❝I have been waiting all my life❞  

.Savage Garden, I Knew I Loved You.

-

Chaerin breathed the parisian air. "Home" she said as she exhaled. It was mid morning in Paris, France and everyone looked as "hunky dory" as Chaerin herself. People were quietly munching on bread in the lush, green patches that were dotted with tiny little flowers. Others were simply gazing up at the Eiffel Tower, "Maybe I should paint that" she thought. She pulled out a note pad out from her pant pocket and quickly wrote "Eiffel Tower".  The rest were either buisness people trying to make it to the next buisness meeting or enjoying the wonderful weather at the patio outside the cafés, smuginly cupping the cups.

Being infront of the Eiffel Tower in Champ des Mars was just starting to quench her thirst for inspiration.

"If this is what one part of Paris feels like, than I want to see more!" 

Chaerin than began to wander around a bit, not having a specific location in mind. She was looking for something to paint, something that really spoke to her heart. A gust of wind blew past her, lifting a pamphlet in her direction. "Pont Des Arts : Lover's Bridge" it read. Slowly, Chaerin unfolded the pamphlet with more curiousity than precaution. 

The pamphlet had words and words and words of this bridge, and how couples would lock a lock to the bridge to signify their unity for one another in everlasting love, than throw away the key into the "Seine River". "How Romantic" she thought. This made her heart think of Jiyong, and how their love was everlasting even without something to signify it. A smile crept onto the painter's face as she hauled a taxi.

One quickly came and after a few short phrases towards the taxi driver on where she wanted to go, she was on her way to the bridge. Her excitement couldn't hold in any longer as the bridge appeared. Chaerin moved to the window spot and pressed her face against it until the cold chill of it froze her face and she had to cup her cheeks to warm it. "Mademoiselle?" the taxi driver coughed as he extended his hand in pay.

Chaerin quickly handed him his money and rushed out clutching her luggage containing of mostly art supplies. To her surprise there was only one man on the bridge. He had mahogony brown hair that was cut and styled in a boyish fashion. The front revealing his eyebrows and a bit of his forehead. A tuxedo that was streak black but was lined in white at the front and on the sleeves and pockets, that seemed a bit too tight when he stretched out his back. Black V - neck. Denim grey jeans. Lastly, leather boots .. also of a darker shade. Chaerin thought this man looked really classy, yet still had that casual feel to him. Something that she was unfamiliar with, since Jiyong always dressed so formally with one coloured button up blouses and black ties that his one coloured tuxedo covered.  A good model to put into her painting.

As she walked up onto the bridge, luggage bag in hand. The man resting himself on the bridge bar turned towards her and asked "Mademoiselle, Veux - tu l'aide? " Chaerin smiled, "Non ... Merci " she shaked her head, still hauling her luggage back to a prefferable spot. 

The man looked rather surprised once he took a look at Chaerin, "Lee Chaerin? The painter,Lee Chaerin?" She set out her bag onto the bridge and kneeled down to take out her paints and canvas. Looking up while doing this she responded, "Yes, yes that's me" 

"Wow, I've seen your art work in the Famous Artists of Tomorrow point in the gallery  of England. How do you do it?"

"Inspiration" Chaerin simply said. Her art is international and so everyone knows about it. Sometimes it's a blessing, but other times it's a burden. Everyone, no matter where she is, always asks her the same question, "How do you do it?" and she always answers it the same, simple way she always has, "Inspiration"

It's either everyone thinks she's joking or ... everyone think she's joking. Chaerin was now finished setting up herself, and sat ontop of the bridge bar for her seat. It always took awhile for her to paint. She loved to pay attention to every single detail. Without the sudden cough, Chaerin would've forgotten all about the man, that was now standing next to her. 

"What do you think of -" 

"Can you stand over there please?" Chaerin pointed to the other side of the bridge. The man did as he was told. He looked at her attentivley.

"Okay, now turn around and look ... natural. Like, how you were before" The man nodded and turned around and rested himself on the bridge bar. 

For a few minutes the two strangers just stayed there on the bridge. Once in awhile, someone would come on the bridge and would have to pass by Chaerin's view of the man and the river strectching under the bridge, this gave them both time to stretch. To keep the man entertained, when they were both stetching Chaerin attempted to make small talk.

"So, who are you?" Chaerin asked as she squeezed her hands against each other.

The man straightened out his back and rolled his neck, "Kim Kibum"

This time, Chaerin was shocked "Kim Kibum? You mean, thee Kim Kibum?! The writer of -"

"The Black Obsession and The Sparks of The Kiss. Both winning The Nobel Prize in Literarute" Kimbum said rather cockily.

Chaerin made a face, "No, The Alien's Eyes. I like that one the best" 

A blush came upon his cheeks on how he must've seemed so cocky with his work, he chuckled "First ever child's book" 

Chaerin nodded, "Yes. It actually inspired one of my paintings! You know, Tempiston?" 

Kimbum nodded, "Yes, how can I not? It's up on my living room wall!"

"Well, the part in the book where the Alien makes friends with the little boy - I chose to represent that as a man softly caressing the women who's face is covered with the ivory cloth in the night. In my eyes, I saw how no matter who you are, you should be respected as you are. The cloth represents the imperfections the women has and the man caressing her face is how he embraces her into his life, whole heartedly. Imperferctions and all" Chaerin could see Kimbum was captivated from her representation of his own story, which he meant was for to be rather simple. 

"Wow" was all escaped from his lips. Chaerin chuckled and resumed back to painting, but quickly pulled back from the canvas. It was getting late, and the sun was turing a sandish orange. A beautiful sight over the water. 

Kimbum turned to her, "I've had a great time. Have a great night." he clasped his hands and started to walk off the bridge, until Chaerin screamed for him. Kimbum turned around, "Yes?" 

"Uhm, I'm kind've lost and my french isn't that fluent. Can you help me?" Chaerin smiled willingly.

Kimbum nodded and gestured her over, "C'mon, let's get you home" Chaerin packed her stuff quickly and ran over to Kimbum.

They both talked before a taxi came, and even more after they were in it. Kimbum knew more about Chaerin than just her art and Chaerin knew more about Kimbum than just his books. Somehow, it's like they've both been waiting for this meeting to come in some sort of twist of faith. Where the two would connect so instantly they would know more about each other than anyone else ever would. It was like they've been waiting all their life for this - To become bestfriends. 

.PAGE TWO.