Page 23 of You Had Me At Annyeong!
‘Nice arse, no?’ Timira teased.
‘Don’t know about the arse, but its owner is most definitely a handful.’ Haneul wasn’t one to be left behind.
Timira kicked him lightly and they both laughed. They were now close to the car park. The air was warmer here and the silence around them was now slowly getting filled with traffic cacophony and human chatter. Their banter? Still on.
‘Do you feel all right? I didn’t realize you were awake. You could’ve made some noise to let me know, you know …’
‘I only woke up when you creepily felt me up,’ Timira grinned and lied through her teeth, too ashamed to admit that she had been living a creepy ‘bringing sexy back’ moment herself.
‘Now, now, now … let’s not get cheeky here,’ Haneul turned around and winked.
Why is this stranger winking at me? This is outrageous! I should be offended; why am I not? Why is my heart fluttering instead?! I really ought to quit drinking!
They reached his car, a sweet, sleek ride, Timira could tell, despite her suspect knowledge of automobiles.
Inside the car, Timira was fiddling with the button to roll the window down when Haneul leaned across. His face was dangerously close to hers and she could smell him—salt, beer and what smelt like Santal 33, one of her favourite Le Labo fragrances. Her mind went blank for a second, and then she remembered her antics from a little while back.
Is this payback? Oh, God! Why did I even do that? Did he think it was an invitation? Did I appear easy? Ugh, why am I such an idiot? Not that I mind kissing him again … I mean, I can’t even remember what it felt like. Did he kiss me back? NO, HE DIDN’T. Okay, this is too embarrassing. Wait, is this him kissing me back? Let me shut my eyes …
Timira heard a click and with that the sweet fragrance that had engulfed her senses for a few moments began to fade.
‘There, you’re all set.’ Haneul had fastened her seat belt and rolled her window down.
Shabash, Tim! Way to go. Gadhi!
‘Where are you staying? Let’s get you home,’ Haneul suggested half-heartedly, feigning ignorance.
He was yet to figure out a way to explain to Timira about the coincidence of their shared local address. He appeared a little nervous now.
‘Can we go for a spin before you send me home? I haven’t had a smoke all evening.’ Timira pouted at him, her eyes wide and round like Puss in Boots.
Relieved at having a little more time to strategize, Haneul agreed most readily and pulled his car out of the park.
Seminyak is always busy, its streets always bustling. Like any Indian, Timira was unperturbed by the traffic jam they were now stuck in. The narrow lanes, in fact, reminded her of Goa. Except, in Goa, she had only ever been on bikes. Never inside a four-wheel drive. Especially, one with a sunroof …
While Haneul was busy navigating the crowded streets, Tim had slyly unfastened her seatbelt, moved the roof back, and her space buns were now sticking out of it, bobbing back and forth and sideways to the beat of ‘I Want to Break Free’.
Haneul realized what she’d been up to only when her voice reached his ears. He was pleasantly surprised to discover she has melodious pipes and looked on with adoring eyes like an indulgent, proud parent.
‘I don’t wanna be alone. So, baby, can’t you see…’ Timira was doing a fine job of imitating Freddie Mercury’s vocal style, a transfixed Haneul observed.
Wow! She has the voice of an angel, he thought to himself,and the liver of a sailor. Chuckling a little, he continued to watch her adoringly.
By the time a distracted Haneul had steadied his hands on the steering wheel and pressed the brakes, the damage had already been done. A two-wheeler appeared out of nowhere and Haneul had had to swerve and brake urgently in order to dodge him.
Timira, unprepared, had been caught unawares and halted mid-song. Having taken a tumble, she had hit her head against the glove compartment. It now felt heavy …
I’m fine, I’m fine. Let me just rest my head for a minute.
‘Timira! Timira!Gwenchana?’
Haneul, panicking, seemed to have forgotten that Timira probably didn’t speak Korean. ‘Sorry, sorry, I mean, are you okay? Hey! Don’t go off to sleep.’
He gently stroked the back of her head.
‘Yeah, don’t worry. I just want to rest my head for a bit,’ Timira groaned.
They were now parked by the side of the road and a couple of onlookers had come close to investigate the curious case of the cool car with a crazy singing woman that miraculously averted a definite accident.
