Cheaters ✓

A date

21 September 2020

I did call him. I think anybody in my place would have done I the same. It shouldn't be interpreted as desperation. Why would I say so? That's because I didn't call him immediately. It happened a day later, while I was smoking alone below my office building. I was expecting a normal 'hello' since he didn't have my number. But all I heard was a giggle. And then he said, I knew you would call.'

'How did you know it was me?' I couldn't help but sound surprised.

'Truecaller told me the name, Mr Kim Taehyung.'

Damn! That was obvious. How could have I missed it? I had the Truecaller app too.

"Of course, it's an app world,' I said.

‘But the fact that you didn't call me immediately tells me that either you are too busy or you thought about it for a while before calling,' he said. I could sense a hint of amusement in his voice, as if he was playing with me.

'I thought about it,' I said. Why lie?

'So, calling me was a thought-out decision. Makes me feel important.'

'Everybody should always be made to feel important,' I said.

'Did you feel I was coming on to you?' he asked. Well, to be honest, when a man, or for that matter even a woman, gives his or her phone number to anyone, it is an indication of interest, of flirtation.

'I'm not a teenager that I will fall for it.' I intentionally sounded curt. I had noticed that some people had the tendency of interpreting niceness as weakness. I didn't want him to think that about me.

“Good that you said that. I like men and not teenagers,' he said. Her tone made me smirk.

"Can I be honest with you?' I asked.

‘Not that dishonesty will destroy anything between us. In fact, this is the time when we can be dishonest with each other as there is nothing between us. Yet.'

That pause before the word 'yet' sounded so sexy, like he wanted to know me.

‘Kidding! Please be honest. It'll save time,' he said.

'I don't think you shared your number only because you wanted me to call you.'

'Then why did I share my number?'

'So that I could call you and we could decide a place to meet again.'

I put it across as an affirmative sentence. He agreed, and we decided to meet up in the evening for coffee.

'But, however memorable such meetings may be, this time no incomplete rendezvous.' I was sure he knew what I was talking about. He giggled and hung up. That too was an incomplete conversation. I didn't tell him that.

Since he lived on Park Road, or so he told me on the phone, we had decided to meet at The Pavilion, one of the fancier malls in the city. It was he who'd messaged me the details after ending the call.

'5:30 p.m., The Pavilion?

'Okay.'

Though it was a little far from my office, I didn't mention it. In his opinion, men didn't crib, and I didn't want to challenge the notion.

Coincidentally, our cars entered the parking lot at the same time, one right behind the other. I recognized him from the way he tilted his head to look at me when our cars came parallel to each other. I had noticed this quirk of his at the airport too. There was a specific manner in which he cocked his head slightly to one side. Especially while clicking selfies. I gestured towards the parking lot. He drove on. I followed.

We found two parking slots next to each other. He stepped out of his car and gave me a side hug. You know the kind where both the shoulders aren't involved? Frankly, I wasn't ready for that. I didn't mind it, but it did strike me that the last time we met, we just shook hands. I had thought it would be the same today as well. It told me he was comfortable with my company. I think that was important. A person needed to be comfortable with you for any kind of connection to happen. Or was there a connection because someone felt viscerally comfortable in your presence? Maybe. I didn't consciously try to make him comfortable. Maybe my vibe was like that.

'Don't you think it's funny?' Yoongi asked.

We had taken up a corner table at the food court which was, unlike other malls, on the ground floor itself. We hadn't ordered anything to eat or drink. I had asked him but he had said no. I too wasn't hungry.

'Sorry, I didn't get you. What's funny?'

'The fact that we don't know each other but still took a detour from our normal lives to be here,' he said.

'Ah, that! What would you have done if you were not meeting me here?'

'I would have walked straight back into monotony. What else? How about you?'

'Same. Monotony. Work. Home. Sleep. Repeat.'

'You told me you live alone.'

'Yes. That makes monotony even more monotonous.'

'What do you do to break it?'

'Detours,' I said with an amused smile.

'Plural. So I'm with an experienced "detour-er".'

I couldn't help but smile.

'Should I say same pinch?' I asked.

'No way. This is my first detour after marriage.'

'How long have you been married?' I asked and added after a pause, 'If I may ask.'

'If the last bit was still necessary I wouldn't be here. It's been seven years. You?'

'Six.'

'By the way, I looked for you on Instagram. Didn't find you. What's your handle?'

'I'm sorry, I'm not on Instagram.'

'Seriously?'

I nodded.

'I think only two kinds of people aren't on social media these days.'

'And who are they?'

'Somebodies and nobodies.' He laughed out loud at his own joke. I joined in. Then he stopped.

'Or are you one of those who have multiple fake profiles to stalk people?' This time there was a hint of sarcasm in his tone.

'No!'

'Maybe you'd already stalked me on social media when we met at the Gwangju airport. And this is all a set-up?' he said, smiling naughtily.

'Continuing the guessing game, I think you read a lot of thrillers,' I quipped.

'Guilty as charged,' he said.

I was about to say something when I heard her cuss. Shit!

I looked up. His smile had disappeared. He suddenly seemed nervous and tried to look the other way. I understood he had spotted something or someone. I turned to see what was making him uncomfortable.

It didn't take me long to realize it was a man.

....

Every new character introduced in the book is important. Very important. Leave a vote if you liked. Thank you so much.

PERMISSION TO DANCE IN COMING BITCHES!!! YEEHAWW