‘Thanks guys I owe you a big one’

Min Ho slammed Ill Woo’s car door shut and raced off to the Korean Air check in counter at the Incheon Airport.  He was dashing through the crowded airport, rushing up to the counter to purchase a ticket on the last red eye flight out of Seoul to Paris.  He was running like it was the race of his life and if he didn’t get there in time, he would lose everything that meant anything to him.  He approached the first class counter breathing heavily to catch his breath while giving the attendant his credit card and passport.

‘One first class ticket on your last direct from Incheon to Paris, please.’  Min Ho began to wipe the sweat off his forehead.

‘Sir, the plane is boarding now.  You don’t have enough time to make it through security and customs within 30 minutes.  I can get you a ticket for the first flight out tomorrow morning. Is that ok?’ 

‘Ani! I need to get on that plane tonight!  Just get me a ticket, you can even keep my credit card and mail it back to me later.  If I go tomorrow, I don’t know if she’ll still be there.’ He takes his forefinger and points at his face ‘Can’t you see? I’m Lee Min Ho Korea’s top Hallyu star.  I can get in and out of a VIP customs area in 10 minutes.  Now can you please issue me a ticket so I can catch the plane.’

‘Sir…I…can’t break…’ The attendant began to stutter once she realized it was the handsome Lee Min Ho standing in front of her.

‘I’m not asking you to break the rules, I’m just asking you to bend them for me.  I need to go chase after the love of my life.  If I miss this chance, I’ll become a pathetic love sick fool for the rest of my life.  So if you can’t bear to see me turn into that type of person I’m begging you to issue me that ticket.’ He clasped his two hands together and brought them up to his lips.

The attendant began to tap away on her computer trying to get him a spot on the flight.  Within seconds she handed him his credit card back and smiled.

‘No need to mail back your card, you can take it with you.  I got you a seat in our first class cabin.  Here is your passport, I’ve already contacted the boarding crew you won’t need a boarding pass given the time crunch we’re under.  I hope you’re able to bring her home with you.  Lee Min Ho ssi fighting!’ she gave him a reassuring smile wishing him the best of luck on his journey to win his love back.

Min Ho quickly bowed to thank her for her help and dashed off the VIP customs and security gates.  He glanced at his watch, he has 25 minutes to make it through and get onto the plane before they shut the door.  He smiled when he saw that the usual customs and security officers he knew were working today.  He easily got stamped and scanned in less than 5 minutes, this was a time where it pays off to be a big star.  He picked up his feet and ran the last leg of the relay heading towards gate 37 where the plane was boarding for Paris.  As he approached the gate, two flight attendants were already standing by the bridge’s doorway greeting him to enter, he smiled and slowed down his pace to not cause any more disturbance than he already had.  He bowed to the flight attendant standing at the entrance to the first class cabin and she led him to his seat 2A, a window seat looking out into the dark Seoul sky.  Min Ho plopped himself in the seat, fastened his seatbelt and stared at the window waiting for the plane to take off.

Park Shin Hye, I’m coming to find you.  Please don’t leave Paris in the next 24 hours.  I promise to set everything right and bring you back to Seoul so it can be like the good old days again.  Just you and me while we laugh and smile away next to each other.  God, please give me the next 24 hour to make this right, I promise you I’ll do it, I just need you to work your magic for me.

***************************

Shin Hye went through denial when she tried to convince her brain that what her eyes saw was just a nightmare and not true.  Second, she experienced anger the night when she was confronted by Yong Hwa and Woo Bin on the rooftop, she wasn’t just angry at Min Ho’s actions but she was secretly angry at herself for being so weak.  Third, she bargained over and over wtith her heart to her brain, asking her brain to give him another chance as long as he came clean with his lies and proved that he really loved her more than life and she wasn’t just an one time infatuation.  Fourth, she became depressed to the point of relying on sleeping pills to stop herself from mentally hurting herself any further.  Now, coming to Paris is the last stage, acceptance, to her five stages of breaking up with Lee Min Ho.  Paris is her closure, her outlet to forget the memories and move on from him.

She rented the same apartment that they shared while they roamed the city like a couple in love.  Today is her last day in the city, she stayed the same amount of days like she did when she was here with him, reliving it all.  This trip was meant for her to erase all her memories of him and them to stop her heart from aching further.  Shin Hye walked aimlessly through the streets of Paris, retracing the stops she made during the scavenger hunt Min Ho planned for her a few months ago. 

She walked to the entrance of the bridge of Pont des Arts where she secured the diamond ring he bought her onto the bridge’s gate railing.  She scanned the line of lamp posts trying to identify the one where she tied the red balloons to.  As she began to walk, the wooden panels below began to creak, she closed her eyes and glided her right hand over the bridge’s railing taking in all the memories of that day.  Her hand ran up against a hard, cold lamppost causing her to open her eyes in pain.  She lowered her head to examine her hand to make sure didn’t injure it.  As her gaze left her hand back to enjoying the beautiful view in front of her, her eyes caught a sparkling ring tightly secured on a mint colored vintage lock.

Can it be? Among all the million of locks here, can this be the one? That’s not possible.  If it happens, it’s as hard as winning the lottery.  God is this way of you giving me a sign? Is this suppose to mean we’re not done yet? Is that what you call fate?

Shin Hye knelt down and examined the lock and saw the words forever and always March 24, 2014 written on the lock.  She carefully flipped it over to find her and Min Ho’s name and softly chuckled at the game God began to play with her.  She closed her eyes tightly taking in one deep inhale  and let go of the lock, standing up tall.  Her right hand went under the top opening of her chiffon blouse and pulled out the key Min Ho gave her.  She tightly gripped onto the key and pulled the rose gold necklace chain over her head, stopping when her hand reached her ear.  She closed her eyes tightly with force working up the courage to throw the damn key into the Seine River once and for all, ending everything between them.

As her right hand swung forward releasing the necklace and key, her right hand instantaneously closed, gripping for dear life onto the key.

Yah! Park Shin Hye, let go! Don’t listen to your heart anymore.  This is your brain talking to you, don’t you remember the wager we did at the Han River.  You said you were going to leave him and move on.  Stop being so emotional, it’s time to be rational.  You listened to your heart once and look where it got you.  Cut up, drugged up and bruised up.  After 2 months you are still trying to recover.  He’s a lethal drug to you, stay away from him, forever.

Her hand naturally slips the necklace back onto her neck, securely it into its rightful place.  She takes one last look the mint colored lock and walks towards to Louvre in search of Park Se Young.

****************************

‘Shinnie, debak! This painting is more beautiful in person than on the internet.’ Se Young was pointing to the famous Monet lily pad paintings adorned in the oval shaped exhibition hall.  ‘Shinnie lets take a selfie.’

‘Hajima’ Shin Hye whispered not wanting to disturb the other patrons.

‘Hajima wae? You’ve always liked selfi