บท 6: CHAPTER 6
"Let's go." Yanking him along, they hurried through the turnstiles and ran upstairs. Aurora's eyes began to wander off at the new environment she was now in. Looking all around, the majority of the people in this place was one race.
"Asians…?" Aurora muttered.
Jeonguk gave her a slight push to move her away from the stairs. "There are people trying to come out."
"Oh, right." Aurora stepped around the railing to let them go by. She spun around, being pulled back into her trance. "This is so crazy…" She began walking off with Jeonguk following behind.
"What is?"
"I've never seen…so many…in one area."
"I believe we are in China Town."
"China Town?! So, we're surrounded by Chinese people!!!" Aurora gasped with awe. "Amazing!"
The Chinese people were all staring at Aurora with pity. Speaking in their native tongue, they teased her and made fun of her. Aurora didn't pay any attention to it, but Jeonguk did. He turned his sight to the few females who were cackling and poking fun at her. Approaching them, Jeonguk earned a few glances from them.
"Watches?"
"Bags?"
"Jewelry?"
"Pardon me," Jeonguk first nods gentlemanly. "But, I am not here to buy any of your watches, bags, or jewelry. In fact, it would be appreciated if you did not talk ill of my master."
The women looked at each other, remaining silent.
"Thank you," He nods once more. Pulling Aurora along, he crossed the street to get away from the females.
"Do you know where we're going?" Aurora asked.
"Not quite," Jeonguk replied. "We need to ask around for directions to the Kings Bridge."
As they walked along, Aurora was dazed—like a little child. She's never crossed the train station into a completely new territory. She was always either stranded in The North Sea, or ended up traveling in familiar parts of York Seoul City. There were many pretty and eye-catchy sceneries—such as the bubble tea shops that lined the streets, and the many cafes that complimented them.
"I've never in my life seen these in person…" Aurora whispered.
Jeonguk stopped, coming over to her. "Seen what?"
"Bubble tea…"
Eyeing the glass, Jeonguk examined the posters that displayed many different tea flavors. They were all very cutesy—appealing for those with a soft and gentle heart. Jeonguk looked at Aurora, wanting to carry on with their mission. But the look in her eyes made him halt to admire her innocent and soft expression. It made him wonder how much of the world Aurora has not seen, that simple bubble tea ads would hypnotize her from reality.
"If you'd like," He incurred. "I'll get you a tea."
"I'm pretty sure we won't be able to easily run off with bubble tea like with the food from the restaurant..." Aurora spoke through her stare. Placing her hands on the glass she peeped inside. There was quite a number of young adults and adolescents waiting in line and sitting around tables, enjoying their treat. Aurora felt a bit jealous that she wasn't able to enjoy the necessities of life like them. She always has to plot and think about how will she get around obstacles to get what she wants.
"Maybe we don't have to steal," Jeonguk countered. "Maybe we can ask."
"Ask for what? And from who?"
"Ask the workers if we can sample a tea."
Aurora tilted her head up to Jeonguk, then returned her eyes to the inner décor. "Nah," She steps away from the glass. "I'd rather not."
Walking past him, Jeonguk's body followed her. He didn't understand what was the problem.
Was my suggestion not good enough? He wondered.
"Wait," Jeonguk pleaded. "We need to find out how to get to the Kings Bridge."
Aurora's eyes washed over with dismay. "…can't we look around a bit more? I've never been in China Town before…"
Jeonguk absorbed Aurora's look of despair. "Patience…" He whispered. "Okay, that's fine." He released her hand.
Aurora didn't know how to feel about how Jeonguk let go of her hand. Did she perhaps sound too whiny? Was she annoying him? Her conscious ate at her at the moment because of her needy attitude.
Jeonguk looked around him, trying to see where they were. "Where would you like to go?"
"Um…" Aurora held her chin. "…I really don't know." She chuckles embarrassedly.
Jeonguk began walking in the direction the majority of the crowd was going. Aurora asked where he was going off to, but he didn't answer her. He began going across the long street with Aurora catching up. Aurora asked him once more where he was going, and Jeonguk pointed at a little café a little up ahead on the other side of the street. "Let's look at what they have in there."
Once they've entered the store, all eyes were looking at them. It was almost as though they've never seen a girl of her race with an android before.
Aurora tried to ignore the stares, walking up to the glass displays. Bending over she smiled at the appealing desserts that was properly kept on small porcelain plates. "These look delicious…"
"Would you like one?" The Chinese employee smiles at her.
"Oh no, I don't have money." Aurora confessed.
Jeonguk bent over and held his chin. "My owner used to love getting the green tea cheesecake."
"Green tea cheesecake?!" Aurora grimaced at that mix.
Jeonguk looked at her and asked, "Have you ever had cheesecake?"
"Well, no," Aurora shrugged it off like child's play. "Not that I ever really cared."
Erecting himself, Jeonguk looked at the cashier. She blushed admiring how handsome he was. "Is there any way we can have a sample of this for free?"
"For free?" Aurora heard people in the back murmuring against that idea. Aurora clenched her fists and began tensing up. She heard them mock them, claiming that she was a rich girl and he was a spoiled rich boy trying to get freebies from commoners.
"Jeonguk…I don't think we should ask for anything for free—"
"I'm sorry, but we don't offer samples here," The employee explains. "We haven't reached that point in business to allow that."
Jeonguk stared at the employees left breast, zooming in to her nametag. "Xiao-Lee," He began. "Please, for the sake of my master who has never tried green tea cheesecake before—"
"Jeonguk!" Aurora yanked his shirt in shock.
Xiao-Lee stood baffled by his approach. Jeonguk bowed humbly, refusing to lift his head. "Neither of us has money, and we are just beggars traveling on foot, hoping to gleam our next meal by the day. Do not be fooled by the clothes we are wearing, or how modest we look. Even rich people can fall into oblivion at some point, right?" He looks up at her with his neutral eyes. "Right?"
Xiao-Lee didn't know what to say. Turning to her partner, the girl just shrugged.
Aurora blushed profusely, feeling terribly embarrassed by Jeonguk's shameless behavior. She tugged on his shirt once more, demanding that he stopped his foolishness. But he wouldn't stop.
"Uh…" Xiao glanced at the people who were staring with disappointed eyes. They all seemed to beam on her with pressure. "…I'm sorry, but I just…I just can't—"
"Here," The other employee shoved a little plastic bag at Jeonguk. "Now please, get out. You are making a scene."
Jeonguk was somewhat surprised by the outcome of this situation, and so was Aurora. Neither of them expected the employees to give in to Jeonguk's begging.
The rough employee then softened her tone, lowering the bag. "Please…just take it and go," She lowered her head sheepishly. "You're too handsome to make a fool of yourself…"
Jeonguk nodded, taking the bag.
"…what do you say, Jeonguk?" Aurora questioned him.
Jeonguk didn't know what to say.
Aurora furrowed an eyebrow at him. "Seriously?"
Jeonguk stared with a blank face.
"We say, 'thank you', understand?"
Jeonguk turned his head to the girls and bowed. "Thank you."
Aurora didn't understand why Jeonguk didn't thank the girls this time. He says thank you more than I have ever done in my life…so why did he hesitate to say it just now? She pondered deeply about it.
As they exited, the roaming eyes eventually died off them once they disappeared from their eye's view. They still continued to murmur about them for some time, then returned to their original conversations.
Sitting at the next-door café's tables outside, Aurora leans her cheek in the palm of her hand. Jeonguk was safely securing the cheesecake, placing it on the table. She couldn't help but voice her opinion. If Jeonguk was going to basically be her pet—or servant—then he ought to know how to treat people at all times.
"Say, Jeonguk?"
"Yes?"
"About back there…" Aurora looked away, feeling a bit awkward about this question. "…why did you hesitate to thank them?"
"Oh, you're worried about that?" Jeonguk looked up at her with his gloomy orbs.
Aurora nodded.
"Well," Jeonguk slid the cake over to her with the plastic fork. "They didn't give it to me because of you. They gave it to me because they were only doing it for their selfish gain."
"What?" Aurora didn't understand.
"You may have realized, by your statement, that each time I have encountered a human, I have shown manners and thanked them for their response. I did that because they understood that I was doing these things for you. Those girls did not. Even after I expressed our daily concerns, they were too busy looking at me." Jeonguk then tilted his head. "Why do girls look at me like that? And women? Is there something wrong with my face or my body?"
Aurora shook her head. If only he understood the makeup of women…
"It's not that something's wrong with your body, per say. It's actually just their attraction towards you."
"Attraction?" Jeonguk repeats enthused. Aurora could tell that he wanted to learn more about what this means.
"Never mind…it's not really a wholesome topic to talk about." Aurora slouched in her seat. "Not that I can even teach you about it. I don't know half the things about attraction. No one's ever been attracted to me anyway," She took a piece of the cake. "And I sure as hell never been attracted to anyone, so hey." Taking a bite, she slammed her fist on the table. "Damn, this is good!"
Jeonguk stared into Aurora's eyes. "Are you attracted to me?"
"Huh?" Aurora was thrown off by that bold question. "What kind of question is that?!"
"Just a question."
Aurora's cheeks reddened. "No, I am most definitely not! You are an AI, you got that?!" Aurora points at him sternly. "No human or AI is attracted to each other!"
Jeonguk tilted his head once more. "Okay."
Sighing in relief, Aurora continued eating. "Anyways…would you like to try it?"
"No, thank you."
The girl arched a brow at him. "Why the harsh response?"
"It's just a no, thank you." Jeonguk expressed.
Unsure of what else to say, Aurora just dragged out, "Right…" She finished her cheesecake feeling satisfied. But there was still an empty void in her. She couldn't help but replay the cold stares she was receiving from the people.
Is it because they knew I wasn't rich? Or maybe they knew that Jeonguk was lying?
The thought sickened her. Aurora held her stomach, hoping that what she ate throughout the day wouldn't give up on her and come out.
"What is the matter?" Jeonguk was ready to get up, seeing the pain Aurora was in.
"…I just want to go home." She begged. "I just don't want to be here anymore…"
Seeing that something was bringing her mood down, Jeonguk was learning by the hour that Aurora just needed distractions to take her mind off of negativity. "How about the walk on the Kings Bridge?"
Aurora's memory clicked hearing him make that propose. "I…I've totally forgotten about that." Aurora took Jeonguk's hand as he lifted her from her seat.
"Then, why don't we go about our way out of China Town? This environment is too toxic."
Aurora couldn't agree anymore. But deep down she felt that it was her who was toxic.
I've probably caused all these people to be toxic…
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