gone | nct jaemin ✓

bonus | midnights

a new year's party from simpler times

—

"it's probably gonna be boring," soojung complained. "i don't understand why i have to go to this stupid new year's party."

    "because i'm your best friend and you love me," eunji retorted. "besides, what else are you going to do? sit on the couch and watch netflix until midnight?"

    soojung opened her mouth to reply, then closed it.

    well, she has a point.

    "fine," soojung huffed, crossing her arms and plopping down on the couch. "but if something goes horribly wrong, i'm suing you."

    "woo!" eunji cheered, pumping her fists in the air. "you won't regret it, i promise."

—

    she regretted it. the party had just started, and soojung already wanted to go home.

    "how are people already drunk when the party started an hour ago?" she mumbled under her breath.

    soojung sighed, swirling the ice in her pepsi. eunji had vanished after a couple minutes, saying she was going to talk with some old friends, disappearing with a wave and a bright "toodaloo!"

    i knew i should've stayed home, soojung thought with a sigh. sometimes, she wondered how it was possible for her to be this stupid. would people notice if i just sat in a trash can until it's over?

    soojung stared around the room at the clumps of people laughing and chatting under the cast of dim orange light. it felt stifling.

    "are parties not your thing?" a deep voice questioned from behind her. soojung turned around to find a boy with caramel hair staring at her, his arm propped up on the wooden table. his intense gaze made her a bit uncomfortable; soojung quickly averted her eyes.

    "yeah, not really. eunji forced me to come," she admitted. "what about you?"

    jaemin chuckled slightly. "i'm trying to enjoy it as much as i can."

    soojung didn't really know what to make of na jaemin. she would say that they're friends, but then again they barely got the chance to talk.

    he gave soojung a side glance. "you look uncomfortable. wanna go outside?"

    "yeah, sure," she replied, trying not to betray her relief.

    the two stood up, and soojung began walking away when a hand gently grabbed her arm.

    with a side smirk, jaemin said, "it's the other way."

    soojung felt her cheeks get noticeably hotter. "right. i knew that. i was just testing you." jaemin just gave her a small smile and gestured her in the right direction.

    he opened the elegantly carved door for soojung, then followed her out and sat beside her.

    "so," jaemin said dryly, staring at the cars passing by. "who's gonna be your new year's kiss?"

    "hmm. ice cream, probably," soojung replied. "romance isn't really my thing."

    "it's almost midnight. you should probably go get your ice cream," jaemin deadpanned. "wouldn't want you to not have a new year's kiss."

    "very good point. i think i'm gonna go to dairy queen down the street." soojung stood up and dusted herself off. "it was nice talking to you again."

    jaemin stood up too. "wait, can i come with you? i kinda want ice cream too."

    she smiled at him. "of course."

    jaemin grabbed her hand gently as they walked off the lawn.

    they walked silently, occasionally breaking the quiet with a softly cracked joke. in no time, they stood before dairy queen, a weakly flickering sign plastered above their heads.

    "hello, welcome to dairy queen!" a cheery cashier greeted the pair. "what can i get for you?"

    "i'll have a small oreo flurry, please," soojung answered.

    "one small cherry sundae for me," jaemin said.

    they sat next to each other at a little table after getting their ice cream.

    "ten!"

    soojung almost fell out of her seat as the other customers suddenly began counting down to midnight.

    jaemin laughed at her, causing soojung to pout at him.

    "rude."

    "nine!"

    his eyes widened as he saw something behind her.

    "what is it?" soojung asked.

    "eight!"

    "i see my ex," he muttered.

    soojung frowned. "oh."

    "seven!"

    "she still doesn't understand that we're over," he explained.

    "six!"

    jaemin sent a panicked glance at soojung. "this is going to sound really weird, but can you help me make her understand that we're over?"

    "five!"

    "what do you mean?"

    "four!"

    "kiss me."

    "three!"

    soojung's eyes bulged out of her head. "oh—"

    "two!"

    "please?" he begged.

    "one!"

    soojung leaned over to jaemin and gently grabbed his face with both of her hands.

    "happy new year!"

    she pressed her lips against his, tasting cherry and vanilla on his mouth. his arms wrapped around her back as he drew soojung in closer.

    after a few seconds, soojung backed away slightly, staring at jaemin with vaguely dilated pupils.

    jaemin grinned at her. "i may have just wanted to kiss you."

—

a/n: fun fact this 'bonus' is just the unedited version of my first draft for chapter one oop