In Those Following Years minxjackson

Two years later -- December 31st, XX16

Min has grown since they first met.

She was fifteen years old, while he was younger at fourteen. He remembered that she had short, black hair then, slightly chubbier cheeks, and glasses. The only thing that has really changed until now was her appearance, and no one complained because even though she was pretty before, she was gorgeous now.

And now, at her being twenty-two years of age and him being twenty-one, they have already been together for two years. The two years seemed to have gone by in a blur, filled with smiles, happiness, and many shared kisses.

He could still remember like the first time like it was yesterday. Her lips had tasted like the lemon soda that she had been drinking just before (And ever since then, that has been his favorite flavor). He couldn't believe that now, two years later, he was doing this on their second anniversary. The same place, the same day.

The blue-velvet box felt heavy in his pocket, and he kept on his lips nervously. His hair, which was usually hidden under a snapback, was styled, and he was wearing a black sports coat over a black button down on top of dark jeans.

"Ayy, Jackson~" A hand clapped him on the shoulder, and Jackson turned to face his friend, Jaebum. He smiled and bumped fists before clasping his hand in a brotherly nature. "You nervous?"

"Oh, hell yeah I am," he let out a loud sigh, his hand slipping into his pocket to feel the box again. "Even though I know she's gonna say yes, I'm so freaking nervous."

"Aww, don't be nervous," Jae grinned and patted his shoulder. "You two are so in love that everything will be easy after this. You guys will probably never fight and will die at the same time while holding hands when you guys are old and wrinkly. That's how much you guys are meant for each other."

Jackson cracked at smile at his friend's attempt to ease his nerves. He glanced around the crowded room (It was always BamBam's tradition to hold a New Years party at his house), his eyes roaming to spot a certain blonde head. She had said she was going to be late, but she didn't say how late.

He said 'See you later' to Jaebum before making his way around to the backyard, where a few people were talking. It had been a cold winter -- proof of it showed in BamBam's ice-encased swimming pool and the inch of snow that lay atop the smooth, blue ice. He blinked when he saw a familiar woman with platinum waist-length hair standing at the edge, just watching the snowflakes fall on her hands and melt into small drops of water from her body heat.

Jackson simply smiled as he walked towards the small figure slowly. Once he reached her, he wrapped an arm around her waist while the other s down her forearms to her hands to lace his warm fingers with her colder ones. He nuzzled into the crook of her neck, kissing the little bit of skin that was showing.

"You're gonna catch a cold if you stay out here," he murmured, his breath hitting her skin.

Min allowed herself to sink momentarily into the warmth with a small laugh slipping from her lips before she turned around and slipped her arms around his torso with a wide smile. "I got distracted by the snowflakes, sorry," she laughed, pressing her cheek against his broad chest and welcoming the heat from his body that enveloped around her.

"Why didn't you come straight to me when you came?" Jackson mumbled against her hair in playful scolding, his arms tightly wound around her.

"I was looking for you, then I came out here, saw the snow, and got distracted," Min laughed, her hands gripping at the back of his jacket. She looked up with a smile, which Jackson couldn't help but return the smile before he leaned down to peck her slightly pink nose.

"I'll forgive you this one time. Come on, let's go inside and get warm," he said as he kept an arm around her shoulders and walked them back into the warm house.

"Yo, Jackson!"

The couple turned at the sound of his name being called. He gave a broad grin when he saw his friend, holding out his free hand to grasp Mark's in a brotherly fashion.

"Happy two years, guys," the American man said, grinning widely as he tousled Min's hair, the long locks becoming messy. She gave him a playful scowl as she ducked out of his reach, also ducking out of Jackson's arm as her hands went up to fix the strands back into place. In turn, Jackson glared at him when she was no longer next to him.

"Look what you made her do to me," he complained to Mark as he grabbed her hand to pull her close again.

Mark held his hands up in defense. "Can't help that little Minnie is so cute," he teased.

"Excuse me, I'm older than you," Min grumbled as she fixed the last strand of hair back into place.

At the same time, Jackson narrowed his eyes and wrapped his other arm around her, pulling her even closer to him. "Back off, she's mine," he warned. Min wrapped her arms around him as well, giving him a playful glare as well.

Mark threw up his hands. "I'm done," he said as he walked away from the laughing couple and disappeared into the crowd.

"One minute until XX17!"

The shout sent the people into an excited frenzy as they went to find friends and significant others, wanting to be with each other for the countdown. Min and Jackson untangled from one another until they were just holding hands, smiling at each other.

"Thirty seconds!"

"Happy two years, sweetie," Jackson laughed, ruffling her hair gently. Min smiled back up at him and squeezed his hand in return. "It's still not New Years, so technically it's not two years yet," she said playfully. Jackson returned her smile, his free hand once again slipping into his pocket as the ten-second countdown began.

"Ten! Nine! Eight! Seven! Six! Five! Four!"

Min and Jackson enthusiastically joined in with the countdown, gripping each other's hands tightly.

"Three! Two! One!"

Cheers erupted in the house as fireworks went off in the sky, letting off deafening booms. In the chaos, Min grabbed Jackson's cheeks to pull him down to her height and pressed her lips against his. As he responded, he pulled out the small box from his pocket while his heartbeat rapidly increased.

The second they separated, Jackson immediately got down on one knee, surprising Min and causing her eyes to go wide, her hands pressing over .

Jackson took a deep breath as he looked her in the eye. "Lee Minyoung," he started, his voice shaking. "I kissed you two years ago, in this house, on this day, in this exact minute under a mistletoe that a certain dongsaeng dangled over our heads as a joke. However, the outcome of that kiss wasn't even close to a joke. Even though I'm younger than you, you gave me the chance to act like a man to you and now I'm so in love with you. The last two years were spent in blissful happiness because I was able to spend them with you, noona."

By then, the crowd that was just pressed up against them had formed a circle around them. Some people were just grinning as they watched, while others had their phones out and were recording the event (including Yugyeom, who always boasted that he was the couple’s “matchmaker”). Jaebum gave Jackson a reassuring thumbs up from behind Min.

Holding up the velvet box, he opened it to reveal the ring. "Minnie, will you marry me?"

Unable to form words, she only could nod and hold out her hand to Jackson. A grin broke out across his face, the people around them shrieked and cheered, and he took the ring out of its velvet nest to slip it onto her fourth finger. He then stood up and wrapped his arms around her torso to hug her tightly, picking her off the ground in his earnest embrace.

Seven Years Later

“Mommy, when is Daddy coming home?” A round-cheeked girl with bright eyes and jet-black shoulder-length hair bounced up to her and tugged on her hand.

“He might come home late today. Tomorrow is a very special day, so he has as lot to do,” she gently said with a smile as she smoothed back her hair. “Do you want to go to sleep right now?”

“Nope!” she shook her head. “I can stay up until he does!”

Min chuckled. “You have school tomorrow, and Daddy probably won’t be home until after 12 o’clock. Off to bed now.” Jenny pouted, but obeyed her mother and ran upstairs.

Min smiled as she watched her daughter go before she turned back to the dishes she was doing. It’s been a good seven years since she and Jackson got engaged, six since their marriage, and four since the birth of their baby, Jenny. It’s also been three years since Jackson scored an amazing job as the choreographer for a new kpop group that was debuting the next day.

Min let out a tired sigh as she fell on the sofa in front of the TV that was playing the evening cartoons her baby was just watching. Too lazy to change the channel, she watched the characters move around the screen, determined to be up when her husband came home. But the day’s exhaustion eventually took over her as her eyelids slowly shut and gave way to sleep.

“Minnie~” A hand gently shook her shoulder as the owner called out her name. She gave a small groan as she twisted, turning to face the other way. “Go away,” she grumpily said, despite her previous determination to be awake for Jackson. But once sleep took over, it was in control.

“You should go sleep in the bedroom,” Jackson amusedly said, pulling her arm so that she faced him again. Giving a sigh, Min finally forced herself awake and sat up. Jackson had been crouching by the sofa, a tired but light grin on his face at the sight of his wife.

A glance at the clock on the wall showed it being 2 am. Min finally smiled at him and patted the spot beside her, telling him to sit down. “How’d it go?”

“They’re totally ready for the stage tomorrow,” Jackson chuckled as he did what she said and laid down, using her lap as a pillow and facing up to her. Min ran a hand through his hair before cupping his cheek with a smile. “That’s good. I can’t wait to see your hard work being shown to the world.”

“Did Jenny have a good day?” Jackson asked. Min nodded as she ran her thumb along his bottom lip. “She said she made friends with the new student. A boy apparently,” she chuckled.

Jackson heaved a deep sigh. “Do I already have to start threatening males around my little girl’s life?” Min laughed and gently slapped his chest. “Don’t be dramatic.”

“Oww,” Jackson stuck out his bottom lip childishly as he rubbed the spot where she hit him. “Anyway, I’ve been thinking…Jenny is pretty lonely as an only child. Shall we go for a second child?” He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively up at her.

Min rolled her eyes and covered his face with her hands, pushing him off her lap and forcing him to sit up. “Not today. You’re too tired to do any good to me at the moment.”

Jackson gasped dramatically and held his chest. “I’m hurt. But I’m pretty sure I’m capable of doing a lot to you even in this state,” he grinned as he rested his hand on her thigh. Min rolled her eyes again. “Stop Jackson. I’m too tired too.”

Jackson sighed in defeat but gave her a puppy pout. “At least a kiss, noona?” At that, Min laughed and leaned in to press her lips against his, as his hands grasped her waist to pull her on his lap.