How Long Are You Staying?

                                    

                                          
"Are you going to keep staring at me like that or will you invite me inside as well?" He said.
                          
I was at a loss for words. My entire body had frozen the moment I opened the door. My mind was asking me to move aside or at least greet him with a hey. One hand still on the door handle, the door almost open, and Jungkook calling from the living room, I was standing in the doorframe like an idiotic statue.
                          
"Noona, who is it?" Jungkook finally came out of the living and he too froze for a moment after seeing his elder brother at the door before exclaiming, "Hyung! How are you here?"
                          
Yoongi looked past me at his sibling and said, "I'll tell you if you guys let me in."
                          
I finally managed to snap out of my surprise or shock or whatever it was and stepped aside mumbling a small hi to him. Yoongi smiled at me and came in. I closed the door and followed the two brothers to the living where our movie was still paused on the television screen.
                          
"Didn't eomma inform you that I would be coming?" Yoongi said to Jungkook flicking the latter's head lightly with his finger.
                          
"No. I talked to her just an hour ago. She did not even mention you." His brother replied rubbing the spot when Yoongi's finger had been.
                          
"Well...That explains why I had to take a cab and try to communicate in Kannada with the driver," Yoongi took his phone out and promptly dialed a number.
                          
"You spoke Kannada?" I asked, surprised. Both of them, as much as I remember, could not even speak English properly, let alone learning Hindi. Speaking Kannada was quite out of the question.
                          
The bell rang over which Yoongi said, "I tried. Took help of the translator."
                          
The call connected and we were greeted with Mrs. Min's voice. "Hello? Yoongi?"
                          
"Eomma! Why did you not inform Jia and Jungkook that I was also coming here?" Yoongi spoke into the phone, annoyed.
                          
"I told Jia's parents. They said they will talk to her. I thought she already knew, so I did not say anything." She said. Something in the tone of her voice seemed off to me. But I looked up to see neither Jungkook nor Yoongi felt anything unusual. I must be too tired.
                          
"Oh...it's okay Mrs. Min. Mom must have forgotten. No worries. He reached safely." I said.
                          
"Oh Jia, I am so sorry for the inconvenience we are causing you." Mrs. Min apologetically said.

                          
"No, Mrs. Min, please don't say that. I am glad to have these two here." I replied.
                          
"I'll call you later eomma," Yoongi said and the brothers bid goodbye to their mom on the phone.
                          
We settled down in the living room, me occupying the beanbag while Yoongi and Jungkook sat on the sofa. The paused movie was long forgotten.
                          
"How have you been Yoongi?" I asked, looking at him for a long moment, taking in all his features and changes in them that happened in the past six years.
                          
"Just fine, Jia," He replied, "I returned home and came to know that Kook was sent here. So I too took a flight." He shrugged as if taking an international flight was as normal as buying noodles.
                          
I was still staring at him, hoping he would explain the loss of contact in the past three years. But when he did not, I shook my head to get my thoughts together. We chatted for a while catching up on each other's lives. It was when Jungkook began to fall asleep on the couch, I got up and switched the TV off.
                          
We managed to lure Jungkook into walking to his room and prevent him from sleeping on the sofa. I took Yoongi to the room near Jungkook's.
                          
"Usually my parents occupy this room when they are here. But for now, you can take it. The only problem is that you'll have to use the bathroom there." I said pointing at the bathroom door near my study.
                          
"It's okay." He replied, "This place is great. You have a pretty house."
                          
I was standing in the doorway of his room. He placed his backpack near the bed. I said, "You didn't bring any clothes?" 
                          
He smiled at me, "I'll buy them here." I nodded.
                          
"Freshen up and sleep." I said, "If you need anything, I'll be in the room downstairs."
                          
I walked out of the room. He said he'll buy clothes here. Did that mean...
                          
I jerked around and knocked on his open door again, "How long are you staying?" I guess, I sounded a little too hopeful.
                          
He stood up from the bed and walked to me, "How long do you want me to stay?"
                          
Forever.
                          
"You have gotten sharp with words, I see," I asked sassily. "If I ask you to leave right now, will you?"
                          
"Of course not." He casually replied, "I just came here. I ain't leaving so soon."
                          
"That's why I asked."
                          
He smiled and stepped back while replying, "Till Jungkook gets settled here mentally."
                          
I smiled back. "Good night, Yoongi."
                          
"Good night, Jia."
                          
I climbed down the stairs and laid on my bed, leaving the door unlocked in case either of the brothers needed anything.
                          
"You won't stay here forever, will you?" He asked.
                          
" I don't know," I replied.
                          
We were sitting in the playground during the lunch break. A month had passed since the day Yoongi approached me for my notebook. I had made a few more friends. Ha-Neul and Mi-Sun were the ones I usually hung out with. Other than them, I spent my time with Yoongi. He showed me around the school and we took strolls in the corridors, talking during the lunch breaks. He told me about his younger brother and that he lived close to the school. I shared that I was a single child. I also had talked a lot about how beautiful my country is. He used to be fascinated by my descriptions of India.
                          
Like other days, that day too, we were talking about something or the other, sitting in the playground, neither of us hungry. 
                          
"I mean the way you talk about India, I guess you want to go back as soon as possible," Yoongi said, resting his head against the tree trunk under which we were sitting.
                          
"I wish to go back, but this is also good enough." I replied looking at him, "I mean, I do miss my old friends but you all have made me a lot comfortable here."
                          
He chuckled lightly and then said in mocking arrogance, "I know, we are great people."
                          
I laughed and he joined me. After a while, I said, "So you want me to leave, huh?"
                          
"When did I say that?" He exclaimed. "I just speculated that you won't want to live in Korea forever."
                          
I breathed out and replied, "I might go back after Dad's project gets completed. I don't really know."
                          
"Okay, then let me rephrase my question." He turned towards me, "How long are you staying?"
                          
I sat straight and looked him in the eye, "How long do you want me to stay?"
                          
He lightly shook his head in amusement. The bell rang and we got up to move towards the class.
                          
Before we started to walk, he smiled at me and said, "You are really sharp with words."
                          
***
                          
A/n: Please vote and share the story if you are liking it.
                          
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