The plane had finally landed at the Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris. Minho and his father had picked up their luggage and is now heading off to a hotel located in the center of Paris, Hotel de Ville. The chauffer loaded their bags into the boot and started the car.

“Minho, what about the deal I offered?” His father started. He guessed he could take some time off the business and rethink about his life.

“Hmm, yeah, sure.” He replied, looking elsewhere.

“What’s with you, boy? You seem so lifeless and boring, ever since you reached the age of 16, you’ve always focused on the company. It’s your chance now, so go enjoy it.” His father patted his thigh. Minho sighed. He would like to enjoy life, if only life lets him enjoy it. Unfortunately, ever since that fateful day, life wasn’t giving him a chance.

“Minho, I want to talk to you.”

“Yeah? What about?” A young Minho grinned at his girlfriend.

“Well… I was thinking…”

“Hmm?”

“About us.” The girl looked down. Minho continued to smile, not realizing her expression. “I think we should break up.”

His whole world crashed. “Wh-what? What are you talking about?” He chuckled, trying to lighten the atmosphere. It wasn’t working out.

“I don’t like you, Minho. I’m sorry. I’m sorry for lying to you and to me. I thought that as I dated you, I would learn to love you but…”

“But?” Minho was trying not to cry. The girl whom he had a crush on for 2 years finally said yes to him and now she’s rejecting him? And saying that nothing is working out? “If you think we aren’t working out…”

“It’s not that! Minho, you don’t understand.”

“Tell me. Tell me what I don’t understand.” If he couldn’t fix it, he might as well know why.

“I-I only dated you because… I wanted to be popular.”

“What?” He thought he heard wrong. She was the most humble girl he knew. How could she even…?

“You’re popular and everyone knows you. You have so many friends and everybody wants to talk to you… I want that life, Minho. I don’t want to be alone.”

“But you’re not alone…” He held her hand. She took it off.

“I’m really sorry Minho. I thought that it was better of me to tell you than to keep it from you and make things worse. Sorry.” And with that, she walked away from him. A tear trickled down his cheek and Minho swore never to love again.

Minho admitted that he cried when his parents asked him why he was so sulky. He just never told anyone. He kept everything to himself. He stopped hanging out with his friends, stopped playing soccer and just helped and helped his father, hoping to take over the business.

And now it has come true. In a couple more years, his father would step down and hand it over to him. He should be happy right? He is going to be in charge of his father’s hard work. Right? But he didn’t feel so. He felt more burdened each passing day. For now, he hoped that this trip would help relieve him of stress. Or is it stress?

Krystal took a cab to the Appartement Eiffel, a low-budget hotel near the heart of Paris, the Eiffel Tower. She thanked the driver and took the lift to her room. As she opened the door, she gasped at the view she saw. It was wonderful. All of Paris could be seen from her little balcony! She couldn’t wait to take some pictures. But right before she turned, she spotted a large, white space near an old but grand-looking building.

She squinted her eyes. Was that an ice rink she sees? She gasped again. Thank God she brought her ice skates with her. She couldn’t wait to go on the ice. She quickly grabbed her camera, emptied out her backpack, fit in her ice skates as well as her gloves and took off. As she locked the door, she prayed that it wouldn’t cost her a fortune to skate at that majestic place.

Krystal was in luck. The rink was almost empty and it didn’t cost her anything to skate. She was thankful she brought her skates or she would have had to pay to rent those damp and stinky ones behind the counter. Not to mention about the blunt blades and worn out boots.

She quickly took out her skates and wore them. It was like a norm. Back in Seoul, she would often visit the rink near her house. Even the staff that worked there remembered her by name. She quickly tied up her laces and kept her bag in the locker provided. With her camera hanging on her neck, she stepped onto the ice.

Double kekeke.