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Zion rolled over in her bed and gazed out the window of her hotel room.  Was she really in Paris on her fifteenth birthday?  Or was she dreaming?  She closed her eyes for a moment before opening them to find herself staring out at the Paris skyline once again.  She picked up her phone.  October 13, 2019.  It really was her birthday.  Number 15.  And it did appear that she was really in Paris.  

Just then she heard a groan.  She looked across the room at the other twin bed.  She could see her best friend’s hair sticking out from under the pillow.  Marina had pulled the pillow over her head in an effort to block out the sunlight that was streaming through the big picture window.  Her muffled voice emerged from somewhere in the center of the bed.

“Really?  It’s morning already?  I would swear we went to bed three hours ago!  Do we have to get up now?”

“Marina!  Today we are visiting the Louvre!  You know how I’ve always dreamed of this!  And I get to see it on my birthday!  Could there possibly be a better birthday present than that?”

Marina groaned again before she responded, “Yes.  More sleep.”

“Come on, sleepyhead!  Wake up!” Zion picked up her pillow and threw it at Marina.  It landed on top of Marina’s pillow before sliding off and falling to the carpet, having done no damage whatsoever to Zion’s best friend or her attempts to remain in bed.  “I want to visit a French bakery for breakfast.  I can practically taste that pain au chocolat already!”

Zion jumped out of bed and made her way to her suitcase.  She pulled out a pair of black pants and a long-sleeved, black shirt before heading to the bathroom to change.  A few moments later, now dressed for the day, she stood in front of the mirror studying her dusky skin, curly, brown hair, and chocolate eyes.  She was quite pretty.  Sometimes she would rather she wasn’t so attractive.  Guys were always hitting on her, and they all lacked one redeeming quality: chivalry.  

Where were the knights of old?  The men who respected a woman for more than her body.  Zion longed to be wanted for her kind heart and her brilliant mind.  But none of the guys in Martinique seemed to care one whit about those things.  She sighed.  Chivalry was an antiquated notion, to be sure.  But a girl could still dream, couldn’t she?

Surely somewhere in the world was a man who desired a relationship with a girl that fathomed the depths of her heart.  A guy who wanted deep conversations.  Who enjoyed long walks and art galleries and sipping tea on a veranda while they discussed the literature they’d both been reading recently.  Lately, Zion had begun to weave dreams around just such a character in her imagination.

“Zi!  Your dad is pounding on the door!  He wants us to meet him downstairs in five minutes, which means I need to use the bathroom right now!  Are you done?”

Zion smiled faintly at herself in the mirror.  “Happy Birthday to me,” she sang softly as she opened the door to find her friend staring at her.

Zion stifled a laugh.  Marina’s hair was standing out every which way.  She was yawning too, her mouth wide open.  She closed her mouth and her eyes and reached up to rub the sleep from them as she brushed past Zion, giving her a slight shove to claim the tiny bathroom for herself.  She slammed the door shut.

Zion wandered over to the window.  She stood gazing down at Paris.  She glanced up momentarily at the sky and saw sunlight breaking through the clouds to stream down in beautiful rays upon the earth far below.  A song was borne to her on the wings of that celestial light.  Its melody danced, filling her soul, as its words overcame her heart with joy, “It’s you who gifted me the morning.”  The lyrics to her favorite BTS song, Make It Right, floated through her mind as she stared at the Eiffel Tower in the distance.   “I can make it better.  I can hold you tighter.  On that long road.  Oh, you’re the light.”  

Was she the light?  She didn’t feel much like a light today.  Sometimes the darkness of her life was too encroaching.  It seemed to hide the right path from her.  Paris was known as the City of Lights.  Would it prove to be illuminating on this her most special day of the year?  Was she here for a particular reason?  Had she traveled so far to find a light?  And if so, whose light would she be?

“Now can I hold that hand?  I can make it right.”  She wished Namjoon were here.  She wished he could make it right.  More of the wonderful words of that song floated around her.   “But all of this is about reaching you.  It’s the answer to my journey.  I’m singing to find you.  Baby, to you.”

She wished Namjoon were singing to her.  That he was singing in an effort to find her.  Just her.

She shook herself from her reverie as Marina sluggishly opened the bathroom door.  She leaned against the doorway dramatically.  “Ok.  I’m ready.  I guess.  Just remember you promised me chocolate for breakfast!”

Zion laughed.  “Oh, I remember.  I’ve been looking forward to this since the moment I found out we were coming to Paris!  It’ll be worth it.  I promise!”

—

Sitting outside the tiny cafe, her pain au chocolat in her hand and a small bite of it in her mouth, Zion grinned at Marina.  She had already devoured an entire chocolate croissant in the time it took Zion to savor one bite.

“I wasn’t wrong, was I?  It was worth getting out of bed for, huh?”

Marina smiled at her, a dot of chocolate on her tooth.  “I’m going to go buy another.”

“Here,” Zion’s older brother charitably offered Marina, “you can have one of mine.”  He picked up the croissant and set it on Marina’s plate.

“I would hope so!  You ordered half a dozen!” Zion laughed.

He looked up at her, mock outrage in his gaze.  “Hey!  I’m starving, ok?  And I’m still a growing boy!”

“Yeah, growing wider by the minute!” Zion teased him.

She smiled at him and turned her attention to the city.  There was a chill in the air, and the morning sunshine was gentle on her face even as it shone with all its might.  It would not overtake her with its heat today.  The air smelled like the finest of baked goods and freshly brewed coffee.  She could hear a child crying out to his papa and a baby giggling.  The rich flavor of the chocolate in her pastry filled her senses with joy.  Today felt like a perfect day.

She lingered there a while enjoying her birthday treat.  But not too long.  She had an entire Louvre to explore today.  She didn’t want to wait much longer.  There was so much to see.  She loved art museums.  She just wished she had a friend to share her exploration with who would truly enjoy it as much as she would.  Someone she could have a deep conversation with.

Marina addressed her, “Hey, Zi, got any birthday wishes today?”

Zion smiled secretively.  Oh, she had a few daydreams!  They revolved around a tall, golden-haired, South Korean guy who loved to rap and was brilliant at it.  She could just picture walking through Paris with him, involved in a deep discussion about life.  If she ever really did meet him, would she be as poised as she always was in her imagination?  She shrugged her shoulders.  It didn’t really matter.  The chances of meeting him were probably nil anyway!

—

A half hour later, as she waited in line, Zion stood in front of the Louvre, staring up at it in wide-eyed wonder.  It was beautiful.  Her eyes were first captured by the Pyramide du Louvre, an impressive structure of glass and metal designed by a Chinese American named I. M. Pei.  The clear pyramid lifting its four faces to the sky shone in the rays of the sun.  It was surrounded by three smaller pyramids.  She knew that at night all four pyramids were lit up from within by a zillion lights.  She hoped to see them tonight.

Then her eyes took in the Palais du Louvre, a gargantuan, stone structure that truly was aptly named.  Once a huge, medieval fortress and royal palace, it boasted a large courtyard at its center and manifold wings inside with multiple floors, four main levels to be exact, containing hall after hall of artistic delights.  Once inside, she would discover that each side of the palace was devoted to a different time period.  And each hallway to a specific grouping of paintings or sculptures.  First, she had to enter through the pyramid and head underground to find the exhibits.  The Louvre was the biggest museum in the world.  Zion couldn’t have seen even half of the brilliant pieces of art it held even if she were to tour it from sunrise to sunset every day for over a week.

Finally, the line moved forward, and Zion headed for the door.  Suddenly, it opened before her.  She glanced up to see a tall, handsome gentleman with sandy blond hair holding the door open.  She did a double take as her eyes slid over his facial features.  It couldn’t be!   She was just imagining things!  Her daydreams had spilled over into her real life.

She blinked.  Then she refocused her eyes.  Namjoon was still standing there staring down at her, a smile playing about his lips as his dimples curtseyed to her.

“Namjoon?”  His name slipped unbidden from her lips.

His grin deepened.  “So, you know me, huh?  Hello, pretty girl.”

No, not Namjoon too!  She groaned inwardly.  Were there no heroes left on the planet?

“I can see your brain wrinkles from all the way over here.  Come to visit the Louvre today, hmm?  I have only a couple hours to spare, but I just had to come.  I love art!”

Wait a minute!  He had called her pretty in reference to her intelligence?  She grinned up at him.  He really was different from all the other boys.  There was still a superhero left on the earth, after all.

She sighed as she gazed up at him.  He was so tall.  She had to look quite a ways up to find his beautiful, chocolate eyes.  Nearly three-quarters of a foot separated the top of her head from the crown of his.  She thought it was perfect.

She smiled at him.  “Thank you, kind sir,” she responded as she walked through the doorway.   He continued to hold the door for her brother, her father, and Marina.  

As they stepped into the Louvre, Marina caught herself up short.  Yoongi was standing almost directly in front of her.  She stared in awe at the beautiful boy with sandy brown hair and sienna eyes.  He was staring back at her.

“Hi,” she whispered, standing stock-still.  But in her shock, she forgot to smile.

Yoongi smiled at her sweetly as he responded in kind, “Hello.”

Namjoon finally entered the building behind them and came to stand next to Yoongi.

Zion glanced over at her friend and then at Yoongi before looking back into Namjoon’s beautiful eyes.  Two of the members of BTS were really standing in the Louvre with them!  Her bias and Marina’s!  On her very own birthday!  This was extraordinary. 

Both men turned to join the line for tickets to enter the museum.  Zion and Marina moved as one to step into line directly behind them.  Zion’s father and brother brought up the rear.  After they had all gotten their tickets, Namjoon smiled at Zion and asked her, “You know my name, but I don’t know yours.  What should I call you?”

“Zion.”

“Zion.  That’s an interesting name.  It’s wonderful to meet you, Zion.”  He held out his hand to her.

She accepted it as she responded, “It’s nice to meet you too, Namjoon.”  Really nice!  My birthday wish come true!

“What did you want to see first?”

Is he asking because he wants to escort me?  Or is he just being polite?  She was dumbfounded that he had spoken to her again.

“I want to see a lot of things, but most especially the Mona Lisa.”

“Ahhhh, yes.  Of course!  She must be seen.  We should head there quickly.  A long line forms early in the morning!”

“You’re coming with me?” she asked, surprised.

“Why not?” he smiled at her.  “It will be nice to have a companion.”

“Hey!  You’re the one who dragged me out of bed!  What am I doing here if not to be your ‘companion’?” Yoongi grumbled.

Zion smiled at him while Marina raised an eyebrow.  So…she wasn’t the only one dragged out of bed this morning.

Zion quickly introduced her father and brother to Namjoon and Yoongi.  After the introductions were over, her dad made an excuse to explore another part of the Louvre alone with her brother.  He wanted to give her time by herself with her friends.  She, Namjoon, Yoongi, and Marina made their way into the museum.

As Zion entered the massive structure, the first word that came to mind was ornate.  Her eyes traveled around the walls fencing the enormous rooms.  She took in all the scrolled artistry lining the walls and the furnishings bedecking the floors.  Each time the same word surfaced.  Ornate.  Golden framing surrounded each panel of every wall.  Nestled within the confines of these decorations were beautiful paintings and other works of art.  Even the domed ceilings boasted the golden moldings.  She studied the beautiful cornices and wished she had someone to marvel over them with her.

Then as she heard Namjoon’s muffled exclamation, she realized she did.  “So beautiful!  Isn’t it extraordinary?”  He turned to smile at her, his darling dimples resurfacing.

“It is!  It’s amazing!”  She smiled in return, joy bubbling up from deep within her.

They continued to walk from one hall to another on their way to see the famed lady.

Yoongi and Marina were wandering around behind them silently.  Yoongi pretended interest in the golden cornices crowning the ceiling, but truthfully, he was wishing he was back at the hotel still in bed.

He shook his head, muttering under his breath to himself, “Namjoon just couldn’t let me sleep in today.”

“I know how you feel,” Marina remarked dryly, glancing his way, a grimace on her face.

Yoongi’s eyes shifted to slide over the form of the cute girl walking beside him.  She was so short.  She made him feel like a giant.  He found he rather liked it.  But he didn’t say anything.

“I wanted to sleep in this morning too,” Marina offered, grudgingly.  “But Zion insisted we had to come to this stuffy, old museum.  Who cares about relics from the past anyway?  It’s just a bunch of old paintings and crummy statues.  I’d rather be enjoying my pillow.”

Yoongi’s perspective of this girl was being quickly altered.  Had he found a kindred spirit?

“You too, huh?” He smiled at her, revealing not just his straight rows of white teeth but also his pink gums. 

Keeping a straight face, Marina nearly fainted anyway.  Yoongi was smiling.  At her!  He was actually bearing all his teeth at her in a gorgeous grin!

Then he turned away from her to stare at some ancient painting, and her heart fell.  She wanted him to keep looking at her, but for the life of her, she couldn’t think of anything to say!  It was so disappointing.  Part of her wanted to ask for a selfie with him and his autograph.  But the more mature side of her character was winning right now.  She didn’t want him to look down on her like some little kid.  She wanted him to see her as the woman she was quickly becoming.  So she kept her mouth shut.  In silence, they followed Namjoon and Zion.

Zion wanted to have a mature conversation too.  So she found the courage to ask Namjoon a question she had pondered for a long time, “Namjoon, does it ever become too much?  I mean, you carry a lot of weight on your shoulders.  Being the leader and the most fluent English speaker of the group.  Do you ever wish you hadn’t started?  Are you ever tired of the fame?”

Namjoon turned to look at her, a serious expression blanketing his pleasant features.  “I’m grateful for the fame.  I remember all the hard work it took to get here.” He gazed pointedly at her.  “Not just mine.  Everybody worked hard to get here.  Jungkook still gets up a half hour earlier than the rest of us to practice.  And Yoongi spends long hours composing.  Hobi has taken on the responsibility of constantly supplying us with fresh choreography and making sure the rest of us get it right.  Jimin sets a standard of perfection for himself that is ridiculous, but he just keeps getting better and better in pursuit of it.  Tae works incredibly hard too.  I wish he could see how good he really is!”

Then Namjoon blew out a long breath before continuing, “I’m not sorry I took this path in life.  This was my dream, you know?  Actually, this is so much bigger and better than anything I ever dreamed.  But I do wish we had more time to rest.  Our rise was so meteoric.  A little over a year ago, we didn’t even know if we’d continue as a group.  We were in a really dark place.  But then a light shone in our darkness.  We followed that light to the top of the world.  It’s a really scary place to be.  Sometimes it feels like the only place to go is down.”

Zion shook her head.  “No.  The next place is into the heavens.”

Namjoon tilted his head as he looked at her, intrigued.  “I never had that thought before.”

She smiled up at him.  “But what was the light that led you to the top?”

“You.”

“What?”

“ARMY.  ARMY has been our light.  Our fans have been phenomenal.  Supporting us, loving us, through it all.  And constantly growing in number and influence.  Together we are all fighting to make the world a better place.  And to release joy to so many people born into darkness.”

Zion smiled at him.  He returned her grin, his dimples dancing about his mouth.  She sighed.  What a perfect birthday!  Not only was she in Paris, but she had also met Namjoon!  And having met him, she’d gotten to spend part of today with him…having a deep conversation.  Her dream come true!

They continued speaking on various subjects of interest to them both as they made their way to see the now famous Mona Lisa.  After wading through the massive mob crowded around the painting, Namjoon and Zion took a selfie together with the Mona Lisa lifting the corners of her mouth in her enigmatic smile behind them.  Then they agreed to spend the next hour touring the old palace together. 

“So…are you just on vacation?  Or is there a special reason you came to the Louvre today?” Namjoon smiled down at her again.

“It’s my birthday today.”

Namjoon grinned at her, his eyes lit up with surprise.  “It is?  Well, Happy Birthday, Zion!”

She beamed at him, a little self-conscious.

“How old are you today?”

“Fifteen.”

“Fabulous fifteen.  I hope you’re enjoying your special day.”

“Of course!  I got to meet you!”

“And that’s a good thing?”  He raised his eyebrows at her.

She laughed.  “That’s a wonderful thing!  You’re my bias.”

“Oh, well, then, I’d offer to take a picture with you, but we already did that!  Do you have something you’d like me to sign?”

Her eyes lit up as she exclaimed, “Yes!  I carry your photocard in my purse.  Will you sign the back?”

“Sure.  It will be my birthday present to you.”

Namjoon signed her card and offered to take another picture with her.  She agreed and asked Marina to shoot it for them, so that it wouldn’t be an awkward selfie from a strange angle, but she’d get a real portrait instead.

His expressive face revealed a slight discomfort on his part as he asked Zion, “Can I put my arm around your shoulders?”

Sweet man.  Yep, chivalry was certainly alive and breathing through this one. 

Zion nodded as she grinned, and Namjoon slipped his arm around her, both beaming at the camera phone.  Marina snapped four shots to ensure a good one.  Next, she asked if she could get a picture with Yoongi.  They ended up taking a selfie with all four of them in it too.  Then they continued their leisurely walk through the massive palace.  After a while, Zion slipped off to the bathroom by herself while Namjoon, Yoongi, and Marina studied various works of art in the great hall they had stopped to view.  Several minutes went by without Zion returning.  After a half hour, they decided they needed to go look for her.  Yoongi and Marina headed towards one restroom while Namjoon headed in the opposite direction.

—

How had she gotten lost?  She’d found the restroom easily enough.  But finding the hall she’d left Namjoon in had proven to be impossible.  Zion felt like crying.  She had so little time with him as it was, and now she was losing more time by the second!

He had lost her.  The Louvre was so big.  How would he ever find her again?  Then it came to him.  He would sing to find her.  Perhaps his voice would echo through the enormous museum and lead her back to him.  So Namjoon drew a deep breath and began to sing his song, Love, to her.  

“You erode all my corners and make me into love, love, love.”  He did his best to ignore the people around him who were all staring straight at him.  “I crossed all the letters, and I reached you…I’d like to be involved in your novel…”

“Namjoon!” 

He spun around as he heard the voice of his new friend.  She came running through the hallowed halls of the world’s most famous art museum, but she didn’t care.  She’d found him again!  His voice had been the light that had led her back to him.