Chapter 7

                Huang Zi Tao watched as his wife’s cheeks coloured and her blood-red lips formed pouts as she blew onto the hot noodles. Steam rose from her bowl of white noodles slightly blurring the image of Oh Sera’s face from him. She was slurping the myeon (noodles) slowly.

                Tao recalled the text message from Jung Yunho. It unnerved him.

                Edison, I hope you’ve settled in well. We got reports coming in this morning. The Andromeda killed again, a warning. They wanted the boy, Ed so you better hide him well. Don’t trust anyone. –Yunho

                Tao watched Sehun’s androgynous pale face. He lost his mother at a very young age and now lost his father to a homicide. Oh Sehun should be happily living his life as he wanted and not here, living a lie to keep him safe from people who wanted to take his life with no mercy.

                “Is there something on my face? You’re staring at me.”

                Tao blinked away his dazed gaze. He didn’t mean to stare at Sehun.

                Sehun rubbed his cheeks with the back of his palm, expecting to find some dirt or stray noodles but he found none. He frowned. There was obviously nothing on his face.

                “No,” Tao said - voice smooth and lazy. It was calming. “Nothing’s on your face.”

                Sehun stopped twirling his food and peeked at the older one’s untouched bowl. Tao noticed and followed Sehun’s gaze.

                “Something bothering ya?” Sehun asked casually. Sometimes, his attitude was so similar to Tao that he wondered maybe that was the reason he was assigned to protect this witness. All Tao was seeing now was exactly what he would do if he were to be in Sehun’s situation. The urge to protect the witness was still strong.

                “You’re staring, again.” He heard Sehun’s voice again.

                “Sehun-ah...” Tao began.

                Sehun looked up. It was the first time Tao addressed him in that tone. It sounded somewhat intimate.

                However, a look passed Tao’s face and Sehun noticed it before it changed back to the aloof expression the undercover agent always sported. Sehun gritted his teeth. He didn’t know why his heart was suddenly beating so fast.   

                “How’s the food?” Tao asked. Whatever it was he wanted to say earlier, he definitely changed his mind. Sehun let it slide but it still nagged at the back of his mind.

                The 18-year-old witness poked his chopsticks around in his warm noodles. It was good but now he was full.

                “It’s good. But I don’t think I can finish it,” Sehun answered. It was then he regretted ordering a medium-sized bowl in his hunger-induced state. The medium-sized bowl was big...and generous. More like the ahjumma cooking the food was generous.

                “It’s okay. If you can’t finish it, just leave it,” Tao said.

                “Kay...you should finish yours too.”

                Tao didn’t really like hot noodles; he couldn’t really stomach anything hot. He touched the side of the black bowl, felt it was lukewarm and began to dig in.

                It was a comfortable silence for the two. Sehun slowly drank his water. His nose felt cold as the heater in the makeshift stall didn’t really reach where they were sitting. The cold winter breeze that seeped through the flimsy material of an entrance didn’t really help either. In the end, Sehun clamped his hand over his nose and mouth, breathing in the warmth from his skin. But the cold bit onto his bare hands making him clicked his tongue in distaste.

                When Tao finished (he ate Sehun’s portion too), he didn’t waste any more time and beckoned Sehun to exit the stall. Sehun couldn’t wait to get back into the safety of their new apartment. At least it wasn’t freezing in there. The cold made him sleepy and he didn’t want to go to bed yet.

                Tao noticed Sehun’s state when the younger was suddenly springing lightly on his feet. He was startled and hurriedly asked.

                “Why didn’t you tell me you were cold?” Tao drawled out. Almost angrily, he took Sehun’s bare hands (they were freezing too) and frowned.

                “You’re not wearing any gloves.” He held them in his warm hands.

                “Yeah, my current wardrobe is kinda limited right now,” Sehun replied, wincing when he was directed with Tao’s less than friendly glare. He actually had a pair of gloves but Sehun never liked anything covering his hands, it was such a nuisance.    

                Tao mulled over in silence. They still had time.

                “Do you want to buy anything? Is there anything you need?”

                “Hmmm...toiletries? Some spare shirts cus they only fitted me with what I am wearing...and for another day...” Sehun trailed then remembered he had absolutely nothing for school. “Do you think we can buy some things for school? I have nothing.”

                Tao looked at Sehun. He needed some things too. “I guess we can.”

                “Kay,” Sehun mumbled happily. In his mind, he was already thinking of buying shoes when Tao told him to buy anything he needed, things he wanted even.

                “We need to get you some gloves too,” Tao pointed out. Sehun sighed.

                And they entered into the first stationery/bookstore they found.