Note: From what I have investigated, only christians tend to celebrate Christmas in China and well…New Years is at the end of January according to the lunar calendar and lasts 15 days? a month? idek…but that just messes my story lol so I’m just gonna use the gregorian calendar and celebrate New Years like I do hahahaha. I need lessons on chinesse culture OTL

...on with the story

--- New Year’s Eve ---

What to wear?! What to wear? I look at my closet and sigh. It’s New Years eve and I need to look pretty. After rummaging through my closet for  while, I finally pick what I’m going to wear: a beige lace shorts, a long-sleeve loose black blouse, a couple of long necklaces and my converse.  Yeah, that’s right! I’m wearing my sneakers tonight.  

My mom comes in and stares at my outfit “It seems like someone is going on a date tonight..”

“Mom, I’m just going to hang out with the guys...no date!"  I say as I run to the bathroom to start fixing my here.

“I’m just joking….let me fix it for you”.  My mom starts curling my already natural wavy hair to make it look prettier.  I miss moments like this.  I remember when my mom used to comb my hair every morning before going to school. Since it’s so long it takes a lot of time to brush. Nowadays, I just go to school without fixing it; It's too much work.

“Darling I think it’s time for you to cut your hair… and do something about that color. It’s an awful mix of blond, brown and black”

“I’m not gonna cut it. yet. I like it the way it is”

“Do you like it or Yixing does?”

“MOOOOOM! Yixing has nothing to do with this”.

Ok, I lied. Yixing does like my hair the way it is. He’s always playing with it and curling the ends when he gets bored. He even told me not to cut it once.

“Ok ok I get it!" I can see her smiling through the mirror. I love my mom. 

“Done! awww look at you…you look like one of those creepy porcelain dolls”

“MOOOOOOM!”  I whine like a 5 year-ol' girl but she grabs my face and leaves a kiss on top of my head.

“I’m kidding. You look pretty!”

“DARLING, YIXING IS HERE!”  we hear dad screaming from the living room. I immediately check myself in the mirror for the last time.

“Hurry up!” My mom says while rushing me out of the bathroom.

I come to the living room and there is Yixing sitting on the couch talking to my dad. I look at my dad and put a finger to my lips for him to be quiet. I sneak behind the couch while Yixing is talking excitedly.

“BOOOOOO!”

“AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH” Yixing screams and almost falls off the couch.

“Lina!!!! Leave the poor boy alone” My mom says in a serious voice, but I can see she's trying to contain her laughter.

“Sorry” I give Yixing a big innocent smile. He just glares at me.

“So, you guys are going to a party?...remember, No Alcohol!”

“Dad...we are just going to hang out with some of the kids from school and watch the fireworks….I’ll be home by 2. I promise”

My parents look at Yixing for reassurance. Don’t they trust me??!!

“She’ll be here at that time” He says.

“Ok well…enough talking. It’s almost 11 and we still have to meet with the tree idiots!” I say while giving my parents a kiss and saying goodbye.

"Happy New Years....and enjoy the party" my dad says while raising his glass of champagne. My mom gives Yixing a kiss on the cheek and tells him to be careful. Yixing bows to both of them and we leave.

*

*

*

We are walking to Chen’s house. Supposedly Xiumin, Luhan and his girlfriend are there too. After that, we’ll go to one of our classmate's house to watch the fireworks.  He lives in one of the highest building around here so we’ll get a nice view of everything.

“May I ask…why are you wearing sneakers?” 

“Seriously?!... I dressed up really nice and fixed my hair and you are asking me about my sneakers?”

He laughs and puts his arm around my shoulders.  “You look beautiful tonight” He whispers.

“Too late” I fold my arms pretending to be hurt. 

I suddenly hear someone screaming my name from one of the balconies “LINAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA YOU ARE HERE!!!!”

Oh God Chen..the entire neighborhood has to know I arrived.  I look up to see Xiumin and Luhan as well.

“WE ARE COMING DOWN! WAIT FOR US”

“MOVE IT!” Yixing yells back.

After 5 minutes I hear noises at the front door of the building. They are here.

We greet and hug each other;  Luhan proceeds to introduce his girlfriend

"Lina, this is my girlfriend Ling"

“Hi! My name is Ling. Nice to meet you”. She looks really cute. He has long hair, big round eyes, milky sking and is wearing a mini pink dress with heels.

“Hi Ling! I’m Lina” I shake her hand while looking at both of them...awwww they look adorable together.

“Lina…why are you wearing sneakers?”  Xiumin asks and Yixing tries to contain his laugh.

“DO YOU GUYS HAVE A PROBLEM WITH MY CONVERSE?!?!.. I just wanted to look funky tonight ok? Plus, If I high heels you all would look like midgets next to me…be grateful!” I poked Xiumin in the chest.

“..she’s right” Chen says.

“Don’t pay them attention Lina. They know nothing about fashion” Ling says while lightly punching Xiumin. Ok, I like her now.

“Let’s go people!” Luhan says excitedly and we all start walking.  After a while, Ling and I start talking. 

“mmm…sorry if I ask this too soon, but  are you two dating?” She asks while looking at Yixing and me

“Yes, they are” Chen says and Xiumin adds “They have a complicated relationship”

“No, we aren’t and our relationship is not complicated!” Yixing and I answer at the same time. How can we be this synchronized?

“He’s just my best friend, right?” I say while pinching his cheeks.

“Stop it Lina” Yixing tries to stop me by grabbing my hands an putting them behind my back. He gets really close to me, but I threaten to give him a low kick if he tries to do something. 

“Oh…I see” Ling says doubtfull.

She’ll understand later.

*

*

*

We finally arrived after walking for 15 minutes…it’s already 11:20 p.m.  The "party" is actually at the rooftop of the building; the view is amazing. Most of the kids from our class are here. 

The  music starts playing and we all immediately start dancing. During the party I got to know Ling a little bit more and we exchanged phone numbers. It's nice to meet a girl that is nice, gets along with the people I hang out with, and doesn't hate me.

When it was 11:55 we all gathered at the edge of the rooftop to see the skyline. I wanted to be at the front so I started making my way until I got a good spot. I dragged Yixing and the rest of the guys with me.

“OK..HERE WE GO…..10…9…”

I suddenly feel someone hug me from behind…it’s Yixing.

“…8….7….”

My hands were resting on the railing. He grabs them and interwines our fingers while resting his head on my shoulder.

“…6…..5…”

“Thanks for being my friends” He whispers in my ear as I lean into him.

“…4…..3….”

“Thanks for existing Zhang Yixing”

“….2….1… HAPPY NEW YEARS!!!!!!”

He hugs me really tight and I can’t help but smile. The fireworks start exploding...everything looks so beautiful from up here. I can say that I don't regret coming to China. I'm happy cause I have my family, a group of friends, and Yixing. 

We stayed like that for 5 minutes until Chen yanked Yixing away from me to give him hug. I went over to Xiumin, and Ling to celebrate with them.  Suddenly, Luhan appears with a camera.

“Let’s take a group picture”. Yeah!!! I love photos, specially since Yixing gave me a scrapbook for Christmas. I told him I’m going to put all our picture there and write about our friendship. I want to remember these years when I’m old.

Luhan told one of the guys at the party to take the picture for us.  

“Ok..at the count of 3..2...1”

This is another picture I like. The guy took it at the exact moment a firework was exploding; Luhan was giving Ling a peck on the lips; then there is Xiumin giving Yixing a kiss on the cheek and Chen using a strand of my hair as a mustache. I gotta love them.

*

*

*

It’s 1:30 a.m. and Yixing is walking me home.  We are taking our time since we still have half an hour and my house is 10 minutes away.  This was one of the reasons I wore my sneakers tonight…all this walking would have killed me if I was wearing high heels.

Suddenly I feel my phone vibrating “Oh..Ling just sent me a text”

“What does it say?”

“Goodnight and that she wants to hang out more with us” 

“You better don’t trade me for Ling”

“How can you say that?” I give him a bear hug and whisper in his ear “You are my bestfriend and always will be, ok?

“I like the sound of that” he says smiling. 

To be honest, I half lied about the message. She did say what I told Yixing, but she also wrote something else I don’t want to tell him. 

The rest of the message reads : “…um I saw you two hugging ^.^  you guys really look good together, why don't you date?... I ship you guys <3”.  

Oh no Ling, this "ship" as you say is definitely NOT sailing.

*

*

We reach the front door of my building and I noticed for the first time tonight that he is wearing the Christmas present I gave him.

“Oh..you have it on!” I clapped excitedly. I took his right arm and traced my fingers over the knotted bracelet that has his name on it. I made one for myself too. I didn’t sleep for 2 days trying to knot it as best as I could. It came out really nice. I told him that if he takes if off it means he no longer wants to be my friend. He agreed on this and promised to never take it off.

“Of course I do. I told you I was never going to take it off” I smile happily.

We sat down at the front steps since I still have 20 minute to spare.

“Hey, I forgot to ask you…what’s on your new years’ resolution?” I say while leaning my head on his shoulders.

“Well…I want to try to get into the school's dance club, maybe take some singing classes, do more exercise....get a girlfriend”

“ohhhh that last one sounds interesting, but that girl will need me approval to date you” He looks at me questioningly.

“WHAT?! You are my friend and I need to make sure that the girl you are going to date is not an idiot or a ….I need to protect you!”

“Ok fine! I’ll ask for your approval. What about you?..do you want to do something special this year?

“mmm…I don’t know…maybe spend more time with my parents…cut my hair…”

“NOOOOOO DON’T CUT IT!!!” HA! I knew he was going to freak out.

“ Yixing..don’t be immature” I said laughing at his reaction. “My mom wants to cut it”

“Tell her I don’t want you to…I like it the way it is” he starts playing with my hair and I put my head on his lap. The way he is touching my hair is making me sleepy. I closed my eyes and I feel asleep.

After a while I feel someone shaking me “Wake up Lina...go to sleep and we’ll talk later" 

“mmm..ok” I pout cause I don’t want to leave. I’m comfortable right now...can I just stay here??

“Good night Yixing” I give him a kiss on the cheek and reluctantly head to the main door.

“Good morning Lina” Right. It’s already morning.

As I was about to enter the building I hear him calling me from the middle of the street

“Lina?..”

“what?”

“You look beautiful tonight…and I mean it” He smirks, turns around and starts walking.

I just stay there watching his back disappear in the distance.

I can’t help but smile like an idiot. He is always so nice and cute; always telling me I’m pretty and making me feel safe. I hope the girl he dates doesn't break his heart or I'm gonna hunt her down and do some serious damage... I mean it. 

Befor going inside, I look up at the sky and smile “God…thanks for sending me a friend like him. I’ll forever be in debt with you”.

Yeah!!!! I think this is the longest chapter I have written so far! ....this is actually how my 2008 New Year's Eve was like (including the part with the converse >.< everyone kept asking me why I was wearing my sneakers, but I had a lot of houses to visit that night so I decided I wanted to be comfortable lol) I hope you guys enjoyed this chaptes....huhuhu I'm starting to love Chen's character (I have a friend just like that..obnoxiously cute and funny)

there is a clue in this chapt about what the topic for next chapter ...look forward to it.