The narrator tells us that the two of them have been studying together in France for the past two years. The narrator asks if the two will ever be able to stay together if the young woman wins the competition. The young woman assures him that they can't, but the narrator reassures him that he's fine without her. He says he'll say goodbye to his mom and then they can go back to Paris. He's worried that the competition is getting late and that he won't have time to catch up with his crush. He decides to stay in France and focus on his painting.