Vinoth and Madhan studied well in the 12th standard. They studied very sincerely and did the exams. Results announced. Madhan got state 1st and Vinoth got state 3rd. School, friends, parents everyone are happy about it. Radhi too smiled a little, but it didn't reached her eyes. Later all the reporters came to their home. Radhi remained in the room and heard their conversation.

Reporter 1- "ore veetla, first mark third mark vaangirukeenga.. enna ninaikureenga?"

Reporters expected that they are going to speak as usual about hard work, goal and etc.. 

Vinoth- "nanum ivanum china vayasula irunthe friends. poranthathula irunthu.. Naanga intha mark vaanga karanam iruku.."

Madhan- "engaluku onnu solanum, onnu kekanum.. athuku thaan intha first mark, third mark vaanginom.. "

Reporters got confused and looked at each other. Radhi too got confused and keenly observed.

Reporter 2- "enna kekanum? enna solanum..?"

Vinoth- "sir, naanga china pasanga, engaluku therincha mathiri solrom.. thapa iruntha manichukanga.. start panalama daa?"

Madhan- "hmm, Sir. naanga rendu perum thick friends. oru naal enga kita oru kulanthaiah koduthaanga.. "

Vinoth- "athu epadi irunthathu na, engaluke engaluku thaan antha kulanthai sontham mathiri irunthathu.. mathiri enna, engalodathu thaan antha kulanthai.."

Madhan- "athu romba chutti kulanthai Sir, valara valara engaluku antha kulanthai thaan ulagam nu agiduchu... aana parunga athuku intha ulagame sontham nu oru ennam, ellartaium vilayaditu settai panikitu, pattamboochiya suthi vanthuchu.. "

Vinoth- "yaravathu sari maa poo, nee poi vambiluthutu vaa nu anupuvaangala?  matangalla?"

Reporters chuckled.. Ragu and Rohini looked at each other and then looked at Vinoth and Madhan. Sathya smiled at them while watching outside and Radhi smiled inside her room.

Madhan- "athe thaan sir ingaium, kulanthai ah bathirama pathukanum nu poochandi kathai ellam athukita solli, avan vantha kanna nondiduvaan, moonchi ellam kuthiduvaan, kai ah pichuduvaan nu antha kulanthaiah mirati konjame konjam bayamuruthi vachanga.. "

Vinoth- "muthalla bayantha antha kulanthai, apuram kandupudichuruchu poochandi ellam illa... namala yemathuranga nu... amma thane sir? poochandi illa thane?"

Reporters laughed and nodded sarcastically, "amam, poonchandi  ellam illave illa... apuram"

 Madhan- "apadi thaan ellarum ninachom, aana paarunga anga thaan twist ae.. poochandi vanthutaan. antha kulanthai munnadie vera orutharoda kanna nondi, mugathula acid oothi thala mudi ellam pichu, udambellam vetti ellame panaan.. "

Reporters widened their eyes.. Radhi trembled a little.

Vinoth- "itha paatha antha kulanthai romba bayanthuduchu... athuvum athuku nalla therincha nalla palagina oru annave poochandi agavum kulanthai bayanthu poi enga kaiya vitutu podichu.. ", he left out a long breathe.. 

Reporters shocked and looked at them with wide eyes.. Radhi's eyes shed tears. 

Madhan- "ipo engaluku ore oru kelvi thaan sir... engaluku antha kulanthai venum, athuku antha kulanthaiku poochandi illanu nambikkai vara vaikanum.. epadi sir panrathu?"

Vinoth- "ellarum poochandi illa nu epadi sir namba vaikurathu?". Reporters shocked. 

Radhi eyes shed tears. She started to think about everyone and her good old days. She slowly lied on the floor itself and hugged herself. That incident had a major impact in her, but in these days due to constant love, counselling and support, she changed mildly. Especially the question boys asked, made her to shed tears. She too wished to enjoy, but the fear is very high compared to the wish she had. 

Reporter 1- "antha kulanthai unga family ah, enna peru? enna aachu?"

Vinoth and Madhan looked at each other. They then opened a note they had in hand. 

Madhan- "ithu thaan antha kulanthainga.. Ivanga ellarume treatments edututhu iruka school pasanga"

Vinoth- "sila kolaigaila nerla pathathala bayanthu poi, antha illusion la irunthu velila vara mudiama, padika mudiuma irukanga.. athavathu kolaikarangaltta irunthu thapichanvanga.... ivanga kunamanalum padipa continue pana mudiama, yaara pathalum bayam nu oru vitha trama laye irukaanga"

Madhan- "ithu ellam neenga apadiye telecast panna photos.. athavathu kulai nadantha piragu antha idam epadi irunthathu atha neenga apadie publish panathu.. news la kooda apadiye thaan kaatinaanga.. "

Reporters 3- "sari thaan, athukaga naanga news la full details podama iruka mudiuma?"

Vinoth- "aiyo sir naanga apadi ellam solave illa.. nadanthu mudinchatha pathi engaluku oru kelvium illa... ipo ivangala epadi namba vaikurathu? "

Madhan- "intha ulagam paathukapanathu thaan nu epadi solrathu antha kulanthai kita?"

 Reporter 2- "ippo enga kita kekurathukaga vaa, padicheenga?"

Vinoth & Madhan- "amamnga, unga ellar kitaium kekanum nu thaan nalla padichom. enga kulanthaiku epadi puria vaikurathunga?"

Vinoth- "ithu last two years nadantha murder rate", he gave a report.

Madhan- "ithu last two year la nadantha most merciless murders list , athoda details.", he gave another report.

Vinoth- "ithaium pathutu engaluku athuku matum pathil sonna pothum nga, ithukaga thaan padichom.."

Reports- "appo unga aim ithu thaana? aduthu ithu related ah thaan padika poreengala?"

Madhan- "illanga, ipo thaan oru aim ah successful ah complete panirukom. ini than next step pathi naanga yosikanum"

After asking some more questions, the reporters left. Vinoth and Madhan answered properly and respectfully. Already Sathya gave guidance and knowledge to them regarding this. 

This news became sensational. Almost 70% people supported them Vinoth and Madhan regarding this and stated that they are afraid to send their children anywhere alone. Then the news got viral when the public figures started to talk about it. Government too announced that they will make safety measurements. Government decided schemes and passed the bill. 

Vinoth and Madhan didn't bothered about anything. They want to express their thoughts to Radhi. Radhi too understood that. 

One day, when everyone are discussing in the hall regarding the college and the course that boys have to join, Radhi came before them slowly. Everyone became silent. 

Radhi- "Nanum padikaren...", she said with much hesitation. 

Ragu- "kuttyma inga vaa da.. ", Radhi neared him and sat next to him. 

Ragu- "nee enna sonalum enaku okay thaan. appa ta pesa thayaka padatha ma.. romba oru mathiri valikuthu.. sorry ma... Una konjam thariyasaliah valathirukanum.. naan thappu paniten", he teared. 

Radhi- "namma vera engayachum polama... Inga.. inga... enaku konjam.. ", she teared and gulped it.

Ragu- "hmm, enga polam.. neyae sollu.. Nee enga sonalum varuvom"

Radhi looked at Sathya, "mama ipove packing start panidaren... unaku enga ponum nu sollu"

Radhi blinked as she is not having any idea about it. She only wanted to move from here.

Vinoth- "Trichy la padikalam nu irukom. angaye poidalama?". Radhi nodded. 

Madhan- "unakum angaye school pathudalama?"

Radhi - " hmm, enaku solli thareengala? ellam maranthu pochu..", she said with tears. 

Vinoth and Madhan looked at each other and then nodded at her. She is not a person who will request for things. It is painful but they remained silent. 

The whole family shifted to Trichy. They sold the old house and bought a new houses in Trichy. Here too they bought a sequential house that is next to each other.  Ragu and Sathya relocated with their family. Vinoth and Madhan started to go to college and Radhi started her school. 

Vinoth and Madhan decorated Radhi's room. Her room is filled with kids photos and their photos that is Radhi with Vinoth and Madhan photos. Not only in the walls, they also pasted their photos in the ceiling too. wherever she look, She can able to see only them and the kids photos. This created some change in Radhi. 

Vinoth and Madhan as usual slept with Radhi. But they slept in the floor and she slept in the bed. Slowly they distanced from her. Even though they are not near to her, She felt safe. She understood boys intension and get used to that.

Somedays, she slept with Rohini too. Rohini is so happy. In the past days almost a year, Radhi didn't slept in her lap nor with her in her room. Now Radhi came to sleep with Rohini. Boys felt happy for the changes. 

Sathya daily invited her to have a morning walk with him. Almost a year gone, but he still asked her. He never compelled her. he will always ask her once just to make her sure that he is there for her. Radhi regularly said no to him. But at one point she accepted and gave it a try.  And Now a days they are having their morning walks. On their return, they used to have vadai too with a coffee. 

In between, she got her first Menstrual cycle and they celebrated in between the family itself. She maintained distance from Vinoth and Madhan naturally. Now boys moved to their separate room for sleeping, But this didn't affected Radhi much. Boys without Radhi knowledge trained her for that.

Vinoth and Madhan drop her in school and they only pick her up from school in the evening. In School, she didn't want to get close with anyone. Because she strongly believe that if they get hurt then they will kill her cruelly. She mingled with others, but not so close. She concentrated on studies much. 

Days are not the same always.. yes another changing day came in Radhi's life. A girl, named Priya, who is studying 11th tried to bully her. Radhi silently moved from her. Priya, wrote a love letter for Madhan and insisted Radhi to give that to him. Radhi didn't liked it and so she didn't gave to Madhan. But she read the love letter.

On the following day thinking about this, Radhi forgot her lunch box and came to school with Vinoth. Vinoth told Madhan to follow him soon and started with Radhi, since it is time up for her school. Rohini gave lunch box to Madhan and told him to leave soon. He got struck in traffic and arrived school 10 minutes late. 

Vinoth- "dei, evlo neram da.. Vaa college polam.."

Madhan- "iru da. Radhi, lunch box ah maranthuta. vaa poi koduthutu varalam. "

They entered the school and waited for the prayer to get complete. Then with the help of staffs they checked for Radhi, she was not found. Boys got panic and searched for her with her class teacher. Radhi stood near the PET room with a group of girls. 

Priya- "hey enna di koduka sonna koduka mudiatha? avlo thimira unaku?"

When she was about to slap Radhi, Vinoth came in between and caught her hand. Madhan pulled Radhi towards him and hugged her.

Class teacher- "What nonsense is this? Radhi nee yen ma inga nikura?"

Radhi with tear filled eyes said, "en bag.. en bag..", she gulped and said, "avanga kita.. ". Madhan hugged her a little more to console her.

Class teacher - "Priya what is this? ava bag ah nee ethuku vaangi vachiruka?"

Priya- "miss naan..", she hesitated to say and looked down.

Class teacher- "solalaina ungala dismiss pana solli soliduven.. neenga panrathu raaging"

Girls got afraid and one from that group- "miss, Priya love letter koduka sonna.. Aaana, Radhi kodukave illa. atha thaan ketukitu irunthom." Radhi slowly looked up at Madhan. Madhan didn't looked at any of the girls. He only concentrated on Radhi.

Class Teacher- "What?"

Vinoth - "naan ivanga mela complaint pananum Mam, Principal kita.". Priya looked at him with fear.

Class Teacher- "itha naan pathukaren please. Ini ipadi nadakathu. Ini Radhi ku naan porupu. Sorry pa. Naan kandipa ivanga parents ta pesaren.. Neenga poitu vaanga. "

Madhan- "oru 3 mins, Radhi ta pesitu porom mam.. "

Class teacher nodded and went with the girls. Girls gave her bag back to her and left. Radhi too moved a little to Vinoth.

Vinoth- "ithukellam alugama chellam ", he wiped her tears" intha .... lunch bag ah maranthuta. ipo gnabagama eduthutu poo. sariah? ", Radhi nodded. He kissed her forehead, still Radhi eyes brimmed with tears. She got her bag and lunch bag looking down.

Madhan neared her, "ethuku ipo intha kannukulla ivlo kanneer varuthu? ", He kissed both her eyes. Radhi felt a different feel, when he kissed her. She felt butterflies in her. The letter lines voluntarily came to her mind and he looked handsome to her at the moment. H

Madhan- "yaravathu love letter kodutha solidu, En maddy ku ungala ellam pudikathunu.. sariah.... athulaium enga devathai, .... intha Radhi ya kastapaduthura yaraium pudikathu nu", he told her and then looked at Vinoth and said, "enada...?", her tears vanished.

Vinoth- "amam, enga chellatha, devathaiah  aluga vacha yaaraium engaluku pudikathu thaan"

Radhi eyes shined in happiness and her lips too curved with a smile. Radhi was changing slowly, Now her smile reached her eyes. She had a content smile. Still she didn't voice out any of her feelings, but she stared to change. It is like through his kiss, he woke up her soul. 

Radhi was staring at Madhan. Her eye lids moved here and there catching his eyes. Madhan too felt a strange feel inside him. He ignored that feel and again kissed her forehead. And from that moment her mind voice too got awaken. 

Radhi's mind voice- "appo naan thaan un devathai ah?" She dreamingly thought.

They bid-byed and went. She stared at his retiring figure. Madhan was leaving conversing with Vinoth.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How is it?

Please do vote and comment. 

Parvathi Suresh Sharma.