Rumours

"Ji-hun, what happened baby? You look really stressed, talk to me at least. You don't know how long I have been trying to call you and you haven't been answering my calls either! And now, when I finally called Ho-jin to reach you and talk to you, here we are- still quietly staring at each other through this damn screen, say something please! Or just tell me what's bothering you!"

She was trying to get him out of his weird zone by pushing him to his limits; or to convince him to at least take her with him to the place where he would feel at ease to speak out his mind.

"Haven't you heard the news? Or is it yet to reach you!?" He asked, fear and anger mixed in his tone, trying to hide his anxiousness behind them.

"What news? Oh! That crap?! You are bothered just because of that? And here I was, panicking that something must have happened to you!"

"Aren't you bothered by the rumours?" 

"You yourself cleared everything up! If they are just rumours, then why should I be bothered about them?"

"But what if it's all true?"

"Is it?" She asked him, raising an eyebrow teasingly.

"Of course not!" He replied, thoroughly scandalised at the possibility.

"So what is the matter, then?"

"Aren't you the least bit scared about the possibility that I might be cheating on you?"

"No, I am not! Are you?"

"What the hell are you talking about! Shut up! I know you will never do such a-"

"Then the same goes for me!"

"But...Nitya, I get scared sometimes; what if you also believe in these rumours like everyone else? What am I supposed to do without you?"

"Relax baby! I have told you many times before, and I am telling you once again: I won't be believing in any news or rumours until you are the one narrating them directly to me."

"Why do you trust me so much? Or wait- the better question would be, how much do you trust me?"

"I have the answer to one of your questions, but not the other. I trust you, because I love you; and love gives you trust, faith and freedom. And as for how much I trust you, I don't really know the exact answer, but I do have a clue. Maybe I can express it better this way- I am willing to go into the dark forest while holding your hand; or I can dare to stand in the rain with you, in spite of being both ombrophobic and claustrophobic!"

"But doesn't the thought of putting so much trust in someone scare you?"

"I am not trusting just about anyone, I am trusting you! Because I love you, and believe me- love gives you the strength to trust someone you love dearly, along with the perfect amount of trust and patience. I have always believed that love is always accompanied by freedom and trust as salient features!"

"I am still worried…"

"What for?"

"I know that I can't give you enough time or the attention that you are worthy of-"

"Umm! Hello, excuse me, mister! Have I ever complained about anything of the sort?"

"No! But-"

"What 'but'? If I didn't complain even once, then how did you manage to arrive at the conclusion that you aren't giving me enough time or attention? Ji- hun, listen, I don't know what kind of a future is held in the palms of our destiny, but the time we are spending together is enough for me. I never wanted your time, money or attention. For me, just you being alive and living your life happily somewhere was enough- so whatever I am getting is more than my expectations for myself. I could never imagine having a loving boyfriend like you, and one that-"

"Stop, right there! You better stop, or else the first thing I will do is to book a flight bound for India."

"But I was just stating facts…" She replied with puppy eyes, looking like she was about to cry. 

The sight melted the heart of the person within a fraction of seconds, and he continued, "Okay, okay! I am sorry, but I have also told you that I haven't loved anyone like this before you came along, and I can't love anyone after meeting you either! I don't love you because you are perfect, I love you because...you are you! I don't even know if you are getting my point or not, agh! I am so fed up with this distance and your clause of marrying after five years of dating! WHY can't we get married this year only?"

"Because you still have your career, and  I don't wanna ruin it! Let's change the topic, as I can bear the distance rather than having to bear the allegations of ruining your career!"

"Listen, first of all, you can never be the reason for any of my failures. And if anything, I only deserve success because you are in my life along with my loyal fans-"

She cut him off right as he was going to launch into his speech of appreciation. "Again with your fans! Oh my God, it would be better that I had a boyfriend who would be having an extra affair, rather than a boyfriend who is so loyal to his fans that he can't leave them out of a romantic conversation!" She said, laughing along in order to tease him. But because he also knew that she respected his fans the way he did, the weapon was of no use against him.

He responded, "Ahm! Look who is saying this! Is it the same someone who didn't want to publicly announce her relationship just so that some of my fans wouldn't get hurt by the news of me being committed to someone? Or, is it the person who cancelled her only visit to Korea after she had returned to India, so that I could spend more time with my fans at my fansign event? Oh wait- that was you, both times!"

"I mean it!" She screamed, trying to convince him that she was actually an evil soul living in an angel's body.

"Stop, baby! Nobody is gonna fall for your cute evil acts- and especially not me and Surbhi! So stop trying to prove yourself as evil, because it's too late now- you are trapped with us for your entire lifetime!"

"Huh! I am going back, don't try to call me again, I am not going to respond!" Saying this, she disconnected the call.

Ji-hun smiled at the screen, still holding Ho-jin's phone and trying to reach across his bed for his own phone at the same time. He retrieved the phone that he had tossed away when he was upset, while shaking his head at the thought of how miserable his life would be without her. Now it was even more imperative for him to call her back, or the probability of his life getting even more miserable would increase significantly! 

Ho-jin and Dae Jung entered his room and immediately collapsed into a fit of laughter, saying "Really, it was that easy!? Here we were, trying to cheer you up from last night, and she managed to do it within 15 minutes!"

Ji-hun got so embarrassed that his phone slipped from his hands just as stood up, quickly.

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"Oh no! My new phone! It's cover was the one Nitya had given to me as a gift!"

"Nitya? Who is that?" Yeoubi asked, looking strangely at him, as he had been trying to wake him up for quite some time.

"Nitya? I don't know! I said that my new phone cover was a gift from the fan sign event!" He also didn't know where he had come up with the idea, but it was imperative to save his life.

"Oh, I must have misheard it! But the fan sign part- has everyone already informed you, because I had come here for that only!"

"Umm, okay, I will be ready for that. Now please excuse me, hyung, so that I can get changed quickly!"

"Oh wait! The fan sign is tomorrow, it is still night-time right now. But everyone told me that you have been sleeping since dusk, so I came here to see if everything was alright. Now if you want to, come down for dinner."

"Okay hyung, I will be coming down in some minutes!"

"Sure, take your time. I will be going then, bye bye!"

"Bye bye hyung!"

Ji-hun took a sigh of relief as Yeoubi left the room, but what was that dream; and again, with the same girl? 'What was that all about? Why was he bothered about her being upset due to rumours- which rumours by the way?! And even more importantly, why was he feeling so confident in himself after hearing that no matter what, she was willing to stay with him? What was going on in his life, was it some witchcraft, or a mental illness!?'

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