194 The Connection
“Stop acting and come here,” Nivritti shouted at everyone.
“Yeah, we should eat. Seong-ssi would come back anytime,” said Him-Chan. All started moving towards the benches.
His sentence was like lightning fell on her. “Shit! You guys sent everyone away because you wanted Dae out of the picture? Ahh… first you spent so much money on phone and then on food to give me the phone. Are you out of your mind?” shouted Nivritti. Everyone again froze in their path.
“So, you wanted us to give you the phone in front of Seong-ssi. Should we also tell him that we visit you at your house? Or about what you did in the restaurant? Or how did you injure your leg? Or should we tell him about Young? Should we include him in all our dramas?” asked Kyung-Soo.
“No,” Nivritti lowered her head. Everyone came back, sat in their seats, and opened the food packets.
“Yeah, leave him. Never include him in our friendship. I don’t like him,” Thae blurted out.
“What?” Nivritti and Jae-Hwa looked at each other and then at Thae.
“Why don’t you like him, TK?” asked Nivritti.
“I don’t know. He just gives me a… a… different vibe. I really can’t explain. He is always sweet, too sweet if you ask me. He has been working with us for ages, he talks to us nicely and gives us good scripts, but he never acknowledges anyone else. I have never seen him praise his team or his subordinates. Yesterday was the first day in all these years that he said that he wanted to be our friend. I think he is jealous seeing that you two are our friends,” explained Thae.
.....
“Yeah, he never said anything like that. He was all business before that. And then there was the gossip about him a few years back,” said Jung-Hwa.
“Gossip?” asked Jae-Hwa.
“Yeah, it was being said that he was making his subordinates, especially girls, resign. One of the stories was very popular,” said Thae.
“Oh my god! This office and gossip. Don’t people have real work to do?” Nivritti rolled her eyes.
“What was the gossip?” asked Jae-Hwa.
“Jae!” Nivritti tried to stop her, but Jae-Hwa was adamant about learning everything.
“Remember I told you, there was a girl who resigned before you joined the company? I even told you that I was warned not to cross paths with him,” said Jae-Hwa.
“Yes, there was a girl, she only worked for a month, and she quietly resigned. She was under him and used to write scripts for us. She was good but she resigned abruptly,” replied Jeong-Eun.
“But why?” asked Jae-Hwa.
“No one knows,” replied Korain and took a bite of his food.
“Do you think he harassed her or something like that?” inquired Jae-Hwa.
“Why are you asking all this? Did he say something to you? Who told you not to cross paths with him?” asked Jeong-Eun, worried.
Jae-Hwa looked around. All were staring at her, even Nivritti. Nivritti placed her palm over Jae-Hwa’s hands and comforted her. Only Nivritti knew what happened to her but still, Nivritti had no idea what she felt at that moment, the moment Dae touched her.
“It’s nothing. Some of my colleagues told me when I joined the company, but he never said anything to me. This is the first time I am working so closely with him. I just wanted to know more about him,” Jae-Hwa smiled awkwardly. “We should finish our food.”
All smiled at Jae-Hwa and concentrated on their food.
Nivritti knew something was disturbing Jae-Hwa. She knew that Dae touched her, and he apologised to her, but Jae-Hwa was not feeling like herself. She needed to talk about her feelings and Nivritti had to find the right time for it. “Jae! What about getting the sim after our lunch?” proposed Nivritti.
“Will you be able to walk?” asked Young-Chul.
“I will walk slowly, don’t worry,” she assured Young-Chul.
“Okay. Did you like the phone?” he asked.
“Yes, I do. Thank you, everyone,” she smiled at Young-Chul and looked at everyone.
“You are welcome,” said Korain.
All happily ate their food while talking and laughing.
“What am I going to tell everyone? How do I have such an expensive phone? Should I tell them I robbed a store?” teased Nivritti.
“And took one phone?” Him-Chan rolled his eyes at her.
“No, no, rest of the phones, I sold them,” she laughed.
“Wah! Criminal!” giggled Thae.
“But what will you tell Dae when he sees your phone?” asked Him-Chan.
“That I bought it on EMI. Simple!” replied Nivritti.
“Wah! You have answers to every question,” praised Thae.
“It’s just common sense, TK,” replied Nivritti.
“Yeah, for him, common sense is not that common,” teased Jeong-Eun. Everyone burst out laughing at Jeong-Eun’s taunt. Thae picked up his spoon and threw it at Jeong-Eun in anger.
“Your sense is not common, idiot!” yelled Thae.
“You are an idiot. Why did you throw a dirty spoon at me?” shouted Jeong-Eun.
“Because I couldn’t throw you out of this room,” chided Thae.
“I will throw you out of the house,” snapped Jeong-Eun.
“Fight! Fight! Fight!” Korain started putting gasoline in the fire. Young-Chul just rolled his eyes and focused on his food.
“What?” laughed Nivritti. “Instead of stopping them you are urging them to fight, some Hyung you are.”
“Oh, they just fight verbally, and we have seen these hundreds of times. We just want them to fight for real, these verbal fights are getting boring,” explained Kyung-Soo.
“You guys really are siblings!” smiled Jae-Hwa. Nivritti looked at her and saw her genuine smile and finally, her heart was at ease. Jae-Hwa was slightly better now.
After all finished eating, the three maknaes collected the food packet and dumped them in a dustbin. Jae-Hwa picked up her purse and was scrolling on her phone while waiting for Nivritti to get ready to move out.
“Take your medicine and rest. We will be back after getting the sim,” Nivritti instructed Young-Chul.
“What about you?” he questioned back.
“What about me?”
“Are you going to take your medicine?” he asked.
“No, I was instructed to take medicine if pain increases but I feel fine for now,” replied Nivritti.
“Ahnn… oppa!” abruptly Jae-Hwa picked up a call and talked on her phone. “Yes, she is here. Ritti! Oppa wants to talk to you,” said Jae-Hwa.
Kyung-Soo immediately looked at Nivritti. “Why is he calling her now?” he clenched his jaw.
“Hello, SJ!” said Nivritti.
“Hello, SJ. SJ!!! Why does she have to give him a nickname? Huh,” sulked Kyung-Soo.
“Hi, Ritti! Heirana called me as she could not reach you on your phone. I told her you lost your phone, so she gave me a message,” said Jae-Geun.
“Oh, that means…” said Nivritti, excited.
“Yes, she will take you on as a patient,” said Jae-Geun.
“Yes! Nice!” shouted Nivritti, happily.
“What is he telling her?” whispered Jung-Hwa to Kyung-Soo.
“How would I know?” shouted Kyung-Soo, angrily. Nivritti immediately glanced at him. He mouthed “sorry” for being loud.
“Yeah, she wants a session with you tomorrow at eight. Will that be okay?” inquired Jae-Geun.
“Yeah, yeah, that is more than okay. I will be there, please tell her,” smiled Nivritti.
“When will you get your phone?” asked Jae-Geun.
“Oh, my phone! I will talk about that in detail next time I see you,” she gritted her teeth.
“Are you angry? You sound angry,” said Jae-Geun.
“No, not at all. Just meet me tomorrow. I tell you how not angry I am,” taunted Nivritti.
Jae-Hwa immediately snatched the phone and said on phone, “she is angry that we bought an expensive phone for her.”
“Yeah, I was getting that vibe,” said Jae-Geun. “What about sim?”
“We were about to go out for sim,” replied Jae-Hwa.
“Okay, be safe. See you at home and tell her to walk slowly and not to put pressure on her leg,” instructed Jae-Geun.
“Will do that,” smiled Jae-Hwa and disconnected the call.
Kyung-Soo instantly elbowed Jung-Hwa. “Ow! Ow!” yelled Jung-Hwa and looked at Kyung-Soo. He signalled Jung-Hwa towards Nivritti. Jung-Hwa understood what he was trying to do.
“What was that about?” asked Jung-Hwa making Kyung-Soo proud.
“Oh, remember, I was searching for a therapist,” said Nivritti.
“You found one?” asked Young-Chul.
“Yes,” she smiled. “And tomorrow is my first session. Wait! You too have a session tomorrow, what time?”
“Oh, seven in the evening,” replied Young-Chul.
.....
“Mine is eight,” chuckled Nivritti.
“Who is your doctor?” asked Young-Chul.
“Doctor Tan Hei-Ran,” replied Nivritti.
“Hey! That’s my doctor,” Young-Chul stood up in excitement.
“Wah! You guys are destined together or what,” commented Thae.
“What?” shouted Nivritti, shocked.
“Relax! He means destined to be together as friends,” smiled Kyung-Soo. Nivritti found his reaction somewhat bizarre.
“Why is he fine when Thae called someone else my destiny? Is he not bothered by that? Wait! Why do I want him to be bothered? I just chided his head off for telling me about his feelings yesterday and now I want him to feel jealous. Am I out of my mind?” Nivritti mentally hit herself on the back of her head. “I don’t want him to feel anything for me but at the same time, I want him to feel emotions about me. I really need to talk with my doctor. I am going mad.”
“Yeah, you both have the same apartment, you both are seeking therapy and now you have the same doctor, wow! Hyung, I am jealous. I too want such a connection with someone,” remarked Jung-Hwa.
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