To Kiss An Idol

153 The Scared Manager

Nivritti had no idea what to do. Should she tell the truth? What if someone recognises her and tells everyone that she was in the restaurant on last Friday? Dae would then ask her why she lied and she would have no answer. But how would she stop the server or the manager or the cashier from telling everything that happened that day?

Jae-Hwa saw that Nivritti was deep in her thoughts and Dae was waiting for her reply. One more second and it would seem that she was trying hard not to answer him. So, Jae-Hwa kicked Nivritti’s foot lightly and brought her back from her thoughts.

“Last Friday,” Nivritti finally decided to tell the truth. It would have been difficult to spin a lie when there were so many witnesses to the drama that happened that day.

“This is the restaurant where you and Jae-Hwa were assaulted?” shouted Dae. “Oh shit! That’s why you didn’t want to come here. You could have said that Nivritti. Why did you lie?”

“Oh, the restaurant where you guys met with June’s bodyguard!” exclaimed Ji-Ho.

“That’s why I lied. First, this place has a bad memory, she was attacked, I was hurt and then you all insulted her by associating her name with JJ. Sorry, that we lied but this place has some traumatic memories for us,” replied Nivritti.

“Last Friday, they were assaulted, June’s bodyguard saved them, but Coin said she saved June and then saved the company from a big scandal. These girls told everyone half-truth. Somehow June was involved. He was here last Friday. But what happened? What did he do? How did he first save Nivritti and how did she save him? How am I going to find out?” contemplated Dae. “Choi-ssi, ASD and the CEO know everything, these girls too. I have to know what happened on Friday. Who knows everything? That server almost recognised her. Should I ask him?”

“Aww… you call him JJ,” said Eun-U, sweetly.

“And sorry Jae-Hwa for that day. We should not have participated in the gossip,” apologised Do-Yun.

.....

“It’s okay,” replied Jae-Hwa.

“Ohh! You guys are so lucky. You get to see ASD every day,” Ji-Ho clapped her hand, happily.

“That is nothing. The more important part is she is their friend. They cherish her,” Dae pointed at Nivritti and smiled. No one could see him burning inside with jealousy.

“Yeah, Kat brings something for you every time he comes. All the members feel at ease with you. I am so jealous that you are their friend,” pouted Eun-U.

“Get scolded by Kat on your first day, you too can become their friend,” taunted Nivritti. Everyone laughed at her sentence. “Really! I think they felt bad that they didn’t protect me from TK, so out of pity they became my friend.”

“Nonsense! They love you and I see that every day,” praised Dae.

“You flatter me, Mr. Seong,” smiled Nivritti.

They all were talking but Nivritti had only one concern, no one should recognise her, and no one should talk about Jung-Hwa saving them. True that no one saw his face but how the news would spread no one could predict that.

Everyone kept talking and smiling but not Jae-Hwa. She was sitting silently listening to others.

“Are you okay, Jae-Hwa?” asked Dae. “Do you want us to leave this restaurant?”

“No, no, it’s fine. As Ritti said, we have some bad memories,” replied Jae-Hwa. Nivritti grabbed her hand and squeezed it to calm her down.

“Has everyone decided what they are going to order?” interrupted Do-Yun. Everyone nodded. “Good! Coz our server is approaching our table,” he announced.

Within seconds, the server came back. To Nivritti’s surprise, the manager followed him.

“Shit!” she exclaimed under her breath again hiding her face with her palm.

“I heard that some of you guys had a bad experience in our restaurant. May I ask what was the matter and how can we rectify it?” the manager asked politely.

“Ask her,” Dae did not waste any minute and pointed at Nivritti.

“Ma’am!” said the manager, politely.

Nivritti didn’t want to look at him, but she had no other choice. She removed her hand slowly and looked at the manager. She flashed a big grin at him. The moment the manager saw her, his feet moved a step back automatically. His eyes widened with fear and his mouth fell open. One could swear that they heard a faint scream out of his mouth.

Dae looked at the manager. The man looked at Nivritti with pure fear. It seemed as if he was looking at a ghost. Dae could not understand why the manager was so afraid of Nivritti.

“Do you know her?” asked Dae. He wanted to get some kind of reaction out of the manager that would give him some clue. It was clear that he was scared of her, but why?

After Dae’s prompt, Nivritti looked at the manager and the manager looked at her. Extremely smoothly and stealthily, she shook her head in no, signalling him to not tell anyone anything.

“Um… no, I don’t recognise her, sorry sir, sorry ma’am,” instantly the manager replied.

“Are you out of your mind? They had such a traumatic experience in your restaurant, and you don’t recognise them?” shouted Dae.

“It’s okay, Mr. Seong,” Nivritti tried to handle the situation. “Mr. Manager, don’t you recognise me? Some rowdy customers assaulted us and a few men in masks helped us,” she tried feeding the words to the manager.

“Right! Yes, I remember ma’am, you, and masked men. You suggested that I hire some guards and I did,” smiled the manager, awkwardly.

“I see that. Thank you for taking my suggestion,” smiled Nivritti.

“Whatever you guys want to eat, it would be on the house. Please order, he will take care of you,” said the manager and practically ran away from there wiping his forehead.

“Phew!” exclaimed Nivritti and sighed with relief.

“One disaster averted!” whispered Jae-Hwa.

“Tell me about it!” replied Nivritti.

Dae kept staring at the manager who was still pale with fear. No matter how many times he wiped his forehead, he was still sweating. He loosened his tie and unbuttoned the collar button of his shirt and kept exhaling to relax himself.

“Why is he afraid of her? What did she do? What did she say?” pondered Dae and kept staring at the manager and Nivritti alternatively.

All ordered their food and the server brought it within minutes. Nivritti was somewhat relaxed now. She was sure that the manager won’t speak about the incident anymore.

“So, what it is like to be friends with ASD?” asked Ji-Ho while eating.

Nivritti scoffed, “it’s… it’s… I don’t know… normal.”

“Wow! Can you show a bit of happiness? Do you know what others would give to be their friends?” said Do-Yun.

“I realise that I am lucky as they are my friend. But they treat me, and I treat them as we treat other friends, you know, normal,” explained Nivritti.

“Yaaa! If I would have been their friend I would shout it from the rooftop every day,” commented Eun-U.

“That is why she is their friend, and you are not. She treats them as friends and you would treat them as idols,” educated Dae.

“You are right, Seong-ssi,” said Do-Yun.

All finished their food and the server happily reminded them that their food was free. All thanked the server and stood up from their seat to leave. The manager never dared to even show his face to Nivritti again. He didn’t even come out to say goodbye.

“Thank you, Jae-Hwa, thank you, Nivritti. Because of you guys, we ate a delicious free meal,” said Ji-Ho.

“It’s nothing,” smiled Jae-Hwa.

All were out of the restaurant when Dae started placing his hand all over his clothes. Nivirtti realised that he kept searching his pockets for something.

“Did you forget something, Mr. Seong?” asked Nivritti.

“My phone! Did I leave it in the office or this restaurant?”

“Do you remember when you last saw it?” asked Eun-U.

“Don’t remember,” Dae replied.

“Well, seeing how we are still here, let’s check inside, if we find your phone, well and good, if not we will search in the office,” suggested Nivritti.

“Yeah, let’s go,” said Do-Yun and started walking inside the restaurant.

“No!” shouted Dae. All looked at him shocked.

“What?” asked Jae-Hwa.

“It’s getting late. You guys should not get late because of me. I will go and find my phone, you guys go back,” said Dae.

“It’s okay, Seong-ssi,” said Jae-Hwa.

Dae smiled at everyone and sweetly said, “guys! Please leave. I don’t want you all to get scolded by Choi-ssi for being late. I will be right behind you, please go.”

“Okay, if you say so,” said Eun-U.

“Are you sure?” asked Nivritti.

“Yes, I am sure, leave,” emphasised Dae. “Huh… show off! Pretending as if she cares so much about me,” Dae rolled his eyes at Nivritti.

All left together leaving Dae standing alone outside the restaurant. Smirking, he placed his hands inside his pocket and fished out his phone. Twirling his phone in his hands, he looked inside the restaurant and then at the back of Nivritti’s head.

“I will find out whatever you are trying to hide,” he spoke while staring at Nivritti.