I have only been at a counted times of awkward moments. No body wants to be in an awkward moment right? It's only silent- and the only music that you'll ever hear is either the breeze from the windows that are open, the birds chirping or the utensils' sound. Your mouth becomes dry and you just want to talk but you don't want to because it has a high possibility that you'd make the conversation even more awkward. But I know this has to stop. I am the host of this house, so I need to start the conversation going. I faked my cough and thankfully they all fell for it, making the three of them look at me.

"So, um.." Yuri. Gather your thoughts together. "Well I was--"

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

I sighed internally. Saved by the bell. "Who is it?"

An employee of mine appeared when the door opened. "Boss, there's a call downstairs."

"I'll be right out." She nodded and left and I looked at the three girls. "I'll just answer this and I'll be right back."

"Unnie? What is the problem?" Chae Yool says as I just got back from downstairs.

"I have this photoshoot for this morning." I sat beside her. "And it's about girls' fashion. I've already contacted models but the problem is that the models that I hired had a recital and a measles." I sighed. "And I don't have any back-up plan."

"Oh, superman don't be sad." She leans her head on my arm. "I'm pretty sure you can do it. You can think of something."

"Yeah. She's right." Chae Yool supports her.

"Or..." Yuri speaks again. "Maybe you don't have to think at all."

"What are you talking about?"

"I am a girl." She points to Chae Yool. "She's a girl."

"She's right again!" She says. "Why worry unnie? You have two sub models right in front of you."

"I thought you were camera shy." I looked at Chae Yool.

"But if it helps you then I would be willing to do it." She grins.

"And you?" I looked at Yuri and then at Jessica. "Will it be okay for her?"

"Well..."  Jessica looks back and forth between me and her daughter. "She's four. She can decide on her own." She smiles.

"Yay!" She dances around. "I'll be in the major lead!"

"No I'll be in the major lead!"

While the two were busy arguing, I walked up to Jessica and smiled. "Thank you."

After 2 hours, the couple have arrived and I introduced myself and the kids who they found so adorable and fitting for the line. We started the photoshoot and unlike before that I'd be the one who would be the one who would tell them what to do, how to act and the arrange the things for the second outfit. But since Jessica is here, I just started off with asking for her suggestions but I guess her love for photos and her instinct took over so she eventually told the kids on how to pose, she told me what types of aura to capture, talked with the clients, and then she would prepare the second, third and fourth attires and I just eventually took the pictures without too much hassle.

"Alright guys, great shoot!" I said. "That's a wrap."

"Whooo!" The kids hooray-ed and high-fived one another.

"Why don't you girls go and get some ice cream? It's on the house." I smiled at them.

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!"

"And I'd be the one who will make sure that they don't break anything." Jessica said. "Excuse me."

"So, here are the photos and you can just choose from them."

While the couple were still busy on choosing the photos, I opened the door and peeked downstairs. I saw Jessica busy assisting Chae Yool and Yuri on what flavor of ice cream they would like to eat. And once they had their choices, the kids had this animated facial expressions as they probably told stories about the photoshoot. I was glad that the kids is starting to bond as well too.

"Excuse me?"

I turned my attention back to my customers. "Yes? Have you decided?"

"Well, it's really hard. All of the pictures are well-beautifully taken."

I smiled at the compliment. "Thank you. I do try my best."

"Maybe it's also a plus that you have a really beautiful family."

I widened my eyes. "Well- I- we are-"

"What my girlfriend is saying is true."

"Um..."

"You and your wife, you have such wonderful team work. One that seems to happen so natural... It's like' she always got your back as you are to hers."

"And you have beautiful daughters as well. The youngest has the same aura as you."

I tried so hard not to blush from all the compliements that I have been receiving and so I returned them a warm smile. "Thank you for all the compliments." 

"You know why we wanted to have a little girls' shop?" She said in a rugged english. "Because my girlfriend here had a beautiful 3-year old daughter who just died last year from lukemia."

"Oh." I said softly. "I'm sorry for your loss."

The other girl immediately comforted her girlfriend. "When she was alive she always loved fashion. And now that she's gone- I really want to be the one who will continue her passion. And even though she's not here, I know she really likes where I am heading now." She ends with a smile. "You're so lucky Miss Kwon, you have a beautiful family and your partner is 100% supportive of your passion." She held hands with her girlfriend. "Just like how she is with me."

"Well of course. I love you and if this is what you want in life, I would be happy to be the one who will support you."

She laughed. "Of course, even if I was gonna do something crazy, you would still support me."

"That you are correct missy. I will support you in everything you do, if doing this makes you happy, then I'll support you 100% all the way. I will always be with you."

"Seobang?"

"Yeap?"

"What if we don't renew our contracts for 2014?"

"So?"

Jessica grabs the magazine I was reading so that I could face her. "I'm serious. What if majority of us will say- 'Nah, let's have our private lives from now on.' what will you do then?"

That got me thinking for a few minutes. "Well I don't know. Why? What are you gonna do if we don't renew?"

She sat silently besides me. "I wanna do a lot of thing like go to many places for vacation, I wanna walk freely on the streets, go to convinience stores, markets, carnivals without that bother." She sighed. "Most importantly, I wanna study fashion."

"You can do that. Have you forgotten? I am currently in college with Soo."

She immediately shakes her head. "Not here seobang. I mean Paris, Milan, New York, to a far place."

"That's... Nice."

"But I don't wanna leave Seoul too. You'll probably choose to stay here as well until you've finished your degree." She pouts. "And let's face it, we can't be that long away from each other."

"It's gonna be only for a few months Sica."

"But what if I fell in love with the place? What if I'll tell you I wanna live there? What will you do?"

"Then, I'll support you. I won't hold you back... You deserve to be in the top." I caressed her cheek. "I'll always be your number 1 fan, even if most of the times we can't be there personally for one another. I will always support you because this makes you happy."

"You would really do that?"

I smiled as I nodded my head. "Being with you makes me happy. But seeing you happy, whatever your decision might be makes me the happiest." I kissed her forehead. "I love you."

"I love you too Yuri."

"Miss Yuri, pleasure doing business with you."

I immediately blinked my eyes and shook their hands. "Thank you. I really hope your business would go well. Let's meet again next week for the final outputs."

"Sure let's do that."

I walked with them until they reached the exit. "John, where are the kids?"

"They're back at your house boss."

I nodded my head and went upstairs. When I got there, Jessica was busy cleaning up Chae Yool's face who is messed up because of the ice cream I smiled at the view but when I saw Yuri sulking down the couch, it made me wonder why so I sat beside the little princess who didn't noticed my action.

"Hey. I know something's wrong." I fixed her hair. "So can you tell superman? I'm pretty sure I can help."

She quietly shake her head. "I'm not so sure about that."

"Wae? Don't you trust me enough?" She shakes her head again. "Well... You can try telling me."

"I saw the calendar posted on your coffee shop." She starts. "And it turns out- tomorrow's our last day here in Strasbourg."

Last day... Last day. LAST DAY.

I'm not so sure of what to say back at her because the moment she said that to me, my mind instantly went blank as well. It felt surreal, the first time I saw them I forgot that they weren't staying here permanently and that they were just staying here for the week. But the hours that three of us spent together felt like minutes to me- the mornings with them and how my night ends with sending them off of their hotel room. Once again, I got too attached to something that wasn't permanent. And just like this little kid- I am unsure of what to do right now.Tomorrow will be the very last time I'd hear her laughs, the last time I'd hear her voice, the last time that I'd see her... And still I haven't found the gutts to tell her about what I really feel- what I still feel...

"See? Even you are out of words to say." She said.

"Well it's not like I was expecting you to say something like that." I said. "I was enjoying as much as you did Yuri. And right now I am sad as well."

"But I don't wanna leave Strasbourg." She immediately hopped on my lap and hugged me. "I wanna live here."

"I'm sure we'll meet again."

"Aigoo... Little princess don't start the drama, we still have the remaining hours to get to know each other!" Chae Yool arrives along with Jessica. "Yah unnie, I asked miss Korea if you gave them a tour about Notre Dame. And she answered that they haven't visited the place yet."

"Oh- that Notre Dame."

"Yah unnie! It's like the highlight of Strasbourg!"

I scratched the back of my head. "I was saving the best for last?" I tried to make an excuse.

She rolled her eyes on me. "C'mon, let's go out. Yuri-ah, did you bring your coat?"

"Waaaaaaa! This is sooooooooooo beautiful!"

"Do you like tha place Yuri?" I looked down on her daughter.

"Yes yes yes!" She nodded excitedly. "It's like- a castle! Waaaaa!!"

"Is she always this over-acting?" Chae Yool whispered.

"Hey, if you were four right now you would have the exact expression of her."

She just shrugged. "Glad I am not four then."

"Yeah, or else- I'd go grazy."

She playfully pushed me. "Come here Yuri-ah, unnie wants to show you something." Chae Yool gives out her hand which Yuri gladly took as they explore around the church.

"Oh, where are they going?"

"Chae Yool's probably gonna show her something only kids would understand. Trust her, she has been my tourist guide for years." I smiled at her.

She smiled at me. "Okay."

Meanwhile, while Jessica was busy admiring the design of the artwork, I was busy. Busying in drowning myself into my own thoughts. The fact that I have been trying to ignore has arrived. Tomorrow will be their last day, and probably they wouldn't spend the whole day here. Their flight's probably in the morning and they would just drop by in the shop and say farewell. I wouldn't have the guts to send them off of the airport because I didn't had the rights, I didn't want to feel the sadness even more, and I don't want to see them walking away. Especially the brunette- the love of my life who is busy looking at the scenery.Come on Yuri. Just say it... Say it before it's all too late...

I slowly approached her and I noticed a serious expression on her face. "A million won for your thoughts?"

She smiled as she shakes her head. "I envy you, you know. You live in such a beautiful and quiet place." I kept my silence. "It feels like you have found your solace."

"It's one way to look at it."

"Hmmm."

"Yuri seemed warmed up to Chae Yool already."

"I know she doesn't say it but she likes Chae Yool."

"Ahhh... Another trait that she got from the original ice princess."

"Hahahahaha. You're right."

We laughed again and then remained silent after that. "I heard from your daughter that it's your last day tomorrow."

"It won't be even a day, we'll be gone by noon." See- I was right.

"I see." Again there was silence.

"Yuri?"

"Yeah?"

"Remember when we when to Le Petite France?" I nodded my head. "Did you remember what you asked me then?"

"Happy?"

"She had a won-"

"I am not talking about your daughter." We both looked at one another. "I'm talking about you."

"... I- I- W- Wh- How-" She pauses to recompose herself. "H-happy in what terms?"

"In general. Are you happy with your life?"

"Yeah, I remember now." I said as I looked at her.

"Well, I think it's fair that I ask you the same question too." She looks right at me in the eyes. "Are you happy?" I swallowed the invincible lump on my throat. "Let me rephrase it, are you happy right now?"

"I don't think I have the reason to be unhappy." I answered finally. "Just like what you said- I've found my solace. Everything about this place brings me peace. It's so different from Seoul, and at first I wondered if I could live with this kind of lifestyle but turns out- this is just what I need. So yeah, I am happy."

She smiled at me, but I knew it was half-hearted. "That's nice."

"But I've been happier now. And it's thanks to your daughter." We both looked at one another. "She brought ten times happiness to every tourist attraction I have seen when I just got here. She has so much maturity in that petite body of hers and for over a week, I've learned a lot about her. And if there's someone I should be thankful for being this happy, then it should be the mother." I didn't know where I got the courage but I held her hands and kissed the space in between them. "Thank you Jessica. Thank you for making me happier."

There comes a time in a human person's life where everything just stops for a moment. You wouldn't be able to hear a thing and believe me I only experienced this twice in my life. The first time was when we both confessed our feelings, the second one was when I found out that she was gone from our group. And believe me in that moment I want to take a little step closer, to feel more of her skin on my skin. To make each other warm in this cold day of nearing winter. Believe me I would really