.

Joohyun smiled at the scene, before feeling someone’s hand take a hold of her free one, intertwining their fingers as well.

She turned her head slightly to her right, her eyes travelling from her hands up to her best friend’s face, who was smiling at her with an unreadable expression in her eyes.

Just as she was about to ask Seulgi whether something was bothering her, she got interrupted by Sooyoung’s loud and excited voice.

“15 seconds left!”

She felt Seungwan’s hand tightening around hers, while managing to maintain a certain gentleness to it.

The wave of heat in her grew as strong as fire.

Joohyun’s eyes focused on the blonde’s face, blocking everything else out, except for Sooyoung’s voice who was counting down the seconds and the sound of her own beating heart drumming in her ears.

How her eyes sparkled in excitement, how her warm smile defeated even the coldest of winter days, the way her thumb caressed her hand, a habit Joohyun wished to never end.

A crowd of people which had gathered on the streets started to count down the last ten seconds, all eyes focused on the ticking clock in the middle of the square.

“Ten!”

Seungwan yelled, counting down the seconds with Sooyoung.

 “Nine!”

Sooyoung poked Yeri’s cheek in order to get her to smile, which seemed to work as the corner of her lip slowly curled upwards. Seungwan’s grin grew at the sight.

Beautiful.

“Eight!”

Joohyun’s mind drifted off to the first day they met, a time when she had never dared to even think of a possibility like this.

The chance to stand beside someone who brightened up her days, who gave her something to look forward to every morning.

“Seven!”

The chance to share cherished moments like these with a group of people close to her. Her own group of friends.

“Six!”

She thought about all the things she had desperately wanted to express. To Seulgi, Sooyoung, Yeri… Seungwan.

“Five!”

How grateful she was towards them.

“Four!”

For Seulgi’s constant presence during all these years, for the day she had stood up for her at school, showing her a glimpse of what it meant to have a friend for the first time in her life.

“Three!”

For Sooyoung’s kindness and wisdom, which had undoubtedly helped her to try to lead a better life and feel included in the group.

“Two!”

For Yeri’s honesty and ability to push her out of her comfort zones, for helping her grow.

“One!”

For Seungwan’s listening ear. For her warmth and sympathy. For their conversations at the balcony which she looked forward to every night. For how she made her feel appreciated. For how she showed her the opposite of loneliness. For her existence.

For being her.

“Thank you”, she whispered.

It wasn’t necessarily her plan for Seungwan to hear her words, specially since it was nearly impossible for her voice to be heard amongst the various shouting voices of the crowd and drumming sounds.

Yet, the blonde instantly reacted.

And their eyes met as the first fireworks painted the sky in the most extravagant colours.

But it was nothing compared to the sight of her.

“Happy New Year…”, Seungwan whispered with a gentle smile on her face.

Joohyun stared for a few seconds longer, before opening , out of which no words came out as they suddenly got pulled into a tight group hug initiated by Sooyoung.

“Happy New Year guys!”, she smiled. “I wouldn’t want to be here with anyone else.”

 “Yea, yea, whatever’’, Yeri shrugged it off, even though her bright smile and the way her grip tightened gave away her real feelings.

Joohyun’s eyes travelled over each of their faces, noting their smiles and smirks, and the happiness in their eyes…

Except for Seulgi, who had a smile on her lips that didn’t reach her eyes. As if she was not mentally present, but somewhere far away, deserted and unreachable.

Joohyun frowned, feeling herself getting worried.

Sh