Page 37 of You Had Me At Annyeong!
I hope she will allow me a chance at redemption. And see for herself how truly, truly sorry I am and how willing I am to do whatever is necessary for a second chance. Ah, why is my life always such a mess?!
Standing close to the river, he takes a deep breath and feels his heart rate slow down. He takes his phone out and gives it a long, hard look. Blowing a kiss at the screen, which holds an image ofTimira asleep in the car with her mouth open on what had been their first road trip together, he puts it back inside his jacket, patting the pocket gently. He starts to walk away, the frown now replaced with a slight smile.
Timing, timing. I just have to be at the right place, at the right time …
Elsewhere, a panicking Hanee, who has just read the news update, scampers towards the conference room. Timira has just stepped in for the presentation they have been prepping for. She is not going to let her nutty Seonbae go into battle unarmed. Rushing inside, she pulls Timira aside and thrusts the phone at her face. Confused, Timira pushes Hanee’s arm away, with a slight click of annoyance.
‘Najunge! I’ll look at it later. What’s the rush?’
Hanee expands the story and zooms in on the headline.
‘Is Superstar Rodrigo in Korea for a Woman?’ Written by Kang Yoojin
Timira freezes.
There’s a sudden commotion inside the room as Haneul makes his entry, and all eyes follow his every move. But his eyes are set on Timira, whose gaze is transfixed at the phone screen. Gesturing at Hanee to move aside, Haneul walks up and calls out to her. When she doesn’t respond after two attempts, he gently squeezes her shoulder. Timira, jolted from the trance, drops Hanee’s phone to the ground and almost immediately swoops down to pick it up, worried that her secret might be out if anybody else sees what she has been reading.
Haneul is equally quick, and they butt heads on their way down. But he’s able to reach the phone before her and picks it up.
‘Ow,’ Timira winces in pain, rubbing her temples hard.
‘So what is it that Ms Marak had been so engrossed in that she even ignores her boss? Let’s find out, shall we?’ he quietly teases into her ears, out of others’ earshot.
Should I snatch the phone away? Nah, that’ll be too obvious. They’ll think I need help and put me on the first flight back. Let’s be brave. I’ll make up some story. I’m a creative person, after all. I’ll lie creatively! Hey, Bhagwan! Why does Hanee always keep her phone charged? Marr jaa, battery ke bachche! Aur yeh Samsung, bhains ki aankh, kya khilata hai apne battery ko? Battery hai ke WWE wrestler?! My iPhone keeps breaking like my heart, and look at this thing! Sturdy like my trusty Nokia 3310!
Haneul is gliding his finger across the screen as though he were making swirls in a tin of cake batter. People in the room are starting to whisper. Mr Choi walks up to him and attempts to break his focus. But Haneul asks him to back off with a wave.
He takes about a minute to look hard at the screen before holding it out for Timira. But Hanee steps forward and attempts to grab it, saying it’s hers.
‘Hanee-ssi, might be a good idea to turn that thing off during the presentation, don’t you think?’ he smiles earnestly. ‘Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me,’ he whispers under his breath with a naughty twinkle in his eyes, quoting from one of his favourite movies,Real Steel. Any straight woman would be weak-kneed at this point and in need of something to hold on to, but not Hanee. Nervously biting her lip, she stretches her arm sideways for the phone, trying to avoid his curious, mischievous gaze. Looking satisfied as he watches Hanee turn the phone off with trembling hands, he turns his gaze towards Timira and gestures at her to take her seat.
Unable to listen in on their conversation, an unhappy Timira grumbles to herself and drags her feet towards the conference table. As Hanee takes her place next to her, she attempts to coaxdetails out of her. But the latter, unwilling and adamant, quietly thrusts their prep material into Timira’s face and turns her own towards the podium where the marketing team’s designated speaker is clearing his throat and doing facial exercises like he is about to take the stage to present a musical.
Looking confused but wearing an amused smile, Haneul plonks down and sinks into the chair. He replays in his mind what he’d just seen on Hanee’s phone. He can feel the scar above the nape of his neck start to feel warm as he tries to make sense of it. He had chosen to forget everything from before and of the afternoon he had received the life-changing blow, but the scar made its existence known every now and again. Especially when his heart feels threatened, which had been the case since that fateful sunset in Bali.
Is my mind playing tricks? Did I imagine it?
He lifts his gaze up to look at Timira, who looks like she is holding back a few hundred words and a few expletives inside her cheeks that look rounder and redder than usual. He watches her pat every pocket in every item of clothing on her. Not finding what she wants, her hands try to creep up on Hanee’s phone but are denied by the latter’s watchful eyes and forceful grip.
Haneul is now even more confused.If she had seen what he had seen on Hanee’s phone, she’d be flattered, he thinks.Perhaps a little embarrassed even. Why does she look flustered? And why is she trying to look at it again? Wait a sec, did we even see the same thing?!
The half-amused smile he has been wearing until now has disappeared and been replaced by a faint frown.
Hang on … why is she borrowing Mr Choi’s handphone? She definitely saw something else! It cannot possibly be last-minute research. News then? Yes, it’s got to be something on the news. Or is it something related to work that’s on Bujangnim’s phone, or mail, perhaps? Why am I obsessing over this?
‘Ms Marak! Timira-ssi … Ms Marak, ahem!’
‘Yes, yes. Oh, sorry. I was listening very minutely and got lost in thought.’
The speaker smiles a little, believing every word of Timira’s lie. Koreans have yet to discover that Indians seldom mean what they say and vice versa.
‘Ah,ye. In that case, would you like to then share your thoughts on our proposal? We know you’ve worked with him, so we’re eager to know how you feel about the plan.’
‘Yes, Ms Marak, we’d love to have your input. Rodrigo only has the nicest things to say about you, I must have you know,’ a saccharine-sweet, slightly high-pitched voice—owned by board member and Rodrigo’s friend Stephanie Jung, Timira would later discover—chimes in.
All eyes are now on Timira. Curious and expectant. Haneul’s, too. The mischievous glint is back in his eyes and a familiar smile is dancing around his mouth.
Look at those stupid bangs! Will it be weird if I were to tuck them behind her ears? MUST STOP BEFORE I DO SOMETHING STUPID. Why is it so difficult to look into her eyes?! Perhaps I ought to man up and spend some time with her. After all, I am entirely responsible for her being here. There’s nothing immoral about it—I’m only a boss trying to make a new employee feel at home. Welcomed, yes! Geurae, I’ll get the team together for welcome drinks … wonder why she hasn’t recognized me yet. Should I confess instead? Won’t it be weird when she finds out? And find out she definitely will. Gah, I’m such a creep! No, no, I must tell her soon. Why am I even hiding it? If anything at all, I’m a terrific scout! Okay, yes, let me tell her at the welcome party … or, maybe, right after … argh, why does it feel like I’m about to gobaek?!
