When their late lunch was finally served, Alicia remembered Jason and realized they were only in the not-so-large VIP room.
"Bro, where's your boss? Why didn't he join us?"
Noah took out his cell phone to make a call, but he answered his sister's curiosity before he called Jason's number.
"He is not my boss, but my bodyguard!"
Alicia's jaw dropped slightly. She was too shocked to process that.
It was still hard for her to believe that her brother's real family was actually wealthy. Her brother was the true chaebol she had ever met in her life. How cool is that?
However, something made her feel bad about him. He had spent nearly his entire life with them in a small town, living like seventy percent of the people in this country—living day to day with only enough money for basic necessities.
Just as Alicia was about to share her thoughts, the door swung open, and Jason stepped in with a smile.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Jason!"
Noah gestured for him to take a seat.
Jason nods slightly and takes a seat near Noah.
"It's fine. I was also having a call outside."
A slight frown appears on Noah's forehead.
"Something happened to your dad?"
"Yeah, they just updated me about his surgery. And I likely have to be present there tomorrow," Jason responded with a slight flash of distress in his gaze.
"We will return tomorrow morning, man," Noah reassured him.
"Right, Jason. This is my little sister, Alicia. You can call her Alice." Noah turned to see her.
A light smile appeared on Noah's lips when he noticed his sister staring at them in disbelief, as if she wanted to ask, "He is seriously your bodyguard?" with her gaze.
Noticing the question in her eyes, Noah shared that Jason is not just his bodyguard, but he's also his best friend. She'll probably meet him often once they move to the capital!
"Hello, little sister Alice. It's nice to finally meet you." Jason greeted her gently and offered her a warm handshake. "You can call me Jason, or brother Jason is also okay..."
Alicia smiles awkwardly as she accepts his hand.
"H-Hello, brother Jason. Please take good care of my weak brother. Also, scold him if he overworks himself. And remind him never to skip any of his three meals a day."
"Haha, absolutely, I'll take care of that."
"You're the best brother, Jason," Alicia beamed joyfully as she lifted her ocha tea to toast with him. "Thank you!" she said, then emptied the glass.
Noah can't help but laugh when Alicia points out his flaw in front of Jason with just one sentence. He shook his head, amused by her playfulness.
He said nothing further but allowed them to begin enjoying their meal.
Their lunch was quite lively, especially with Alicia suddenly becoming talkative. She bombarded Jason with questions about his activities in Opal City.
At first, Noah felt fine about it; he allowed her to chat with Jason. Perhaps this initial meeting could help her feel more at ease around his bodyguard.
However, after a few more minutes, Alicia began to ask about Emma, and slowly, Noah's expression changed from relaxed to tense.
'Stop, Alice! Don't ask anything that will make me embarrassed...'
Noah silently prayed while casting her a sharp glare. Yet, his sister seemed completely unbothered by his glare, her eyes sparkling as she focused solely on Jason.
"Brother Jason, is it true that sister Emma is pretty? And is my brother so close to sister Emma?"
Jason was surprised to hear that. "You know Emma as well?" he asked.
"Hmm..." Alicia nods.
Her eyes beamed with curiosity as she continued, "Sister Emma helped me a few times when my brother was busy working in an area with no connection."
"Indeed, Emma is both beautiful and kind. Yes, we share a close friendship," Jason acknowledged. "If you're planning a trip to Opal City, you should meet her."
"Wow! She must be gorgeous; her voice is so angelic!" Alicia exclaimed with a bright grin before turning to her brother. "Brother Noah, you have a crush on sister Emma, don't you?"
Cough! Cough!
Noah nearly choked on the delicious smoked salmon sushi he had just popped into his mouth, completely taken aback by Alicia's absurd question.
"Oh, come on, brother! No need to be so surprised; I totally get that. It's easy to see why sister Emma is always so sweet to me."
Alicia giggled as she placed another piece of sushi in her mouth, ignoring her brother's annoyed glare.
When Noah was about to deny it, Jason added fuel to embarrass him even more.
"Noah, do you seriously like Emma?" Jason asked in a surprised tone.
Noticing Noah's surprised expression, he continued, "Well, you both look good together. I approve!" He raised his thumbs and smiled meaningfully.
Noah was left speechless.
'What the fuck are they trying to say? Why did they all assume I like Emma!?' Noah could only vent his frustration in his head while trying to calm his confused mind.
Alicia paused to eat her last sushi after hearing Jason's words, her smile widening as she added, "You guys should ask her to come. It would be fun if sister Emm..."
Noah placed a piece of spicy tuna roll in her mouth to silence her. He noticed her shocked glare and said, "You look so skinny. You need to eat more."
After swallowing her sushi, Alicia shot him a glance, but her cell phone rang just before she could express her thoughts.
Staring at the familiar number on the phone screen, she quickly set aside her annoyance. She answered the call, "Hello, Oh, yes, nurse..."
Noah's playful smile after teasing his little sister suddenly vanished upon hearing the word 'Nurse.'
His gaze was fixed on Alicia, eager to catch every word of their conversation. Yet, he couldn't hear anything; his sister remained silent.
Without Alicia saying a single word, Noah sensed that something terrible had happened at the hospital after seeing his sister's face gradually pale and her hands shake as she clutched her cell phone.
"Alice, what is it?"
"B-Brother, the nurse on duty said that Mother's condition suddenly deteriorated, and now she's in critical... I'm unsure of what exactly happened, but she is now in the operating room. They instructed me to go to the hos—"
"Let's go!" Noah didn't wait for her to finish. He gathered his things, helped her stand, and instructed Jason on a few tasks.
Noah and Alicia rush to the hospital, leaving Jason behind to handle the bill.