Serendipity

4- Friends

I feel dazed because to be honest, I haven't been very cordial with Jimin at our first encounter an hour ago. This could create problems for me here. Problems that I could not afford. I need this job. It is stable income and the pay is good. Enough for a college-student. I have a feeling he might hate me already though he is being cordial to my face. He knows he has an upper hand here.

"Hey Poem?" Jimin waves his hands infront of me again. "Lost in another battle?"

I am taken aback at the choice of his words! "What do you mean? Sir." I add politely at the end. I really don't understand this guy God knows why. He is too cryptic, dropping his short sentences like bombs on me.

Jimin is grinning. He really smiles a lot. Wonder what the source of his constant happiness is. Maybe he doesn't have to manage a job with college. Maybe he has a lot of money which makes him this smug. Oh I wonder how he got the job of a store manager. He looks hardly a year older than I am. Maybe someone in his family owns this store and he is working here. This can be the only logical explanation.

"Did you even hear a word I said?"

Dang it! Things aren't going well for me. I am constantly zoning him out. He is supposed to be my manager.

"Sorry Sir. I am a bit preoccupied." With the fact that I might lose my job because of not being nice enough to you. I finish in my head.

"I just said you don't have to call me Sir or anything such. I am more of a colleague and not your superior."

"But you are my boss and also presumably older than me. It would be rude not to call you sir."

"Oh! We are being nice! I see" Jimin sniggers and I know he is making fun of how I have backtracked in my behaviour towards him.

Trust me I would not have done so if I did not need this job. Plus, he doesn't seem that bad. A bit cocky and smug but not wholly unpleasant.

"Still, no need to call me Sir. I would prefer to keep things light. And I might be older but hardly by a year I am guessing." He smiled sweetly.

Umm... okay? If that is what you want.
"Sure Jimin!" I smile, trying my best to put on an equally sweet smile but I am sure I failed miserably.

"I should go back and finish up my work. Milo will be back and my shift gets over in an hour."

"Cool! I will help you!"

Before I can protest, Jimin is already on his way to the back of the store where all the tried-on clothes are dumped.

I sigh and trudge along. Might as well let him help. No point in putting up a fight. Furthermore, it is not my fault that Milo is a slob and can hardly work in clothing retail properly. But I know he needs this job more than anyone. Hence, I always cooperate no matter what. And also because I hate altercations.

I start folding and stacking the clothes mechanically, thinking about Milo. He was a car mechanic. But due to some ill-fated events, he lost his shop and his house. We don't talk much especially not about personal stuff. I only know this because our store owner brought him one day all of a sudden, a few months back, and told me he would be working along-side me.

He only told us that little bit of information and I have never questioned Milo further on it. It is not my place to pry and I don't want him to feel uncomfortable working here. Furthermore, everyone has a past and it should remain there, in the past. No need to dig out old demons.

Suddenly I realise, all the clothes are hanging neatly and the rest of them have been stacked properly. Jimin is a neat worker! I am surprised by this, I don't know why. Maybe I expected him to be Milo part 2! Whatever! I give out a little snicker.

"Finally! You've been awefully quiet. I was beginning to worry you already hate working with me."

That is an extreme opinion to form so suddenly. I look at him questioningly. Just then it hit me, we are as opposite as poles of a magnet. Hence, the trouble in having a proper conversation I guess.

I laugh again. "We are so different!" I speak out without even thinking. My social skills have clearly gone down the drain. Jimin has cocked his eyebrow but a small smile is still plastered to his face. He really is always smiling. Doesn't his cheeks hurt? Suddenly I have the urge to pull his cheeks to make them hurt.

Whoa! I should control these violent tendencies. "No, sorry! I meant that in the two times we have spoken with each other, we are mostly asking the other person to clarify what they mean." I tell him, feeling lamer by the second.

"Well that is because most of your conversation happens inside your head. You hardly say more than a few words."

Oh that is true! But I am surprised he noticed this so soon. People generally assume I am rude because I don't really talk much and keep to myself.

"The same could be said about you too! You either make fun of me or its just silence. We need to find middle ground if we have to make this work." I state as a matter-of-fact.

"Hey! I apologised for those comments. I was just being playful. Didn't mean to hurt your feelings. And I think we will get along very well!" He winked and my heart skipped a beat! He looked cute!!

I laugh lightly again. Looks like his happiness is rubbing onto me too.

"Okay I can try to get along." I shrug nonchalantly.

"Cool! Friends?" He stretches his hand towards me again. I take it this time, it would be rude to turn it down again that too within a span of a couple of hours. Though I am tempted to, but I dare not to push things now.

"Friends" I grin at him. His eyes twinkle and I smile again involuntarily.