'Ah... Paris, the city of love...' said a man walking past Jaehyun, who was standing at the airport baggage counter, stunned. Next to him was Haeyoung, yelling and cursing at everyone in sight, throwing a few swear words at Jaehyun every few seconds so he didn't feel left out.
'How can you lose a whole goddamn suitcase?' she shouted at the man behind the counter, who clearly wanted to be anywhere but there.
'Ma'am, we would like to–'
'Go back to Korea and get my bag,' she cut him off.
'Ma'am... we don't know how this happened but–'
'It's all your fault,' she turned to Jaehyun. 'You just had to exist and make my life miserable.'
As a matter of fact, it was Jaehyun's fault. He vaguely remembered Haeyoung telling him to get her bag onboard while she went to the bathroom. He also vaguely remembered asking an attendant in the VIP lounge to get this done for him. And, he sort of, maybe even somewhat clearly remembered seeing a suitcase of the same make and shape being left behind as he was leaving.
'Ugh!'
'Listen,' he whispered, pulling her aside.
'What?' she snapped.
'Why don't you let me handle this?' he said and turned to the man behind the counter who now had tears in his eyes.
'Hi, what's your name?'
'Jeno,' he replied.
'That's a lovely name. I am Jaehyun.'
'I know,' he sniffled.
'You know...' Jaehyun sighed. 'Well, is there any way we can get her suitcase back?'
'N-no, Sir.'
'Alright,' he said.
Behind him, Haeyoung's mouth fell open. 'This is how you handle things? Honestly, how is your–'
'–company still not bankrupt,' he mimicked. 'Yeah, I know. But guess what? I am still the President.'
'Some President,' she scoffed. 'Can't even handle a suitcase.'
'Oh, my god.' He rolled his eyes. 'You know what.'
'What?'
'You know what?'
'WHAT?'
'I–'
'Yeah, learn how to speak first.'
He gasped, looking from Jeno to Haeyoung.
'I'll tell you what we are going to do now,' she said. 'Sue them first.'
'We can't sue them.''
'Why not?'
'Haeyoung, we are not suing the airline.'
'No, I want you to sue the airport.'
'An airport is a building. We can't sue the airport.'
'Then, you are going to buy me a whole wardrobe.'
'Well, that I can do,' he replied.
'I don't care, you– wait, what did you say?' She looked up at him, confused.
'Buy you new clothes,' he said. 'Let's do that.'
'Oh.' She wanted to say something, not sure what but the smile on his face held her in place. 'You agreed...'
'So easily?' He leaned in, pressing his lips together.
'Are you – I don't understand.'
His face grew serious and his gaze fell to the floor before meeting her eyes again. 'Well, it is my fault that your suitcase is lost. Let me make up for it.'
She considered him, sceptical. 'What mind games are you playing?'
He huffed a laugh, calling for the driver that the hotel had sent for them. 'I want to do something nice for you,' he said, almost shy at his own words but received nothing other than a raised eyebrow in reply.
Haeyoung had never been this quiet with Jaehyun, specially not when he was talking to her constantly. She was listening, nodding when necessary but that was all she did. The memory of that day had already buried itself inside her mind somewhere refusing to show itself.
She turned her eyes at him. The afternoon was pleasant outside the car but she realized that he was pleasing to look at too. Jaehyun was telling her of the story of how he became an ambassador of a records company. She had heard this story a million times before, usually under the guise of flaunting modestly.
At one of his mother's many parties, his voice had caught the attention of the President of a records company. He was on the piano, singing his mother's favourite song for the guests. Thoroughly impressed, the President had offered to introduce him to the CEO of a talent agency. But Jaehyun had declined– he had no interest in singing for others.
Though Haeyoung always made sure to point out the actual reason– his arrogance, which she did this time too and just like always Jaehyun mumbled something incoherent before continuing the story.
The President had been persistent, refusing to take no for an answer. He brought it up every time they met in the next three months. Jaehyun was declining multiple calls, a detail he liked to exaggerate with every retelling (the first time she'd heard the story, the President had called him only once).
Haeyoung waited for the number, her own smile catching her off guard when he mentioned twenty-nine this time.
'What?' he said, seeing her chuckle.
She immediately shook her head, almost horrified.
'... we came to a compromise and I became the ambassador for them instead,' he finished the story.
Haeyoung nodded, turning her gaze outside, quietly chastising herself for staring at him with that stupid smile on her face.
They got out of the car on a busy street, sending the driver to the hotel they were staying at. The faint sun was a light yellow in the sky shining through the thin clouds, brightening up the grey and beige buildings around them.
'Why are we here?' she finally spoke.
'To buy you clothes, why else?'
'Oh, right.'
'Are you alright?' he asked, seeing her zone out every few seconds.
'Yes,' she replied curtly.
Unconvinced, he still nodded. 'Why don't you select a store?' he said, and Haeyoung looked about her.
They were surrounded by posh storefronts of some of the most sophisticated luxury brands in the world. There were some names she recognized, and others she couldn't even pronounce but the one thing they all had in common was how terribly expensive they all were.
As much as Haeyoung had enjoyed spending his money before and on some of these brands too in the past, it wasn't the same anymore. It was no fun when he was so willing and she realized that the overpriced dresses held no value to her, after all, if she could not annoy Jaehyun by wearing them.
'That one,' she said at last, pointing to a small shop down the narrow alley, tucked between two large stores.
'That one?' Jaehyun raised an eyebrow. The store was one of the humblest looking shops in the neighbourhood with a simple placard at the front for a signboard. 'Are you sure?' he asked, despite seeing the answer in her eyes already.
'I don't want anything too extravagant,' she told him.
He pressed his lips together.
'What?'
'Nothing,' he said, shaking his head and took her hand to cross the street.
Hidden from the sun, the alley was cold and much quieter than the bustling street they had just left behind. Cafes lined the path on their left, and the right was almost entirely made up of other stores, with the one that Hayeoung had pointed to almost at the end.
It was empty except for a young man hunched over a yard of fabric. Dressed in a crisp blue suit and a measuring tape hanging around his neck, he peered over his glasses, his fingers smoothing out the creases on the high table top.
'Oh.' The young man looked up, surprised when they opened the door but smiled as they entered. 'Welcome,' he said, extending his hand to Jaehyun. 'I am Xiaojun, and this is my store.'
'Jaehyun,' he said, shaking Xiaojun's hand.
'Haeyoung.' She followed.
'Looking for something special?' Xiaojun asked, leading them inside.
'Something simple,' she replied.
But the store was anything but simple, except perhaps the signboard outside. When selecting the store what Haeyoung did not know was who, or rather how famous of a designer Xiaojun, better known as Xiao Dejun, really was.
Her feet stopped below the massive chandelier in the centre, her eyes darting to the spiral staircase with golden railings leading to the first floor. The teal painted walls, the expensive carpet below them, the designer sofa lining the wall, the light fixtures, the mannequins and the display racks all screamed of quiet luxury.
She whipped her head round at Jaehyun, who was already smiling. 'You knew...' she whispered.
His lips thinned and he sighed, holding the back of his neck.
'We are not open today,' Xiaojun said. 'But I never liked to turn someone away. I'll be at the front. You are free to look around.'
'We cannot shop here,' she hissed, the moment Xiaojun left them. She didn't have to look at the prices to know that they had to much higher than the commercial luxury brands.
'We can,' he told her.
'No, we need to leave.'
Jaehyun held her back and held her tight this time. 'What's the matter?'
'What's the matter with you?'
'I want to make up for the lost suitcase.'
'Is that what you are making up for?' she blurted out, scoffing and he let go. She had no idea where this had come from but she did not regret it.
They hadn't spoken about that day at all, and while there was an implicit understanding, she couldn't help finding an intention behind his behaviour which did not exist.
'I don't want your money,' she spoke, the emotions from that day creeping up to her eyes. 'I was just doing my job.'
He felt himself flung across the world again, the distance immeasurable like standing on each side of a vast ocean too big for either of them to cross.
'I never wanted you to find out,' she choked a sob and all Jaehyun wanted to do was to wrap his arms around her, to let her know that it was okay to cry in front of him.
But he knew how much her pride meant to her and he could not wound her once more.
'Fine,' he said. 'Let's pretend that I never found out.'
'What?' She looked up at him.
'Let's pretend that I never found out,' he repeated. 'That day never happened. I never asked you anything and you never answered.'
'You can't just pretend.'
'Why not?'
'This is so–'
'Stupid? I know,' he said. 'But if it makes you feel better, I am ready to pretend that there really does exist a man– an employee by the name of Nakamoto Yuta in my company.'
Her eyes searched for the pity she was expecting to see, but all his gaze held was sincerity. He really meant it.
'You are so annoying.' She pushed him away lightly, but he held her by her wrist.
'I like it when you say that,' he said.
The sudden closeness flustered her, but she was still Haeyoung. 'I can say that to you all day if you'd like.'
He smiled his dimpled smile, his eyes shining in the light of the chandelier. 'I would love that.'
'Did you just...'
'Did I just what?' He leaned forward, tilting his head to the side.
They both knew what he meant.
'Gross,' she scoffed. 'This is how you flirt with girls?'
'I don't flirt with girls.'
'Right...'
'Well, not anymore.'
'Ugh!' she groaned, but could not hide her blush. 'What has gotten into you?'
Jaehyun let go off her wrist and sighed, taking a step back. 'Look around,' he said. 'I want you to buy something from here.'
She considered, her eyes scanning the designs. 'I will,' she declared, after a pause. 'But I am paying for it myself. I know,' she added, cutting him off. 'I know you want to make up for... the lost suitcase but I am not going to let you off so easily.'
'What do you mean?'
'You'll see,' she said, climbing up the steps.