Paris, 1992 | Lee Heeseung

Chapter Two

The rain is gone by the time you've finished your dinner, but the smell still accompanies you as you walk down the thin pathway, passing apartment after apartment under the full moon hung high above Paris. The cab drive was short, only about fifteen minutes, but the neighborhood may as well be one from a different planet.

The large complexes are mismatched colors of baby blues, tans, and whites, all with black rooftops.Their balconies jut out from the marble of their foundations, and they are beautiful. They look exactly how you'd expect them to.

You aren't sure how you finally manage to find Heeseung's apartment, but once you do, you notice how your hands begin to shake with nerves. What if he thinks you're crazy for finding his apartment? What if he's not even home? God, what if someone else answers the door?

You climb the stairs with horrible thoughts swirling around in your head, each step only deepening the anxiety you feel growing in your stomach. At the very least, you can just give the license back, and be on your way. The sky outside was turning a burnt blue, you should be going back to the hotel anyway.

All too quickly, you come face to face with a large, oak door. It is encrusted with a gold-plated number 12 on the front, with a small peep hole slightly below it. There is no knocker, so you raise your hand gently, taking a deep breath, before you rap lightly on the wood. All the anxiety you felt just a few moments ago has increased ten-fold, and you feel yourself holding your breath when you hear soft footsteps behind the door, starting to near.

Heeseung is just as beautiful the second time you see him as the first.

He's adorning a pastel purple hoodie, paired with gray sweatpants and slippers. His hair is messy, like the wind from outside has tossed it around a bit, but his face is still kind. His eyes are still soft.

Once his eyes focus on you, his head tilts gently to the side. You see the surprise in his eyes, and for a second, you let yourself be thankful that it was him who answered the door.

"Y/N?" Heeseung asks, looking down at you, "What are you doing here?"

You quickly pull out his license from the jacket pocket and hold it up to him, smiling in embarrassment.

"You forgot this in your pocket. I figured you'd want it back."

You ignore the fact that he remembered your name and watch him expectedly.

His doe eyes go even wider than they already are, and then, he's laughing. He's laughing, and you have to keep yourself from feeling even more embarrassed.

"O-Oh my god! I didn't even realize." He easily takes the piece of plastic from you before setting it down on the small table next to the doorway, next to his keys. He is smiling when he looks back at you.

"That could have been bad, thank you for bringing it back to me."

"No problem," You say swiftly, "I was going to leave it at your work but I figured you'd be more freaked out by then, if you weren't able to find it or... yeah."

You chew on the inside of your lip as Heeseung nods in understanding, glad when he does.

"You're right, I would have gone mad by then, truthfully." He chuckles again before realizing the position you're both in.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, would you like to come inside?"

Your heart leaps into your throat, nearly sending you into a flush of redness and rambles, but you manage to contain yourself as you look past Heeseung and into his apartment. It's well-lit and gives off a cozy feel. You want to say yes, you really do. But it is already late, and you don't want to bother him.