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Nikkie walked through the doors of what Jong Ki said was the hottest cafe in Korea. Nikkie didn't believe it at first. A restruant, she could understand. But why a cafe? Of all places, why would Jong Ki bring her to a cafe?
Nikkie shook the thought away. She finally looked up to examine the cafe Jong Ki had described. It was, indeed, a very elegant cafe. The walls were painted a calming cream. The floor was a dark wood, almost like chocolate. The windows, which looked out to a gorgeous garden, were drapped with velvet red fabric. The same fabric was used for the booths, which sat beside off-white tables.
"Welcome to Bishounen Cafe." said a waiter. Nikkie gave a short nod. The waiter himself, Nikkie realized, also dressed elegantly. He wore a perfectly ironed black suit with a white apron drapped across his waist. It was the typical attire, but the way the waiter stood and the background of the cafe set off a professional vibe.
"Hi." Nikkie smiled. "I'm looking for a friend."
"May I have a name?" the waiter asked.
"Nikkie. I'm looking for Jong Ki."
"Yes, right this way miss." the waiter lead Nikkie to a booth on the other side of the elegant cafe. As Nikkie walked, her silky purple dress floated along behind her. Nikkie chose to wear the dress, deciding it was apropriate for the atmosphere Jong Ki had set when describing the place.
"Hey! You made it!" Jong Ki smiled wide as soon as Nikkie came into view. He was as cute as always. Dressed in his usual blue worn out jeans, Jong Ki had on a black and white checkered t-shirt that was worn over a black long sleeve shirt. As always, Jong Ki had the sleeves of the black shirt rolled up just under his elbows.
Nikkie thanked the waiter, then forced a smile as she began to head towards the booth.
The smile on Nikkie's face felt wrong, and at that moment, seeing Jong Ki's happy expression at her appearance, Nikkie knew what she was about to do was not only going to hurt her, but it was also going to hurt him. It was going to kill him.
"Are you okay? You look sick." Jong Ki's worried voice broke Nikkie's heart into little pieces. He cared so much for her. How could she even think of doing what she was about to do.
"I'm fine." Nikkie assured Jong Ki. When the worried expression didn't go away, Nikkie sighed. "Really, I'm fine. It's just," Nikkie trailed off.
"It's just what?" Jong Ki asked.
"Jong Ki." Nikkie felt the tears stinging her eyes. "Jong Ki, I can't do this. We have to be done. I don't want to hurt you anymore. I don't want to keep lying. I thought it was love. I thought that you were the one, but you aren't. I'm sorry. I just can't do this. Please leave." Nikkie rushed through her speech, somehow managing to not shed any tears.
Jong Ki stood up. He said nothing, but instead, approached Nikkie. Nikkie braced herself for the worst, but instead, recieved a gentle kiss on the cheek.
"I understand." Jong Ki whispered. Nikkie could hear the tears in his voice. She looked up to see him wipe away his tears, smile sadly at her, then turn and leave the cafe.
That was when the tears began to flow out of her eyes. The tears were unstoppable. She sank into the booth that Jong Ki had been sitting in and cried.
"That was harsh." someone said. Nikkie looked up to see a waiter stand by the table. His face was blurry at first because of her tears, but Nikkie didn't bother to wipe them away.
"A litttle too old to be crying in public, don't you think?" the waiter said again. At this, Nikkie wiped her tears, finally conscious about her whereabouts.
The waiter laughed at Nikkie's sudden realization. Nikkie glared at him, but was caught off guard. Nikkie realized she was glaring at probably the most handsome man she had ever seen. Nikkie leaned back, ready to take the waiter in, but he turned around and left without saying a word. Nikkie was left staring at his retreating figure.
Nikkie stood up and got ready to leave when the waiter came back with a cup of what looked like hot coffee. He set the coffee down on the table and sat own in the booth. He motioned for Nikkie to sit across from him. Nikkie reluctantly did so.
"The name's Key." the waiter said as he pushed the cup of coffee towards Nikkie. "I'm on break and am a good listener. I have attendency of being nosy. I was spoiled by my mom so I get everything I want."
"In other words, you want to know what happened?" Nikkie raised her eyebrow.
"Got me." Key raised his hands in defeat. "Now drink the special made coffee and talk away."
Nikkie smiled. She told Key the story of her decision to break up with Jong Ki, her boyfriend since her first year in college.
As she talked, Nikkie analyzed Key. He had high cheek bones, structured uniquely so that when he smiled, it looked as if he had dimples. His eyes were a deep chocolate brown. Though small, those eyes held a sense of genuine kindness.
"Does it fell right?" Key asked after Nikkie had made it clear she finished talking.
"It feels right to let him go. But it feels wrong to let him go using a lie." Nikkie said.
"A lie?" Key questioned. Nikkie frowned. She re-ran her words through her head and realized she had said a little too much. Instinctively, Nikkie covered her mouth with her hand. At this, Key laughed.
"You know what I don't understand?" Key leaned back on the booth, his hands behind his head, what Nikkie came to understand was a man's relaxed position. "Why people cover their mouths when the words have already been said."
Nikkie removed her hand from her mouth, crossed her arms, and glared.
Key laughed. "The name's Key." he said. "I'm a good listener. I have attendency of being nosy. I was spoiled by my mom so I get everything I want."
Nikkie laughed at this. "In other words," she repeated herself. "You want me to talk."
"Got me." Key smiled.
"I told him I didn't love him, which is true. But it really wasn't the reason I wanted to break up with him." Nikkie began. "The truth is I didn't want to hurt him. I didn't want him there when it happens."
"Be there when what happens?" Key leaned forward, curious.
"When I die." Nikkie's voice was a whisper.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I think I love you." Nikkie looked up from her cup of coffee.
"What?" she asked. She had come by Bishounen Cafe everyday now around the same time just to talk to Key during his break and drink his special made coffee. Nikkie found him easy to talk to. Fun to talk to. She saw a true friend in him.
"I said I think I love you." Key said, sincerity deep in his voice.
At that, Nikkie stood up. "No, you should know this by now. I don't want love. I can't have love. It's not possible."
"What's wrong with love?" Key stayed seated, staring at his drink.
"Key, you should know. I want nothing to do with love."
"Please, just let me know how you feel." Key looked up at Nikkie, his eyes pleading. "You come by everyday. You talk to me like we've known each other forever. I knew you wanted nothing to do with it, but I began to think you over came your fear. That's what I told myself anyway."
"No. I can't. I come by because I see a friend in you. Not a lover." as Nikkie said the words, she knew she was lying to herself. The feeling she had told her so. She knew she was falling for Key. But she also knew it was impossible.
"You can't or you don't want to admit it?" Key asked.
"Key." Nikkie pleaded. She couldn't belive that in just one month, he seemed to know her more than she knew herself.
"Nikkie." Key pleaded back and Nikkie knew she couldn't win.
"Maybe I am falling for you." Nikkie whispered. She sat down next to Key, who pulled her into his arms.
"Love is nothing to be afriad of." when he felt Nikkie get ready to reject, he added, "We can get through this."
The way Key said 'we' somehow gave Nikkie strength and she knew that the comfort she found was real. Nikkie knew deep down, that they were going to get through this.
"I love you." Key said.
"And I love you." Nikkie finally said, and she could hear the happiness exelerate Key's breathing. She could feel him smiling, and Nikkie found herself smiling too.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Key sat at the usual booth, waiting for Nikkie. Feelings rushed through him. Excitment. Nervousness. Soon, he and Nikkie would be bound together forever.
"Off early today?" Nikkie's voice was teasing. She sat down next to him and he automatically pulled her into his arms.
"I have good knews." Key said.
"Oh?" Nikkie pulled away to examine Key. She raised an eyebrow when she realized he was serious.
"I know someone who could cure you're cancer." Key said, bluntly. Nikkie was caught off guard. She sat there, frozen.
After a while, she regained her senses and shook her head, as if not believing what she just heard. But when she saw Key's serious expression, she knew she had not heard wrong.
"How is that possible. Key, I already have a death sentence, remember?"
"America." was all Key had to say.
"America can definately cure me. But where would I get the money?"
"Just promise me you'll do one thing for me and I will tell you."
"What one thing?" Nikkie asked, curious.
Key scooted out of the booth, stood in front of Nikkie, who was still sitting, and smiled. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a small purple box. Key kneeled down on one knee and held out the bo to Nikkie. "Marry me."
Nikkie was speechless. "Yes." she said before thinking anything over. "Yes, of course I'd marry you!"
Key smiled wide and put the ring on Nikkie's hand. As he did so, Nikkie realized what had just happend. She pulled her hand away. "Key, I can't. I don't want you to," but she was cut off by the smooth lips of her ideal man.
At that moment, Nikkie knew she didn't want anything else but to stay in Key's embrace forever. She knew very well that the thing she wanted, needed the most was Key. At that moment, as Key's lips were crushed to hers, Nikkie's world stopped and all she could see was a happy future ahead of her. A happy world that she shared with Key. There was nothing called cancer. Nothing called death. Nothing called pain. Just pure happiness forever and always.
When Key finally pulled away, he grinned, locking eyes with Nikkie. Looking into her soul.
"Marry me, and I can save you." he slipped the ring onto Nikkie's finger before she could pull away again.
"I have the money. Now that you are to be my wife, I can bring you to America. I can save you. We could live together forever." Key said. Nikkie just smiled and nodded. "Hold on for one short second." Key said, and left Nikkie sitting at their booth, examining her engagement ring with fasination.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Rain, I want to comfirm that matter we talked about earlier." Key said as he walked into Rain Bi's office. Rain Bi was the manager of Korea's Bishounen Cafe.
"You're really leaving Key?" Rain asked.
"Yeah. My love agreed to marry me, and I have to save her." Key said.
"Ok." Rain said. "I got the check ready for you." Rain openned a drawer in his desk and handed Key a piece of paper. "This check has all the money you have work for ever since your first year in high school. Why you never took it out, I don't know. But the fact that it serves a good purpose now makes me happy."
Rain handed Key the check. Key took it, stepped back and said, "Let me do this properly." He grinned. "Rain Bi, I quit working here at Bishounen Cafe." With that, Key walked out of the office and into the new world he knew would be his and Nikkie's, and only his and Nikkie's.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
She met a boy at a cafe the day she broke up with her boyfriend. They became friends. They fell in love. They overcame the biggest obstacle known to mankind. With his help, she fought cancer. With his help, she found happiness. With him, she found a way back into love.
