"Now I can't read lips so I don't know exactly what was said, but something tells me it was golden and Yoongi is going to describe it to me later in full detail whether I ask him to or not."

Namjoon smiled to himself, a broad, satisfied smile as he watched with great satisfaction as a defeated Jaeseong turned away furiously from Yoongi's table and stormed away. It truly was a wonderful sight--even Seokjin thought so, and he didn't even know half the story. But he was curious.

"Not a nice fellow?"

"Not at all." Namjoon stifled a laugh as his eyes lingered on Jaeseong, who had so quickly met up with one of his friends most likely to vent his frustration. "Kim Jaeseong. Attends some prestigious university in Seoul, I'm not bothered to learn the name. He's probably mentioned it to me before, but I've discarded of the memory. I do know he's a music major, though, just like you and Yoongi. Thinks he's all that, I'll tell ya. But the dude's got the personality of doorknob. And he's got this profound dislike for Yoongi, Jin, and sometimes, it's the funniest and most ridiculous thing to witness up close, honestly. It's hard to take him seriously. He's two years younger than Yoongs. Ain't got the smallest hint of respect." He drew in a deep breath, then released it slowly as he shook his head. "Baseless hatred, I'll never understand it..."

"I'll bet he's jealous of Yoongi."

"Oh, without a doubt," Namjoon confirmed with a smile, which Seokjin matched. "Couple years ago, Miss Sunggi had begged him to play the piano at this same party, and he agreed, but under the condition it was a one time thing. And he was absolutely incredible, Jin, but what was even more enjoyable than listening to Yoongi play was seeing the look on Jaeseong's face when he realized Yoongi was better than him at yet another thing. And I swear I'm not a spiteful person, but that guy..." He gave a low whistle. "That guy's asking for it. So was your ex-boyfriend. Except I've never punched Jaeseong in the face, and I probably won't, because the only times I ever see him nowadays are at these parties, and I wouldn't want to cause a scene, ya know?"

"That thought didn't stop you from giving my ex a bruised jaw," Seokjin pointed out, and he had to bite his tongue to keep himself from bursting out with laughter.

"No, no, that was different," Namjoon insisted. "There was pretty much no one around. So no scene to be caused."

"Yoongi saw."

"Yeah, he did, didn't he. But then he ran. Man, I still can't believe he actually ran after that...what a friend..." He lowered his head for a moment to breathe a faint laugh. "Ah, but I love him to death, though."

"Yeah, I know you do. Sometimes I even wonder if you'll ever love me as much as you love Yoongi."

It was only a joke. Seokjin had only meant for it to be a joke, but next thing he knew he was staring directly into the genuinely concerned expression of the man sitting across from him, whose smile had so abruptly disappeared without a trace. And it made Seokjin's stomach churn. He had never seen such a look on Namjoon before, and especially so suddenly like this.

"Jin, do you..."

He saw Namjoon's lip twitch.

"Do you actually think that?"

That solemn tone of voice was enough to make Jin's heart stop, and he swore that it did, for much longer than what was even remotely comfortable.

"Please...please don't tell me you've been comparing yourself to Yoongi all this time. Please."

Seokjin was in a state of utter nonplus. His heart had started up again, but now it was beating too fast, and he just wanted it to slow down so that he could breathe and find the right words to say to put a smile back on Namjoon's face and wipe away the strong presence of worry on his face.

"Yoongi's my best friend, Jin," Namjoon went on to explain, much to Seokjin's dismay. "We've known each other since before I even started elementary school. We've done everything together. We've been through so much together. Of course I love him, but not...not the same way as you, okay? And there's no reason, there's never a reason you need to doubt yourself, Jin, and there's never a reason you need to compare yourself to him. If the two of you ever needed me at the same time I wouldn't choose one over the other I'd find a way to clone myself so I could be there for the both of you. Do you understand?"

Seokjin's mouth fell open slightly but he wasn't quick enough to speak. Namjoon reached out to him and took hold of his hand, then pulled it closer to himself so that he could press a kiss to Jin's fingers. And Jin's breath escaped him. He just didn't understand. He didn't understand why this conversation had begun, why his chest felt so tight yet so warm at the same time, and why he felt as though tears were beginning to well in his eyes.

Well, that was because they were.

"Ah, come off it..."

He lifted his free hand to try to wipe them away--started to, that is. Namjoon beat him to it.

"Don't worry, I gotcha."

"No, stop it, Namjoon, I wasn't-..." He sniffled as the blond rubbed his thumb gently over his eyelids. "C'mon, I wasn't trying to say...I mean I didn't...I wasn't comparing myself to him..."

"Well, whether or not you were, it doesn't hurt to get that point across. And now you know. How strongly I feel about you."

Oh, just marry me already why don't you...?

"Well, I told you I probably would some day, didn't I?"

"What?" Jin's eyes shot open. "Oh, c'mon, did I say that out loud??"

"You did." A warm smile stretched itself across Namjoon's face. "I'm glad you did, too. It sounds nice. Hard to believe I've only know you for a few months. It feels like so much longer than that. Or is that just me?"

"No, I get what you're saying." Seokjin gave a small nod of the head, feeling his cheeks grow warm as Namjoon began to rub his thumb across Jin's fingers. He hesitated, hoping his emotional heart would rest itself so that he could speak without his voice shaking. To no avail. This is absurd, he thought. It was nothing but absurd that Namjoon was capable of making him feel this way, of reducing him nearest to the point of crying over a silly misunderstanding. And he just couldn't believe it. Because Namjoon was the exact opposite of his last boyfriend, his last boyfriend who Jin had once loved deeply, and who for a while, Jin had thought actually loved him, too. Of course, now it was easy to jab at him and make jokes about how uncaring he was and how Jin was so over him now. But truthfully, at the time, it had hurt him. Jin's ex-boyfriend had hurt him, and he still remembered crying to Hoseok the first time he realized he was only given attention for his pretty face. The thing is, Hoseok hadn't rubbed it in Jin's face about being right all along, or how he had 'told him so'. He had comforted him. Like any good friend would. And he had told Jin, with great surety, that he would find someone much better, much kinder, someday to take that terrible man's place.

He still remembered his friend's exact words.

"You'll find your prince charming, Jinnie. But it's not him. And not now. But when you do, he'll make you feel loved. I promise he will."

"Namjoon, there's people dancing. I want to dance with you."

"Ah, I can't dance, though-"

"We'll learn together, then."

He didn't wait any longer. Seokjin rose from his chair and took Namjoon by the wrist, then lifted him up before he could even think to continue his argument. And he was guided by Jin away from the seating area and out onto the open floor where a handful of couples had already gathered. Namjoon was used to the sight of it. After all, he had been attending these parties for many years now. But he wasn't at all used to actually being on the floor when the people were dancing--he had only done so one time, five or six years ago, when he had asked Yoongi to dance, just for the heck of it. Now he here was again, with Seokjin. And he was okay with that.

The atmosphere made them both fall into place. As it turned out, there wasn't really much thinking involved in dancing, or at least in this kind. Seokjin was sure Hoseok or Jimin would argue with him about the complexity of the art. But this was different. This was slow, gradual, delicate, and most of all exactly what Seokjin wanted. The lights were dimmed as the night drew closer and closer to midnight. The time Jin had been patiently awaiting since the start of all this.

"You can dance, you liar."

Namjoon repressed a laugh. "This is hardly dancing," he said under his breathing. "But if that's what you want to call it, then sure. You're not so bad, either."

The background noise had died down since before--or perhaps, this was merely in the imagination of the two of them, who had both subconsciously tuned out everything else besides each other. For the most part. Namjoon happened to catch a brief glimpse of Yoongi and Jimin who were sitting close to the floor. And Yoongi was smiling warmly at him. He mouthed something Namjoon couldn't quite make out. And though that bugged him, he figure he could always just ask him later. So he pushed the thought gently out of his mind and returned his full attention to the man in front of him, who deserved every last bit of it.

The two danced slowly together for the remainder of the short time which stretched before midnight. As it got down to the last minute, many people turned their eyes toward the large clock on the wall. But Seokjin kept his eyes on Namjoon. And as the minute hand struck twelve and all the guests cheered, Jin closed the space between his lips and Namjoon's. He kept them there. Softly and warmly pressed together. The two remained absolutely still as the cheers and clapping ceased. Then Jin pulled away.

It took a moment. Quite a long moment. A wide-eyed stare and lips parted, mouth hanging open. He was genuinely shocked. And it seemed that after a little while Namjoon must have realized the dumbfounded look on his own face, so he turned his head to the side and forced a laugh, a shaky, evidently nervous laugh, reaching up to scratch the back of his neck, and he was trying, oh, he was so clearly trying to find something to say, but his mind was blank, so the words turned to red and stained his cheeks.

Seokjin had finally done it. He had finally been the one to reduce Namjoon to a blushing mess, rather than the other way around. And that, he decided for himself, was reason enough to celebrate.

"It's gonna be a good year, don't you think, Joonie?"