I was thinking whether this chapter is necessary to write or not, so if it's not so good then i may delete later. This is pretty much just to prepare for the next chapter, so it's pretty short as well. But i promise the next will be longer haha. Anyways enjoy and maybe leave some thoughts below? <3 

***

Those were the three times Yaebin and Minkyung ran into each other, and the number would escalate to the next whole number by the following day.

It was now 9 pm, two hours had passed since Kyungwon gave Yaebin a strange phone number and urged her to give it a call straight away, yet she remained motionless in her spot, hands fumbling with the phone in nervousness and indecisiveness. 'HelOOo'. 'HEllo'. 'HellO?'. 'Agh K. Just a simple greeting, why can't you get yourself together Yaebin ah!!!'. Yaebin had been practicing that elementary word for two hours straight, as if she was going to give a presidental speech to the Republic of Korea.

She was about the hit the call button when her phone rang and the incoming call screen appeared.

They were the same 9 digits Yaebin had been staring at for the past couple of hours. '. Here goes nothing.'

“H-hello?” Yaebin shakily hit the ‘answer’ button and put the phone up near her right ear.

“Hi! Is this Kang Yaebin’s phone number?” A female voice called out with so much joy and anticipation.

It felt like forever since she last heard of that angelic voice, but truth be told, she did get a glimpse of Minkyung’s voice just a few hours ago when she clicked on the girl’s Instagram story video. She wasn't the type that like to use Instagram very often, her private account barely had more than a dozen of pictures, yet she logged on to her clone account everyday just to check out Minkyung's activities on that platform. 

“Yes, I’m Yaebin.”

“Oh hey Yaebin ah! I’m Minkyung, a friend of your cousin, Kyungwon. Do you still remember me?”

‘The question is, do I ever get to forget you, Kim Minkyung?’ Yaebin chuckled to herself.

“O-of course I remember you unnie.”

“That’s good to hear! Kyungwon said you were gonna call me soon, which was two hours ago already. I was sorta waiting you know, but probably you were just busy. Are you free to talk with me now? Or am I disturbing you? If so then I can call you back later tho.”

‘Oh . . Me. Why didn’t she tell me that???’ Yaebin mentally cursed herself, her free hand

“Oh no unnie. You’re not disturbing me right now. I was just packing…so… sorry unnie.” Yaebin lied through her teeth.

“Right, you’re gonna leave soon...” Minkyung replied with a hint of disappointment in her voice. “So, I heard that you’ve been here a fortnight already. How have you enjoyed Paris so far?” She continued to ask the smaller girl.

“Well, if you count my cousin’s apartment and her school’s library as two of the most iconic tourist attractions, then I would say Paris is pretty boring for me.” Yaebin rolled her eyes thinking back to all those wasted times she spent reading fashion magazines while waiting for Kyungwon to finish her school assignments in the library from morning till dinner time, then they would just go home, watched a movie then went to sleep.  

“What?? She didn’t take you out anywhere at all? She told me that she didn’t have time to hang out with me because she was going out with you every day tho.”

“If I’m her girlfriend then she’s telling the truth. But sadly, no.”

“Agh what an idiot. That ‘Jung Cannabis’ is too addictive for her mann.” Yaebin cracked up loudly at Minkyung’s comment.

“Nah, it’s fine. And I was just kidding. I did go around sightseeing here and there. I’m not a kid anymore you know. I’m a strong independent woman who can go anywhere by myself.” Yaebin confidently announced.

“You sound exactly like your cousin haha. But still, it’s better to have someone who knows Paris like the back of their hands to go with you. I wish I would have known about you coming here sooner. I would have accompanied you. I’m not a pro tour guide or anything but at least I know some good places to visit.”

‘I don’t even need to go anywhere then because you’re the only attraction I want to see, Kim Minkyung.’

“It’s alright unnie. I have enjoyed my time here too.”

“You better have a really good plan for tomorrow then. Any ideas on where to go yet?”

“Not sure. Why don’t you prove your pro-guiding ability to me and suggest some places that we can go?”

“Hmm…alright, I can do that. Do you have any specific criteria and such? Kyungwon did tell me you love arts and stuffs like that. Anything else you’re interested in?” Minkyung asked, her mind was already brainstorming hard of places to go.

‘You.’ Yaebin almost let that word easily slipped out of . But luckily her self-esteem saved her.

“I’m easy to please. Anything will do unnie. So, surprise me.”

‘Well, challenge's accepted. But don’t expect too much tho, cause I'm not the travel blogger type. I don't go out that much to be honest. And what time should we meet up tomorrow?”

“We can go early, then you’ll have time to hang out with your friends at night. It’s Christmas, so probably you’ve also got other plans right?” A part of Yaebin hoped that she would get to spend the whole day and night with Minkyung.

“Yeah, but I’m still working on that plan. Because this girl, who is my friend, who has been here for almost a month yet she doesn’t really go anywhere outdoors, still has no clue where she wants to go and wants me to surprise her with a nice plan. I’ll be up all night to draw up a good one but she thinks I’ll spend my precious sleeping time just to find a place to have a breakfast and that’s it.”

Yaebin smiled to Minkyung’s cute sarcastic remark.

“No, Yaebin ah. I’m all yours for the whole of Christmas. From dawn till the next dawn. Kim Minkyung will be all yours.” She confirmed.

Kim Minkyung, being a natural flirt herself, made Kang Yaebin’s little skip a beat again for the nth time that night without knowing. She felt her cheeks quickly got heated up, her muscles tensed up and it was harder for her to take calm breaths. 

“So now tell me, when should I pick you up tomorrow?”

“How about 10 am? You okay with that? We can go around the city and grab lunch together or something.”

“Sure, I’ll come over around that time.”

“Alright.”

“Alright then.”

“You should get some sleep now Yaebin ah. Tomorrow’s gonna be a long day, cause I’ll make every second worth it.”

“Y-you too unnie. Don’t stay up and plan anything alright? Don’t make things too complicated. I’m okay with us having a cup of coffee and sitting for hours tho. So you too go to sleep early, kay?"

“Yes, mom. Oh and by the way…. It’s best if you wear pants tomorrow tho.”

“Uhm, oookay?”

“Cool. I’ll see you tomorrow then. Sleep tight babe. Can’t wait to see you.”

“G-good night unnie.” Yaebin didn’t realise during the few seconds she froze upon hearing how Minkyung used that word to call her again, the girl on the other phone line had already hung up.

That night in the city of Lights, the exact number could not be identified, but there were at least 2 people who were struggling to get a good night’s sleep.