When you least expect it, encountering someone suddenly can easily make you lose your calm and respond bluntly.
That's exactly what happened to Rohit when he called out Seo-Yeon's name—forgetting that they hadn't formally been introduced. Her eyebrows shot up, a mix of surprise and suspicion.
"Excuse me… you know me?" Seo-Yeon asked in hesitant, fumbled English, her expression wary yet curious.
Realizing his slip, Rohit rubbed his temple and tried to recover with a casual shrug. "Ah… someone in my group happens to be your fan, so I got your name from them," he explained smoothly in English.
Seo-Yeon raised an eyebrow. "You Indians speak good English," she noted, impressed.
Rohit seized the opportunity. Switching to his shaky Korean, he asked, "So… Seo-Yeon-ssi, how come you're here?"
She broke into laughter, caught off guard. No one expected him to know even a little Korean. Her guard immediately dropped, and for a moment, it felt as if she were speaking to a long-lost friend.
Rohit chuckled inwardly, pleased with the reaction, but feigned innocence. "Sorry… me wrong something?" he added, his Korean still rough.
Seo-Yeon couldn't control her laughter. After a few deep breaths, she regained her composure. "Never mind. But your accent… it's like Japanese first, then Korean. I just couldn't stop laughing. Sorry," she admitted, bowing quickly.
Rohit, inwardly impressed, bowed slightly in return. "Daijōbu, mondai nai," he said casually.
Seo-Yeon's eyes widened. She could hardly believe that someone could speak two languages—and sound so natural in Japanese.
Mixing Japanese with a faint Korean accent, she said, "Your English is so good, Rohit-sama."
This surprised Rohit. He hadn't expected her to know Japanese either. Maintaining his composure, he smiled. "Good… you know it too, Seo-Yeon-san. By the way… how do you know my name?"
Seo-Yeon's cheeks colored slightly as she twirled a strand of her ponytail. "I… I was there when you were teaching those bullies," she said in Japanese.
Rohit clicked instantly. "Ah… right."
She added quickly, still flustered, "Ah, my manners… can we be friends? I feel more comfortable talking to you. I… I don't have any friends here."
Rohit's smile widened. "Sure. I'd love to make you comfortable," he almost blurted, letting his inner thoughts slip.
Noticing her raised eyebrow, he tactfully corrected himself. "I mean… I'd like your company." He stretched out his hand in a friendly gesture.
Seo-Yeon hesitated for a moment, then brushed aside her doubts and shook his hand. Her face brightened with excitement. "Good… now no need to be formal. You can call me just Yeon."
Rohit grinned. "Okay, then call me Rohit too."
She added, eager to lighten the mood, "How about we teach each other languages? I can help you with Korean, and you can help me with Hindi."
At this point, Rohit was already charmed by her beauty and the softness of her hand. He wanted to prolong this pleasant feeling and said in a dramatic, playful tone, "Hmm… let me think… okay, no problem."
A sweet, familiar voice suddenly came from the counter, breaking the chatter. It was the biller girl who had earlier taken Rohit's side.
"Excuse me, sir… the item is pending," she said.
Rohit nodded, recalling the oversight. "Ah, yes. Here, take my card." He handed over his credit card, having forgotten to collect money from Akhil, and knowing his current expenses were beyond his usual budget.
The biller girl expertly handled the package. Before handing it over, she added, "Sir, madam… if you don't mind, may I ask a favor?"
Rohit and Seo-Yeon exchanged a glance and nodded in agreement.
Turning to Seo-Yeon, the biller girl spoke in fumbled Korean: "Seo-Yeon-ssi, I'm practicing Korean classes and need a teacher. I accidentally overheard your conversation… could you teach me?"
Seo-Yeon's eyes widened. Another Korean-speaking Indian? Though the accent was imperfect, it was structured enough to impress her. Before she could ask further, the biller girl continued in English.
"Actually, I have a relative in Korea who could help me get a job. I used to be a nurse, but since I left abruptly, it's been hard to return to my field. I really want to serve patients there."
Rohit nodded, speaking clearly in English to avoid confusion. "Yes, she's an excellent nurse—I've been treated by her. I can vouch for her."
Seo-Yeon looked slightly overwhelmed. "Wait… you two know each other?"
To clarify, the biller girl added, "Yes. Actually, sir is my benefactor. He saved me from being assaulted. Because of him, I was able to escape—and by fortune, I happened to meet him again."
Seo-Yeon's expression softened. "Oh… that must have been so hard," she murmured in Korean.
Rohit quickly steered the conversation away, careful not to reveal his amnesia cover. "Alright… let's not dwell on that. Your call, miss."
Seo-Yeon nodded and pulled out her father's business card, handing it over. "Here's the address. The second number is mine—you can call me now."
The biller girl dialed to give a missed call, and Seo-yeon, while saving the number, asked, "What's your name, unnie?"
"It's Namrata," the biller girl replied.
Rohit chimed in, using the same language. "Ah… it means patience."
Seo-Yeon pouted playfully. "You know all names, huh?"
Rohit quickly added, "Beautiful, like a flower."
Namrata smiled warmly. "Auspiciously beautiful… like a lotus."
Delighted, Seo-Yeon bounded to the counter to hug her. "Aww, so sweet, unnie. You're going to be my favorite. My father's a diplomat—I'll ask him to help with the visa."
Namrata beamed and hugged her back. "Oh, thank you, sister! That would be a huge help."
Rohit, feeling a bit helpless, switched topics to retain his charm. "Hey, Namrata, how about learning Japanese? I can give free coaching too."
Namrata blushed and looked down. "Sure."
Seo-Yeon playfully grabbed her hand. "Hey, why are you taking my disciple?"
Rohit joked, "What's wrong with having an additional sensei? Besides, it's only right to be versatile—you stay independent."
Namrata joined in with a smile. "Yes, actually it is. And I'm thankful. I even know a few Japanese words from watching anime."
Rohit raised an eyebrow. "Seriously? Name a few."
"Hmm… arigatou, matsu, yamete kudasai…" Namrata said innocently.
Rohit laughed, almost uncontrollably. Namrata looked puzzled.
He tried to play it cool, though internally he knew why "yamete kudasai" struck a familiar chord. Seo-Yeon noticed Namrata's confusion and teased gently, "He must have seen a lot of anime," as if reading him perfectly.
Rohit could only give a wry expression, inwardly amazed at how comfortably frank Seo-Yeon had become, as if the language switch had given her wings.
Then Namrata's next question brought everyone's focus. "So… where do we meet, and what time?"
Rohit, with a mischievous grin, proposed in English, leaving both girls momentarily stunned. "How about at my place? When the sun goes down… we party hard."