The next day, Sungyeol reported to the hotel lobby as promised just in time for breakfast. They sat in the hotel dining room and while they ate, Woohyun kept a sharp eye for a familiar figure in the crowds.

But unfortunately, there were no traces of Sunggyu. His hope hadn’t been too high anyways.

Looks like he’s not in this hotel.

Woohyun didn’t know what he expected – a part of him had wanted to find Sunggyu there, but another part had decided that it wouldn’t be so easy.

As they chewed the toast and sipped coffee, Woohyun told Sungyeol about why he was in Paris. The younger listened carefully and when he was done, he smiled a little and said, “Isn’t that kind of impossible? To find someone who doesn’t want to be found? I mean you’re not a CIA agent or anything…”

Woohyun sighed. “He is not an expert in hiding either. I just know there is a way…I love him too much to lose him.”

Sungyeol’s face looked wan as he flinched, as if physically hurt. To Woohyun’s question, he simply shook his head. After the cloud had passed over his eyes, he turned back to him with a smile again, but his eyes held a weary glance, a defeated look. He closed them, and then opened them slowly, as if he was dragging himself away from far-off thoughts.

Everyone has stories to tell. Each of us is like a book with many chapters, some complete, others incomplete.

“I guess I understand what you’re feeling…but, it’s just…it doesn’t happen. You can’t miraculously get what you want.”

Woohyun let out an exasperated sigh. “I’ve heard that before. And I’m not giving up. I won’t give him up so easily.”

He meant every word he said and as he spoke, a warm feeling started to glow in his chest.

Sungyeol chewed his lips uneasily, as if he was unsure about what he was going to say. Finally, he gave in with a sigh. “Okay, I will help as much as I can. But I really have no idea how…I mean Paris is a big place and he could be anywhere. I don’t even know how he looks like.”

“That can be taken care of, the last part I mean. But we have to think where could he be…any guesses?”

“Erm…Louvre?”

Woohyun started. The thought was an odd one and he asked Sungyeol why he would think that Sunggyu would be in a museum of all the places in the city.

Sungyeol shrugged his shoulders. By now Woohyun was aware that his new friend was particularly fond of this gesture.

“You said you met him at one of your exhibitions and he loved you paintings. And Louvre has a lot of paintings and stuffs…he seems to be interested in these things.”

Woohyun weighed the option in his mind. Sunggyu was an art enthusiast and he loved talking about ancient paintings. Of course he would say Woohyun was his favorite but here in Paris, away from home and Woohyun, he might want to check out the paintings in Louvre because of his interest in art.

Or maybe because he misses me.

“Louvre it is. Although, he might have already visited there yesterday. Or he might wait for later.”

It wasn’t much of a plan but it was all they had at the moment.

“Okay, we have a plan.” Sungyeol got up excitedly. “And I’m going to phone in some people who might help to keep a lookout. I have friends in some hotels and I know a few people here and there. It won’t probably help but still…”

“Thank you Sungyeol,” Woohyun said warmly, locking eyes with him. “It means a lot.”

Sungyeol laughingly shook it off.

“I’m a fan after all.”

They started with Louvre but the size of the museum and the number of people there made it pretty clear that they wouldn’t be able to spot anyone in the throngs. So they came out quickly, and walked aimlessly for a few miles before getting into a taxi and driving around, eyes peeled for any familiar face. Woohyun had already shown Sungyeol several of Sunggyu’s pictures and his first comment was about his eyes.

As always.

Woohyun patiently explained to him that he liked Sunggyu’s tiny eyes and answered his questions about Sunggyu’s eyesight.

“Yes he can see perfectly, he doesn’t need glasses.”

But as the day wore off, nothing productive happened and Sungyeol, weary from the day’s travels, was ready to give up.

“It’s useless,” he said in a frustrated voice.

“No, it’s not,” Woohyun replied firmly.

“You won’t give up will you?” Sungyeol asked wryly.

Woohyun gulped down a bitter taste in his throat. He had secretly asked himself the same question to which he had only one answer.

“I can’t give up.”

Sungyeol shook his head.

“Fine. Let’s go back for today. We’ll search again tomorrow. I’ll take the day off.”

Before Woohyun could show his gratitude, he yanked his arm and took him to a nearby ice-cream parlor, where they had fun ordering some radical flavors. For a moment, Woohyun felt that he was enjoying Paris and not worrying constantly. Then they headed back towards Sungyeol’s patisserie, where he had to check in to make sure everything was okay.

“It’s closed today, but still…”

Everything was alright at the shop, so it didn’t take Sungyeol long there. He then shyly invited Woohyun to see his apartment. They didn’t have anything to do anyways, so Woohyun agreed.

“Why the red face?” he asked, laughing.

“It’s just…you’ll see.”

Sungyeol’s place turned out to be a medium flat in a multi-storied building near the Seine River. It was unexpectedly tidy for a single man, which made Woohyun think that Sungyeol had probably been planning to bring him there all along and had cleaned up in advance. The real surprise however was in the paintings hung on the wall, around the living room.

At first Woohyun couldn’t process how his paintings could make their way here. A closer inspection then revealed that they were actually impressive copies of his paintings.

“You did them?” he asked Sungyeol, shocked.

Sungyeol scratched his head embarrassedly.

“I tried but of course they aren’t even close to the originals…”

“You have talent,” Woohyun insisted.

He touched the frame of one of his favorite pieces – he had tried to capture sunset from the bank of the Han River. It had taken him a long time to complete it, and several trips to the Han River at dusk. But each and every of those trips were memorable because Sunggyu had been with him.

Now it seems impossible…

Woohyun turned towards Sungyeol, who was smiling shyly now.

“Why did you leave art school? You’re amazing! You could have made it big.”

“I just…lost my muse. It’s ah…it’s nothing. I just gave it all up one day and jumped on an airplane. I can be pretty impulsive.”

Woohyun nodded. The faraway look had appeared in Sungyeol’s eyes as he was speaking. He didn’t want to disturb him from his reminiscence but the younger pulled out of it anyways.

“How about I cook for you?” he suddenly asked, no doubt to change the subject. “I’m very good at cooking.”

Taking a seat on the sofa, Woohyun nodded. He was craving Korean dishes and it would be good to eat a homely meal.

There was a stack of art magazines and journals on the table in front of him, along with his photo books. As he looked at them, he wondered if he really did fail in his mission would he be ever able to pick up the brush again. It seemed impossible; he couldn’t think about life without Sunggyu – what would he do, where would he go?

As the despondency gripped him, he dropped the magazines and walked into the kitchen, from where the sounds of pots and pans beckoned him.

“Do you want my help?”

Sungyeol was trying to put out a fire off his mitt and he forced a large smile on his face as he saw Woohyun approaching.

“Everything is under control.” He showed him a thumbs-up. “Just wait for a bit.”

Woohyun shrugged. He strolled to the kitchen window and looked out. The city was sprawled out in front of him, glowing with the light from streetlamps and cars. He thought he could see the outline of the Eiffel Tower in the distance.

Paris – the city of love.

Heaving a sigh, he twisted his head to look back at Sungyeol. He couldn’t stand it anymore. Sungyeol’s grief was becoming irresistible for him, his senses were tingling.

“You want to tell me?”

“Wha – ouch - what?” Sungyeol asked, juggling a hot potato, straight out of the boiling pot.

“Why you look so sad sometimes. You look tired without any reason, like you’ve had enough.”

Sungyeol dropped the potato into the washbasin. He was staring at Woohyun, his mouth hanging open.

“You noticed?”

Woohyun now turned to face him.

“I’m good at these things.”

Sungyeol blinked a few times, no doubt wondering how he could be so readable from the outside. Then he sighed, as if defeated.

“Well, it may sound clichéd. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Woohyun laughed. Sungyeol turned his back on him and started to chop carrots. After a pause, he said, “It’s silly really, but I was in love with my best friend, who had a loving giving boyfriend. The end.”

“So you left?”

“I gave up. I was tired. They were there, in front of my eyes, happy. I just…I knew him even before his boyfriend did but when I confessed, he just laughed it off. He thought I was joking. I tried to make him believe but…I was exhausted. I couldn’t do it anymore.”

Sungyeol spoke rapidly, as if he was trying to get the words out of his chest as quickly as possible. He chopped the rest of the carrot vigorously and then threw down the knife, wiping his hand on his apron. He looked oddly relieved though, having shared his story with someone.

“It’s not the end though, you still love him, don’t you?” Woohyun asked softly.

“It doesn’t matter. Love is a helpless story.”

Sungyeol’s voice held finality, and Woohyun took the hint that they were not to discuss it any further. He turned around to look out of the window again. The distant lights twinkled at him.

Not if I can help it.