A story about love | English version (bs x moulin rouge au) (Gray x Lola)

Arrival

The Moulin Rouge, a nightclub, a dance hall, and a brothel ruled by Mico Zidler.
A kingdom of pleasure where the wealthy played with the youngest and most beautiful creatures of the underworld. The most beautiful of all was the woman I had fallen in love with—Lola.
A courtesan who sold her love to men. They called her the "dazzling diamond," and she was the star of the Moulin Rouge.
The woman I loved was... dead.

I arrived in Paris for the first time a year ago. It was 1899, the summer of love. I knew nothing of the Moulin Rouge, nor Mico Zidler, nor Lola.
The world was wrapped in a bohemian revolution, and I had come from London to be part of it. Near the city center was the neighborhood of Starr Park.
And let me tell you, it was nothing like my father had described. He called it a den of sin, but it wasn't. It was the heart of the bohemian world! There were musicians, writers, painters—they were known as the daughters of the revolution!
I didn't have a penny to my name, but I had come to write about truth, beauty, freedom, and the thing I believed in above all else...
Love.

I was on my way to the hostel where I planned to stay until I could save enough to rent a small flat when three bohemians approached me. I figured it was because of the way I looked—I was dressed almost like a real bohemian, though I wasn't sure if I truly was one.

There were three of them. One with a vest and orange hair, another wearing suspenders with blue hair, and a blonde woman whose hair was styled like popcorn.
"Excuse me, sir," the one with orange hair said. "You're new around here, aren't you?"

"Um... yes, I am," I replied, though I wasn't in the mood to chat. I tried to continue walking, but the three of them followed me. They seemed very interested in me.

"I knew it! You're not from Starr Park," he said with a small laugh. "Ah, forgive me, I haven't introduced myself yet. My name is Buster—comes from the English word *blockbuster*. These are my friends, Fang and Maisie. I wanted to ask, are you bohemian?"

I stopped in my tracks. Was I bohemian? I mean, I came to Paris to join the bohemian revolution, but was that enough to make me one? "Maybe," I said.

"Well, at least you didn't say no!" Buster exclaimed. The boy with suspenders, Fang, stepped forward to speak directly to me. "We're rehearsing a play. It's a very modern piece."

A play? That sounded interesting. "Oh, theater? I love it! ... Uh," I cleared my throat. "Sorry, I haven't introduced myself. My name is Gray. Pleased to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, Gray," said the last of the three, Maisie. "Our play is called 'Spectacular, Spectacular,' and it's set in the depths of Switzerland." She paused, her tone shifting to one of worry. "But time is running out, and we won't have the play ready to present to the investor tomorrow. Chuck still hasn't finished the music..."

"Maisie, don't worry. I'm sure everything will work out," Buster said, trying to calm her. Then Fang took over.
"The important thing is... where will we find the perfect person to play the sensitive young Swiss shepherd?"
They looked at each other, and I stood there silently. I wanted to help, but I had just arrived in Paris and didn't know anyone yet.
Slowly, all three of them turned their heads to me, smiling mischievously. Buster even draped his arm over my shoulders. Did these bohemians I had just met want me to be their lead? Was this their plan all along?

"Oh no, no, no, no—" I began, shaking my head. But three seconds later, they interrupted me with a loud, "Yes!"

Before I knew it, I was playing the sensitive young Swiss shepherd.
The next day, after settling into the hostel, the bohemians took me to their studio. It had everything they needed to create a play, though it wasn't in the best condition. Still, it was enough for them. They introduced me to a few more bohemians who were working on the production. There was Chuck, whom Maisie had mentioned the previous day; he was the composer for the play. Chester handled props and special effects. Buster was the director, Fang played the villain trying to kill the shepherd, and Maisie oversaw everything to ensure it went smoothly.