At home, 

Sivaangi--"Job ah vitutu, enna panna poreenga After your resignation, what are you going to do)?"

Ashwin--" Vera job iruku ma, IT Job. En friend company la nan already work paniruken. Avanuku messsage paniten, Work from home than. prachanai illa. (I have another job too. Already having worked for my friend's company, I messaged him for a job. I will work from home. No Problem)"

Sivaangi-"Ithellam eppo paneenga (When you did all these)?"

Ashwin--"Professor job-ah resign pannum pothe paniten. Next week work start agidum, Athuku apuram nan oru Team Leader. (I did these once I resigned my job. Next week, my work will start as a team leader.)"

Sivaangi-"athepadi Professor ah irunthu IT velaiku poreenga , athuvum TL ah (How can it be? a professor to an IT worker, that too as a team lead)?"

Ashwin--"Naan enna padichuruken nu unaku theriuma, Sivaangi (Do you know my qualification, Sivaangi)?", for which she nodded her head negatively.

Ashwin--"appo first atha therinjuko. apuram kelu. Athellam irukattum. aduthu enna panna pora (Then first you know that, then ask these. Let it be. What will you do next?)?"

Sivaangi-"theriala. Padichutu velaikku ponum nu ninaichen, sir. But ippo.. (I don't know. I thought to go for a job after graduation, but now,...)"

Ashwin-"hmmm. inime enna sir-nu koopdatha. Nan ippo Professor illa. Aduththu, unaku enna job ponum-nu asai (Hmm. Firstly, don't call me Sir; I am not a professor now. Secondly, what job do you wish to join?)?"

Sivaangi--"Software Developer. Raju Anney Thangam mathiri aganum. enaku avanga work panrathu romba pudikkum (Software developer, like Brother and Thangam  I love the way they work.)"

Ashwin--"athuku ennena thevayo atha padi ma, online courses ah complete pannu. degree certificate ah pathukalam.  ne ella courses-um mudichathum, job ku aplly panalam. (Just start your study related to that. do online courses. A degree certificate is not a matter. After finishing the courses, you will apply for a job.)"

Sivaangi-"athu degree certificate visayam... ithu thappu illaya (Regarding the degree certificate... is it not wrong)?", Ashwin looked at her and with smile he asked,

Ashwin-"Sivaangi ma, Unaku enna evlo pudikkum (Sivaangi ma, How much will you like me)?"

Sivaangi-"purinchuduchu sir, Thappu illa. thappe illa. Nan enna course padikanum nu pakuren (Understood Sir, It is never wrong. I will check for the courses to start.)" , saying so she tried to leave. But Ashwin grabbed her waist and pulled her towards him

Ashwin-"punishment ethuku kudukuranga, theriuma (Do you know why punishment is given?)?"

Sivaangi-"marupadium thappu panna koodathunu (so that the mistakes will not be repeated.)", she said in a low tone.

Ashwin-"correct. Nan sir-nu koopdathanu sonnathuku apuram kooptathu thappu thane (Correct, After my instruction, too, you called me sir. Is it not wrong)?", he leaned towards her and whispered in her ears.

Sivaangi-"mm", With this proximity, she is unable to listen and just hums without knowing what he asks.

Ashwin saw her lips and looked into her eyes. Sivaangi closed her eyes, and the next moment, his lips met hers.

Ashwin -"ini nee sir-nu koopta, ithu than thandanai. unaku thandanai venumna koopdu (Hereafter, this will be the punishment for calling me sir; if you want this punishment, then go ahead.)", he said it in his intense, base voice, which made her surprised and shocked equally.

He left her when they heard a noise. He used to tease her a lot; hugs and kisses are happening frequently now, but the effect he has on her has been the same from day one. He can make her forget everything. He is magic to her. But until now, they hadn't proposed. 

Sivaangi-"neenga thappa eduthukalaina, Naan onnu kekava? (If you don't mind, may I ask you one thing?)"

Ashwin-"Kelu ma (ask ma)"

Sivaangi-"ungalukku bayama illaya? en kooda pei irukumo nu (Are you not afraid of the rumours that there is a ghost with me?)"

Ashwin-"iruntha, Nan athuku thanks than solluven (I will thank it if such exists)"

Sivaangi--"ethey (WHAT)!!!", she is shocked. She didn't expect this answer.

Ashwin-"ethuku shock agura. Pei irukunu vachupom, antha peiyala thane ippo namma ore room la thoongurom. Nan thaniah saptiah nu keka kooda aal illama thaniah irunthen, ippo paru enkooda oru peria family ae iruku.. epopathalum enna suthi suthi varra nee, anna anna nu 30 nimishaththukku yelam vidura thangatchi, mama mama nu kaala suthura oru kutty paiyan, apuram nan entha mudivu eduthalum support pandra rendu machangal. ithellam ipo nan anubavikurathu athala thane.. appo thanks sollanumla (Why are you shocked? Let the ghost exist. Only because of it are we under the same roof. I was all alone, without anyone. Now I have you around me, a sister to call me every thirty minutes, a baby to grab my leg by calling mama mama, and two brother-in-laws to support me in all decisions. All these things are happening only because of it, so I should thank it. Right?)"

Sivaangi-"kekka nalla than iruku. oruvela athu enna ethavathu paniduchuna? appo kooda thanks solluveengala? (It is good to hear, but what if something happens to me? At that time, too, will you say thanks?)"

Ashwin-"pannathu.. (It won't)"

Sivaangi-"epadi solreenga? (How sure are you?)"

Ashwin--"rendu pera konna athuku unna kolla theriatha? anna kollalala, un udambum athukku thevai illa, yenna athu unakulla pugura muyarchi pannave illa. unkita irunthu yetho onnu athuku venum, athanala athu unna onnum pannathu. (It already killed two people; will it not know to kill you? But it didn't. It doesn't need your body either, since it didn't obsess over you. It needs something from you. So it will not do anything.)", sivaangi was listening and thinking.

Ashwin--"ma, bayanthute iruntha bathil kidaikathu. namakku sathagama ethu irukunu yosikanum. Nammala mudinchatha pannanum. bathil kandippa kidaikum. Nalla yosi, unaku pei bayam irukathu, poidum. yaar kanda? ne pei kooda pechu vartha kooda nadathalam, thelivaa iruntha. (Ma, Fear will not help you find the answers. You should search for the things that favour you. You should try your best to find the answers. If you think well, you will not be scared of ghosts. Who knows? You will even have a conversation with it.)", he casually gave courage to her. his just molding her.

Sivaangi-"oru verla psycho illaina seirla killer ithu marri yethavathu... (What if he is a psycho or a serial killer?)"

Ashwin-"irukalam, apadi iruntha unna pathina inforamtion avanukku therianum. un mobile un annan control la iruku, veedu full-ah cctv camera iruku. unoda mails Malini check pannura. Enaku onnume agala naan unkoodave iruken, ore room la. ini avan kollanumna enna... (May be. If that is the case, then he should know you. Now your mobile is under your brother's control. CCTV cameras are all over the house. Malini is checking your mail. I am still fine here, though I am with you in your room. If he is about to kill, then he should kill..)", Sivaangi closed his mouth to stop.

Sivaangi--"Sir please, ungaluku ethavathu aachunna apuram enna.. (Sir Please, if something happens to you, I will not..)", He started to kiss her lips and broke when her lungs were knocked out of air, to stop her in the conversation. Ashwin saw her blushing face and started to kiss her hungrily. He left her when she was breathless.

Ashwin-"nalaila irunthu konjam yoga breathing exercise pannu, use agum (Do some breathing exercises in yoga. It will help.)", he winked at her.

Sivaangi-"ponga eppo pathalum ipadiae punish panikitu (Leave me. Always giving me this punishment.)"

Ashwin-"correct than, ini vera vera punishment thaan, ore punishment kidaitathu. unake ithu bore adichuduchu pola (Correct. Hereafter, No, same punishment; I will change it since you got bored.)", saying so he cupped her face, traced her cheeks, and captured her lower lips between his teeth before getting into a long, deep kiss.

Lost in the kiss, he was hugging her waist, pulling her closer. He nibbled the pulse in her throat, and she threw her head back, giving him more access to her, and her fingers racked through his hair. His hand rubbed her back in circles. Her body jolted when his hands accidentally reached the side of her breast as he was grazing her back. When his hands were just below the blossom, she gasped loudly, pulling away from the kiss. He calmed her by hugging her gently and comfortably, then she pushed him away and ran to her room shyly.

Later in the evening, everyone gathered in the hall,

Malini-"engayavathu velila polama? oru kutty tour mathiri (Shall we go out somewhere, like on a tour?)"

Sivaangi--"amam polam at least for 2 days. enakum oru change venum nu thonuthu (Yes, we can go for at least two days. I need a change.)"

 Ashwin--"Jeevan health kum othukura mathiri oru place kidaicha polam (Choose the place that suits Jeevan's health condition.)"

Raju--"okay nan plan panren. intha weekend polam (Okay. I will plan accordingly. This weekend, we will start.)"

Rakshan--"neenga elarum first kilambunga, enaku release iruku nan vanthu join panikuren. (You all start first, and I will join later. I am having a release on my project.)" 

They joyfully started their planning for the outing without knowing that this trip would change their lives entirely and that all the knots were going to be untied.

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How is it?

Kindly do vote and comments.

Parvathi Suresh Sharma.