Our mouths were still zipped for several minutes. I kept on talking to myself, me, and my mind. 'What should I do now? Asking how is she doing? Or how she looks so skinny right now? Does she eat properly? How is she going for almost 3 years passed? What?'. I took a soft but deep breath, pushing my lips to shape a smile. I decided to remind myself of where I stand. I couldn't let this feeling let my guard down and just drift off. I determined.

"It's been a long time..." I started. "I didn't expect to meet you here."
"You didn't?" She replied softly.
"I was strolling around in this gallery... I-"
"My gallery. My museum."

My eyes got widened as she shouted her statement.
"This is all... yours?"
"Since you didn't expect to meet me, then I guess you really didn't know about it." She gave me a little smile then looked down for a bit. I could sense it was so hard for her to stand still, the same thing I felt that time.
"Sica, are you okay?" I couldn't resist the fact I was dying to know more about her current condition as she looked like an abandoned piece of art. Beautiful but fragile, mesmerizing but broken. She stared at me blankly, her gaze froze me. I couldn't move.


I haven't got my question answered by her when some people entered the room. I glanced a little and found Ji Eun, Hanteo, and another woman I didn't recognize at all. That woman instantly greeted Jessica with a little bow from her head.

"Ms. Jung... You're here already?" The woman said.
"Yeah... Is everything good with..." Jessica glanced at Ji Eun. "Oh... IU... We finally meet. I'm Jessica. Jung Jessica, the CEO of Golden Stars International, which in this case, BISOUS is our newest clothing line to launch soon. Guess you've heard enough from Sulli." She threw a warm smile to the woman, who I just knew named Sulli.
"I'm IU... You may just call me by my real name, Lee Ji Eun. Also, this is Hanteo, my manager. Pleased to meet you, Ms. Jung."
"Oh please, just call me Jessica. We're not in Korea." Jessica smiled sharply at her.
"Ms. Jung, so the meeting has finished. We got a deal here in the pocket." Sulli grinned happily to her boss.
"Thank you, Sul... Good job as always." Jessica turned her back again at Ji Eun. "First of all, Ji Eun and Hanteo, I'd like to apologize that I wasn't able to face you both directly as I had several things to prepare for my other line, BLANC & ECLARE. I'm excited to hear if we could pull off the agreement."
"It's a pleasure, Jessica. Your clothing line, BISOUS, fits the concept of my next album the best. So, I'm excited to work with you."
"Great!" Jessica shouted a bit loud. "So, I heard from Sulli that you asked if you could bring someone special with you to the meeting to help you decide things. Is it... Taeyeon?" Jessica looked at me for a bit.


Me? Ji Eun planned to bring me to the meeting? What did Jessica talk about?

"Oh. You both know each other?" Ji Eun surprised to know that. I still zipped my mouth, that was the best thing I could do.
"Yeah... We both..." Jessica glanced at me again. I swear, I felt like being exploded. "...friends. Back then in Seoul."
"That's awesome! I'm surprised. Considering my girlfriend doesn't have a lot of friends."
"Your girlfriend..." Again, Jessica back at it. "...she indeed doesn't have a lot of friends, I guess. Right, Taengo?"
"Taengo?" Ji Eun stared at me.


I nodded while delivering a sincere smile I forced to give. I wish that was only a dream, actually.
Jessica realized that it was a hard time for me, so she took a lead. "That's her alias name on the game. It's funny that I met Taeyeon from an online game. We played PUBG together, we were in the same squad, that's how I met her, do you believe?" She lied and that time, I almost choked and laugh at it. Jessica never played PUBG at all, rather she complained a lot when I played. "So, did she, your someone special, help you to decide on the agreement?"
"Oh... Ms. Kim just arrived, actually. She wasn't involved. We're here looking for her as the receptionist told me Ms. Kim insisted to wait here in the gallery."
"Ah so..."
"So, Ms. Lee." Sulli glanced back at Ji Eun. "For that Paris Next Top Singer I mentioned before, we'll discuss further and separately after your decision has been made. As we discussed, it's indeed hard to move back to Paris and stay for a while, when you're having your peak in South Korea we understood, but I think this is a rare opportunity for you. I hope you consider and give me good news."
"I'm sure you'll need some time to decide, but my hope is high that a reputable figure like you, who has been well-known globally, would like to take a big step to join our campaign. Besides, I heard you and your... partner, would like to move to Paris for good, right?"


What did they talk about? I had no idea. Moving into Paris for good? Paris Next Top Singer? I clearly had no idea as Ji Eun didn't tell me anything about the plan, the damn big plan. I stared at her blankly, trying to act cool while I had to handle a thousand questions lingering in my head. I could see Ji Eun faced a difficulty to look at my eyes as well, so I gave her space and time. Besides, with Jessica in front of us, I was somehow powerless. I really wished it was a dream, or it was just me hallucinating.

"I will inform you soon. I feel so honored to be offered that opportunity." Ji Eun replied wisely, as she is.
"Great. I look forward to hearing from you then."
"Cool, since everything wrapped now. I have to ask permission to leave."
"Please feel free... Again, pleased to meet you."
"The pleasure is all mine, Jessica." I felt weird how Ji Eun looking at Jessica sharply. The honorific was suddenly gone.


Jessica moved closer to Sulli's place, grabbing a document handed over by Sulli. Ji Eun and Hanteo approached and instructed me to leave. I looked at Jessica, who waited gently for all of us to leave. The time given was too short when I finally met her, I whispered to myself, complaining. Ji Eun held my hand, waking me up from my endless thoughts.

"Thanks for meeting us..." Both were shaking hands.
"Thanks for your great reception, Jessica, Sulli... Also,