Page 26 of From Paris to Seoul

After a few moments, he lifted his head, meeting my eyes. “What kind of spell did you cast on me?” he asked, his breath still heavy, wonder lacing his voice.

A soft chuckle escaped my lips. “I don’t know,” I admitted. “Maybe it’s the alcohol, maybe the cigarette or maybe… it’s magic after all.”

Baekhyun studied me for a moment. “Magic, huh?” he murmured, brushing a stray strand of hair from my face. Hisfingers lingered, as if caught in a thought he wasn’t ready to share.

Neither of us moved right away—because leaving meant stepping back into the real world, where magic didn’t last past sunrise.

8

??

Baekhyun

Well, this time, you’ve really outdone yourself.I thought dryly, scolding myself as I lay on the bed with Seo-yeon fast asleep beside me, her breath steady and serene.

Growing up, I was never the obedient type. I’d been through my fair share of trouble—from fistfights with school bullies to underground motorcycle races.

I liked to think I’d mellowed out over the years, but here I was—fresh off a breakup just days ago, in Paris of all places, and now in bed with another woman after we’d just fucked each other senseless.

The worst part? She wasn’t just some random hookup. She wasn’t justanother woman. She was Seo-yeon. The kind of woman you commit to—kind, caring, and ridiculously beautiful.

And it wasn’t just that. It was the way she looked at me—like she actually saw me, past the aloofness, past the recklessness, straight into something I wasn’t even sure I understood about myself. The way she listened, not just to my words but to everything left unspoken. That quiet, effortless warmth—someone you don’t just walk away from.

And my god, the way her body moved—uninhibited, completely lost in the moment—like I was seeing a side of her no one else had.

The way she gasped my name, the little cries she made as she came beneath me… it unraveled me completely, shattering every last thread of control I thought I had.

So how the hell was I supposed to walk away now?

In two days, she’d be flying back to Seoul. I had three. There was no way this could continue once we were back—our worlds were too different, financially and otherwise. I suspected she came from a wealthy family, maybe even a conglomerate family or achaebol, bound by strict rules and the expectation of a strategic marriage.

I glanced at her, watching as her brows knitted together in sleep, a quiet whisper slipped from her lips. Maybe she was already worrying about the same thing.

Then, she stirred, blinking awake. “Sorry, did I sleep for long?” she asked, stretching with a small yawn. “I think I slept better here than in my hotel room,” she added with a soft chuckle.

But as her gaze settled on me, I watched as the realization of what had just happened between us settled in her eyes.

“Hey, Baekhyun?” she finally said after a brief pause, her voice light yet unreadable. “I’ve always seen this in dramas and wanted to try it myself.”

She toyed with the edge of the sheet, as if weighing her next words. “What if we just enjoy the time we have left in Paris? And when we’re back in Seoul… we go back to being almost strangers. What happens in Paris, stays in Paris. Deal?”

I nearly laughed. Jackpot. She was offering a solution for whateverthiswas between us. Of course, I should accept it. It was a no-brainer, right?

No fuss, no awkwardness, no strings attached.

And besides, I’d sworn off relationships. I should stick to my word.

I nodded. “Deal.”

She gave me a small, almost melancholic smile before pulling the bedsheet around her and shifting to sit up.

“Could you… um, turn around? I need to get dressed,” she said sheepishly.

I scoffed, eyeing her. “Seo-yeon, there isn’t a single part of you I haven’t seen. What are you suddenly shy about?”

Her face turned red. “I know, but still… being sober, in broad daylight, it’s… it’s embarrassing.”

I sighed dramatically just to tease her, then shut my eyes. “Fine. But just so you know, I can picture you naked anytime I want. In fact, I might be doing it right now.”

---