The Rising Sun & The Morning Calm Ch. 28

Tenshi: angel (Japanese)

Neko: kitty (Japanese)

Sarang-hae: I love you (Korean)

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Hungry yet again, Linnsa came out to the living area to see Genzo and Sang Nam sitting on opposite ends of the room. Both of them looked up in interest when she entered but then shot each other wary glances. "What do I want?" she mused aloud as she opened the refrigerator and scanned its contents.

"I can bring you whatever you like," Genzo offered helpfully.

"What are you in the mood for?" Sang Nam asked, ignoring the acid expression on Genzo's face.

"Something really salty and starchy."

"I make a very good ramen," Sang suggested.

"That sounds perfect!"

"I'll begin my culinary masterpiece straightaway." Opening the refrigerator again, he removed eggs, tofu, and scallions and noisily procured a pan from the ones hanging on the kitchen wall.

"Make two packages," Linnsa suggested. She laughed when Sang Nam held up two packages and shook them for emphasis. "I'll stay out of your way." Going back to her room, she knew Genzo was following her. It was almost as if she could feel him the same way she would have seen him had she been looking at him. Saying nothing, she let him enter her room.

Not knowing what to say, Genzo noticed a small plastic picture frame on the windowsill. "What is that?" he asked, hoping to ease the awkwardness.

"Oh that? It's a photo of me and my sister when we were really little."

Genzo leaned closer to the photo and smiled. There were Angela and Linnsa as children, but while Angela was making a scary face, Linnsa appeared scared. It seemed so in character for Angela. "What happened here?"

Linnsa started laughing. "Oh, she was always bullying me as a child. My mom always had to tell her to quit scaring me. She got in big trouble after my dad took this photo. Now it's one of my favorite pictures because it just looks so funny."

"You were both very cute as children," Genzo remarked. His voice trailed off as a strange feeling of deja vu came over him. Something about the photo struck him as familiar. So focused was he on trying to remember why that Linnsa's voice snapped him back to attention.

"Genzo, are you okay?"

"Oh...yes. I do not know why, but I feel like I have seen this picture before, or something like it. I am sure it is nothing."

Linnsa sniffed the air. "Wow that smells good! My dad always made the best ramen, but by the smell of it, Sang Nam's might be a close second." Genzo's unhappy expression at the mention of his name brought some of the discomfort back. "I guess you probably want to talk about what happened yesterday, huh?"

His eyes positively lit up at her question. "I never seem to know where I stand with you," he began haltingly. "I am unable to tell what it is you want from me."

Blushing, she looked away, discomfited by his earnest manner. "Yeah, I definitely send some confusing signals, right?" God, this was awkward.

As if to save her, Sang Nam appeared, tray in hand. "Two orders of Kim Sang Nam special ramen, for Dr. Baek," he announced with a flourish.

"Great!" Relieved to have an excuse to change the subject, Linnsa grabbed the chopsticks and began slurping up noodles, much to Genzo's dismay.

"[Mashinya]?" Sang Nam inquired.

"[Mashitta]!" she nodded brightly

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mashinya: does it taste good (Korean)

mashitta: it does taste good (Korean)

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Not looking forward to what he had to do, Noboru called a meeting the next morning. He could no longer be sympathetic to Genzo's need to be around Angela's sister, as his self control continued to break down the more besotted he became with her. "We must try to lure Saburo to my apartment within the next 48 hours. We may now be able to remove him as a threat permanently. I will go with Angela back to the loft and we will set the trap at the office headquarters. Genzo, you and a handful of others will come with me. Sang Nam, you will stay here with Linnsa."

"[Dono, nazeh]?!" Genzo couldn't believe what he was hearing.

The yellow flicker that passed over his eyes warned Noboru that he had to contain him before he got out of control. Using the firmest tone he could without being unkind, he explained, "Genzo, Angela has asked that her sister be left out of this completely. Saburo knows all of you. He does not know Sang Nam and would not recognize him as being associated with me, therefore he would have no way of knowing that Linnsa was related to Angela. I am not unaware of how you feel, but please, consider that this is the safest option for Linnsa."

He couldn't argue with his logic, but the idea of Sang Nam being alone with her in the apartment made him want to eviscerate someone. "[Hai]," was all he could say.

"When this is over, I will call you and you are to join us back at my flat," Noboru instructed Sang Nam. He handed him a piece of paper with his address on it. which Sang Nam slid into his wallet.

So absorbed were the men in their planning that no one noticed Linnsa quietly watching them around the corner. After listening to the rest of their conversation, she tiptoed back to her room and pretended to be asleep when Sang Nam came to tell her that the others would be leaving.

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nazeh: why (Japanese)
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