"The best presents aren't always wrapped—they sometimes walk you home under fireworks."
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After that winter night, Jett and Nolan began flying across Southeast Asia to visit extended family for the Lunar New Year. But something had quietly shifted—Celeste and Nolan were suddenly talking every day, sometimes by phone, sometimes by message.
On New Year's Eve, he was the first one to text her."Happy New Year."It was simple. And it meant everything.
Her home was filled with heat and noise. Aunt Qiu hadn't slept much in three days—steam poured from the kitchen, firecrackers popped outside in rapid bursts, and the house smelled of rice wine, oranges, and sugar. Southern-style decorations filled the rooms: red lanterns, spring couplets, papercuts on windows.
Celeste was glowing.She had plans tonight.
After dinner, while her phone nearly burst with holiday texts, she grinned and reached for her closet. From a package her second aunt sent from Singapore, she grabbed a few boxes of cookies and sweets—the good stuff. The ones everyone liked last year.
Just as she stepped outside, she saw Muriel wrapped in a scarf, waving brightly. Both girls were dressed in cheerful holiday red, short skirts peeking from under thick coats. They walked side by side through the old streets toward the lakeside, their laughter mixing with the crackle of firecrackers and the smoky scent of new beginnings.
Everything was closed, except one place: Soirée.
They slipped in through the back kitchen entrance. Jett had already prepared snacks, hot tea, drinks—and a whole table filled with gifts. A few teammates and familiar faces from their social circle were already huddled in booths, the warmth of the room humming with laughter and nostalgia.
"Yo! Took you long enough!" a familiar voice called out the moment they stepped in. Celeste tossed up a confident wave, grinning.
"Yo! Wassup—we brought the party."
"Hi~" came Muriel's sweet, drawling reply right after, soft and sugary like a bow on top of the chaos. The contrast hit like a one-two punch—cool and cute. The guys at the booth lit up like they'd just scored VIP passes to heaven.
Someone elbowed the teammate beside him."Worth it. New Year's Eve made."
Jett, always the ringleader, was first to rise—pulling out a massive bag of red envelopes."Every year, you guys get more expensive," he grinned. "But hey—cash is king. Don't say I don't put in effort."
"Thank you, Master Jett!"Cheers erupted. The room was instantly alive.
Muriel, as always, handed out her family's signature fragrance candles—elegantly packaged, same scent everyone loved. Other friends brought gift boxes from their family factories, one even explaining proudly how the packaging was redesigned this year.
Celeste passed out the famous Singapore snacks she'd stashed—sought after since last year. She made sure to bring the best ones.
Then it came to Nolan.Everyone stayed casual, but a silent tension buzzed in the air.
What would he bring?
Nolan stood from his seat, lifting a paper bag with one hand."My family prepared a batch ahead of time. Thought you might like these."He passed out the boxes, one by one.
Soft gray and brushed gold packaging—understated yet luxurious. Their family crest embossed in subtle English initials gleamed under the light. It was clearly custom-made.
Muriel was the first to open hers. Inside: a box of Italian hand-crafted gold-dusted chocolates, nestled in red velvet.
Then—her hand froze."…Is this premium blood-red bird's nest?" she blinked, stunned.
("Blood nest" refers to the rarest, mineral-rich red variant of bird's nest—one of the most expensive delicacies in Southeast Asia.)
Nolan gave a half-shrug, half-smile. "Too traditional?"
"Traditional my ass—this is the holy grail of New Year gifts!" someone shouted.
"Mr. B, you're the real Mr. Big."
Celeste bit back a smile. Of course he'd show up like this—quiet, elegant, and just a little extra.
"Let's hear it for tonight's god of fortune—Mr. Big!"
Laughter exploded across the room. Even Nolan looked slightly amused as the new nickname stuck.
The night spiraled into a mess of laughter, chocolates, cash envelopes, sweets, and glowing hearts. They joked about awkward talent shows at family dinners, poked fun at each other, and relished the joy of being young and gathered.
Then came Jett's grand finale—a huge box of fireworks: fountains, cannons, sparklers, Roman candles. He grinned wickedly. "Step back. This one's not playing nice."
They all screamed and rushed to the alley.
BANG. BANG. BANG-BANG-BANG—
The sky lit up like a grand piano going wild, fire in every key—gold, red, blue, green. For a moment, it felt like time stopped.
"This! This is what a New Year should be!" Jett whooped, sparklers in hand.
Celeste laughed, running into the golden haze with everyone. Her hair caught sparks of light like it was woven with stars.
They ran home through smoke and laughter—arms full of gifts, hearts burning warm.But somewhere along the way, Jett and Muriel quietly drifted back, leaving Nolan and Celeste walking ahead.
Just the two of them. Bentley following at a distance.
They stopped in front of her gate.
Celeste turned slightly, lips parted."Wait."
(To be continued in next chapter: "He Tied the Stars Around Her")