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That my relationship was over? That the man I had spent six years with—the one I thought I’d spend forever with—had been cheating on me?

That my parents, especially my mom, would lose their minds when they found out I was jobless, single, and had run away to Paris?

And worst of all… that I had left behind the best, the craziest, the most thoughtful, intelligent, and undeniably hottest man I’d ever met—along with a piece of my heart in Paris—because I thought it was the right thing to do?

Instead of saying all that, I just nodded and asked for more wine.

This was the choice I made, wasn’t it? I was the one who said Paris was all we could have. No messy what-ifs, no impossible dreams of a future together. Just a beautiful, fleeting moment frozen in time.

Because deep down, I knew we could never be together. How on earth would I convince my parents to accept him—a son of a single mother, an obscure actor and model, the main breadwinner of his family? Someone who doesn’t even have a university degree?

It sounds shallow. It sounds awful. But I know exactly how my family works. The first question my mother would ask if I introduced a new man:How much does he have in the bank?Followed by:What do his parents do?And finally,Which university did he graduate from?

And none of the answers—none ofhisanswers—would ever satisfy them.

But Baekhyun is so much more than that. There’s something about the way he moves through life—unforced, instinctive—and he carries this thirst for life, this relentless curiosity, that I’ve never seen in anyone before.

And to be honest? None of that even matters to me. What matters is that he understands. He listens. He comforts me. He challenges me. Those six days in Paris with him made me feel more alive than six years with Min-seok ever did.

He wasn’t just a distraction or some rebound to help me forget Min-seok. He was the first person in a long time who truly saw me. Who made me feel like I wasn’t just an accessory to someone else’s life, but the main character of my own story.

And oh my god… the sex.

With Min-seok, everything was abouthim. Pleasing him. Making surehewas satisfied. My own pleasure was an afterthought—like a footnote in a book, something barely worth mentioning.

But with Baekhyun… he made mefeel. Things I never thought I could. Things I never even knew Iwantedto feel.

Will I ever meet someone like him again?

Probably not in this lifetime.

I sighed, rubbing my temples. What was the point of dwelling on it now? I was heading back to Seoul, back to the real world. The world where I had to answer to my parents, my agency, the media.

The world where I was Seo-yeon, the obedient daughter—not the girl who had spent six reckless, unforgettable days falling for a man she could never keep.

I flipped through the book he had given me,Le Petit Prince. Even his handwriting was charming.

Had I really been reduced to this? Clinging to the handwriting of a man I told myself I could never have?

I sighed again and took another sip of wine, finishing my second glass. My eyes flicked to the screen in front of me—ten more hours until we landed in Seoul.

Ten more hours until reality.

***

The first day back in Seoul wasn’t so bad. Jet lag hit me hard, and after sleeping for nearly ten hours straight, everyone just left me alone.

The second day, though, reality caught up with me. First thing in the morning, I met Ji-a at a café.

“Sorry, Seo-yeon, but they’re letting you go…” she sighed, looking both apologetic and exhausted.

“I tried to explain that you left because it was urgent, but they said disappearing without notice in the middle of an ongoing project was unacceptable. I think you’ll be getting a formal dismissal letter soon. And… there’s also a fine to pay.”

Well… it wasn’t exactly a surprise.

I reached across the table, taking Ji-a’s hand. “It’s fine. I kind of expected this anyway. And thank you, Ji-a. For everything. And… I’m sorry, too. For leaving so suddenly and dumping the mess on you.”

I gave her a sheepish look. “Oh god, I really hope you get to keep your job. And… we’re still friends, right?”