*Key’s POV*

“Now you’re not going to let me go in alone this time, are you?” Brianna asked as we walked down the sandy beach hand-in-hand.

“Of course not,” I smiled at her. “Someone has to protect you from the fish!”

She stuck her tongue out at me, but then turned away to hide her blushing face. Gosh, this girl’s aegyo just killed me!!

We were at the same lake we’d gone to the day we accidentally flipped the kayak. I’d rented the whole thing out again, just for us.

“I’ll race you,” she smirked as we slowed down.

“Do you really want to-,”

“Go!”

Suddenly she took off sprinting toward the water. Thankfully my reaction time was pretty keen and I took off right after her. I forced my legs to move as fast as they could. She had just reached the water and begun slowing down when I caught up to her. Instead of stopping, I wrapping my arms around her waist, spun her around in a hug, then picked her up bridal style.

“Ah Key!” she laughed, holding onto me as the water splashed around us and I began to head deeper into the lake.

“I had to get you before the fish did!” I smiled back.

“Haha, true. Um, Key you can stop walking now. Key… Key!” Brianna exclaimed, getting more nervous as I brought us deeper and deeper into the water.

It was now deep enough so that the water reached my chest… and Brianna. She clung to me tightly and whispered in my ear. “There are big fish out here, aren’t there?”

“Yes; oh! There goes one now!” I exclaimed, pointing to a random spot in the water.

“Ah!” she shrieked, holding onto me even tighter.

“Haha, I’m just kidding yebo. There’s no fish.”

“Meanie,” she pouted, looking up at me in ‘anger,’ though I could see right through it.

“I know what’ll make it better,” I leaned in and gave her a long, gentle kiss.

“Mmmm that did kind of make it better,” she smiled as I pulled away.

“I’m going to set you down now-,”

“No!” she protested, but I’d already begun lower her into the water. “I’m scared. I’m scared. Don’t eat me,” she rambled, along with other nonsense.

When she was fully in the water and I let go, she immediately clung to me again.

“Yebo you’re fine! I’ve got you,” I reassured her, taking her by the hand.

“Okay. Okay I trust you,” she gulped and nodded her head.

We slowly- ever so slowly- began to wade further and further out until we could no longer touch the bottom while keeping our heads above water.

“Oh my gosh; okay, it’s all good. Everything is fine. I’m swimming with Key. The fish are off swimming all creepily our there in the deeper water. Everything’s good!”

“Haha, you’re so cute when you worry,” I laughed. “But look; you’re doing great! You’re getting over your fear!”

“I guess I am!” she said in an uneasy but slightly happy voice.

“But Brianna, there’s a reason why I wanted to bring you here.”

“Because it’s the place where we both discovered we loved each other, right?” she asked happily, pecking me on the cheek.

“Yes, that, but… I want to talk about our future.”

A sad expression fell over her face and she turned away. “Key, I don’t want to talk about l-l-leaving… you,” she squeaked.

“No, not that, silly,” I laughed, turning her head gently with my hand to face me. “I’m talking about our distant future. I know we’d have a lot of barriers to overcome and we’re still young so there’s a lot to think about. It’s just that I’ve never met someone like you and I couldn’t imagine a life with anyone else. You’re the one I want.”

“Key… what are you saying?” she tensed up and seemed to be turning pale.

“Would… um- I don’t know how to say this. I guess I just have to go for it. When we’re older and you want to settle down with someone… would you settle down with me?”

Oh gosh I can’t believe I’m saying this! I’m only 21 and she’s only 18! We still have so much ahead of us. My career, her schooling, meeting new people, getting new opportunities…

I felt a burning ball of anxiety swirling around in my stomach as I continued to tread water next to her. She still however, looked at me in confusion.

“Wait, are you asking me to live with you?”

“No Brianna. Well, yes in a way, but… I mean it’d only be when you’re ready and I understand you still have a lot left to explore in life. For goodness sakes you’re only 18 but… when you’re older and you want a family- a husband… Aigoo Brianna and I want you to marry me!”

“Key I- uh- I- Key…” her voice faded as her eyes rolled back in her head and her body went limp. I held onto her to keep her above the water.

What had I done? Was it right to put such a heavy burden on her at this age? She still had so much to consider in life. How could she answer this kind of question? Aigoo…

I began to feel guilty and dreaded the moment when she’d wake up in my arms and ask what had happened. Could I tell her that it had just been a dream; that she’d really just hit her head or something? Or maybe I could say I rescued her from drowning during which she out. I didn’t know, but I had to think fast.