When I First Met You

Prologue

Prologue: Summer 2015

Whenever she was in Paris to visit her Great Aunt Marie and had a moment to spare, May-Elliot would inevitably head for the Musee d' Orsay in the seventh arrondissement on the Left Bank. Today was such a day.

To May, Paris was a city full of memories and nostalgia, but little did she know that it was about to become so much more. It was her Great Aunt who had first brought her to Paris when she was eleven, and she had been captivated by its beauty ever since. Truthfully, it was love at first sight. From then she had returned almost every summer to visit her Aunt.

Paris had many names; City of Lovers, the City of Gaiety, City of Artists, etc. Above all, May had always pictured Paris as the City of Artists, for had they all not worked and lived here for a time. Those great painters of the nineteenth and twentieth century from whatever place they were from, had eventually come to rest in Paris, Van Gogh, Renoir, Monet, Matisse, Cezanne, Degas, and many more.

The world of art was her world, and it had been since the age of eleven when her Great Aunt had introduced her for the first time at the Musee d' Orsay. In a few moments, she was about to see some of her favourite works of art and as she stepped inside, she experienced a little spurt of excitement.

The museum was mostly deserted, and this pleased May; she disliked crowds when she was looking at paintings. It was almost dead this afternoon except for a small group of tourists having a small tour. They were terribly quiet except for the tour guide who spoke softly. As May, made her way around the museum the only sound that echoed was the click of her heels on the floor.

Despite her size, her heels had echoed throughout the museum which caused quite a few heads to turn in her direction. May was blind to the admirers she had drawn and was rather drawn to the Renoirs hung. She stopped short in front of one of her favourites, Dancing at the Moulin de la Galette.

It represented gaiety and love, and there was so much to see from the faces of the dances brimming with joy to the handsome young men encircling the young girls. It represented young love, merriment and...

"Beautiful"

Believing herself to be alone with the Renoirs, May, jumped when she heard someone speak. Startled she swung around and to her surprise a young man around the same age as her stood tall with his hands behind his back. He was quite handsome and wore a white button shirt and jeans under a woolen coat. Surprise registered on May's face and she froze, unsure how to react or respond to the strangers sudden comment. Was he talking to me? Should i say something? Was all May could process in her head.

The young man who stood a few feet from her and continued, "I am sorry I didn't mean to startle you. I was thinking out loud and forgot there were other people around." He smiled took a step towards her and the light had captured his face and May could see him clearly.

He had a strong jaw; piercing and captivating eyes and his hair was jet black and neatly fell to the frame of his face. He was stunning May thought and looked almost ethereal standing in this light near the Renoir.

The young man smiled warmly and stuck out his hand, "My name is Hyunjin".

May recoiled unable to figure out why someone as handsome would be introducing himself to her in the middle of a museum. Nonetheless, after a moment she took his outstretched hand and shook it gently, "May".

He smiled and looked back at the painting they were both standing staring at before, "I see you like Renoir and his infamous Dancing at the Moulin de la Galette" he said.

When it comes to art, May can't hold back her excitement. "Very much, but I favor Van Gogh above all, and I try to come here whenever I'm in Paris" May replied smiling at the painting.