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LOZ 97
The person who asked in French, with a distinct American accent, if she spoke English was an Asian man with a friendly impression. He looked to be in his early to mid-twenties.
As he returned the phone she had almost dropped, he asked again, this time in English.
"Sorry. Do you happen to speak English?"
Jiyu nodded slowly, her eyes wary.
At that, the man gave a bright smile. His face felt familiar in some way.
"Could you take a photo of me in front of the fountain? I'll take one for you too."
Jiyu craned her neck, carefully scanning the direction Hunter had disappeared. She was worried he might suddenly pop up from somewhere and get angry, just like before.
However, he was nowhere to be seen in the alley. It seemed like she could just quickly take one photo and be done with it.
"I'll take it. You don't have to take one for me."
Jiyu stood up abruptly and reached out. The man, handing her the phone, continued with small talk as if he were in no rush at all.
"Are you from the States by any chance?"
When she nodded, the man extended his hand for a handshake. Jiyu began to feel a bit tired. The number of strangers she had spoken to today was nearly equal to the number of strangers she had met over the past year.
Both Liam and this man—it was simply fascinating that there were so many people who could strike up a conversation with a complete stranger so effortlessly.
"I'm from New York. My name is Jeffrey Yoon, nice to meet you."
Jiyu's mouth parted slightly.
'Yoon?'
It was a Korean last name. Like her friend Josh.
Furthermore, hearing that he was from New York caused her guard to drop slightly. As Jiyu hesitantly reached out her hand, Jeffrey beamed and grabbed it, shaking it vigorously.
"I'm from New York. My name is Olivia Parker. Nice to meet you," Jiyu repeated his words like a parrot.
"You're from New York? What a small world! Where in New York? I live in Brooklyn Heights."
"...Manhattan."
"Wow, to meet a New Yorker in a place like this! I'm really glad."
Her gaze inadvertently lingered on his T-shirt.
"Huh...?"
On the left chest of the light blue T-shirt the man was wearing was the lion logo of the Columbia University varsity team, with the school's name written beneath it.
A Korean-American from New York who attended Columbia University.
The unusual coincidence of meeting such a person in a remote village in Southern France caused Jiyu's wariness to crumble halfway. She gave a thin smile and held up the phone.
"Um, the photo..."
"Ah, right."
Jeffrey squared his shoulders and struck a pose with his arms crossed in front of the fountain. He was tall with broad shoulders; he had quite a sturdy build.
Jiyu took three or four photos in both landscape and portrait orientations and returned the phone.
"Thanks. You said your name was Olivia, right? Are you sure I don't need to take a photo for you?" he asked, putting back on the backpack he had briefly set on the ground.
Jiyu shook her head. Then, she scanned the alley again. She hoped Jeffrey would leave before Hunter returned.
However, he hesitated as if he had something left to say.
"Look, I know saying this might sound like a really cheesy pickup line... but I feel like I've heard the name Olivia Parker somewhere before. And since you said you live in Manhattan, I'm asking just in case... did you go to Alton School?"
Jiyu's eyes widened as she stared at Jeffrey.
Then, he frowned and touched his temple as if trying to recall something.
"No, that's not it. Josh's school was Alton School, and what was the name of the sister school... Asher School?"
"...Aster School," Jiyu answered in a small voice without realizing it.
"That's it, Aster School!"
Jeffrey looked at her with an open mouth, his face full of surprise.
Joshua Yoon. Jeffrey Yoon. New York. Columbia University. A face that felt familiar for some reason.
Jiyu's jaw dropped.
"By any chance, do you know Josh?"
"...Do you know Josh?"
The two of them asked the same question simultaneously.
"No way!"
Jeffrey burst into loud laughter, messily ruffling his hair.
"Josh is my cousin. The name Olivia Parker is famous among our cousins. Josh tried to swoop in and take a girl with a boyfriend to the prom, and he got beaten up pretty badly by that boyfriend, so we all spent our time teasing the brat—"
He was chatting excitedly when he suddenly realized and shut his mouth. He then hurriedly waved his hand.
"Ah, don't misunderstand. It's not that Josh went around telling that story; we got him completely wasted until he blacked out and grilled him to find out. When the guy who went to the prom came back with a bruised jaw, we all wanted to get revenge for him. I mean, stealing someone else's girlfriend—he deserved it, so we all gave him an extra hit."
He chuckled.
Flustered, Jiyu didn't know how to respond and simply nodded, letting out a small "Ah."
She had heard from Josh that he often hung out with his cousins who attended Columbia University on weekends.
To meet one of those cousins in Southern France was truly a strange twist of fate.
"I heard you'll be attending our school soon. When the semester starts in early September, let's have lunch with Josh near the campus. I'm a senior this year, majoring in Economics. I'm also on the swim team. If you have any questions about school life or your major, feel free to ask anything. I'll tell you as much as I know."
"Ah... yes. Thank you."
Jiyu gave a thin smile and thanked him.
Knowing that Jeffrey was Josh's cousin made her feel much more at ease. Seeing her expression, he remained silent for a moment before asking in a light tone.
"By the way, did you come here alone?"
Jiyu shook her head with a troubled expression. He wouldn't actually suggest we hang out together, would he?
"Ah, well... I came with a fr-friend..."
"Really? Is that friend from New York too?"
"Huh? Yes..."
He snapped his fingers.
"Oh, that's great. Since we've met like this, why don't the three of us hang out together?"
Jiyu's face darkened visibly.
"That's a bit... my fr-friend is a bit sh-shy..."
A shy Hunter Hamilton. It was agonizing to tell such a lie.
If he had been a complete stranger, she would have rejected him immediately, but knowing he was Josh's cousin made it difficult to give a flat refusal.
"Ah, really? That's a shame."
As if he hadn't expected much, Jeffrey simply shrugged. Just as Jiyu let out a sigh of relief inwardly, he pulled out his phone again.
"Then, before we part ways, shall we surprise Josh a little?"
"...What?"
Jeffrey stepped close to her, put his arm around her shoulder, and extended his hand holding the phone.
"I'm going to send a photo to Josh. Meeting 'Josh's Olivia' in Saint-Paul-de-Vence. It's just too amazing. Now, look here. Smile!"
It happened in an instant.
Caught off guard, Jiyu looked up at the phone and pulled the corners of her mouth into the awkward smile Ae-jeong had trained her since childhood.
The moment Jeffrey was about to press the round shutter, a hand suddenly entered the screen. Then, it fiercely slapped away Jeffrey's hand that was resting lightly on Jiyu's shoulder.
Before she could even be surprised, she was pulled away and slammed face-first into a firm chest. Hunter, who had pushed her behind his back, spoke through gritted teeth without even turning his head.
"Stay right there."
He strode toward Jeffrey, who was standing in front of the fountain with a bewildered look on his face. Then, cutting through the air that had been peaceful as if time had stopped, he threw a punch.
Along with Jiyu's scream, Jeffrey's head whipped to the side as he took a direct hit to the jaw. While passing tourists scattered in surprise and then stopped to watch, Jeffrey stumbled backward until his knees hit the round stone fountain.
As people around them shouted "Oh!" "My god!" "Watch out!" in various languages, Jeffrey lost his balance and fell straight into the fountain. Splash! A large spray of water erupted, splashing everywhere.
Jiyu covered her mouth.
Hunter slowly turned around and approached her. Rubbing his face and calming the sharp, anger-filled glint in his eyes, he let out a heavy breath. His shoulders heaved, as if his excitement had not yet subsided.
"Are you okay? That bastard forced you to hug him, didn't he?"
Looking up at him with eyes full of shock, Jiyu shook her head.
"N-no, um, it wasn't like that..."
Her voice came out cracked. Jiyu cleared her throat and swallowed hard.
"That person is Josh's... Josh's cousin. We happened to meet in front of the fountain, and he said he'd send a photo to—"
"...Who?"
Jiyu couldn't finish her sentence and her eyes widened.
"Hunter! Behind you—"
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