Chapter 24: The Namsan Shadow Play
Min-ho left the café feeling a sensation he had never experienced before: utter powerlessness. Had Ji-soo just broken up with him? No, that was impossible. They belonged together; he felt it in every fiber of his being. But she was hiding something from him. The fact that those "gene-manipulated clones" were in on it while he—the man by her side—was kept in the dark felt like a betrayal.
I will prove to her that I am the only man she needs, he swore to himself. The only one she can tell everything to, no matter what.
That same night, Clara lay in her bed, staring at her phone. The memory of Min-ho's wounded expression after she sent him away was breaking her heart. She wanted to text him, to offer some comfort, to explain that he couldn't help her right now.
She tried three different drafts, but deleted each one. Ultimately, she realized there was nothing she could say that would make it easier for him at this moment. She put her phone away and tried to sleep, though her mind was a whirlwind of fear and longing.
The next day at Namsan Park, the air was electric. This was where they would strike; this was where their plan would unfold. The park was a sea of tourists and cameras—the perfect place to disappear.
Pascale was wearing Lukas's most flamboyant outfit today: a neon-yellow silk jacket and oversized designer sunglasses. He moved with Lukas's signature, almost floating gait. Meanwhile, the real Lukas had already gone undercover, disguised as a simple camera assistant with his hood pulled low over his face.
Min-ho stormed toward "Lukas" the moment he stepped onto the set. His patience had evaporated.
"Lukas! Stop right there!" he barked. "I demand to know what was discussed in that café yesterday. What is Ji-soo planning?"
Pascale stopped. Internally, he rolled his eyes. What would Lukas do? he asked himself. He remembered Lukas's flair for maximum drama. Slowly, Pascale raised his arm, spread his fingers, and held his flat palm directly in Min-ho's face—just millimeters from his nose.
"I really don't have time for unimportant questions from small people right now," he said, perfectly imitating Lukas's high-pitched, dramatic tone. "Honestly... talk to the hand!"
He spun away with a theatrical flick of his hips, leaving his hand frozen in the air for a lingering second before majestically strutting away.
Min-ho stood there, his mouth agape. He was on the verge of exploding. He didn't notice that a few yards away, Clara gave a subtle signal. The "switch" had worked. Min-ho was so fixated on the arrogant twin that he completely missed the real Lukas, who was currently positioning himself behind a tree with a long-range telephoto lens.
Clara took her place in front of the camera. Her gaze swept over the crowd. And there, between two tour buses, she saw it: the unmistakable glint of a dark hat brim.
He's here.
Pascale left a stunned Min-ho behind and sauntered directly toward Mr. Kim. A playful, knowing smile played on his lips. "Ah, my dear Mr. Kim... hello, handsome. Did you miss me?"
Mr. Kim blinked, adjusting his glasses. He looked Pascale up and down, noting the subtle difference in poise. "Mr. Pascale? Is that you?"
Pascale chuckled, leaning in closer. "Oh, my little brother was right. You really are much sharper than your boss—and so smart, too."
Across the plaza, near a spicy rice cake stall, Clara signaled to him. Pascale shot Mr. Kim a wink. "And that's my cue, handsome. Don't worry, I'll be back." With a dramatic air-kiss thrown over his shoulder, Pascale vanished into the crowd to join Clara. Mr. Kim stood frozen, watching them with an unreadable expression.
The trap was set. Clara and Pascale began to walk away from the busy park, heading toward the quieter side streets. Behind them, like a ghost, the man in the hat followed. And behind him, Lukas crept through the shadows, his heart hammering against his ribs.
At a narrow brick wall, Clara and Pascale suddenly ducked out of sight. The man in the hat sped up, sensing he was losing them. But as he rounded the corner, he ran straight into a wall of defiance. Clara and Pascale stepped out from their hiding spot, blocking his path. From behind, Lukas emerged, cutting off any escape.
"Don't move! You're surrounded," Pascale commanded, his voice cold and sharp. "Give up. Who sent you? Who are you working for?"
The man didn't answer. Instead, he lunged. He was faster than they expected. Lukas grabbed the back of the man's jacket, shouting for help, but the stranger was trained. With a violent shove and a swift maneuver, he broke Lukas's grip. A brief, frantic scuffle ensued, but the man in the hat was like grease. He vaulted over a low fence and disappeared into the labyrinth of alleys.
"Damn it!" Lukas hissed, nursing a bruised ego and a torn sleeve.
Back at the set, the mood was somber. The trio sat in the back of a van, feeling the sting of their failed mission. "We blew it," Lukas whined, practically throwing himself into Mr. Kim's arms for comfort. "The mission was a disaster, Kimi-bear! He got away!"
Pascale sighed, staring at his manicured nails. "We were too impatient. We should have waited to find his office or his home. That's where the real evidence would be—the proof of who is pulling his strings."
Suddenly, a quiet voice broke the silence. "If you want to know where he lives, why don't you just ask me?"
All three of them whipped their heads around to stare at Mr. Kim. He was leaning against the car door, looking remarkably smug. "You know?" Clara gasped.
"After Mr. Pascale pretended to be Lukas and left with you, I saw Lukas following a man in a hat who was following both of you," Mr. Kim explained calmly. "I knew you were up to something. So, I followed all of you in the car. After the man ran away from your little fight, I tracked him all the way to his house. I have the address right here."
Lukas let out a squeal of pure joy and threw his arms around Mr. Kim's neck. "My Kimi-bear is truly the smartest and coolest man of all time! I knew I picked a winner!"
Clara felt a surge of hope. They had been defeated, but Herr Kim had saved the day. They finally had an address. They finally had a way to fight back.