Last Christmas: I gave you my Heart
Shinee's Stories of Love---One-Shot Collection
Title: Last Christmas: I gave you my Heart
Character's: Key, Soochan (OC)
-Kim Kibum-
Key took a long deep breath and went on to practicing his confession to the girl he has been liking for a long time now, she was his closest best friend Soochan.
He's been waiting for this time of the year to happen to tell her how much he liked and he expected an acceptance from her, since she showed so much care towards him all throughout their friendship.
He held the bouquet of red white and pink roses to his chest and sighed.
He shouldn't fail tonight, he has to win her heart or he has to leave the country to go to the US with his parents it was like a deal he made with himself, he has to make Soochan his girlfriend or he would leave the country in case she rejects him.
He kept the deal to himself and didn't plan to tell Soochan about it.
Excited as he was, he left the house to meet up with her at the big Christmas tree downtown, carrying with him the big bouquet of flowers and a red heart shaped scented candle that was sealed in a small green box that has a heart shape hole revealing the candle.
He didn't bother to think that she would reject him, he was the irresistible Kim Kibum that everybody loves, he smiled to himself at the thought, he was certain to get Soochan's heart tonight, and he would.
~~~
Key came early at the big Christmas tree, and waited for Soochan to come, it was getting cold but still he was excited and ignored the icy feeling on his forehead.
"Oppa!" Soochan finally came, running and smiling towards his direction, he waved at her with the bouquet on his hands.
Soochan stopped in front of him and rested her hands on her knees and panted.
"Why were you running?" Key asked, Soochan looked up at him.
"I was late." Soochan breathed.
"No you weren't, who said that?" Key put his hands on his waist and pouted, Soochan chuckled and stood straight.
"Oppa, Merry Christmas!" She exclaimed taking something from the pocket of her coat and handed it to
Key, he glanced at it and back to Soochan who was looking at him hopefully.
"What's that?" He asked, Soochan puffed her cheeks.
"Just take it." She said, Key followed and took the small green box from her hand, he tucked the bouquet in under his arms and opened the green box.
"Wah~" He exclaimed after seeing a small doll, probably hand made by Soochan, that looked like...him.
"Is this me?" He asked. Soochan nodded with pride, and looked at the bouquet under his arm.
"Is that for me?" She asked in a hopeful voice.
"No." Key narrowed his eyes. Soochan frowned.
"Then who is it for?" She asked. Key laughed.
"I was just kidding, it's for you Soochan-ah." He said handing the bouquet to Soochan who was smiling from ear to ear.
"Merry Christmas." He sighed.
"Are you hungry?" Soochan asked.
"Not really, but Soochan-ah, can I tell you something?" Key started to get nervous, he was now doing his confession and for the first time in his life, he hesitated to do something he want and he was scared to get a rejection.
He cleared his throat.
"What is it Oppa?" Soochan wondered.
"Soochan-ah, I like you so much, please accept my heart." He almost yelled, everyone around turned to their direction and stared, but Key ignored them and focused at Soochan who was staring at him blankly.
He shook his head and took the small box of scented candle from the pocket of his coat and handed it to Soochan, she stared at it and back to Key.
"W-what--" She shuttered.
"It's a scented candle, and it's my heart." He said looking at the scented candle. "Soochan-ah, do you...accept it?" He asked, looking down at her.
Soochan didn't say anything until Key's impatience flared up, he felt like being rejected.
"Okay, if you're not ready to accept it tonight, I can give you time until tomorrow, light it up when you're ready to accept me, or just bring it back to me when you don't." Soochan hesitated and took the candle from his hand, and without a word, he turned around and left.
~~~
Key waited outside their house for Soochan on the exact day of Christmas, holding a plane ticket on his hands and glared at it.
"If she don't come it means she doesn't accept you, if she comes with a lit candle I would tear you apart!" He cursed at the plane ticket. "Or it's still either." He frowned.
Dawn was approaching but still no Soochan came, Key sighed in surrender and stood up patting the back of his pants and kicked the rock resting peacefully on the ground.
In an hour they will leave the country and no idea when to come back, maybe after a year...or maybe more.
He didn't hope for her to come anymore, from that moment he let go of her.
~~~
*One Year Later*
Christmas was again approaching and Key's family decided to celebrate it in Korea, he packed lazily not wanting to come back to the country he was once been broken hearted and rejected.
He pleaded to his parents not to bring him with them but they insisted that they have to go together, he can't do anything but obey.
"Sweetheart, where are you?" A familiar voice called, and finally reached Key's room.
"Hey." She greeted with a sweet smile, Key smiled back at her.
"Hey baby, come here." He mentioned her to sit beside him, she did and she sat, Key wrapped an arm around her waist.
"You're mom asked me to come with you." She said. Key's small eyes winded.
"What?" He exclaimed, Nicole frowned.
"You don't want me to?" She pouted, Key immediately shook his head and pulled her closer to his side.
"No, no, no of course I do, I was just surprised, what about your family?" He said shaking his head.
"Oh I already talked to them, they said that this will be their Christmas gift for me." She said, leaning her head on his shoulder.
"That's good baby, now I'm excited to go back to Korea." He sighed, Nicole chuckled happily and messed his now blonde hair.
~~~
It was a good whole day of trip in the plane to Incheon from US, and Key's body was suffering from so much pain because of sitting for a whole day, He stretched and yawned when he got out of the plane holding Nicole's hand and carried her hand bag on the other.
"Babe, I'm so excited to see Korea, I know I'm Korean but I've never been here in my entire life." Nicole gushed squeezing Key's hands.
He looked down at her and smiled.
"I’m excited to see Korea for the second time too." He whispered to himself.
They arrived at their old house, after another few hours of traveling from Incheon to Seoul. Key sighed upon seeing their old home, and caught a glimpse of the bench he sat on when he was waiting for the girl who broke her heart to come, which she didn't.
She was his first painful rejection and whatever he do, he would never forget about her, not that he still liked her, it was just painful that he has to wait and then get rejected on Christmas day.
Nicole pulled his hand in to the house, complimenting on how pretty it was and asked about her boyfriends childhood, Key told her everything when they were in hid old room, but her never mentioned Soochan who has been a part of his whole life, not until she did what she did.
~~~
Nicole insisted to go around town alone with Key, she wanted him to tour him to the city she was born but never seen.
"Babe, please!" She pleaded, Key just looked her, he was sitting on the couch and watching TV, he threw the remote control beside him and mentioned Nicole to sit beside him, she followed, her lips pouting.
"Where do you want to go?" He asked, she smiled widely and shook his shoulders.
"You'll come with me, thanks babe." She exclaimed, Key chuckled.
Nicole ran upstairs to her own room to get dressed, and Key lazily shoved himself from the sofa to go to his own room.
They went downtown with their hands intertwined, they went to the places where Key usually spend his time when he was still in high school.
"Babe, I want to eat there." Nicole pointed at a diner, he looked at her.
"You're hungry already? But we just ate Ice cream." Nicole pouted.
"I want to try Korean food." She said, Key chuckled and pulled Nicole's hand and went to the diner.
They settled on a table near the window, and Key left Nicole to take their order, he smiled to girl at the counter who was also smiling back at him.
"May I take your order, Sir?" The girl ask, strangely, her smile was a bit familiar, she was petite and was wearing a huge eyeglasses.
Key has chosen his order and paid for it, waiting for the girl to complete his order.
While she was taking Key's order and putting it on a tray, he caught a glimpse of her name tag, it says: Annyeonghaseyo, Yoon Soochan-imnida.
Key thought for a moment and froze when he recalled where he heard and knew the name.
"Here you go Sir, Kamsahamnida." She bowed as she pushed the tray towards Key, who was staring down at her.
She smiled uncomfortably at him.
"Sir, What's the problem?" She asked, Key shook his head blankly and took the tray and left the counter.
She didn't recognize me? He thought, but then maybe it was a good thing that she didn't, but why?
She was now wearing eyeglasses, he didn't recognize her in the first place not until he saw her name tag and looked at her closely.
Key came back to where Nicole was seated and gave her, her meal, he kept quiet as he watch Nicole blankly.
~~~
He took Nicole home after the meal and left again, he told her he was going with old friends and she will be bored so she shouldn't just come, Nicole agreed and stayed home with his parents.
He waited outside the diner for Soochan to come out.
No, he didn't plan on talking to her, he just wants to prove that it was really her.
It was dark when she came out of the diner wearing a brown coat and a small duffel bag, she looked a little different from the Soochan he knew before, her hair was now longer and she wore huge eyeglasses.
She stood at the street side and looks like she was waiting for someone, then came a tall fellow with yellow hair and a feminine smile, Soochan smiled at him and pouted.
She was, she was really the Soochan he knew, the girl who rejected him before.
The tall fellow put his hands on her shoulder and started to walk, Key just watched as they left smiling and laughing, looking like a happy couple, Somehow he felt something in his chest and he wanted to be mad, he wanted to run to her and ask why she didn't came when he waited for her.
It was too late now, he already has Nicole who was in good terms with his parents and Soochan also has that someone who she laughs with.
~~~
He went back home and straight to his room to throw himself on his bed and rest.
The door opened and Nicole came in.
"Hey, why did you come home late?" I've been waiting for you, Nicole whispered on his ear.
"I'm sorry babe, my friends won't let me go home early." He said, twitching his body to face Nicole who was lying beside him.
"I understand, take a rest now, good night." She stood up and went to the door. "I'll see you in my dreams."
She closed the door behind her.
Key took a deep breath and a little later he drifted to sleep.
==
"Oppa, why did you just left without waiting for me?" Soochan wept holding on his sleeve. He glared down at her.
"You won't accept me anyway." He said taking her hand from his sleeve and shoved it away.
"I did." She whispered, Key didn't believe her and kept glaring at her.
She said something else, but Key suddenly became deaf, he can't hear anything, Soochan repeated what she said, but still he can't hear.
==
He opened his eyes and yawned, stretching his arms and legs altogether.
"What a weird dream." He breathe, and sat up rubbing his eye with his fist.
Someone knocked on the door and it immediately fell open, revealing Nicole who tied up her hair today and was holding a tray of food on her hands, she smiled sweetly at him.
"Good morning, we meet again." She said, sitting at the edge of the bed and putting down the tray. "Brought you breakfast, made it myself." She said lifting her chin up.
"Meet again?" He wondered, she frowned.
"Haven't we met in our dreams last night, hmmp."
"Of course we did." Key exclaimed in an instant, he didn't meet Nicole in his dreams, he met someone else.
"Go on eat." Nicole ordered. He smiled and took a bite of the toasted bread with butter that Nicole made.
~~~
"What?!" Key exclaimed after hearing her parent's plan for the day.
They planned to have dinner with Soochan's family tonight, which they were close with, making them best friends...before.
"Mom, can I just stay here?" He grimaced.
"Son, don't you want to see your best friend? I'm sure she misses you." Key's mom said, of course he...doesn't.
"You're coming Kim Kibum, Nicole will come too." His dad said, Nicole smiled and wrapped her arms around Key's own.
"Babe, I want to meet that best friend of yours and you should introduce me to her, anyway, you haven't mention her to me or did I just forget." Nicole thought, touching her lip with her index finger and tried to remember if Key ever mentioned someone named Soochan to her.
"Fine, I'll come." He gave up, sighing.
Key's parent's smiled. He frowned.
~~~
They were the first ones to arrive at the expensive restaurant that Soochan's parents booked for their reunion after a year.
Despite of the cold weather Key kept on sweating, and he would wipe it dry, exhaling and fanning himself at the same time. Nicole who was dressed beautifully in black dress turned to him and chuckled.
"Why are you sweating? It's cold." She said, patting the sleeve of Key's tux.
"I think it's because of the tux." He said, shaking his shoulders.
"Oh, they're here." Key's mom exclaimed and waved her hands, Key and Nicole looked behind them and stood up to welcome them, he didn't see Soochan, there were only his mom and his dad.
"Where's Soochan?" Key's mom asked Soochan’s parents.
They gave them a smile as they finally sat on the available seat in front of his parents beside him.
"She will follow, she still has to finish something important."
"We should just wait then." His parents said with a smile.
They converse for a little while until she finally came.
"Chiusunghamnida." She bowed, Key didn't bother to look behind him, and waited for her to sit on the only available seat, which was in front of him and Nicole.
"Soochan-ah, Come on have a seat." His mother mentioned her to seat, Key looked up and stared at her, she wasn't wearing her huge glasses tonight and her hair was left down in a smooth way, and she was wearing a simple white dress.
He cleared his throat and looked away.
"Should we start?" The parents exclaimed.
They ate the dinner while they listened to the parents exchange stories.
"Babe, Introduce me to your friend." Nicole whispered on his ear.
Key cleared his throat and faced Soochan who was eating quietly.
"S-soochan-ah." He begun, Soochan looked up. He looked away immediately and took Nicole’s hand. "My g-girlfriend, Nicole wants’ to meet you." He said, Soochan turned to Nicole and smiled sweetly.
"Annyeong, panggawayo." She said, Nicole nodded and shook hands with her.
"It's really nice to meet you Soochan-ssi." She gushed, letting go of her hand, Soochan looked down on her food again and started to eat again.
"Soochan-ssi, how are you?" Nicole asked. Soochan looked up again and nodded.
"I'm perfectly fine." She said and smiled widely. "And you?"
"I'm good, hey uhm, I really wanna know what kind of friendship you had with Key, he never mentioned you to me, can you tell me?" She said sounding so excited.
Key and Soochan exchanged glances, Soochan didn't know what to tell Nicole about, she have never forgotten the things they shared but it was hard to tell in front of him.
"We're not really close." Key told Nicole.
"But I thought you were best friends?"
"No we're not." Nicole looked down and fell silent.
Key stood up and bowed to the parents.
"I'm sorry Mom, Dad to you Mr. and Mrs. Yoon, but I'm not really feeling well, I should leave now." He said and just left, Nicole bowed to the elders and followed Key.
"Babe, wait." Nicole called as she tried to catch up with Key, but he was gone.
~~~
He stared at the gigantic Christmas tree above him holding his tux and only wearing a black t-shirt not minding the cold wind blowing on his skin. This was the same place he confessed his feelings to Soochan before, her sighed.
Something fell on his shoulders pulling him out of his thoughts, he looked behind him and found Soochan looking up at him, and glanced at the coat that was now blocking the cold wind to touch his skin.
"It's freezing here, what are you numb?" She asked, he scoffed and glared her.
She looked away. "I'm surprised you denied me." She breathe.
"Denied you?" He snorted. "Can you hear yourself? I denied you, what about you rejected me?" He cried, making Soochan stare at him in wonder.
He didn't wait for her to say anything and left.
She stood frozen in the center of the crowed staring down at the coat that fell from his shoulder.
“But you didn’t tell me you were leaving.” She whispered to herself.
~~~
"Kim Kibum!" His mom yelled from the living room.
"What?" He yelled back.
"Get dressed, were going somewhere." Going somewhere?
"Where??"
"Just get dressed." He groaned and stood up from his bed, and went to change his clothes.
==
"Mom, why are we here?" He asked, glaring at the house that was owned by Soochan's family, Nicole peered behind him.
"They have a pretty house." She commented. Key scoffed.
"They're having a farewell party for Soochan." His Dad said, Key turned to him and gave him a questioning look.
"Farewell party? Where is she going?" He asked, they shook their shoulders and lead the way to the Yoon family's door, Mr. Yoon opened the door for them and welcomed them inside.
It was only them and Soochan's other family member, there was also the fellow Key saw fetched Soochan from the diner the day he took Nicole there.
Mr. Yoon introduced him as Lee Jaejin, he was Soochan's closest cousin.
Key shook his hands hesitantly and cleared his throat, feeling ashamed of himself for thinking that he was her boyfriend.
"Where is she?" Key's mom asked.
"She's at the diner, she helped a lot since we don't really have time to visit it."
"Diner?" Key asked.
"Yes, we own a diner at downtown."
"Oh~"
"Why don't you sit down?" Mr. Yoon offered.
Nicole pulled Key's sleeve.
"Babe, let's look around, I really like the house, please! I wanna see the whole house!" She gushed, Key smiled at her.
"Okay, Mr. Yoon can we look around?" Mr. Yoon nodded, and Nicole excitedly pulled Key's hands and they strolled around the house.
Nicole, wandered happily around, appreciating the displays she would pass by.
Key caught a glimpse of small green box inside a glass cabinet, he came to look closer and saw a familiar red object inside it.
He froze when he noticed something different about it, the tip of the wick was black, as if it was lit.
~~~
He stared at the small doll on his hands that he found inside his old drawer and thought of Soochan, was it possible that she accepted him that day?
He shook the thought out of his head and sat at the edge of his bed, the thought of her still not leaving his mind.
The door creaked open, revealing Nicole, Key turned to he, she went to sit beside him and smiled.
"I'm leaving tomorrow first thing in the morning." She began.
"Leaving? Where are you going?" He asked. She chuckled wistfully.
"I may not be talking about it, but Key, I know it when something is bothering you." His brows furrowed.
"What do you mean?" He wondered, she sighed, and looked at the small doll on his hands.
"I know you liked her before, and I know you still do, I'm leaving because I don't want to be in between people." She explained.
"Nicole--"
"Don't try to explain, I already know that you're heart will always stay with her, and I don't want to be the second, I told you that before right?" She looked down. "I'm letting you go."
"Nicole--"
"I heard she's leaving this afternoon, too bad she has to leave on Christmas eve." She said, Christmas eve?
Today is the twenty forth? He thought.
"Key, I think you have to do something about it." She finally looked up and gave him a smile, the kindest smile Nicole has ever given to him.
"I'm so sorry." He sighed taking her hands, she let out a low laugh.
"You don't have too, I'm not even sorry for myself, and...you don't have to be sorry for loving someone, like I did to you." She squeezed his hands and stood up, leaving the room and Key on his own.
~~~
He stopped and panted, he has been running around the airport for almost an around but still he found no Soochan.
He glanced at his watch, it was six pm, he looked at the big screen above him to see the time the planes will be leaving, and the difficult part is that he doesn't even know where Soochan is going.
He hit his forehead with his palm and closed his eyes, trying to gain some air.
"Key-ssi?" A familiar voice called, Key jumped and looked around trying to find the owner of the voice then he caught a glimpse of a familiar huge eyeglasses and straight black hair.
"Soochan-ah!" He exclaimed and ran towards her direction, still panting.
"What are you doing here?" She asked, he took a deep breath and glance at the luggage she was pulling behind her.
"I'm stopping you." He panted.
"Stopping me?" She repeated.
"You're leaving right? I have to stop you." He cried. Soochan looked at him and snickered.
"What are you laughing at?" he asked.
"I'm not leaving." She said.
"Not leaving? What about the farewell party? That!" he exclaimed pointing at the luggage she was pulling behind her.
"There was no farewell party for me Key, are you talking about the party the other night?" She asked, Key nodded suspiciously.
"It wasn't for me, it was for my cousin Jaejin, he's going back to Japan today so we held a party for him." She explained, Key groaned.
"Dad said, it was for you!" Soochan chuckled.
"He must be kidding you, and you believed him." She laughed harder, Key impatiently grabbed her shoulders shutting her up.
"Listen Yoon Soochan, you can't just laugh at me like that, I was here because I thought I'm going to lose you again do you understand?" He yelled on her face, her face flared up.
"Mwo--"
"I know now what happened, I'm sorry if I left you just like that and didn't wait, please forgive but I want to do it all over again." He yelled.
"W-what do you mean?" She asked looking away, Key sighed and let go of her, taking something from the pocket of his coat.
"Would you accept my heart again?" He shouted, handing her a small pink box with a heart shaped hole revealing a small pink heart shaped candle.
"There were no red one's like the first one I gave you, but it's still a heart." He said, opening the box and taking the candle. "Light it, or just give it back to me." He ordered handing her a lighter.
Soochan stood still and stared at his hands before taking the candle and the lighter.
"Decide now or make the same mistake again, I don't want to waste another year without you." Soochan looked at him for a long moment, and took something from her pocket.
“You’re still as impulsive as before, Key.” She commented, his brows furrowed.
“Last year…I came but you already left, I thought you would really wait for me, but you didn’t, I promised myself not to recognize you when I see you again, if ever I do…” She sighed. “The day at the diner, I thought it was just someone that looked like you, I never imagined you in blonde hair you know?” She chuckled.
“I recognized you immediately, but I pretended not to…the dinner, I stared at Nicole, it was the first time I ever felt so much jealousy towards someone, I thought; she was so lucky.” She looked down at the candle and bit her lip.
“Do you know how it feels to betray yourself? It felt great, but I feel guilty, and I don’t want to cling on it, I want to lose the feeling I have for you, but here you are, repeating things all over again.” She chuckled.
Key was stunned by the confession.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were leaving?” She asked.
“I really don’t want to pressure your reply to me, I want you to accept me because you want to, not because I’m leaving if ever you reject me.” He explained.
“I have a condition.” Soochan said, Key looked at her questioningly.
"As soon as you take this one." She handed him the same candle he gave her last year. "Go on, I don't want to waste another year without you." He smiled to himself and took the candle from her hand.
Soochan lit up the one on her hand and showed it to Key.
"Merry Christmas." She whispered.
"Merry Christmas."
- E N D -
Comments