“Mine next!  Mine next!” exclaimed Minwoo, holding out a gift wrapped in candy cane paper and tied with a large green bow.

                Laughing delightedly, Jin took it from his hands and slowly opened it, careful not to tear the paper.  Impatient as always, Minwoo yanked it out of her hands and tore it open himself, the wrapping paper falling to the ground in red and white shreds.  Once again he held out the gift out to her, this time stripped of its decoration, revealing a white box.  The girl tucked a golden lock of hair behind her ear, gazing at the present excitedly.  Lifting the lid of the box, she squealed happily, pulling out a black hat with a small black bow sewed to the side of the visor.

                “Kasahamnida!” she thanked, examining the hat with glowing eyes.  Youngmin took it from her and tugged it on his girlfriend’s head, adjusting it as necessary.

The boy smiled at his handiwork.  “Cute.”  Jin blushed and looked down at her hands in her lap.

Inconspicuously, Kwangmin reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, neatly wrapped cube.  He handled it a moment, smiling to himself before passing it to the dark-haired girl next to him.

“Merry Christmas,” Kwangmin murmured.

Hyesoo smiled happily, unwrapping the present and taking the silver velvet box into her long, slim fingers.

“I was wondering when I was going to get this,” she said.

Kwangmin’s eyes never left his girlfriend as she untied the shimmering white bow and lifted the lid, her dark irises glittering.  A smile parted red lips revealing white teeth.

“A sun,” she stated, staring at the golden charm lying on a white cushion.

Kwangmin blushed, both pleased and embarrassed.  “Do you need help putting it on?”

Hyesoo held out her wrist with a silver chain, already adorned with three charms –a gold star, a silver heart, and a white gold key.  Picking up the sun, memories flooded back to Kwangmin, replaying in his mind of how this all started.

Kwangmin paced back and forth along the display case, trying to decide.  An array of charms laid before him and he couldn’t decide.  A key, it was a key he was looking for, but there were so many different kinds, so many choices.  The store keeper came by again.

“Have you made your decision yet?”

The boy gave a sheepish smile.  “I’m sorry, but I can’t decide.”  He looked back at the small key charms.  “It has to be perfect.”

The store keeper smiled amusedly.  “Getting a Christmas present for your girlfriend?” he asked.

Kwangmin’s smile faltered.  “She’s not my girlfriend, but I hope she will be soon.”

The man nodded in understanding.  “What is it that you’re looking for?”

“A key,” Kwangmin replied.  “A small key charm, preferably silver.”

The man pondered, joining in the quest.  “Hmm, and none of these seem to work for you?”

Rubbing the back of his neck, Kwangmin said, “I’m sorry, they are all nice, just not quite perfect.”

“Don’t worry, I have an idea,” he held up a finger, indicating to Kwangmin to wait as he went to the back. 

The boy didn’t have to wait long.  The store keeper came back, holding a rectangular casing.  He placed it on the display glass, lifting the lid.  Inside the lights flashed along an assortment of charms, among which were a few key charms.  One stood out to Kwangmin, a white gold key with a thin rod and ring in the shape of a heart.  The brown-haired boy smiled delightedly.

“Perfect.”

Kwangmin finished tying the red bow onto the white box, flicking off the red sparkles that stuck to his fingers.

“Are you going to take it now?” a voice questioned from the doorway of Kwangmin’s bedroom.

“Yeah, I am,” he answered his older twin without turning.

“You’d better hurry, then,” Youngmin advised.

“I’m going, I’m going.”  With that, Kwangmin picked up the gift and quickly made his leave.

Snow crunched under his boots as he walked to the front door.  Wind whipped his scarf in his face, the chill finding a way to creep beneath his coat and cause him to shiver.  Kwangmin hesitated in ringing the doorbell, his nerves finally stopping him.  He reached for the button, then pulled back, reached out, and pulled back.  Kwangmin bit his lip, his fingers hovering over the glow.  Before he could press down on it, however, the door opened.  Kwangmin straightened up in surprise, eyes wide.

In front of him stood the person of his admiration, Kim Hyesoo.  Her hair had grown longer since 7^th grade, the first year he had started giving her a present every Christmas Eve.  His eyes darted to her wrist to see what had been there ever since 7^th grade year –a silver bracelet with a star charm, accompanied by a heart charm he had given her the year before.  A small smile graced his lips as he saw her wearing his gift, although she had no idea who the mystery giver was.

“Kwangmin-ah,” she spoke, obviously surprised.  “What are you doing here?”  Her eyes went to the gift in his hands.

He cleared his throat, shifting his weight from one foot to the other uncomfortably.  “Um, I wanted to, er, give you a Christmas present.”  He held out the gift, blushing at the glitter that stuck to his skin.  Hyesoo took the present, staring at it curiously.

“Can I open it?” she asked.  Nervously, he nodded.

She pulled the ribbon off, red flecks swirling in the air and falling to the snow below.  Curiously, she lifted the lid.  Eyes widening, a gasp escaped as her lips formed a small ‘o.’ Her gaze darted to Kwangmin, a question formulating on her face.

“Merry Christmas, Hyesoo,” Kwangmin smiled shyly.

The girl’s wide eyes strayed to her wrist that adorned the bracelet.  “Was this from you, too?”

“Um, yeah,” he admitted sheepishly, blushing furiously.

“Why?”  Her blunt question caught him off guard.  He thought it would have been obvious as to why.

“I-I,” he stuttered, unable to form a coherent thought, let alone a complete sentence.

Hyesoo leaned in close; Kwangmin could smell the candy apple perfume she wore.  He gulped.  “You what?” she prodded, smiling. 

“I did it because,” he started slowly, finding it difficult to say the words in his heart, “because I…  I like… you…”

He looked away as he said it, focusing his gaze on a snow flecked window ledge to his right.  He waited for an answer, a response, something.  But nothing came.  Anxiously, he turned back to Hyesoo, wondering why she wasn’t saying anything.  She stood triumphantly in front of him, grinning widely. 

“I like you, too, Kwangmin,” she said.

He stared at her blankly.  “W-what?”

“I like you, too,” she repeated.

Kwangmin smiled elatedly.  “Really?”

The girl laughed.  “Yes, really.  You don’t believe me?”

“I’m just surprised.  And happy.”

“You shouldn’t be too surprised.  But, your gift does pose a problem,” she frowned slightly at the key charm. 

Kwangmin panicked.  What was wrong?  Did she not like it?  “What is the problem?” he asked, scared of the answer.

“I haven’t got anything for you,” she said. 

Kwangmin let out a breath in relief.  “Well, I can only think of one thing I want for Christmas this year.”

“What is that?” she asked, cocking her head to the side.

He smiled.  “Go on a date with me this Saturday?”

Hyesoo mirrored his smile.  “That I can do.”

 Kwangmin finished attaching the golden sun to the bracelet, head fuzzy with nostalgia.  When he finished, his fingers lingered on her hand.  He looked up into her eyes, smiling softly.

“Ugh!  Someone help me!  The two love birds are making googly-eyes at each other again!” Minwoo complained, covering his face.

“No we’re not!” Youngmin exclaimed.

“I wasn’t talking about you two.”  Minwoo pointed an accusatory finger at Kwangmin and Hyesoo.  “Them!”

The others laughed while the two in question blushed.

“Just you wait and see, Minwoo,” Kwangmin warned.  “Once you have a girlfriend –if you ever get one in the first place- you won’t be able to take your eyes off her either.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever you say, hyung,” Minwoo waved it off.  “Now, who made cookies?  Someone did make cookies, right?”

Jin giggled and stood up.  “Come on, I was saving them in the kitchen.”

The whole of Boyfriend followed suit.  Kwangmin helped Hyesoo up, keeping hold of her hand.  They slowly made their way into the kitchen, dragging behind the others.

“So what does the sun mean?” Hyesoo asked.

Kwangmin glanced at the bracelet she was examining.  Each charm had a different meaning.  Wishing on a star that she would accept his gift of admiration.  Giving her his heart.  A key to open it up.  And…

“A sun to represent the light that you bring to my world.”

She nudged him playfully.  “So cheesy.”

Kwangmin chuckled with her, swooping down to place a gentle kiss to her lips.

“Merry Christmas, Hyesoo.”

The girl smiled against his lips.  “Merry Christmas, Kwangmin.”