December quickly passes and in comes January, a new year, a fresh start. The air only seems to get colder and dryer and Jiyong's small frame has been trying to fight off the signs of a cold.

Jiyong won't let Seungri get sick too, so they haven't been as close and tactile towards each other as they usually are. Seungri understands.

The lack of proximity with Jiyong has been made up for with Haneul.

Seungri and Haneul spend a week in Japan together to celebrate the new year. Her office job has been more forgiving lately and she's able to spend more time with him. Her mood has brightened, thus so has his.

Seungri feels a change in himself again. Haneul's smiles are breathtaking. Her black, shoulder-length hair smells like honeysuckle even as the dry air tries to take the smells away. Her brown eyes sparkle and the way her nose burns pink in the cold is so cute. Seungri loves her. He feels both a sadness and an uplifting joy as he folds his hands into hers and realizes her importance.

On their last day in Japan before they leave for the airport to take them back to Incheon, Seungri takes Haneul into a small jewelry store and there's a shakiness in his breath as his heart flutters. He sees Haneul's eyes locked on a certain emerald gem wrapped in a thin, knotted silver band.

He buys the ring when she isn't looking and keeps it in his pants pocket. Seungri can already envision her small finger beautifully decorated in a sparkling green, and he knows. He just knows this year will be different from all the others.

He knows this year will be different for Jiyong too. When Seungri lands back in Korea, Jiyong is on the entertainment headlines.

------------------------

Seungri laughs when he visits a sniffling, shivering Jiyong curled up in blankets at his apartment. Jiyong definitely caught the cold that he wasn't supposed to get. Bad timing as always.

Seungri presses his palm to Jiyong's forehead and the fever is strong. He's burning up so Seungri makes his way to Jiyong's kitchen to wet some rags.

"Seungriyah...?"

Seungri presses a cold rag to his forehead and Jiyong let's out a sigh in his semi-unconscious state.

"I'm here because you're sick. The articles said so. No protesting."

"Ah..then..you know?"

"Of course. Pabo."

Jiyong gives Seungri a weak smile and doesn't mind the insult.

"Some Romantic you are. You propose to her while you're sick?"

"Yah.." Jiyong whines unconvincingly. Seungri chuckles again, almost dryly.

"Eun Mi is on all the media saving your from looking pathetic. Be thankful. You were probably trying to be all manly and hide your sickness from her as you proposed. I can totally imagine it."

"Seungriii~"

The younger chuckles again, this time genuinely.

"Congrats," Seungri whispers, and he means it.

"I missed you," Jiyong whispers back, his voice losing strength. Seungri smiles.

"You did not."

Jiyong has lost himself in unconsciousness, but there's a peaceful look on his face as if he wanted to retort back.

Seungri leaves him be and returns to his own apartment. He rocks himself gently back and forth on a rocking armchair in his living room as he watches more of the nightly news and he cries, just a little.

"He was so sweet."

Eun Mi is radiant on the television screen. She looks slightly nervous, but she's careful with her words. Microphones and cameramen eat up her words.

"Ah, he sung me a little tune and then got down on one knee."

"What was the song like?"

"He's sick with the flu right now actually," she laughs. "He couldn't sing it properly so he apologized and asked for my hand in marriage instead." She laughs again and the reporters laugh with her.

"How cute and charming! How did you react?"

"I said yes, of course. And then I made him lay down and take medicine."

"Ah! Do tell him to get well soon, then! Viewers out there, look after yourselves too!"

Everything will be okay.

Its a new year.