Irene parked her car moments later, grabbing her purse as she walked towards the restaurant, grateful that the walk was short in the death traps she had strapped to her feet. She pushed the door open, a smile gracing her features as she interacted with the waiter. "And the reservation ma'am?" "Ummmm Irene Bae?.... Or Wang?" He watched her face, laughing slightly. "Ah so your the one?" Irene's eyes stared back at him in confusion "Your the one that Mr Wang has been waiting for." She looked down at her watch checking the time "No I don't mean your late..." he laughed, "Follow me my lady." She smiled as she clutched her purse tightly, walking through the beautifully lit restaurant, that had exquisite decoration and impeccable standards, her heart pounding as the man led her through, abruptly stopping without warning causing Irene to nearly slam into him. "Mr Wang...she's here." He said moving out of the way.

Irene looked into the hazelnut eyes that held a warmth she recognised, her eyes sweeping over his form. "Captain?" She asked, her eyes widening in recognition as he followed. "Doctor Bae?" He asked back astonished at the way fate was playing out. He offered her a smile as he nodded to the waiter who left seconds later. She watched as Jackson stood up walking around the table as he greeted her, shaking her hand, the spark felt again as they avoided each other's eye contact. He guided Irene to her seat pulling it out for her and tucking it in as he resumed his own seat. His eyes finally embracing her form. She was dressed in a black body con, evening dress that ended below her knees, it emphasised her figure perfectly enhancing her shoulders that were on display, his eyes sweeping over her milky white skin that was flawless, his gaze moved up to her face, her lips coated in a dark maroon, emphasising the fullness of her plump lips, her hair dead straight, covering the dangly earrings she had paired with the outfit, his eyes met her as he watched the eye liner make the pop, the mascara extending her already long eyelashes. She looked perfect. Beautiful. "You look Beautiful." He vocalised, smiling slightly at the way she looked down smiling. "Thank you." She said back her eyes consuming his form. His hair was slicked to the side the way it had been when they first met, but he looked well rested, the handsome features emphasised under the lighting, his body clad in a black suit and white shirt emphasising his physique. He looked sexy, her mind going into its own world as she returned the compliment. They ordered their food, Jackson a complete gentlemen as their gazes reconnected. "So..." Jackson began. She laughed "This is so awkward..." she vocalised finishing it off for him. She watched as the tension flew from his shoulders as his eyes twinkled "Well let's change that then shall we." As they broke the ice the conversation begging to flow, each feeling as if they were talking to a friend, as Irene sipped on her drink. "How's Jinyoung doing?" "Always the doctor I see.." she laughed "of course, even at family functions with random ladies coming up to me asking me to check things I should not have to." He laughed "I would be sure they would be showing you their sons." "And that!" He laughed "He is doing okay...still sore but you know him, he is dedicated to his work." She smiled "Yeah he always was..." "I never really got much of a chance to ask anyone how you guys know each other." "We trained together, and I was their captain for about a year and half." She said her eyes never once leaving his. "Do you miss it?" "Of course...but I wasn't there for me, I was doing it to prove a point, a point that I couldn't see the logic in after awhile." He nodded. "Sorry if I'm overstepping but what do you mean." She sighed "it's okay if you don't want to talk about it." He cut in. "No it's not that...I'm not sure if you know my Dad but he's the general at the South Korean army...he always wanted a son, and he has one...I joined to try and gain the acceptance that I never received, to summarise." He nodded, not pushing the matter further. "Everyone speaks highly of you." He watched as she brushed a lock of her hair behind her ear. "I'm shocked people remember me.." "of course you were the beauty but deadly queen Major.." he watched as her eyes shined as her head fell back in laughter. Her laughter captivating as he smiled with her. "That doesn't sound great." He shook his head "You really doubt yourself don't you?" He watched something flash in her eyes. Vulnerability. And he watched how in milliseconds the facade was back up, as she shrugged her shoulders. His mind wandering who had hurt her. "So were you always planning to leave?" "No it was a freak decision after a bad mission...I had already started my medical degree and I was doing it on the side of military training. It was always my plan B, and I'm glad I had it." "Yeah your amazing at it...kind of wish I got to see you in action on the field though." She smiled "what year did you join?" "2017...I was in the Chinese army before, then transferred with my Dad." She laughed. "Interesting. You just missed me though. I left at the end of 2017." He shook his head "Damn." He muttered causing her to laugh. "So Chinese army huh?" She said. "Yeah, I was born and raised there but work brought me and my family here. It was kind of a freak decision for our family but the lifestyle was better here." "Where about's in China?" "Hong Kong."
"有趣的是，您仍然會說這種語言 [interesting. do you still speak the language]" His eyes widened as she spoke in his mother tongue. "是的，我願意。但是我對你更感興趣。[Yes I do but I'm more intrigued about you.]" She laughed seconds later "Yeah I learnt the language for a mission, and then I kept on top of it. Me and my friends love going so...it's useful." He nodded "Is there anything you can't do?" He watched as she laughed again. "Your saying that to me but your speaking perfect English and Korean and clearly Chinese too. Is there anything you can't do." She fired back at him, he laughed throwing his hands up in defence. "I actually speak more languages." "How many?" She questioned "six." "Damn thats a lot." He laughed, leaning back in his chair slightly. "Okay quick test say something to me in those six languages." "Okay.... ang ganda mo- Cantonese. tu es beau- French. あなたの美しい- Japanese. 당신의 아름다운- Korean. 你的美丽- Chinese. Your beautiful-English." He watched as she smiled, blushing slightly. "私は違いますが、ありがとうございます[I'm not but thank you]."  His eyes widened again. "Seriously Japanese as well..." she laughed "Also you are, don't fight me on it." She giggled slightly as their food finally arrived  both waiting for each other. The two had established such an ease in conversation that they were both thankful for. It made life easier. "So marriage.." he begun. "Penny for your thoughts on the topic." She laughed "I actually want my penny then." He laughed, feeling himself ease with her humour. "On a serious note...marriage isn't something that I was considering. I'm doing it for my family." He watched her. "I'm the same." "That's nice to know. It helps make this easier." She said smiling at him. "But what do you expect from marriage?" He asked. "My expectations aren't big Jackson. We are both being forced into this, it's not right for me to expect much. All I ask is that you respect me. I'm not asking for love, I don't expect that of you. I just ask that if you can't treat me like a wife, treat me like a friend because it will ease the situation for both of us." He nodded as she continued "Is there anything you expect of me." "You covered it pretty well. I also want to be able to communicate with you. It's important in any relationship, be that friends or more." She nodded sipping on her drink as she took a spoonful of her food moaning slightly "Gosh this is good." She said as he chuckled. "Hey don't laugh at me." The smile she tried to suppress betraying her in a matter of seconds. It felt odd, to smile in the presence of someone she didn't know well. She felt comfortable, content in his presence, and the feeling was unlike no other. It was a feeling she never really got. And it caught her off guard. She smiled at him as he returned it. "So any hobbies captain?" He laughed "You gonna keep calling me that?" "Yeah I like it." He shook his head. "I sing." Her eyes widened. "Did not expect that." He laughed "I'm not that good." "I'll be the judge of that." He rolled his eyes. "What about you? Any hobbies." "I paint, and bake." "Ooooooo food. Let's get married right now." She laughed as she leaned over slapping his bicep. "You just wanted that excuse to touch me." He said smirking as she withdrew her hand. She smirked back at him. "Yeah maybe I did." She burst into laughter as his smirk dropped. "What can't handle this Wang?" He shook his head "You haven't seen me handle you yet Bae." He retorted, shocked at her confidence. It was endearing yet refreshing. Irene's brain however was freaking out. Where she got that confidence from she had no idea, but she liked it. They looked at each other for minutes just smiling, enjoying the company of the other as they continued to eat. "So how hectic has things gotten in the army?" He sighed "Damn hectic, it's pure chaos, things are falling apart left right and centre. Backstabbing people seems like a new hobby." He rolled his eyes, as she winced. "A mess then?" "Mess is an understatement." He said shaking his head. "You should come back, I feel like you would get things back in order." "Is this your way of trying to see me in action." He laughed, "Too obvious." "Just a tad." She said laughing before continuing "you've seen me in action." She said referring back to the incident at the hospital. "That was not you at your full potential...Does that happen often?" He said, confused at the concern he suddenly felt for her wellbeing as he finished his food, sitting back as she  stopped nodding. "It's been a bit chill recently, but that's pretty normal. We are at the heart of the city. The biggest hospital. Things like that are bound to happen. It's out of our control so we just deal with it." She said, her heat fluttering as she watched him listen to her with immense concentration. "So you get guns pointed at your face regularly? Sounds like a battlefield to me." "It is. But we have multiple battles, similar to you guys. We deal with things like that but the main fight is to save lives. That's the main aim, or mission." He nodded. "You have such an ease with it though, throughout it all, I watched you work yesterday, I watched you risk your life and throughout it all, i never saw an ounce of fear." She shrugged her shoulders "i freak out, I'm just better at hiding it. Just because I carry it well doesn't mean that it isn't heavy." He watched as she cut a piece of her food, chewing on it as he stole a chip of her plate. "Your lucky I like you. I would have chopped your hand off for touching my food." He laughed. "Guess I am lucky then." He said wriggling his eye brows. "Okay I have another question...Do you like risking your life?...I'm not sure whether i should call you brave or stupid for your stunt." He watched a sad smile paint itself on her features. "You asked me if I dealt with a lot of situations like that...I have. The first time was when I was a junior doctor. We had a man, who was stabbed. Or that's what we thought. He was a schizophrenic. We didn't think about the possibility that the other stab cases that day were linked, neither did the police. We hadn't put restraints on because he held up well, his past history...well we didn't have it. It wasn't until one of the victims woke up and signalled to Wendy that he was the one who did it. But it was too late by that point. He went on a stabbing spree. My senior had gone to see him, and I realised something was wrong before Wendy had put two and two together. I went in and tripped over my senior, realising he was bleeding out and had been stabbed in the stomach, chest and neck. I was trying to save him, and just as I was about to call someone for help, he stabbed me. About three times. I managed to stand, took him out and then ran out only to collapse. My Senior died, on the table, things like this we are forced to deal with, everyone is going through their own inner battles some are just better at hiding those facts, but that was the first time, since then I've handled all those situations because I'm the only one that has military training, I'm the safest bet so I get called to deal with it." She took a deep breath, as she attempted to smile. He reached over grabbing her hand, a new found respect being built as he listened to her story. She had been through so much. Never catching a break, he could tell. "Thanks for telling me..." he whispered as she managed a weak smile. "I wanted too." But she missed out a lot of details. How she had actually died, but fought her way back. How she had to recover alone, her family not knowing about the incident. How she cried herself to sleep because of the nightmares that still haunted her. How she was an insomniac as a result of this and similar experiences. She missed out a lot. He laced his fingers through hers,offering her a smile. "I was right about you." He said. As she looked up at him "Your a warrior in every sense." She laughed, his own returning as he was grateful that she hers had returned.

They finished their food, as they both stood. "I'll walk you to your car." He stated as she nodded. He held the door open for her as she waved to the waiter who smiled back at her. The two walking as Irene shuddered slightly, the temperature had dropped and she slapped herself mentally for not checking the weather. Jackson took of his blazer wrapping it around her shoulders as she smiled up at him. "Thanks." He nodded, smiling as they continued. He observed the pain etched in her face. Pain that she tried to hide with a smile. He slowed down, "Where exactly is your car?" "About five more minutes." He nodded looking at her, as he crouched down in front of her. "Get on. I can see the pain." She smiled. Wrapping her arms around his neck, his arms holding her legs as he ran forth with her causing her to giggle and squeal like a child. She smiled resting her chin on his shoulder. She was astonished at the way he read her in a matter of seconds. The way he knew she was in pain. It touched her heart. He continued talking as she stared at him, feeling relaxed in his presence, just listening to his voice was enough. She smiled as he looked at her from the corner of his eye. When they finally reached her car he set her down. "Thank you..."she began. "I had fun. It went better than what I had expected." He smiled, shoving his hands in to his pockets. "Can I have your number then future wife?" He said jokingly as she punched his shoulder shaking her head slightly as they exchanged numbers. Each saving each other with funny names that had them biting their lips. Once done they looked at each other again. "I'll see you around." He said "Remember to bring Jinyoung in." She said as he rolled his eyes. "The doctor is back." He said teasingly as she flipped her hair. "Of course." They smiled at each other as Irene handed Jackson his blazer back, instantly missing the warmth it provided, their hands touching as they avoided each other's gaze. He opened her car door, holding her hand as he helped her in. She turned the car on, rolling the window down as he winked at her. "See you around wifey." "Not a wifey till there is a ring on this finger babe." She sassed back, as he held up his hands in mock surrender, laughing. He waved at her as she backed out, driving away. Jackson walking away, his brain and heart forcing him to turn as he smiled watching her car disappear from his sights; holding his blazer in one hand, the other rubbing his neck as the smile refused to fall.

Irene sat at the traffic lights. Her smile refusing to fade as well as her heart pounded against its cage.

TBC

-Authors note.
Heyyyyyyyyy. Hope you like this one. Let me know what you think. I look forward to hearing back.