Smooth Criminal (English ver.)

Part 4

Paris, March 4, 1982

This day will remain etched in my memory. Let me tell you why.

Today was my night shift at the museum. They are much more tiring than the morning ones because there are too many tourists, especially those who do not come for the sake of art but just for Mona Lisa. My supervisor put me right in front of that painting. I worked hard for hours trying to explain to people that they should not come too close to the painting and that they should not carry food and drinks with them. The long-awaited closing of the museum has finally come. I was relieved to hear that the clock was ticking 8 o'clock in the evening.

I took a small break and sat on a bench. 

My duty tonight is to guard a part of the museum with artifacts from ancient Egypt. I decided to quickly go to my favorite hiding place to eat a sandwich. Some tourists were still going out because the museum is huge and there is plenty of walking to the exit door.

I turned left at a corner into the narrow corridor where the balcony door was. Most of the lights were already off, so it was a bit dark in the museum. As I walked around the corner, I was surprised by a young girl with a sketchbook in her hand. I asked her if she was lost and if she needed to show her the way to the exit. I couldn't even say it until the end, and she had already nodded. I took a better look at her this time.

A little shorter than me, she wore a yellow dress and had long brown hair.

Her eyes were glowing like diamonds.

I've come closer to her now.

I saw a drawing of a rose peeking from the sketchbook that I knew from somewhere. She looked right into my eyes this time.

She asked, "Haven't we seen each other before, I think it was in the park."

It reminded me that this was the girl whose paper flew into my face.

I replied that I remember and asked if this was her first time at the museum.

She confirmed with a nod.

I took her hand and pulled her to the door.

"Then you have to see this"

I opened the door for her and told her to go up first but she needed to keep her eyes closed. In order to avoid her tripping, I held her hand. When we went up, I told her that she could open her eyes now.

I saw those eyes made of stars again.

Paris 0

Her 1

At that moment, I couldn't even remember my own name.