the countdown echoes through the crowd, everyone around you excited for the new year. the air is filled with laughter and chatter, but all you can focus on is the way seungmin's hand rests lightly on your waist. the seconds tick down, each one making the space between you feel smaller, your heart beating a little faster with every passing moment.

as the clock strikes midnight, everyone around you erupts in cheers, the noise almost deafening, but it’s his eyes on you that make everything else fade. he steps closer, his breath warm against your skin, and for a moment, you can’t hear anything but the soft thrum of your heartbeat. the anticipation hangs thick between you, like the world is waiting for this one moment.

“happy new year.” he says, his voice low and tender. then, just as the celebrations hit their peak, he leans in, and his lips meet yours, soft and gentle, as if the whole night was leading up to this. the kiss is quiet, a promise of something unspoken, but it’s everything you need in that moment.