'Ding dong'
He is here. I ran and quickly opened the door. He doesn't like to wait. Without my permission, he came inside and started wandering in my house, touching my stuff. Without even noticing me he started working on his laptop.
"Are you gonna ignore me like this, the whole day?" I asked.
Still no response.
"Fine. Ask me if you need anything." And I also started going through the files. "Can you please pass me that red pen drive? It's on the table."
He made a 'uff' face, literally showing that he is disgusted. He threw the pen drive and once again continued his policy to ignore me.
"Thanks", it feels like talking to a ghost.
Even if I am busy doing the project, my mind is not ready to accept that he is not doing his secret work. I am keen to know what he is doing.
"What are you doing?" I stopped my work and asked him.
"Nothing."
"Oh please tell me. I am curious."
"Use your curiosity to make our project even more creative." Still not looking at me. His thin, slim, long fingers are typing faster than a bullet train.
"Ok fine. If you don't wanna tell me then it's ok. But can't you say this in a more caring way? You are always so cold to me."
I am not trying to imply I can keep up this silent, isolated facade all the time. Sometimes the walls I have erected around me comes crumbling down. It doesn't happen very often, but sometimes, before I even realize what's going on, there I am - defenceless and utterly confused. At times like that I always feel an omen calling out to me, like a dark, omnipresent pool of water. Damn!! He is irritating now. Breathe Sakshi breathe and focus. Focus on the project ok? His job is non of your business.
After few hours, he finally spoke, "Can I use your washroom?"
"Yeah sure. Atleast you spoke something, otherwise my neighbours would have thought that I am talking to my own shadow."
He left. Yes, that's what I wanted. Now I can check what he does on his laptop. With quiet steps, I reach near his laptop. "God save me. I know it's illegal in Shi Jin's empire to touch his things but you know my curiosity gives me pain in my stomach if I don't find an answer to my questions. Just don't let Shi Jin see me touching his property." I whispered to myself. I carefully opened the laptop and as expected it has a lock on it. But this is not as easy as the lock which I opened earlier. It's different and even more difficult. If I can't open it within 60 sec, it will be locked and I can't try again. And if I enter the wrong password, the siren will make a noise. Why does he needs such powerful locks? I go and take my laptop, trying to hack it cause I am very confident with my skills. I have hacked a lot of systems before and will definitely be able to unlock it also.
Taking a deep breath, I started. It needs focus and one mistake, you are fired. I try not to panic. "Why the server is taking forever?", I am having one eye on the laptop and the other one near the washroom door. He will kill me if he sees me. I feel like a spy on mission. And...it's unlocked. "You did it girl!! Well tried Mr.prudent but my skills are better than the nation's intelligence department." I can hear footsteps. Oh god! I need to be fast. I quickly opened and...
"What are you doing?"
"N-nothing"
I knew he was about to come and within seconds I jumped to my seat, closed his laptop making it look as it was and opened my work to show him as if I am busy doing my project.
After hours, I finally completed. I layed on the bed to relax while my mind is still stuck in his work. I see him sitting infront of me. Eyes fixed on the laptop and...
"Shit!!", He shouted while ruffling his hairs with his hand.
"What happened?", I asked. I almost got a heart attack because of his sudden action.
"Because of server problem, my work failed to save."
"That's not a big deal. Chill. You can download that file later. You shouted as if someone pointed gun on your forehead.", I said casually.
"It would have been ok. But this file was important. Because.....leave it, you won't understand.", He got up and started packing his things. "I should go now, it's late. Hope you will be able to submit the project by tomorrow."
"Sure. Bye."
As soon as he opened the door, his legs stopped. It's raining like cats and dogs outside. There are black clouds all around and the wind is also fast. He asked if I have an umbrella and that most probably I will have.
"Here", I handed him the umbrella, "And please return it, it's my only partner in monsoon."
He nodded his head said, "I hope my presence helped you in your work.", He giggled and left. His words made me chuckle. Why he is so damn funny?
My stomach is making weird noises. "Ahh! I can't take this long distance relationship anymore. Fridge!! You are coming to my room!"
It was not even 5 minutes when my door bell rang again. Is it an invader? What if it's a vampire or something? Sounds creepy. Oh god what if it's a monster? I've heard that dead people come out of their graves during monsoon and then go for hunt and kill innocent people. I swallowed my saliva and opened the door with hesitation. I don't have any other option than to check on it.
"You are back? What happened? Is everything alright?", I asked worriedly. It's Shi Jin, the most beautiful ghost you'll ever meet. Now I can atleast breathe. I sighed in relaxation that it's just my bully and not a monster, even though he is no better.
"Actually I just remembered that my sister just left today so there is nobody in the house." Shi Jin answered.
"So you are afraid?", I laughed.
"Aish!! It's just...umm...I left the keys at home and I can't find the spare key right now."
"Umm....I understand. So...you can stay here if you don't mind. And it's also raining heavily outside. You won't be able to save yourself with this light umbrella. And if you get wet, you will get cold and then you won't be able to accompany me in the picnic."
"Thanks. Well you are really a long term thinker. I appreciate that." He said and entered the house once again while I just smiled.
After that we ate instant ramen, as you know how good I am at cooking and Shi Jin is too tired to cook.
"Ok tell me which movie you want to see?", I asked.
"Well, there is a very good movie in my mind. But..."
"But?"
"Actually....I know the movie but I don't know movie name.", He laughed because of embarrassment.
"What! So dumb of you. Let me show you my taste in movies."
Then we watched a comedy movie with popcorns and now it's 11 p.m.
"Shi Jin let's play.", I said, "Tell me what you wanna play. Ludo or monopoly? I have cards too.", I asked while clapping my hands. I am excited to play with him.
"Seriously princess? you want to play at this time? And moreover ludo and monopoly?", He said in his regular sluggish, lazy tone, just like a tired like old man waiting patiently for his death, "I have a better idea. Let's just sleep. Let's see who can sleep faster."
"What!! How boring!!"
"Let's decide it by a match of rock, paper and scissors. If you win, we will play but if I win, we will sleep."
"Done."
I am bad at luck, very bad. I took out rock and he took out paper so eventually we have to sleep. So bad.
"Rock always loose.", He said happily and threw himself on the bed.
I pushed him from the bed, "This is my house so I will sleep on the bed. And I don't like sharing things."
"So where am I supposed to sleep?"
"Wherever you feel like. Maybe on the...floor.", I said and passed him a pillow and a duvet.
"Is this how you treat your guests? First you served me instant ramen and now you are asking me to sleep on the floor?"
Well, that's how I treat an unexpected guest, especially a stubborn and obstinate person like him. I just hate this guy. But then I remembered how he treated me at his house - fresh, hot food, comfortable couch, air conditioner. It will be unfair if I treat him like a street dog.
"Ok you can sleep on the bed but on the edge. Remember 'on the edge'. And don't dare to take advantage of it.", I said.
He quickly made his way to the bed and threw that pillow and duvet on my face.
"What do you think, I will share the bed with you? No way. You will be sleeping on the floor.", He smirked and rolled inside the blanket.
"What the hell-"
"Turn off the lights when you are able to convince yourself to make friends with the floor.", He mumbled.
This guy!! I turned off the light and hugged my wooden floor. It's warm. Maybe it wants me to keep safe in this chilling cold whether. We are already friends cause I am clumsy. But if I will stay longer, I might catch cold. And this thin sheet is useless. The thundering clouds can be heard crystal clear and the lightening enters my sober house through the glass window. All this thrill that nature offers will not let me sleep peacefully. I wish I could hang the guy sleeping comfortably on my bed and then gift him to mother nature. While I am watching the wall clock.
Each second passing by is remembering me of the file which I saw on his laptop. 'Rock'. If I remember correctly, it was the name. Among all those files, I could only read this title as Shi Jin was coming and this file was on the top, recently used. My file- sakshi.exe has stopped working. I need to find answers to my questions.
I woke up quietly, trying my best not to wake up the bed bugs and can see Shi Jin sleeping peacefully. He looks like a small worm rolled under the blanket. The bunny looks like a meatball. It's so soft to see him sleeping while tugging on the bed, holding his knees and mouth half open. I can admire this baby all day. Those pouty lips and a mole on his nose is definitely one of the best features that accompanies his perfect jawline, not to forget the big sparkling doe eyes. How can someone look so angelic even when he is asleep? He looks like a peaceful, beautiful flower. Can anyone imagine this innocent, cute, handsome face is of a devil? He is an angel when asleep but a wild cat in the morning. I took my seat and opened my laptop. I searched all possible things about 'Rock' and what I found was shocking, unexpected, fearful and.....thrilling.
Rock is a very powerful underworld cyber criminal. He is the reason of all major cyber hackings in the nation and is also an international con artist. His men are spread everywhere. 'Rock' is the current case of intelligence bureau. Nobody knows who he is. And those who knew are no more alive. He always wears a dark full face mask to hide his identity. Even in the photos, his dark, glass technical eyes are threatening me, looking at me as if warning me. But why Shi Jin is working on him? Is he also one of his men? Nonono.... I must be a sinner if I say so. I look again at him. This childish baby boy can't be a bad guy.
Then why is he so serious about him? Why he spends his whole day and sacrifices his sleep for him? Why he keeps his job under covers? Does that mean....he works in intelligence bureau as a secret agent?
"Boy, this girl is illegal!"