To Kiss An Idol

His mother was busy in the kitchen when he sneaked outside. He knew that if he would tell her, she would again pack a lot of food for her, and Nivritti would keep eating the food for weeks. He smiled at the thought that she was not ready to throw the food last time even though it was days old.

He started his car and pondered, “oh, should I have packed some food? Jaehwa is there, she will prepare something. I am sure. I just hope Ritti’s leg is fine. I gave a lot of instructions last night. Hope they did everything. Should I have told her about applying ice once again in the morning? Oh, no worries. I will take a look after I reach her house.”

He pressed the gas pedal and the car moved forward. He reached the parking area of Nivritti’s building and got out of his car. He was climbing the stairs when he realised, “oh, so many stairs! How will she walk all the way down? Do I get to carry her?” his cheeks turned red. Smoke came out of his ears and he started feeling hot.

He reached Nivritti’s apartment and rang the bell. He stood outside for a minute but there was no answer. He again rang the bell. Still, there was no answer. He knocked loudly, “Jaehwa! Ritti!” but there was no one inside the house who could answer him.

“Oh! Did they leave already?” he talked to himself. “But… am I late?” he immediately took out his phone and called Jae-Hwa. “Where are you?”

Nivritti was now silent. She had stopped crying. Jae-Hwa was sitting next to her holding her hand and suddenly her phone rang. “Who is calling me this early in the morning?” she pondered. She lifted her hand from Nivritti’s hand and looked at her phone. Her brother was calling her.

Before she could reply, he asked her a question. “Um… we…” she gulped. She had no idea what to say. She could not tell him that members of ASD came to pick her up. She then thought about why she couldn’t tell him about ASD. He knew everything about one of the members being sick.

“We are going to work,” she replied.

.....

“What? So early!” he shouted.

“Why are you asking?” she asked.

“Because I am standing outside Ritti’s house. I came to pick you guys up,” he explained.

“It’s okay, oppa. We are fine,” replied Jae-Hwa.

“Did you take a taxi? How did she walk all the way down? Is her leg fine? Couldn’t you wait, I would have checked her leg,” shouted Jae-Geun.

“Did you tell me that you would be coming? Why would I wait for you?” Jae-Hwa shouted back.

“Okay, okay! Relax! No need to get angry,” said Jae-Geun. “Just take care of yourself and… hers too.”

“Hmm…” replied Jae-Hwa. Without waiting for bye from Jae-Geun, she disconnected the call.

By then Nivritti was calm. Jae-Hwa thought that she might ask questions about the phone call, but Nivritti kept quiet. She kept her gaze out of the window and avoided everyone in the car.

“What happened to her? What did King to do her? Ahh… men! Why are they so annoying?” she thought to herself.

Kyung-Soo parked his car in the basement of the building and closed his eyes in anger. He had seen Nivritti crying numerous times but today he made her cry. Young-Chul and Jae-Hwa came out of the car and went to grab the bags. Kyung-Soo was hesitant to help Nivritti as he was sure that she was again going to snap at him.

Before he opened his door, Nivritti opened hers and climbed out of the car.

“What are you doing?” shouted Young-Chul. Hearing his shout, Kyung-Soo turned around and saw Nivritti standing out of the car.

“This building has a lift. I can walk. Stairs were the problem, right?” replied Nivritti, indifferently. Kyung-Soo closed his eyes and clenched his jaw again. Nivritti was never cold, never indifferent while talking to ASD members but right now she replied as if she had no feelings for Young-Chul.

The girl who helped him get better with her kindness and warmth had no emotions right now. And that was Kyung-Soo’s fault. She was trying the oldest trick in the book – If someone tries to get close to you, be cold, be rude and they will run away.

Kyung-Soo got out of the car and humbly said, “let me help you.” She ignored his voice and started walking towards the lift.

Young-Chul slapped Kyung-Soo’s upper arm and whispered, “what did you do? What did you say to make her angry?”

Kyung-Soo sighed and replied, “I am an idiot.”

“Wait! Ritti!” Jae-Hwa called after her. “Take my support.”

“I am fine, Jae. I can walk,” replied Nivritti with a smile and moved forward. Jae-Hwa froze in her path.

Kyung-Soo and Young-Chul approached her when suddenly she turned to face them. With squinted eyes and a flared nose, she stared at Kyung-Soo. Both the boys jumped back after looking at her scary expression.

She slapped Kyung-Soo on his chest and shouted, “what did you do?”

“Ow! Jae!” cried Kyung-Soo.

“You know she smiled at me, she just smiled at me,” scolded Jae-Hwa.

“If she smiled, that’s a good thing, no?” asked Young-Chul.

“That was a fake smile. That’s not how she smiles. Her smile is lively, cute. She looked scary right now. Her eyes… it felt as if she was hiding a whole sea of sadness,” replied Jae-Hwa.

Kyung-Soo very well knew what Nivritti was hiding behind her eyes. “Sorry!” he said to Jae-Hwa.

“Oh! She was shouting at you to let her go. What did you say?” shouted Jae-Hwa.

“Um… I called her heavy,” replied Kyung-Soo. He could not tell anyone what he said to her. But by saying that he called heavy, he was not at all lying.

“Aisshhh… you really are an idiot! Never call a girl, heavy,” scolded Young-Chul.

“What were you thinking?” yelled Jae-Hwa.

“Obviously I was not thinking. I made a mistake,” apologised Kyung-Soo.

“Say that to her,” said Jae-Hwa.

“I don’t think she is in the mood to talk to me,” replied Kyung-Soo.

“Are you guys coming or should I let the lift close?” shouted Nivritti, angrily.

“Sorry!” all three shouted at once and raced towards the lift. Nivritti was standing inside the lift with her hands on the door, not letting the lift close.

After everyone entered the lift, Nivritti scolded Young-Chul, “why did you run? You are supposed to take it easy. I will hit you on your head if you start exerting yourself, do you understand?”

“Yes, sorry! No more running,” replied Young-Chul. He kicked Kyung-Soo on his leg and mumbled, “she is angry at you, and I am getting the scolding. She told us to run to get in the lift. I did that and now she is scolding me. Everything is your fault.”

Even after getting kicked, Kyung-Soo was smiling. He was happy that even though he acted like a moron, Nivritti was still caring for Young-Chul. Though she was angry, she didn’t forget about Young-Chul’s health.

The lift opened and slowly they all followed Nivritti. She was careful in placing her injured foot on the ground. Due to her everyone was getting late.

“It would have been so easier if you would have just lifted her,” Young-Chul looked at Kyung-Soo with anger.

Finally, they reached the practice room. Nivritti opened the door and entered.

“What the hell?” shouted Jung-Hwa.

“What?” asked Nivritti.

“Why are you walking on your injured foot?” scolded Korain.

“He angered her. He called heavy,” complained Young-Chul.

“What?” shouted everyone at once, even Nivritti. She instantly looked at Kyung-Soo.

“Why would he tell that to everyone? Yeah, right! He could not tell what he really said. This idiot knows everything about me, and still keeps acting like a moron,” contemplated Nivritti. She looked at everyone.

“Hyung! How can you say that?” scolded Thae.

“Sorry!” replied Kyung-Soo.

“Still, you should not have let her walk on her own,” rebuked Jeong-Eun.

“Guys! I am fine. I was walking slowly,” replied Nivritti.

“Ah! You are so stubborn,” shouted Him-Chan and ran towards her. “You keep lecturing everyone to ask for help and accept help. You know that would not make you weak. And don’t listen to Hyung, no matter if he is intelligent but sometimes he acts like an idiot.”

“It’s not that…,” said Nivritti.

“I am going to carry you to the working station, so just accept my help,” said Him-Chan and without waiting for her reply, he just lifted her in his arms.

“What?” shouted both Kyung-Soo and Nivritti at once. But by the time she finished her word, Him-Chan had already lifted her and started walking. Kyung-Soo clenched his fists tightly the moment he saw her in someone else’s arms.