To Kiss An Idol

He opened his mouth to ask Nivritti but stopped himself. Biting his lower lips, he stood for another minute looking inside the pot. He sighed and filled the kettle all the way up and placed it on the stove. He opened the food packets and placed them in the microwave.

Nivritti came out of her room and without saying a single word she went inside the bathroom. She cleansed her face, hands and her feet and came out while wiping her face with a towel. She was on the verge of closing the bathroom door when Kyung-Soo screamed.

Throwing the towel around her shoulder, she ran towards him. “What happened?” she shouted.

Kyung-Soo who was taking out the hot food from the microwave forgot to use mittens and the hot food slightly burned his finger. Nivritti saw him shaking his hand in pain and understood everything. She immediately grabbed his hands and pulled him towards the tap.

She placed his hands under the running water and kept caressing his hands. “Are you mad? Why would you touch food with your bare hands? Didn’t you see the mittens? NK!!”

The moment Nivritti’s cold hands touched his hands, he forgot all his pain. The way she kept caressing his hands and let the cold water fall on his hand made him smile. She kept shouting at him for not taking care of himself and he kept staring at her beautiful bare face.

She had no make-up on. Tiny drops of water were still shining on her hair that she missed while wiping her face. He carefully looked at every inch of her face. Her eyebrows were knitted and there was a small frown on her forehead. Her nose kept flaring with anger. His eyes carefully traced the movement of her lips.

He heard no words that were coming out of her mouth, he just kept admiring her soft features. His heart was moving in tandem with the movement of her lips. He was happy to see that she was worried about him. His heart filled with warmth.

.....

“Is this, okay?” asked Nivritti. But Kyung-Soo was extremely busy staring at her. He didn’t hear a single word. “NK!” she shouted.

“What? What?”

“Is your hand feeling, okay?” she asked again.

“Oh… yeah, yeah, better,” replied Kyung-Soo. Nivritti took off her towel and wiped his hands softly. “Go, sit, I will bring the food.”

“That’s okay, I can help,” protested Kyung-Soo.

“Just sit down,” scolded Nivritti.

Kyung-Soo took the towel with him and sat down on the couch. Nivritti moved towards the microwave. She first took out her tray and one by one took out the hot food and placed them neatly on the tray.

She then moved to the kettle to see if the water was on the verge of boiling. The moment she picked up the kettle she exclaimed, “Woah!” due to its heaviness. She opened the lid and sighed with disappointment.

“NK?”

“Hmm…”

“Did you invite the whole building for tea?” asked Nivritti.

“What?”

“You have never made tea in your life, have you?” she asked.

“I am not allowed in the kitchen,” replied Kyung-Soo, embarrassed.

“What?” laughed Nivritti.

“Hey! Don’t laugh. But how did you know?” he asked.

“Because you filled the whole kettle for just two cups of tea,” replied Nivritti.

“I was about to ask you but didn’t want to disturb you,” said Kyung-Soo.

Nivritti scoffed and poured the excess water from the kettle into a different pan so that she could use the water later on. Nothing should go to waste. While the water was boiling, she placed the tea bags in the cups and took the tray to the living room.

“Is your hand, okay?” asked Nivritti.

“Better,” he replied.

“Wait!” she shouted and ran to her room. She came out with a green tube in her hand. “Give me your hand,” she commanded.

“What is that?” asked Kyung-Soo.

“You are so scared as if I brought a syringe with me. It’s just aloe vera gel. It does wonders on burns,” she replied.

“Oh!”

Nivritti tenderly placed her palm under his hand and lifted it. She pressed the tube and the gel squirted out on his finger. With concentration, she carefully applied the gel all over his burnt fingers. When she was done with his one hand, she moved to his other and applied the gel.

“How can someone burn both hands? How clumsy are you?” she teased.

“Um… less than you,” he teased back. Nivritti smiled at his tease.

“Really, they don’t let you get inside the kitchen?” she asked, curiously.

“Yeah, all I can do is boil noodles. That too sometimes get over-cooked or they stick together,” replied Kyung-Soo embarrassed.

“Don’t worry. It’s not necessary that one should know every skill in life. If not for people like you, how will hotels and restaurants do their business?” she mocked him. She tucked her lips to avoid laughing at him.

“Ha-ha-ha,” he laughed sarcastically at her which made her laugh out loud.

Her kettle made a whistle, and she ran to the kitchen. Switching the stove off, she poured the water into the cups and brought the cups to the living room.

“Here, let’s eat,” she suggested. Kyung-Soo simply lifted his palms and showed the gel on his fingers to her. “Oh, right, my mistake. I should have applied it after dinner. Here, let me feed you.” Kyung-Soo beamed with happiness.

She unwrapped the burgers and placed one of them before Kyung-Soo. With one hand she fed him and with another, she held her burger. They both ate turn-wise. After the fries and burgers were finished, she looked at the pizza.

“Why did you get so much food?” she asked.

“What? You are full?” he inquired.

“Yes, I am.”

“I am not, give me my pizza,” said Kyung-Soo.

“Sir, yes, sir,” she mocked him. He twisted his lips to avoid laughing but slowly he started smiling and that smile turned into a laugh.