PROLOUGE

“This is my 3^rd year in Paris College of Art, and my 4^th year in London Business School. I couldn’t believe I pursue a double degree now. But surprisingly, I enjoyed it so much. Well, it would be lie if I said that it wasn’t hard, it is hard. I have double tasks, double exams, and lost countless hour of sleep. I also need to go back and forth between London and Paris. Is it hard ? YES! But, I enjoyed it so much. I couldn’t be happier than today! Well, don’t count that, I don’t want to take anything for granted, LOL. Soon, I will accomplish what I want to accomplish. And slowly but sure, I will walk forward toward my goal too. Like what my father always said; ‘Hard work will never betrayed you as long as you believe in yourself!”

• Lim Yoona, Paris (08/08/2016)

PARIS, 2016

“Hi Anne! How’s the assignment?”

“Hi Julie! Well, bet me! I almost won’t make it, luckily Mr. Pieter still in his office.”

“Haha, as always the lucky girl. So, wanna hangout tomorrow? Our exams are over, and I believe you wouldn’t back to London during this break.”

“Yeah, I will stay longer in Paris this time. But, sorry I’m fully booked.”

“What? You got a boyfriend? Who? Nigel? Oscar? Or that Italian guy Paulo?”

“Julie! Haha, none of them.”

“So, who?”

“Myself! Haha, bye Julie… Have a wonderful holiday!”

It’s not story of other people with name ‘Anne’. Yeah, Anne is Yoona. Since her departure to London, Yoona now use her English name; Roxanne, or her friends called her Anne. Roxanne is a given name by her late grandfather when she’s one year’s old, and usually Yoona use her given name when she’s abroad, and now since literally she moved to London, she decided to use her given name Roxanne, so does when she applied to Paris College of Arts.

In LBS and PCA, Yoona known as Roxanne Lim, the beautiful student from South Korea.

It’s Yoona 3^rd year in Paris College of Arts, and just one month ago, Yoona got an internship offer from Philip Rowling, the President of Roxanne Group that coincidently her guest lecturer too back in London.

It’s hard to enter the Roxanne Group, and Yoona couldn’t believe that she’s got the offer from Mr. Philip himself! It really motivated Yoona to do even better, because now it’s celar to her that her hard work really does not betrayed her.

And the fact that Mr.Philip company’s name that just the same with her name, make Yoona believe that this coincidence happen for a reason! Well, the typical young Korean girl who’s belief in destiny, LOL.

“So you won’t be back again this year sweety?”

“No Mum. I told you last time that I got an internship offer from Mr. Philip! and he wanted me to joined with his new project team, so I need to study more before started my internship next month.”

“But Mum and Dad miss you so much …”

“Mum … we just met 2 weeks ago. Besides, you like Paris so much… Just come here.”

“What a heartless daughter! Yeah yeah, Mum will visit again with Dad. Anyway sweety, I have news for you…”

“What Mum?”

“Do you remember your friend Kwon Ji Yong?”

“Ah, (Yoona paused for a while) Yeah of course, why? He got married or something?”

“No no sweetheart… I heard that his Mother passed away 2 weeks ago in US.”

“Wha-wha-what do you mean Mum?”

“His mother passed away because of an illness in the US, and they held a private funeral so no one knew the news until today. After your Dad back from the company, we plan to visit Ji Yong’s family and pay our respect. Ji An such a kind and beautiful women, I couldn’t believe she leave so soon.”

Yoona stunned and couldn’t say anything nor hear any words that her mother says.

Yoona is so shocked to hear the news about Ji Yong mother. Upon hearing the news, Yoona immediately call Ji Yong, but as expected his phone is out of reach.

“I can’t go back to Korea nor call you… I hope you’re fine Ji Yong-ahh.”

****

[Musée du Luxembourg – Paris, 2016]

Yoona couldn’t sleep at all after her mother told her about Ji Yong’s mother. She’s worries about Ji Yong condition but she still couldn’t contacted him.

Today as scheduled, Yoona visit Musée du Luxembourg, one of the museum art gallery in Paris. Musée du Luxembourg or also known as Mademoiselle Angelina is the first museum of contemporary art in Paris, and one of Yoona favorite.

Somehow there’s a warm and familiar vibes every time Yoona come here to get some inspirations. Besides, in front of the museum gallery there’s a famous café called Angelina. Almost every famous artist in Paris has always hangout in Angelina (opened in 1903), you can named Coco Chanel (the founder of global brand Chanel), Proust (A French Novelist) , and many more has always come to this café that famous for its signature Mont-Blanc and the famous hot chocolate L’Africain.

“Bon après-midi mademoiselle Anne. Tu viens tôt aujourd'hui… (Good afternoon Miss Anne. You come early today).”

“Bonjour Elle. je pense que je suis un peu en retard ... alors, vous avez une nouvelle exposition? (Good afternoon Elle. I think I'm a little bit late ... so, you have a new exhibition?)”

“Oui Mademoiselle ... Comme promis, je vous montrerai la première mise en page plus tard. (Yes Miss ... As promised, I will show you the first layout later).”

“Merci Elle.”

Yoona is a regular visitor in the museum gallery. Today Yoona is so excited because she could see the preparation for the upcoming exhibition. She wonder, what kind of great inspiration that she will got today.

While waiting for Miss Elle, Yoona strolling around the museum to looking around for her favorite paintings. What’s unique from this museum is its interior and some of paintings that consist a women, whose always seems lost in their own world. The independent women, that was Yoona first impressions of those paintings. And so that, this gallery become one of Yoona favorite.

“Ah, there’s someone in front of that painting. It’s rare… I wonder wha… (Yoona stunned and held her breath) Ji-Ji Yong???”

Yoona couldn’t believe with what she witnessed herself. Kwon Ji Yong, right in front of her!

Tears suddenly fall down from Yoona’s eyes … She feel relief to see that Ji Yong is doing well, but somehow it also break her heart to see those sadness expression on his face.

Kwon Ji Yong only stand still and stare at the painting for quite some times. He don’t realize that there’s someone who’s been watching him from a far.

Yoona only watching him from a far, she don’t have the courage to greet Ji Yong. It’s been years since the last time they met, and Yoona also had been cutting off all of their communications, it will be weird to suddenly show up in front of him and act like nothing’s happen.

Yoona followed Ji Yong strolling around the museum quietly and keep the distance. She only watching him from a far, being worried.

After looking around the museum, Ji Yong decide to stop by at Angelina café. He ordered the famous Mont Blanc with an Americano, and then sit near the window, and staring into nothing.

Yoona who’s been following him also take a seat in the café, and sit by the window far from Ji Yong’s table.

“Bonjour Roxanne. tu n'es pas occupé aujourd'hui? (Good afternoon Roxanne. You’re not busy today?)”

“Bonjour Rev. je suis occupé, mais j'ai besoin d'être ici pendant un moment. (Good afternoon Rev. I am busy, but I need to be here for a moment.)”

“Sûr! je vais vous apporter le droit habituel? (Sure! i will bring you the usual right?)”

“Oui. Merci Rev… de toute façon Rev, pouvez-vous m'aider? (Yeah, thank you Rev. Anyway Rev could you help me?)”

Ji Yong still grieving because of her Mother. After the private funeral back in Korea, Ji Yong decided to take a short break and traveling around anywhere that he wanted, just to relax his mind.

Paris was Ji Yong’s Mother favorite country. She used to told Ji Yong that one day, she will ask his father permission to stay in Paris for one year, and strolling around Paris, strolling to every corner of this city and try their signature foods or drinks. And maybe later, if Ji Yong’s father retires, she would ask him to move to Paris and spend the rest of their lives here. That was always been his mother dream, Ji Yong still remember how her Mother always smiled widely just by talking about that idea, but now it’s all gone along with her.

Without realizing it, Ji Yong’s tears fall down from his eyes. He’s crying quietly in his table, he feel pain on his chest, he want to crying out loud but now he can only bite his tongue and let the tears fall down.

“Excuse me Monsieur, here’s your order.”

“Ah, Merci … Oh! What’s this? I think I didn’t ask for this… (Ji Yong pointing out at the brown vintage envelop that the waiter placed on his table)”

“That’s a gift from one of the artist here Monsieur, she wish it will brighten up your day.”

Inside the envelop is a painting of a guy that sit in the garden of Eiffel tower while looking at the sky, the painting only show the back of the guy while sit in the garden.  Ji Yong could see, it’s a lonely back in a crowded world, but somehow he also see that the other meaning of the painting is, it’s a new start for the guy, he’s sit there alone not to lamenting his fate, but to challenge the world once again, and start a new life.

“Just like the painting of a women that I saw in the museum … (Ji Yong finally smiles) “Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.” by Roxanne, Paris - 18/8/2016 (Ji Yong read the footnote of the painting) So the artist name is Roxanne… (Ji Yong smiles widely) The only Roxanne that I know is the childish yet pretty girl that went to the same church as me, his grandfather gave the very same name to her, haha. Thank you Roxanne, for the best birthday gift.”

***