Chapter Twelve
‘Shall we walk for a bit?’
Haneul had wanted to drive Timira home. But she insists on walking. Haneul is all too glad to oblige the object of his affection, adoration and addiction.
Gaadi ke andar, just he and I? Haaye, what if I’m unable to control myself?
What if dimaag mein I have gande gande thoughts like Sonam Kapoor did about Fawad Khan in Khoobsurat ?
Brain is a bloody gutter only! Ashleel hoon main.
Ashleela ashleela ki jawani … she tries to hide the chortle that’s starting to form inside her throat and ends up snorting.
‘That wasn’t me. I didn’t snort!’ she offers, alarmed, almost immediately.
Haneul smiles, amused.
‘But what about your car?’ Timira asks in a small voice, trying to change the topic and sound serious.
‘Oh, don’t worry about it,’ he brushes off Timira’s concern. ‘I’ll have it picked up by my driver in the morning. No sweat at all!’
Wah! Vadde log, vaddi baatein, hehehehe. Mazze kar le, Timmy. She giggles absent-mindedly.
Timira and Haneul have been walking in silence for a few minutes now. Side by side, their hands tantalizingly close, threatening to brush against the other’s skin. Haneul has been tempted to take her hand in his, but hesitates every time he is about to.
They are now walking along the stone wall around the perimeter of the Deokseogung. One of the five palaces in Seoul, the Deokseo is the only palace that sits alongside a series of Western-style buildings, the contrast adding to its unique charm.
‘Timira, where are you lost?’
Timira isn’t lost in thought. And she has heard Haneul. But she finds herself unable to break free from the shy awkwardness that has gripped her since Haneul’s mouth had met hers earlier.
‘Oh! I know this. I know this place! I’ve seen it before.’
On recognizing the stone wall, Timira is unable to hold back her excitement.
She has seen it on multiple TV shows. A smile starts to form on her face, but is almost immediately replaced by a frown.
Haneul is about to ask Timira how she is familiar with the Deokseogung, but stops on seeing her expression.
Oh, God! It’s THAT pretty palace wall. Where Gong Yoo saw Lee Dongwook in his tea room in Goblin! The one Im Siwan ran along wearing tingu chaddis in Run On . Uff, so pretty! But Alice said it’s jinxed. Sh**, why are we here? Why, why, why? Why am I here with Haneul?
Haneul doesn’t understand why Timira is looking so worried. He wants to know. ‘What’s wrong, Timira? Are you feeling unwell? What is the matter?’
Timira hesitates a little before speaking.
‘Er, well, my friend Alice—she’s Korean … well, American-Korean, really … anyway, yeah so, Alice had once told me about a myth surrounding this wall.’
‘A myth?’ Haneul cocks up an eyebrow in surprise. He is a man of science and has never quite understood why people still believe in omens, legends, myths and superstitions.
‘Well, an urban myth, so to speak.’
Haneul doesn’t care much for such things but knows Timira will feel better once she has gotten it off her chest.
‘What sort of myth?’
‘Um, it is said that couples who walk along this wall are fated to break up.’ Timira looks AND sounds sad as she speaks the words.
Haneul smiles.
She thinks we are a couple!
‘Why are you smiling?’
‘Well …’ Haneul isn’t sure of what to say. He’s unable to hide his happiness.
‘Well, not that you and I are a couple …’ Timira mumbles.
Can she read my mind? Haneul wonders.
‘If we are not a couple, then why are you worried about the myth? It’s just some silly rumour anyway!’ Haneul is now teasing.
Timira fumbles for words and speaks in a small voice.
‘You are right. I should not be worri—’
Timira doesn’t get to finish her sentence. Haneul grabs her hand and grasps it tightly with his before bringing it up to his face and kissing it.
‘We won’t break up.’
Timira’s heart misses several beats even though her brain tries to reason that since they aren’t together, they cannot really break up. But when has reason won against the heart?
Oh, lord. I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe. My head, my head, why is it spinning so hard? I should sit before I pass out. Is this really happening?
They have now reached the banks of the Han River.
Timira can feel the water in the air. As they approach the river, voices reach her ears.
A slight din at first that later turns into a cacophonous riot.
The sweet smell of cotton candy and the spicy aroma of tteokbokki fill up her nose and engulf her senses. They have been walking for a while now.
‘Say, Timira, shall we sit here and get some rest?’
Timira is relieved to hear the words. She hasn’t walked such a distance in a long, long time.
Timira nods her assent and they head towards the benches right by the river, beyond the grassy mound where adults lie sprawled about and children play.
They find an empty bench and Timira quickly parks her posterior.
‘Will you be okay by yourself for a couple of minutes? I’ll go grab us some coffee. It’s colder by the water than elsewhere in the city. I’d hate for you to catch a chill.’
No man other than her father has ever shown such concern for her. Timira is naturally awed and can only look at Haneul in amazement.
‘I’ll be back in a jiffy, okay? Sit tight!’
Timira nods as though she is in a trance. Haneul starts to walk away but stops and turns back only a few steps later.
‘It’s very chilly. This’ll keep you warm,’ he says to Timira, wrapping his overcoat around her.
What a cute burrito she looks like , he thinks to himself as Timira blinks her big, button-like eyes out of all the layers she’s covered in, feeling more bewildered than ever.
This guy is straight out of a book! Or a drama! How can any of this be real? If it’s too good, it must not be real.
She pinches her cheek. As hard as her near-frozen fingers would allow.
‘Ow!’ she yelps out in pain.
Is he nice to me because I’m the ‘other woman’?
Hey Bhagwan, am I the ‘woh’ in Pati, Patni, Aur Woh ?
Yikes. I should be ashamed. What is even happening between him and Mina?
What are his intentions? Kaash Alice were here.
I’d have her interrogate him. Saare sawaalon ka jawaab my MI6 agent Ally 007 would’ve found!
A little toddler girl runs up to her as she tries to clear her head.
‘Oh, hi, you!’ Timira looks down to find a small human inside a hooded puffer jacket that looks heavier than her, staring at her with big, wondrous eyes.
The child’s face is covered in cotton candy which she’s holding in her hand. She giggles and extends her arm towards Timira.
‘For me? Aww, thank you, baby. But why are you alone? Where are your parents?’ She lifts the child and plonks her on her lap.
Haneul has been watching the scene unfold from afar and it makes him feel warm and gooey even on this chilly night.
Timira gets up, with the child now in her arms, holds her phone to her ear for a few seconds before putting it back inside her pocket, and looks all over as though trying to scan the crowd for a familiar face. Haneul hastens his steps.
‘Oh, thank God you are here! Why didn’t you answer my call?’
‘You called?’
He carefully places the coffee cups on the bench and reaches inside his pockets. All his pockets.
‘Damn, I think I’ve misplaced my phone. Or maybe it’s in my car … sorry!’
‘Jiah! Ji … aaaaaahhhh!’ A woman’s voice is getting closer to them and louder every second.
A woman in her twenties, frantically pushing a stroller, nearly crashes into them.
‘Jiah! Yeogi issne, dahaengida [Jiah, you are here. Thank God]!’ she cries in relief.
‘ Ahjumma, geujjogui agiibnikka [Madame, is this your child]?’ the policeman asks.
‘ Ye ye !’
She’s out of breath and panting. Timira spots another child inside the stroller, younger and way smaller than the one in her arms, asleep under multiple layers of warm covers.
‘Yeobo, yeobo!’
A man who also looks to be in his twenties catches up with them. His cheeks are flushed red, worry lines formed across his young forehead, and he’s sweating even in the cold. Along with him is a policeman.
Being a parent is no joke , Haneul thinks to himself.
‘ Chajajwoseo gomawo. Jinja gomawoyo. Geurigo miyanhaeyo [Thank you for finding her. Thanks very much. And, very sorry]. Officer, sorry to have bothered you. This is our Jiah.’
The woman looks at Timira and asks for her baby to be handed to her. Timira leans towards Haneul and whispers in his ear.
‘How can you be sure these are the parents and not kidnappers? I’m not giving the child away until I’m sure.’
Haneul is surprised by the otherwise childlike, sometimes even hare-brained, Timira’s presence of mind.
The woman asks for the child again. This time, Timira speaks.
‘Hwagsilhabnikka? Dangsin-eun eomeoniibnida [Are you sure that you are the mother]?’
Bol diya. I’ve spoken the entirety of my Korean knowledge. Sab bol dala! Now I know what Lucky must’ve felt like speaking in English in Dhoom !
The police officer, a young, seemingly new recruit, now speaks.
‘Ye, samonim . I’ve checked their IDs. Jinjjassda !’ He smiles reassuringly.
Timira looks relieved and relaxes her grip on the child. She carefully places her in the mother’s arms.
‘You’ll be a good mother, samonim !’ Looking at Haneul, she adds, ‘Your child will be in safe hands.’
Timira and Haneul are now sitting on the bench, sipping on coffee that is now almost cold.
The mother’s words are still ringing in Haneul’s ears and he cannot help but smile like a fool. He has never thought about wanting to be a parent but is now suddenly warmed by the thought of it.
I wouldn’t mind having a daughter like her. Maybe a little less prone to accidents but nonetheless a spitting image of her! And if she were to inherit her gorgeous voice …
Timira is holding the cup against her nose and trying to thaw its tip that has been frozen pink.
Haneul pats her on the head, making her look up at him like a tiny animal. He looks deep into them and wonders if he should tell her …