“Table for eight please,” you said to the waiter. It was one of the many barbecue restaurants in one of Dongdaemun’s many alleys. You were there with four other friends while three more were on their way. One of them was someone you particularly had feelings for. Honestly, they weren’t very strong feelings but if things had a chance to develop, you wouldn’t say no. It was like that.

You were seated and soon, you started talking to your friends from university. It was through these friends from university that you had met this special someone almost a year back.

Poking your kimchi absentmindedly, you were thinking deeply about the ‘what ifs’ and all and you didn’t realize when the last three friends joined you and the rest at the table.

“Hey,” came a familiar voice. Speak of the devil.

“Oh!” You blinked rapidly as you looked at Key. “Hi, Kibum.”

“Ah,” Key said. “It feels weird to be called that.”

“But I always call you that,” you protested.

“Only because I let you call me that.” Key stuck out his tongue at you. Then he laughed loudly before pouring himself some water. “Yah, yah, everybody! Wine’s on me today!”

“Someone’s got his paycheck!” Your friend joked. Key shrugged and smiled.

It wasn’t long before the meats were served. Everyone hungrily stared as they cooked on the hotplate in front of their very eyes. You were just the same.

“Ugh, I hate the smell that gets stuck on us afterward,” Key mentioned casually.

Everyone agreed with Key. You rolled your eyes. He may be famous but that doesn’t mean you had to go with his opinion. For now, you kept quiet. Sometimes, you couldn’t help but hate on this boy. Who can blame him? He’s the star in the group. Even your closest friend nodded away to Key, and usually, she loved the smell of barbecued meat on her sweater.

There were lots of food and laughter and wine, and it wasn’t long before it came down to some games.

“Let’s play the Saranghae game!” One of the guys suggested.

It started with the oldest in the group which was the girl beside you.

“I love you, pineapple.” There was a giggle.

“I love you, Obama.”

“I love you, anteater.”

“I love you, transvestite.” There were more giggles.

It went on and then it was Key’s turn. He turned to you. Everyone started to cheer for some reason.

“Yah, keep quiet!” Key said laughingly before looking straight at you. He cleared his throat and took a deep breath. “I love you…”

You wanted to smile. You smiled, actually, and before Key could finish it, he covered his face and started to shake his head. Then he looked up.

“I’m sorry, I’ll start again!” Key took some breaths.

“No more chances or you’ll do a forfeit!” A girl said to him.

Key nodded and smiled at everyone before he looked at you. “I love… Yah!”

Apparently someone had kicked Key or something similar under the table. Key was staring at the two others in front of him, who were smiling at him slyly.

“Key, hwaiting!”

“Let him finish it, guys!” You said to the rest. “I want a go, too.”

“Fine, fine!” They said.

You looked straight at Key and smiled. “Go ahead.”

Key thought carefully about what to say. It was supposed to be funny…

“I love you, locket.”

Everyone gave a short laugh. No one seemed to understand, but Key smiled just lightly and nodded at you. You felt maybe you misunderstood, and it was just a game, so you turned away from him and continued. Two persons after, he was forced into laughing and the game ended. You were still thinking about locket.

Soon, dinner ended. You asked to go to the toilet and you did. It didn’t take you long but when you got out of the restaurant in the snow, all you saw was Key waiting there with his thick scarf and beanie hiding half his face.

“Where’s the rest?” You asked.

Key shuffled his feet. “They left.”

There were two couples in the clique who went home separately from the main group. Two of them quickly said they had to go home, leaving Key alone. He thought there was a reason, but he wasn’t sure he was ready to realize it.

“Then… What are you going to do now?” You asked him.

He sighed and shrugged. “Maybe go somewhere warm?” He said. “I don’t have anything on tomorrow.”

“Okay,” you said. “Let’s huddle.”

Key looked at you with wide eyes. “Huddle?”

You shrugged. “It’s cold, isn’t it? The cafe isn’t just round the corner, unless you’d rather walk separately…”

“Yah, yah! If you want to hold me, just say it. We can huddle. Just that I get the front hook.”

You wanted to smack him on his head but you resisted. “Wait, front hook?”

Key grabbed your arm and hooked it with his, yours being the one ‘in the back’ like any normal girl when with a guy. “There,” he said. And he looked away, suppressing his smile. He wouldn’t expect this, but it was happening. He made a mental note to scream at his friends when he got back, but also thank them for setting this up.

While walking, Key accidentally slipped for a split second but managed to stand straight again. You both almost fell.

“Kim Kibum!” You laughed, pushing him slightly and he stepped in a few inches of fresh snow.

“You, complaining when I almost fell!” He said to you with a teasing face, pushing you to the other side of the path.

It continued for a while and the two of you laughed loudly. You loved how Key was like that. He wasn’t shy to be who he was, that he was loud, and he didn’t care what others thought. It was comfortable for you and him.

“My hands are freezing,” you said suddenly.

Key looked at your glove-less hands. He considered it with scrutinizing eyes and decided that the only way was to hold your hand. He took off his glove and slipped his hand down slowly, and you felt his warm fingers entwine with yours. Then he pushed them in his pocket where it was snug and warm.

His other hand held the free glove. “Take this. Wear it.” You were touched by his action. Without hesitation, you raised your hand and Key made sure that you wore his glove well. “Only a fool would come out unprepared like that on a day like this,” he said and shook his head with a fake and dramatic umma look.

“Then I’m glad to be a fool,” you mumbled as you turned away smilingly.

Key squeezed your hand and you looked at him. “Not-so-secret secret fan girl,” he said.

“You wish,” you rolled your eyes and gave a soft snort.

“Hah!” Key really couldn’t help but smile. The two of you were grinning wordlessly for some time, just walking in the snow.

You wouldn’t dream about this in a million years, but things are looking good.