Page 19

“You okay? You look a bit tired.”

Baekhyun’s voice pulled me from my thoughts as he placed our drinks on the open-terrace table—a latte for me, a glass of wine for himself. We were taking a break after wandering through the Palais-Royal.

I gave him a small, appreciative smile and tried to suppress a yawn. “Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. Just didn’t sleep much last night,” I admitted drowsily.

“Why? Worried about what’s waiting for you in Korea?”

A direct hit. It was almost unsettling how easily he could read my mind.

“Kind of, yeah. I mean, I ran away here—so it’s not like I’m excited to go back.”

Baekhyun nodded, taking a slow sip of his wine. “I might have an idea to help you forget about all that for a while.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Why do I feel like this is going to be something I’ll regret?” I groaned, though a small laugh escaped me.

“Let’s hit a nightclub tonight.”

“What? No way! I’m too old for that!”

He smirked. “Weren’t you the one who said you’d start saying yes to everything?”

Damn. Why did I have to say that? And why did he have to remember?

Still, despite my protest, a nervous flutter took hold within me. Before I knew it, night had fallen, and Baekhyun was half-dragging me through the streets of Paris.

I dressed as best as I could on short notice, but I still felt slightly out of place—unprepared, a little ridiculous, and more eager than I cared to admit.

“Which nightclub are we going to?” I called from behind, trying to keep up with Baekhyun’s long strides.

“Just follow me and you’ll find out soon enough!” he replied, extending a hand toward me. After a brief hesitation, I took it.

We wound our way through a narrow alley in the heart of Paris. At first glance, it looked like any other passage, lined with small shops, restaurants and dimly lit signs. But in the middle of that passage, there was a huge wooden door that felt out of place.

Baekhyun suddenly stopped in front of it and pulled it open. Beyond the door, a short corridor stretched ahead, and faintly, the thumping bass of electronic music pulsed through the air.

I swallowed hard, unsure where this night would lead. Had I ever been to a nightclub before? Maybe during my teenage years? I couldn’t remember. All my so-calledwildmemories seemed to come from TV dramas I’d watched or roles I’d played—scenes of friends and strangers partying in Itaewon.

My idea of a night out was more along the lines of dinner with a familiar group or, at most, a private karaoke session.

I watched as Baekhyun exchanged a few words with the bouncer. With a simple nod, the man stepped aside and let us in.

Not wanting to stand out, I fought the urge to cover my ears—but the pounding bass was already threatening to overwhelm me. Red, yellow, and green lights flashed wildly across the dance floor, casting chaotic shadows over the moving crowd.

I felt completely out of place, like a grandma who had accidentally wandered into a nightclub.

Baekhyun glanced back at me, grinning at my obvious discomfort, before gently taking my hand and leading me further inside.

Then, my jaw nearly dropped at the sight in front of me—a packed bar with people eagerly shouting their drink orders, and above them, an array of what looked like… sex toys? Hanging upside down like some bizarre chandelier.

“What is this place?!” I yelled into Baekhyun’s ear, struggling to be heard over the pounding music.

Baekhyun just grinned. “A nightclub! I guess…?”

He led me to the bar and ordered two drinks. The moment they arrived, I took a big gulp, feeling like I needed the alcohol to process whatever this place was.

Still smirking like he was enjoying my discomfort way too much, Baekhyun started moving toward the dance floor. I shook my head, panic bubbling in my chest. Dancing was definitelynotmy strong suit.

“Yes to everything!” he mouthed at me, his eyes glinting with amusement as he teased me from the dance floor, throwing a playful fist into the air in time with the music.