Ramiro stood to the side, unable to understand what the two were saying.
Ramiro grew anxious. Since arriving in Myeong-dong, he hadn’t found an opportunity to make an impression, while Leo had been conversing with Chloe the entire time.
The way they talked, it was clear they were more than just colleagues; they seemed like old friends. This made Ramiro even more uneasy.
“Alright, I’ll take this one. How much is it?” Chloe asked the shop owner, pulling out her wallet.
Ramiro quickly stepped in, pulling out his own wallet to pay for Chloe.
Chloe refused to let Ramiro pay. As they were in a standoff, someone suddenly snatched Chloe’s wallet and bolted.
Chloe was stunned for a moment, then furiously shouted, “How dare you steal from me!” and chased after the thief.
The thief was quick and agile, weaving through the crowded streets of Myeong-dong at night. He soon disappeared from sight.
Leo, worried about Chloe, also gave chase.
Ramiro was momentarily taken aback, not expecting Chloe to be so fierce in pursuing the thief. Normally, wouldn’t someone just stand there and shout for help?
Nonetheless, Ramiro followed. Even though he knew they probably couldn’t catch the thief, he wanted to show off in front of Chloe.
Chloe lost sight of the thief after a few steps in the crowd. People around her were curious about what was happening with this beautiful woman shouting in the street.
Leo caught up with her then.
Chloe grabbed Leo in frustration, “Quick, catch that thief for me.”
Leo smiled wryly, “How do you know I can find him?”
“You must have a way. Stop pretending,” Chloe insisted.
Leo hadn’t realized Chloe thought so highly of his abilities, likely because of their experience in the Western Xia Treasury underground palace.
But Leo really could catch the thief. His senses had already locked onto the thief, who had hidden in a nearby alley without running far.
Leo closed his eyes and could even picture the thief crouching at the alley entrance, clutching his chest.
“Alright, follow me,” Leo said as he slowly walked towards the alley.
Ramiro arrived then.
“The wallet has my passport and photos of my parents. It can’t be lost!” Chloe said urgently to Leo, emphasizing its importance.
Leo nodded, “Don’t worry.”
Leo, Chloe, and Ramiro reached the alley entrance. Though still in bustling Myeong-dong, the alley was narrow and only allowed one person to pass at a time. It was a stark contrast to the lively scene outside.
Ramiro’s expression turned cold as he grabbed Chloe’s arm. “Miss Chloe, don’t go in. This is where gang members gather. It’s dangerous,” he said in Korean, not wanting Leo to hear. He hoped Leo would go in and get beaten up by the gang.
Chloe simply responded with an “Oh” but said nothing more.
Ahead, Leo gestured for Chloe to stop, indicating he would go in alone.
A smile appeared on Ramiro’s face. Seeing Chloe’s reaction, he thought she wasn’t worried about Leo and assumed their relationship wasn’t deep. Watching Leo foolishly charge into danger reassured him that Chloe and Leo’s earlier closeness meant nothing now.
He waited for Leo to come out bruised or unconscious in the alley. Then he could use his father’s connections to retrieve the wallet from the gang and return it to Chloe himself, leaving a strong impression on her.
Leo’s figure was soon swallowed by the alley’s darkness, even his footsteps inaudible.
Chloe suddenly remembered something and called out, “Leo, do you know how to say ‘wallet’?”
She realized Leo didn’t speak Korean.
“How do you say it?” Leo’s voice came from inside.
“Jigab,” Chloe replied.
Leo repeated it.
Chloe found Leo’s awkward Korean pronunciation amusing, while Ramiro laughed openly.
Chloe corrected Leo’s pronunciation.
Leo tried again. Though still accented, it was at least understandable now.
The alley was deeper than expected. It was more of a passage between two closely built buildings, ending in a high wall. About a dozen people waited inside for Leo.
Leo used his senses to see them clearly.
He said, “Jigab.”
A flurry of Korean words came from the other side.
Leo couldn’t understand and shrugged helplessly. More curses followed from the other side.
Leo realized then how important it was to learn a foreign language. They were clearly speaking past each other with no way to communicate.
Fortunately, he had another way to communicate universally.
The end of the alley widened into an open space. As Leo walked in, several men with steel pipes approached him. The light from nearby buildings illuminated this area slightly better than the dark alley before. Leading them was a man in a floral shirt with a buzz cut, walking with a swagger. Behind him was the thief.
Though Leo hadn’t seen the thief’s face clearly before, his senses had been locked onto him.
Leo said again, “Jigab.”
The man in the floral shirt spat on the ground and said something back.
But Leo couldn’t understand him either.
Leo scratched his head and repeated, “Jigab, su-mi-da.”
The floral shirt man grew impatient. This Atrarian had barged into their territory and kept saying “Jigab,” treating them like beggars?
Such disrespectful behavior deserved a good beating to remind him this was Goryeo, not overpopulated Atraria.
With a wave of his hand, his underlings with steel pipes stepped forward.
Leo had exhausted all variations of “Jigab.” Seeing the gang members closing in with ill intent, he felt helpless. Would he really have to resort to universal language?