The pale snow drifted outside against the window, a soft pillow of white forming along the windowsill. You admired the crystalline structures floating calmly through the winter air, the shapes unique and gleaming. Cupped within your hands was a small mug of hot chocolate, the pink marshmallows bobbing like little boats on a chocolate sea. Surrounding you in the little coffee shop were families chattering loudly about how they were celebrating the holidays as well as the exotic fragrance of coffee beans. The bell above the door tinkled continuously, and your eyes left the window each time in hopes that it would finally be the person you so longed to see. But it never was.

You sighed softly and brought the mug to your lips to settle your growing disappointment. 
Was he blowing me off? You thought as you silently sipped your hot beverage alone. The empty seat in front of you made you feel lonelier than you already were. You closed your eyes and thought about the boy you fell in love with; his glorious hair, his infectious smile and his honey voice vivid in your mind. You were so lost in your thoughts that you didn’t hear the bell sound once more - this time announcing the entrance of your precious prince.

“Hello!” 

The soft voice rang in your ears and caused your eyes to dart directly towards the door. You knew that voice anywhere. Standing at the counter, his hair perfectly parted and his eyes glistening with happiness, was Nam Taehyun. His lean figure was covered in layers of clothing and specks of snow were noticeable in his hair. You watched as he hovered over the counter to place his order, a bubble of laughter erupting from his petite mouth while he conversed with the pretty girl behind the register. The laughter lasted only for a few seconds and soon toned down to a low mumble. You strained your ears to hear what sweet nothings he was probably feeding to the poor girl. How typical, using his good looks to prey on vulnerable minors and getting them to wrap around his little finger. Your heart started to beat faster as his gaze flickered towards you, his brows furrowing as he noticed you were observing him. You breathed a sigh of relief as he turned back to the employee and offered a friendly “thanks!” before making his way over to your table. 

“Hey,” he huffed over his huge scarf, his mouth in a slight pout and his hands in his pockets. 

“Hey,” you replied a little too sadly, causing his eyebrows to raise more than they already usually were in concern. He kept silent, prompting you for an explanation. 

“You’re late,” you finally sighed after a few minutes of awkwardness.

“I know, I’m sorry.”

He removed his bare hands from his pockets and reached into his coat to bring out a freshly picked rose. He held it out to you with a small smile and a light flush over his cheeks. You looked up at him in awe as you took it from him. You couldn’t stay angry at him. He was so ethereal, so thoughtful… that it was impossible. 

“I brought that for you to make up for it,” he said shyly, his head tilted down and his eyes looking at you from underneath his long eyelashes. You stifled your laughter and shook your head in amusement at the charming boy beside you. He took that as an apology and grinned widely as he pulled out the chair in front of you and sat down. 

“So, how have you been?” he asked as he reached for a marshmallow in your hot chocolate and popped it into his mouth. 

“Alright,” you muttered, placing the rose down beside your mug and then tracing invisible circles on the tablecloth with your finger.

Taehyun looked at you intently and gently placed his hand over yours, stopping your finger from moving before you possibly drilled a hole into the table. You let out a quiet gasp at the coldness of his touch. 

“Just alright?” He leaned in closer and cupped your chin with his free hand. “Maybe this will help pick you up.”

You felt his cool breath against your skin, followed by his delicate lips against yours as he pecked you softly. You blushed furiously once the fact that Nam Taehyun’s face was just millimetres away from yours dawned on you, and your eyes quickly skimmed around the room to ensure that there were no onlookers. His hand gripped yours tightly as he continued to move his mouth slowly against yours, his tongue tracing along your bottom lip and sending courses of electricity through your body. You fell into his rhythm and tasted him sweet on your tongue. You placed your hand on his cheek, your fingers his flushed skin and pulling him closer to you. 

“Hey,” he said shakily, carefully pulling away and leaving you breathless. You realised that he was partly standing with his body nearly completely flat on the table. 

“Sorry,” you giggled nervously and planted a kiss on his neck. 

He chuckled as he positioned himself back down and ran his fingers through his hair. You grinned at him, but the smile on your face didn’t last long when you realised that his attention was no longer directed at you. The girl was standing there next to Taehyun with his order in her hands, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip as she looked down at him. Her eyes never left him as she placed his mug down onto the table. He gave her a (not so) subtle wink when she quickly slipped an object under his hand before returning to the counter. He coughed nervously and suddenly stood up. A confused expression spread onto your face as he walked behind you and placed his hands onto your shoulders. 

I have something I need to tell you,” he said slowly, his hands giving your shoulders a light squeeze. You tilted your head back and glanced up at him, his angelic features highlighted by the bright light above him. 

“I want to take this chance with you,” he started to say over the noise of customers. “For a long time, I’ve only really had my eyes on you.”

Your breath caught in your throat as those words lingered in your ears. His thin fingers were now sweeping over your collarbones and making your skin tingle. 

You watched as he briefly reached into his pocket to pull a small box out. 

“I don’t want any peeking,” he pouted, signalling you to look away.

You rolled your eyes and stared at the table. Honestly, what has he got planned now…

You shivered as you felt something cool and metal against your throat along with Taehyun’s fingers brushing the back of your neck as he fumbled around with something behind you.

“All done,” he mumbled. Your hands clasped the object around your neck and pulled it up so that you could view it clearly. 

“Oh my…” you whispered as you saw an exquisite key pendant on the end of a silver chain. 

“Do you like it?” he whispered into your ear, tucking a loose strand of hair behind it. 

You nodded in reply. Your lower lip quivered as you tried to process and hold in the amount of feelings you have for this boy. Your head fell into your hands in an attempt to hide the wave of tears that was coming up ahead. 

“Hey,” Taehyun frowned as he got onto his knees and placed his hand on your thigh. “Don’t cry.”

He removed your hands gently from your face and wiped away your tears with his thumb. You caught a glimpse of something silver under the collar of his shirt, and to answer your curiosity, he reached in and pulled it out. The piece of jewellery was similar to yours, but instead of a key, the pendant was in the shape of a heart.

“That’s right. You’re the key to my heart,” he said in a singsong voice, the corner of his lip raised into a smirk. 

You bursted into laughter at the cheesiness of it all and ruffled his hair. Behind him, the girl at the counter beamed at you and made her hands into the shape of a heart. So that’s why she was acting so close with him. 

“I love you,” he giggled as he got up and kissed you on the forehead.

“I love you, Taehyun.”

All afternoon, both of you admired the winter scene on the other side of the window. 
The whole time, Taehyun’s smile never left his face. 

This was his confession to you; the girl who warmed his heart like the way a small ray of sunshine would warm up a freezing cold day. 


You have the key. Unlock me.