Ocean Wide

6. Free

Hyun Bin

I wake up to an unusual smell. A very good smell.

The smell floats through my nose and makes me open my eyes. And despite the stiff back, the corner of my mouth curls up for a smile upon welcoming my first sight of the day.

"Stop looking at me from that far away." I tell Ye Jin who stands by her bedroom's door looking at my sleeping self. She smiles and shrugs.

"I'm enjoying the view."

"Of what? Me bundling up in these blankets?" That makes her giggling.

"Yes. I'm taking a mental picture of you being here, so when you are halfway back to Seoul, I can still imagine you around."

"You can always come home with me."

"Yeah, I wish I could do that." Ye Jin smiles and walks towards the sofa I sleep in putting the coffee mug she brings on the table. I lift my body up to a sitting position and make room for her.

"Is that for me?" I ask her pointing to the coffee on the table. She reaches out to take it and gives it to me.

"I don't know how you take your coffee, though. You need to tell me for next time." I sip my coffee then with my other hand reaches behind her nape to bring her closer.

"Good morning," I greet her when our lips just a breadth of hair away.

"Good morning." She replies softly. Then my lips close in on hers, exploring her mouth gently. Before it escalates to anything, we separate. Or we won't go anywhere.

"What do you want to do today? I think we finally get a sun." She says as she looks out of the window. I follow where her eyes go and sure enough, sunlight starts to stream through.

Oh, finally. After two days of rain. Not complaining at all here, all I need is the woman beside me. Although, we braced the rain and still went out yesterday; traversing the covered passage of Paris, visiting L'atelier des lumières, and... walking alongside Seine river where Ye Jin decided to forego the umbrella and get wet.

We were so free, so giddy, so in love.

It was heaven. When in the world will I get the chance to be out with the woman I'm dating as freely as this? There's no chance we can do that in Seoul.

Ye Jin is a big name in the fashion industry, yes, but press is generally situated more in the biggest spot in the city. That was why we were careful and picked spots that were not as obvious like Eiffel Tower and the likes.

We enjoyed the illusion of anonimity where we pretended we were just normal couple going on a vacation in the city of love and not someone from our respective industries.

Albeit only for a short time. I leave for Seoul this evening. Ye Jin will stay... for another two weeks. In fact, this afternoon, she has an appointment with a designer to talk about some collaboration.

Damn, I miss her already.

I caress her hand in mine before answering. "I want to buy something for Jung Hoon and my best friend, Kang Kun Taek."

"Le Marais, c'est parfait. They have many choices of souvenirs to bring home. And there's this store that is fronted by library cafe that I frequently visit."

"Sounds good. When do you think we have to go to the airport?"

Ye Jin pouts. "Do you need to bring that up, now?"

I chuckle and kiss her nose, "Sorry. Sorry, okay, I'm gonna shower then off we go. Thank you for coffee, Jinnie-ah."

I am washing my face when I realize I need to shave and I don't bring a shaver. Does Ye Jin have one? I exit the shared bathroom in the living room and goes to the direction of her bedroom. The door is nearly closed with just a little space to peek in.