Day 2, Evening: Elevator phobia and manga mania; giving up valiancy and embracing rationality make man a sissy?
"Of all the places in Tokyo we can go to, of all the clubs we can hang out in, you bring me to a bookshop." Armaan sighed for the zillionth time.
"I want to buy few manga comics, the classics that is. And you are no Humphrey Bogart darling." She was pretty generous in her dismissal of his chosen iconic dialogue.
Anjali and Atul had conveniently ditched Armaan and Riddhima and had gone to Yokahama, a city along the Tokyo bay which offered scenic distraction to young romantics and also everything illegal. And this had left Armaan and Riddhima to fend for themselves.
"Hey Riddhima, did you know that there are few adult manga comics too? I saw a man reading in train today. Seriously, it was weird." Armaan shivered in memory.
"A few? Try a few hundred. It's quite common here Armaan. And what's with "adult"? Can't you say por.."
"Shhh….there are young people hanging around. I don't want to corrupt their innocent minds by using the P-word", Armaan replied haughtily. Riddhima merely rolled her eyes. He was a masterpiece on weirdness. Next to her, she accepted secretly.
"Whatever. Why don't you pick one if you want one? No one would care if you read it on train or bus. I wouldn't either", Riddhima replied in nonchalance.
"Of course you wouldn't tease me. You would take a picture of me reading that book and post it on my facebook wall or perhaps even take hard copies of it and courier to my friends and family. I know how you roll girlie", Armaan responded. Riddhima chuckled.
"It's been less than forty eight hours since we have met and you already know me so well. Now I can die happily." Armaan didn't know if she was being sadistic or it was plain ridiculous talking.
"Eeewww…..", he silently cursed as he thumbed through a book that was pretty hardcore.
"What happened? Young innocent eyes polluted?" Riddhima sniggered.
"This is just plain wrong, whatever they have printed in this book. Eww..ewww…ewww…Just see this. Wait. No, DON'T SEE. Riddhima!!!" He yelled out her name in annoyance when she snatched the book away from him and looked through the pages.
"Oh well, nothing I haven't seen before." She slid the book back to the shelf and walked away from a dumbfounded Armaan.
"You have read these things before?" Armaan asked her in plain astonishment.
"Didn't I tell you I love everything about Japan?" She winked and moved on to another aisle.
Armaan slowly gulped at the retreating figure.
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"Why aren't they still here? Anjali said that she will be here in one hour", Riddhima's impatience oozed out of every inch of her skin.
"It's not one hour yet. If you complain one more time, I will dump this coffee on your head. Hey, wasn't this guy sitting there before?" He pointed to a young Japanese guy in school uniform.
"Armaan, that's a different guy." Riddhima said bemusedly.
"How can you tell? I swear all these young guys all look the same." He exclaimed making her giggle.
"There they are!" Riddhima said seeing Anjali and Atul coming into coffee shop that was right next to their hotel.
"What did you buy for me?" Riddhima asked as Anjali sat down on a chair opposite to her.
"Oh why! Thank you for asking how my evening was Riddhima. Atul and I had a wonderful time there", a narrowed eyed Anjali responded with a touch of venom.
"You like him. He likes you. He wants kiss. You want kiss. But both shy shy shy. And then yada yada yada." Riddhima grinned at the silly words she made up. Armaan couldn't help but chuckle. But one glare from Anjali had him shut up and fully sober.
"Riddhima, I am ignoring you for the rest of the evening. From now on, the chair opposite to me is empty. Poof. You are gone", Anjali was clearly bugged by Riddhima's teasing. Riddhima only laughed harder.
"Armaan did you know that Aishwarya Rai is pregnant?" Anjali said obviously ignoring Riddhima and tactfully striking a conversation.
"I swear I didn't do anything Anjali", Armaan replied eyes wide and innocent and a laugh stuck in his throat. Riddhima burst out laughing while Atul chuckled. Anjali breathed fire.
"Arrrggghhh….you two are hell bent on ruining my day", she hissed.
"Fine fine…sorry sorry sorry. I am sorry alright? I am truly very sorry Anjali but it wasn't my fault. You set yourself for this!" Armaan apologized amidst chuckles. Anjali was quite for few moments and laughter died down around the table.
"How was your date Anjali? I hope Atul was alright. He is a bit dense when it comes to matter of women", Armaan asked.
"Atul is sitting right here and he can hear you perfectly well Armaan. It's plain weird when you address me like this in third person given how I am sitting right across you?" Atul said glaring mildly at Armaan to which he only smiled wanly.
"Atul was really very nice and so perfectly gentlemanly. We had a very good time", Anjali pinked as she gushed to Armaan as if he was her new girlfriend. Armaan didn't know if he was supposed to be happy that Anjali wasn't happy anymore or should be worried that his macho image was slowly going down the ditch.
"Please Anjali. No details. My eyes are already polluted, thanks to this twisted pervert here", he said pointing at Riddhima.
"Ridzy….." Anjali turned and asked her sister. She wasn't worried that Riddhima would misrepresent herself. She was more worried about poor Armaan's damaged psyche. She had to accept that Armaan was a pretty good guy – great even. But her sister's eccentric tastes in things around her would drive everyone away. And for some reason she didn't want Armaan to run away from her sister. In her mind, he was a keeper.
"Oh please Anjali. It's not like he hasn't seen anything like that before." Riddhima said getting up and gathering stuff that had to be discarded. It was late and it was time they hit bed if they wanted to get a decent night sleep.
Once they reached elevators, Riddhima sighed.
"I will see you upstairs Anjali. Good night you two", she waved and walked towards staircase.
"Why aren't you taking elevators Riddhima?" Armaan asked in surprise.
"In one of my previous incarnation I haunted an elevator located in a hotel causing lots of discomfort to the residents. So the elevators' association banned me from entering elevators for at least next five incarnations. I think I still have two more incarnations to go before I can step into an elevator." Riddhima replied, her voice serious. Armaan and Atul looked stunned.
"You should hear the story about childhood drama or about how she was trapped with a serial killer with blood on his clothes." Anjali replied amusedly looking the two men.
"Does she always take the stairs?" Armaan asked.
"Yes, she does", Anjali replied.
"Today, so will I", Armaan said and hurriedly dashed out of the elevator whose doors were just about to close.
"I'll climb with you today Riddhima. You will not climb these stairs alone in this hotel till I am here." Armaan declared. Riddhima slowly turned around. She was still on first floor and looked at Armaan who had obviously climbed in a rush was slightly breathless.
"Really? Are you going to climb 14 floors with me?" She asked him, smirking.
"You are on 14th floor? Why the hell would you go on 14th floor which happens to be the top floor in this hotel and when you aren't even taking the elevator?" Armaan half-shrieked.
"14th floor has a wonderful view. Japan is the land of rising sun. It's beautiful to see first rays of sunshine peeking through concrete walls and blurring neon lights", she shrugged. Anjali was right. Riddhima was probably from a different planet altogether.
"Are you coming or what?" Riddhima asked impatiently.
"To 14th floor? Are you kidding me? No way! I am taking elevator from here. See you on top floor weirdo." Armaan said jabbing on elevator button.
"Whatever happened to valiant declaration?" She couldn't help but taunt him.
"It's on a date with your sanity in a land far, far away", he grinned and took the elevator.
He had had the last word, for once.
To Be Continued
Seher Hone Ko Hai
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
