Chapter 14: Shadows of the Past and a Fatal Kiss
Clara and Lukas were back in Seoul. Lukas was in seventh heaven—his "baby," Tiffany, was standing safe and magnificent in Clara's apartment. To let the recent events sink in, they retreated to a small, inconspicuous café.
"Thank God you still had a spare key for HW's place, otherwise we would've actually had to break in," Clara said, loosening her scarf.
Lukas snorted and adjusted his sunglasses. "Darling, my plan was actually much more subtle. I wanted to sneak in at night and haunt his dreams. You know that feeling when you're being chased in your sleep? He would've ended up with those nasty, swollen eyes and would've had to smear that stinking hemorrhoid cream all over his face to get the swelling down. His new little fling would've dumped him in a heartbeat. But c'est la vie. I just hope that after the shock, he stuffs himself with so much cream cake that he gains ten pounds and loses that 'pretty-boy' look of his. Revenge is mine, bitch!"
Clara couldn't help but smile. It felt so good to have Lukas around. He was the only one who managed to make her forget, even for a moment, her embarrassing exit from the hotel in Busan and the web of lies she was spinning for Min-ho. But nothing escaped Lukas. He noticed her pensive expression.
"Tell me, sweetie, is something wrong? Did I miss something?"
Clara propped her elbows on the table and buried her face in her hands. "I slept with Min-ho... and then I ran away. Because I'm so stupid and I can't tell him the truth."
"Ooh!" Lukas let his sunglasses slide to the tip of his nose. "Now that is a mess. You finally meet a piece of eye candy like Min-ho after all this time, you finally have sex again..." He leaned in and whispered, "I mean, you must have developed cobwebs down there by now! And then you can't even tell him the truth about your past and your identity? And I thought I had problems."
"Thanks, Luki. You really know how to cheer a girl up," Clara muttered sarcastically.
Lukas's tone suddenly turned serious. He took her hand and looked deep into her eyes. "Don't worry, my treasure. I won't let anyone hurt you again. I still remember your face when I picked you up from the hospital back then... I never want to see you like that again. I don't even want to imagine what you went through."
A tear rolled down Lukas's cheek. In that moment, there was only the two of them in the café—a deep, painful bond.
What they didn't realize: A black car was idling outside.
Min-ho had recognized Clara's profile as he drove by. He wanted to confront her, wanted to know why she had fled Busan. But as he entered the café and sat in a dark corner, he became a witness to a scene that made his blood run cold.
So it is because of Lukas, Min-ho's mind hammered. That's why she ran. She's probably breaking up with him right now because she loves me. Take that, you gorgeous, disgustingly perfect Lukas! I hate you. Every man on this planet hates you.
But then he saw Lukas's tears. He saw him holding her hand. Oh no, Ji-soo... don't let him reel you in. Stay strong. Stay with me, Min-ho pleaded silently.
"Luki, stop crying," Clara said gently. "I wouldn't have made it back then without you. You're my best friend."
"And you're my Clara. I just want you to be happy. And I want to protect you."
"Speaking of protecting..." Clara's gaze sharpened. "There's a man with a hat, a few tables over. I'm sure I saw him at the airport when we landed."
Lukas froze. "Seriously? You have eyes like Jason Bourne. Do you think HE hired him? After all this time?"
"You know him, Luki. He hates to lose. He still thinks I'm his property."
"That psycho! Okay, let's get out of here. Don't worry, I've got you."
They left the café and turned into a narrow side street. Min-ho followed at a distance, his heart heavy as lead. He saw Clara glance over her shoulder. "He's following us, Luki! The man with the hat is right behind us!"
"Don't panic, I've got an idea." Lukas suddenly pushed Clara into a dark alley. He stood protectively in front of her, his back to the street, bracing his arms against the wall on either side of her head. He leaned down close to her, completely shielding her face.
It worked. The man with the hat walked past, oblivious.
But for Min-ho, watching from a distance, seeing only their silhouettes, a world collapsed. Lukas's body almost entirely obscured Clara, his lips appearing to be inches from hers.
"I was right," Min-ho hissed, his voice trembling with anger and pain. "Lukas won't let her go. And she's letting it happen. But I won't allow it. Ji-soo belongs to me."
In the alley, Clara and Lukas held their breath. Their cheeks hadn't even touched, but the sound of their racing hearts was deafening.
"Luki, that was brilliant! He's gone," Clara whispered.
"Of course it was," Lukas said, theatrically fanning himself with his hand as he straightened up. "I am, after all, a man's man with the emotions of a little girl." He was almost on the verge of tears again from the sheer relief.
"Let's go," Clara said. They took each other firmly by the hand and started walking toward home.
Min-ho remained in the shadows, staring at their interlaced hands. He didn't know they were clinging to each other just to keep from collapsing out of fear. All he saw was betrayal.