“You should get a girlfriend this upcoming 2021,” Hyukjae says with a teasing smile. “You’re getting old now, hyung. Bring out your charms and knock the ladies off their feet! You’ll be less lonely when you get a girlfriend again.”

Jongwoon shakes his head with a mirthless smile. “I don’t think so… I don’t think I’m fit to be a boyfriend.”

Hyukjae frowns, the amusement in his eyes fading. “Why not?”

“Well…” Jongwoon presses his legs against his chest, hugging his knees. “I’m not sure if I’m fit to be loved. I mean…” He lets out a humorless laugh. “All of them cheated on me, didn’t they?”

“Hyung, that was a long time ago!” Hyukjae exclaims, wrapping an arm around Jongwoon’s shoulder in a comforting gesture. “And all the girls you dated were probably too blind to see what an awesome guy you really are. C’mon, I’ll even help you find someone! Someone who can make your lonely days go away.”

Jongwoon smiles. “It’s all right. I’m not looking for love nowadays… Just thinking about it makes me sad.”

“Ah, why??” Hyukjae says almost exasperatedly. “You’re handsome and charming. And being in love is freeing, right?”

“I don’t know, it’s just… I’m tired,” Jongwoon confesses quietly. “I’m always the one giving, but I rarely receive anything in return. Not that I showered my girlfriends with affection just so I could get something from them, but I couldn’t feel like I was loved.

“I loved them, of course. But it didn’t feel like they loved me back.”

Hyukjae falls silent. The breeze begins to pick up, and they can already hear the sounds of sparks and horns in the distance.

“What time is it?” Hyukjae checks the screen of his phone. “Oh, we have ten minutes left.”

“Ah, is that right?” Jongwoon begins fiddling with his camera and starts to get into position. “Hey, come over and give me a good smile!”

Hyukjae waves him away exaggeratedly. “Nope, no way,” he refuses.

Jongwoon pouts. “Please? For me?”

Hyukjae blinks, then dissolves into a series of cackles. “Hyung, your aegyo is gross!”

“And I’ll make you cringe even more if you don’t take a selca with me,” Jongwoon threatens lightly as he deepens his pout, making Hyukjae snort in amusement.

“Fine, fine, Mr. Selca Man,” Hyukjae teases.

Jongwoon grins at him, then turns his gaze back to the camera. Seconds before he presses the capture button though, Hyukjae’s eyes fix themselves on Jongwoon’s face, his expression unusually devoid of all emotion.

Jongwoon blinks in confusion when their photo comes up on the screen. “Hey, why weren’t you looking at the camera?”

“Ah, sorry,” Hyukjae apologizes with a cheeky grin. “I thought I saw a piece of seaweed stuck on your face… turns out it’s just a pimple—”

Jongwoon smacks him on the head before he can even finish the sentence. “You brat. I don’t have any pimples on my skin,” he growls. “Let’s take a selca again so I can post it when the clock strikes twelve.”

Hyukjae laughs. “SNS addict,” he teases.

Jongwoon rolls his eyes good-naturedly. “Yes, yes, I’m obsessed with social media. Now shut up and smile at the camera.”

“So bossy,” Hyukjae remarks lightly, to which Jongwoon pointedly ignores as they take another selca, this time with both of them finally looking straight into the lens.

“Perfect,” Jongwoon says in satisfaction as he surveys their expressions on the new photo.

Hyukjae looks over and nods his head thoughtfully. “We look good together,” his mouth slips out.

Jongwoon, too immersed in editing the picture and preparing it for posting, mutters, “Did you say something?”

Hyukjae smiles wryly. “Nothing.” He glances at his watch. “Five more minutes. Hmm… hey, hyung?”

“Yeah?”

“What are you going to wish for when the clock strikes twelve?”

Jongwoon pauses in his typing to let out a laugh. “What? You still believe in making New Year wishes?”

“Sure,” Hyukjae says. “There’s no harm in hoping, is there?”

“Well, this might sound a little cheesy, but…” Jongwoon chuckles as he types up a good caption for the post: ‘Happy Hueh Year 🎉’ “...I’ve never had a New Year kiss before, so I hope… next year, maybe? Hopefully?” He chuckles hollowly, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

Hyukjae looks curious. “You’ve never had it before?” he repeats.

Jongwoon is surprised enough to pause in the middle of posting. He looks over at Hyukjae and blinks. He opens his mouth to question it, but quickly changes his mind.

Instead, he says, “It just didn’t happen.”

A frown tugs at Hyukjae’s lips. He looks like he’s about to say something when a sound suddenly interrupts the atmosphere.

Jongwoon’s face perks up and his eyes are shining as he springs from his seat, gazing at the fireworks that are starting to shoot up into the sky. “It’s starting, it’s starting!” he exclaims, hand mindlessly tugging at Hyukjae’s sleeve. “What time is it? We should’ve done a countdown!”

Hyukjae stands up as well, glancing at his watch. “We have one minute left before the clock strikes twelve, though.”

“How many seconds?” Jongwoon asks, eyes still transfixed on the bright colors illuminating the sky. It’s only a few fireworks though; the owner probably timed it too early, so there’s a suspenseful blankness and anticipation that follows afterwards.

“About twenty seconds now.”

“Let’s do a countdown!” Jongwoon says excitedly, turning to face his friend with a bright grin on his face.

But when he does, he stops short at the sight of Hyukjae’s face suddenly inches from his.

“...What?” Jongwoon says dumbly.

“Ten seconds,” Hyukjae says softly, glancing down at his watch.

Jongwoon blinks. He doesn’t understand why Hyukjae is moving a bit too close to his personal space. “...Nine…?” It comes out as a question and Jongwoon feels his cheeks burn in embarrassment.

But Hyukjae doesn’t laugh at him, only gazing at him with an oddly deep look in his eyes.

“No matter what I say,” he suddenly says, “don’t stop counting.”

Jongwoon blinks again, rapidly this time, but he silently obeys, still confused. “E—Eight, seven…”

Hyukjae smiles. “Hyung… actually… I lied.”

Jongwoon swallows, several questions popping in his head at once. “Six…”

Hyukjae suddenly takes Jongwoon’s hands in his, squeezing them comfortingly, sending a rush of heat throughout their palms.

“I actually don’t want you to have a girlfriend this year.”

“F—Five…” Jongwoon says it automatically and almost slaps himself for it. He opens his mouth to say something but Hyukjae instantly beats him to it.

“I don’t want to help you find someone as well.”

A hurt expression crosses Jongwoon’s face. “Hyukjae,” he says, stopping his countdown.

Four.

“Why did you stop?” Hyukjae says with a frown.

Three.

“Because you’re acting strangely,” Jongwoon responds, furrowing his brows.

Two.

Hyukjae moves his face closer. “Geez, hyung.”

One.

“I was just about to ask permission to kiss you, but never mind.”

“Happy New Year!”

Jongwoon’s mind goes blank.

Hyukjae takes that opportunity to lean in and cup both sides of Jongwoon’s face in his hands. Without even giving him time to realize the situation, Hyukjae grins like a Cheshire cat and tilts his head to meet their lips aggressively.

The sound of the fireworks popping in the sky deafens Jongwoon’s eardrums as his fingers frantically find something to grab onto. He reflexively takes a step back, but Hyukjae switches his hand from Jongwoon’s face down to the latter’s waist, tightening his grip to erase any chances of escaping.

Jongwoon finally decides to clamp his hands on Hyukjae’s shoulders, letting them stay there as a support. He shuts his eyes, feeling the overwhelming sensation of the younger’s lips moving against his relentlessly. He can’t keep up with the intensity; his heart is beating so fast, it feels like it’s about to burst out of his ribcage.

When they finally part for air, Hyukjae has this smug look on his face while Jongwoon just stares at him, dazed and open-mouthed.

“No need to wait for next year,” Hyukjae says cheekily.

 

fin