Chapter 6
Sugyeom realized a fatal problem as an unbearable sense of embarrassment began to flood in.
He had felt sorry and pity for Yuchan of his previous life, so he had said something embarrassing and hugged him, but after the heightened emotions died down, all that remained was embarrassment.
"Haa…An-anyway that's how I feel, Yuchan."
Sugyeom laughed awkwardly and said what came to mind to roughly settle the situation after he released his arms holding Yuchan.
However, he couldn't bring himself to look directly at Yuchan due to the embarrassment, so he stared into the distance.
"Ah…It's snowing."
Just in time, snowflakes could be seen gently swaying and dancing between the lights. On the last night of the year, snow was falling warmly.
When Sugyeom looked up at the approaching night sky, a snowflake gently fell and landed on his long eyelash as if it had found its place.
"Hold on."
Yuchan reached out his hand to Sugyeom's face.
"Huh? Why, ah…"
Sugyeom inadvertently closed his eyes when he saw the slender hand approaching him.
Yuchan carefully grabbed the snowflake that was sitting on his eyelash. The little snowflake quickly melted away by Yuchan's body temperature.
"Thank you."
Sugyeom knew he shouldn't fret over Yuchan's act of grabbing the snowflake off his eyelash, but for some reason he felt embarrassed.
Ahem–
He cleared his throat as he felt his neck heating up.
"Let's go. Minseong-hyung is going to kill us."
"…Thank you, Sugyeom-hyung."
Yuchan smiled lightly. It was so faint that it seemed to melt away just as quickly as the falling snow.
For that reason, Sugyeom deliberately smiled more brightly. He thought he could get Yuchan to smile a little longer if he also smiled.
"Let's go, hyung."
Fortunately, that immature feeling disappeared completely at the sound of Yuchan's voice.
Sugyeom, having regained his composure, took the lead while Yuchan followed in pace.
"I thought you had drowned in the bathroom and died."
"Hehe, sorry."
"Sorry."
Sugyeom and Yuchan apologized when Minseong scolded them. Minseong shook his head at the two's completely different personalities that were apparent from their responses.
"Get ready to go up. You need to do the New Year countdown."
"Yes!"
Sugyeom deliberately answered in an exaggerated manner. Minseong, staring at him, eventually burst into laughter. It was only then that Sugyeom felt relieved.
"Where have you been?"
"The future."
"Yes, okay."
When asked by Taewon, Sugyeom replied with what had come to mind.
It wasn't a lie. He had told Yuchan his true feelings so that he wouldn't regret anything from now on. As such, it could be said that he had just returned from the future.
Taewon naturally thought he was talking nonsense, so he changed the subject.
"It's really New Year."
"Yeah. Time flies so fast. In a way, hasn't it been 2 years since our debut?"
"Funny, we debuted in October, but it's been 2 years since our debut."
Sugyeom burst into laughter.
While they talked about this and that, before they knew it, they had arrived at the stage. Singers attending the event took to the stage one by one according to a staff's signal.
"""Waaaaaah!"""
"Sugyeom! Song Sugyeom!"
Deafening cheers erupted from somewhere when U-PITE walked on stage. Amidst the screams, Sugyeom smiled and waved to where he thought his name was being called. As a result, the screams grew louder.
Since U-PITE was a rookie group, their spot was at the right corner of the back row. Sugyeom quickly wracked his head, worried whether they could be seen on camera.
Even if they couldn't be caught on camera from the perfect angle, he thought the audience here at least might be able to see them.
In any case, he naturally took the center position of the group. Shuffling to the middle, he interlocked his arms around Taewon on his left and Igyeom on his right as if he was cold.
It would look like he had done so because he was cold if someone was to look at it without much thought. However, for fans wearing tinted lenses, it would be a delicious bait.
Taewon and Igyeom, who had their arms suddenly held, looked at him in surprise. Nevertheless, they said nothing when they saw him jumping in place like it was cold.
"Now, everyone! Please look at the screen and count down together!"
The singers who were in charge of the microphones loudly prompted the audience.
At the same time, from the large screens on both sides and in front of the stage, the number counting down to the new year appeared.
"10!"
Sugyeom also raised his voice to match the number. Meanwhile, he put more strength into his arms and pulled Taewon and Igyeom closer.
"9!"
Counting down the numbers, Sugyeom felt a lump in his heart. It was time given again through a miracle, so his heart was filled with expectations as he welcomed the new year.
"8!"
Sugyeom looked at Taewon next to him. Taewon also looked back at him when he felt his gaze. He smiled at Taewon and shouted the number 7.
"6!"
This time, Sugyeom looked at Igyeom while shouting 6. Igyeom wondered why he was looking at him, but he didn't avert his eyes. As a result, their eyes became entangled in the air.
"5!"
Sugyeom's gaze shifted to Hansol. As a result, Hansol looked at him and smiled.
Hansol looked unusually happy as the new year approached. Looking at Hansol like that, he also felt better.
"3!"
It was three before Sugyeom knew it.
Thump, thump–
His heart was pounding. The new year was really just around the corner now.
In his previous life, U-PITE had broken into pieces before the New Year. That was why he felt that the upcoming year was even more important.
"2!"
There was only one number left to shout. Sugyeom looked at the screen with determination as he prepared to shout the last number.
"1!"
Fireworks erupted, fluttering ashes everywhere. As the fireworks embroidered the night sky in color, white snow and ashes fell, mixing like a painting.
In the beautiful scenery, Sugyeom and Yuchan looked at one another.
As soon as the two were looking at each other, Sugyeom said what he had prepared.
"Congratulations."
"Thank you."
Yuchan responded with a smile.
Sugyeom had seen Yuchan since he was a trainee, but he had never seen him smile so brightly. It was so foreign to him that he was somewhat bewildered as they smiled together.
Snow and ash continued to fall around the two people smiling brightly.
* * *
After welcoming the new year that had felt like a dream, Sugyeom returned to the accommodation with the other members in full spirit.
He didn't even know how he had washed up or changed his clothing because of the excitement he had felt along the way.
Tossing and turning in bed for a long time to cool his excitement, he checked the responses from the large fan communities on social media with his phone one by one.
[Title: 211231 Let’s Commemorate This Special Event
Author: UTB
211231 Gayo Daejeon was insane…Let's designate this day as a national date…No doubt. If you disagree, first bring Song Sugyeom to me alive.
└ Why do you want to catch Sugyeomㅠ? What are you going to doㅠㅠㅠㅠ
└ Author: *asmr sound*~
└ ㅁㅊㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋNim, why are you trying to eat uncooked Pink-Gyeom that someone else caught?ㅠ
└ Author: Raw is the best way to eat. Sashimi isn't the only raw food.]
[Title: Today’s Performance Was Really Crazy
Author: KimSyuSyuSyu
Wasn't today's performance crazy…? I don't know how many times I shook while watching itㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠDid anyone see what the crazy Song Sugyeom doing?ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠStill, the pretty guy keeps smiling and breaking my heart, it's crazyㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ]
[Title: Everyone Calling Out the Gyeom-Gyeom Coupling, but I Think There’s Something Else
Author: BiPolarWhiteRabbit
Did anyone see Pink-Gyeom kissing Yuchan with his eyes during the countdown? That was real. As soon as Yuchan became an adult, he matched with Pink-Gyeom. Anyway, it doesn't matter if it's the eyes or mouth. What's important is that it was taken right away.
└ What do you think about matching ship?
└ OMG;;; Nim, NASA is calling for you;;;; You're a man of culture;;;;;;;;;;
└ Author: You passed
└ ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋMatchingㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋShipㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[Title: Are People Crazy? Some Bastard Just Hit Me and Didn’t Give Me His Numberㅡㅡ
Author: SolidCartilage
Clickbait titleㅈㅅㅈㅅWhat's the name of the pink-hair at Gayo Daejeon…? I got hit by him, so tell me his name.
└ Song Sugyeom
└ Song Sugyeom
└ Song Sugyeom
└ Author: Thank you…Thank you…Happy New Year everyone…]