Page 14 of From Paris to Seoul

The way he played was unforgettable—so elegant and smooth, his fingers gliding over the keys as if they were weightless. The melodies echoed through the high ceilings of the Opéra, making the moment even more mesmerizing.

As my thoughts drifted back to the past, I suddenly spotted a familiar figure strolling around the Opéra Garnier. Another Korean! But not just any Korean… someone I actually knew!

I couldn’t believe my eyes—what were the odds of running into a fellow co-star in Paris?

It was Yang Baekhyun, a few years my junior, who had played the second-lead role alongside me in the TV seriesPrincess of Cosmos.The same series where Ji-yong and Yumi were the main leads.

In contrast to Ji-yong, Baekhyun doesn’t have that flashy, universally appealing face or the magnetic, charming energy that draws everyone in. Sure, he is tall, with broad shoulders, but he is the reserved, mysterious type—he wouldn’t say much unless it was absolutely necessary.

At first, I barely paid him any attention—he was distant, a bit aloof. But after seeing him a few more times and working alongside him, I began to notice his unique charm.

Not that it should’ve been surprising—he started as a model, after all, and models are expected to have a certain presence. Yet, there was something about him that went beyond just good looks.

His almond-shaped eyes always held a sharp intensity, his neat, clean-cut hairstyle added to his chiseled look, and his deep voice, paired with a strong jawline, gave him an air of quiet confidence. There was something about him—thrilling, intriguing… almost enigmatic.

We quickly exchanged greetings, and he mentioned something about his girlfriend. Ah, of course. What kind of lunatics would go to the city of love without their lover?

He even kindly invited me to join him for dinner… with his girlfriend. I laughed it off with a small joke as I politely declined, and we quickly said our goodbyes. Then, I practically bolted in the opposite direction, hoping he wouldn’t catch on to my solo-trip fiasco.

Let’s just hope Paris is big enough. And let’s hope we never run into each other again.

6

??

Baekhyun

I woke up in a tiny room, barely bigger than a closet. I blinked a few times, trying to process my surroundings.

Right. I broke up with Sun-hee—the realization hit me like a bucket of cold water.

I checked my phone: a few missed calls from her and over twenty messages, ranging from disbelief—Are you joking?—to pure rage—What am I supposed to tell my friends and followers if we break up?!

I let out a dry chuckle. So,thatwas her main concern? Well, that’s her problem, not mine. She could say whatever she wanted to her friends or followers—I don’t give the tiniest shit.

I yawned and stretched luxuriously in bed. With no plans for the day and still reeling from the emotional rollercoaster of the past few days, I felt restless. Well, first things first, I thought—I needed coffee to clear my head before continuing my now-solo Parisian adventure.

But after breakfast, another stroll along the Seine (again), and exploring Montmartre and Sacré-Cœur—where I even spotted a pickpocket in action—I realized I might be running out of places to visit.

Should I hit a nightclub tonight? Party until I drop, just like the good old days? I’m single and in Paris—this is the perfect chance, right? The thought flashed through my mind.

Or maybe I could do something totally different and visit a nearby city like Versailles…?

Then, Seo-yeon crossed my mind.

Maybe she’d like to join me? She seemed to be traveling alone the other day. Surely, exploring a foreign place with someone familiar is better than doing it solo, right?

“Are you free today? Want to meet up?”I typed and sent the message.

I kept strolling, letting the idea settle, when I felt the buzz from my phone on my pocket and saw the reply from Seo-yeon.“Sure, where should we meet?”

A small smile formed on my face as I typed my reply, a bit surprised she had accepted my invitation. I thought she’d hesitate.

“Versailles?”I texted, testing my luck.

She responded with a shocked-face emoji, but followed by,“Oh, okay! Meet you in front of the castle around 2 p.m.?”

I sent a thumbs-up emoji as reply, feeling a little bit upbeat and pleasantly surprised that Seo-yeon had agreed so easily.

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