Chapter 12.2

Chapter 12.2

Just before the bus stopped, Miran stood up abruptly. André, who had to tilt his head under the low ceiling, got off the bus first. He then extended his hand to Miran as she followed.

She was wearing a short skirt that revealed her thighs, which made getting off the high bus step difficult. It was a learned gesture of manners, nothing more.

But as Miran stepped off the bus, she saw his hand and froze. Behind her, a middle-aged woman impatiently pushed her off.

“Girl! People are waiting, get off quickly! Your boyfriend’s a Yankee, but he sure has good manners.”

Startled by the reprimand, Miran quickly grabbed André’s hand and got off the bus. Once down, she quickly withdrew her hand from his and awkwardly avoided his gaze. She mumbled to herself.

“… Thank you so much.”

[My pleasure.]

Miran looked up at him with a puzzled expression. Her face was transparent, showing her thoughts. She didn’t seem to understand the phrase, ‘You’re welcome.’

André chuckled at her. She flinched and bowed her head. His face stiffened, too, as if unfamiliar with using his facial muscles this way.

Why do I keep smiling like this?

“Let’s go. My house is just a ten-minute walk from here. Okay?”

She gestured towards a narrow alley.

“Okay.”

André followed her, scanning their surroundings meticulously. There were no accomplices in sight.

The dimly lit alley was a residential area with a mix of single-family houses and low-rise villas. Despite it not being very late, there were few people around.

Miran suddenly stopped, and André halted as well. She pointed to a small convenience store that looked like a New York bodega.

“Wait a moment. I’ll get some soju. Wait here, okay?”

“Okay.”

Miran entered through the low sliding door and soon came out with a black plastic bag.

“Soju.”

She smiled awkwardly and showed him the bag. André extended his hand towards her, another learned gesture of manners.

“… You want this?”

She asked in Korean, surprised. André nodded briefly. She pointed to his duffel bag.

“Aren’t your bags heavy? Very heavy. I can carry this…”

André snorted lightly and took the plastic bag from her fingers. Their fingers brushed, hers cold against his warm. Miran clenched her fist and fidgeted with her fingers as if they tingled.

Her wide eyes and flushed cheeks spoke volumes. He didn’t need language to understand what she was thinking as she swallowed dryly and avoided his gaze.

Such open emotions could easily be exploited.

However, that wasn’t his concern. For all he knew, her innocence could be an act. She had admitted multiple times through her mumblings that she wanted to use him for something.

André turned his head coldly and started walking first, and Miran quickly followed.

“How can you go first when you don’t even know where it is?”

It seemed she had decided to speak in Korean. André walked in step with her without replying. She then showed him her open palm.

“My house, five minutes.”

He nodded to indicate he understood.

Are women’s fingers usually this thin? They look like they might break with just a bit of pressure.

“Haaa… I’m nervous.”

As Miran muttered this while walking, André followed quietly, pretending not to hear.

“I bought the soju because I thought I’d need some courage.”

Miran glanced up at him briefly, and as soon as their eyes met, she quickly looked down and hung her head.

André was curious but didn’t want to reveal yet that he understood Korean. The information she let slip, thinking he didn’t understand, was quite useful. According to her, his curiosity would be satisfied in five minutes, so he decided to wait a bit longer.