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Winter time meant two very different things to Jihoon and Soonyoung.
To Jihoon, it meant cold. The bitter chill of the winds piercing through your body, snow piling up, making it difficult to go anywhere. Outside was wet and miserable, and if you didn’t bundle up properly, you could get sick. And Soonyoung was always sick. A sick Soonyoung was a needy Soonyoung. To Jihoon, winter was just bothersome. A season that made him consider moving to a tropical island every time it came around.
To Soonyoung on the other hand, winter was his favorite season. He loved waking up in the morning and watching the snowflakes fall gently to the ground from his window. On those days, nothing made him happier than wrapping himself in a blanket and drinking a cup of hot chocolate, observing how the snow coated the trees in a way that made everything seem almost.. magical. A little later in the afternoon, Soonyoung will somehow manage to get Jihoon to go outside and build a snowman with him and even though Jihoon may hate winter, but he’d probably do anything to make Soonyoung happy.
December five years ago, they went on their first date. Soonyoung had a crush on Jihoon ever since highschool, and he was ecstatic when Jihoon agreed to finally go on a date with him. They went to eat at some ramen place, ordered a bottle of soju, and Soonyoung watched in awe as Jihoon quickly swallowed down a whole bowl of spicy ramen.
“What? Can’t handle spicy food?” Jihoon asked with his mouth full of noodles.
“I never said that!”
“Then try some.” Jihoon smiled mischievously, passing the bowl to Soonyoung.
Soonyoung grabbed his chopsticks and took a bite, ears instantly turning red. He dropped the chopsticks and chugged a glass of water once he was finished. Jihoon doesn’t think he had ever laughed harder in his life. They finished their meal with animated chatter, talking about a choreography Soonyoung was making at the time.
They stepped outside the restaurant, the nighttime bringing the cold, but stayed warm from the feeling of good company and the burn that came with drinking a little too much soju.
Jihoon let out a sigh, seeing his breath since it was so cold. He looked at Soonyoung with a gentle smile.
“I had a lot of fun, thank you.” Soonyoung nodded.
“I did too.. But there’s still one more thing I would like to show you.”
Jihoon tilted his head in question. “What is it?”
Instead of answering, Soonyoung gave him a bright smile and took his hand in his.
“Just come with me.”
They walked for a little while, Jihoon complaining that his fingers and toes feel like they’re gonna fall off while the dead leaves crunched underneath their feet. The stars were out. There was always something about winter stars that Jihoon didn’t like. They were cold and distant, they shone so bright but they never provided any warmth.
They came to a stop and Soonyoung told Jihoon to cover his eyes because it’s a surprise. Soonyoung led him around a corner, and Jihoon pulled his hands off of his face. What Jihoon saw made his mouth drop open. Before them was a park, paper bag lanterns were placed along the sidewalk, creating a path that led to a wooden gazebo. Jihoon followed Soonyoung down the path, observing the lanterns filled with sand and white candles in the middle, creating a comfortable orange glow.
They walked up the steps to the structure. Orange christmas lights hung from the roof and wrapped all around the pillars. Jihoon turned to look at Soonyoung, he had a soft smile gracing his features and eyes that were shining brighter than any star in the sky. His cheeks were lightly dusted in pink, and his nose and ears were turning red from the cold.
“This is my favorite thing about winter. I love the fairy lights that come with the season. They make everything so.. Warm. Don’t you think?” He said as he rested his arms on the edge, overlooking the whole park. Jihoon walked silently to his side, taking Soonyoung’s hand in his and interlocking their numb fingers.
“It’s nice but I’m freezing my ass off. Can we go before I get hypothermia.”
Soonyoung nodded and turned to face Jihoon, grabbing both of his hands.
“We can go, but I need to tell you something first.”
“What is it?”
“I’ve liked you for so long, ever since we started highschool. You’re so passionate about what you do. I’m glad I met you. I guess what I’m trying to say is.. Will you be my boyfriend?”
Jihoon remained silent, a stoic expression on his face but the tips of his ears turned into a shade of dark red. He grabbed Soonyoung’s shoulder and pulled him down into a soft kiss, both of their lips chapped from the cold. The kiss itself was only a few seconds and Jihoon started walking away as soon as they separated, leaving Soonyoung frozen in place smiling from ear to ear.
“You’re so stupid.” He said as he was walking away.
“Wait! What does this mean?” Soonyoung called as he chased after him.
“What do you think it means, dumbass!”
----------------
They’re coming up on their 5th anniversary when Jihoon decided he wants to spend the rest of his life with Soonyoung. So, he bought a ring, told Soonyoung to request time off from his job and pack warm, and dragged him all the way to the train station.
“So, are you going to tell me why we’re here?” Soonyoung asked as they were standing in line, stuffing his hands into his pockets to prevent them from freezing.
Jihoon hummed, pretending to think about it before answering. “Nah.”
Soonyoung pouts, lips chapped and cheeks rosy before letting out a small puff of air. “You’re so mean.”
The train cabin was very warm, and provided a much welcome comfort when they took a seat side by side, thighs touching as Soonyoung leaned his head on the window to watch the scenery pass by. Jihoon made himself busy with something on his phone and ignored Soonyoungs comments about how he loves the snow covering trees.
The train ride wasn’t very long, only about an hour and a half tops, and they offered hot chocolate and coffee halfway through.
“Ji, do you want coffee?” Jihoon was so engrossed in his phone that he didn’t notice Soonyoung was speaking until he nudged him.
Jihoon looked up and pocketed his phone. “Sorry. What did you say?”
Soonyoung looked at him for a moment and sighed, holding out a cup. “I bought you coffee.”
Jihoon took the cup from his boyfriend’s hand and placed a kiss on his cheek, causing him to blush. “Thank you”
They spent the remainder of the trip in comfortable silence, hands making their way to each other, fingers interlocking, eyelids slowly drifting shut as they bask in the warm presence of each other.
“Wake up. We’re here.”
Jihoon gently shook Soonyoung awake watching him slowly open his eyes and yawn, observing the passengers making their way out of the cabin one by one, noticing that the mountainous landscape outside the windows had come to a stop. They gathered their bags and headed out onto the platform. The temperature dropped a few degrees while they traveled and the wind was slightly picking up. Soonyoungs teeth started chattering and he quickly walked over to the first bench he saw, throwing a bag on it and instantly digging around for some warmer clothing.
“I told you to dress warm, dumbass!”
“I didn’t think it would be this cold!”
After a few minutes of searching, he took out a beanie and pulled it down over his ears.
“For someone who loves winter, you sure don’t know the first thing about preparing for it.”
Soonyoung lightly pushed Jihoon. “Do you plan on bullying me this whole vacation?”
----------------------
They got dropped off at the entrance to the cabin, a little outside the center of the town and right next to the famous hot springs. Jihoon dug in his coat pocket for the key and unlocked the door, revealing a cozy room with one large bed. In front of the bed was a wood burning fireplace, brick and landscape paintings decorated the walls. Off to the side was a master bathroom, completed with a full tub and dual sinks. The suite was obviously made for a couple, and Soonyoung noticed the tub had jets in it. He’d have to save that information for later.
Soonyoung plopped down onto the king bed, reveling in the comfort of the soft blankets. Jihoon took a seat next to him and started messing with something on his phone again. After a few minutes of Jihoon smiling at his phone, Soonyoung decided he was tired of it and rolled over to look at his boyfriend.
“So, can we do something today or do you wanna stay on your phone all day?”
Jihoon locked his phone and glared at Soonyoung. “We literally just got here, I booked this place for 4 days, we have time to do stuff, don’t worry.”
“Sorry for wanting to spend time with my boyfriend.” Soonyoung mutters with his face in a pillow.
The air was tense for a few minutes. Silence filled the room, save for their breathing and the occasional text notification from Jihoons phone. “I’m sorry. I’m just irritable and hungry. How about we get dinner and spend time in the hot springs after?”
Soonyoung hummed and turned to face the shorter. “Are you suggesting we’ll be alone in the hot springs?” He said with a smirk.
Jihoon scrunched his nose in disgust and threw a pillow at him. “You’re gross.”
-------------
They stopped by a quaint cafe located on main street for dinner. It didn’t look like anything special, but they noticed that there were colorful christmas lights decorating the door and a tree was being displayed in the window. The ornaments reflected off of the window, shiny reds and blues that made the place feel more inviting. As soon as they stepped inside, warmth filled the air. Customers were happily chatting and the atmosphere was very lively. The employee behind the counter greeted them, smiling easily as they approached him
“Welcome! How can I help you?” His smile seemed genuine, which blew Jihoon’s mind. Nobody working in customer service could be that happy.
“Uhhh.” Soonyoung said as his eyes scanned the menu. “I’ll have a turkey sandwich. Oh, and a cup of hot chocolate, please.” Jihoon gave him a judgemental look for ordering hot chocolate, but Soonyoung brushed it off.
After entering in the order, the employee turned to Jihoon. “And for you?”
“Same sandwich, and a coke, please”
“Alright, your total is 16.55”
Jihoon pulled out his card and handed it to the guy, despite Soonyoung’s protests.
The guy handed the card back, and said that it’ll be a few minutes.
“Thank you…” Soonyoung paused to read the nametag, “Seokmin.”
Seokmin just smiled and went to go prepare the food.
They found a table in the back, in front of a window overlooking the frozen river.
“I wanted to pay for it!” Soonyoung pouted, resting his cheek in his hand.
Jihoon stuck his tongue out. “Too bad. But really, hot chocolate?
“Look, just because you hate joy and happiness..”
Jihoon rolled his eyes as Seokmin brought their order to the table.
“Here you go, I even put some extra whipped cream on the hot chocolate. I hope you enjoy!” He said with a bright smile.
They thanked him as he walked away, and when he was out of earshot, Soonyoung spoke.
“Okay, I’ll say it. That guy is really cute.” He said as he took a sip of his drink.
“I have to agree, but he looks way too happy.”
They did that a lot, point out a guy who they think is cute. There wasn’t really any jealousy about it, at least nothing that’s ever become an issue.
It came up about a year into their relationship, Soonyoung told Jihoon he thinks he’s poly. And Jihoon was surprisingly supportive. Sure, it made Jihoon a little jealous at first but as time passed, he realized that Soonyoung only wanted him. Jihoon was confident in that. So he’s comfortable with them making passing comments about a cute cashier.
Time passed as their drinks became empty and frost formed on the windows. Fog decorated the glass inside and Soonyoung reached out to draw a happy face in it, causing a chuckle to leave his lips along with a fond smile directed at? his boyfriend.
On their way back, they stopped at a store to buy a few bottles of wine and dropped them off at the cabin before heading to the hot springs.
------------
The hot springs were very serene, very quiet. Most of the tourists had already left at that point, leaving only a few couples scattered throughout the 3 large pools. The sun was setting as they sat in the heated water, causing underwater lights to come on. Stars came out, and steam rose from the water as the temperature dropped steadily. Soonyoung looked over at Jihoon, who had a small smile gracing his features, cheeks dusted with a shade of pink. His eyes were shining, sparkling brighter than any star he’d ever seen. You’re beautiful, he thought.
Jihoon instantly turned bright red. Huh. He must’ve said that out loud.
“Shut up, Soonyoung!” Jihoon said as he splashed water at him. Soonyoung laughed cheerfully, a wide smile spread across his face.
“Prettier than any star in the sky.”
A while passed.he two were sat with their shoulders and thighs touching, Soonyoung taking both of their hands and intertwining their fingers. It’s nice, they thought. Work has been so busy for both of them that they haven’t gotten to spend any time together, and it had put somewhat of a strain on their relationship.
“I miss you, you know.” Jihoon whispered, as if talking any louder would ruin the moment completely.
Soonyoung sighed. “I know. I’m sorry.”
After a few moments of silence, Soonyoung spoke up again. “Is that why you took us here? So we can spend more time together?”
A sly smile made its way onto Jihoons lips. “Yeah”
“In that case, I’m all yours tonight.” Soonyoung whispered as he closed the distance and met Jihoon’s lips in a tender kiss.
They spent the rest of the night at the cabin, intoxicated off of too many glasses of wine and the subtle touches between them.
------------
Morning rolled around and brought along the unwelcome, bitter chill of winter. Jihoon woke up first, cursing the cold and wondering why the hell did he fall asleep naked? He sighed and sat up, looking to the fireplace and noticing that neither of them remembered to light it. Grumbling, he stood up and lazily threw on a shirt and some sweats. Soonyoung woke up to Jihoon causing a ruckus and occasionally cursing under his breath.
“Um.. Jihoon, what are you doing?”
“Nothing.. Ow fuck!” He dropped the lighter and looked up at his boyfriend sitting on the bed.
Soonyoung had to suppress a laugh and Jihoon just glared at him.
“I didn’t know you knew how to start a fire, Jihoon.”
“Like you could do any better.”
After an hour, some minor burns, and a whole lot more firewood than necessary, they successfully managed to light the fireplace.
“Some pieces of wood looked better than the others!!”
“That’s literally not how it works, but okay.”
The fire crackled and popped as the flames slowly came to life.
The atmosphere was pleasant; they laid together on the floor, wrapped in as many pillows and blankets they could find, Jihoon resting his head on Soonyoung’s shoulder and struggling to keep his eyes open. It was dusk when he woke back up again and the fire was almost completely out. He looked around while stretching his neck, sore from falling asleep in an odd position.
“It’s dark outside?? How long did you let me sleep for?” Soonyoung hummed, thinking about the answer while trying to play a game on his phone.
“Only a few hours, it gets dark at like 3pm now.”
“And you didn’t wake me up?”
“Nah, you always work so hard, you deserve to rest. Where’s the phone charger by the way? My phones gonna die.”
“In my bag, front pocket.” JIhoon replied sleepily. It wasn’t until Soonyoung unzipped the bag that he remembered the ring was still there. Fuck, fuck, fuck.
“Wait, let me find it,” he said with a slight panic rising into his voice, “I don’t remember where I put it.”
Soonyoung just tilted his head in confusion. “It’s fine, I can find it myself.”
“It’s my bag, I got it.” Jihoon said with a bite as he walked over and took the bag away. A flash of hurt crossed Soonyoungs face before he gave up and sighed.
“You’ve been acting really weird lately, you know?”
“How so?”
“You’re always on your phone, and I know it’s not for your job because you finished every project that was due before we came here. And just now. What the fuck was that all about? I thought we came here to spend time together, to fix our relationship.”
“Fix? I wasn’t aware it needed fixing.”
‘
Soonyoung scoffs. "Please, this relationship has never been easy. We never have time for each other and now you’ve gotten so bored of me you’d rather be on your phone instead of spending time with me.”
Jihoon groaned and ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “You keep bringing that up. I’m not bored of you! If I was bored of you I would’ve ended this relationship a long time ago! And we're not perfect, no. But I thought we were doing pretty damn good.”
Soonyoung narrowed his eyes. “Really. Does this look good to you? I just can’t believe that you’re spending the only time we’ve had together in months on your phone.”
“I have a good reason, you know.”
“And what is that?”
He froze for a moment, trying to think of any possible lie that he could sell to Soonyoung. The latter seemed to notice, though, and opened his mouth before Jihoon could reply.
“And don’t lie to me. Fuck, I at least deserve the truth, don’t I?”
“I just.. I can’t tell you.”
“Why not?!”
Jihoon just stood there, eyes focused on anywhere but Soonyoung’s face, not knowing what to say. He didn’t know what to say to make the situation better. He’s at a loss, and he’s scared. So scared.
“This isn’t gonna work if you keep hiding things from me! You can’t even tell me the truth, and that really fucking hurts.” His voice cracked on the last word. Tears were threatening to spill out from his eyes.
Soonyoung then decided that he had enough. He scrambled to put on his jacket and shoes, and got up heading for the door. He placed his hand on the handle and turned to Jihoon.
“Well, once you decide to tell me the truth, come find me.”
Soonyoung slammed the door shut, leaving Jihoon alone in the tense silence, thinking about how he royally fucked up.
This was supposed to be the perfect vacation. He tried, he really did. He’s never been good at romance, or saying the right words, but he genuinely wanted to try. For Soonyoung. Soonyoung has always been a romantic. He did everything on a grand scale and that’s why Jihoon wanted to plan the grand proposal for him.
How did it all go so wrong?
----------------
Soonyoung didn’t know where he was going. He didn’t really care, either. All he wanted to do was get away for awhile and cool down. The snow crunched beneath his feet and the sun had just set behind the mountains, causing everything to quickly be enveloped in darkness. Luckily, the lights from the town provided some sort of light, and Soonyoung followed the twinkling lights until he ended up on the small main street. Tinsel decorated the now illuminated streetlights. To the right of him was a large frozen pond, filled with children and couples alike skating happily across the ice. He focused specifically on a group of children. The tips of their ears were red, despite wearing beanies, and they chased each other around and around, big smiles covering their rosy cheeked faces. Soonyoung smiled as he watched the kids, remembering when he used to one too. Everything was so easy back then. It was a much simpler time.
After the parents called for their kids to come inside, Soonyoung walked around a little bit more. He shoved his hands in his pockets and zipped up his jacket as far as it would go. Wanting to get out of the cold, he headed inside the first cafe he saw. It ended up being the cafe he and Jihoon went to the night before, and to his surprise (or no surprise at all), he saw that same cute cashier at the front counter. Seokmin, if he remembered correctly.
“Oh! It’s you again,” Seokmin recognized him too. “Hello!”
“Hi.” He gave a polite smile as he approached the front counter.
“What can I get for you?”
Soonyoung scanned over the menu and saw that everything looked so good. He then realized that he actually hadn’t had anything to eat yet, and ordered a few more things than usual.
“I’ll have a spinach quiche, a chicken sandwich, a blueberry muffin, oh and a cup of hot chocolate, please.”
“Extra whipped cream?”
“Always.”
Seokmin rang up his order on the computer and swiped the card, giving it back with the receipt and telling him it’ll be a few minutes. Soonyoung nodded, and sat on a bar stool next to the counter, pulling out his phone only to realize that it’s at 5%. Right. He never got around to charging his phone.
He looked around and noticed that he was the only customer, so he decided to make some light conversation with Seokmin.
“Are you the only one that works here?”
Seokmin laughed and shook his head.
“No, but there are only 3 employees, so I spend a lot of my time here.”
“3 employees, huh.” Seokmin nodded as he handed the hot chocolate and muffin to Soonyoung.
“Yeah, there aren’t many permanent residents in this town. I’d say 90% of the population are seasonal tourists. So every shop around here is understaffed.”
“Hm,” he said as he ate some of the whipped cream off the top, “that must suck.”
“It gets a little busy but it’s nice, we’re all like family around here.”
Soonyoung smiled at that thought, thinking about who he himself considers family. Jihoon instantly came to mind, and his smile faltered slightly, eyes dimming in the process. Seokmin noticed, and gently handed him the food.
“Are you okay?” This seemed to snap him out of his thoughts, and he looked up at the kind barista.
“Uh, yeah, I’m fine.”
Seokmin noticed the shift in atmosphere, and tried to change the subject. “Where’s the guy you were with yesterday?” He instantly regretted asking that when he noticed Soonyoungs pained expression.
“I’m sorry, it’s not my business. You don’t have to tell me. I shouldn’t have pried!” The words came out rushed and panicked.
“It’s fine. I just.. needed a little bit of alone time today.”
Nodding, Seokmin seemed to carefully consider his words, lips drawing into a thin line before he spoke. “Well, for what it’s worth, you guys looked really cute together. Like, genuinely happy. I hope it works out.”
Soonyoung brightened at that. “Thanks. It’s weird, I met you yesterday but it feels like I’ve known you for a lot longer.”
He chuckled and grinned, eyes forming into crescents and gave a smile that somehow made him even cuter. “You’re also easy to talk to…”
“Soonyoung. My name’s Soonyoung.”
“You’re easy to talk to, Soonyoung.” Seokmin walked over to the display, and grabbed a tart out of it. Boxing it up with two plastic forks and handing it to Soonyoung.
“This is on the house.”
Soonyoungs eyes widened. “Are you sure? I can’t accept this.”
“Don’t worry about it. I hope you’ll come by again sometime.”
---------
Jihoon was worried about Soonyoung. Very worried. It was dark outside, the temperature was below freezing, and he wasn’t picking up the phone. He honestly didn’t know if Soonyoung was coming back at all tonight, but he couldn't blame him. If it were him, he probably wouldn't come back either. Jihoons stomach grumbled, reminding him that they never got to eat. He wasn't in the mood to eat though. Their relationship was probably ruined, and it was all his fault. After a few unreceived messages, and a few calls that went straight to voicemail, he gave up. Instead, he tossed his phone to the side, and curled up under the covers.
A while later Jihoon woke to the sound of the door opening.
"I'm back."
The voice was hesitant and timid; but something Jihoon could recognize anywhere. Sighing, he sat up and turned on the lamp. Jihoon rubbed his face raw and tear stained face. Soonyoungs heart constricted at the sight.
“I uh, I brought some food.. In case you were hungry.” Jihoon nodded and Soonyoung set the bag down on the table. Jihoons eyes landed on the food, and his eyes started watering. He didn't deserve any of this. Soonyoung was still so kind, even after a fight that was Jihoons fault. Soonyoung was always kind. Jihoon really didn’t deserve him in general.
"I'm so sorry." His voice cracked on the last syllable. "I didn't mean to make you feel like that... I didn’t realize I made you feel like that.”
"I just want the truth, Jihoon. That's all I ever ask for."
Soonyoung walked over to the bed and sat next to the shorter, interlacing their fingers.
"I know, and I’m sorry that I can't tell you the full truth right now. But I promise, I will soon.”
"It just makes me feel like shit, you know? I just- I tell you everything, and suddenly you're being so secretive? Like- like you can't trust me. We’ve been together for 5 years, that really doesn’t feel great.” Jihoon untangled their fingers and held Soonyoungs face, looking him in the eyes as sincerely as he could.
“That’s not true, you’re the most important person in the world to me. Of course I trust you.”
Soonyoung put his hand on the other’s, slowly removing it from his face.
"How do I know that? If that were true, why would you go to many lengths to keep stuff from me?” The words were hesitant and so soft, they didn’t sound like Soonyoung at all. He sounded scared and broken, and Jihoon felt like absolute shit.
“I don’t have an answer for that. I will in a few days, though. So please, give me the chance to make it up to you.”
Soonyoung observed Jihoons glossy eyes, feeling a little guilty because he hasn't seen the shorter like this in years.
"If you keep your promise, then I can forgive you." The relieved smile on Jihoons face would’ve made Soonyoung forgive him anyway.
-----------
The tart was gone, the remains thrown into a trash can across the room. Crumbs stuck to Soonyoungs face as he tried to wipe them off, causing Jihoon to laugh every time he missed a spot.
"Here, I got it." He swiped his thumb over the corner of Soonyoungs mouth, noticing how red he got. Jihoon chuckled and leaned in closer.
“Don’t be shy.” Their lips met in a slow and tender kiss. They made out for a while, running their hands over each others bodies and enjoying the feeling of the others lips against their own. They parted after they ran out of breath, lips swollen and shades of red lightly dusting their cheeks.
“I love you.” Soonyoung said as their foreheads touched, whispering the words against Jihoon’s mouth.
“I love you, too.”
-----------
"New Year's Eve is tomorrow."
"Mhm"
"Do we have any plans?" Soonyoung looked over at Jihoon laying down beside him. The moonlight shone through the curtains, painting a canvas on his soft features. His eyes were brimming with love and another emotion Soonyoung couldn't quite place. His cheeks remained a rosy red and his lips were glossy. Soonyoung wanted to lean over and kiss them again
.
"Guess you'll just have to wait and see."
"Just tell meeeeee"
"No, it'll ruin it."
"Jihoonieeee"
Jihoon laughed and poked his boyfriend on the nose. "I'll give you a hint. It involves fireworks."
Soonyoung pouted. "That's a given! Its New Year's Eve, of course there will be fireworks!"
"Fine. There'll also be alcohol."
"We always get drunk on New Year's Eve!!"
"Then stop asking."
-----------
Today was the day Jihoon was going to propose.
He had a plan, everything just had to go smoothly. They were going to go to a fancy dinner, watch the fireworks, propose, get super drunk, and the rest of the night didn’t need a plan. When Soonyoung woke up, Jihoon told him to take a shower and wear something nice. The problem was, he didn’t really bring anything nice. So Soonyoung spent an hour trying to come up with a decent outfit. He settled for a red button up paired with jeans that fit his figure nicely, and a black beanie so he could stay warm. He did a once over in the mirror. He thought he looked pretty damn good.
Jihoon thought so too, apparently, because as soon as Soonyoung stepped out from the bathroom, Jihoon started checking him out. His eyes raked over his body, lingering at his legs and appreciating just how well those pants hugged his thighs.
Jihoon himself was wearing an oversized jean jacket. Underneath was a plain white shirt, halfway tucked into his skinny jeans. Casual but still looked good, somehow Jihoon always made it work.
Since it was already noon, they went to a Mexican restaurant for lunch and had a few margaritas.
“There’s a parade today. We’re gonna go tonight.” Jihoon giggled as he told Soonyoung his plans. One drink in and he was pretty tipsy, but they’ve never been good with alcohol.
“A parade?”
“Mhm, with fireworks and everything. I really think you’re gonna like it.”
Soonyoung’s face lit up at the mention. “I love fireworks!! You’re the best!”
The atmosphere was bright and warm. The pair laughed at just about anything as they got a little too tipsy during a meal that was supposed to be their lunch.
They left the restaurant and walked down main street. The place was lively during the day. Cobblestone decorated the road as the vendors set up shop, preparing for the events taking place later that day. Kids ran up and down, chasing each other in a game of tag. Everyone seemed excited for the festivities. To kill time, Soonyoung suggested they go shopping. The two ended up making a bet, and the loser had to wear whatever the winner picks out. Jihoon won, of course, leaving Soonyoungs fate in his hands. They stopped at a tourist trap shop, and Jihoon picked out the most obnoxious things he could find. A pair of glasses that had ‘2020’ on top, a glittery red white and blue hat, and an LED necklace that said ‘happy new year’ on it.
Soonyoung ended up actually enjoying his new outfit, and suggested taking a million selfies with Jihoon who, after lots of convincing, gave up and took a few with him. They took one together on the bridge, Jihoon held up a peace sign while Soonyoung flashed a huge smile, one that made his eyes crinkle into the 10:10 position. It was a cute photo, even if they did look a bit ridiculous. Soonyoung liked it so much he posted it on instagram.
Walking down the street a little further, they noticed more and more people lining the sidewalks, some people were even in chairs, anticipating on what was to come. Jihoon noticed a coffee vendor, and ordered for them. Tea for him and some hot chocolate for Soonyoung. Thankful, he took the drink and turned his attention to the street in front of him. A firetruck led the line of floats, as they came down the road, each of them decorated to fit the time of year. Some of them had lots of tinsel decorating the bottoms, while others had christmas lights attached. One of them even had a replica of the ball they usually drop in Times Square. The people on the floats gave out candy, making the children extremely happy. Following the floats was a group of people, juggling with sparklers. The crowd was in awe at how flashy the whole thing was. It only lasted about 20 minutes, so afterwards they decided to go buy a few small fireworks and some alcohol to ring in the new year.
Soon enough, their cabin was filled with multiple empty bottles of champagne and a ton of sparklers. It was dinner at that point, and Jihoon suggested a fine dining place. The dining room was lively. Servers ran around trying to wait on customers, obviously a little understaffed during the holiday. White cloths decorated the tables, and chandeliers hung over their heads. It was a little too fancy for them, but this was a special occasion, so Jihoon didn’t mind. Soonyoung almost cried looking at the price of the food though.
“When was the last time we went out like this?”
Soonyoung thought about it. “Probably a few years.”
“Exactly, so you can order anything you want.” He still ended up ordering something on the cheaper side, likely out of guilt.
“So, are you enjoying today?” Jihoon said with a mouth full of steak.
Soonyoung nodded and smiled. “Yeah, I am. I always like spending time with you.”
Jihoon groaned. “You’re such a sap.”
“I am, but you love me anyway.”
“Some days I really wonder why.” He said in a teasing tone.
Soonyoung pretended to be hurt, clutching his hand over his chest and gasping. “How could my own boyfriend betray me?”
--------------
Darkness fell across the town. The sun went down behind the snow capped mountains, creating a twilight zone. Orange and purple hues decorated the sky, looking like a canvas with paint splattered on it. The new year was only in a few hours, and they were getting cold. The chill seeped through their bones as the snow went up to their knees. The way back to the cabin was unpleasant, but they couldn’t complain too much. Soonyoung took off his glove and held Jihoons hand in his, surviving off of the warmth radiating from the two.
Deciding they had time, they lit the fireplace and rented Endgame. Soonyoung poured two glasses of Champagne while Jihoon set the movie up. The pair spent a few hours cuddled up in each others arms, sipping on champagne while Jihoon kept saying how much he wouldn’t mind being kidnapped by any of the Avengers. Soonyoung sobbed at the end during the Spiderman scene.
It was nearing midnight at this point, so Jihoon decided to set his plan into motion. Grabbing the ring, sparklers, and a lighter, they head out. The walk was about 10 minutes, but they bundled up warmly to fight off the cold. They hiked up a few hills, and just before they arrived, Jihoon covered Soonyoungs eyes.
“Kinky.” He rolled his eyes and used his spare hand to punch Soonyoung.
“Shutup.”
They came to a stop, and Jihoon uncovered his eyes. Before them was the whole town. Lights from every building shone brightly, creating a beautiful scene. The giant Christmas tree still stood tall and strong in the middle of a park. They were up high enough to see the frozen pond that was turned into an ice rink. It looked like every post card that Soonyoung always admired, everything he loved about winter. The twinkling lights that created blues and reds, the snow beneath their feet, his hands numb because he never put the gloves back on. Jihoon looked absolutely ethereal, too, how did he get so lucky?
"So, what do you think?”
“This beats our first date by a mile, holy shit.”
“I wouldn’t say that, but I do have something else planned.”
Soonyoung looked at him wide-eyed. “More? Lee Jihoon, you do not have to do all of this.”
Here it goes. Fuck, i’m so nervous. Jihoon reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a blue velvet box.
“I know I’m probably not the ideal partner. I make a lot of mistakes and I’m not that good at communication. It’s something I know I need to work on. I guess what I’m saying is-” He stopped midway through the sentence, hands trembling. He was still so nervous.
Soonyoung put both his hands over Jihoons trembling one. “Is that a ring?”
He nodded and held up the box. “Yeah, so, marry me?”
It wasn’t the smoothest proposal he had in mind, but it worked for them. Soonyoung rapidly said yes and kissed Jihoon as hard as he could.
“Of course I will.” Kiss. “Is that why you kept things a secret from me?” Kiss.
“I really didn’t mean to make you upset, I just wanted everything to be perfect. You’re always so excited about things like this, I wanted you to have the best experience.”
“Everything is perfect. You’ve made me so happy.”
They lit sparklers to celebrate, and watched as the town started the fireworks display. They could hear the countdown start.
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.. HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Purple and red fireworks went off, echoing through the mountains, making it sound like a gunshot. Soonyoung and Jihoon kept kissing, not really caring about the fireworks in front of them. Echoes sounded in the background while their world slowed and focused on just the two of them.
To Jihoon, winter was bothersome. It was a time of year he used to dread. He never liked the cold, but after meeting Soonyoung, maybe winter wasn’t so bad after all.