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“Bravo! Good job everyone, you are all now free to do as you please. Today’s shoot is done.” I sighed the breathe I didn’t know I held up until now. I took a towel from the aids present at the photoshoot location and quickly checked for time. It’s already 8 now, I wonder of his shooting is complete too. I should call him, just to check. “Hello Dad-”, before I could complete my sentence an unfamiliar sound greeted me. “This is the director, Blaise. You must be Park's little girl he talks about so much.” The director of the film dad is staring in? Why did he pick up the call… “Ah, yes. It’s an honour to talk to you, sir. I am Yuri Park. I just wanted to know if the shoot was over and my Dad was free.” I spoke to him with a firm voice, not letting any weakness show. A good first impression is always important… as mother says. “Your dad is taking a break, so I decided to pickup the call. That was inappropriate of me but I have an offer for you. A tempting one. Would you care to hear me for a while?” I had a weird feeling that it was going to be something important. “I suppose I can. But first, let me talk to my father.” I emphasised my point to talk to my father. “Alright but now you have to listen to my offer for sure.” What is his deal? Why is he so insistent?“Yuri? Is your photoshoot done? Is the car not there to pick you up?” After hearing my dad’s voice, I couldn’t help but chuckle. “You are such a worry wart. The car’s here already and I was going to return to grandma’s place after talking to you. Anyway, why did the director pick up the call and not you?” I climbed in my car while talking to him. “Well, he told me he has an offer for you. It’s probably a movie or drama he wants you to star in. If I were you, I would accept it if it were a good offer. So think carefully before you answer. That’s all I have to say. Call me after school alright? Do you want me to pass the phone to him?” I hummed an approving sound and heard the voice of the director again. “So, care to listen to my offer now?” I hummed again and as I looked outside the car window, looking at the cityscape I would soon come to miss as, “I want you to be a part of the next drama I am going to produce. Do you by any chance know about Ladybug and Chat Noir?” He asked, his voice carrying slight excitement. “Yes, they are the superheroes situated in Paris. That’s all I know.” How do you expect me to know anything at all, when I wasn’t even born back then? I don’t even live in Paris, for all I care. “That’s enough for me. I have seen your potential, and I want you to star in it. Think you can do it? This can be your opportunity to hit the big screen, at such a young age!” The flight was tiring, I wanna crash out but I need to wait till I find dad. My face hidden with a mask, I weaved my way through the throngs of people until I saw my dad, waving a board saying, “Welcome to Paris, Yuri!!” My bags now with him, we got out of the airport. “So, you agreed to his offer and you didn’t even consult me… my girl is all grown up now that she doesn’t need her father anymore.” I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at his attempt to guilt me. “The end result would have been the same. You were already preparing for me to come here to live with you, so what’s the big deal here?” I saw something change in the way he looked at me, his whiny look changing into something akin to care and gentleness. “My little girl is really very smart. So you figured out I was planning to shift us here. Well, now that you know, we are going house hunting tomorrow and not just that but get you ready for your new school.” New school, I feared this would happen. I… hope nothing goes wrong here. We made our way to his car, the driver already ready and waiting for us to leave.“So, dad… we are really moving to Paris then. But are you sure it’s okay? I mean, Mother used to live-” He cut me off immediately and said “So? She doesn’t live here anymore and neither will she return. You don’t need to worry about things that stress you or you’ll start experiencing hair fall.” He said the last part with a chuckle to which I also laughed a little. “Yeah, you are right. I can’t let things out of my hand worry me. I do hope I make some friends here, I can’t really get segregated where people don’t know who I am.” I couldn’t sleep a blink last night, this place is a little too unfamiliar even for me. Guess it’ll be the case for sometime. After washing my face, I made my way to the balcony of the room where dad was sitting. “Did you sleep well last night? You took the sofa and gave me the bed you know.” I inquired inquire I sat in front of him and drank some water he offered. “I couldn’t sleep at all, if I am being honest. How about you get ready because we are going house hunting in exactly an hour and a half later with an estate broker. I can’t spend another week here, Let’s try to find one today. I have already taken your preferences in account and selected ten sites. You definitely like at least one of these, I guarantee it as your father.” He commented with confidence, as he continued sipping his coffee. “You are right, maybe if I get the feeling of home, it won’t take long to fix my sleep schedule. I really want something I can call home after staying for so long with grandma, I kinda miss her not gonna lie.” I told him as I stood up to get ready. “I also don’t like how cramped this place feels, I don’t even feel like stretching here. If we find a place that suits us, we will take it immediately, okay? I need to stretch out.”Soon, we were waiting outside the hotel for the broker to come, with a croissant and coffee in hand and our faces covered in masks. “How are we going to eat with a mask on, buttercup?” My dad pointed out, to which I answered, “You just drag the mask down or remove it to eat then put it back on. Simple.” At that my father shook his head and reminded me, “or you just don’t wear it. No one is going to find out it’s you and also you can’t always live with a mask on. You’ll have to remove it one day. And if someone does recognize you, just wave like you always do.” As he concluded his ‘fatherly’ speech, the broker approached us. “So this is the third property on our list and it is the most suitable one according to your needs. It has a sleek and modern design, a lawn that is neither too big nor too small, a balcony and big windows. The only problem is that the nearest park is a kilometre away.” I was too busy to hear more, as I went upstairs to find the most beautiful thing I could hope for, an empty white wall. The room it was in was also near perfect, suitable enough to make it my own room. I decided to search more, not wanting to get swayed just yet. I shouldn’t have. T-this house has a terrace pool!? It’s perfect! I can’t- it will take something better than this to sway me now. I have decided, this is it. I soon joined my dad and the broker in the kitchen, which was, in it’s own right, amazing.We soon looked at all other properties but none caught my eye like the third one. After we bid farewell and thanked the broker, we received a call from Blaire. “Mr Park, is your daughter free? I wanna audition her for the role now and also your shooting is also nearly complete, just one scene left so drop by if you could.” I looked at my father and he looked at me, both of us nodding in sync. “Thank you Mr Park and little Park for dropping by,” at which I barely contained myself from speaking out as he continued, “Meet Hugo Agreste, he is also our main lead, Though he is also here for audition. I have yet to ask Ladybug and Chat Noir for their permission, that’s why I have only asked for you two to give auditions for now.” As he concluded and took my father with him to the back for a minute, I took a glance at the boy standing next to me. He was tall, had blue hair and gentle eyes. He must have many girls falling for him on a daily basis and from his gait, he already knows that. “What’cha looking at, lil’Park?” The amount of self control I had to use for not lashing out on him was insane. “Just looking at the person who was chosen for the role Chat Noir, you are not all that much as I thought. You just seem arrogant to me, if I am being honest.” I quipped at him. “Now that you have glanced at me, can I ask for your permission to as well? I didn’t want to seem like a creep, y’know.” He has some nerves, so casually mocking me. “No one stopped you anyway. You don’t need my permission.” After a little while, Blaire and dad came back. “So let’s get going with your auditions, okay? Just wear the masks for now and take ten minutes to read the sample script.”I made my way to the stage, with the determined look that my grandmother came to hate me for. I could see the faces of others around me, in awe. As expected, it always works out but… what is this feeling? He doesn’t look he’s in awe, more like he was expecting this! As I stood next to him, I could see he was a natural. “Ready? Act!” And with that our audition started. The script was simple, all we had to do was act like Chat Noir and Ladybug would do and fight with like they would. There was a scene that had us acting as if we were in our civilian form but that was all the script had. “Amazing! You two are natural at this. Your dynamic is perfect together. I have already decided to use this footage to convince Ladybug and you two as the leads.” Blaire excitedly announced, and I couldn’t help but sigh in relief. I did it, not as if it was a big deal but still. There’s some pride in doing something that you love, I suppose.“Blaire, I’ll work. I was going to say no to you before coming but I’ll do it now. You finally did made me work in your work.” Hugo confirmed his intentions, to which I couldn’t help but agree to, “I’ll also do it, this drama for yours has some unique charm and thrill to which I can’t help but get attracted to now.” As I acknowledged my feelings, I felt Hugo’s eyes on me which I couldn’t ignore. “And I want to talk to you, Agreste. Alone.” My tone was firm and demanding to which he replied, “Alright, whatever you say lil’Park. Lead the way. I am right behind you.”“Stop calling me lil’Park, I hate that nickname. And what’s with the look you were giving me? Do you think I can’t compare to you?” I fumed at him, I couldn’t keep it in anymore. The look he gave me when I joined him at the stage bothered every fibre of my existence. “Alright, I won’t call you with that nickname now, but for that you gotta tell me your name yk, so I can actually converse or call you now that we are going to be working so closely together.” His tone had changed from the last time we talked, before we performed together. This time it was not sharp or mocking “Yuri, call me by this name only.” I emphasised on my words “Alright, Yuri it is then. And about the look I gave you, on the stage I mean. Well, I expected something from you but I was still, amazed. That look of yours made me fall for you,” As he commented as he took a step closer to me, “You were amazing there.” He then bent forward, took my hand and tried to kiss it before I slapped his hand away which was holding my wrist. “Stay in your limits, we are not friends. Just co-workers for now.” Who does he think he is, trying to kiss my hand. I can’t stand him. “So, buttercup, would you like to get ice-cream on our way to the Eiffel Tower? They say there is an ice-cream vendor in Paris who can help you find true love. Maybe I should try my hand at his ice-cream and see if he describes your mother correctly or not.” He completed his sentence with a big smile. I knew he was joking but I still couldn’t make myself to even smile. “What about me dad? Why don’t I also try my hand at his ice cream?” I tried to change the subject with something he would definitely say no to, “No, you are too young for it. It’s not yet time for you to find your soul mate.” He always gets fuzzy whenever the talk about me leaving him for someone else comes, He once even declined a role offer because he wouldn’t be there for my birthday. “Dad, you are funny. Even if I do find somebody, I would still be your daughter.” I reassured him, though I felt as if he knew that already. “I know, we are both getting the ice cream. I wouldn’t do anything that keeps you from being happy. For now, let’s solve the clues to the ice-cream vendor, okay? You solve and I drive.” I nod and we began our hunt for the ice-cream.
