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OPTION

How many chances do you have of crossing your first love?

Meeting once is just luck, but twice, wouldn't you think there's something behind it?

That's what Xenia thought when she bumped into Andrew Woo, and it was the real bump her head crashed into his chest like a crash test dummy in front of Fauchon Madelaine four months after leaving Astoria.

"Excuse me, I'm sorry," Xenia said.

"It's okay," the man replied, "Xenia?"

Xenia lifted her gaze, "Andrew, what are you doing here?"

"I've got a personal project on the way, nothing to do with Intech. I mean, I didn't get to tell you the last time with the meeting and all."

Xenia unconsciously touched her hair, "I see. So you'll be in Paris in a while?"

The man grinned, "yes."

"Great," Xenia replied with a similar smile.

The two remained to stare at each other with their idiotic smiles. Andrew was the first to break the silence, "perhaps we could have coffee sometime."

Xenia didn't get a good glimpse of him during their brief encounter in Astoria, but here in the sunlight, Andrew was more handsome than in her memory.

Yes, she had a soft for him. Andrew was her first love and the only man who never deceived her.

"Yeah, sure, we could do that. I'd love that," Xenia bite her lip, realizing how exaggeratingly enthusiastic her answer was.

"Cool, then I can have your number?" Andrew asked.

"Yeah, silly me, sure."

Xenia blushed as they exchanged numbers. She was unable to keep a straight face with Andrew. Every time she stared at him, she saw her 19-year-old self.

The man, too, appeared awkward and shy as he spoke, "I was already happy to see you at Astoria, but I'm glad to meet you again."

"Me too."

There they repeated the stupid smiling stance as if it were a woo with a smile like a form of a mating dance.

Andrew continued, not wanting to lose a grip on the flirting momentum, "maybe I can pick you up at Astoria for the coffee, I mean."

Xenia frowned, "eh, I don't work there anymore, I resigned."

"I see," Andrew said with relief.

Neither one seemed to want to leave.

"Eh, I have to go, Andrew."

The man mimicked the motion of holding a phone to his ear, "okay, I'll call you."

"Okay, bye."

Xenia only took a few steps and turned a corner when her phone vibrated. The woman smiled, seeing the caller's name.

"That was quick."

"I said I'd call."

Xenia squealed inside.

"No, seriously, Xenia, I have meetings today, but can we meet like tomorrow?"

Andrew was American, but he had that ppalri ppalri attitude of his Korean ancestors.

"Yeah, sure."

"2 PM is that, okay? At the Coutume Instituuti, I don't if you've been there. I'll send you the address."

"Okay, let's do that," Xenia replied.

"And Xenia, you're gorgeous with your short hair."

"Bye, Andrew."