To Kiss An Idol

Chapter 7: The Day Finally Ended

For the whole day, Nivritti had two thoughts on her mind, one Kyung-Soo should never speak about what happened and second, she must come up with an amazing idea to pitch tomorrow. She had a few stupid ideas and a few good ones, she just had to come up with a brilliant one.

She kept raking her brain and kept typing on her system. She could hear Jae-Hwa do the same. She was happy that she was at least trying else she had already given up. She was not even ready to participate because she thought herself to be not up to the mark. As she got the job because of her father, she started believing that she was somehow less talented than everyone else.

Her first day was a disaster but she wanted her second one to be a great one. She needed a win. All kept looking at her as if she was a culprit and she needed to change that. She wanted everyone to treat her like their equal.

The evening arrived and it was time to leave for home.

“Did you get any ideas?” asked Jae-Hwa.

“Some. You?” asked Nivritti.

“Yeah, I have a few ideas, but I don’t know if they are good,” Jae-Hwa was still sceptical.

.....

“Well, present them tomorrow and let Mr Choi decide,” said Nivritti.

“You are right. I am glad I talked to you,” said Jae-Hwa, happily.

“I am glad you talked to me. Everyone else has been treating me like a leper,” Nivritti was disheartened.

“Give them time. Once they get to know you, they will come around,” assured Jae-Hwa, politely.

“I hope so.”

“Where are you living? May I give you a lift?” offered Jae-Hwa.

“Oh no! my apartment is nearby. I prefer walking,” smiled Nivritti.

“See you tomorrow then,” said Jae-Hwa.

“Yes, you will.”

“Bye,” Jae-Hwa hugged Nivritti.

“Bye,” Nivritti too embraced her.

They both broke the embrace and went their separate ways. Nivritti exited the building while Jae-Hwa went to the parking lot for her car. Nivritti started walking towards her house still thinking about ideas that she would present tomorrow. As it was a busy hour, it took her 20 minutes to reach her home as crossing the streets was difficult at that time. There were too many vehicles as everyone from different offices was returning to their homes.

She climbed the stairs of her apartment building, punched in the code of her main door, and entered her house. She hung her bag and overcoat on the hangers by the door and took off her shoes. She sat on the couch with a thud and let her head rest on the couch.

She closed her eyes and relaxed. The day never went the way she hoped. Everything that could have gone wrong, went wrong. She was here to work and live her life peacefully but nothing like that happened. In fact, everything was the opposite, everything was chaotic.

After resting for a while, she went and changed her dress and slipped into comfortable pyjamas. She tied her braided hair in a bun and went into the kitchen. She cooked herself potato curry and rice and went to take a bath.

The pollution of the city was all wiped away. The hot water bath was refreshing. Her mind was at ease now. She tied the towel around her hair and let it soak in all the water from her hair. While the towel did its work, she ate her dinner and washed the dishes.

She took off the towel and placed it on the drying line that was on her balcony. She opened her laptop and started working on ideas. The soothing bath and full stomach were making her drowsy, but she had to work.

Suddenly her phone lit up and started ringing. She groaned as she knew who called her. The display read ‘Headache’. She picked up the call and her lookalike, her sister, appeared on the phone.

Nivritti came to Korea without telling anyone where she was going. She was running from her past. Her sister was adamant about finding out where she went. Nivritti was not ready to divulge her location just now but was in the mood of teasing her sister.

“Yes, detective,” teased Nivritti.

“Stop teasing,” pouted Apeksha.

“Don’t tell me that you stopped working on the problem,” mocked Nivritti.

“What problem?” asked Apeksha, annoyed.

“To determine which country I shifted to,” Nivritti smiled sarcastically.

“Tease me all you want, I will find out where you went,” said Apeksha with determination.

“Right! and then you will announce it to the world,” teased Nivritti.

“I will do no such thing,” frowned Apeksha.

“You babble mouth,” Nivritti was in no mood to stop the teasing.

“Shut up!” shouted Apeksha, annoyed.

“How’s mom and dad?” asked Nivritti.

“She is here, talk to her,” Apeksha gave the phone to her mother.

“Hi, mom!” greeted Nivritti.

“Hi dear, how are you?” asked her mother.

“Great!”

“Ate?” asked her mother.

“Just had my dinner,” answered Nivritti.

“What? So early? That means your time is ahead of us,” noted Apeksha. For the first time, she had a clue about the whereabouts of her sister.

“There she is. Detective!” mocked Nivritti.

“Oh, shut up!” shouted Apeksha and rolled her eyes at her.

“Ha-ha,” laughed Nivritti out loud. “Someone is infuriated.”

While both sisters were busy teasing each other, their mother took the phone and seriously asked Nivritti, “are you okay?”

“I am fine, mom,” replied Nivritti with equal seriousness.

“Why do you have to hide?”

“You know why,” replied Nivritti.

“Why don’t you complaint to the authorities about that?” the frustration in her mother’s voice was clearly audible.

“There are other lives involved mom,” answered Nivritti.

“That I understand, but you have to stay away from your family, how is that fair?” inquired her mother.

“I will find a solution, soon. Don’t worry,’ assured Nivritti.

“No, you will keep running away, you do that best,” scolded her mother.

“Mom!” now Nivritti was annoyed.

“Come home dear, we can save you,” pleaded her mother.

“I don’t want my problem to become your problem,” stated Nivritti.

“But your problem is our problem, that’s what is the responsibility of parents,” her mother tried to make her understand.

“Mom! I am all grown up. I can take care of myself. You take care of that headache,” said Nivritti.

“Hey!” shouted Apeksha.

“Are you really okay?” asked her mother.

“I am absolutely fine, mom,” replied Nivritti.

“Okay, I believe you. How was your first day?”

“Good, very good,” Nivritti lied.

“That’s good to hear. Now, go rest,” said her mother.

“Yes, mom.”

“Talk to you tomorrow,” her mother blew her a kiss.

“Of course, mom,” she smiled at her mother.

Apeksha snatched the phone from her mother and shouted, “Hey! at least tell me the continent you are in.”

“Fine, Asia, happy?” replied Nivritti.

“Not at all. Just disconnect the call,” Apeksha was frustrated as she thought Nivritti was still lying. Only if she knew that Nivritti was telling the truth.

“Ha-ha, annoyed headache.” Laughing, Nivritti disconnected the call. Talking with her family refreshed her mind and ideas started flowing in. She worked for a bit, and she received the answer to her problem. Her mind gave her a beautiful idea. She typed the complete idea on her laptop and took a printout. She carefully placed it in her purse so that she would not forget to take that to the office with her.

She retired to her bed where she found the book, she was reading last night, Little Women. She fell asleep while reading the book so there was no bookmark. She searched for the page where she was last night and found it.

She started reading the book, but her mind kept racing toward her adventurous first day. She kept thinking about how she was in awe of the building and thought that the day started with so much promise but changed into a mess. She thought back at how Thae scolded her, but suddenly her mind moved to her kiss with Kyung-Soo.

She scolded herself, “stop thinking about it. You very well know what is going to happen next. The first time that happened it took you three years to get over it. And why the hell did you kiss him back, you stupid girl? You need to stay away from him as far as possible.”

She closed the book, grabbed a pillow, enclosed it in her arms and fell asleep.

Meanwhile, Kyung-Soo recorded the daily video with his teammates and went for the interviews. After editing both were posted on ‘Nettube’ and as usual, they went viral. The whole team was again trending on ‘Communicator’.

.....

All the boys returned back to their mansion where they lived together and retired to their rooms. They took bath and then started doing their chores. One was doing laundry, one was doing the dishes, another one was cooking, another one was helping in cutting vegetables, and the rest were cleaning the house.

After completing his chore, Kyung-Soo went to his room and started working on his system. He had to look through his calendar and arrange everyone’s schedule.

Suddenly there was a knock at his door.

“Come in,” said Kyung-Soo. Jung-Hwa appeared before him.

“King Hyung, everyone is waiting for you at the dinner table,” announced Jung-Hwa.

“I don’t feel like eating. You guys eat without me,” said Kyung-Soo without any expression.

“But Hyung...” Jung-Hwa protested.

“Go June.”

“Okay,” Jung-Hwa started walking out when suddenly Kyung-Soo stopped him.

“June?! How’s Puchu? What did the vet say?” asked Kyung-Soo.

“Oh, he is fine, not even a scratch over his body. He was just scared,” replied Jung-Hwa.

Suddenly Kyung-Soo’s mood changed, and he was happy. “That’s very good news.”

“Yeah, everyone’s scolding Kat Hyung because he screamed at that girl today,” informed Jung-Hwa.

“Good, he deserves that,” Kyung-Soo was angry at Thae.

“Now your mood seems better, will you come to eat with us?” requested Jung-Hwa with all the cuteness he could muster.

“Okay fine, let’s go,” smiled Kyung-Soo.

Jung-Hwa exited the room and Kyung-Soo followed him. He thought to himself, “I need to tell her about Yong. She was so sad when she realised, she had hurt him. Wait a minute; I don’t even know her name. I am such an idiot; I kissed a girl, and I don’t even know her name and that too without her consent. What would she be thinking about me? I am not a bad person; I don’t do such things. I have never done such a thing before in my life. Why couldn’t I restrain myself from kissing her lips? Phew... her lips. What? Why am I thinking about her lips? Stop it, Kyung-Soo. Oh, God! Please help me. What is happening to me?”