A/N: First chapter posted on the first day of 2013. Just a bit of fluff to start the year off right :P

The inspiration just came last night as I was watching MBC Gayo Daejun and I wrote it all out. Hope you guys enjoy it!

Warning: story NOT edited. I was in a rush to get it all out. I'll prolly get back to it and add a couple bits here and there next time. We'll see ;)  So I edited it. But that still doesn't mean that I'm happy with it. LOL. I am such a fickle-minded person.

Word Count: 2140 2349 words

Edit: Credits to kimxbb from Corrupted State of Mind Graphic Request Shop for the chapter banner! It's pretty, pretty, pretty :3

hellobabyyoucalled ♥

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It was seven in the evening on New Year’s Eve. BTOB’s dorm was surprisingly lacking its usual rowdiness as most of the members were out, having had made prior plans of their own to spend the special day with their friends and loved ones. All, except one who was currently huddled on his side in front of the television.

Sung Jae was bustling around the house collecting his paraphernalia and getting ready to leave for his appointment as well. He was winding his scarf around his neck when he saw the petite figure in the corner of the living room and stopped in his tracks. “Min Hyuk hyung, you’re not planning to go out tonight? But it’s New Year’s Eve!”

“Nope,” Min Hyuk replied sullenly without lifting his eyes from the flashing TV screen.

“Why ever not?” Sung Jae asked curiously as he walked over to Min Hyuk. It was rare to find the elder lazing around in the dorm instead of being out shopping or meeting up with someone. “Don’t you have any plans? Where’s Eun Kwang hyung? Hey, I know! You can call up your high school friends and go to some countdown party together.”

“They’re all in the army now. I’m a sad little kid who doesn’t have any friends.” Min Hyuk groused. He rolled over onto his stomach and sprawled his limbs out, looking very much like a beached starfish. “I don’t know where Eun Kwang is either. Probably out partying like the rest of them.”

“Oh,” Sung Jae didn’t know what to reply. He couldn’t really empathise with what Min Hyuk was feeling. All his friends have yet to enlist, and he could call them out for drinks whenever he wanted to. No wonder I see him on his phone lesser and lesser these days. It must being one of the only few in your age group to have yet gone to the army. “Uhm… What about your parents? Don’t you want to make a trip home to spend some time with them?”

“They decided to make an impromptu trip to Europe at the last minute and will be spending New Year’s there. And no, my older brother is not free either, if that’s what you’re wondering.” Min Hyuk replied lifelessly. He tilted his head to the side to look at the maknae. “Why are you still here? Weren’t you planning on going to that Italian restaurant at Hongdae with Ilhoon and Dong Geun?”

Min Hyuk couldn’t mask the bitterness in his voice when he spoke. He’d always preferred the company of the youngest the most of all the members in the group and thought the two were pretty close, but the maknae line had completely left him out of the picture when organising their new year’s activities. He gave a half-hearted swat at the other’s ankles as Sung Jae moved even closer to him.

“I changed my mind. I think I’ll stay home instead. Not really in the mood for Italian tonight.” Sung Jae sat down beside Min Hyuk’s prone form and began pulling off his winter wear, dumping them in a stack next to him. He pulled out his mobile phone and began texting. “So, what are you watching on TV? Is it interesting?”

Min Hyuk stared incredulously at the side profile of the maknae for a while before responding. “It’s an American sci-fi film called GATTACA. And you don’t have to stay in just because of me, you know. I don’t need a pity party. You should go out and have fun while you’re young. Hurry, Ilhoon and Dong Geun are waiting.”

“Too late, I already told them that I’m not going.” Sung Jae locked his phone screen and pocketed the device. “Besides, I can’t leave you all alone here, not on New Year’s Eve! That would be utterly depressing and kind of sad for you to countdown to the new year by yourself. If I’m going to go out then you should come with me! Come on, hyung, how about that? Let’s spend tonight together!”

“Oh my goodness that is a brilliant idea, Yook Sung Jae! You, my friend, are a flipping genius.” Sung Jae caught hold of Min Hyuk’s arm and began shaking the elder, causing his head to loll from side to side. “Come on, hyung, how about that? Let’s spend tonight together!”

“Aish, really? But I’m watching this show and it’s getting to the good bit!” Min Hyuk lamented despite feeling touched by the maknae’s thoughtfulness. “Besides, I’m too comfortable to get up and go change now. It’s cosy under this blanket.”

Sung Jae grabbed two fistfuls of the futon and pulled it off the elder in one smooth action. “Not anymore. Come on, Min Hyuk hyung. It’s been too long since we’ve spent time together. Just the two of us, let’s go explore Seoul! We can go to Im Jin Gak Pyeong Hwa Park and watch the fireworks show at midnight! It would be fun!”

The maknae’s infectious enthusiasm rubbed off Min Hyuk, who found himself chuckling as he was yanked from the floor and dragged towards their bedroom. Sung Jae gave him a nudge towards the closet room before closing the door behind him. “I’m giving you five minutes, hyung! After that I’m coming in no matter what state of undress you’re in and doll you up personally.”

Four and a half minutes later, Min Hyuk emerged dressed in fashion appropriate for the sub-zero weather outside. Sung Jae, who stood by the front door waiting, grinned widely before stepping over the piles of shoes cleanly and headed out of the dorm first. The elder quickly pulled on his boots and scurried after the maknae. “So, where to first?”

“Hungry?” Sung Jae asked. His question was met with a loud, spontaneous growl coming from within Min Hyuk’s belly. The maknae guffawed and patted the toned stomach before skipping up ahead towards the main street to flag a taxi. “Let’s go to Dong Dae Mun and screw our diets and pig out on the street food. It’s been too long since I had the French fries hot dog from there.”

When they reached Dong Dae Mun the two ate, played arcade games and window-shopped to their hearts’ contents. It was the most fun that the both of them had in a long time. Since debut almost nine months ago the group had gone through promotion after promotion, even flying overseas for fan meets and events, and any down time they had was either spent in the practice studio, the monitoring room or in the dorm resting. Min Hyuk was now glad that he had taken up the maknae’s suggestion to go out instead of spending one of the rare few schedule-free days cooped up in the dorm. Just by spending quality time with Sung Jae the elder felt that their relationship had advanced to another level of closeness and it made him feel warm and fuzzy inside.

At ten minutes to midnight they were right outside the gates of Im Jin Gak Pyeong Hwa Park. Despite the cold the place was packed with people jostling about, trying to snag a good spot to catch the sounding of the bronze bell when the new year came around. Sung Jae quickly caught hold of Min Hyuk’s hand, interlacing their fingers, and held it tight so that they would not be separated in the shifting crowd. The gesture sent delightful tingles up their arms and caused heat to rush to their cheeks. They looked at each other for confirmation, and at the count of three, rushed forward together and forcefully squeezed their way to the front of the safety fence.

“We made it!” Min Hyuk crowed in delight before breaking into a fit of giggles as he leaned against the guard rail for support. “Wow, I really thought I was going to suffocate, being trapped in that mass of people. I’ve never been here on new year’s eve, and now I know why no one has ever suggested doing this. There are simply too many people around.”

“The perks of being tall. I was breathing just fine.” Sung Jae quipped good-naturedly and caught the arm that swung towards him, grasping it tightly. “Alright, alright, I take that back. You are not short, hyung. I just happen to be taller.”

Sung Jae slung his other arm over the elder's shoulders and drew him close such that they stood side by side. The sudden closeness made Min Hyuk’s cheeks flush a deeper shade of red, and the elder was thankful for the poor lighting. “S–Sung Jae ah! What are you doing?”

“Pulling you closer to me. It’s cold and we both would certainly appreciate the shared body heat.” Sung Jae stated plainly, as though the sudden increase in the level of skinship from him was completely normal. “I thought you would be enjoying it, considering how much you like me, but apparently I was wrong. Hmm, maybe you don’t like me this much after all.”

“W–What?” Min Hyuk jerked away from the younger, the sudden movement making his puffy squirrel cheeks jiggle adorably. He struggled to move away from the maknae, but further movement had been impeded by the strong pair of arms that kept him clamped to the Sung Jae’s side. “What did you say?”

“You think I wouldn’t realise it, with all the subtle signals that you’ve been sending me? During interviews, when we were hosting MTV The Show together, even back in the dorm when I walked around shirtless. I recognise those looks you gave me.” Sung Jae spoke teasingly while keeping his gaze fixed on the huge pavilion-sheltered bronze bell before him. “I’m not like one of those hapless damsels in distress you see on TV who are forever clueless about someone’s feelings for them. It really wasn’t that hard to figure out.”

“I… I…” Min Hyuk bit his lower lip when he couldn’t come up with a valid explanation for his ic actions. There wasn’t anything to justify, because Sung Jae had been spot-on. Min Hyuk was in love with the younger. He didn’t know when or how it started. He didn’t even realise it did until one day when he looked at Sung Jae and felt emotions bubble within him that he had never felt before. Somehow along the way, the seventeen year old’s acts no longer seemed just child-like, and the elder stopped seeing the other as someone to protect but someone who could protect.

The fact that Sung Jae had not even turned to look at Min Hyuk made the elder certain that he wasn’t going to stand a chance. He bit down on his lips even harder and shut his eyes, anticipating the humiliating rejection that he knew was soon to come. “…But it’s okay because I feel the same way. You’re the only one for me too, hyung.”

“W–What? Sung Jae!” Min Hyuk’s eyes flew open to find Sung Jae's face right in front of him. It caused his orbs to widen much more than normal, and along with his jaw that hung open from the shock, the whole facial expression made him seem almost comical. To the maknae however, the elder never seemed more precious and endearing right then.

“Dude, I know you’re old and all, but I wasn’t expecting your hearing to be that bad.” Sung Jae laughed. He popped Min Hyuk's jaw back in place and pulled the elder against his broad chest. “I said that I liked you too and you’re the only one for me. By the way, I love just how red your cheeks are now. It’s really adorable to see you blush like that.”

“Damn troll maknae. You nearly gave me a heart attack.” Min Hyuk mumbled into the soft material of Sung Jae’s woollen scarf as he tried to shield his flaming cheeks from view. His hands slowly found their way to the younger's shirt hem and The elder s his arms around the maknae's waist, locking and resting them on the small of his back. "But yeah... About what you said. I, uhm, do like you, a lot."

“I like you too, Min Hyuk hyung. So, so much.” Sung Jae planted a kiss at the bridge of Min Hyuk’s nose before resting his chin atop the elder’s head. “With the last ten seconds of the year I’ll say all these only once, okay? 2012 has been full of ups and downs for me. We had our long awaited debut after much blood, sweat and tears shed, we visited different countries under the name BTOB for the first time, and above all, I met and fell for you. I don’t care how long this will last, but just be with me to the end, okay?”

"Five... Four... Three... Two... One..." All around cheers sounded, some with the anticipation of ushering of the new year and others in delight of witnessing the formation of a new couple. Shyly Sung Jae and Min Hyuk turned towards the crowd who was fawning over their cute act and acknowledged the blessings with a slight bow.

The voluminous metallic sound of the bronze bell being struck rung from behind, causing Min Hyuk to squeal in delight. The lovebirds turned back to see the mayor of Seoul, along with a couple other ministers, gathered on the stone pavilion holding the wooden log, striking the gigantic bell five continuous times. Above their heads, fireworks in a plethora of bright, captivating colours erupted in the night sky.

“Happy new year!” Sung Jae and Min Hyuk looked towards each other and called out at the same time. They broke out into a smile before looking back up at the beautiful fireworks display before them.

New chances, new challenges and new hope. 2013 was going to be a better year for the both of them.

~~~

“You know, I was just wondering… Since we confessed to each other at 11:59PM, does that mean that our relationship is one year old now?”

“Damn troll maknae, you just killed the mood again.”