It was a week before Christmas; Key had taken me to a cozy little Italian restaurant in Manhattan. We were cuddled up in a corner booth out of site from everyone else.  Key had stolen my fork and insisted on trading plates.

“You always order the best food. I want some this time.”

“You’re the chef, you should know what to order. Now give me my food.” I pouted.

He pulled my plate farther away as I reached for it. His cute way of smirking made it impossible not to smile at him.

“Let’s see… Oh Cream Pasta. This looks good.” Key was about to take a bite but I reached over and bit the piece of pasta off his fork faster than he could.

“You’re right, Kibum. It’s delicious.” I smirked back at him (undoubtedly less cute than he did before).

 Key took my fork and started eating my pasta as quickly as possible. “Yah! Key! You’re gonna eat the whole thing!”

‘Mhmm” he mumbled in between bites. He almost choked while laughing and eating so fast.

“Key!” I laughed at him, you’re so ridiculous. I reached to grab his fork, but he jerked it away. I tugged at his arm “Oppaaa.”

Key took one more bite before setting the pate down to take a drink. I grabbed my half eaten plate back and stuck my tongue out at him. He pinched my cheek, “oh pleeease forgive me?” Key pouted like a puppy and blinked repeatedly. [he’s so cute!!]  All I could do was giggle and kiss him on the cheek.

We finished our meal, well, what was left of mine, and went for a walk. My arm wrapped around his, we walked around the streets while Key kept me constantly laughing with his comments on other peoples’ wardrobe choices. We stopped at a few people on the street; once to have a characature drawn, once to tip a guy on the street who was singing and playing the guitar. We also stopped to get some ice cream, “Mmm.. I was so hungry. Somebody ate my food tonight.”

 He chuckled, “What was that called again? It was delicious..”

“Cream Pasta, and you don’t know how ecstatic I am that you liked it..”

Key dipped his finger in his icecream cone and pressed it on my nose, “Don’t be sarcastic” he added mocking my defensiveness.

‘Key! What are you doing?!” I started to wipe it off me he stopped me. “Wait not before a picture.”He pulled out his phone.

“No!” I shreaked and darted away. He chased me for a bit and caught me from behind.  “No, I don’t wanna take a picture.” I giggled, struggling to get out of his grasp.

Key just laughed and pulled out his phone, “Smile!”

I pouted and looked up at his smiling face as the camera flashed. “Ha, you look ridiculous!” he said barely containing his laughter.

He showed me the picture and I blushed deeply, Is that what I look like?

“Key! Get it off!”

“Here… Hold still.” He took his finger and scraped off the remainder of the icecream, right before he ate it. “mmm, it’s still good.”

I hit him on the arm “pabo..”

Key glanced at the time, “Come on..” He took my arm and ran with me into Grand Central Station.

“Key? Where are we going?” I asked while on the escalator.

“Somewhere you’ll love.”

We finished our icecream on the subway. When it was time for us to get off we noticed that we were the only ones talking and laughing; causing everyone to stare at us; making us laugh even more.

I ran up the stairs to the street excitedly, I already knew where he was taking me.

“Yah! Wait up!” I heard Key yell from behind me.

I giggled and spun around breathing in the pollution filled air. Times Square. We started walking to my favorite spot. Where the street was painted blue, packed with people, and all you can see when you looked up was lights and excitement. There was this energy in New York that I just loved, it was unlike anything I’ve ever felt before but it was unmistakable. 

“Are you done with you icecream?” Key asked, interrupting my daydreaming.

“Yea, throw this away for me?” I handed him what was left of my waffle cone.

“Okay, be right back.”

I wandered towards a sign for Art Institutes. On it was a tall man dressed in designer clothing from head toe that looked like Kibum in another body.

I felt someone tap my shoulder. I turned around to see a grungy man who looked as if he had been living on the streets; not like a hobo, like in the ghetto. He smiled nastily at me “Are you lost little girl?” His voice was even more disgusting than his appearance.

“Excuse me?” I dumbly said, Why couldn’t I have said something a little intelligent like “Get the hell away from me.” Or “Back up off me bro.” He was leaning in closer. “Uhh..” Why am I so stupid!

He took another step forward, his smile was disturbing. “You know you’re very pretty. Would you like to help me with something?

.

“You see, I really want to hang out with a pretty girl tonight. Would you like to come with me?”

He was creeping towards me, my back was against the sign.

KIM KIBUM GET OVER HERE NOW.

“Come on, just come with me for the night..” His face was inches from mine, and his breath was nauseating.

I’m gonna die. I’m gonna die. I’m gonna die. I’m gonna die.

“How ‘bout just a kiss then hm?”

I looked down and saw that he had a knife in his hands, hidden under his coat sleeve.  He was leaning in even more.

His face had just barely touched mine when he jerked backwards and hit the ground with a thud.

Key, Thank God.

Key grabbed him by the collar, made him stand up, and clocked him straight in the jaw. The man tumbled to the ground, he didn’t move after that.

I was still standing there in the same spot, paralyzed. Key ran over to me, “Are you ok?”

I hugged his neck as tightly as I could and felt a tear roll down my cheek. “Thank you Key.” I barely managed to whisper. He hugged me tighter.

We walked to a little café. “I know this might be bad timing,” Key started “but I got you something.

“Close your eyes.” He stood up and walked behind me.

I felt him put something around my neck, a necklace. I smiled; Of course he would get me something I can wear.

“You can open them now.” I looked down and saw a beautifully simple silver key.

“It’s beautiful, thank you. What’s the occasion?”

“Your semesters almost over. I want you to wear this everyday, and every time you see it think of me. And I’ll wear this-“ He pulled a lovely heart shaped lock necklace he had tucked under his shirt, “and think of you. I don’t want you to forget me.”

I was smiling so much I was almost in tears. “Oh Key, I will never forget you.” I leaned forward and kissed him sweetly on the lips.