I don't need that girl by my side. 
I don't need that girl in my life. 
I don't want to say she's my kind
I don't want to say that she's mine

I don't want to tell her that
I love her more than life. 

-That Girl, David Choi

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Amber

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Amber was scared and shivering. She huddled closer to the ground, hoping that the darkness would go away.

“Don’t leave me, mommy, please don’t leave me-“

She remembered being left in the streets, where everything was dark and there was no one to help her. She had walked, stumbling, trying to avoid the gangs and the drug dealers that stalked the roads. Once, a man had come up to her with a knife, and she ran away, climbing over a fence to get away from him. He had even almost scraped her leg as she pulled herself into the backyard of a deserted home. It was here, alone, where she had lived for three days, until a boy had found her.

“I found a girl, Headmaster!”

The kind boy had looked into her eyes and smiled. She couldn’t help but think about how warm he was, and how safe he looked. She couldn’t remember how long it had been since she, too, had felt that feeling, that feeling of home.

“My name’s Donghae, what’s yours?”

“Amber. Amber Liu.”

But now she was being left alone, swallowed by the darkness. She grabbed at Key’s leg, hoping that he would show some mercy and turn on the lights. He kicked his leg, making her lose her grip on his jeans, and Amber let out a sob. Don’t leave me, Key, please don’t leave me-

And then Key grabbed her and held her to him.

She was suddenly aware of the fact that her head was on his shoulder, and that he had one hand on her waist and the other on her back. He was whispering into her ear, telling her that it was going to be okay, and his voice was so gentle and kind that Amber’s heart suddenly stopped racing. Gently rubbing at her back, she calmed down, her sobs turning into little coughs.

“Better?”

Amber nodded, and they stayed like that until the lights turned back on.

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Key

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“It’s okay. Everyone’s scared of something.”

After that, Key had grabbed two cans of soda and handed one to her, the cold drops from the metal surface condensing on to his hands. He’d always seen her as a strong character, a character that wasn’t afraid of anything, but now that he’d seen a different side of her, he felt like he’d violated a personal side of her. It felt strange knowing that he’d seen something of Amber’s that no one else had-but it also made him feel special. And he knew that he didn’t not like this special feeling.

“You’re joking. Though you say that, you don’t seem like you’re afraid of anything at all.”

Key laughed, watching Amber’s serious expression as she replied bluntly. He didn’t mind, though, because he knew that it was a lie.

“I’m the biggest coward in the world. I’m Kim Kibum, a famous singer, rapper, and entertainer. I’m known all over the world. I’ve advertised for products from skincare to fried chicken, and heck, I’ve met the Queen of England and her two sons. And yet I can’t even get the girl I like. I can’t even properly confess to her. ”

“What?”

“Yeah. I’m in love with my best friend, Song Cho Sun.”

“Nice name.”

“It is. But her personality’s even sweeter. She got married a while ago, even though I wasn’t there to support her. I went up to her on her wedding day and told her not to marry her fiancée. Instead of being the perfect brother, and congratulating her, trying to soothe her nerves, I probably ruined her wedding day. I turned her best day into her worst; and when I left, I’d even went to the point to make her burst into tears. I really regret it. Why did I do something so stupid like that? What’s wrong with me? ”

Amber looked on, and Key felt disturbed by the fact that she looked so calm.

“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with you.”

He looked at her in surprise.

“But I don’t think she hates you at all. I think that for Cho Sun to have treated you so well, and denied your feelings-it must mean that you’re important to her. If she lead you on, and used you, it would mean that she didn’t care about you. After all, all girls like having a boy chase after them. If they could have a guy that only looked at them, I think they’d be pretty happy. But all girls also fall in love, too. And for her to make the decision to reject you-I think it means that you’re something to her, too.”

“You’re just trying to make me feel better.”

“I’m not.” Amber smiled. “I think you already know this, though. It’s okay to be greedy sometimes, Key. But there comes a point when you’ve got to stop-and not think about the other person-just think about yourself.

What are you going to do now?”