Love Comes in Paris

Tri Ati Arrina

LOVE COMES IN PARIS

PLAYERS

HARPER KLOSS, 35, beautiful, trendy, American, art professor

KANG DAESUNG, 35, tall, charming, Korean, visual art professor

SECURITY GUY, 40, fat, helpful, friendly

AIRPORT STAFF, 42, tall, helpful, spontaneous

SCENE I. At Charles de Gaulle airport. Paris. Present. HARPER KLOSS turns on her heels when she feels a hand on her shoulder stopping her from walking. She is about to yell at the owner of the hand only to come face to face with a tall Asian man, taking her breath away. He is dressed in a tailored gray suit, looking absolutely dashing in it. His black hair is slightly long and flipped to one side.

DAESUNG (He doesn’t seem impressed by her lack of words). Hey Miss!

HARPER (rush). Yes?

DAESUNG (He says in English with a very strong accent). You got my bag, Miss.

HARPER (She sighs. She looks down at her burgundy leather hand luggage that she has been letting roll behind her as she holds the handle). This is my bag.

DAESUNG (let go of her shoulder and grabs the handle to the bag instead). No, mine.

HARPER (sighs again). Really, this is my bag. It even has my tag... (Her voice trails off when she realizes there is no tag on it).

HARPER. Oh God, what happened to my tag?

DAESUNG. See, my bag.

HARPER (retorts). It doesn’t have a tag on it. So it may not be your bag.

DAESUNG (frowns as he glances down at the bag again). Oh.

SCENE II. Near the Baggage Claim. A SECURITY GUY comes over to them. He gives both HARPER and DAESUNG a glance.

SECURITY. Is there a problem?

HARPER (quickly answers). Yes, sir. This is my bag but this man is claiming it’s his.

SECURITY (Once both HARPER and the Asian man reluctantly let go of the bag, the security man inspects it). Can I see it, please?

SECURITY. It doesn’t have a tag.

DAESUNG. It must have come off when it was in transition.

SECURITY (looking at DAESUNG with narrowed eyes). What’s your name, sir?

DAESUNG. Daesung Kang. (HARPER is a little overjoyed knowing his name finally. She can finally put a name to his handsome face).

SECURITY. But, in your country it would be Kang Daesung. (The security nods. He takes the two to the side and places the bag on a table. An airport staff joins them).

AIRPORT STAFF. Do you have the lock for the bag?

SCENE III. HARPER and DAESUNG begin casting out their keys immediately and handing it over to the security in simulation. The security gives them an odd look before trying both the key. To HARPER’s dismay, the lock opened when DAESUNG’s key is inserted.

HARPER (panicking). Oh my God! Where is my bag?

AIRPORT STAFF. Are you Prof. Harper Kloss?

HARPER (stops and turns to see the airport staff that seems to have left them to retrieve a bag from the baggage claim. She gasps). Yes! Thank God I didn’t lose it! My notes and speech is in there!

DAESUNG. Are you perhaps here for Paris Visual Arts Exhibition?

HARPER (shock). Yes! I’ll be a guest speaker there.

DAESUNG. Me too! I’m Prof. Daesung Kang.

HARPER (squeal). Oh my God! I should have caught on when you said your name earlier! My brain was too preoccupied on my bag. I actually accepted the invitation so I could meet you! I would really love to discuss your gallery presentation you did last month.

DAESUNG. I’d love to discuss it with you, too.

SECURITY (clear his throat). Ahem. Well, since the problem has been solved you can be on your way.

HARPER (Both HARPER and DAESUNG flush with embarrassment. They have momentarily forgotten their situation). I’m so sorry. And thank you very much for resolving it for us!

DAESUNG (joining). Yes, thank you.

SECURITY (smiling). No problem. Welcome to Paris.

SCENE IV. Outside Charles de Gaulle airport. HARPER and DAESUNG leave the airport with their hand luggage.

DAESUNG. How are you getting to the seminar?

HARPER. Taxi.

DAESUNG (offering with dreamy smile). Perhaps you would like to share one with me, Prof. Kloss? I hope to get to know you better.

HARPER (Harper tries everything to stop from swooning because she does not miss the hint he is signaling to her). Yes. I would love to.

(DAESUNG surprises her when he places a hand on her back as he guides her out of the busy airport. She glances up at him in a daze. He won’t meet her eyes and HARPER could have sworn she sees him blushing. If she knew that Prof. Daesung Kang from South Korea she wants to meet is a striking handsome man, she would have flown over to South Korea herself to meet him rather than have waited for two months for this day. At least she doesn’t have a one-sided feeling. Well, she has a full weekend to get to know him and who knows he might just be the one she had been waiting for.)