THREE YEARS BEFORE

PARIS, FRANCE

Jiyong smiles while holding a bouquet of flowers and a box of ring. That day, Jiyong decided to surprise his girlfriend as he went to reach her in Paris. At the same time, he decided to move on the next level in their relationship by proposing to her. When he’s arriving at the hotel, Jiyong went to the receptionist desk to ask for the room number.

“Yes, what can I help you, sir?” the staff asked.

“May I know Miss Elara room number?” Jiyong asked with smiles.

“Wait a minute, sir.” The staff replied before him checking on the computer.

Jiyong nodded and he’s waiting for it.

Few minute later, the staff says

“I’m sorry, sir. We don't have that name in our guests list.”

Jiyong frown after he heard that.

“Are you sure? Can you look again? Her name is Miss Kim Elara. I'm sure she was here because she told me so...” Jiyong said with uneasy.

The staff tries to look again at the system to find the name, but still didn't find it.

“We’re sorry, sir.” The staff said afterward.

Jiyong start to feel uneasy after the staff said that. Jiyong take out his phone and then he try to call his girlfriend numbers. However, the call goes through voicemail. Jiyong went to the lobby and sat there. Jiyong try to think what he can do to reach his girlfriend. Suddenly, he’s remembering one of his girlfriend's coworker. Jiyong try to dial the number, and then he hears someone answer it.

“Hello?” Jiyong greet.

“Yes?” the person asked.

“This is Anne?” Jiyong asked hesitated.

“Yeah… who is this?” she asked.

“It’s me, Jiyong. Elara boyfriend… ” Jiyong said to introduce.

Suddenly, Jiyong didn’t hear anything from the other side.

“Anne? Are you still there?” Jiyong asked.

“Yeah…” Anne replied slowly.

“Could you please tell Elara that I'm looking for her? I've called her, but it won't get through. Or... maybe you can tell me which room she's stayed?” Jiyong asked with hope.

For a moment, nothing comes from the other side but then Anne slowly says

“I'm sorry. I don't know...”

After she said that, she hangs up the phone before Jiyong could ask anything. Jiyong look at his phone with strange before he’s trying to call Anne again. But this time, he can’t reach her anymore.

“What’s going on here? Where is she? Elara… where are you?” Jiyong muttered while looking around the lobby.

ÎLE AUX CYGNES

Taeyeon sit silently while her hand leisurely drawing the scenery. The wind and calmer lake scenery make Taeyeon more focus on her drawing. Suddenly, her phone ring jerks her into reality. Taeyeon look at the caller name and then she just ignores the call. When she’s about to continue her drawing, the phone ringing again. Taeyeon look at the caller name and again she’s ignore it. Then, the phone buzzed as signal incoming message. Taeyeon open the message and read it.

Pickup the call or I'll send someone to find you there... – Mrs. Kim

Taeyeon sigh after she read the text. Then, the phone ringing again but this time, Taeyeon pick up the call pick up the call lazily.

“Yes?” Taeyeon greet.

“I know why you're going there... but please, Appa doing this with a reason.” Mrs. Kim said softly.

“By forcing me marrying that guy? You know I'm not into him.” Taeyeon replied with upset.

“Yes, I know… But... he's nice guy...” Mrs. Kim said try to persuade.

“Then, why don't you the one marrying him?” Taeyeon asked sarcastic.

“Tae…” Mrs. Kim calls her firmly.

“Okay, I’m sorry. But… can you give me some time to think?” Taeyeon asked try to persuade her mother.

Mrs. Kim sigh slowly and then she reply

“You have two weeks... after that, if no answer from you, we assume you agree with the wedding. Can we agree on that?”

Taeyeon hesitated to answer her mother.

“Kim Taeyeon?” Mrs. Kim calls her name after Taeyeon didn’t say anything.

“Arasso… ” Taeyeon replied with uneasy.

“Good… I’ll tell appa… and please come back home…” Mrs. Kim said before she ended the conversation.

Taeyeon sigh deeply afterward. She stares at the lake scenery with mixed feelings and then she decided to leave the lake. Her moods for drawing suddenly disappear after her conversation with her mother.

After few hours, Jiyong still stay at the hotel lobby. He still has some hope to meet Elara in there. While Jiyong is focusing on his phone, suddenly, his eyes catch a glimpse of a familiar walking toward the hotel elevator. Jiyong stand up to get a clear view, but then his heart beat fast when his eyes catch that person in glimpse.

“Elara…?” Jiyong muttered in surprised.

Jiyong saw Elara is hugging a guy waist while her head lean on his shoulder. Jiyong can see her smiling while talking to the guy. When the couple enters the elevator, Jiyong rashly went to chase them. After he confirmed the level where that elevator stops, Jiyong went to another elevator to go to the level.

“Please… let me be wrong…” Jiyong keep saying while his eyes look at elevator door.

Afterward, the elevator stops at the level and the door open. Jiyong hesitated to get out from there but he forces his legs to steps out from there.

Jiyong walks on the hallway on that level until he saw a couple is kissing each other in front of the room door. Jiyong eyes getting redden after he saw Elara was there. He saw them kissing until the guy stop, and then he opens the room door. Jiyong statue while he saw the whole scene in front of him. He saw how the guy lift his girlfriend and kiss her to go into the room together. Out of sudden, his eyes start to get teary. He looks at the bouquet in his hand, and then he pulled out the ring box from his pocket.

For a while, Jiyong still stand there while looking at the ring box. For a moment, his heart hurt and frustrated for everything that just happens now. Jiyong try to calm down himself before he decided to confront Elara.

Taeyeon lay on the bed after went back to her chalet room. Her mind keeps thinking the conversation between her and her mother before.

Yes, she admits, the guy that her family arranges to marry her had a great background family. She knows her appa doing that just not for her but for the business too. However, she can't agree with it because she still needed her freedom life. To sacrifice her freedom for a marriage, it's ridiculous. Besides, Taeyeon already plan to further her study in art design and her ambition to open the gallery. But now, to think about arrange marriage make she feels so depressed. That's why she decided to go on vacation alone without anyone could bother her there. Taeyeon take out her phone and then she called her best friend.

“Yah! Kim Taeyeon! Where have you been?” Tiffany shouts after pick up the call.

“Hey, slow down your tone… you want me to get deaf?” Taeyeon asked jokingly.

“Bet so... where are you? You know your family is searching for you!” Tiffany replied with worried.

“I know… I’m sorry. Sorry if them troubling you…” Taeyeon said to apologies.

“Tae, you know you can’t run away like this forever…” Tiffany replied softly.

“I know… just give me some space to think… and breathe…” Taeyeon said.

“Arasso… but please tell me… where are you?” Tiffany asked curiously.

Taeyeon hesitated for a while before she says

“Paris…”

“Oh…My…God…you’re insane, Tae…” Tiffany said while shake her head.

“I know… please don’t tell my family…” Taeyeon replied to begging.

“Arasso… you know you can trust me…I hope that vacation give you some miracle...” Tiffany said.

“Me either... I hope when I come back, I already clear my thought... and ready for what will happen.” Taeyeon replied with hope.

“I know you're not into Junseo oppa, but if you can give him a chance to know him... I think that would be great for you two.” Tiffany said try to comfort her friend.

“You think so?” Taeyeon asked with unsure.

“Perhaps…” Tiffany replied.

Then, Taeyeon get up from her lay and says

“Fany…”

“What?” Tiffany asked.

“I still can refuse to marry him, right?” Taeyeon asked.

“Yeah… it still depends on your decision… think wisely, dear…” Tiffany replied.

“Thank you, chingu!” Taeyeon said with smiles.

“Most welcome… take care you there… call me when you’re back!” Tiffany replied.

“Arasso… I’ll buy you something! See you later…!” Taeyeon said before she ended the conversation.

Afterward, Taeyeon feel little ease after she talked with Tiffany. Then, she went to the bathroom to clean up before she goes out for the dinner.

Jiyong ring the doorbell non-stop. After a few minutes, the door is open by the guy. Jiyong saw him wearing the bathrobe and his confused look while looking at Jiyong.

“Yes?” the guy asked with frown.

“Is Elara in here?” Jiyong asked while try to hold his anger.

The guy frown but he still nodded to answer Jiyong.

After Jiyong saw the guy nodded, without hesitation, Jiyong push the door before he enters the room to looking for Elara.

“Hey! What are you doing?” the guy asked with surprised.

However, Jiyong just ignore him and he went into the room. Jiyong startled after he opens the door. He saw Elara was there, while the blanket covering her body. Elara stunned after she saw Jiyong was standing at the door.

“Ji…yong?” Elara calls his name with stuttered.

“You know him?” the guy asked when he saw Elara face.

Jiyong eyes start to get teary again but this time, with his eyes witnesses his girlfriend cheated on him make Jiyong burst into ang