Chapter Eleven #4
Chairman Ri has heard all about his daughter’s fiancé and his new Indian employee.
He has heard from his source in Haneul’s office about the drama involving Mina, Haneul and Timira.
He has been worried since witnessing the tension between Haneul and Rodrigo at the stadium.
Knowing all too well that Mina’s plans are in all probability going to backfire, he has decided to do all he can for his daughter in order to save her engagement.
He knows his daughter may not be able to hold on to Haneul on her own, so he is willing to go the extra mile for his motherless only child.
‘I’m sure she feels loved and wanted! Women love attention. It’s what they live for!’
What a patriarchal misogynist this old fart is , Haneul muses but doesn’t say anything. He just wants to get through lunch without rubbing Chairman Ri the wrong way or breaking Rodrigo’s face.
Mina isn’t delighted with her father’s blatant misogyny, but she knows this isn’t the time and place to protest. She wants Rodrigo to make his intentions clear so Haneul will stay away from Timira. Or so she hopes.
‘Rodrigo-ssi, I hope you have a plan to win her back. If you need my help, please don’t hesitate to ask. I’m happy to be your wingwoman!’ Mina offers, a tad too enthusiastically.
Tsk, this girl. Always over-eager. Doesn’t even have the brains to play it cool! Tch, tch. Chairman Ri tut-tuts under his breath.
‘Hehe, gamsahamnida, Miss! As long as no one is trying to sabotage my genuine efforts, I should be able to succeed!’ Rodrigo says with a sidelong glance at Haneul.
Lunch drags on. Mina continues to enthusiastically prattle on about Rodrigo and Timira while Haneul tunes out. It’s only when Chairman Ri’s personal assistant walks in to interrupt the luncheon that he tunes back in. Walking up to Mr Ri, the PA leans in and whispers into his ear.
‘Looks like I’ll have to excuse myself, kids. Something that requires my urgent attention has come up. Rod, we need to quickly convene a meeting with the management, coaches and senior players. The league seems to have come up with a new set of rules regarding the foreign player quota.’
‘Appa, do you need me? Shall I come along? I can reschedule my flight …’
‘No, no, my darling. You relax. We can take care of this without you!’ he replies sweetly to Mina’s concerned offer.
Lunch is finally over, much to Haneul’s relief. He has barely eaten, and his empty stomach is now churning from all the makgeolli. Mr Ri is the first to get up, followed by the others.
‘Haneul and Mina, you have a long drive to the airport. Geurae, carry on. I don’t want you to be late and miss your flight. Rod and I are going to head back to the hotel.’
Getting up, Haneul bows slightly before speaking.
‘Hoejangnim, I need to have a quick word with Rodrigo-ssi about work. It’ll take only a couple of minutes.’
‘Geurae, geurae, no worries. Rod, I’ll head out. You follow once you are done speaking with uri seobangnim , ye?’
‘Ah, yes, of course.’ Rodrigo bows politely.
As soon as Chairman Ri and Mina step out of the room, Haneul roughly pulls Rod aside. No longer needing to pretend, Haneul is on the verge of unleashing his anger.
‘Stick to the football field. Because off it, you only make a mess!’ On the field, too … Haneul thinks to himself.
‘I beg your pardon, Mr Baek!’
‘Timira. I’m talking about Timira. I know what you have done to her. So please drop the act.’
‘I see. And what is it that you think you know? Has she told you?’
‘How I know is none of your business!’
‘Have YOU been stalking her? Have you been tapping her calls?’
‘You really are crazy! What do you think this is? A drama?’
‘Well, it’s Korea, after all. Anything is possible!’
Once a d*******, always a d*******!
‘I’ll tell you what’s possible. In fact, it is definite! If you don’t leave Timira-ssi alone, your life here is going to get extremely difficult!’
‘Oooooh, is that a threat?’
‘No, it’s a warning. I do not wish to see you get hurt.’
As much as I want to sock you in the face for what you did to me and then to Timira!
‘I love how concerned you are about her. She is lucky to have such a caring, what shall I call you … friend? Colleague? Boss?’
‘I don’t care what you call me so long as you lay off of her!’
This conversation has lasted longer than Haneul had imagined in his head and he is getting increasingly annoyed. With Rodrigo’s cockiness as much as his own helplessness.
‘I’m not sure you have any right to ask this of me, Mr Baek. I wonder what your fiancée would think of your request to me!’
‘What has that got to do with this?’
‘Only everything! Can you do for Timira what I can? Will you leave your fiancée for her? Will you be responsible for her? If not, get off your high horse and get out of my way!’
Haneul’s ears are burning. The truth in Rodrigo’s words have stung him and he is seething. As if on cue, Mina pops back in.
‘Haneul, we’re getting late! What’s taking you so long?’
She feels the tense air between Rodrigo and Haneul.
‘My apologies, Mina-ssi. I was getting in a word with Mr Baek about the campaign.’
Mina knows he’s lying. ‘Ah, of course. Perhaps you can speak over the phone. We must leave right away if we are to take our flight back. Haneul, shall we?’
Haneul doesn’t say a word and starts to follow Mina out of the room.
Just as he’s about to exit, Rodrigo fires what he thinks is a parting salvo.
‘Don’t worry, Baek Daepyo. You look after what’s yours, and I’ll take care of mine.’
‘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 Brahm?stra! 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 her her laptop.
‘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?