- December 31, 2009 -

"What time is it?"

Minho opened his eyes, looking up at Kibum as he shifted and stretched out, reaching for Minho's phone. "We've still got five minutes." Nodding, Minho rested his head back in Kibum's lap, his eyes sliding shut again as Kibum continued to card his fingers through his hair. "Is your head feeling better?"

Minho slowly opened his eyes, squinting up at him in the dim light. He had woken up with a headache that had only got progressively worse as the day wore on. But now that he was locked away in their study closet with just Kibum, it was getting slightly better. He nodded, smiling when Kibum did. His gaze darted down to Kibum's indented cheeks when his dimples appeared.

"You know," he said, clearing his throat when his voice cracked. "I've always thought your dimples were the cutest thing."

If anything, that was the best possible thing he could have said, given how much more prominent they became. "Yeah?" He nodded again, grinning lazily. "I'll keep that in mind. Use it to my advantage."

"Advantage?" Minho said with a laugh. "As if you needed one..."

Kibum chuckled. "Hey, I'm just making sure I get what I can out of life." When Minho his teeth at him, Kibum lightly smacked his arm. "Don't act like you don't have any advantages over me."

Brow furrowing, he looked up at him. "Like what?"

"Like you don't already know," he said, scoffing.

Minho pushed himself up, bracing himself around Kibum who, though amused, was pointedly avoiding his eyes. "Just tell me." His curiosity had been piqued now, there was no escaping an explanation and Kibum knew it, given the bashful way he met his gaze.

"Quidditch...you know..." he said, his attention shifting to Minho's torso for a second. "It's done some good things for you…" Minho started to smile, and Kibum shook his head a little and looked down at the space between them, hiding his smile. "Don't tease me."

"Why would I tease you?" Kibum gave him a small, one-shouldered shrug, and Minho slipped his finger beneath Kibum's chin, slowly raising it until Kibum's eyes met his. Amusement danced in his eyes as Minho leaned forward, closing the minuscule distance between them.

Not that it needed to be said, but kissing Kibum was one of his favorite things to do, now. He loved the thrill of it, the release of expelling more of those pent-up feelings that he had concealed for so long. It was like flying, for him, except more fun, somehow. He loved the closeness of it, too. The way Kibum held him, and he Kibum...like the other was something precious, like they couldn't stand the thought of parting, even for a second.

Something that sounded like a gong went off in the distance, but Minho barely registered it with how distracted he was. Kibum, however, slowly started to smile before he pulled away enough to say, "Happy new year, Min." Ah, it must have been the clock tower’s bell.

Minho let out a huffed chuckle as he rested his forehead against Kibum's. "I gotta say...this is the best way I can think of to bring in the new year."

"It's definitely promising," Kibum whispered before kissing him again.