Esperance of V

5. The dinner

Arya
       I am a bit embarrassed to use a fork and spoon when they are all so flawless with the chopsticks. I'm not going to try it here and make a fool of myself. May be later when I'm eating alone or with Aarav.
We're seated on a rectangular table with Eun-ah and Sejin at the head of the table on my right and RV on my left. With Jin in the centre three of them were sitting opposite to me. I was so nervous about taehyung not showing up and now when he's here I am unable to make any conversation with him. Like what do I talk to him about? I don't know much about music besides listening to it. And I don't think he reads books. So what would be the conversation starter? Nothing. None. Nada. I feel a little bit hopeless. Meanwhile the conversation at the table is live and it keeps going.
"Arya I'm thinking about visiting India at the end of the year. Which place do you thing I should visit?", Eun-ah questions.
I think about it for a bit and then ask her,"What kind of place would you like to visit? Cultural or natural?"
"What if I say cultural?"
"Then I'd recommend Delhi and Rajasthan"
"What if I say natural?"
"Then I'd ask, mountain or beaches?"
"Ummmm..... beaches?"
"Then Goa"
"Can I get a place with both mountains and beaches?"
"Actually there are a lot of places but I'm just suggesting you places that are coming first to my mind. And if you visit Kerala you will get a combo of hills, forests, beaches and culture."
"Okayyy I'll keep that in mind." Eun-ah looks satisfied by my answers.
Jin looks at me and says, "Sorry about all the food questions earlier today but we were genuinely curious."
"That's okay. It was fun. Actually I couldn't decide where to start from. Indian cuisine has so much variety that it's difficult to suggest one thing!"
"Do you know how to cook?"
"Yes. I can cook the basic things. But I'm not a very good chef." My smile dampens a little. How do I tell them that I had a mother who was very sincere about her career and had a little to no time for stuff like teaching her daughter to cook? Or love her family? He mistakes my expression. And says, " I didn't mean to offend you. I just wanted to know that because RV is a decent cook and brings meals for us now and then."
That's surprising. I didn't know that about bhai. "He does?"
And then I look at my brother and ask him, "You do?"
He smiles and nods his head but doesn't say anything . I guess that's a conversation for later. "That's cool. Not only I have a place to live free of cost, but now I get free home cooked food too!", I try to lighten the mood. With Jin's and jimin's laughter the mood is light again.
"I guess you guys have a lot to catch up", Jin comments.
"Yes yes we do", RV replies.
After a while jimin asks me, "So are your books just romantic or it's erotica too?" I observe mostly shocked expressions from all. Chuckle from my brother. Nothing fazes my brother. Eun-ah's face looks like she walked in a scandal. I look at V and find him smirking, like he was expecting this kind of question from jimin.
"It's both. Mostly romantic but now and then I put a few erotic stuff depending on the boldness of characters." Jimin nods.
"Jiminshi that is not something you ask over dinner", scolds Eun-ah. Jimin just shrugs and continues eating.
"Let it be. She's probably used to the weird questions by now", Sejin says in a resigned tone. Jin and V nods.
We finish the dinner without anymore family secrets or awkward questions and gets seated in the living area. As soon as I take my seat, I feel my phone vibrating. I look at the display with a frown, it's my ageant. Why would he call now? If I don't answer he'll probably call again. I need to answer this. I ask Eun-ah if I could get some privacy to receive the call. She nods and takes me through a short hallway and into a comfy sitting room, with a balcony. She switches on the light and leaves me alone. I walk through the room open the sliding door to the balcony and step out in the fresh air. By this time it has started to ring for the third time. I take a deep breath and pick up.
"Hello"
"Hello. So you finally decided to pick up." See this is the problem. The tone. This guy has set my career sailing but because of his fucking tone I want to hit him sometimes.
"It was noisy so I had to find a quiet place to talk"
"Okay. Whatever you say. I called to inform you that a university of literature has asked for your presence. Like a seminar on writing. They are asking for an hour of your presentation. Think about it and tell me if you'd like to do it."
"What? Like a uni in Korea?", I'm surprised.
"Yes. I think your posts on Instagram are getting attention there."
"Ohh... okay."
"Think about it and inform me if you are interested. I know you're on vacation but it will be a good opportunity to create a fan base there. At your age you should care less about vacation and more about work." Did I forget to inform that my agent is a 50 year old man. He's my father's age but his brain can create ideas that others can't surface with. Anil uncle is a good man with a streak of arrogance. A streak mile wide. And with that, he disconnects the call. I already know that I'm going to say yes but I'll let him wait at least till next morning. I wonder what I'd present to students this time. I have done this kind of events back in India. It's always fun to interact with the young blood, they are full of dreams and hope and ideas. It's just good experience to talk to them and also to answer their questions.
"Was that your boyfriend?", says a voice from behind me. I almost jump out of my skin. I didn't hear him coming in. It's him. V.
"No. It was my agent", I reply.
"Ohh. You looked so deep in thoughts."
"Yes. I am invited by a university to give a seminar. I was just thinking about it."
"That's great. So people knows you in Korea too"
I smile in return "Apparently, they do. See I'm famous too", I say cheekily.
"So what are you are going to talk to a bunch of hormone ridden teenagers about? Romance or erotica?", he asks with a curious face.
"Why not both? It's romance that leads to sex" did I just say sex in front of taehyung? I must be going crazy!
"Not always. Sometimes it could be other way around", he says with a smirk.
"The way you are suggesting something without actually saying is amazing", I don't know why but the the words keeps popping out. Must be the wine.
He takes two steps towards me and we're close. Not super close but close enough to know that he's not wearing any make up. His skin is glowing under the night light. His lips are a beautiful shade between red and pink. Light breeze ruffles his hair. If we were in a drama this is the moment where lead couple finally kisses. I groan inwardly. Dream on princess.
"What am I suggesting Arya?"
I'm a bit flustered but I keep up the confident front. "That it's okay to have sex with someone you don't love?", I answer it like a question.
"Hmmm... that could be an interpretation."
"Then what were you actually suggesting?" He momentarily looks at my lips and then takes those two steps back. Wow I'd call him out on his behaviour of being a tease if he wasn't Kim taehyung.
"That you might eventually fall in love", he says almost silently.
"Ohh... okay." Again he refrains from saying the S word.
"Earlier you said that your next book is coming out soon?"
"Yes. I have this month as vacation and then I'd be touring to a few places in India for promotion and stuff." I'm glad that we have passed that scene. I was starting to feel hot and not because of the weather.
"How do you feel about that?"
"Nervous I guess, it doesn't matters that I have done this 12 times already but the jitters never go away. I always keep thinking if they will like it or not?"
"I know. It's difficult. Our success depends so much on other people. 'Will they like it?' is an obvious question."
"Sometimes I think that if I worked at a company or something, I'd have to impress just my boss and not the whole world you know"
"But then the world wouldn't know what amazing qualities you have. Being an artist is difficult, being an idol is more difficult but it's balm to my soul. I can't even think to be anything else."
"Why would you be anything else? You are perfect as you are." His smile dims a bit.
"Do you really think anyone can be perfect?"
"No."
"Then how am I perfect?"
"Because you are you." That at-least makes him smile again.
"Pabo.Fool" he says under his breath. But I hear him. He looks away. Then puts his elbows on the railing. I mirror his pose. We're silent for a minute. My heart is not racing anymore. Like the last few minutes made me comfortable with him. I like this. A few moments later he pushes my hair behind to reveal the Eiffel Tower earrings. He touches them, looks me in the eyes and says, "Go out with me." Just when I thought that my heart was doing okay, he makes it feel like exploding out of the rib cage!
"What do you mean?", I ask like the fool that I am.
"Let's go on a date", he repeats himself.
"Date?"
"Date."