Almost three years after their highly publicized breakup, Chris Brown and Rihanna tweet hints of a reunion. (Getty Images)

Despite hints of a possible reunion, Chris Brown and Rihanna kicked 2012 off separately with Brown planting a public smooch on model girlfriend Karrueche Tran at Las Vegas' Pure Nightclub, according to the Las Vegas Examiner.

Almost three years after their highly publicized breakup, Brown and Rihanna stirred up speculation about a reunion on Twitter last week. On Thursday, Brown tweeted "Love U more than u know!" to his nearly 6.7 million followers including Rihanna, who quickly tweeted back, "I'll always love u #1LOVE."

The exchange sparked rumors of a reconciliation bolstered by a Dec. 15 tweet by Brown's mom, Joyce Hawkins: "HELLO LADY I MISS YOU AND LOVE YOU!!!!! YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!!!!" Soon after, Rihanna tweeted "Miss+Love u 2."

Brown was sentenced to five years of probation, six months of community service and one year of domestic violence counseling for assaulting Rihanna the night before the 2009 Grammy Awards. The attack became public when a photo of the "Man Down" singer's battered and swollen face was leaked to the press.

"The more in love we became, the more dangerous we became for each other," Rihanna told Diane Sawyer on ABC News' "20/20."

Rihanna, who hosted last year's New Year's Eve party at Pure, rang in 2012 at P. Diddy's party in Miami wearing a sheer lace dress that left little to the imagination.

"My year started SO right!!!" she tweeted. "Thank you 4 makin 2011 an incredible year, filled with lots of laughs and tears…Memories made either way,that I'll always cherish #1LOVE."

Earlier in the night, Rihanna revealed her New Year's resolution: "Same as the last 5yrs, lose weight, get a man, make mo $$! My resolution should be to find a new one tbh!"

Rihanna earned two Grammy nominations for her album "Loud."

Even if Rihanna and Brown are hoping for a hook-up, they'll have to head back to court or wait for the court-mandated restraining order to expire in 2014.