𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐡 ||| 𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐯 (𝟑)

[ 𝟕 ]

My feet halted at the bottom of the stairs where a luxurious vintage hickory brown boat was parked. I glanced at the clock on my phone and frowned.

According to the note, I was five minutes late. The small piece of paper Jaehyun passed to me on behalf of his friend was now located deep in the pockets of my berry blue jeans. Oh, and a crisp white button-up shirt tucked into the jeans—a classic blue and white combo. The writer of the note stepped off the boat and waited across from me.

"I'm sorry, I sort of got lost on my way here," I spoke as I scratched the back of my head.

"Don't worry, the boat wasn't going to leave without you."

The black-haired man offered his hand as we boarded the boat. As it took off, I scanned the boat and was impressed by its décor. In front of the penny brown seats was a table with a candle in the middle. Next to the candle were carefully placed wine glasses and, of course, a wine bottle to fill them with. To top off the aesthetic atmosphere, slow jazz played from a corner of the boat.

"Here's a mini-tour of Paris, night at La Seine version," a modulated voice spoke beside me.

In my admiration, I had forgotten Ten's soothing fingers on my wrist. We lingered near the setup. He let go of my hand at a point; I didn't have the words to tell him that I missed his delicate touch. My wrist felt empty without it. Placing my blue and white shoulder bag on the table, I walked up to the rails of the boat. I gazed at his reflection in the water and my lips curved upwards. Our eyes met for a moment; the moment fleeted away as Ten raised his hand to gesture toward a golden pyramid in the distance.

"That's the Louvre," he noted.

We chatted about our week and he occasionally pointed out a monument or two. Our chats turned into laughs, laughs that echoed through the rivers, laughs that formed a couple of tears that I wiped away. I glimpsed at Ten as a bridge passed over us. There was something about him that felt otherworldly to me, as if he was an ethereal being out of my dreams. Gazing into his eyes was like staring into the night sky glimmering with stars. I couldn't help but get lost in him, his eyes and his mysterious allure making me forget about everything else. I would've lost myself for a lifetime in those eyes of his, if I could.

"Do you like the view?"

I raised an eyebrow, unsure if he asked about his face or Paris. Either way, both of them were great, and I made sure to convey that.

"Mingxia?" Ten faced me, placing his hand on the railing and slightly leaning towards the water. "In the short amount of time I've known you, you've captured my heart. I may not know you really well, but I would love to have a more intimate relationship with you."

I looked at him and blinked a couple of times.

"Are you asking me out?"

He chuckled and nodded in response. I returned a smile and rested my hand on his hand.

"Of course."

Ten shifted his weight away from the railing and gestured to the seating area.

"Would you like to drink some wine?"

I nodded and we sat down on the sofa. He opened a wine bottle labeled Tavel and poured each glass, offering me the first. I accepted it and waited for him to drink it first. Then, I followed his steps. First, I swirled the intense blood-red wine. Then, I lifted the glass to inhale the distinct scent of blackberries and plum. Lastly, I took a sip of the wine which tasted bold and captivating, matching its fruity elements.

As I set down my glass, noticing the lingering leather aroma, I felt a tap on my shoulder. Ten pointed upwards and the iconic Eiffel Tower greeted us from the distance, it's golden glow reflecting itself in the water. For a few seconds, it shimmered as if glitter was sprinkled over it. However, its beauty was incomparable to the beauty of the man sitting beside me.