When You Came

Chapter 16 - Noah's POV

Noah's POV

Today's the day. I somehow couldn't figure out as to why I had agreed to a dinner with Aurelia. I should have stuck to my original decision to turn it down but I couldn't. There was something telling me at the back of my mind that I had to go. I had to go to get to know more about her father. Does she know what her father does? I kept telling myself that the only reason why I agreed to this dinner was to get more information about her father, to know their plans for the trip so it would be easier to execute them but deep down I know it was because of her. Somehow she has managed to weasel her way into my mind and thoughts and all I could think about was how horrified and broken she looked yesterday when I found her in that dark alleyway.

I was secretly following her just in case she got into any trouble and she did. I called the cops before anything could happen and when the two men came running out of the alleyway, the cops caught them and took them in. I stayed behind for a while to speak to the cops. I mean I could have swooped in and killed the men but my uncle wouldn't appreciate it. So I refrained from doing so. When I found her, she was leaning against the wall. She looked so broken and hurt and I felt a sting in my heart. I took her back to my place because she was already passed out but the second I stepped in to the living room and I put her down on the sofa. She mumbled something incoherent under her breath which I couldn't make out and then she started taking off her clothes.

I quickly picked her up and put her over my shoulder and took her to my room to examine her head. The minute I threw her on the bed she passed out again which made my job easier. After checking her head to find only a bump behind and no blood, I threw the comforter over her. I rolled her further to the right side of the bed and I slept on the left. Before I turned off the lights, I took my time to look at her sleeping figure. She looked beautiful honestly. Her lips were parted in her sleep and there were little noises coming out of her. Her body was absolutely tanned and then I noticed she had two huge scars on both of her knees which made me frown. What happened to her that both her knees had scars?

I had to mentally slap myself for caring. She was just a mission. Don't get involved with anything personal. Her scars on her body doesn't mean anything to me and how she hugged the comforter and throwing her right leg over it, hugging the comforter didn't matter. With that, I turned off the lights and went to sleep.

*

I left at around 5 knowing it would take an hour tops to reach her hotel. I already knew where to take her to eat. It was nothing fancy because I know she didn't bring anything fancy for a trip and I know that I could buy her a dress but that would defeat the whole 'no feelings and don't get involved personally with the target' thing I have going on for me. The place I'm taking her serves soft tofu stew and a bunch of other stew. It was the place my mum used to take me when I was little and since I'm back in Seoul I have been craving it. So it was just perfect timing.

I arrived at the hotel's lobby to see Aurelia already standing outside wrapped in her purple winter jacket. She was wearing a pair of black ripped jeans, black boots and a white sweater underneath her jacket. Her slinky black hair was let down as they sit on her shoulders, looking breathtaking as always. She saw my car and there was a small smile placed on her face but it vanished quickly. She got into my car and put on her seatbelt and we were off.

"What are we eating?" Aurelia asked.

"Korean food." I answered simply.

"Thanks for stating the obvious, Noah." She deadpanned. I rolled my eyes at her sarcasm.

"Be quiet will you? I won't tell you even if you keep asking." I said.

"Is that the correct way to speak to the person who's paying for dinner?" She challenged.

"I honestly don't care. I can pay for myself." I said unfazed by her challenge.

"Fine." She pouted. Yes! She pouted which just so fucking adorable. Her luscious lips just making me want to kiss the life out of them. WAIT! WHAT? Why did I just think about that? I need to think about other stuff and get that idea out of my head before I lose all forms of self – restraint.

Think Noah, think! Think about cold showers, uncle Richard naked, I mentally encouraged myself. Ugh, to my dismay it was hard because she was just sitting right beside me and glancing out the window, looking at the streets with such awe. She looked pretty and peaceful.

After 45 minutes of silence, we finally reached the restaurant and she got out and took a good look at the restaurant building.

"Come on." I called out to her to which she followed me quickly into the restaurant. As soon as I stepped in the feeling of nostalgia washed over me. I remembered my mother bringing me here every day after school and during the times when it was so cold that only a bowl of hot soft tofu stew could keep you warm. I really missed her, she left too soon. The day I received the news was the best and worst day of my life. I had just gotten full marks on my mathematics exam back in primary school which my mother helped me with. I was so happy to go back home to tell her but I never got the chance to tell her in person. Instead I stood near her coffin at her funeral and held up my paper for her and told her softly. I was never close with my father but he did what any father did. He provided for the family and he loved my mother immensely. He was always busy but somehow the day of the accident he managed to take a day off so both of them went on a breakfast date while I was at school and that was when it happened.

"Hey, are you alright?" She tapped on my arm.

"Yeah." I shook those memories out of my head.

"NOAH!" a familiar voice from an old lady shrieked out.

I looked forward to see Mrs. Baek. She came forward and hugged the life of out me.

"baegbu in olaenman-iya." I greeted her with a small polite smile. (Mrs. Baek, long time no see.)

"jeongmal olaenman-iya." She wiped a little tear that escaped. (It really has been a long time.) "eotteohge jinaessna yo? sal-i ppajyeoss-eo, neo jom bwa!" She playful smacked my arm and said. (How have you been? You lost weight, look at you!)

"jal haess-eo baegbu in." I rubbed my arm. (I've been good, Mrs. Baek.)

Just then Mrs. Baek noticed Aurelia and gave me a sly smirk and said "nugu sijyo? dangsin-ui yeoja chingu?" (Who's that? Your girlfriend?)

I turned to see Aurelia standing there awkwardly biting the inside of her cheek and looking around the restaurant busying herself.

"ani ulineun chingu il ppun-iya." I spoke truthfully. (No we're just friends.)

"joh-a, mwolago malhadeun." Mrs. Baek nodded her head not quite believing me as she showed us our table. (Alright, whatever you say.)

She gave us the menus and before she left she whispered into my ear "geunyeoneun yeppeuda."

(She's pretty.)

I just rolled my eyes at her statement and looked back at the menu knowing what I already want. I looked up to Aurelia to see her eyebrows scrunched up as she looked at the menu.

"Hey!" I snatched the menu out of her hands.

"I'll order for us." I said raising my hand for Mrs. Baek to come take our order.

"But you don't know what I want." She folded her arms across her chest.

"Trust me, you will not regret it." I assured her. Truth is I didn't want to spend so much unnecessary time with her because feelings could develop if I kept studying or looking at her small actions such as her fiddling with her fingers when she's nervous, biting her inside cheek when she's awkward or her eyebrows scrunching up when she's trying really hard to understand or thinking about something.

"Yes?" Mrs. Baek came and asked for our order.

"Sundubu-jjigae du" I said. (Two soft tofu stew.)

"ala so." Mrs. Baek said. (Okay.)

"You're such an asshole..." Aurelia muttered under her breath but I heard it. But chose not to reply. Both of us sat in silence waiting for our food to arrive.