Page 26 of You Had Me At Annyeong!
Seoul, Korea
Autumn
I wonder if she recognizes me …
Haneul’s heart beats wildly as he gazes at Timira, whose eyes have been transfixed on her employer’s face for a while now. But she breaks out of her daze as Haneul’s questioning, wondrous eyes dig even deeper. She now appears nonplussed.
Is that a look of annoyance? Why is he staring like that … I mean, not that I mind. Oh, God! I’ve again been caught checking out a man at work. Great start, Timira. Clearly you’ve learnt nothing about keeping your hormones in check at the workplace. Ah, these desperate, flirty-six-year-old ovaries, kambakkht got no chill … oh, wait. No, no, no, no! Mr Baek, nooooo! Don’t roll your sleeves up! Yaar, dharti phatt jaaye aur mujhe nigal jaaye.
Timira’s eyes follow Haneul’s hands as they expertly unfasten his cuffs, linked together with something that sparkles briefly before bowing out to their owner’s aura. Having realized thatTimira’s memory is yet to come back and she still doesn’t recognize him, his eyes wander away from her as he tries desperately to not appear crestfallen and attempts to maintain his composure.
Sinewy forearms on display, he clears his throat and calls out Timira’s name—his eyes are now looking out of the window in an attempt to not let his disappointment show, trying to adjust to the bright sunshine streaming in—his enchanting nasal baritone turning Timira’s already flushed cheeks a few shades redder.
Mr Choi, who has only just got off a call he’d been on for a while, has to intervene.
‘Excuse me, Ms Marak. Are you alright? Are you feeling hot? You are so red!’
He seldom uses a pitch this high at work and seems rather embarrassed to hear himself. Even Haneul looks up in surprise, abandoning the child on the street outside his Cheongdam-dong office, who’s been giving his mother a hard time with what looks like chewing gum on a fresh perm.
‘Aah, yes. Yes, sorry. So sorry. Must be the time difference. Jet lag must be, finally, catching up, hehehe. My cheeks turn red when I’m tired. It’s an auto-immune response, all my blood goes to my face and head to keep my brain from shutting down.’
Um, what? Wow, well done, Tim. What did I just say? The hell is wrong with me? The science is definitely not sciencing. What a doofus I am!
Mr Choi stares at her incredulously. Staring at her shoes, Timira laughs weakly. She can feel Haneul’s gaze on her. She looks up to find him smirking—a lopsided smile, the left corner of his pink mouth upturned only very slightly.
She knows he knows (that she’s been checking him out). He knows she knows that he knows (that she’sreallybeen checking him out).
Timira quickly turns to look at Mr Choi. He’s rubbing his chin, and the vertical eleven frown lines between his brows look deeper than usual. He sighs deeply and steps towards Haneul, looking like he’s about to say something.
But Timira, desperately wanting to not come across as a bumbling, blushing lecherous idiot, beats him to it.
‘Thank you for bringing me on board, Mr Baek. When I first found out about the job, I wasn’t sure why somebody would want to hire an Indian in this role when you could hire a native English speaker …’
It was a valid question, one that Haneul had had to face multiple times during the hiring process. One that he still doesn’t have a particularly great answer to, aside from the fact that she had the credentials and it was her. It was Timira. Nothing else had really mattered to him.
‘… but I suppose 200 years of British rule makes us sort of native speakers, too!’ Timira laughs nervously.
Why am I doing all the staring today itself? I’m going to see him for the next three months, teehee!With this, she starts to feel a little at ease.
Haneul is keen to know if she has had a comfortable flight, if she likes the flat she’s been put up at …If she’d have dinner with me. Wait, whaaaat? Haneul, neo michyeosseo (Are you crazy)? Don’t creep her out, man! Chill out!
‘Well, I’m glad your sense of humour is not jet-lagged, Ms Marak! We are thrilled to have you here. Choi Bujangnim will help bring you up to speed about what we are looking to work on with you. Of course, I’ll be there …’ Haneul is working hard at maintaining his cool composure, and in a softer tone adds, ‘… every step of the way.’
He said, ‘Every step of the way.’ Tim, teri toh lottery lagg gayi!
‘I would like that very much! Not that I will need a lot of hand-holding, but it is indeed reassuring to know that …’
I can hold your hand whenever I need to, every step of the way.
‘… I can hold your hand whenever I feel like, every step of the way.’
Mr Choi gasps as Haneul grins, his sparkling pearly whites on full display.
WHAT DID I JUST DO??? CAN I DIE ALREADY? MY STUPID EFFING MOUTH!Timira grimaces while conjuring up an escape route inside her brain that is being increasingly outrun by her mouth. She contemplates bolting, but decides against it because she is aprofessional and professionals don’t bolt. They simply move quickly.
‘Bujangnim,I suspect I might’ve taken up a lot of Mr Baek’s time here. I’m sure he’s a busy man, right, Mr Baek?’ She speaks breathlessly and doesn’t look at Haneul or even wait for his response. ‘Shall we step out and discuss my project?’ Timira quickly takes charge.
Yes, I need to get out of here. Where are my cigarettes? Coffee! I need coffee. Right, I’ll be fine. It’s okay. Everything’s a-okay. I’m a professional, yes! Handsome Haneul ki hansi mein main NOT phansi. This goriya means business in Korea! I will be India’s greatest export to Korea after Anupam Tripathi, garlic naan and Shah Rukh Khan!
