Chapter 72

72 The Embarrassment

Nivritti had her face hidden in her hands, shaking it in embarrassment. Her open hair was all over her shoulder and back. Jae-Geun could not stop smiling at her reaction. He caught her lie, cleverly.

“So, she understood every word that came out of uhmma’s mouth. She tried hard to hide but truth came out finally. Ha-ha, she is looking so cute. What? What am I thinking? Why did I call her cute? Jaegeuna! Get it together,” he thought to himself.

He climbed back the stairs and stood before her. “So, does Jaehwa knows about your deception,” he teased.

She immediately looked at him and said, “no.”

“Should I tell her?” he smirked and teased her. He had no idea how she would react. Maybe she would give him an explanation. But what she did next was beyond his imagination.

Instantly she closed her door so that Jae-Hwa could not hear their conversation and jumped at him. She covered his mouth with her palm and pushed him away from the door. His back landed on the railing, and she was over him staring into his eyes.

Her face was too close to his. Her hair was now covering his shoulders as well. He carefully mapped her face. Her eyes were slightly red and still a little swollen. Her cute cheeks were complimenting her jawline. Her nose was almost near his nose. Her lavender smell hit his nose and he closed his eyes with pleasure. She was looking cute but her long, black hair all over her was making her a little scary.

“Shush! Oh, this is so embarrassing,” she whispered. “Promise me you won’t tell anyone, promise me,” she threatened him. But he spoke no word. How could he, she kept his mouth covered. “Say something,” she scolded.

He pointed at her hand that covered his mouth. “Oh, sorry!” she screamed and moved away from him, ashamed. She was now actively avoiding him. She kept looking everywhere but at his face.

.....

“Does anyone know that you know Korean?” asked Jae-Geun.

“Yes, a few people in the office know that I am fluent in Korean,” replied Nivritti, mortified.

“Fluent in Korean!! So, you not only understand Korean but can write and read as well?” asked Jae-Geun, shocked.

“Yes!” she replied sheepishly.

“Why didn’t you say anything before? My uhmma kept embarrassing every one of us. Oh! The things she said,” asked Jae-Geun.

“I wanted to, but the things started spiralling fast and after a certain number of minutes, I thought it would be rude to tell everyone that I understood everything, so I kept my mouth shut,” replied Nivritti, self-consciously.

“Yeah, you are right. And sorry about my mother,” he said.

“No, no, don’t say that. It’s fine. Mothers! What can you do? They will do whatever they feel like,” smiled Nivritti. “And don’t worry, I will tell Jae-Hwa everything right now.”

“You don’t have to if you don’t want. I can keep your secret safe,” smiled Jae-Geun.

“No, CH knows, and we work with him. One day I am sure he will blurt it out,” replied Nivritti.

“CH?” Jae-Geun was confused.

“Oh right! I call Mr Choi, CH,” answered Nivritti.

“What? You gave your boss a nickname? Are you not afraid?” asked Jae-Geun, surprised.

“I call him by that name in front of him. And why should I be afraid?” asked Nivritti.

“No, it’s just you are new and already you are informal with him,” explained Jae-Geun.

“Oh, that! I think he feels guilty for not protecting me on my first day. So, he allowed me to be informal with him and treat him like a friend,” answered Nivritti.

“Oh, the famous Kat incident!” recalled Jae-Geun.

“She told you that?” Nivritti was surprised.

“As I told you, since the day you arrived, she has not shut up about you,” said Jae-Geun.

“She is just too sweet,” smiled Nivritti. “She talked to me when no one talked to me. She showed me around, everyone was treating me like a leper just because TK scolded me.”

“And then you saved her. What she did was a small thing but what you did was something else. And you gave a nickname to Kat as well,” noted Jae-Geun.

Nivritti scoffed, “Yeah, he felt bad for reprimanding me. Every member of ASD felt bad so they asked me to be their friend.”

“Wow! You are lucky,” said Jae-Geun.

“What do you mean?” asked Nivritti.

“Well, everyone in the world wants to be their friend but cannot do that. You became their friend,” explained Jae-Geun. “And I hope they treat you like a friend.”

“Oh, they do. They are too sweet,” replied Nivritti.

They exhausted every topic they had with them. Now they both awkwardly smiled at each other and kept looking in every direction thinking about a new topic to talk about.

“May I see it?” asked Jae-Geun, suddenly.

“See what? The footage, oh no! I hope Jae told you that we deleted it, sorry,” replied Nivritti.

“No, not the footage, your hand,” replied Jae-Geun.

“I am sorry!” exclaimed Nivritti with shock.

“Jaehwa told me that you were injured,” explained Jae-Geun.

“Oh no! that’s just mild bruising,” she instantly covered her arm with her hand.

“Please! As my mother said I am a doctor and I like to think that I am a good one,” he pressured.

“Right!” hesitantly, she uncovered her arm and showed it to him.

Softly, he grabbed her arm and inspected the bruising. Four prominent black lines stared into his face. With his other hand, carefully he ran his finger over her bruises, and she flinched in pain. He immediately let go of her arm.

“Sorry!” he shouted.

“What are you two doing out here?” suddenly the door flung open, and Jae-Hwa appeared.

But her brother ignored her. “So, it pains when touched?” he inquired.

“Yes,” nodded Nivritti.

“What pains?” asked Jae-Hwa, concerned.

“Her bruises. Remember you asked me to check on them,” recalled Jae-Geun.

“You did what?” shouted Nivritti.

“What? Everyone knew you won’t go to see a doctor, so I brought a doctor for you, but you know my uhmma, she hijacked the conversation,” Jae-Hwa rolled her eyes. With the mention of Mrs San, both Nivritti and Jae-Geun exchanged a look.

“What?” immediately Jae-Hwa noticed that look.

“What?” shouted Nivritti and Jae-Geun simultaneously.

“What was that look?” questioned Jae-Hwa.

“Um... I have to tell you something, Jae,” said Nivritti, guilt-ridden.

“Whattt?” asked Jae-Hwa sceptically.

“I... I am... Iamfluentinkorean,” blurted out, Nivritti.

But her words were not understandable. “Heh!” shouted Jae-Hwa.

“Ahh... she is saying that she is fluent in Korean,” said Jae-Geun, trying to help her out.

“What? Why didn’t you tell anyone before? Why does Choi-ssi hold every meeting in English? Why didn’t you tell him?” screamed Jae-Hwa.

“Oh, he knows,” replied Jae-Geun, casually. Nivritti facepalmed at his answer.

“What? What did I say?” he was confused at Nivritti’s reaction.

“How does he know everything when I don’t know anything? Are you my friend or his?” pouted Jae-Hwa.

“This!” replied Nivritti. “This is why I facepalmed.”

“Ohh!” Jae-Geun now understood everything. Nivritti was trying not to hurt his sister’s feelings, but he just blurted everything out making her feel bad.

“I am your friend, and I was going to tell you but then your mother, Ajumma, interrupted me. And yes, CH knows. Why he holds meetings in English, I have no idea. My fluency in Korean is mentioned in my resume, so I think all the seniors know about me,” explained Nivritti.

But Jae-Hwa was not listening to her. She let out a loud gasp and covered her mouth with shock.

“What? What?” Nivritti was worried at her sudden reaction.

“So, you understood every word that uhmma said,” her eyes widened with horror. “Oh, the embarrassment!” she screamed and covered her face.

“Why do you think she choked on her drink?” observed Jae-Geun.

“So that is what clued you in?” asked Nivritti, impressed.

“I noticed your expressions. You were trying too hard to keep your face straight and then you choked. It just solidified my suspicions,” explained Jae-Geun.

“Hmm... impressive!” exclaimed Nivritti. Jae-Geun smiled with pride after hearing his praise.

“Yeah, he is the genius of our house. Yuck!” sulked Jae-Hwa.

“Ha-ha, come on! You are my genius. Let us say goodbye to him and eat our food, I will tell you everything and you can tell me everything,” she winked at her.

Jae-Hwa was taken aback. “Does she know what I am about to talk to her?” she thought. Little did know that she not only knew about what happened to her but also, she was the orchestrator.

“What say, Jae?” asked Nivritti again when Jae-Hwa paused for a moment.

“Yeah, right. Kick him out,” shouted Jae-Hwa.

“I am already out,” pouted Jae-Geun.

.....

“Yeah, leave,” said Jae-Hwa. Both the girls smiled at each other and started walking inside.

But Jae-Geun interrupted, “Nivritti!”

“Yes!”

“Apply some heat pack on the bruising, that will clear up the trapped blood and will help with the pain,” suggested Jae-Geun.

Nivritti bowed down to him and said, “thank you.”

“You are welcome. And you, give me a call when you are done. I will come to pick you up,” he talked to both the girls.

“Okay, Oppa! Now leave. Go,” said Jae-Hwa, annoyed. Nivritti kept laughing at Jae-Hwa and her antics.

But Jae-Geun only had eyes on Nivritti’s face. The fine lines that appeared on her face while laughing enhanced her beauty. Her hair was playing on her face. He wanted to run to her and tuck her hair behind her ear. He again wanted to touch the soft, silky hair.

He shook his head with disbelief and discarded all the thoughts that were floating in his mind. “What the hell is happening to me?” he thought and started climbing down the stairs leaving the girls alone to enjoy.