The next morning.

Yi Soo slowly pushed open her heavy eyelids.

Rubbing her still sleepy eyes, she looked at the clock and saw it was just past 7 AM.

‘I only slept for two hours.’

Yi Soo had come home yesterday, or rather this dawn, when the world was just starting to brighten dimly.

Her muscles felt as sore as her heart had been burning hot during that time.

It had been an extremely long day from yesterday morning until this dawn.

“It was the happiest birthday of my life.”

Remembering what Ji Ho had whispered when they parted in front of her house a few hours ago, Yi Soo’s lips curved up involuntarily.

Yesterday had been a happy day for Yi Soo too.

She wanted to make Ji Ho as happy as he made her.

Closing her eyes that were still not fully awake, Yi Soo recalled last night again.

Was it just a vivid dream?

Every moment that came to mind was so romantic that her face flushed red on its own.

There were moments so sensual that just thinking about them made her body hair stand on end, but remembering his sweet touch that made her heart tickle made her smile automatically.

Knock knock.

Just as Yi Soo was deeply lost in thoughts of Ji Ho, there was a knock on the door.

“Yi Soo. Are you up?”

“Yes, Mom.”

Hye Jin opened Yi Soo’s door and came in.

“What time did you come home last night?”

“Pretty late…”

Yi Soo couldn’t bring herself to say it was this dawn.

Considering that Hye Jin usually fell asleep before midnight, glossing over like this meant no one would know.

“Were you with your friend for that long?”

Hye Jin looked at Yi Soo with narrowed eyes, tilting her head.

“Yes. After dinner we went around here and there. We went to the park, then to Tower Bridge. Even late at night, there were a lot of people in front of it.”

Yi Soo’s excuses grew longer as she tried to avoid Hye Jin’s questioning.

Hye Jin, who had married her first love and failed, had often spoken conservatively to Yi Soo about dating.

She had said many times that you shouldn’t fall too hard for a man you met when you were young and naive, or that you’d surely regret liking someone just for their handsome looks.

It was all from Hye Jin’s own experience.

It certainly wasn’t just his good looks that made Yi Soo like Ji Ho, but if Hye Jin met Ji Ho, Yi Soo could see her worrying at first sight.

Ji Ho’s excessively handsome face sometimes led to such unfair prejudices.

“Well, I’m glad you had fun…”

“Ah, I should get up now.”

Just as Hye Jin was about to start nagging, Yi Soo threw off her blanket and got out of bed.

She didn’t have confidence in keeping up the lie if it went on any longer here.

“Mom, I think I need to get ready and have breakfast quickly.”

“Okay. Alright. Get ready and come out.”

Thanks to Ji Ho booking the morning train to Paris, saying he wanted to go as soon as possible, Yi Soo had to hurry.

She had roughly packed before going out yesterday, but checked once more to see if anything was missing.

One carry-on suitcase and one shoulder bag were all her luggage.

After moving her luggage in front of the door, Yi Soo went to the dining room for breakfast.

**

On the morning Ji Ho was leaving for Paris.

Yeon Soo felt sorry seeing Yoo Mi, who was always cheerful and bouncy, constantly drooping her shoulders and looking listless.

But she couldn’t ask Ji Ho for anything, nor could she step in herself in this situation.

Yeon Soo pushed forward the side dishes Yoo Mi liked to eat and said,

“Yoo Mi, after breakfast, let’s go out and have fun at lots of nice places today too.”

This was all Yeon Soo could do.

“Okay, Aunt.”

She wondered if it might be better if Ji Ho wasn’t in sight.

Yoo Mi’s complexion looked even darker today.

After Ji Ho left early yesterday morning, Yoo Mi had sighed with a lost expression.

During their stay in London, Ji Ho wasn’t exactly cold, but besides breakfast, it was hard to even see his face, and even when they did meet, all he did was return greetings.

From tomorrow, she wouldn’t even be able to do that much.

Ji Ho treated Yoo Mi no more and no less than a guest who had come to his house.

It wasn’t much different even though they were in the same house.

Yoo Mi felt ridiculous and even pitiful for having expected and been excited about this trip, thinking it was a great opportunity.

‘What on earth am I doing here, coming all this way?’

In the 5 days, nothing had progressed between her and Ji Ho, remaining exactly the same.

“Ji Ho said he’s going to Paris today, right?”

Soo Min asked Ji Ho while eating breakfast.

Soo Min was about to ask if he was going with Yi Soo as she had guessed, but decided not to as there was no need to provoke Yoo Mi further.

She didn’t want to rub salt into Yoo Mi’s wounded heart.

“Yes.”

“I see. Have a fun trip and we’ll see you again in Seoul later.”

“Yes. Be careful on your way back to Seoul too, Aunt.”

“Thank you.”

“Yoo Mi, you be careful going back too.”

It was the first time he had spoken to Yoo Mi first during their stay in London.

Whether he liked it or not, he had no intention of maintaining bad feelings with Yoo Mi, who was legally family with Yi Soo.

‘If Yoo Mi had been Yi Soo’s real sister, I would have treated her really well.’

He felt a bit regretful.

“Okay. Thanks, Oppa.”

Yoo Mi nodded slowly, trying to hide her disappointment.

It was the last conversation Yoo Mi had with Ji Ho in London.

**

Ji Ho sent a text to Yi Soo saying he was leaving and left the house.

Yeon Soo followed Ji Ho out to the front door.

“I said I’d take you.”

“It’s okay. I’ll call when I arrive.”

Ji Ho said, lightly hugging Yeon Soo.

“Alright. I wanted to see Yi Soo once while you were here, but it’s a shame you’re leaving like this.”

“Next time when you come to Seoul, we’ll see her together then.”

Ji Ho didn’t want to invite Yi Soo to the house where Soo Min and Yoo Mi were.

It was obvious it would be an uncomfortable time.

Moreover, considering that Yi Soo had cleared an entire day for Ji Ho’s birthday during her short schedule, he felt bad asking for more of her time.

“I guess we’ll have to. By the way… are you going with Yi Soo?”

Yeon Soo was going to pretend not to know until the end, but asked Ji Ho.

With Yoo Mi and Soo Min always around, she hadn’t had a chance to ask even though she was curious.

Ji Ho looked at Yeon Soo’s expression and hesitated a bit before answering.

“Yes. I begged to go together because she said she hadn’t been to Paris.”

“Ah, I see. So that’s it.”

Yeon Soo nodded, thinking her guess was right.

‘If they’re traveling together, they must really be more than just friends.’

To be honest, her impression of Yi Soo wasn’t very good because of what she had heard from Soo Min.

Yeon Soo’s expression became awkward due to the various thoughts crossing her mind.

‘What do mothers usually say to their sons going on a trip with their girlfriends?’

Yeon Soo hesitated, then opened her mouth.

“Ji Ho… you should cherish Yi Soo as much as you like her. You know what I mean, right?”

It was a word of motherly concern as Ji Ho’s mother.

She believed Ji Ho would understand well enough with just this much said.

“Yes. Don’t worry.”

Ji Ho gently stroked Yeon Soo’s back with his large hand.

Looking into Yeon Soo’s eyes filled with worry, he smiled as if to reassure her.

“Be careful of pickpockets in Paris. If anything happens, contact me right away. Take good care of Yi Soo too.”

“Yes.”

Ji Ho answered, hugging Yeon Soo’s small shoulders.

The thought of being with Yi Soo 24 hours a day for the next ten days kept a smile on Ji Ho’s face.

“Do you like Yi Soo that much?”

Ji Ho had been grinning with joyful eyes since morning.

Yeon Soo couldn’t help but smile too, wondering how much he must like Yi Soo to look like that.

Ji Ho, who had only eaten breakfast yesterday before going out, hadn’t come home all night.

Yeon Soo had heard the front door open before dawn this morning.

Even though he probably hadn’t slept properly, Ji Ho’s face showed no sign of fatigue.

“Yes.”

Yeon Soo laughed seeing Ji Ho answer with an expression that couldn’t hide how happy he was.

“I can tell just by looking at your face.”

“It’s hot, you should go inside now.”

It was a beautiful summer morning with a sky as blue as Ji Ho’s excited heart.

**

Late at night.

The Eiffel Tower sparkled brilliantly for 5 minutes every hour on the hour.

Yi Soo was smiling brightly in Ji Ho’s arms, watching the sight.

Beyond the hotel room window, the Eiffel Tower was flaunting its beautiful figure, emitting dazzling lights of various colors.

Not forgetting Yi Soo’s words that she wanted to see the Eiffel Tower first in Paris, Ji Ho had booked a hotel where they could see the Eiffel Tower from their room.

“Wow, it’s so beautiful.”

Yi Soo exclaimed in admiration.

The first impression during the day had been disappointing, just a large and tall iron structure, but it had completely transformed with just the lighting.

Ji Ho hugged Yi Soo tightly from behind, looking at the same view.

“It feels like a dream…”

The palace-like hotel, the dazzlingly bright Eiffel Tower, and Ji Ho holding Yi Soo in his arms.

Everything surrounding Yi Soo felt unreal.

“It’s not a dream.”

Ji Ho said, kissing Yi Soo’s cheek.

It wasn’t a dream that would disappear as soon as she woke up, but a vivid happiness she could feel.

Yi Soo didn’t want to look away even for a moment from this dreamlike atmosphere that felt so romantic.

She stood blankly for a while, as if mesmerized by the brilliantly sparkling lights.

Though she might get used to it if she saw it every day, for now just looking at it was enough to make her heart flutter and pound.

“How long are you going to keep looking?”

Ji Ho, who had been hugging Yi Soo from behind, asked as he let go.

“I don’t know. Until I get tired of it?”

Yi Soo answered like that, knowing she wouldn’t easily tire of it.

She didn’t mean to, but she just couldn’t take her eyes off it easily.

“Your legs must hurt.”

Though Yi Soo was leaning against the long vertical window, Ji Ho thought she must be tired, considering she had only slept for a few hours after coming in this dawn.

Ji Ho pulled a tea table chair behind Yi Soo and sat her down.

“Sit here and watch comfortably. I’ll shower first and come out.”

“Okay.”

Ji Ho took out underwear and pajamas to change into from his suitcase.

On his way to the bathroom, he looked back briefly, but Yi Soo was sitting without even glancing at Ji Ho.

‘I wonder if I’ll end up sleeping alone at this rate.’

Ji Ho entered the bathroom, wondering if he had booked a hotel with a good view for nothing.

The sound of Ji Ho showering could be heard from the bathroom.

Yi Soo slowly took her eyes off the beautiful scenery and headed to the suitcase that was still where the staff had placed it.

She couldn’t spend her first trip with Ji Ho and her first trip to Paris just staring at the Eiffel Tower.

She unlocked the suitcase, unzipped it, and opened it wide.

Thud.

She took out clothes one by one and hung them all on hangers, and placed cosmetics and personal items on top of the dresser.

She also took out all her underwear and pajamas and neatly organized them in the drawer.

As she was closing the now empty suitcase and zipping it up, the water sound suddenly stopped, and a moment later Ji Ho came out of the bathroom.

A nice fragrance wafted strongly from his damp hair and body.

“Are you finally done admiring the view?”

Ji Ho asked with a smirk.

“Yeah. I’m going to shower now too.”

Yi Soo got up, holding her underwear and pajamas.

“Come in and let’s shower together.”

Yi Soo glared lightly at Ji Ho, who was grinning mischievously, and entered the bathroom.

When she finished showering, the same fragrance that had come from Ji Ho wafted from Yi Soo’s head to toe.

As she opened the bathroom door, neatly dressed in her pajamas, it was strangely quiet.

Had he fallen asleep in the meantime?

Yi Soo unknowingly held her breath and tiptoed out.