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“Thank you so much for being here to celebrate. It’s almost time!” Ryan Seacrest says, looking around to everyone that was on stage with him. It was currently 11: 58 p.m. on December 31st, 2019, and it just hit Park Jimin what was about to happen.
Him and his fellow members, his best friends, were on a stage with some of the biggest stars in the world, waiting for a new decade to begin. He couldn’t help but let out a smile as he looked up into the night sky, taking in the giant ball hovering below the countdown to the new year. He can hear Ryan’s voice talking about everything that is happening, but it’s so loud and vibrant around him that Jimin isn’t really picking up any words. All he can hear are the screams of the apparent one million people that are filling up times square.
It’s 11:59 p.m. now, and the 60 second count down has begun. Jimin moves his head down from looking upward, needing to give his neck a break. Instead, he looks out at all of the people that are surrounding the stage that they are standing on. He smiles, seeing how the crowd seems to be filled with a lot of ARMY. They never disappoint in showing their love for him and his other members. Just the thought of it makes his eyes start to sting a little. Not wanting to straight up bawl on national t.v., Jimin looks in a different part of the crowd that seems to have less of their fans, and he sees couples gazing lovingly into each other's eyes while they hold hands, itching for the moment that their lips can finally meet. It’s a beautiful moment, Jimin thinks, but he can’t help but feel jealous.
Ever since he was old enough to learn what kissing was, Jimin had dreamed about having the perfect New Year’s kiss. They would be in a huge city, like Seoul or maybe even Times Square in New York, surrounded by hundreds and thousands of people. It would be excruciatingly loud and bright, but all of the noise would disappear once he turned towards his beloved, and his body would quickly fill with anticipation at what’s to come. They would stare into each other’s eyes and take each other’s hands, both waiting for the moment that they finally got to kiss. They both would feel a bit confused, because as much as they want the ball to drop so their lips can finally meet, they also don’t want this moment between them to ever end.
Now it’s 2019, it’s about to be the start of the new decade, and he can’t start the year by kissing the man he loves. He slowly turns his head to see Taehyung sporting his signature boxy smile, bouncing up and down as he points to the ball that is starting to drop. It’s not fair. Forget the fact that Jimin has never wanted to kiss someone so desperately in his life, but he can’t. He can never do something like that within the public’s eye. Yes, it isn’t right, but Jimin’s used to it by now, as he feels this kind of urge whenever he risks a glance at his best friends lips. But it isn’t fair for Taehyung. Someone like him, someone so kind and special and loving and good, someone like that deserves to be kissed as soon as the clock strikes midnight. He deserves for time to stand still as someone kisses him like it’s the last kiss they’ll ever have. And Jimin knows Taehyung might never feel the same way that he does, but he thinks he could kiss Taehyung like that. At least, he could give it a try, as long as he doesn’t combust from nervousness first.
Jimin shakes his head, trying to rid these dangerous thoughts from running in his mind. Why long for a moment that he knows he can never have? As long as he’s in BTS, he will never have a New Year’s kiss. And as he sees his members start to put their arms around each other with huge smiles on their faces, he knows that he’s okay with that. As long as he gets to ring in every new year with these guys by his side, he’ll be more than fine.
Instead, he focuses his attention back to the moment. He finally can make out a bit of what Ryan is saying. It’s hard to understand exactly what’s being said, but he knows he hears the next phrase perfectly.
“Get ready to grab someone you love.”
Jimin tries not to let the panic inside of him show on his face, as Tae decides right at that moment to turn towards him and have his phone record Jimin’s face. Coincidences really have a way with mocking Jimin, sometimes.
“You can feel the energy here in Times Square. It has been building all night for this moment.”
Jimin visibly gulps as Tae uses his free hand that’s not holding his phone to grab Jimin’s hand. Jimin makes sure not to twist his head in Taehyung’s direction as to not draw any attention, but he lets his eyes slowly look to his right. He doesn’t know what he hopes to see, but when he sees Taehyung looking up at the countdown to midnight, his stomach drops. Another coincidence, he supposes. He can’t resent Tae, but for one brief moment he had hoped maybe, just maybe, he might be feeling what Jimin currently is. Longing, pure longing for the person you love most.
He feels Namjoon bump against him, and once again Jimin is jolted back to reality. Thankfully for Jimin, Namjoon’s accidental bump was at the perfect time, as Jimin looks up to see 10 seconds left until midnight. He starts to count down the last moments of 2019 with everyone else.
“3, 2, 1...HAPPY NEW YEAR!” The crowd yells as confetti suddenly fills up the sky. Couples finally let their lips meet, taking each other into their arms. Fuck it, Jimin thinks, as he turns to Taehyung and wraps his arms around his waist. If Jimin can’t get a new year’s kiss, the least he can get is a hug. He feels Tae stiffen a bit from the shock of it all before he melts into Jimin’s arms, wrapping both of his arms around Jimin’s shoulders. It only lasts for 2 seconds before both Jimin and Taehyung are being pulled in by the other members for a group hug, but at least it was something. It might be selfish, but Jimin just needed one small moment with Tae right as the new year began, so he can say he started the year with the love of his life in his arms.
Jimin can’t help but to let out a loud yawn as he closes his hotel door behind him, letting his body fall onto the plush king size bed. He doesn’t know what time it is, and he has absolutely no interest in looking at the clock on the nightstand beside him. He’s not even sure he can change out of his clothes and into his pj’s, he’s that tired. Being in the middle of times square on New Year’s Eve while having an existential crisis about being completely in love with your best friend really takes the energy out of a person, apparently.
After laying still for a few moments, he finally manages to convince himself to at least take off his shoes. He sits up, reaching over to untie his right show first when there’s suddenly a knock on his door. He halts his movements, head tilting to the side as he ponders who on earth would be knocking at this hour. Maybe Jimin is just that tired, and he imagined the whole thing?
He waits a moment before shrugging his shoulders, continuing what he was doing before and successfully taking off his right shoe. He moves his hands over to his left shoe, getting ready to do the same, but instead gets interrupted again by another knock on his door, this one a little bit louder than before.
“What the heck..” Jimin sighs, whining as he regretfully stands up from his bed and walks towards the door.
“Who is it?” Jimin asks, too lazy and tired to look through the peep hole.
“Taehyung,” responds a deep and familiar voice from the other side. Jimin doesn’t hesitate when he throws the door open, confusion and anxiousness clearly showing on his face.
“Tae, it’s really late. Is everything okay?” Jimin asks, his tone full of worry. His anxiety slightly wanes when he takes in his best friend, clearly seeing that he isn’t physically harmed. It leaves almost altogether when Taehyung nods in response to Jimin’s question.
“Yes, sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you. Everything is fine,” Taehyung responds, letting a small smile grace his lips.
Jimin lets out a sigh as he nods his head, trying to ignore that one lingering butterfly still seeming to flutter around in his stomach. It tends to be there in moments like this, when it’s just the two of them alone. Jimin has all but mastered the art of ignoring it, but at times it catches him off guard when he’s too tired or distracted by something else. In those moments, that one butterfly gets the better of him.
“Can I come in?” Taehyung asks, and Jimin’s eyes widen in response. The butterfly’s wings start fluttering faster, and Jimin lets out a small cough to try and calm it down.
“S-sure,” Jimin steps aside, giving Taehyung enough space to walk inside. Jimin closes the door behind him, taking a few small breaths before he turns around and looks at his best friend. He sees Taehyung walk further into the room, looking around before his eyes settle on Jimin.
“Why are you standing over here? And why do you only have on one shoe?” Taehyung asks, head tilted to the side in confusion. Jimin just lets out a laugh kicking his left shoe off before walking away from the door until he’s a couple of feet away from Taehyung.
Jimin stands there quietly, waiting for Tae to let him know why he’s come to his room so late at night. On any other night, it wouldn’t be as suspicious. It’s not uncommon for them to hang out or even sleep over in each other’s rooms, especially when they are in a foreign place. But they always go straight to their own rooms after days like today, when it was so jam-packed that their bodies only have enough energy to drag themselves to their own beds.
Jimin tries to be patient, he really does, but the longer he waits, the more anxious Taehyung starts to look. And the more anxious Taehyung looks, the more frantically the butterfly in Jimin’s stomach flies around.
“Tae, I know you’re tired. What’s up? Why did you come here?” Jimin asks with a gentle and calming voice as he risks a small step closer.
Taehyung sighs as he looks down, muttering out, “I couldn’t sleep.”
Jimin can’t help but let out a giggle seeing the small pout on his best friends’ face. It’s one of the many things Tae can do to make Jimin coo inside.
“And why can’t you sleep, baby bear?” Jimin asks with a sly smile.
Taehyung takes a deep breath before he looks up and stares into Jimin’s eyes, looking more serious than Jimin has ever seen him.
“Because of you,” Taehyung responds, a hint of longing tinging his tone.
The butterfly officially goes bat-shit crazy in Jimin’s stomach as the smile drops from his face, a slight frown taking place instead.
“You can’t sleep, because of me? I don’t understand...Did I do something to make you upset?” Jimin asks, wanting to reach out and comfort the man standing in front of him.
Taehyung turns around, opting to look out the window of Jimin’s hotel room as opposed to his eyes, hoping that will help him say everything he intended to when he decided to come here.
“It feels like a lifetime ago, when we were trainees. But for some reason, I still remember it so vividly. Every dance practice, every singing lesson. Heck, I even remember every stupid argument that we had back then,” Taehyung laughs, shaking his head fondly before he continues.
“But what I remember most, above everything else, is all of our late-night conversations. The ones we had after everyone went to bed, and for some reason we couldn’t fall asleep, so instead we talked until the sun rose up and a new day began. Sometimes we talked about stupid and trivial things, like what food we craved the most since becoming a trainee. But slowly, eventually, we started to evolve, and our conversations evolved along with us. We talked about our hopes, and our dreams. What we wanted most out of this one life we are blessed with. Do you remember?” Taehyung asks, finally mustering up the courage to turn back around and face his best friend.
“Of course,” Jimin responds, barely a heartbeat after Taehyung had asked him. Those moments were some of the ones that Jimin treasured the most from those days. Those were the moments that these feelings he has for Taehyung were built upon. He will always remember every moment he spent growing up with him by his side.
“If you remember every conversation that we had, then you remember when we talked about our favorite holidays. You let me go off for hours about how Christmas is obviously the best and most superior of the holidays, which it still is by the way. And when I asked you what yours is, do you remember what you told me?”
Jimin nods his head, smiling slightly at the memory when he responds, “New Year’s Eve.”
“That’s right,” Taehyung says, smiling back. “I didn’t understand it in the moment, so I asked you why in the hell you would choose New Year’s Eve as your favorite when there are so many others to choose from. And you said it’s because ever since you learned what kissing was, you dreamed of having a perfect New Year’s kiss. And even if I didn’t understand why that was your ultimate romantic dream, I always thought that you deserved to have that moment with someone who loves you more than anyone else in the world. Someone that could kiss you like it was the last kiss you’ll ever have. That’s what you deserve, Jiminie.”
Jimin’s cheeks turn ever so slightly pink when he looks back at Taehyung. “Yeah...I guess I really was a hopeless romantic.”
Taehyung stares at Jimin for a few moments, seeming to contemplate something before pulling out his phone.
“I wasn’t lying when I said I couldn’t sleep. And yes, it partly was because of you. But honestly, I would’ve been here earlier if the video would’ve been posted sooner.”
“What video?” Jimin asks, though it seems his question is about to be answered. Muffled music and cheers start to play out of Taehyung’s phone as he puts it down on the table not far from where they are standing.
“Thank you so much for being here to celebrate. It’s almost time!” Jimin hears a voice he wouldn’t recognize, had it not been for the fact that he heard Ryan Seacrest say that exact sentence a few hours ago.
“You’d think they would post the video of the New Year’s countdown as soon as the clock strikes midnight.” Taehyung says, walking back toward Jimin until he’s standing in front of him again. This time, he’s standing a bit closer, hands fidgeting nervously at his sides.
“Tae...what...I don’t understand,” Jimin struggles out, his breath coming out unevenly.
“Get ready to grab someone you love!”
Taehyung reaches out with both of his hands to grab Jimin’s, his thumb rubbing soothing circles on the back of Jimin’s hands.
“You can feel the energy here in Times Square. It has been building all night for this moment!”
The butterfly in Jimin’s stomach must have combusted from going crazy inside him, because he no longer feels it fluttering inside. Instead, time seems to freeze as he looks into the eyes of his best friend.
This isn’t happening...
But it is. And before Jimin's heart can catch up to the moment, a crowd of voices ring throughout the hotel room.
“3, 2, 1... HAPPY NEW YEAR!”
...And after years of itching for this moment, his lips finally meet the lips of the love of his life.
When his heart finally catches up to real time, it lets Jimin close his eyes, and the room around them disappears. He suddenly hears millions of people surrounding them, cheering as a Frank Sinatra song blasts through the streets of Times Square. He feels a piece of confetti land briefly on his cheek before the wind blows it into the sky. He feels the bursts of fireworks exploding beautiful colors around them. He knows it’s crazy, that time travel isn’t possible and this scene he’s created around them isn’t real, but what he’s feeling as Taehyung kisses him is. He feels their love surrounding them as he tilts his head, deepening the kiss. He feels Taehyung kissing him like this is the last kiss he’ll ever have. After all of these years of longing, Jimin finally got his New Year’s kiss, and it feels better than anything he ever dreamed of in his head.
He feels Taehyung smile against his lips after they part, breathing heavily as they rest their foreheads against each other. They don’t talk for a moment, savoring everything that just happened. It isn’t until the video stops playing and the room is filled with silence that Jimin finally musters up the courage to speak.
“So...do you finally understand why New Year’s Eve is my favorite holiday?” Jimin asks, the sly smile from earlier making its way back onto his face.
Taehyung chuckles before puckering his lips in thought. “Hmm...I definitely see the appeal a lot more than I did before. But I still think Christmas trumps every other holiday.’
Jimin scoffs, tilting his head backward to look up at his beloved in mock disgust. “How could you say that?? And after we just had that amazing rom-com worthy type of moment!”
Taehyung lets out a loud laugh before his hands let go of Jimin's and make their way upward until he’s holding Jimin’s face. “I let you convince me of the romantic charm of a New Year’s Eve kiss, Park Jimin. So now it’s my turn to convince you.”
Jimin smiles wider, hands reaching up to cover Taehyung’s as he gives his lips a small peck. “Convince me of what, Taehyungie?”
Taehyung smiles cheekily, causing the butterfly in Jimin’s stomach to revive and flutter around once again.
“Tell me Park Jimin, have you ever experienced a kiss under the mistletoe?”