CHAPTER III

THE GUY BEHIND A LENS

“All this time the joke was all on me, Blame all your life on me…

Just blame all your life on me, I gave it all for free...

Blame all your life on me…”

-The Pretty Reckless: Blame On Me-

Roll! Roll! Roll!

Earth was rolling!

The rotation of earth did the job. Always brought a new day for creatures that had battle in everyday of their life. Still struggling with what they had dealt before. Sometimes, never gave up to pour the rain, soaking those hearts that had drained like a dessert.

ABOUT 2 YEARS LATER…

3 PM. March 28th 2017. The Town.

“Crap! I’m late.” I said to myself, take a peek at my watch.

Walking to my black SUV Evoque, quickly open the door. I drive this car as fast as I can.

Thought, I never want to let you wait me so long.

I know how it feels. Miserable!

Hope the traffic jam, walk away from my side.

Let me arrive before you…

He wore dark brown suit matched with soft light brown tie as completion. Pair of oxford shoes that made stompy sound while he was walking toward a coffee shop. He took a peep at his shinning gold Rolex watch. It was 10 minutes earlier, he thought. He was entry in, looked around. Seemed, he was the one who arrived firstly, let out the breath. The waiter approached him with black white uniform that was completed by black vest as an accent, stated that it wasn’t common coffee shop. 

The waiter asked and smiled sincerely, “Can I ask you, how…?”

The waiter cut off as he showed his index and middle fingers as sign it was for two persons. Then the waiter directed to the empty spot in the middle of coffee shop.  

The waiter gave him the menu, “If you need anything…”

Without took a look at the menu, he said, “One Irish coffee. And uhm… one hot cappuccino, split the sugar.”  

Then waved his hand, asked him to leave. The waiter nodded his head, as he understood the point. The waiter left him alone. He played his finger on the corner of table, sound like trot while he was waiting for someone. Still, the person didn’t show up. He took off his phone from shirt pocket under his suit. He stared at the screen, still made trot sound with his other hand.

He sighed, talked as monologue, “Does it so hard for you to reply my message?”

I’ve never thought that you are as hard as a stone…

But I still believe that at the end of this road,

I will be with you, till the end of time…

Likes drop of water that persist to hit the big rock,

That’s how I describe my love to you…

The waiter came and brought his order. The waiter placed neatly on the table, smiled-nodded and left. While waiting, he diagonal combed his slight wave greasy black hair, sipped his Irish coffee. Afterward someone came in to the coffee shop, flipped once her slight golden brown hazelnut hair. She wore creamy brown skirt covering her lap and white loose shirt. She used sunglasses as her completion.

He smiled and slight waved his hand to that person as sign where his seat was. She smiled and approached, perched to sit on the comfy single sofa in front of him. While he was staring coldly, she arched her eyebrow behind her channel sunglasses.

“Irish coffee in steamy day? Are you really that stress?” she shook her head.

He blurted, didn’t care about the question before, “Could you take of the sunglasses? It really bothers me!”

Instead took the sunglasses, she grinned and sipped the cappuccino, which had had on the table. He rolled his eyes, put his hands in front of his chest. Showing that he was bothered by those sunglasses stuff.

“Okay, okay Kai. I put it down. What a joke.” Putting down the sunglasses on the table and faced him with smile.

Kai said boldly, “You better did it, Vic.”

Victoria smiled and blinked jokey her right eyelid. It had never failed to make Kai smiled freely. He did, chuckle. Putting his hand on his mouth covered his teeth, which was shinning white neatly. He shook his head slowly, thought that, didn’t she knows how old is she to do such an old lame flirty. But, she looked enjoy it. She wasn’t ashamed with this kind of act that she purposely did to draw a smile on Kai’s face. She sincerely did it under name of friendship.

Victoria had known, black sunglasses and Kai had kind of cat and mouse freakish theory. She knew a reason behind the freakish lining. Still, it was fun, making him a little bit annoyed. When he was smile, it turned him into different person that she had known, probably slight well.

“How’s your work?” Kai polite asked.

“Are you really sure, texted me to come here for asking about my work? Like you care.” She blunt stated the point of their afternoon appointment.

“She hasn’t come back, has she?” Victoria narrowed the statement. Pitching on him.

Though, she was sounded rude. Kai understood she, type of bluntly woman who was care and sincere toward her circumstance. Kai jokey smiled, he knew the old trick must be renewed. Had a prediction that she sensed his main point. Victoria caught him.

“Yeah, you got me.” He raised his hands and shrugged.

Victoria smirked, knowing that she couldn’t be fooled, “She texted me days ago, told that she probably come back in a week.”

“She texted you?” He stated to make sure what he just heard, jarred.

Victoria sensed it, blurt, “What is this? You’re…”

Kai cut off, “How’s your parent?” he asked, stirred the topic. Looked calmer than before.

Victoria caught up the topic, which was changed so sudden. She understood that Kai tried to hide behind his engineless illusion. Postponed the fact that he didn’t want to hear. This time, she answered other sh*te question that he threw, pretended that he asked for real. She didn’t play scheme. Tackled it with proper manner, like a true friend.

“Fine. How’s yours?” She asked. Replied like what she got.

Kai smiled faintly, combed diagonally his black greasy hair. Victoria stared at him. They started new topic, easier than before. 

3 PM. March 28th 2017. France – Paris, The Angouleme Cathedral.

The trademark of Paris was city of inspiration, art, and fashion. The hoi polloi were really excited to taste the experience of love in Paris. Like they say that it is the fairy-like city. When the sun was lighting up the Angouleme Cathedral as one of the Paris trademark representation, for sure. There was trade that couldn’t be bought by someone even though in Paris. It was the last trademark, called love. 

The blonde girl sat down on comfy chair under the trees, across the Angouleme Cathedral. She wore YSL’s white shirt under her black leather jacket, which was looked fit on her body. Those pattern light blue shorts revealed her smooth legs, perfectly matched with her upper cloth. The pair of miu-miu’s black and flower pattern platform shoes made the strong point statement for her outfit.

“Krystal,” That man said to the blonde girl, approaching, “Sorry but we need more time to set the spot.” She stared at that man for a sec and, just nodded coldly without said any single word. That man smiled faintly and left her alone, prepared the set. 

She was Krystal, without Jung anymore. Now, she became international model who was known by her coldly manner. She didn’t seem bothered with that title. In fact she didn’t care about it. She did model for her own purpose, not for fame, money and so. 

Knowing the photo-shot would take longer; she grabbed her earphone and plugged it to her ear. Played song ‘Blame on me’ by The Pretty reckless. She did change a lot since 2 years ago, not only her appearance but also her personality. She became introvert, quiet, and cold toward people even though they were close or not.

She stared at her phone behind her Blanc and éclaire’s sunglasses. Looked some picture from her past memories, Amber. Maybe it was too much, but over the past 2 years, she only could slight smile when she saw it. But still, that smile traced some pain too. She had known it.

Where are you, Amb?

Did you hate me that much, cut me off from your life?

Did you punish me cause I had chose my family over you?

If it is true, then it is the cruel thing that you have ever done to me…

But that’s the truth,

Honestly, this is the most regret decision that I have done in my life…

If I could turn back the time,

I would stay by your side no matter what…

It was the words that always came in her mind wherever she saw Amber’s picture. Sometimes, when she was alone, she cried, felt totally regret over her choice. Felt guilty to Amber.

Then, her phone distracted her thought. One message was sent to her phone after she had had 27 messages that she hadn’t replied at all. It was sent by the same person.

-How do you do today, Krys? When do you come back? I will pick you up at airport. Love you- From: 0987999-xxxxx

She just stared coldly through her phone screen. She closed the message, didn’t want to reply it at all. Put it down, lifted her head. She captured mild message from The Angouleme Cathedral that stood robustly. She slight bent her head, narrowed her eyes. Understanding the mild code. She closed her eyes. Reminding.

The Angouleme Cathedral had 70 sculptures as the façade decoration