Page 51 of From Paris to Seoul (K-Drama Love Story #2)

The van rumbled down the road, passing stretches of Japan’s breathtaking autumn colors as Baekhyun hummed along to the soft music playing in the background.

Seo-yeon sat beside him, absentmindedly flipping through a travel guide—more out of habit than necessity—since she already had a list of places she wanted to visit.

Not that they were in a rush. This wasn’t just a trip—it was how they lived now.

For the past few months, they had been settling into their new life in Fukuoka, finding their own rhythm. Seo-yeon spent her days at the local piano school while continuing to improve her Japanese, and Baekhyun had finally wrapped up filming his drama in Japan.

The first episode of The Man from Seoul —a drama blending Japanese and Korean storytelling—had aired a few weeks ago, earning high ratings and praise for its unique mix of both styles.

With the project behind him, Baekhyun was now flooded with offers for dramas, modeling gigs, and other projects. But for the first time in his life, he had financial security.

His earnings from the drama allowed him to comfortably pay for his sister’s entire tuition and send money regularly to his mother, who was now living peacefully in the countryside. He was even considering investing the rest into passive income, ensuring a stable future beyond acting.

But before figuring all that out, they decided to take a road trip across Japan—living in a van, exploring one city after another, making music along the way, and experiencing a kind of freedom neither of them had ever known.

It wasn’t the high-pressure, fast-paced life they used to have, but that was exactly the point.

Truthfully, it had been one of the easiest decisions Seo-yeon had ever made. She had spent too much of her life worrying about what was expected of her. Now, for once, she was choosing what she wanted.

And what she wanted was this.

Baekhyun.

Her own quiet life.

The freedom to just be .

“Next stop: Ginzan Onsen,” Seo-yeon announced as they caught sight of the picturesque little hot spring village. “Oh, it looks so pretty! I knew it was famous for its winter scenery, but I didn’t realize autumn here would be just as beautiful.”

After circling for a while to find parking, they finally secured a spot and strolled through the village.

Baekhyun nudged her toward a small shop in the middle of town, and Seo-yeon immediately knew why.

Every time they arrive somewhere new, Baekhyun sends postcards to his family—short updates with little sketches in the margins. So far, his dad has received only one.

Seo-yeon had started doing the same, writing to her parents, even though she wasn’t sure they ever read them.

As they sat in a cozy little café in Ginzan Onsen, sipping matcha lattes and scribbling on postcards, Baekhyun glanced at the one in her hands. “Writing to them again?”

“Yeah,” Seo-yeon murmured, tapping her pen against the edge of the card. “I don’t even know why I bother. I should be careful not to send them too many, or they might figure out where I am. But… I still don’t want them to think I don’t care.”

Baekhyun leaned back, studying her face before replying. “Maybe not now. But maybe one day, they’ll understand. And I’d like to meet them too, when you’re ready.”

She sighed, giving him a small smile before setting the postcard aside. When she looked up again, Baekhyun was sliding another one toward her.

The front showed a picturesque shot of the lantern-lit streets of Ginzan Onsen at night. “What’s this?”

“Just read it.”

She picked it up and turned it over.

There was only one sentence.

I love you.

Seo-yeon blinked, a gentle flush rising in her chest as she looked up at him.

Baekhyun met her gaze with a small smirk. “What? I’m sending postcards to everyone—including you.”

She let out a soft laugh, shaking her head. “You’re unbelievable.”

“Well… I meant it,” he admitted, his smile reaching his eyes before his lips.

Seo-yeon rolled her eyes, but her fingers curled around the postcard, tucking it safely into her bag. “I’m keeping this forever.”

Baekhyun grinned. “You better.”

As Seo-yeon idly glanced at her phone, she noticed the numbers climbing on the screen.

“People are actually streaming it,” she said, sounding a little dazed.

Baekhyun grinned, peeking over her shoulder at her phone. “Of course they are. It’s a good song.”

Before they started the road trip, they had released their first song on a streaming platform as an anonymous duo, From Paris to Seoul , and somehow, it was already gaining traction.

They hadn’t expected much. It was just something they had written together, a song about fleeting moments and unexpected love. But apparently, people liked it.

Baekhyun stretched, leaning casually against his chair. “Guess we should record more, huh?”

She smiled. “Of course.”

They moved on to other things, but the thought stayed with them.

That evening, as they settled onto the futon at one of the hotels in Ginzan Onsen, preparing for sleep, Seo-yeon checked her phone again, excitement bubbling within her.

“They finally offered me a teaching position in Fukuoka!” she exclaimed, holding her phone up to Baekhyun, barely able to contain herself. “Well, it’s just a maternity leave cover, but still…”

Baekhyun grinned. “I’m so proud of you.” He paused before prompting gently, “And?”

“I think I want to take it.” She exhaled, surprised at how easily the words came. “I like it there.”

She glanced at him, his face softly illuminated by the hotel room’s warm light.

Encouraged by his gentle smile, she continued, “It’s not just the place.

I love the freedom—how no one knows me as Seo-yeon, the minor actress everyone’s waiting to see do more.

Here, I can start fresh. I can finally be who I want to be,” she added.

“And it’s so close to Busan, I can visit my grandparents anytime. ”

She thought back to visiting her grandparents in Busan a few weeks ago, when she had mentioned in a quiet voice that she was off on an adventure—and that some things were best left unsaid to her parents.

Her grandparents had only exchanged a knowing smile, as if to say her happiness was all that mattered. They never interfered; they simply wanted her to live well.

“And… I like living with you. I like the life we’ve built,” Seo-yeon continued.

Baekhyun’s smile grew. “So, you’re saying I’m the best decision you ever made?”

She huffed a small laugh, shaking her head. “No,” she said. “I’m saying I want this. I want us. I want to stay.”

Baekhyun didn’t hesitate. He took her hand in his. “Then let’s stay.”

No grand plans, no elaborate schemes. Just the quiet certainty that, for now, this was enough.

And maybe, for the first time in their lives, they were exactly where they were meant to be.