Page 83 of You Had Me At Annyeong!
‘Timira may not be mine, but she’ll never be yours, you scoundrel! I will make sure of that!’
Haneul’s eyes are bloodshot as he spits the words at Rodrigo. And without bothering to look at him or wait for him to reply, he storms out.
* * *
SEOUL, KOREA
Nearly twenty-four hours have passed since the SecondSkin team has been back in Seoul. The office has been abuzz with stories from the shoot, photos are being shared to everyone’s SNS (social networking service) accounts, colleagues are being tagged and tans being appreciated. Everybody fusses over Timira for a few minutes but as shoot footage of bare-bodied, sweaty, muscular Rodrigo blows up across their screens, she is promptly forgotten. Feeling relieved, Timira slinks away to the terrace for a much-needed smoke.
Blowing out rings, she tries to process all that has happened.
Okay, three things I’m absolutely certain of. Haneul was the one who saved me in Bali. Haneul is getting married. And I might be falling for Haneul.
Abbe yaar, what is this mess I’ve brought upon myself?! Timira, behave yourself! You cannot, and shall not, covet what is not yours!
But then, what about ALL THAT CHEMISTRY?! I’ve felt it, so there’s no way Haneul hasn’t. He kissed me in Bali, for god’s sake. Wait. Or was it I who kissed him?! Oh, whatever. What matters is that we kissed. Why did he kiss me when he was engaged?
She pauses her inner monologue to tap ash from the cigarette and takes a sip from the cup of Americano she has carried to the terrace. The coffee, unexpectedly hot even in Seoul’s cool, wintry air, shocks Timira and burns her tongue. She immediately regrets not having done ‘phoo phoo’ to cool it down. She ends up spluttering and sending drops of coffee flying everywhere. A couple land on the lapel of her coat and she mutters curses under her breath.
Life burns me, coffee burns me, what the hell, yaar? Aag bannkar jalaa daloon duniya ko? Aila, just like RK in Brahmãstra!Instinctively, she starts to hum ‘Chingaariyaan yeh jo mere seene mein hain dafan …’ Gawwwd, I miss Bolly music!
Smiling, she blows on the coffee, exaggeratedly doing ‘phoo phoo’, and carefully takes a small sip.
I wonder if Haneul remembers me from Bali. I’m sure he doesn’t. If he did, he wouldn’t have hired me. Why would he, right? I must’ve seemed like a career drunk that evening. Tch, shame on me! Hey Bhagwan, I hope he doesn’t remember any of it.
She recalls the night in Jeju. She first laughs upon remembering Hanee’s sleepwalk, but sobers up as she recalls what had happened prior to that.
Did Haneul even mean all that he said? When he asked me for time—what was THAT about?
She had mentioned this to Alice and Bhaskar when she had called them from the hospital in Jeju. Alice seemed to suggest that Haneul was interested in Timira but Bhaskar had warned her to not get embroiled in any sort of complication, given how she got burned the last time she mixed work with her personal life. Alice, though, had asked her to keep herself open to possibilities and Timira is now wondering how wise a choice that would be.
Her smoke break over, she walks back into the office. She has barely reached her cabin when Hanee pops up and hands herherlaptop.
‘Seonbaenim, meeting … Daepyonim’s cabin …jigeumyo! Now, now. Go, go!’
Timira has no time to think, and before she has even managed to compose herself, she finds herself face-to-face with Haneul. They are to discuss PR strategies for the campaign with Rodrigo.
Bola toh tha ussne to address him as Haneul but perhaps I shouldn’t be so casual at work. I’m sure he already thinks I’m an idiot.
She smiles nervously and greets him politely. ‘Morning, Daepyonim!’
Haneul only nods and avoids her gaze entirely. And continues to do so for the entire duration of the meeting. Thirty whole minutes, to be exact. Although not without difficulty.
I shouldn’t be playing with fire. And I definitely shouldn’t be playing with her emotions. Or with Mina’s even. I have no right to lead Timira on when I’m in such a mess myself. She has already been through her fair share of troubles. I mean, her trouble has followed her even here!
He now recalls Rodrigo’s words and thinks to himself,I absolutely detest that guy, but he is right, after all. What could I possibly even do for her? Can I? Am I even good enough?
Haneul has been doing a very bad job of focusing on all that Timira’s been jabbering on about. The latter, on her part, is struggling to maintain her composure as well.
Dear universe, help me get through this nightmare, will you? Please don’t let Haneul figure out what’s going on inside my mind.
The universe has answered Timira’s prayer, what with Haneul lost in his own thoughts.
Geurae, I ought to man up and sort it out before I take things further with her. Good lord, must she look this pretty every time I see her? What is that delicious mouth doing so far away from mine? Argh. What is wrong with me? Michigetta (I’m going crazy)!
Timira, meanwhile, is mindlessly chattering on about the interviews being lined up for Rodrigo to talk about SecondSkin.
Can she stop already? I cannot take this anymore! Ah, is it me or is there suddenly less air? Why can’t I breathe? Why is it so hot? Why is she so distractingly beautiful?
