Chapter 76

76 The Eye Drop

Nivritti was a little annoyed with Jae-Geun. He was criticizing the field she was working in. But she didn’t lose her cool. She gave him a piece of her mind. She was shocked to hear his opinions even though his own father and sister were working in that industry.

Jae-Geun too was feeling bad after she made him change his opinion. The way she explained to him, he realised that he should respect everyone’s passion. It was true that he wanted the best equipment for himself so why can’t other people get the things they wanted the most?

They both were awkwardly standing in the living room without talking to each other. They were looking in every direction except at each other.

Jae-Geun cleared his throat and spoke, “ahem... I... I think I should leave.”

“Right! It’s late,” said Nivritti.

Jae-Geun picked up the bags and started moving towards the door. Suddenly he halted in his path and turned around. “Wait! I brought this for you.” He placed his hands in his pocket and took out an eye drop.

Nivritti looked at him with surprise.

“Your eyes were swollen. They are a little swollen right now. This will ease the burning sensation and soothe your eyes,” educated Jae-Geun. Nivritti hesitated for a minute.

“Okay, so, you are angry,” noted Jae-Geun.

.....

“What? Why would I be angry?” replied Nivritti.

“Because of what I said. I am sorry,” Jae-Geun lowered his head with shame.

Nivritti exhaled loudly and said, “Jae-Geun, what you said was your opinion. Everyone is entitled to have one. You don’t have to be sorry.”

“But you are angry,” said Jae-Geun.

“Because you talked about my job,” replied Nivritti.

“What? No, I never said anything about your job,” shouted Jae-Geun, shocked.

“I work in the same industry that you condemned a few minutes ago. You don’t like Idol culture and I work with idols, I work for them,” educated Nivritti.

“No, I am not against Idol culture. I am against the fanatic fans, spending money that you don’t have, not caring about your health for someone, for something,” clarified Jae-Geun.

“Have you not spent nights and days without eating, just concentrating on your studies?” asked Nivritti.

“But that is different. I was cramming for exams, for my future,” said Jae-Geun.

“Exactly. The end result. All that effort gave you happiness at last. That’s what everyone is searching for, happiness. Some invest money, some invest time, they give whatever they have. If idols give them happiness, who are you to judge them? You know I am appalled to know that you condemn Idols when your father and sister work in that industry,” Nivritti shook her head in disbelief.

“You are right. I have no right to judge anyone. I am sorry, really sorry. Now, will you accept this? My arm is killing me,” apologised Jae-Geun and waved his arm that was extended towards her with the eye drop sitting on his palm.

Nivritti smiled at his cuteness and shook her head. She extended her hand and picked up the eye drop.

“Thank you,” said Nivritti.

“I am really sorry. I never meant to hurt you. I can never hurt you,” said Jae-Geun.

“Do you talk like this to her too?” asked Nivritti and pointed towards her bedroom.

“Am I standing before you alive?” questioned Jae-Geun.

“Yes,” replied Nivritti, confused.

“Then you know the answer. If I talk about her idols before her, she will kill me,” Jae-Geun rolled his eyes. Nivritti pressed her lips tightly trying not to laugh at him but with a chuckle, she started laughing loudly.

“Hey!” pouted Jae-Geun. But finally, he was relieved that Nivritti was laughing and was not angry at him. He loved her laugh. He could spend all his life listening to her laugh.

“Um... Nivritti!” he interrupted.

“What?” she smiled at him.

“Let me help you put the drops in your eyes,” he offered.

“Oh no! I don’t want to trouble you. I can do it myself,” smiled Nivritti awkwardly.

“Really! You can put drops in your eyes by yourself?” questioned Jae-Geun.

“Yeah, why not?” her voice climbed a pitch higher.

Jae-Geun dropped the bags and moved towards her. Before she could understand what was happening, he grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the couch. Grabbing her shoulder, he pushed her onto the couch, and she sat on it with a muffled thud and gulped with shock.

“Give it to me,” he demanded.

“Jae-Geun!” she tried protesting but Jae-Geun was having none of it.

He placed his arms on his waist and tilted his head. “She never told me that you are stubborn. It’s absolutely admirable that you are independent, and you want to do all your work on your own. But sometimes it is okay to ask for help. You are a killer writer, a great fighter, but here, in this room, I am the doctor. So, let me do my job,” scolded Jae-Geun. Nivritti bit the inside of her lips. Jae-Geun waited for her answer but she said nothing. “But if you are still angry then it’s okay,” he pouted.

Nivritti smiled at him. “Oh emotional blackmail, really?” she teased.

“It works all the time,” said Jae-Geun and smiled like a child.

“Ha-ha, fine,” said Nivritti, defeated. She gave him the eyedrop and said, “here, you can help me.”

“Of course, do you see anyone else here to help you?” she looked all around to tease her.

“No sir,” Saluted Nivritti, teasingly.

Jae-Geun took the small bottle of eye drops from her. He opened the seal and discarded the first drop on his arm and wiped it on his shirt.

“Rest your head,” commanded Jae-Geun. Nivritti lay her head on the headrest and slid a little on the couch to be comfortable.

Jae-Geun gulped the moment her smooth neck became visible. A light mole on her neck attracted his attention. “Shit! I didn’t think this through,” he thought. He took a deep breath, gulped again, and lowered his upper body to get close to Nivritti.

“Ready?’ he inquired.

“Uh... huh,” she replied.

He came close to her face. His breath landed on Nivritti’s face moving her hair away from her cheeks. His heart started racing fast. His mouth was getting drier and drier with every passing second. He was about to put the drops in her eyes when he noticed her long, curled eyelashes. Her big eyes became more beautiful.

He gulped again and raised the bottle of the eye drop near her eyes but Nivritti started blinking her eyes fast. He tried dropping the liquid but it was getting hard for her to keep her eyes open.

“Stop!” he stifled his laughter.

“What?” she raised her head.

“You can’t keep your eyes open, can you?” asked Jae-Geun.

“Tell me one person who can when something is this close to your eyes,” she brought her palm near her eyes to demonstrate and pouted.

He smiled at her cute gesture and pouty lips. “Okay, when I bring the drop close to your eyes, try looking up,” he suggested.

“Up?” asked Nivritti.

“Not towards the ceiling, towards your forehead,” explained Jae-Geun.

“Okay.”

“Ready?” asked Jae-Geun, again.

“I think so,” replied Nivritti.

She again let her head rest on the headrest and mentally prepared herself. Jae-Geun again lowered himself and for a second closed his eyes to prepare himself. A whiff of lavender scent hit his nose. The smell was doing something to his heart he just didn’t know what.

This time Nivritti looked up and Jae-Geun easily put the drops in her eyes. He closed the bottle and placed it on the table.

“Now, close your eyes for a minute and rest. Repeat the same in the morning after you wake up,” ordered Jae-Geun. She immediately followed his order.

Jae-Geun stood before her, looking at her, admiring her beauty. Tears were falling from her eyes due to the drops. She moved her fingers and wiped her tears and lay still on the couch with her eyes closed.

Jae-Geun exhaled loudly and kept looking at her magnificence. Her average-length forehead, her long hair, her pointed nose, her cute cheeks, her jawline, and her full lips. His eyes stopped at her lips. His hands involuntarily moved towards her face and hovered over her lips.

He wanted to touch them, he wanted to feel them. He kept clenching and unclenching his fists pondering if he should touch them. His heart was ready to jump out of his chest. He was breathing heavily. He was on the verge of hyperventilating when Nivritti interjected his thoughts, “may I open my eyes?”

He immediately stepped a few steps back, cursing himself for such thoughts. “Yes, yes you can,” he stammered.

She opened her eyes and saw him. But he was feeling ashamed about his thoughts. He just met her how could he think about touching her lips? Mentally he hit himself on the back of his head. Was he becoming a pervert? He realised that he didn’t trust himself with her.

“I... I should leave. Good night,” he babbled and ran away from her apartment without waiting for her reply.

“What the hell happened?” said Nivritti, confused. “Were my words too harsh? Was I too rude to him? He said sorry for his behaviour, I should also have said sorry. Okay, I will say that to him tomorrow.”

Nivritti picked up the eyedrop, checked every door and window of her house, and went to her bedroom. Jae-Hwa was snoring faintly under the blanket. Nivritti placed the eyedrop in her first aid box and went to the bathroom. After washing her feet and face, she came out. She applied her night cream, combed her hair, braided her hair, and retired for the night.

After a long, long time she was sharing her bed with someone. She had no idea whether to feel comfortable or uncomfortable.