Ah, Paris. The City of Light where at night the whole world seems to lighten up by thousands of fairy lights from every corner, a top the Eiffel Tower you'd have the most beautiful in sight, a river of stars below your feet.
Paris, The City of Love where two people meet and feelings bloom. Everyday, lovers would visit the city for honeymoon. Visit the restaurants, enjoy the bridge and propose a promise to your lover. Music is always around, like people's smile and smell of happiness.
But amidst of light and love, there's Kai sitting on a stool in a little stage with his band, he plays guitar for every lovers in the restaurant. Creating romantic vibes with a classical tune.
His eyes close as his fingers strum and he hums. The busy chatters and laughters in the room seem to dilute his thoughts on his mind and focus on his perfomance, something he has been doing ever since he arrived in France to work.
The owner of the restaurant stood up on the stage making the instruments slowly fades. The blue haired owner announces a goodnight, “Thank you guys so much! We hope you enjoy the night.”
People applause for a moment. And Kai stood up from his seat, arranging his coat and taking his guitar on his hold. He walked off stage and see's their manager waiting for him.
“Huening Kai my little one!” The elder drape his arm over his shoulders, although a bit shorter than him the elder still looks at him as if he's the 'little' with a grin on his face.
“Y-yeonjun,” Kai stutters. It seems like Yeonjun had a lot of beer already, he walks with him with sways. “Should I put you in to your room now?” he offered.
The restaurant is a two-in-one place anyway, the whole big living room became the restaurant. A five star restaurant and center of Paris with the most delicious foods made, owned by Choi Yeonjun who's actually Korean.
Kai applied here as a performer/entertainer when his bestfriend Soobin told him that he's going to France to work as a chef, Kai grabbed the chance and come too. Luckily they're here with a familiar, a Korean too like them.
This restaurant is beautiful, from the open stage for band and music the food and decor, a lot of lovers came here for that but also because the restaurant itself is bright, chandeliers and lamps shade pinks and purple, a whole interior that only opens at night.
And at the back of restaurant are a building that Kai is dorming alongside his friend Soobin and also landlord Yeonjun. He is his boss for all the time. Kind and funny guy but with alcohol issues.
“No i'm fine,” his boss rejects pulling away from him to stand properly by himself. Yeonjun points at him with his finger dizzily “You should go out and have fun kid.”
“Me?” he asks again, “I'm on my way home too anyways so—”
Yeonjun took out a handful of cash and pushes it on his chest “Go. Out. And. Have. Fun.” He said sternly, in a way he do whenever Kai have to do something (Like hanging up laundry at the rooftop)
Kai is surprised, the cash on his chest and some falling out is too much— Just like dealing with his boss. He tries to hold them and properly give it back to Yeonjun but the elder is glaring at him already. Kai gives up “Okay but why?”
“I'm so tired looking at your gloomy face.” Yeonjun slurrs, pushing his shoulder lightly making him smile awkwardly, does he really look gloomy? Kai thought on himself.
“And look around! You are in Paris kid, you should find some brightness or love outside.” Yeonjun tells him, pointing at the lovers inside the restaurant.
Couples looking at each other with heart eyes, men and women holding each others hand with rings on their finger. A gay couple on the other talking with smiles and other couples that are only blooming, like a girl and her significant other leaning across the table to leave a kiss on her cheek.
Yeonjun looks at Kai with now sincere look on his face “You've been in here for so many years Kai, find your reason.”
Kai felt his breath hitch. He came to France three years ago and with only purpose is to work and become a musician. He think he has only been contented with what he have but suddenly...
Yeonjun suddenly fell which thankfully Kai had a perfect timing to catch, stopping the elder from hitting the ground “I almost thought you become a sober for a minute,” Kai tells him.
“Let me call my maid Soobin to help me,” Yeonjun took out his phone and dials. Looking up at Kai “Now go kid the night is yours.”
Kai scratches his head. His boss is really difficult to understand sometimes but he will always be thankful, he nods his head and helps him on a chair before bowing and excuses himself to leave.
Kai walks around the city, a lot of people are walking around. The light everywhere has outshine the stars in the now empty dark sky but it's alright because there to see is the Eifell Tower.
There were several different kind of shops everywhere, flower shops, souvenir, museums, bakeries and casino but Kai has no interest in them. Maybe he wont even use the money his boss gave him, he walked pass by them.
Kai reached the Pont de l'Archevêché (Archbishop's Bridge) is a bridge where sweethearts put lock to a bridge, fence, gate, monument, for lovers to be "locked in love". And under that bridge is the Seine river, a river that flows through the heart of Paris.
Kai has walked in here a lot of times but that's only when he's going somewhere. At night, this place is filled with lovers but somehow today there are no one around.
He looks at the river as he leans on to the bridge, the locks are around him but he pays no mind. He feels the air that rushes and looks at the city lights from here.
He wonders what Yeonjun meant with 'Having fun outside'. Kai is having fun performing for the restaurant, he's having fun working for the restaurant, he's having fun that he's only been doing that for the three years he's been in here.
He looks down and held his breath, closes his eyes and thinks deeply like the river under him. He wonders, that why on all places why he's here.
In Paris? The city of Light and Love.
He opens his eyes and freezes, as he look clearly under him, in the river, a body lays on to the water. Kai felt his hand got cold— Is somebody there... dead?
He actions, pressing palms on to the steel hardly, legs crossing the fence and quickly jumps sinking himself on to the river— He have to save him, reach him. He took a deep breath as he finally reaches the surface of the water, the body in his arms.
He yells, “Somebody help! Please help! Au secours!”
He breathes in deeply again before he swim, seeing a shallow dock close in to where they are. Kai swims slowly, the body he is holding is too heavy but thankfully there's a nearby dock and its shallow too—
When he reaches he quickly pushes the body in there before lifting himself up in the water. He pants hard before sitting up and looking if there are people around but yet they're alone, the lights from the city farther from down here.
Kai looks at the body he saved, he leans his ear to its chest listening for heartbeat. He prays one second and a beat reply instantly making him feel the rush of hope in him.
He holds the face and gap its mouth open, leaning to give it an air then proceeds to pump its chest, taking out the water in its system. After a few more times thankfully, the man he saved finally pukes out the water and inhaling deeply.
Kai looks at the man in front of him, "a-are you alright?! please speak," he called. The man breathes in again before opening its eyes and soon as he did it freezes time.
Kai was astound, the eyes of the man has stars in them— it looked like it does, the sparkly light that almost outshines the city. Kai was speechless— then he remembers that this man was drowning.
He held its cold hand pulling it to the reality "My name is Kai, i-i saved you.” he said.
The man blinks his eyes, “I'm cold.” he speak.
Kai looks around but realizes that he is also soaked from the water. So he goes back to ask the necessity instead, “Do you want me to take you to the hospital, does anything hurt?”
“No,” The man answered before sitting up. “Just help me grab a taxi.” He said.
“Okay i'll help you that.” The both of them made their way and walk all through until the pass by the bridge again. Kai have so many questions to ask from him.
Why are you there? Did you jump? What is your name? Are you really alright? Are you from here? Is there any more you want? I am captivated by your honey eyes.
“Thank you for saving me,” the man stopped walking making Kai stopped on his own too “I'm afraid i have nothing yet to pay you.”
Kai shakes his head, “Its alright! You were in trouble.” he told him.
The man smiles at him “Alright then,” he said. “May I ask for a pay for taxi?”
I'd even pay to have dinner too— Kai dismisses the thought. A date soaked in water is terrible and besides he should not think of this from a man who was just drowning earlier.
“Sure!” He said. Kai called a taxi and the man hops in, the driver gave him a weird look since both of them are wet and he pays with soaked money before putting more again to insist.
The driver nods finally and Kai goes back to the man to say goodbye, “Be careful.... um”
The man pulled his hand out “My name is Taehyun,” His smiles smiling too making Kai's heart thump fast.
He reaches his hand to his hand and interlocks their hand mindlessly, eyes focusing “Taehyun...”
“See you again,” Taehyun pulled his hand away and waves leaving Kai stood there speechless the taxi driving away.