Cinderella in Paris (French Love Story 59)

The dream

That night, I was dreaming of Michael.

On the station platform, Michael and I are kissing.

Michael looks just like my first love, "Edward Furlong," and he is so beautiful...

Even though I want to keep kissing him forever, in the dream, I am crying and saying this.

"I'm sorry.

I have to marry someone else, so I can't see you anymore."

Michael stopped kissing me, then with a sad face, he hugged me tightly.

"I understand, ma chérie.

This is goodbye, then.

Adieu."

Soon the departure bell rang, and we were heartlessly pulled apart.

"Michael—!!!!"

I chase after the train while crying...

That was when I woke up.

The reality

When I woke up, Nicolas was peering at me with a worried look.

"Bonjour, Reiko. Ça va?"

...Ah, that's right.

Last night I was united with Nicolas, and we became lovers in both name and reality, didn't we?

“It's okay.

My parents from Japan appeared in my dream, and I just cried from homesickness.”

I lied on the spot.

Even though, in truth, I don't actually want to see my parents back home.

“I see...

Reiko, you've been away from Japan for over half a year, so you must be feeling lonely.

From now on, I'll love you plenty, so you don't have to worry about anything.”

Saying that, Nicolas gives me many kisses.

Gradually, those kisses escalate, and it looks like we're about to enter the“morning session.”

...Well, whatever.

I was the one who decided to choose Nicolas yesterday.

I have no choice but to overwrite my memories of Michael by making love with him.

I switched my mindset and decided to immerse myself in Nicolas's caresses...

“Morning session”ended, and after a nap, I woke up to find it was nearly 12 o'clock.

“It's a weekday, but is work okay?”

When I asked, Nicolas replied while getting dressed.

“What are you talking about? August in France is vacation time.”

I do have business meetings sometimes, but I'm basically free.

From now on, I intend to make my time with Reiko my top priority.

If you're free today, I'd love to be with you the whole time.

What's Reiko's schedule for today?

As for my job as a Japanese teacher, the group lessons in August are on break for vacation, so I'm only handling private lessons.

I don't have any private lessons today, so I'm completely off.

I'm off today too, but where are we going?

First, let's go get brunch. What do you want to eat?

I wanted something light, and I wasn't in the mood for French cuisine.

Asian food... like Thai food, for example.

Nicolas was delighted by my unexpected answer.

Sounds great!! There's a good restaurant nearby, so I'll show you the way.

...I was incredibly happy to be liberated from the food I didn't like.

Mai Thai

The place Nicolas took me to was a Thai restaurant called "Mai Thai," located across the street from Café des Musées in the Marais district.

It was a stylish place with eye-catching colonial-style decor, and it seemed to be popular with Parisians as well.

The lunch menu was a set including an appetizer, main course, and dessert, and I ordered minced chicken without cilantro, while Nicolas ordered coconut milk curry.

Since it was tailored for French palates, it wasn't very spicy and had a mild flavor, but I was satisfied to be able to eat Thai food.

Reiko, even though you're Asian, you don't like cilantro, do you?

Nicolas said, looking surprised.

"Because cilantro isn't something that was originally in Japan.

Even though we're both in Asia, it's a big place."

"I see. There's still so much I don't know.

Please teach me more about Japan."

Saying that, Nicolas kissed me.

The surprise

After finishing lunch, Nicolas said, "There's somewhere I want to take you," and had me get in the car.

We arrived at the Chanel flagship store on Rue Cambon in the 1st arrondissement.

When we were ushered inside by the doorman, a glittering world that had been unrelated to my life until now spread out before me...

Nicolas said to me with a smile.

"I've been thinking about it since I met Reiko, and I thought Chanel would suit you.

I'll give you anything here as a gift, so tell me what you'd like."

...I never imagined something like 'Pretty Woman' would happen to me.

I was incredibly surprised.

It's true that Chanel is my favorite brand.

When I was an office worker, I used to buy Chanel planners and accessories as gifts for myself.

If I looked around the store, there would be plenty of things I'd want.

...But I felt it was wrong to have a boyfriend I'd just started seeing buy me such expensive things.

"Thank you.

I love Chanel, and I'm very happy about how you feel."

...But I don't need anything right now."

Saying that, I shook off a dissatisfied Nicolas and went outside.

Le Café

At a café near the Chanel flagship store, we talked about what had just happened.

"Why did you turn down the gift, Reiko?

I thought Chanel would suit you..."

Nicolas seemed genuinely puzzled by my refusal.

"I do like Chanel.

The planner I'm using now is Chanel, too.

But it's not my birthday, and I felt it just wasn't right to have you buy it for me."

I spoke my thoughts frankly.

Nicolas pressed on, eager to express his feelings.

"I'm truly happy that we've become lovers.

Is there nothing I can do for you?

What is it that you really want right now?"

...What I really want right now? Well, there are two things.

"French proficiency and a Japanese teacher qualification, I suppose."

Hearing that, Nicolas was delighted.

"That's a wonderful answer."

Then, I will support both.

I will look for a good French teacher.

You should sign up for the correspondence course for a Japanese teacher qualification.

I will cover the tuition fees."

...These were both things I desperately wanted, but had given up on due to a lack of funds.

After thinking for a moment, I decided to accept his offer without hesitation.

"Really!? I'm so happy!! I'll do my best."

I said, my eyes sparkling as I thanked Nicolas.

"Just tell me if there's anything I can do for you.

Let's see... I should probably start taking Japanese lessons seriously, too."

Nicolas said, as if he had just remembered.

Le Ciel de Paris

Dinner that day was at "Le Ciel de Paris," a French restaurant on the 56th floor of the Montparnasse Tower that offers a panoramic view of the Eiffel Tower and other landmarks.

I knew about this restaurant from guidebooks, but since it was so expensive, I had been thinking,"Maybe I can splurge and go once while I'm in Paris?"but I never actually got around to it.

With Nicolas's financial means, he can go to a restaurant like this without a second thought.

It's scary how my sense of money is starting to feel numb...

Perhaps because Nicolas had made a reservation in advance, we were shown to a window seat with a view of the Eiffel Tower.

I left the menu and wine ordering to Nicolas, while I was captivated by the view looking down from 210 meters above the ground.

Summer nights in Europe are long, so the Parisian cityscape illuminated by the sunset is truly beautiful.

The Eiffel Tower from a high vantage point was breathtaking, but it was also fascinating to get a bird's-eye view of the neatly blocked-out streets of Paris.

Looking at distinctive buildings like the Arc de Triomphe and Les Invalides, I found myself reminiscing about the memories associated with them.

Come to think of it, I was once hit on by a staff member at Les Invalides, wasn't I...?

If I told Nicolas that story, would he get jealous?

No, a man like him would probably be pleased rather than jealous.

While I was thinking about that, the appetizers were brought out.

As I brought the foie gras to my mouth, Nicolas said to me,

I've been so happy to be with Reiko today.

I want to be with you every day.

Would you come stay at my place tonight?

I was surprised, as I hadn't expected him to go that far.

I'm happy to be with you, too.

But I have a private Japanese lesson tomorrow and need to prepare, so I can't stay with you tonight.

If tomorrow night is okay, I can come stay at your place, would that be alright?

Nicolas seemed to understand.

I understand. Then, on the days you don't have anything to do, please come stay at my place as much as you can.

My place is bigger than yours, and the bed is larger, so we can sleep comfortably together.

If there's anything you need, I'll buy it, so just let me know.

I was curious about what Nicolas's house was like.

I am dissatisfied that my own home doesn't have a bathtub so I hope Nicolas's place has one...

We enjoyed the view outside while savoring the main course of roast veal.

The sun was setting rapidly, and the Parisian cityscape, dyed in the colors of twilight, looked like a painting.

By the time dessert arrived, it was pitch black outside, and the city lights began to twinkle, looking just like a starry sky...

Right now, I am having dinner in the best mood I've been in since I started living in Paris, if not ever.

Beside me, Nicolas, who carries himself with the air of a Hollywood celebrity, looks at me and smiles.

“Reiko, I love you.

I will do anything to make you happy.

You are a wonderful woman who is worth that much.”

I was surprised by how much my environment had changed in just one day, but I was also grateful.

I really did make the right choice in picking this man.

My best friends Erika and Mizuki both gave their seal of approval, so there is no mistake.

...The me who was crying this morning after dreaming of Michael was no longer there.

After this, Nicolas and I would become even closer, and our relationship would continue to develop...