Page 101 of You Had Me At Annyeong!
This time, Rodrigo is left smarting. But he recovers quickly enough.
‘I’m no longer the same man. She just doesn’t know it yet. When she does, she will come back to me.’
Haneul scoffs. ‘Uwa, you really are deluded, aren’t you?’
‘What do you even know about Timira?’ Rodrigo demands.
Haneul, by now, has lost his cool.
‘I know she blinks faster when she is nervous, I know she likes to sing when she is alone, I know that she loves her best friend’s wife more than she loves him, I know she likes to keep a few strands of hair loose when she wears a bun, I know her mouth is open when she sleeps sitting up, I know she smiles with her eyes shut when she is sad, and I know that I am in love with her!’
Haneul has been speaking breathlessly. When he stops, he is out of breath and almost panting. Rodrigo’s jaw is tense, he’s gnashing his teeth in rage and his eyes are narrowed into slim slits. He curls his hand into fists and looks like he’s about to take a swipe at Haneul when a rather loud noise startles him and Haneul both.
Timira has heard Haneul’s confession, and as swoony as his words were, they make her a little uneasy.
They turn around to see where it came from and look at Timira crouched on the floor to pick her phone up. As she gets up and lifts her head, her eyes meet Haneul’s, and the phone falls yet again from her panicked, trembling hands.
Haneul rushes towards her, picks up the phone in a flash, and checks for bumps and bruises before handing it back to her. He then speaks in an irritated tone.
‘Do you intend to break the phone? What are you doing here anyway? Weren’t you inside?’
‘Er, I lost my nosepin. Must’ve fallen off earlier …’ she stammers, feeling the pierced side of her nose. ‘I was using the phone torch to look …’
‘… that white diamond you wear? You are looking for a white stone on a white marbled floor in white light? Oh, Timira!’ Haneul cuts in.
What an idiot! What a bumbling idiot. Could she be any cuter?
Why could he not tell ME those things? And why is he still dragging Mina along? That girl doesn’t deserve this! Nobodydeserves this! I am not the ‘other’ woman. I refuse to be! What sort of a feminist would I be if I did this to a sister? Nope! Haneul must clean up his act before I listen to my heart!
When she speaks, she doesn’t look him in the eye.
‘Mina-ssi is waiting for me. I should head back in.’
She turns around to leave and Haneul doesn’t stop her. He looks at Rodrigo and asks, ‘Coming? You look like you could do with a kick … of caffeine!’ With that, he follows Timira in.
Rodrigo, ashen-faced, takes a few deep breaths and wonders if he should make an excuse and leave but decides against it.
‘I can deal with this, no problem. I’m a superstar! A little competition isn’t going to hurt me,’ he tells himself out loud.
But he is actually panicking.
The guy really does like her. I’ve not noticed any of those things he mentioned. How am I ever going to match up to this? Is it too late? Have I lost her?
Taking small steps, in great contrast to his usually giant strides befitting his giant frame, he walks in.
Down but not out. Not yet!
Inside, Mina scrambles to reach her seat. She had followed Timira out when she hadn’t returned for a while. And had watched the entire episode unfold. She is still catching her breath when Timira returns, shortly followed by Haneul.
‘Did you find your nosepin?’ Mina asks with as much enthusiasm as she is able to muster.
‘Um, no,’ Timira answers in a small voice.
‘Oh, that’s too bad. But look at the bright side, you found my fiancé!’
Timira’s heart sinks, and just like Haneul had observed, she smiles slightly with her eyes shut.
‘Oh, Rodrigo-ssi is here, too! Wonderful. Sit, sit, guys!’
