Chapter 17
Jian studied the place, as that was the only alternative, it was a forest area, but when Jinman was convinced that Jian was fine, he resumed the drive. The place was very close now. Even though he was angry with himself, he knew Jian would be happy to see the place. But, all Jian wanted was for the day to get over as soon as possible.
She couldn't dare speak in front of him now. She never knew somebody could be so furious!
She could see a pathway leading to somewhere.
"How is it?" He asked excitedly.
Jinman caught her hand and started walking, making her follow him.
"It's beautiful," She said lowly.
She looked at him in fear and nodded.
"What?' Now he is taking me inside a jungle?' She thought and cursed.
But, obviously, she didn't have the strength to ask him why they were going inside; as she didn't want to resume, what happened a few minutes before.
They walked on the pavement for some ten minutes, when finally Jian saw something ending. She glanced towards Jinman and
At this, she just nodded. Seeing that, he smiled. For her, he appeared a psycho or may be mentally challenged. But the truth was, he never experienced happiness or love or care or surprises in his life; neither could he give it to anyone. But, somehow, he wanted to make Jian happy. He wanted to give her everything. According to him, a little smile on her lips made him the happiest person in the world. What was she doing to him?
The place was like a copy of it, it resembled the sea a lot...the only difference being, the lake wasn't endless like the sea was. Her smile widened and she looked towards Jinman. He was already looking at her, from the moment he brought her there. When Jian looked at him, he smiled, it satisfied him to such an extent that, he wanted to kiss her right there. And, when she looked at him, he smiled.
"You like it?" He asked.
"Yes!" She answered truthfully.
"Then let's go," He said and caught her hand again. She was startled by the sudden pull.
Soon, a very large and deep lake came into view. It was so deep, that the water almost appeared green. Two big boats were anchored at the shore.
Jian had never seen such a big lake in her life. Hell! She didn't even know, whether such kind of water body existed in her area. The lake appeared endless, but she knew it wasn't.
A smile came upon her face, and she recalled the days she spent in Gopal Those were the best days of her life...the local boats and its salty odour. The local boats and people. Everybody and everything that she saw there, was so beautiful. And, this was the place where she felt she belonged.
"Where?" She asked instantly.
"To the boat. You wanted to sail on a boat, right?" He asked cheerfully.
"How does he know?" She wondered.
"We don't need to, Jinman." She tried to convince him, to change his mind. But, he wouldn't budge.
"I was not asking, Love!" He forced her again.
She shook her head in defeat. What could she say in front of a stubborn man!
They reached the first boat and Jinman got in first. He raised his hand and gestured.
"He is definitely planning to kill me. Why else would he be so persistent," She thought.
Reluctantly, she took his hand, and Jinman helped her climb up, into the boat. Jinman laughed at her action.
"What if I fall in the water? What if the engine breaks and the boat sinks? What if there is some imaginary magnet inside the water which will pull the boat inside the water? Or worse! What if this psycho shoots me and throws me in the water, and the fishes eat me? No! I won't go in this," Her thoughts ran in a meaningless manner and she looked at him with puppy eyes.
Jinman felt her fear and chuckled.
"Come on, Love! I won't let anything happen to you. You can trust me. Okay?" He assured her.
"See! I told you! I won't let anything happen to you," He repeated.
To this, she wanted to laugh out loud sarcastically. She just nodded so that he won't pick her on this topic, again.
"Sir, are you ready to sail?" The captain of the boat asked Jinman.
"Yes. You will find us on the deck," Jinman informed.
"Yes, sir. We will send the drinks right away," He said.
Jinman then guided Jian towards the deck. Jian noticed that the spot gave a perfect view of the lake. She spotted a sunshade umbrella clamped on the deck. Jinman took her exactly under the umbrella.
He removed his blazer. Jian looked at him again and saw the pitch-black shirt he was wearing. The shirt hugged his upper body firmly, and he looked more handsome.
He loosened his shirt and sat down. She looked at him in confusion.
"What does he expect me to do?" She wondered.
"Come here," He asked her, gesturing towards the space he created between his legs.
"What? No way in hell," She decided.
She looked at him with narrowed eyes.
"Come here, Love," He asked again.
"I can't," She said.
Jinman's heart pinched a little. He took her face in his palms and hushed her.
He raised his brows as she defied him.
"And, why is that so?" He asked.
"It's.... inappropriate." She replied while looking at the gap he created between his legs.
"What?" He asked getting confused.
'What is inappropriate?' He thought. Surely, for him, being very close to her wasn't inappropriate. Rather, being away from her was inappropriate.
Jian didn't take a step ahead, just stood at her position. Jinman thought she was trying to get away from him, and that angered him again. When he had told her that, he couldn't afford to lose her, he was very serious. Due to this, he again switched to his earlier angry mood.
"I will not repeat, Love. Come here." He ordered, gesturing at the space between his legs, again. But, Jian didn't move. According to her, this kind of intimacy should be shared by married couples only.
"Do you want a repeat of what happened in the car?" He asked angrily. His possessiveness was getting the best of him. Suddenly, Jian remembered what happened around an hour ago. She didn't have the patience as well as the guts to face his anger again. All the earlier fear came rushing back. She sighed in defeat and slowly took a hesitant step towards him.
'Lord Suviran,forgive me, please.' She prayed.
He felt content when he realized that she was not going away from him. He took his hand and reluctantly sat where he asked her. It was very embarrassing for her. But, now, sitting so close to a criminal was....terrible for her. She never got so close to her Omma even.
Jinman circled his hand around her waist and she instinctively became rigid.
Her womanhood clenched with desire, and she cursed herself. She tilted her head slightly, to see what his intentions were, but, Jinman beat her at that.
"Relax Love. I will not touch you anywhere else.... until you ask me." He assured her, to which she relaxed a little. Being with him for three continuous days, assured her about his nature. He was a man of promise. So, she sat a little relaxed.
After they became comfortable, Jinman broke the silence.
"Why don't you do as I say?" He asked casually.
'Should I reply? What if it hurts him and then he will be angry again?' She started thinking.
"Love, you don't have to be afraid. Say whatever you want to, I will not hurt you." He assured.
Jian nodded.
"I have reasons to....not do as you say." She said lowly. Jinman could live forever doing nothing but listen to her voice if that was possible. He smiled at her response.
"And what are those reasons?" He asked.
Jian hesitated first, but then she recalled the little monologue she had with herself. "Like now. This kind of...closeness is not appropriate between us. I mean, only marriage allows it, right?" She said and scolded herself again. What was the need of saying 'right'?
"Yes. You are right. But, don't worry. We will soon be married, so, I don't think our closeness is inappropriate anymore." He replied.
'What? Who decided that? No way in hell! Maybe he is just kidding.' She thought. She couldn't help herself from getting shocked by his response. Marriage was definitely out of question, for her. Jinman noticed her shocked expression and chuckled.
"No need to be so surprised. It will happen one day." He smiled.
"What if I don't want to?" She asked.
Jinman's smile vanished and the old possessiveness came back. Was she trying to leave him again? His thoughts always stopped here, and that angered him.
"Then I guess, you don't have any choice, Love." He said.
"But marriage can't be forced." She challenged again, but unlike other times, Jinman liked it...her challenge.
"I know. So the only option you are left with is, to agree to the marriage." He smiled and looked at her.
"My...my Omma will not accept this." She said. She needed something to stop his imagination.
"That can be arranged." He replied.
Jian knew, what he meant with that. So, this time she nodded so that he won't get angry and do something she will regret.
Jinman was satisfied that, she agreed about him; after all, he was dead serious about the marriage thing. After a while, Jian gathered the guts to ask him the reason. Well, if he was serious about the marriage thing, she better gets other information too.
"Why....why do you want to marry me?" She asked while keeping her gaze on the floor. The breeze swiftly flowed, flickering some strands of her hair. Jinman smiled at the question. He himself wasn't exactly knowing the answer. Yes, he liked her, but why this possessiveness? Why this urge for closeness? We like thousands of people in our lives, but we don't get the kind of feeling he had for her.
"Because... I want to," He said casually. He himself was not getting a proper answer to tell her. Jinman was about to elaborate when a crew member came with a tray of drinks. Jinman took his as well as her drink and the crew left. He gave the drink to her, and she took it, looking at it as if it was poison.
"Don't worry, it's not alcohol." He assured her, to which she nodded.
Jian took a sip and it tasted like orange.
"When I first saw you, I know this may sound cliché because it is for me..." Jinman started speaking, to which Jian listened carefully. ".... I was never so curious to know about somebody in my life, as I was for you. It was the first time I felt a desire for a woman. I wanted to see you for a longer time, but the car behind us was getting restless. So, we had to move. You even looked at my car, but of course, you couldn't see me; as the glass was tinted....
"Oh my god! It was him. It was his car that day near the traffic signal. He was not moving because he was looking at...me! What the? And I was playing with dogs!
".... You were playing with the street dogs, and trust me, Love, you were looking like an angel. I am now jealous of those dogs who were getting such great treatment from you. I liked you more, seeing you playing with the dogs...."
'Why did I play with the dogs? I shouldn't have. In that way, he wouldn't have liked me.'
".... I thought I will have to dig every hole in the town to find you. But, No. You just came to be the person to whom we were going to ask for directions. Remember the day, when I asked you for directions to Ramesh's house?"
"Yes."
'How can I forget!'
"That little walk we had was so comforting to my heart, that I can't explain it to you. And, after that walk, I started liking you more everything about you attracts me and comforts me. I don't know why? Do you know why?" He asked, not understanding his own feelings.
Jian shook her head.
'How would I know?'she thought
"No." She said.
"Whatever it is, it is not love. Love is not like this. It comforts, not threatens. It's lovely, not scary. And whatever this feeling he has for me, is scary like hell." She thought again.
"Maybe, one day I will understand it." He smiled.
Few minutes passed in utter silence. Jinman enjoyed the closeness, while Jian sat like a statue. He played with the bracelet on her wrist.
"Don't you wanna know about me?" He asked.
Jian suddenly stiffened, if that was even possible. She had thousands of questions, but never got the strength to ask. But, if he was giving her the choice, she would definitely use it.
"Why...why are you a criminal?" She asked, recalling all the news channels.
He chuckled. "I am not a criminal, Love!" He said.
Jian became confused.
"But... in TV..." She continued but Jinman interrupted her.
"In TV they term me like a criminal! I know. Criminals are usually those who tend to do crimes throughout their lives. They usually don't have any intention. All they want is money.a
I can't say I am a criminal, even though my style of work resembles theirs. I have an intention, a goal, due to which I have indulged in this mafia world." He said.
"What intention?" She asked curiously.
"Interested, are we? I would love to tell you now, but I don't want to spoil the mood. Maybe later. Okay?"
Jian nodded.
"Is your reason so big that, you don't even hesitate before killing?" She asked nervously.
"Yes." He replied coldly. His jaw tightened
"Oh!" It was only this that she could say.
"If you are not after money, then... then why did you threaten Ragu Uncle's family?" She asked.
"If I want to maintain my reputation in the mafia, I have to threaten people, Love. This profession is a do-or-die profession. If I don't kill them, they will kill me. And, I don't want to die before taking my revenge. Plus, I was not serious about the threat I gave him. He was no harm to me. But, since he insulted my men, I had to take the issue personally. But, I am glad I did, because due to him only, I met you."
He said.
"Why Ragu uncle? Why didn't you return his money? At least, then he wouldn't have seen me!" She thought.
They sat in silence again. Jinman inhaled her scent one last time, before changing the plan.
"I think, we should get inside now. You must be hungry." He suggested. Jian, instantly stood up, feeling relieved of the distance she created after standing up.
Jinman stood up after that and removed the blazer from the hook.
"Come." He asked her to follow him.
They went inside and Jian glanced at the watch ,2 pm
He guided her towards a table, where he helped her to sit. The waiter served the food and dessert. They ate food with little chat. She noticed that Jinman was very picky over food. He removed all cloves from his dessert. Strange, but somehow his this action, brought a smile upon her face. They talked about random stuff. Well, actually, he talked and Jian just nodded or shook her head. If the answer was a descriptive one, she would answer in the fewest words possible. But, Jinman didn't mind. For him, everything was okay till she was with him.
After lunch, he asked her if she wanted to stand on the deck and watch the lake. She agreed and he guided her to the same spot. They were enjoying the lake view from the deck when after some time, he broke the silence.
"I brought you something." He said.
She looked towards him and lowered her eyes. It was difficult to see him eye to eye when he looked at her so intently.
Jinman then reached his pocket and removed a small velvet box. Jian looked at it and frowned.
'Don't tell me he is giving me another thing now!' She prayed.
"Here. This is for you." He said.
"No Jinman. I... I can't take it. You have already given me this. I... I can't afford it." She denied his gift.
"What does this have to do with your affordability?" He asked.
"You... you don't understand." She tried again.
"Try me!" He challenged her.
"Is he insane? Can't he understand that I don't want anything from him? A bracelet was more than enough, for God's sake!' She thought.
"If you don't have any reason to deny this, then I guess, you should take it." He said.
Jian shook her head negatively, trying to change his mind.
"Let me help you." He said.
Jinman opened the box and revealed a very beautiful chain. It was a plain chain with ornamental blue beads of small size.
They sparkled brilliantly under the afternoon sun.
"Sapphire suits your personality... plain yet beautiful." He said and removed the chain from the box.
"Jinman you shouldn't do this." She tried to convince him.
"Really?" He asked sarcastically.
"Turn around so that I can put this on you." He guided her.
"I think I will put it myself." She said.
"Did I ask you, Love?" He asked irritatingly.
Jian shook her head in fear and turned around reluctantly. She pulled her hair at one side to allow him. He clasped the
chain, while intentionally touching her bare neck with his knuckles. When he was done, he turned her and looked at her neck.
"Beautiful!" He whispered.
Jian lowered her gaze in embarrassment.
"Ready for home?" He asked after some moments.
'More than ready!' She thought.
She nodded.