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xinganhao · 1 month ago

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11:59 PM ⏰ joshua x reader.

there's only one thing that joshua wants for his birthday: to kiss you at the stroke of midnight, come the 31st. with a little help from his friends, this might just be the year that he finally succeeds.

ⓘ mentions of alcohol consumption. writing (word count: 1.7k) under the cut. happy shua day! ૮₍˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ₎ა

TIME CHECK: 9:34 PM.

Joshua Hong is in love with you.

He’s been in love with you for eight birthdays (counting yours and his), four Christmases, and two shitty Valentine’s (one for each of you).

Has he done anything about it? Not really.

Will that stop him from trying? Absolutely not.

The two of you had promised to make it to Minghao’s by 9:30 sharp, but the song on the radio had been just a little too good as he pulled the car into park. It’s in those four extra minutes that Joshua is reminded just why he’s been so infatuated with you all this time.

The enthusiastic way you sing along to the AJ Rafael track. The giggles you let out when you trip over the lyrics only to barrel right on to the next verse like nothing happened. The upturn of your lips, the ghost of a smile—

God, he is so in love with you.

He plays the part. He pretends the steering wheel is a drum. He bobs his head up and down in time with your off-tune crooning. He belts when you ask him to, his riff of maybe you could save me from this crazy world we live in breaking off into a laugh when your voice cracks.

The final verse is still playing when you finally give up, nudging Joshua’s shoulder. “Let’s go,” you prompt. “Before Seungcheol blows a gasket.”

Of course Seungcheol would be the most upset if the two of you were late. Joshua chuckles at the mental image of his friend pouting the whole night. “Alright, alright,” he concedes.

He’s out of his seat in the next second, jogging past the front of the car so he can open the passenger door for you. You have that exasperated look on your face— the same one you wear when you’re about to insist that he doesn’t have to do this— but it’s softened by fondness.

“After you, m’lady,” Joshua says loftily, selling the whole act with a little curtsy.

You’re laughing as you take his hand. “Don’t mind if I do.”

Once you’ve stepped out of his car, you surprise him by not dropping his hand. “C’mon,” you urge, instead keeping your hands clasped as you tug him forward.

He stumbles on his first step but follows easily, the biggest smile beginning to spread on his face. The song from the radio is playing on repeat in the back of his mind— a refrain that could be as good as a promise, if he squinted.

We could happen, Joshua thinks dazedly as you drag him up to Minghao’s front door. We could happen.

TIME CHECK: 10:42 PM.

“Oi, loverboy.”

The pet name snaps Joshua out of his reverie. His head snaps over to Seokmin, who had been chatting his ear off for the past couple of minutes.

“Don’t call me that,” Joshua grumbles.

His friends are merciless. Seokmin snickers. Jihoon bites back a smile. Jeonghan rolls his eyes.

“We were asking what your birthday wish was,” Seokmin repeats.

Jeonghan chimes in, “Y’know, after we all pulled lies out of our asses to make sure you could spend the day with the love of your life.”

“Stop,” whines Joshua, the tips of his ears already beginning to flame red. He composes himself just enough to huff, “And I can’t tell you what my birthday wish was. Otherwise it won’t come true.”

Jihoon mumbles something like ‘true’, but Jeonghan and Seokmin are relentless.

“Give us a hint,” Jeonghan insists.

Seokmin raises his index finger and his thumb. “Just a teensy, little hint!”

Autonomously, Joshua’s eyes flick over to where you are. You’re across the room, engaged in conversation with Mingyu and Vernon. The distance is far enough that Joshua can’t make out what’s being said, but it must be a good one; you’re grinning, nodding, gesticulating.

He holds back the urge to swoon. It’s a futile attempt; his friends all share looks before bursting into raucous laughter.

“No hint needed,” Seokmin says amusedly.

As much as Joshua hates to admit it, the man is right. The answer to what he wished for is clear as day, is in the very same room as him.

TIME CHECK: 11:10 PM.

Unbeknownst to Joshua, there’s a plan in motion. It’s a rather simple plan, too, and the boys had been convinced they could see it through.

After all, they only had to make sure that you and Joshua were at each other’s side by 11:59 PM.

Simple, right?

Except Seungkwan, Soonyoung and Wonwoo are knocked out of commission after sharing a champagne bottle.

Minghao gets into a spat with Junhui over one thing or another. Seungcheol and Jeonghan bicker to the point that Seungcheol has relegated himself to one corner, his arms crossed over his chest as he sulks.

“These idiots,” Seokmin huffs disbelievingly. Must he do everything himself?

He checks his watch. He has forty more minutes.

He could probably afford one more drink.

TIME CHECK: 11:43 PM.

Joshua can’t believe his friends.

If they’re not drunk, they’re feuding. Seokmin— who had earlier been so insistent on seeing the telecasted ball drop— is sprawled out on the couch, knocked out cold.

“That’s one way to usher in the new year,” you muse.

Something in Joshua’s chest thrums.

“Guess it’s just us,” he says smoothly. He thinks he deserves a standing ovation for just how even his voice sounds, betraying nothing about the hammering in his chest.

His nerves are somewhat eased by the smile that breaks on your face. “It’s just us,” you repeat, and you don’t sound particularly opposed to the idea.

You even sound… excited?

Joshua tries not to overthink it. He shoves his hands into the pockets of his coat, just to keep himself from reaching out for you. “The view of the fireworks might be better from outside,” he says. “What do you say?”

It’s a selfish offer. Joshua is trying to mastermind his way into being your New Year’s Eve kiss. God forbid a man try to make a move.

“I say that sounds good,” you respond, and Joshua barely holds himself back from breaking out into a little dance.

TIME CHECK: 11:57 PM.

Out on the sidewalk, it’s just the two of you.

The streetlamps cast a warm halo over your head. The fireworks bathe you both in multicolored flashes of light. There’s the sounds of bells ringing, and children screeching, and trumpets being blown.

All of it feels inconsequential to the thrill running through Joshua’s veins.

You’re standing by his side, talking about your resolutions for the new year. And you’re so lovely. And there’s nothing Joshua wants more than to finally, finally—

“Oh?” You fish your phone out of your pocket. “Ah, sorry. Give me a minute, yeah?”

Joshua’s hand twitches at his side, like he’s tamping down the urge to keep you. “Take your time,” he says.

His eyes follow you as you hurry off, ducking someplace where he can’t quite see you. Joshua tears his gaze away to look up at the night sky instead.

TIME CHECK: 11:59 PM.

Most of the apartments in Minghao’s building have left their windows open. Some superstition about inviting in good luck.

While Joshua is standing outside, he can faintly hear a blaring television beginning to count down the seconds.

“Seventeen… sixteen… fifteen…”

Joshua exhales, his breath coming out as a visible puff of air. His eyes flutter close, the image of the full moon burning behind his closed lids. The thought of being underneath it without you makes the earlier thrumming in his chest twist into something that almost aches.

He supposes that some wishes aren’t meant to come true.

TIME CHECK: 12:01 AM.

“Shua!”

Joshua startles. He hadn’t noticed your return, and he’s momentarily distracted from his thoughts as his eyes snap open. You look panicked; it makes his chest squeeze with concern.

“Hey,” he says immediately, his hand instinctively resting on the side of your arm in a bid to soothe. “What’s wrong?”

“I missed it.”

“Missed—”

“Missed you!”

Before Joshua can question your words, you’re already ranting. “The clock on my phone is a couple of minutes behind, and I thought I had enough time. I just wanted to pop a mint, put on some lipstick, maybe—”

The implications of your words hit him like a truck. His eyes widen, and then something almost like a laugh breaks from the back of his throat.

“You— for what?” he manages, even though he already knows the answer.

“For this,” you say, and then you’re standing up on your tiptoes.

The press of your lips against his is better than every goddamn firework in the world. Joshua is sure that absolutely no one in the world feels the way that he does right now.

He doesn’t hesitate, doesn’t freeze up for a minute. His free arm snakes around your waist, gently pulling you flush against him. His other hand goes to rest at your cheek as he tilts your head ever so slightly, just so he can deepen the kiss.

When the two of you break apart for air, Joshua lets you breathe for all of five seconds before he’s kissing you again.

You giggle against his mouth. And it’s dizzying to him, the way the two of you are smiling as this unfolds; the way the rest of the world is a flurry of noise, but he’s standing still with you in his arms.

“Shua,” you say his name like a reprimand, gently pushing at his chest to get him off you for a moment.

His body doesn’t seem to register it. His head instinctively ducks to follow your lips. The sheer desperation of it makes you smile.

“I’m sorry for being late,” you say, almost shy in your apology.

“My fault,” he responds hastily. “Told you to take your time.”

And, to hell with his dignity—

“One more, please?” he asks, his tone just a little breathless.

You’re laughing, again. Not at him, hopefully. He can’t bring himself to care, though, because your hand is already at the back of his neck, tugging him down.

“One more,” you murmur.

Birthday wishes be damned. A quiet voice in the back of Joshua’s head whispers a disbelieving this is happening as he goes to kiss you again, knowing fully well by the way you respond that this won’t be the last time.

It’s a fulfilled promise.

This is happening. We’re happening.

↻ ◁ || ▷ ↺ we could happen by aj rafael. what are you doing new year's eve? by zooey deschanel and joseph gordon-levitt. 7PM by bss and peder elias. tell me it's not a dream by 10cm. fallen by lola amour.

240525 #joshua 🦌 carats, thank you always. i will work hard to live up to the love that carats give me. so i'll be continue to be in your care. yoshi yoshi~ carats, the moon is pretty.

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