Author's note

Hey guys, hope you all are doing good. I know I said I'm taking break for couple of days, which is still on by the way. I got today as a bonus free day and so, I slept half day and I decided to work on this story as I already wrote half chapter before.

I have online exams scheduled from Feb 4. Joining a new course as well. So, I might be irregular at times. Either I'll give updates sooner or later. Thank you for your response on previous chapter. We have crossed 160K and now at 164K. This wouldn't be possible without your support. Thank you. Hope you enjoy the chapter.

Since its a TS, things would progress quickly among them. Will try to wrap the story in two more chapters. Actually wrote this one as a part of Enemies to lovers themed OS book for Dearly Detested but then made it into a TS as it got lengthy. I changed the theme as well. So, yeah. If there's any issues with the plotline, feel free to ask me.

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Disclaimer

This story is a piece of fiction based on author's imagination and has nothing to do with the actual life of the characters mentioned in the story. I have casted Ashwin Kumar and Sivaangi Krishnakumar as leads.

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Ashaangi TS Oui, Chef 

Part III | A |

Later that day, when Ashwin walked inside FIKA, he saw the waiting staff getting up from their seats and arranged the table. Shaking his head, he walked inside the kitchen and found everyone, including Sivaangi chatting around. On seeing him, everyone scattered but Sivaangi stayed by Pavi's work station and ate a carrot piece.

Sivaangi looked at Ashwin with a smug smile and winked at him. He averted his gaze quickly with a stern look and walked inside the chef locker room. He placed his things inside and put on his chef coat.

"Yenna pathu kannu adikura!" Ashwin muttered under his breath, "Yarachum patha yenna agurathu!"

Ashwin buttoned up his coat as he muttered under his breath, "Ashwinn! Unaku kitchen kula professional mode ku poeta pei pidichurum. Pathu, avala kathiratha! Pinna aduthu yenna sambhavam pannuva nu theriyathu!"

Once done, Ashwin took a deep breath and opened the chef locker room door. He saw Sivaangi in front of him with her hand raised gesturing that she was about to enter.

"Yenna boyfri-" Sivaangi started excitedly but got cut off in middle when Ashwin exclaimed and pulled her inside before closing the door.

"Hey! Yenna boy friendeyy neenga-"

"Aii! Boyfriend nu kathi kupdatha modha!" Ashwin exclaimed, "Yarukachum ketra podhu!"

"Yean? Keta yenna?" Sivaangi rolled her eyes at him but then with a teasing smile, she asked him, "Kathi solama silent ah kupta okay ah, boy friendeyy?"

"Hey! Ithu enn amma ta sonna oru poi. Atha namma workplace ku eduthutu vara avasiyam ila. Nee kathi sonna na, yarachum ketruvanga! Nee apdi kuptaley thevai iladha prachana dhan varum" Ashwin explained.

"Ohh, neenga apdi varinga la. Seri seri" Sivaangi said leaning closer to Ashwin and whispered, "Puriyudhu boy friendeyy"

"Modhala indha boy friendeyy nu kupduratha nipatu" Ashwin said with a glare.

"Athellam mudiyathu. Kupda nalla iruku la. Commit agamayeh aalu vachurukathu oru mathiri jolly ah dhan iruku" Sivaangi grinned.

"Hey! Naan onum unn aal ila!" Ashwin exclaimed.

"Aal ila dhan aana ex crush aache" Sivaangi shrugged, "Inaiku kitchen la nadandhukuratha pathu again crush aanalum aaga vaipu iruku"

Ashwin shook his head in disbelief.

"Idha paru! When it comes to my kitchen, I'm very serious. Enoda temper mela enaku control irukadhu. Indha mathiri kannu adikurathu, boy friendeyy nu solrathu lam kitchen la vachukatha" Ashwin said in a stern voice.

Sivaangi listened everything with a smug smile and took a step closer to Ashwin making him step back instinctively. Biting back her smile, she took a step back.

'Parava ilayeh, ivaru kitchen la matum dhan moratu piece pola. Mothapadi dummy dhan pola. Evlo adichalum thanga kudiya aalu dhan' Sivaangi thought with a smile.

Ashwin cleared his throat on getting no response from Sivaangi who's staring at him with a smile.

"Madam, evlo neram dhan ipdi pathu sirichutu irupinga. Thallu" Ashwin broke her trance.

"Acho, sorry boy friendeyy, sight adichutu irundhen apdiyeh vera thoughts ku teleport agiten" Sivaangi grinned at Ashwin who shook his head.

"Yepovum ivlo open ah dhan pesuviya pasanga ta?"

"Pasanga ta ipdi pesuven ah nu therla aana ipdi ongata matum dhan. You know enaku neraya celebrity crush irukanga. Real life la idhu vara school padikura apo oru crush irundhuchu athuku aprm pala varsham kalichu vandhruku. So, neenga special dhan, boy friendeyy. Yethana per ku crush eh boy friend ah kedaikum solunga?" Sivaangi enjoyed the way Ashwin's face changed on listening to her.

Of course, Sivaangi's being an open book but teasing Ashwin was fun too.

"Naan unoda boy friend ila" Ashwin managed to say and the latter part, it was more like he telling himself rather than to her, "And neeyeh sona ex crush nu"

"Yenamoh onu. Neenga inaiku kitchen la tension aagama irunga Head Chef. Yelarum onga mela kola gaandu la irukanga. Thanyama pesunalum velai vangalam, thittite irundha velaiku agathu. Avanga ongala veruka kudathu naan nenakuren. Enaku purinjuruchu neenga kitchen kula matum dhan kovam, mogata katurathu nu, avangaluku puriyanum la" Sivaangi sincerely said and added, "Neenga dummy piece dhan nu"

Ashwin who was actually listening to everything Sivaangi said patiently glared at her for the last part making her giggle.

"Seri, seri. Dummy ila. Nala aalu dhan, soft hearted nu therinchukanum la yelarum. Give them a chance so that they give you one" Sivaangi said with a smile and moved aside paving way for Ashwin to walk out.

Ashwin gave a nod and walked out while Sivaangi walked to her locker.

Later that day Ashwin checked every ingredient, sauces and soups before they started work. He was assertive but wasn't too harsh yet stayed strict. Sivaangi realized that he's trying and smiled as she worked.

After busy restaurant hours, everyone packed up to leave after they had group dinner save for Ashwin who had his in his cabin. Sivaangi made excuses to Pavi and went to Ashwin's cabin.

"Nee inum kelambama yenna panra?" Ashwin asked looking at time before looking at Sivaangi.

"Kelamba dhan poren. Pora munna boy friend ta solitu polam nu vandhen" Sivaangi said leaning on the chair opposite to Ashwin, "Poetu varen boy friendeyy"

Ashwin rolled his eyes at Sivaangi.

'Naan kupdatha nu sona iva keka va pora' Ashwin thought to himself.

"Late agiruchu. Pathu po"

"Seri, seri. Enoda Mamiyaar ku good night sonen nu solirunga. Bye" Sivaangi said with a teasing smile before walking out.

Ashwin gaped at Sivaangi's words. Just as she left, an unknown smile crept on his lips. He recalled how she said about him being her crush part and that she understood his nature in a very short time and wanted others to understand him and not hate him.

His mobile rang pulling Ashwin out of his thoughts. It was from his mother. He shook his head with a smile.

"Indha maamiyaar marumagala maathi maathi samaliche enaku naaku thallirum pola" Ashwin mumbled before attending his mother's call.

Anuradha enquired Ashwin when he would be home. He replied her, finished with the stock details he was going through before leaving to home, smiling.

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Sivaangi walked inside her house with a smile on her lips. She recalled how her day went and thinking about Anuradha mam and Ashwin, her smile widened. But her smile turned into a frown when she heard loud shout heard from upstairs.

With her heart in her hand, Sivaangi quickly climbed the stairs to see her father struggling to hold down her shrieking brother. Tears stinged her eyes as she watched her brother screaming his father to let him go.

Sivaangi's eyes fell on the syringe on the floor nearby her brother's arm and understood the situation.

"Sivaangi, ivana pidi!!"

"Aiii! Sivaangi! Appa va ena vida solu di!" Her brother screamed.

Sivaangi blinked her tears and quickly took the syringe from the floor and injected it to her brother careful not to hurt him. Within a minute, the medicine kicked in and her brother fell unconscious.

Krishnan managed to drag his son to the bed. Sivaangi wiped her tears and pulled the duvet over her brother before she and her father walked out of the room. Her father locked the room from outside, placed his hand on her shoulder before walking away.

It has been four years since her mother died in an accident. Her brother Karthick was also part of the accident. Their mother died but he survived. Post that accident, Karthick was never the same. Trauma of the accident, witnessing mother's death in front of him all those pushed him towards alcohol and drugs.

Sivaangi and her father Krishnan had no clue about Karthick's state. They were mourning themselves. By the time they came to know, it was too late for he became addicted to alcohol and drugs. They tried to help him but he pushed them away and so, they tried to get him treated from home for years. He would be good for a while and then go back to the same addictive pattern. He's growing more and more violent.

Wiping her tears, Sivaangi went to her room after checking up on her father. She may look like a happy go lucky person on outside but only she knows the scars she carries around. She only knows about the struggles she faces every day.

Sivaangi already ate at work. So, she changed her clothes and laid herself on the bed. As she closed her eyes, she could hear her brother's screaming ringing in her ears. That night, she cried herself to sleep.

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Thank you for reading,

Nan ~