chapter 4.
"You didn't go to work, Jian?" Jian's auntie asked.
"Auntie, it's Sunday! Why should I go to work?" Jian huffed
"Then go and get the groceries". I have kept the list on the table. Get it from the Dork Supermarket. There's this discount thing there,okay?
Jian woke up from her forty winks and looked at her aunt, irritated.
"Don't give me that look. You better straighten that pretty face if you want food at night," her aunt joked.
"I'll go at four; at least give me a cup of turmeric tea, please!" she begged jokingly.
*Later that afternoon*
"Where are you?" Arisu asked Jian on the phone.
"Groceries. What else do you expect from me?She huffed, which made him chuckle. How was it?"
"Superb offer! You won't believe me: sixty-five percent discount on all items."
"Seriously?"
"Yep, but you won't be able to enjoy the deal as the offer ended today," Jian teased.
"Haha—not funny."
She was busy talking with him when someone called. Her bag was heavy, packed as much as possible due to the insane discount.
"Excuse me, Miss?" a stranger asked for her attention.
It was Pasín, and Jinman was beside him.
Pasin usually does the talking. Jinman preferred not to get involved in any silly talks.
She turned to look who it was ,her phone was supported by her shoulder and both hands propped up with the shopping bags.
As soon as Jinman saw her, he paused. Call it coincidence or destiny—he hadn't expected to see her anytime soon. He was more surprised to see her.He looked at her keenly, watching her every move, and wondered if she knew his being.
Jinman hoped she didn't and seeing her casual reaction, he let out a breath of relief.
She turned toward Pasin and asked politely, "Yes? Can I help you?" Her sudden politeness brought a smile to Jinman's lips; he was amazed.
"Actually, we are kinda lost. Could you please direct us to where Mr. Ragu lives?"Pasin asked, as he was also shocked to see her here.
"Suresh Ragu Ramesh?" she asked to confirm.
"Yes, do you know him?" Pasín asked.
"Actually, yes!Ragu uncle is quite famous in this neighborhood! Please follow me, I'm heading that way too."
"Thank you so much,"Pasin replied.
"Oh, it's no big deal! We are human after all, and Lord Suviran (Diety) says we should help one another whenever and wherever possible, right?" She said this, not knowing they were Zahranist and didn't know much about the Bhagavat Gods.
"Suviran?" Pasin asked.
Jinman poked his arm and gave him a mean look. He obviously knew about the Bhagavad Gods as his mother was one.
"Sorry! I was just kidding. I know him well," Pasin lied.
Pasin was wondering in his mind, Who the fuck this person was?
"And there I thought you didn't know him," Jian laughed.
"You have a beautiful smile!" Jinman found himself thinking.
"Uh, thanks." She replied blushingly.
"Wow! So he can talk. And here I am thinking he's mute," Jian thought.
Jinman asked for the bags so he could help her out. "And he is a gentleman, too, wow! She thought again.
"Anyway, are you two new here? I haven't seen you guys here before." Jian asked with a smile.
They both exchanged glances. They couldn't tell her their main purpose there, or else she would run faster than lightning.
"He's our friend and we are here for a visit," Pasin said.
Jinman was still looking at her intently, which Jian noticed, and that scared her.
She thought to herself: "What the fuck is he? A psycho? I'm just trying to help them, and here he is looking at me like I have a double-head. Seriously,men! They never change."
They stopped near Ragu Uncle's house.
"He lives here," Jian pointed toward his house.
"Thanks a lot, miss, and sorry for bothering you."
"Oh! It's okay. As I said, I am glad to help you, but you should be more careful next time. Kalyndor is a bit unsafe at night." She advised them with a serious tone, which made Jinman chuckle.
Jian, seeing this, said, "You don't believe me, do you? Okay! Try roaming on these roads at night, and if you still come up alive, inform me." She joked around,forgetting they were strangers.
Jinman failed terribly trying to control his anger. "I'll remember," he replied huskily, sending chills down her spine, which she ignored.
"Okay! So I'll be leaving now. Have a nice day and be careful!" Jian said.
"Where do you live here?" Jinman asked, trying to figure out whether she stayed around or not. His earlier plan was to threaten Ragu Uncle, but if she lived nearby,It could be a problem. He didn't want to scare her now, nor show her his real identity, at least, not yet.
Threatening Ragu Uncle would definitely catch mass attention, including hers.
She decided: "Is this guy indirectly asking for my address? What if he's some serial killer, or a freak? What if he's planning to kill me? No way! I can't give him my real address."
"No, I actually live two blocks away." She lied, knowing she lives just two houses away.
Jinman sighed, feeling relieved. Now he won't have to change his plans. No way she will know about his actions, he thought.
"What the fuck were you doing with them?" Arisu screamed at Jian as soon as she entered the house.
Arisu had been watching her talk to them from her house. He didn't have the guts to take her away right then. He was scared; he knew one of them was Jinman.
"Whoa, chill! What do you mean by that? Can't I help strangers anymore? They were asking Ragu Uncle's address, and I helped them!" She defended herself.
"Are you crazy? They asked you for an address and you delivered! Did you ask them who they are before giving them the address?"He scolded her
"First of all, stop shouting at me. Why are you yelling at me as if they are some Syria terrorist?"she raised her voice.
"Of course they are, but not from Syria!" he said.
"What do you mean?"
"The one wearing the black jacket is Jinman Karan."
She realized he was talking about the one who was staring at her. She knew who Jinman Karan was: the mafia lord of Black Viper, the one whom police had been trying to get something against, but hadn't gotten a single piece of proof which could land him in jail. She feared him, as everyone else did.
"What the fuck, Arisu, he wasn't him!" She said, not believing Arisu.
"It's him, Jian, and only God knows why he's here. You are lucky he didn't kill you."
"Why didn't you tell me earlier? What if he kills me since I know he was here? He may think of me as a witness, or whatever rubbish there is in the mafia world... Shit! I don't want to die, especially with the responsibilities I have for my family. Shit, shit! Why did I help him? Oh Lord Suviran, please help your child."She mumbled and prayed to herself.
"Don't worry much. I don't think he knows you know him or else your head wouldn't have been here!"
"Is he really dangerous?" Jian asked, reminiscing back to all the stories she has heard about him: a man who has killed his own father and put his own sister on house arrest? "I think he's definitely dangerous!"
"But Arisu, do you... do you really think he did all those things?"
"I don't think, Jiji; I know he did all that. He's a cold-blooded, arrogant, and selfish motherfucker who doesn't even respect women. Just stay far away from him," he said, sounding like he was ordering her.
She knew how dangerous he was, and she felt relieved that he didn't do anything to harm her.