To Kiss An Idol

161 The Outing

Jae-Geun kept staring at Nivritti with a sweet smile on his face. He didn’t mind that she doubted him. He was just glad to hold her hand. Her eyes were filled with guilt whereas his eyes were filled with adoration.

“Sorry again,” she lowered her head.

“Stop feeling guilty,” he slightly pressed her hands to comfort her. “But I felt as if you were against their decision of hiding the fact that one member was in the hospital. Why are you trying to hide it then?”

She smiled slightly. “It is true that I schooled them about the fact that they were hiding their condition from everyone and keeping it hush-hush. But it’s their condition, it should be their decision whether to tell the world or not, not their company’s decision. I know that K&Q spent a lot of money to train them, on marketing their brand, to get them at the position they are in but there should be a mutual understanding between the company and their artist. Companies should not butt in every decision of their life just because they are scared of scandals. Idols do have their personal life and every company need to realise that and give them an ounce of freedom. They should stop controlling every aspect of their lives.”

“So, that’s why you were angry at him?” asked Jae-Geun.

“What? No,” she shouted. She pulled her hand from his hand and slapped his chest. “I was angry because you guys were acting like idiots.”

“We were not acting like idiots. Couldn’t you tell we were fighting for you?” Jae-Geun blurted out.

“What?” mumbled Nivritti, shocked.

Jae-Geun realised that he said something wrong. “I mean I saw you in his arms, limp and thought you were unconscious and as you said that you already left, I thought he was kidnapping you or something and made you lie. Sorry for throwing the first punch. He thought I was attacking him and that’s why we were fighting. It was a misunderstanding.”

.....

“But you kept fighting,” she scolded.

“Yeah, sorry again. After you left, we realised that we acted like morons,” Jae-Geun said, guilt-ridden.

“At least you realised,” smiled Nivritti.

“Did you reach home safely?” asked Jae-Geun.

The whole night flashed before Nivritti’s eyes. How she was angry at the cab driver, how he got angry at her in return, how Kyung-Soo arrived at the right moment to help her, how that idiot called his ‘Sugar Momma’, how he kissed her cheeks, how he called her ‘mine’, how she chased him all over her living room, how that idiot burned his finger while heating the food, how they spent the night having dinner together, every moment was fresh in her mind.

“Yes, I did. I caught a cab right outside the hospital,” she replied with a sweet smile on her face.

“Are you two going to kiss?” shouted Jae-Hwa, angrily.

“What? Shut up!” scolded both Jae-Geun and Nivritti, together. Jae-Geun’s face turned red due to shyness whereas Nivritti’s face turned red due to anger.

“Then what are you doing standing there? I am hungry, let’s go,” pouted Jae-Hwa. “So sensitive. I was just joking.”

“Don’t joke about stupid things,” shouted Jae-Geun and moved away from Nivritti. He approached his sister and hit her on the back of her head.

“Ow!” Jae-Hwa immediately caressed her head.

“Let’s go, Nivritti,” said Jae-Geun. Nivritti nodded and climbed down the stairs. She too hit Jae-Hwa on her head.

“Ow!” Jae-Hwa again cried with pain. “Sorry! I said I was joking. You guys keep hitting me. I am not going with you,” she sulked.

“Fine with me,” said Jae-Geun.

“Me too,” said Nivritti with all seriousness.

“You guys are so bad. This was my plan. I am going,” she shouted and moved towards the parking area. Both Jae-Geun and Nivritti started laughing at her.

Both the girls sat in the back seat and Jae-Geun as usual was in the driver’s seat. “Great! I am still the driver.”

“If you want, I can drive. You can sit with her in the back seat,” teased Jae-Hwa.

“Do you want to get hit again?” snarled Nivritti.

“Give her one from my side too,” growled Jae-Geun.

“I am just teasing,” pouted Jae-Hwa.

“Should I tease you by taking, what’s his name, um…” Jae-Geun kept snapping his fingers trying to think.

“Jeong-Eun?” suggested Nivritti.

“Right, her bias. Should we tease you?” snapped Jae-Geun.

“You guys were standing close to each other, snuggly and whispering. Anyone would say that you are a couple,” rebuked Jae-Hwa.

“Oh my god! Get her out of the car. She is not coming with us,” shouted Nivritti in anger.

“She was scolding me for telling you about the emergency room incident. And I was scolding her for not telling you the same. That’s it,” lied Jae-Geun. “Stop spending time with uhmma. You are talking nonsense like her.”

Nivritti softly punched Jae-Hwa on her upper arm.

“Ow! Sorry,” Jae-Hwa immediately blurted out. “Won’t say things like that, ever again.”

“Good!” said Jae-Geun. “So where are we going to eat?” he asked.

Jae-Hwa gave him the name of the mall that had an excellent food court and a multiplex for movie screenings. Jae-Geun nodded and started the car.

“Was that scary?” asked Jae-Hwa.

“What?” inquired Nivritti.

“That hand,” replied Jae-Hwa.

Nivritti clenched her fists and shivered at the thought of that hand. Jae-Geun glanced at Nivritti in the rearview mirror and saw her shivering.

“Jaehwa!!” he shouted. “I told you not to mention that.”

“Sorry!” Jae-Hwa lowered her head. “Are you okay?” she asked Nivritti.

Nivritti closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and replied, “I am fine. Just the thought of that hand and all that blood, phew!”

“You are so lucky Oppa was there,” commented Jae-Hwa.

“Yeah, true! He helped me calm down. Thank you, Jae-Geun,” nodded Nivritti.

“You already said that. No need to say it again,” smiled Jae-Geun.

“You gave nicknames to everyone, why do you keep calling him by his full name?” asked Jae-Hwa. By her abrupt question, Nivritti was visibly uncomfortable. It was equally uneasy for Jae-Geun. “Don’t you think of him as your friend?”

“Jaehwa!” shouted Jae-Geun.

“What? I am just curious,” replied Jae-Hwa.

“I… I never… thought about it,” said Nivritti.

“You don’t have to listen to her. You can keep addressing me by my name,” said Jae-Geun. He then scolded his sister, “you… shut up for the whole ride. Do you understand?”

“Oppa!” pouted Jae-Hwa.

“Do you understand? I will stop the car immediately and cancel the plan,” Jae-Geun gave her the ultimatum.

“Hmm,” she nodded her head.

The whole ride was a silent one. Nivritti was happy that Jae-Hwa was silent, but Jae-Geun was slightly disturbed by Jae-Hwa’s observation. She even had a nickname for her boss. She called Jae-Hwa, Jae, then why she called him by his full name? Didn’t she think of him as her friend?

After reaching the mall, they made their way to the food court first. Jae-Hwa was still not speaking. She was afraid that if she would open her mouth, Jae-Geun would scold her again.

“What do you want?” asked Jae-Geun. But Jae-Hwa didn’t answer him. He rolled his eyes and sighed, “I told you to be quiet in the car, not here. Now, tell me what are you eating? I have to place an order.”

Jae-Hwa glanced at him and turned his head away, pouting. Jae-Geun again rolled his eyes at her. “You know what you did was wrong. Why are you pouting now?” he shouted at her.

“Okay, brother and sister, enough! Stop fighting else I will hit on your heads,” snapped Nivritti. “You stop talking nonsense,” she said to Jae-Hwa. “And you, stop scolding her,” she said to Jae-Geun.

“Now tell me what you guys want, I will place the order,” announced Nivritti.

“No, last time it was your treat. This time it’s my treat,” protested Jae-Geun.

“I didn’t treat you guys. We ate the food that you guys prepared for me,” recalled Nivritti.

“Not that, gifts. I am talking about gifts,” smiled Jae-Geun.

“Yeah, let him pay. He is rich,” commented Jae-Hwa. “He is a family doctor in one of the biggest hospitals in Korea.”

“You sound slightly proud,” teased Nivritti.

“Huh, proud? It’s just annoying,” she rolled her eyes. Nivritti ended up laughing at her jealousy.

“Okay, okay, order, please,” pleaded Jae-Geun. Jae-Hwa gave him a long list of what she wanted to eat. He facepalmed after hearing her list. Nivritti named a few food items and Jae-Geun placed the order.

While they were waiting for the food, Jae-Hwa booked the tickets for a new action movie. They finished their food and walked into the movie theatre. Though it was an action movie, it was heavy on comedy. All three died laughing.

“That was fun!” exclaimed Nivritti.

“Yes, he is my favourite actor,” said Jae-Hwa with googly eyes.

“Oh, don’t let PJ hear you. He will feel jealous,” taunted Nivritti.

“What?” scoffed Jae-Hwa. “Ritti!” she exclaimed, and her cheeks turned red.

“Good one,” commented Jae-Geun and raised his palm at Nivritti. She instantly high fived him, grinning from ear to ear. “By PJ you mean her bias, right?”

“Yes,” replied Nivritti, smiling.

Jae-Geun who was smiling till now, his smile vanished at once after he heard another nickname from Nivritti’s mouth. “She has a nickname for everyone except me,” he contemplated.