Chapter 4: Swathi's POV

We were really excited to meet EXO members. Chandana and I woke up early in the morning as we both didn't get much sleep cause of the same excitement. We freshened up and headed towards the kitchen to prepare breakfast, as we both are vegetarians. Well, we did know about Indian cooking to some extent. Especially, I learned everything from my mother before I came to Bangalore from my Hometown Mangalore. So, filling our stomachs in Korea was not that difficult for us. Although, I was not as good as my mother, dishes I prepared we're edible.

Dohee Unnie got up and saw us in the kitchen and she had this surprised look on her face.

"What are you two doing in the kitchen, that too in the early morning...?" With that, she paused for a second and started to inhale the aroma of foods we prepared and continued -"What!! You two know cooking too... Well, well... This smells really nice... My hunger has increased by two times after taking in the smell of the dishes you guys have prepared..." She said while giggling.

Chandana smiled and said, "Yes, Unnie we did prepare it... And it's her mom's recipe..."

"Yes... Unnie hope you like South Indian style breakfast in Seoul..." I said.

Yes, of course, I will love it... I have tasted a few Indian foods, especially curries... I love it as anything" Unnie said and I could see her eyes sparkling.

"Now go freshen up yourself, by then we will also finish setting the table..." Chandu said giving a bright and cheerful smile.

As we finished arranging the table, Unnie came and stood to look at the arrangements and said while taking her seat, "this looks really good... Wait for a second; I need to take photos of these... So that I can post it on my Instagram..." she took her phone to capture the pictures...

Suddenly, I remembered the selfies we took in the concert yesterday and started blushing, I brushed it off within a second as the most important thing that I wanted to remember is sending those pictures to him... I took my phone out and opened Kakao talk app and looked for his number which I saved, his account was showing the name Jong-in Kai and there were neither display picture available nor any status... I smiled looking at his profile thinking he is just like they say in interviews, hardly checking his messages and calls... I can make it out by this itself... Then, I selected the photos that I was supposed to send and sent it. After a few seconds, I placed my phone down still blushing to myself.

Chandana was observing my behavior until now quietly and burst in to laugh at once... I looked at her with my eyes wide open.

Chandu said -"Do you know, how your face is looking like... Go have a look at yourself in the mirror; your face is as red as a tomato"

As I opened my mouth to give her reply Unnie said -" okay then, let's start eating" With that, we both nodded and continued to eat...

As we finished having breakfast we sat on the couch, Unnie said -" wow... You guys are really awesome... This tastes really good... I mean I never imagined I can ever eat homemade Indian foods in my life, but you two really fulfilled my wishes..." Patting our backs...

"Thank you Unnie..." We both said in perfect sync... as we said that, we looked at each other like a real soul twin with a proud grin on our face...

"Oh yes... What about our meeting with EXO members... You both are coming with me right..." I asked them...

"Yes... Of course... I will and how can I miss this opportunity to meet them, especially Chanyeol..." Chandana said with more enthusiasm than usual (though she is always like filled with enthusiasm and I call her energy package, but today it's like she is having dozens of energy package inside her XD)

"Yeah, yeah... I know about you and if I don't take you with me, you will kill me in the real sense... Well, I am asking our Unnie" I said in a teasing tone... She pouted and turned away from me for what I said...

Unnie said -"Yes... I will co..." With that her phone buzzed in a real rush...

She answered the call and after a few minutes, she hung up the call... We both were looking at her expecting her to say something...

"Aah... Sorry girls... I think today I can't accompany you, as my schedule got pre-poned and it's a really important one..." Dohee Unnie said wearing a disappointed look on her face...

We both looked at each other and I said -" but how can we go alone without you... You are the only friend we have in Seoul and I don't want to enjoy joyful moments without my beloved one..." I looked at Chandu to give more weight to what I said...

Chandana said "yeah Unnie... She is right for the first time and saying something really positive and realistic, unlike her usual self... Look at her face, she is about to cry at any moment... Comfort her by saying something really positive news like you can come with us now then leave early for your work or something like that at least if you can't be with us for the whole day..."

"I am really sorry girls I know I shouldn't have ditched you in the end... But you know my career is also important to me... Moreover, if I come there might be the possibility of unwanted rumors arising... Which I hate the most..." Unnie said sighing deeply.

We both nodded silently as we could imagine the severity of the situation...

"But I promise once I will be done with my work I will join you guys there after all EXO members are my favorite too..." Unnie said cheering us up...

We all then started to get dressed up. We got out of our house and waited for the taxi to arrive. By then I sent messages to him saying "we both are leaving now, will be there in a few minutes" with that I took a selfie and sent it to him...

This is an old habit of mine to take pictures and send it to the one I am going to meet up or just save it by myself... I do this for two reasons, one is obvious to assure the person I am meeting that I am meeting them; the second is for safety purpose. If at all, anything bad happens, there will be evidence about my whereabouts...

I know, like Chandana says I most of the time think negatively... But my argument is different, that I do think about the possible probabilities that might happen... There's nothing certain in life right... Sometimes being negative also is good, just that it makes us alert about our surroundings and saves us from obstacles...

Though negative thoughts come first to my mind, I know deep inside that I am really strong and positive and nothing bad will happen to me when my Amma (I call Goddess Durga as my mother) is with me... And she is the only one I trust the most in the whole universe... And I believe it's all because of her will and wish everything good is happening to me...

Like I am soft and weak, from outside, Chandana is more strong and stable in my sense... Though she is younger than me for nine months, she can handle everything more properly than me and in a more mature way... And she believes it's all because of her Appa (Lord Shiva)... So in short, we both have our Appa Amma behind us watching us carefully and giving us whatever we deserve... Everything was according to their plan...

We reached the SM building, I called Kai and he received my call...

*****Telephonic conversation*****

Me - we have reached and we are at the entrance of the SM building...

Kai - okay... Wait there... someone from SM will come to receive you...

Me - okay (with that he hung the call up)

We waited for a few seconds and a guard out there approached us... We both took a step back by his sudden move...

He said - don't worry girls... I am here to take you inside the building... That's all...

We nodded, giving a smile to him... He took us in front of the lift and bid us goodbye.

We both stood in front of the elevator.

"Maybe his manager is coming to receive us..." Chandu said as soon as the guard left...

"Might be..." I said nodding for the same.

As the lift door opened, we saw a familiar face with the brightest smile... I couldn't believe what I saw. As I turned towards Chandu, she was already looking at me with her eyes wide open...

He greeted us and we both greeted him back, still wearing a surprised look on our faces... I felt uneasy to enter the elevator as I have Claustrophobia... It's not that serious one though; still, I preferred the stairs no matter how many floors it is... As he offered his hand towards me, I took a risk and entered the elevator, after holding his hand firmly...

Then Kai looked at me and asked -"Are you okay? Your face seems little pale right now..."

"Nope... I am totally okay... "I said releasing my hand from his and smiled at him...

"So how was your ride?" He asked.

"Smoother than I thought" I said still having a smile on my face, well; it was more of a smile out of nervousness...

The elevator started to move upwards; soon I held Chandana's hand by losing my body's control... She patted my hand to calm me down as we reached the floor...

Chandana whispered "Swathi, hold yourself together and wakeup..."

He looked at us as we were talking in our mother tongue... He looked more puzzled than anything...

"So shall we go inside??" He asked us.

"Yes... Of course..." Chandana said with the cheeriest voice... I too nodded for the same... I smiled in my mind thinking she is so eager to meet her dream boy in real that she can't hold her excitement...

He took my hand with a smile on his face and asked -"Now, you are not feeling nervous are you?" And winked at me...

I started to look into his eyes like it has no end...

After a few seconds, bringing me back on earth, Chandu said slightly coughing... "Can we please get inside now...? I can't wait to meet everyone..."

As he opened the door, we were welcomed by seven beautiful smiles...

Everyone greeted Chandana one by one with a handshake, as they had already met her at the concert. I observed them silently; they were way more handsome and cute than I saw in pictures and smiled to myself, thinking finally, I got a chance to see them unlike before...

Kai introduced me to them, and everyone came and greeted me one after the other...

Lastly, Baekhyun came and greeted me. While doing so he held my hand and asked -"now tell us, why you didn't even bother to look at any one of us yesterday, other than Kai?"

I hung my head down not knowing what to answer...

D.O said "hey, don't take him seriously... He is just teasing around... We know you like Kai the most... So it's ok..."

Baekhyun said "hyaa... I really want to know the reason from her itself... Sehun don't you want to know too..."

Sehun added "oh ah... Yes... I do... Why didn't you look at me... for once too...? Am I not handsome to even take a glance at me?"

"It's not like that... I just... I just forgot everything when I saw him... So I don't know what I did at that time... I am sorry..." I said, looking at Baekhyun and Sehun with an embarrassed expression...

Kai interrupted "Swathi, you don't have to be sorry for liking me... They are just teasing... That's all... And you two... stop making her feel more nervous... okay?"

I felt Happy when he defended me. I saw a new side of him and I couldn't stop blushing...

Chanyeol said "Look at them... What a pair, one defending another..."

"It's not like that Orabeoni (big brother)... I really wanted to see all of you and I like everyone too... That's why me and Chandana are here today..." I said.

"What? What did you call me just now!?" He asked me with a surprise...

"Well, she treats you as her elder brother from the moment she saw you for the first time..." Chandana said.

Chanyeol looked at me amused and said: "is it true that you treat me as your Orabeoni!?"

I nodded and said, "I get the kind of Aura from you whom I see in my elder brother who I always wished to have so far... But if you don't like it, I'll not call you so..." I said...

"No... Not at all... In fact, I love it... hyaa... did you guys see, I used to say, right... one day my long lost Yeodongsaeng (younger sister) will come to me... today, I got her..." Chanyeol said.

I looked at him and then at Kai with surprise.

"Yes... he used to say that all the time... but I didn't expect you would be the one though... you really know how to surprise me..." Kai said giving a big teethed 'close-up' smile.

I smiled back at him and I saw a sparkle his eyes which was so beautiful.

Chanyeol said -"So yes, you can treat me as your elder brother... I won't mind and I am also going to treat you as my younger sister..." With that, he smiled widely from ear to ear while patting my head...

He really started to treat me as if I am his little sister and he is truly my long lost Orabeoni, I thought...

Everyone was very friendly and treated us very well... They were asking us about our lifestyle in India, our experiences in Seoul and so on...

D.O asked, "Which Korean food you guys like the most so far...?"

Chandana said -"we are basically vegetarians and as there is less Korean vegetarian food... Whatever we tried we liked the most..."

"What...?? Vegans...!" Everyone said in a chorus... They looked really surprised when they heard that...

"Yes..." we both nodded.

"How can you not eat chicken?? I mean you have not even tasted it?" Kai said...

I smiled at him and nodded again knowing what he meant...

Boys then looked at each other, trying hard to believe what we said.

They were like "Whaaah.... Chincha.... Daebak... how can they survive without meat?" we looked at each other and then at boys shrugging our shoulders...

Then Chanyeol said "guys... let's not make them feel awkward about them being vegans... It's about their choices, it's not like they are telling us not to eat non-veg foods right?"

Then D.O added "Yes... Chanyeol is right... Let's just get along well... It doesn't matter what we eat right as long as we can get along well..."

Everyone nodded in acceptance for their words...

Then Kai said... "Okay then... let's go out for lunch, and let's select the restaurant that serves both vegan and non-vegan foods..."

Sehun told "oh yes... I do know one restaurant a few distances away from our building that serves the best vegan and non-vegan foods..."

All of us agreed on the same...

We continued to talk and play some Korean introductory kind of games for a few more hours until it was lunchtime...

Author's note:-

People of different religions and cultures live side-by-side in almost every part of the world, and most of us have overlapping identities which unite us in very different groups...

We can love what we are, without hating what- and who we are not. We can thrive in our own tradition, even as we learn from others, and come to respect their teachings....

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