Page 139 of You Had Me At Annyeong!
Forever yours, T.’
Groan. How embarrassing. Why did I have to write such garbage poetry? Wannabe Rupi Kaur. Should have just stolen some quotes from IG! I iz Poopi Core. Le poetess de garbage.
The other, a paper napkin, tattered in places. As though it had been folded one time too many. Like the secret notes Timira and her friends passed around during class in middle and high school. In it were written two words in writing that looked suspiciously like hers: ‘Thank you’.
Timira is gaping. Her big eyes widen to resemble Labubu’s eyes. But she is a little confused.
Where is this from? How on earth …
‘And this isn’t all.’ Haneul is laughing at Timira’s wondrous expression.
‘There’s more?! You’ve got to be kidding!’ Timira exclaims, half in disbelief and half in excitement.
He shoves into her hand one of her visiting cards, the one Haneul had picked up from the floor of their hotel in Bali after having bumped into her.
Timira feels a chill down her spine and the baby hairs on her neck rise.
‘Wait, wait, wait, hang on! This note, it looks like my handwriting, for sure. Where did you find it? I have no recollection!’
‘Well, I was in Mumbai for a conference and having drinks with a client.’
‘You’ve been to Bombay before?’ Timira interrupts.
‘Yes. Like I mentioned. For a conference, for just a day.’
Haaye, other Bombay girls must’ve laid eyes on him. Thank God kisi ne utha nahin liya ise. Thank you, Bhaggu!Timira is looking up at the sky, hands folded in reverence.
‘Timira, focus. I was in the middle of something. Can I finish?’
‘Oh,haan, haan. Sorry, sorry.Irshad, I mean continue.’ Timira giggles like a silly schoolgirl.
‘I was having a drink with a colleague when somebody seated at the bar threw their phone away and it landed close to my feet. So I had it sent to its owner by one of the servers. They brought me back this note.’
‘NO FREAKING WAY! WHAT? That was YOU? How on earth?’
Haneul pats her head and speaks haltingly in broken Hindi, ‘Badi badi deshon mein chhoti chhoti baatein hoti rehti hain, Senorita!’
‘You are learning Hindi?’ Timira cannot handle the thrill of it anymore. She is now almost yelling.
‘As much as I love you and as much as I want to say that I am, I am not. I just saw the movie on the flight here. Hanee had recommended it, saying it’s one of your favourites.’
Oh, my darling Honey. Why couldn’t Haneul pack her in his luggage and bring her here? Haneul, I, Ally, Bhaskar and Honey. Chhota parivaar, sukhi parivaar!
‘I still can’t believe it. Who’s going to believe it, tell me? It all sounds too serendipitous. You’ve been here before? To Bombay? How come you never told me?’
‘You never asked, and it never came up in conversation. And honestly, I didn’t know it was you until Hanee gave me your little poem!’
‘Just call it a letter. Or note. Whatever. Not poetry. I know I’m not a poet.’ Timira rolls her eyes and sticks her tongue out at no one.
Haneul affectionately ruffles her hair and laughs.
‘How did my visiting card make its way to you? Did Ryan share it?’ Timira asks, remembering that it was Bhaskar’s buddy Ryan who had hooked her up with the SecondSkin gig.
‘Disclaimer: I wasn’t trying to stalk you or anything. And how we met at the beach was entirely coincidental. But we were actually staying at the same hotel. We nearly bumped into eachother outside the lift and I found a bunch of your stuff lying on the ground …’
‘Yes, yes, yes! I had lost my wallet, too. I’d been in a real hurry to get to the spa. Alice would’ve killed me … but, wait …
Ibumped intoyou?’
