“…”
“That’s why you’re rushing the wedding… right? It’s not that, is it?”
“Noona, my presentation isn’t even over yet.”
“I know. I know, but…”
“…”
“For some reason, I felt like it might be possible with the CEO.”
Yuni’s eyes were so earnest, her face pale, that Yeehyeon couldn’t laugh this time.
After Yuni left, Yeehyeon suggested to Liu as he ate the pancakes he’d made.
“Kun, would you like to go for a walk to Île de la Cité tomorrow?”
“As long as you’re feeling up to it, I’d love that.”
“I’m not sick, so I want to go for a walk. I feel stuffy since I haven’t had any fresh air for two days.”
“Alright. But if you seem to have a fever, we’re coming straight back.”
He worried that his strange excitement might be noticed, but Liu seemed to accept the suggestion without any suspicion. Walks in Paris were a part of their daily life, so there was no reason to be suspicious. When the mood struck, they would even walk the round trip of over two hours to the Luxembourg Gardens.
The next day, the slightly chilly weather was perfect for a walk.
They headed straight south along the Canal Saint-Martin, then entered the Marais district, browsing the various shops.
After passing the Place des Vosges and before turning onto Rue de Rivoli, they stopped by a flower shop. Liu had spotted a basket filled with Jana roses, their large, lush buds just beginning to form.
“These will be gorgeous when they’re in full bloom, won’t they?”
Liu asked for a very small bouquet with two Jana roses mixed with ranunculus. It was a size that wouldn’t be a bother to carry on their walk.
Even then, Yeehyeon never imagined that Liu had bought the flowers for a proposal. It was common for him to give flowers as a gift. Especially when he found Jana roses, Liu never just passed them by. He always bought at least one for Yeehyeon. They were the flowers that had decorated the terrace when he had made his half-proposal at the Ritz. So there was no reason to find it strange.
Besides, Yeehyeon was completely preoccupied and tense with the thought of making his own proposal a success. Even if Liu had bought a hundred roses, he wouldn’t have thought anything of it.
By the time they were on the bridge, Yeehyeon was feeling rushed. His pace quickened, and he was practically pulling Liu’s hand as he led the way. Liu, oblivious to his state of mind, was being unusually leisurely that day.
“Yeehyeon, look. Wow… the sunset is even more beautiful than usual.”
At the pull of Liu’s hand, Yeehyeon turned around. Liu had stopped in his tracks, looking at Yeehyeon and smiling.
In that moment, Yeehyeon felt a shiver for no reason at all. He already knew what Liu was about to do, before he knelt, before he opened his lips to speak. As if a god had whispered it in his ear.
Their eyes met, and still holding hands, Liu knelt on his right knee.
Everything around them seemed to start moving in slow motion. No, it wasn’t a delusion. Many people passing over the Pont Neuf slowed their steps, watching them from a distance.
“I’m sorry for being an impatient man.”
He started with a joke, smiling, but his facial muscles were all stiff, showing he was nervous as hell.
“I said I’d wait for your decision, and here I am, pleading with you again. But it’s different from then. This time, I know for certain. That I have to say these words to you now. No, maybe I should have done this even sooner. Maybe I was too foolish.”
And then he offered the bouquet in his left hand to Yeehyeon. Looking up from below, as if offering his own heart.
“Seo Yeehyeon, let’s get married.”
His voice trembled violently within that short sentence.
Yeehyeon’s brain couldn’t catch up with the sudden, unexpected situation. He had been rushing toward his destination, only to find he had already arrived. He couldn’t help but be bewildered.
But before he could even properly register it, tears began to fall.
Just as his legs had run toward him before his mind could command them.
Yeehyeon’s hands trembled as he carefully accepted the small, simple bouquet. The onlookers cheered and applauded, and Liu stood up and pulled Yeehyeon into an embrace.
“I said it too late, didn’t I? I’m sorry.”
Hugging his waist in return, Yeehyeon shook his head firmly.
“Now is the right time. It’s now. You know it too, Kun.”
“Yes, you’re right. It’s now. It really is now, Yeehyeon-ah.”
Yeehyeon’s hot tears overflowed from between his tightly shut eyelids, soaking Liu’s shoulder. When they faced each other again, Liu’s eyelashes were also damp. He gently wiped Yeehyeon’s wet cheeks. They both chuckled, looking at each other with tears in their eyes.
Someone passed by, offering congratulations, and Liu responded with a smiling nod.
After composing himself somewhat, Yeehyeon gently kneaded Liu’s fingertips with the hand not holding the bouquet. Then, he took Liu’s hand and led the way. The people who had applauded also dispersed, each resuming their walk toward their own destinations.
On the Pont Neuf, they went down the stairs behind the equestrian statue of Henry IV toward the Square du Vert-Galant. Liu followed behind, still not knowing what was happening.
Yeehyeon led Liu not to the end of the square, but to the area under the arches of the Pont Neuf. A small boat was moored there. A middle-aged man guarding the boat saw the two of them, took off his hat, and greeted them with a polite smile.
“I asked Yuni-noona. She prepared it with Ben and Jun.”
“Was this… why you wanted to go for a walk?”
“You didn’t know, did you? You couldn’t tell, right?”
Due to his nervousness, Yeehyeon chattered in a higher-pitched voice than usual.
The boat, with its dark wood hull, had a certain charm. It was a model that could be leisurely rowed, but also had a motor.
On a small table at the back, a red-and-white checkered tablecloth was spread, and simple snacks like crackers, jam, and honey, along with white wine, were charmingly arranged. Tealights in transparent holders to protect them from the wind were also lit. It was clearly a boat specially prepared for a couple’s romantic time.
“It’s not a fancy cruise, but it’s pretty cute, right?”
“It’s more than just cute, it’s wonderful.”
“You have a boat license, Kun. I remembered that. Though you can just row this boat.”
The two sat facing each other across the table. The middle-aged man who had helped them board handed Yeehyeon the key and waved them off.
Even without any particular rowing, the boat began to drift slowly from upstream to downstream, from its starting point at Pont Neuf toward the Eiffel Tower. The golden sunlight sparkled on the waves of the Seine. It was as if someone had dropped tens of thousands of diamonds into the river.
“So you and Baek Yuni planned this little operation yesterday while I was out grocery shopping?”
“That’s right.”
“Are you doing this event because you feel sorry that I can’t go to Seoul?”
Instead of answering, Yeehyeon gave an enigmatic smile. Then he stood up and moved to the seat next to Liu. Liu held his hand to help him keep his balance. They sat side by side at the stern of the boat, watching the slowly replaying scenery of Paris.
Leaning his temple against Liu’s shoulder, Yeehyeon took his left hand. He fiddled with the ring on his ring finger and said.
“At the Ritz, when you gave me this ring, you said something.”
“…”
“That you wanted to propose in a place you were sure wouldn’t disappear for a very, very long time.”
“You remember.”
“Of course, I remember. That’s why I chose this place, too.”
Lifting his head, Yeehyeon looked up at Liu. The man who had proposed to him for the second, no, third time just a few minutes ago, was looking down at him with a warm smile, completely unaware. When their eyes met, even the beautiful scenery of Paris was nothing but a backdrop.
“Because the Seine won’t disappear, at least not while we’re alive.”
“…”
“I wanted to propose to you in a place that won’t disappear, too.”
“Ah…”
Letting out a gasp-like sigh, Liu unknowingly squeezed Yeehyeon’s hand.
“You asked me to marry you, right?”
“…”
“This is my answer.”
As if mesmerized, Liu reached out and cupped Yeehyeon’s cheek. As naturally as the river’s current, their lips met. The boat was passing under the Pont des Arts. The kiss lasted for a long time, until they passed the Louvre, the Tuileries Garden, the Place de la Concorde, and reached the Pont Alexandre III. The Seine and time itself flowed slowly.
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