Chapter 87

87 The Teasing

Nivritti could not understand his sudden change in expression and his tonal shift. “Her whole family came to visit me to thank me. They brought lots of food. My fridge is overflowing with food. And then Jae slept in my house last night,” she elaborated.

Now his jealousy turned into his sorrow. “Ohh, did her brother too...” he could not finish his sentence.

“What? No,” she shouted at him. How could he even think just a bizarre thing? She was slightly angry at him. But she controlled her anger and replied, “he went back home. Jae drank too much, and she was in condition to go home, so she stayed.”

“Ohh, you guys drank?” after hearing that the brother didn’t stay, he was relieved.

“No, no, not you guys, only Jae. I don’t drink,” corrected Nivritti.

“Really?” he looked at her funny.

“Hey! That was the only time I drank,” she knew what he was pointing out. The night she went and drank and ended up in a stranger’s bed.

“I am glad that they were with you,” said Kyung-Soo, seriously.

“Yeah, me too.”

.....

“Are you okay?” asked Kyung-Soo.

She immediately showed him her arm and light black marks. “See, it’s better.”

“Not that, Ritti. Are you alright?” he took her hand in his hand and pressed it gently.

Nivritti sighed and lowered her head. She exhaled loudly, glanced at him, and then stared at the door. It was easy to look at the door that at him. “I don’t know. After you left, I slept. I didn’t have time to process everything and suddenly in the afternoon, Jae’s family came to visit. I have been trying to forget everything for years and then suddenly everything came back. I didn’t have the time to forget it again.”

“I know. Reliving everything is extremely hard,” he sweetly looked at her, but she was still looking at the door.

She smiled suddenly and looked at him. “But still I am glad that I told you everything.”

“I am glad too. Now I understand you better,” said Kyung-Soo.

“Really!” teased Nivritti.

“Yeah, now I know why you are ageist and why you closed your heart,” pointed out Kyung-Soo.

“Hey!” she was offended. “I didn’t close my heart.” She pulled her hand out of his hand.

“Oh yeah! So, let’s find a man for you. Go on a date with him,” he shouted.

“Shut up!” rebuked Nivritti.

“See!”

“Oh, so, I don’t want to go on a date with a stranger that proves that I have closed my heart,” shrieked Nivritti.

“I am not a stranger, date me,” taunted Kyung-Soo.

“Do shut up!” said Nivritti, annoyed.

“Right! In my case it is the age factor,” he mocked mercilessly.

“NK!” she shouted.

“Why don’t you forget about that asshole?” he demanded.

But that made her laugh. She let out a loud chuckle and sniggered, “ha-ha.”

“What?” asked Kyung-Soo.

“You called him an asshole,” she could not stop laughing.

“That’s what he is,” he too joined in the laughter after looking at her sweet, happy face. If calling him names would make her happy, he was more than happy to do so. He could even learn Hindi bad words and then use them on him.

“You are not wrong,” giggled Nivritti.

He waited for her laugh to die down and then asked, “did he...?”

“Yes?”

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“Did he call you again?” inquired Kyung-Soo.

“It’s just been a day since we didn’t see each other, NK. And remember I changed the number. No one has that number,” she reminded him.

“I have it,” he teased.

“Ohh, stop it,” she scolded.

“Ha-ha,” he laughed again at her scolding. “You are very strong, you know that, right?”

“I don’t know about that. But if you say so, I will gladly accept it,” she smiled sweetly.

“I know you came here to get a fresh start. And I am happy that you are making new friends. Oh yeah! Congratulations on your bonus,” his face beamed with happiness.

“Well, thank you,” she grinned from ear to ear.

“That’s why you girls came shopping, right?”

“Yeah. She too was an active participant that day. She too had to face an ordeal. I think she deserves something that makes her happy,” said Nivritti.

“Nice! But by that logic JJ too deserves something, he too was an active participant,” teased Kyung-Soo.

She picked up on his tease and teased back. “How do you know that I have not bought something for him?”

“What? No, I was teasing. Don’t get him anything. His smug ass will break all the records for smugness if you get him anything,” pouted Kyung-Soo.

“Ha-ha, what?” The whole room roared with laughter after he saw him pouting.

“He has been roaming all around the house saying that you like him the best. He and Thae keep fighting with each other. It is a nightmare,” explained Kyung-Soo.

Her mouth fell open with shock. “You guys... fight... for me?” she asked.

He smiled and explained, “there is not a single human being who is friends with all of us, combined. I am friends with one person, Korain Hyung had some other friends, likewise, every member has their own set of friends. There are only a few who are friends with two or three of us. But you are friends with all seven of us. That is a first and after the Yong incident, we all feel guilty and responsible for your safety. We should have stopped Thae, but we didn’t and Thae too have not acted the way he did.” He lowered his head with shame and guilt.

“NK!” she tried to comfort him.

“No, we were not even over the Yong incident and then you go and save JJ,” he continued.

“I think it was the other way around. He saved me,” she interjected.

“And then you saved his reputation, his name, his fame. You saved him from a disastrous scandal. In our life that is our top priority, is to stay away from any scandal. And now every member is indebted to you. You ask them for anything, I am sure they will give you,” she said with gratitude.

“Are you sure?” she mocked.

“Yeah, ask anything. Why do you think Jae’s family came to see you, came to thank you? They too feel indebted to you, you saved their daughter. If you would have asked anything from them, they would have happily given it to you,” said Kyung-Soo with all seriousness.