THE MANAGER NIM

35. SPECIAL PHENOMENON

"It was a rainy day, the droplets were pouring out of those dark velvety clouds like confetti. I was gazing at the matt roads becoming glossy and vibrant like a magazine cover. It was too early even for the sweepers to reach the school, but still, I was there, leaning against the transpicuous window of my classroom, cradling a thick book against my chest I borrowed from the school library, I was gazing at the wetness smothering the world outside.

There is a special phenomenon about me, whenever it pours, the musical chime of those water droplets will arouse an indecipherable feel in my system which drives me to cuddle something and that day it was my book.

It already felt heavenly to swallow nature's blithe with my bare eyes but that song in his divine voice which traversed through the air, teleported me to a paradisiacal island, where only he, I and rain existed.

If my memory serves me right, he was singing about his childhood love, comparing her memories with his favourite coffee flavour and that's the very moment he invaded my heart."

You halt elucidating the non-fictional content of your story right there, taking a little break to build the fictional part you're clueless about. All this while Jungkook allowed you to narrate the story in hushed silence, it seemed like he was struggling to fit in an appropriate Indian male with you to imagine it in his head, utterly unaware of the fact, it is him playing that role in yours.

"And the story ends here, let's get down to cooking if you don't want burnt chicken masala for dinner." You continue to swirl the ladle into the deliciously smelling curry.

"Yaaa! That's an illegal cliffhanger! All you explained about all this while was about rain and yourself, what are you? A fanfic writer?! Who asked about the freaking climate and your dumb habits, see this is why you're such a self-obsessed dumbo!" He jumps off the counter furiously.

"Then why don't you give me a blueprint by explaining your crush story?" You lethargically state while validating the salt level in the masala.

Your sudden counter-question knocks him for six and he looks at you in a bemused state.

"Do you want coke or something, I'll get them for you!" He glides towards the refrigerator without waiting for your reply, to dodge your deadly question.

"At least, you can tell me about your recent dispatch exposed scandal right?" Your voice reverberates behind his back, earning the poor refrigerator door a rough closing with a heavy thud.

Slowly dragging his feet over the floor like an old man doggo, he halts near the stove clutching a coke bottle. With a heavy sigh, your gaze oscillates between the stove and his deadpan face.

"If you don't want to_"

"She is my cousin!" His voice sounds soporific.

"What?" he successfully diverts your attention wholly towards himself.

"She's my cousin Ha-rin, we were hanging out that day and it was my treat!"

"You could've cleared this situation with a press meet then, why are you enduring it a_"

"I was trying to cheer her up by spending some happy hours with her as she was supposed to start her chemotherapy the next day!" He proceeds without letting you finish, in a solemn tone and hauls his gaze back to your face.

"What should I've said in the press meet? Am I supposed to mention that my baby sister is not dating me, instead she is battling with death?" His melancholic tone notified how his heart is racked with pain.

Your heart sends commands to console him with a warm embrace but your brain blocks them with ego's succour and corrupts your whole system, causing contemplation to ooze out of every cell about your next move and you stand beside him like a creepy, possessed doll.