-

“Come on, Key, this is nothing!”

“You’re right man, this is nothing,” I said, sarcastically. “Nothing to be worried about because I won’t remember it when I die!”

The man in the blue vest and his unamused expression said, “Well, here you go!”

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

-

CHAPTER 12<3

CLAIRE

“Key, you’re so cute!” I chattered, my hair dripping down my shoulders. We’d just finished, standing with Minho and Jonghyun who both looked hyper and excited. Onew and Taemin were coming soon. Draping a towel around my shoulders, I smiled in triumph. “I told you it would be nothing!”

Key shook his head buried in his towel. “That… Was… Not… Nothing.”

Minho was jumping up and down, using Key’s shoulders as a boost. “Let’s go again! Again! That was sweet!”

“Calm, Minho, calm!” Jonghyun chided. He had water dripping off his toned and tan pecs, muscular arms clasping around Minho to stop him.

I had these moments of occasional “Oh my God” fangirl moments, throughout the day, hoping no one would notice. Seriously. I wanted to squeal, jump up and down, do the typical fan-girl arm wave, and do my triumphant dance every five seconds.

I mean… look. It’s SHINee.

I don’t know how they still talk to me; I’ve been trying to restrain myself so much from acting like too much of a freak.

I looked up, thinking about Keyber.

What can I say? I’m just a genius.

Key and Justin Bieber.

My fluffy moment of gratitude screeched to a stop as I tried to push Justin Bieber out of my head. It’s like I’d forgotten I’d even met him yesterday.

Yesterday?

I was again shocked, thinking that Jonghyun had only called me like three days ago. I felt like I knew them for months.

What the hell am I doing here?

How am I not freaking out about, um, when what’s it called again… SHINE-freaking-EE is in front of me?

If Mel was here, it would be a totally different story.

I was planning on leaving in two days, so I had to YOLO and Carpe Diem like no other.

“Claire!” someone snapped in front of my face. “Claire!”

Breaking out of my thoughts, I focused in to see Minho’s hand. “Oh, sorry! I was just thinking…” Onew and Taemin had also gathered around us and were toweling off.

“We were just saying, you should give Key a reward for making it down!” Minho said and pulled Key towards me.

I laughed, saying, “Aren’t you guys the ones that are supposed to give fans the gifts?”

“Well, we’re Keyber fans!” Taemin responded, a genuine smile on his face. Oh, I loved him. “You’re giving fanservice to us!”

“Well, what do you want me to give?” I looked at Key, trying to see his face in the towels.

Was he… blushing? He didn’t meet my eyes.

“A kiss!” Jonghyun shouted. Everyone else shouted enthusiastically in response.

ARE.

YOU.

FREAKING.

SERIOUS?!

My jaw dropped several inches, eyes widening. I felt fire on my face and I saw Key looking away awkwardly.

THIS IS NOT HAPPENING.

“Aren’t you happy, Claire, you get to kiss an idol!” Onew ushered on. Stunned speechless, I was frozen to the spot.

Key finally turned to face me, smiling calmly, although as a Shawol I definitely knew someone would be killed tonight. “We shouldn’t force a reward, it’s okay, Claire.” I stared at my bright sky blue toenails in dilemma and shock.

“Oh, come on,” Jonghyun convinced, now behind me. A pair of hands pushed me closer to Key and the gap closed so we were only a few inches apart. The rest of SHINee were cheering with yells along the lines of “Claire, do it!” and “KISS. KISS.”

The bright sun and cool breeze comforted me too, along with the empty walkways of the water park. Something came over me entirely, and I stretched forward on my tiptoes and kissed him lightly on the cheek.

The fangirl inside me died once again.

He looked shocked afterwards, a hand on his cheek where I’d kissed him. He was almost looking around as if to ask his friends if they’d seen that too or if he’d imagined it, like I was doing. “YAAAAAAAAAY!” everyone screamed in unison. Taemin jumped excitedly up and down with his hands on Key’s shoulders, saying, “SHE ACTUALLY DID IT!”

“THAT WAS SO CUTE!” Jonghyun screeched too, highfiving Minho and clenching a fist in victory. Onew was jumping up and down too and messing with Key’s wet hair.

These boys were crazy. My face was flushed and my knees felt like they’d fall apart. Key finally looked me in the eye again and smiled shyly.

There were too many graves of a SHINee fangirl buried on that day.

Suddenly I heard Jonghyun’s opening high notes of Ring Ding Dong ring amidst the fanboying. “Hello?” he answered, his tan arm toned and muscular as he put the phone to his ear.

Oh my god, these boys.

“Key hyung, how was it?” Taemin asked excitedly after letting Jonghyun take the call. “Were sparks flying and hearts melting? Did you feel as if you could fly to heaven? Did a dove call out to you through the wind and sing a hymn of joy?”

We all started laughing, me saying, “What? Are you okay?”

“It was just a kiss on the cheek!” Key said matter-of-factly.

Minho let out a low noise of “oh-” warning call. “Does that mean you were expecting more?” He raised his eyebrows in a suggestive manner.

I looked at Minho with a hilariously incredulous expression. Key shook his hands at him, saying, “Ew! Your dirty mind!”

We were all cracking up when Jonghyun turned to me with his phone. “It’s your mom, Claire.”

-

KEY

I saw fireworks of a million different shades as Claire kissed my cheek.

It was light, soft, and one of those “just-there” pecks, but it was the most adorable thing that’s ever happened.

Is this what it was like to be a fangirl?

I’d tried to play it cool, like, oh, it was just a kiss on the cheek, but my heart was racing in a stupid way. When Claire turned away to speak with her mom, I knocked Jonghyun with my fist. “You made her kiss me!” My voice was in a whisper-shout of incredulity.

Jonghyun just smiled at me cheekily with a triumphant expression. “You may thank me later.”

“And me too, Key, I’m really feeling some chicken,” Onew added.

Minho shot me a cool grin, which I just twitched an eye at.

But they all knew the truth: These boys do really have my back. A wave of affection flew into me and I hugged Jonghyun with all my might.

Maybe it was from the kiss-high I was getting from Claire?

I shrugged it off and said while messing with Jonghyun’s hair, “Who’s a good dino? Who’s a good dinoo?”

Claire finally turned back to us with the face of a lost puppy.

“What’s wrong, Claire?” I heard myself ask first, concern lined in my voice. The bubbly mood of the party of six vanished at the sight of her dejection. I just wanted to hug her right there because she looked so scared.

Her voice was small as she said, “I don’t have a way back home.”

-

This is a super super late update! D: I've been a bad author! 

Thank you for supporting and staying with Keyber though, please stay tuned for more! Thank you for all the comments and love<3 You guys are the best! I'll try to update more often for you guys c:

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