“Yunnie, I can’t believe you got us to Nice for a date!”

“not a date, our first date boo.”

“people go to Nice for vacations not a dinner date!”

“since when are you an expert in dates?”

“I watch lot of dramas.”

“never mind.”

Yunho paid the check and stood up. Jaejoong took this as her cue to get up as well. Yunho intertwined his hand in Jaejoong’s and led the way.

Jaejoong and Yunho had decided to go on their first date but Yunho had kept the actual plans a surprise till they reached the airport. Jaejoong had been silent the whole time and only voiced out her query when Yunho took her to a quaint but lovely café for to have dinner. Well, technically it wasn’t dinner because it was still noon in France. They had left Seoul in the late evening and Jaejoong was sure her father was in on it. Otherwise why would he suddenly give her passport to Yunho? She almost thought that her father was selling her to prince of some foreign land as a slave (she’s alone at home. She watches a lot of TV). Another giveaway was the fact that Hankyung suddenly sent Heechul to some charity event. But France or not, Heechul would have hit Yunho with the expensive and heavy heirloom vase the second he walked through the door.

“Yunnie, why did you bring us to Nice?”

“because I thought you’ve already been to Paris.”

“7 times, but why would you bring me to Nice just for a day?”

“because I want our love to be eternal.”

Jaejoong was getting more and more confused as Yunho spoke in circles. She just concentrated on the new sights. She’s been to France so many times but never gone past the Seine. Every time she came with her mother, all she saw were stick-figure models putting on her mother’s couture. Twice she came here with her father on his business trip and he specially made time to show her the Notre Dame and Champs-Elysees the first time. He wanted to take her up the Eifel too but Jaejoong had fallen and gotten a concussion before they could even cross Champ de Mars. So he took her there the second time when his conference clashed with Father’s day.

Nice though felt refreshing. It was warmer than Paris, that characteristic Mediterranean climate being so pleasant. She had seen pictures of Le Vieux Nice and wanted to go there for the longest time but the urban area was charming too.    

“Yunnie?”

“hmmm?”

“isn’t Paris the city of love? How can we make our love eternal in Nice?”

“you're not going to give up are you?”

“try having being whisked to France when you were expecting to have dinner in the new French restaurant in Seoul. The mystery is running my first date experience.”

“then it’s a good thing we’re here.” 

Jaejoong’s eyes fell on the marble statue standing proud in the square. Giuseppe Garibaldi’s imposing structure had Jaejoong’s mind muddled.

“Place Garibaldi? Yunnie, how’s a statue of an Italian general related to us? Let’s just go to Old Nice from here.” Jaejoong pointed at the direction the street led to the old town.

“it’s not Garibaldi, boo. It’s the place itself. This place has some important memories.”

“you’ve been here before?”

“once. I was 5. We were on a vacation and I was excited to go to the beach. Sadly, dad’s stomach didn’t agree with airplane food and he couldn’t leave the hotel room. Mom of course had to take care of. But I was a kid. I felt hurt that my parents