Chapter 2.1

Chapter 2.1

“No, that’s not what I mean… No matter how I think about it, I don’t perceive foreign men as men at all.”

“But didn’t you have a foreigner in your fortune reading–”

“Sis! Forget about that nonsense fortune-telling! We should’ve gone to a nightclub instead of here.”

“But nightclub is off-limits! I’ve told you countless times that Julia and those nightclub maniacs know everyone in the neighborhood. If rumors spread, you won’t get married. To commit a perfect crime, you should target someone you’ll never see again, like this man. Isn’t it even better if you don’t see him as a man? It’s good for using him for your purpose, and there won’t be any repercussions.”

“…That’s true.”

Andre furrowed his brow. Commit a perfect crime. While it was difficult for Koreans to gauge age based on appearance, he had no intention of being swept away by the criminal fantasies of girls who seemed to have just turned twenty.

“Miran C. Did you bring the tools I gave you?”

“You did, but honestly, I’m not confident about it.”

“You were confident earlier, like you could take down a bear straight from Siberia. But now that it’s time for action, are you getting cold feet?”

“Who’s getting cold feet? I’ll do it! I can do it!”

Andre, who had been silently listening, narrowed his eyes and glanced diagonally at the woman.

‘She talks about using tools on me. With those thin wrists, I can easily overpower her even if she tried to use a tool.”

Her lower lip, with its smooth curves, was thicker than the upper lip. Her eyes, with their clear gaze and large irises, were light in pigment for a Korean, giving her an exotic appearance. The waves of her natural brown hair cascaded down to her waist—

[Hey, Lafayette! Where’s your brain? Didn’t you hear me?]

Jared flicked his finger loudly right before Andre’s nose. Startled, Andre turned his gaze away from the woman. Jared, who had been following his gaze, smirked mischievously.

[Oh, was that it?]

[Shut up. Didn’t you say you had an appointment earlier?]

Andre met Jared in Itaewon by coincidence. After retiring, Andre traveled around various Asian countries for a month, combining business trips with sightseeing.

Today, he would return home through Gimpo Airport in the afternoon. He planned to completely leave Korea for good and return to New York in two weeks.

On his way to the Dragon Valley Hotel in Yongsan base by taxi, Andre saw Jared standing at the Itaewon intersection and stopped the taxi. It was uncharacteristic of him to act impulsively. But Jared was one of the few people he could call a friend. They wouldn’t see each other for quite some time after today.

When Andre stood before him, Jared looked startled, as if he had seen a ghost. He couldn’t hide the joy in his eyes, so he postponed his appointment for another 30 minutes.

And those 30 minutes had just passed.

[Shit! I’m late. Farewell, Lafayette. Your house matters… I hope everything works out.]

[Thanks, Hamilton. Now, get out of here.]

[If you know what’s good for you, you’d buy a drink for this great Lieutenant Hamilton protecting world peace from the front lines while you’re sleeping peacefully in New York.]

With a sly expression, Jared tapped Andre’s shoulder and hurriedly left the Cactus.

Alone now, Andre fell into contemplation for a moment.

The military, where discipline and order were his life, suited his personality quite well. Using family tradition as an excuse, the military provided him with a respite from the duties and responsibilities of being the sole successor of the Lafayette-Lowell family.

When he returned to New York, he would have to return to that position, whether he liked it or not. He had barely two weeks left to enjoy his freedom.

‘What should I do in the meantime?’

First, he needed to return to the hotel, take a shower, and cleanse himself of the travel sickness from the past month. Andre picked up the bill on the table and lifted the khaki duffel bag he had placed on the floor. At the same time, he noticed something was amiss.