Ocean Wide

5. Paris

Son Ye Jin

"That guy is yours, Ye Jin?" One of the Hadid sister working with me for tonight's show asks.

After my shock upon seeing him dissipates, we eat our breakfast then scramble to my rehearsal venue. Something that apparently he doesn't count. He is so ready to whisk me away while sadly I have work to do.

I tell him he can look around by himself but he chooses to wait for me, sitting on the guest row and clapping when I walk down the runway. All the worker and my fellow models all look at his dazzling-self first then to me.

Gigi is the only one brave enough to ask me straight. I look at Bin contemplating how to answer her question.

He is here for me, certainly. But is he? Mine?

"He is here for me, yes." I finally respond.

"Lucky girl. Gorgeous, that one." She winks at me. And I blush.

Bin is indeed gorgeous, who can deny that when he looks like that? Wearing a simple beige shirt and blue trousers, he keeps his smile on his face albeit looking a little tired. Of course, it's almost 9 at night in Seoul.

"Trust me when I say this, man like that won't be available for long. Make him yours, if you haven't." She says before strutting out for her turn in the runway.

How come younger woman like her knows more than me?

Making him mine? I want that. More than anything else.

Our gesture and the way we act ever since that night at Namsan Tower show it all; there's no denying that we like each other. Or even more than that.

I can feel it through his actions. I love how he gives me surprise after surprise. Him showing up here is the best kind of surprise. Maybe that's how he shows his feeling.

To reciprocate, I try to show him how happy I am through my actions. I love how I could make him speechless on several occasions by saying some things that he probably didn't expect me to say. That will keep him on his toes.

I open up to him, a little more each day, giving him a glimpse of my imperfect self. Not too much, I still want to be perfect for him.

I strut out the last time to finish out this rehearsal glancing at him on the way and find him looking back at me with his dimpled smile. Oh, God. He is really here, isn't he?

Thinking about spending some time with him with minimal people knowing us making me giddy all of sudden. The butterfly swirling around my stomach is something I haven't felt in a long time.

I smile back at him and think about all the place we can visit in the short time he'll be here. We only have three and a half days to spend together before his flight back to Seoul. And I'll take what I can get with him.

Even today, with the limited time we have, I think we can visit one of the landmark before I have to go back here for the show. Honestly, I'll be okay with whatever he wants to do.

As long as we're together.

***

Paris in November is calm, some call it a resting month before all the Christmas festivities begin. Though it is not always sunshine and flowers — in fact, rain is pouring as of now — there is still delightful activity to keep us smiling through the wet.

Like enjoying a glass of hot chocolate while watching the rain from the glass window of your apartment, a handsome companion on your side. I just know this nook in front of the window will be useful someday.