“Hey, gorgeous, can I sit here?” An unfamiliar voice tears her focus away and she looks up to see Dong Hae getting comfortable on the seat next to her. Amber sends him a mock glare in response as he snickers, “Didn’t get to talk much to you this afternoon. So, how’s it going?”   “It’s been alright. How about you?”   He glances at something behind her and she turns to see Myung Soo at the other end of the room chatting with someone. He keeps casting a look towards her and Dong Hae, appearing to be distracted despite being engaged in a conversation. Amber just rolls her eyes, knowing he is being all territorial again.   It’s just Dong Hae.   “So you and L huh?” He looks at her skeptically. Although she has known Dong Hae when she was just five-year-old, the fact that they had been separated for 20 years makes her uncomfortable to share personal matters. “Is that true?”   She releases a tight-lipped smile and nods. “Yea.”   He swirls to the dessert table for a moment to see Paris laughing with Jessica before turning back to Amber. He lowers his voice, “Can’t believe you have a child; a ten-year-old too, at that!”   Amber shrugs. “What can I say?” She releases a chuckle to ease up the atmosphere, but she begins to contemplate again how ridiculous the whole situation is.   What are they going to say when people ask how they got together? Met in Paris, separated for ten years because they both thought each other was dead, reunited, and having another child straight away?
Then again, Amber also considers, what does it matter? The world can think whatever they want. It’s their life at the end of the day.   “How about you? Married yet? What are you up to in Korea?”   “No, not married. I work at Si Won’s pharmaceutical company with L. I’m in the Marketing Department, though. My parents got divorced after I graduated from high school in America and Mum remarried an American there.”   “Oh… is your dad in Korea with you?”   “No, he passed away,” he simply replies without missing a beat.   “I’m sorry. When was it?”   “Ten years ago.” Dong Hae looks uncomfortable and opens his mouth to say something, but holds himself back. Instead, “Wanna dance?”   “Nah,” she gently refuses and chuckles, “I’m not good at dancing.”   Dong Hae clucks his tongue, “Oh! Come on! I’ll take the lead!”   “No, I’m not going to embarrass myself!” she softly says.   He grabs her hand and prods, “Come on!”   Amber shakes her head, “No.”   “Oh, Amber! It’s just a dance! Come on!”   He pulls her up to her feet and drags her towards the dance floor.

 

∞

 

Paris sulks at the sight of the childhood friend conversing in a friendly manner with her mother. Jessica has gone to dance with Jae Joong, leaving Kyung San to annoy her. She keeps ignoring him as the boy pries for her attention. She watches as Jae Joong places his hand on Jessica’s lower back and Jessica instantly curves her arms around him. Their eyes shine as they look into each other’s eyes and laugh at something that they find funny.   Paris groans.   Why can’t her parents be like that?   Because her mother is being a and keeps pushing her father away, a voice screams in her head.   She turns to her side to see Krystal enjoying herself with Hyun Joong. She figures that if her father and Krystal are still together, Krystal wouldn’t be spending most of her time with Hyun Joong. Right? And the way Krystal looks at Hyun Joong is similar to the way Jessica and Jae Joong look at each other; affections and adoration are apparent.   Still, could their relationship be the reason why her father didn’t come to Toulouse? But then, she has heard that he had thought her mother was dead?   How? Hasn’t he been living with Aunty Hyun Ah?   Her thoughts cease when she catches the sight of Dong Hae clutching her mother’s hand and taking her towards where people are dancing. It makes her react and leave Kyung San by himself. She sees her father on his way towards the two childhood friends, but has already formulated a plan in her mind.

 

∞

 

When Myung Soo arrives by Amber’s side, he sees Paris there as well. As he tries to catch his breath from walking hurriedly and squeezing through a sea of people, he couldn’t help but notice Paris’ odd behaviour. She is battling her eyelashes as she looks up with beaming eyes at the man standing next to her mother.   “Hae oppa!”   Myung Soo glances at Amber who has a lone brow raised at their girl. Before they could speak, they hear, “Will you dance with me?”   Myung Soo almost laughs having the question come from a ten-year-old girl. There is suddenly an awkward silence among the four of them as Dong Hae chuckles nervously, “Uh, Paris—”   “Noona, dance with me!” Kyung San pokes Paris and pouts dejectedly.   “No!” Paris snaps. “I want to dance with this oppa! Go away!”   Dong Hae continues, “I think Kyung San wants to dance with you. Dance with him!”   Paris tugs at his hand and whines, “I don’t want to dance with him. I want to dance with you.”   Dong Hae turns to see Amber snickering and frowns in disapproval at her. He looks back at the little girl and sighs. “Your name is Paris, right?” The girl nods adorably. “Fine! This handsome oppa will dance with you tonight!” He winks and lets Paris hauls him towards the dance floor, Kyung San chasing behind and glaring daggers at him.   Amber lets out the laugh she has been holding in. “What just happened!?” She grins at Myung Soo before making her way back to her chair.   Myung Soo feels unease that Paris is with Dong Hae. Throughout the years that he has known Dong Hae, he has no problem with the man’s past whatsoever, but after knowing he is a part of Amber’s childhood, he could not rest his uneasiness. Though, when he looks at Amber, he forgets about everything altogether.

 

∞

 

The song Macarena comes on in full blast in the ballroom and he sees Amber smiling as she watches Paris and the others dance. Amber fishes out a camera from her clutch and begins snapping away at the giggling girl.   He sneaks a peek at the photo she has just taken and says, “Are you taking photos of Dong Hae?”   Amber purses her lips and glares at him. He suppresses a smile, but fails. “No, I’m taking photos of Paris.”   Amber begins to examine the snapshots she has just taken and begins looking at the collection of photos in the camera. She passes the camera on to him, “You can have a look if you want. I haven’t transferred all these new ones onto my laptop.”   He takes the camera from her and takes a look at the photos from the beginning. There is a photo of Paris playing the piano. “What grade is she in for piano?”   “Fifth,” Amber answers and leans in to take a look. “That’s a video. She was playing The Entertainer.”   “I won’t be able to hear it here.” He looks towards the dance floor, making sure Paris is still with Jae Joong, Jessica, Krystal, and Hyun Joong. “Wait here.”   Amber watches him going to Hyun Joong and whispering something in his ear as the other three look on in curiosity. Hyun Joong shoots a quick glance towards Amber and a smile forms on his lips.   Myung Soo is planning something.   When he walks back to her, she sees a grin plastered on his face. “Let’s go!”   “What?” She looks at him, confused.   “Let’s go back to the villa.”   She sends a look towards Paris who is still giggling as she follows Dong Hae’s dance to Macarena. “Paris is still here.”   He takes her clutch from the table and then, her hand. “Hyun Joong and the others will look after her.”   “But… you can’t just get them to babysit her,” she protests as he pulls her through the crowd, towards the exit door. She notices people’s eyes staring at them and whispers, “Myung, everyone’s looking.”   “Yeah, that’s because you’re looking too pretty tonight,” he remarks petulantly.   She smacks him lightly on the arm, earning a low chuckle from him, and lets him lead her out. “Is it really okay to leave Paris with them?” she inquires as they step outside, away from the noises.   “Don’t worry! They won’t kidnap her,” he reassures.   “It’s not that!” she says. “It’s just… I don’t know them that well and I’m leaving my daughter with them… I feel like a bad—”   “They’re my friends,” he assures her again, “Amber, Paris is my daughter too. I feel safe leaving her with them, so can’t you just spend the night with me?”

 

∞

 

A grin tugs at his lips as he sees a photo of baby Paris sleeping. The photo was taken diagonally from above her head and close up on her face.   He has taken Amber back to the villa and as they are sitting against the bed, with her in front of him and in between his spread legs, she shows him her collection of Paris’ photos on her phone and the story behind them.   “She was eight months then,” she tells him, sliding her finger on the screen to move on to another photo. It is now showing Paris, about the same age as the one before, holding a green ball and laughing excitedly. “She was so cute, especially when she sleeps.” A melancholic smile appears on her, “I miss those moments.” She releases a sigh, “It’s sad how time passes by so quickly. It feels like it was only yesterday that I had her.”   It feels like it was