Page 13 of From Paris to Seoul

My phone buzzed with a text from my sister, reminding me to stay cautious since Paris isn’t always the safest city for a solofemale traveler. She also mentioned that she’d informed our parents about my whereabouts. Apparently, they were baffled by my decision to take off on an unannounced vacation like this.

Truthfully, this was my first time traveling alone. I’d never done anything so out of character before, but after everything that had happened recently, I needed a change—to do something spontaneous, to do something I wasn’t “supposed” to do.

First things first, I decided to take a bath—something I hadn’t done in a while. No rushed showers, no deadlines looming over me, just pure relaxation. And there’s nothing quite like washing off a long flight—the warmth of the lavender-scented water was pure bliss as it soaked into my tired feet.

The hotel room itself was divine, with a spacious bathroom and a bed so big and soft it practically begged me to sink into it.

Half an hour later, dressed in my pajamas, I gave in. I dove into the plush, fluffy bed with a sigh. Ah… small pleasures like this made everything feel worth it.

It didn’t take long before I drifted into a deep 12-hour sleep, nearly missing breakfast. As usual, I hadn’t slept well on the plane, and combined with jet lag, I could easily have slept the day away without realizing it.

After finishing breakfast, I set out to begin my solo adventure in Paris. My first stop was the Louvre Museum, but I decided to skip it for now when I saw the massive queue outside. I made a mental note to book a ticket and come back later.

Instead, I continued strolling along the Seine, soaking up the sun, stopping by charming coffee shops and quaint local stores, and passing through the famous Tuileries Garden. It reminded me of our family trip here ten years ago. I was 24 then—still fresh-faced and optimistic, thrilled about my budding career in modeling and acting, and excited about landing small roles in TV dramas.

Back then, everything felt like an exciting, open opportunity. Maybe I’d land a bigger role? Or perhaps I could pivot to becoming a news anchor?

Now, as I caught my reflection in a shop window, I saw someone who looked… tired and deflated.

That jerk Min-seok,I thought bitterly, watching a flock of ducks race across the large fountain in the middle of the Tuileries Garden. The image of him straddled by a woman in a tacky leopard-print outfit flashed in my mind, making me shudder in disgust.

Why her over me?Was it like the casting director had said—was I just too plain, too boring?

As if the disaster of my relationship wasn’t enough, now I had to worry about my career too. After the harsh criticism from the PD and casting director, I wasn’t even sure if I wanted to stay in this industry anymore.

They were the ones who claimed this was as far as my career would ever go. The thought stung, and a frown tugged at my lips as I sank into a reclining green bench by the fountain, surrounded by a mix of locals and tourists.

Facing a career and relationship crisis and starting over at 34 feels a lot scarier—and far less romantic—than it would have if I were ten years younger.

I sighed again as I pulled out a small novel from my tote bag:Little Women. I must have read this book dozens of times; the pages were yellowing, and some corners were cracked. It’s my go-to comfort read, a familiar story about family and sisterhood that never failed to soothe me.

As I flipped through the well-worn pages, my phone buzzed in my bag.

“Enjoying Paris?”Ji-a’s message popped up.

“Yes! The weather’s amazing today. I love it! How about you? What are you up to?”I typed back.

“Dealing with the agency’s fury over your sudden leave and coming up with excuses for the PD about why you didn’t show up at the studio. Oh, and they said you might have to pay a fine,”Ji-a replied, adding a flood of angry emoji.

I gulped, guilt creeping in.“Sorry, Ji-a!”I texted back quickly.“I owe you big time. And of course, I’ll cover the fine.”Regret settled in. I had needed this escape, but knowing I’d left someone else to clean up the mess didn’t sit well with me.

Ji-a didn’t reply right away, and I reminded myself to call her later. She didn’t deserve to handle the fallout on her own.

After finishing a few chapters ofLittle Women, I continued my stroll and eventually found myself near Opéra Garnier. My stomach growled as I passed an ice cream shop, reminding me that I’d skipped lunch—jetlag really had thrown my whole schedule off.

I glanced at the brightly colored swirls of ice cream on display.I can do whatever I want on this trip, right?Including having ice cream for a very late lunch. With that thought, I stepped inside, ordered a cone, and settled at a small table by the window.

The ice cream was insanely good—rich, creamy, and just sweet enough. But what made it even better was that, for once, I wasn’t mentally calculating calories like I usually did.

Still, as I ate, I had a groundbreaking realization: traveling alone wasn’t as amazing as I’d hyped it up to be.

The best part of traveling is sharing experiences—pointing out weird little details, reacting to new flavors, laughing over random things. But here I was, sitting alone with my ice cream, nodding at myself like some lunatic.Wow, this is delicious, Seo-yeon. Oh my gosh, really? Tell me more!

Yeah. Not exactly the dramatic solo adventure I’d imagined.

The café buzzed with groups of friends and couples, conversations blending into a warm, familiar hum. Meanwhile, Isat alone, licking my cone like I was in an indie film montage—just without the artsy filter or emotional depth.

I exhaled, letting it go, and focused on finishing my ice cream before heading out to explore the Opéra Garnier. It had always been one of my favorite places in Paris. I had attended an opera performance there with my parents once—the singers had been absolutely breathtaking. But what lingered in my memory the most was the pianist.

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