Love Across Universe

Love Unfolded In Paris

Soojin

I groaned as Alex made us run to the Seine River.

"You fucking made me run 5 km ALEX! I hate you," I was panting heavily and he gave me a bottle containing orange juice.

"Look, there's our cruise," he pointed his hands towards a cruise and I was star-struck.

It was a giant cruise which would give us a tour of Paris, but it was quite expensive.

"Alex, you didn't have to. It's quite exp-," he cut me off by giving me a quick peck.

"You speak too much. Consider this as our first babymoon," he winked and I became tomato.

Stepping my foot on the cruise, I felt a knot of excitement building in my chest. I was eager to view Paris from a different vantage point now. As the cruise started it's mundane journey gracefully, Alex held my hand and together we enjoyed the cool breeze and breathtaking sights which unfolded before us.

As our giant cruise passed through various places, Paris's important landmarks stood tall and proud reflecting their magnificent auras, history and respect that they had gained from their ancient past.

As the cruise moved along the river currents, we journeyed beneath beautiful arches of ancient bridges. A sense of anticipation and wonder washed over me as I imagined that I was stepping down into the history of countless generations that had come here before me.

I glanced at Alex whose gaze was fixed towards a particular building which had Gothic architecture. It took me hardly 30 secs to identify that historical building. It was the majestic Notre-Dame Cathedral. Unfortunate us, got to see only the remains because of a fire which destroyed it but visitors still enjoyed the stunning architectural brilliance of that period.

We came across Pont Alexandre III, which was an ornate bridge beautifully sculptured by statues and gold embellishments.

Our cruise halted there as all the passengers got down. I bit my lips when Alex held my hand and pulled me in his embrace.

"Can we just stay like this for a moment?" he asked closing his eyes and for the very first time I felt how comfortable the warmth of hug of your lover felt.

I hummed and closed my eyes. Standing in this iconic bridge with your lover's arms wrapped around you, soft river breeze blowing your hair, the sun smiling brightly in the cloudless sky - ah....that's what love is - where you can enjoy every moment with your mate.

He kissed my forehead and moved further to clicked candid pictures of 'us'.

"I am gonna make a photo card, frame it and decorate it prettily just like how Sooah decorates the photocards of her favourite K-celebrities," I chimed looking at those lovely pictures and Alex chuckled.

At Night

The waiter served us some special French dishes.

As Alex inserted a steak in his mouth, he abruptly asked me, "Soojin, do you have any best friend?"

I paused and thought for a while before answering him. "Oh yeah, I had and he was basically my everything- everything." I repeated the last word twice and bit my lips.

"He? Where's he now?" Alex asked with eyes glued on me.

"Well...he and his family went missing. That happened almost a decade ago....when we were just 15 and it eventually happened on my 15th birthday."

"That's why you don't celebrate your birthdays?" he furrowed his brow.

"Umm...kinda true. It was the second biggest loss of my life and I cannot afford to remember that day and be cheerful. After his death, he came in my dreams many times. He still does. I don't whether that voice I hear in my dreams is his or the vaguely figures which I sometimes see is him or not, but still over the years I wasn't able to bring up the courage to celebrate my special days," I paused giving Alex a few moments to proceed.

"And eventually birthdays meant nothing to me, no more," I smiled at the blue lagoon mojito knowing that throughout my life I had to carry this terrible fate and this miserable past - which couldn't be changed.

"Wait, how are you saying that he is dead? You said he went missing?"

"That's what the cops informed...I lost all my hope," I looked down at my plate. "And you know what's funnier? He was a French guy."

Alex's eyes lit up, "You're stupid Soojin! I will try my best to search for his whereabouts online There's not a thing that the internet can hid from me."

"Alex, calm down. The French cops tried too...there's of no use now. The past is past, let it pass," I held his hand with a frown.

"That's exactly what I am trying to say. So why are you still clutching that past tightly? What happened has happened. You can't change it, can you? From this year, you're gonna forget that incident and celebrate your birthdays with me and Sooah."

"Don't you think I tried? Yes, I tried but it was of no use," I said and he scoffed.

"I will make you forget that incident. By the way, if you want I can look for the digital footprints of his and his family's online activities. Let's go back to the US and I will try my best to help you find him out."

He said everything quite calmly and I knew that nothing was impossible for Alex Anderson.

Would I ever get to meet you in this life?

If I didn't, then I would just believe that we have surely met somewhere in the Alternate Universe and living our lives happily.