It's Okay If You Forget Me

Chapter 8

"Noeul?" Boss arrived at his home fifteen minutes after the call from his landlady. He answered it and she asked him to come home immediately without telling him why, she only said that she wanted explanations about the one who stayed inside his house.

When he stopped his motorbike he saw Noeul was sitting on the patio with his landlady, sipping tea and eating banana fritters.

"What happened?" Boss asked his landlady, Mrs Jen who was munching on her evening snack.

"Boss," Mrs Jen beamed and gestured for Boss to sit down. "Why don't you tell me that you have company?"

"I just didn't want to burden you,"

"I caught him trying to leave without greeting me first," Mrs Jen pouted, and Noeul smiled sheepishly. "How dare you leave him alone without food? Are you going to starve him? Look at him all bony and..."

"Khun, I'm good, I'm going to leave very soon after I settled down,"

"You looked pale enough, nong Noeul. If only you could taste my delicious gizzard's and liver's salad..."

"Khun Jen, he doesn't eat inner organs," Boss interjected and Mrs Jen's eyes went wide.

"What? Oh...what a shame..." Mrs Jen fanned herself and pushed the fritters towards Boss. "Here you go,"

"I thought something urgent came up,"

"The fritters would be cold if we waited more," Mrs Jen replied and Noeul chuckled. He was clearly amused at the widow. "I cooked dinner and saw him when I entered the house." Boss and Noeul exchanged glances. "How could you leave him like that? He missed his lunch,"

"I'm okay, Khun. I'm fine with these fritters," Noeul said with a quick glance at Boss. Boss took a piece and popped it into his mouth. The taste was legendary. Boss and Noeul ate in silence while Mrs Jen complained about her cat which had gone hunting throughout the day and only came back at night with fresh wounds.

"I'm going to go home now, guys." Mrs Jen sighed loudly and noticed her cat came back, earlier than usual. "See? This ungrateful little kitten!" it was not a kitten, it was a grown orange tabby cat, largest that Noeul and Boss ever laid eyes on. "Noeul, you can count on me on any help, ya?"

"Yes, khun." They waved and Mrs Jen disappeared behind her door with the fat cat.

Boss turned to Noeul, quite speechless at what just happened. Apparently he forgot to tell Mrs Jen about Noeul staying in his room. He too was unsure if he was allowed to bring anyone to sleep together with in his rented house.

"Did she scold you?" Boss asked. Noeul shook his head.

"She's nice," Noeul smiled and popped another fritter into his mouth. It pleased Boss to see Noeul start eating again, he looked emaciated. He had not remembered Noeul being this skinny when they broke up, so it worried Boss.

"I'm sorry that I left this morning without anything for you to eat," Boss stood up, and gestured for Noeul to follow him. "I thought you're going to leave as soon as I leave,"

"Why do you think so?"

"Because what we talked about this morning,"

Noeul didn't answer but his footsteps sounded slower than before. Boss didn't stop, he just kept walking.

"Can I stay with you...?" Boss halted. He knew the question would come sooner or later but even though he anticipated it he was still in shock. He could feel his ears warming up. "...just temporary, just until I find somewhere to hang on to?"

"Why don't you ask your agent?" as what he anticipated, he already reserved his own answers. He's only protecting his heart.

"I'm alone." Noeul said, there was a hint of grief in his voice. "I told you before that someone's coming to get me, they targeted me and everyone around me,"