the other bohemians go out, but rodolfo stays alone for a moment in order to finish a newspaper article, promising to join his friends soon. there is a knock at the door, and mimi, a seamstress who lives in a flat below, enters. her candle has blown out, and she has no matches; she asks rodolfo to light it. she thanks him, but returns a few seconds later, saying she has lost her key. both candles go out. it is dark, and the couple try to feel their way about. rodolfo wants to spend time with mimi. he finds the key, but puts it in his pocket and does not tell her. in two famous arias (rodolfo's "che gelida manina" — "what a cold little hand," and mimi's "sì, mi chiamano mimì" — "yes, they call me mimi"), they tell each other about their backgrounds. rodolfo’s friends call for him to come out and join them. he would prefer to stay there with mimi but she decides they should go together. they go out, singing about their love for one another.