"Oh naanga enga ponnu kitta ketutu solrom." Avinash told his daughter's future in-laws.
"Pesa pesa vandhuta paarunga." A woman told pointing to Aadhira.
"Naa Samira illa aunty." She told in a sore voice.
Avi's eyebrows met each other to how her voice sounded.
"Illa neenga pesama Aadhira kittave ketrunga, twins telepathy irrukum la?" Abhishek asked.
Aadhira scrunched her eyes in annoyance. She and Sam did have some amount of telepathy, but not much, thanks to them being seperated at birth, having spent some amount of their childhood in contrasting environments.
"Illa--" she began.
"Neenga sollunga Aadhira, kalayanatha one year thalli veiklama illa ten days la vechikalama, because na oru project kaga US poren." He told.
'One year ah?!! Adhukulla Shiva Kum Sam ku nadavulla edhachu--' Aadhira's devil began.
'Nalladhu dhana, Ava andha bonda vayan kitta irrundhu thapchiruva.' her angel told.
'Adhukaga ex-crush ah un sister eduthutu poradha kannala paapiya?' the devil gaslighted.
'Eppdiyum ivala andha aal sister ah dhana paakran?' her angel argued back.
"Aadhu ma?" Avinash asked and she snapped out.
She gulped and her heart pounded as she began, "Samira ennaku ennamo..."
The whole crowd looked at her intensely. "Ten days la vechikalam nu dhan solluva." She told and Vaishag who heard it fumed.
He pretended a smile in from of everyone and once Aadhira walked to her car, he jogged and caught up with her.
"Arrivu irruka??" He yelled.
"Oru varusham time ketrundha avala easy ah convince panni vera nalla--" He began.
"Abhishek ku enna? Nalla paiyan dhan. Appa ku pudichurku, yen avaluke pudichurku." Aadhira replied.
Vaishag glared at her. His lips parted to utter something but he gulped it in.
"Nethu lirndhu nee seri eh illa Aadhira, solten." Vaishag added and walked away.
She closed her eyes and a wave of panic and guilt surrounded.
'Did I just spoil my sister's life for a selfish reason?'
For the first time, her eyes turned moist. Her frustrations were always taken out through racing or fight but never through tears. But this time she let out her emotions instead of penting it up.
######
"Akka ennaku unna paakanum." Vaishag told after calling her. "Vaishag Naa konjam busy ah irruken da." She told. "Akka, I want to meet you immediately." He told and Samira understood the intensity of the call. "Seri naan eh un college ku varen."
.....
"Shanti.... Chu..Chu ..Chu...Chu.." she heard her friend cooed. "Enna yen di naai maari koopdra?" She snapped. "Unna yaardi koopta? Naa indha college oda chellakutty Shanti kutty ah koopten." She told and Shanti noticed the girl bend down to pet the dog.
Shanti's eyes widened in realisation. 'Appo nethu---' she squinted her eyes shut due to the embarrassment.
'poi sorry ketrlama?' she asked herself.
........
"Sir?" Shanti called. Vaishag was still deep in thought, while he sat in the canteen.
"Sirrrr?" She called again and he looked up.
'ippo indha loose edhuku Inga vandhurka?' he thought.
"Enna?" He asked annoyed. "Sorry." She replied with thudding heartbeat. "Edhuku?" He asked. "Illa Naa aniku ungla thappa nenachiten." She told. "Huh?" He asked. "Illa en-en en Peru Shanti, aniku neenga enkita dhan apdi pesringa nu dhan I reacted like that, sorry." She told and it took a while for Vaishag to understand what she was talking about.
"So you thought, I was asking you to be with me?" He asked in a mocking tone. "Yen ennaku enna korachal?" She asked almost immediately in defence. "So you want to be with me?" He teased.
"He-he-hey n-na n-na apdi sollala..." She stuttered and Vaishag bit his lips to stop himself from laughing.
"Naa appo kelambren sir." She told and turned to leave. "Stop." He told. "Enna?" She asked. "Sorry Naa accept pannen nu sollave illaye." He told and got up from the table.
"Enna, adhuvum CM paiyan ah, ivalo thappu ah nenachirka, nee opposite party la irrundhu enna pathu rumours create panra nu enga appa kitta sonna enna aagum teriyuma?" He bluffed just to tease her.
Her anxiety was hitting the roofs. "Sir sir, enna paatha apdi ellam panra maariya irruku?" She asked using her puppy eyes. "Apdi dhan teriyudhu." He told. "Sir, ippo enna Panna sorry accept pannuvinga?" She asked. "Kiss me." He told and she froze. "sir!" She exclaimed.
"Seri appo Naa enga appa ku call panren." He teased for fun. She began thinking seriously and he chuckled. He opened his mouth to ask her to leave when she pecked his cheek and ran away muttering a sorry.
Vaishag's lips remained parted as he touched his cheeks.
Samira who had incidentally watched this gasped.
'Ada pavame, appo namma veetla enna thavara yaarukume arranged marriage illaya?' she thought.
"Vaishag?" Sam called and he closed his lips and smiled. "Nee eppo vandha?" He questioned. "Nee appa ku call panlam nu irrundhiye appove vanten." She teased with a sheepish chuckle that he returned.
######
The duo began arguing about Abhishek when Shiva entered the premise with a wide smile.
"Hi Samira." He greeted. "Hello senior!! Neenga enga Inga?" Sam asked.
"Ungla paaka dhan." He replied.
"Yaaru adhu?" Vaishag asked. "college la oru senior friend nu sonnen la? Avaru dhan." Sam reminded. "Oh!! Unnakum Aadhira-kum irrukura orey common friend nu soniye avara?" Vaishag asked and she nodded.
"Seri appo neenga pesunga, Naa adutha class aachu attend panren." Vaishag added and left.
"Senior pathu evalo naal Achu?" Sam asked cheerfully.
"I love you." He told, pulling a chair and sitting opposite her.
"Huh?" She asked. "I love you." He repeated. She was completely still and her heart thudded to her chest.
"Shiva ennaku eng--" She began. "Engagement aayiduchu." He completed for her. She looked at him without blinking her eyes. "Teriyum, Aadhu sonna." He added.
"Ennaku path--" she began. "Pathu naal la kalyanam, adhuvum teriyum." He told cheerfully.
Samira just picked up her purse and got up, he followed her.
"Unnaku college time la irrundhe en Mela oru crush irrundhichu dhana?" He asked following her.
She stopped abruptly and he almost tripped on her but stopped himself.
"Naa sonnena?!! Crush irruku nu Naa sonnena?" She asked again.
"Aprom edhuku eppo paaru en class pakkam vandhiyam? Aprom edhuku culturals adhu idhu nu chumma chumma enna kooptikitu, Aadhira va kaltivitu kadala potiyam?" He asked.
"Cultural secretary kitta dhana culturals pathi pesa mudiyum!!" She reminded and he gulped.
"Ennaku adhellam Teriyadhu, onnu mattum dhan teriyum, unnaku-enna-pudikum." He replied back and she glared at him before resuming her walk to her car till which he followed her.
"Oye!!" He called and she turned. "En love ku eppo okay solluva?" He yelled. She just glared at him and turned back ahead and left.
Shiva smiled contently before he noticed Vaishag watching him.
"Machan?" Shiva called blinking his eyes with a sheepish smile.
######
"Own clothing line, with outlets in several cities." Vaishag read Shiva's wikipedia in front of him. "Businessman of the year winner 2020." He read further and Shiva nodded.
"Seri Naa ungla nambren. Neenga ippodhaiku avalukum Abhishek-um nadakura marriage ah stop panna help pannunga. Adhuku aprom unglukum avalukum set aaguma nu yoschu solren." Vaishag told and Shiva smiled in response.
