Kathir started gathering the onions to cut them..
"Podi podi ya narukanum" he was told by his wife...
K: "Yei Ndha... podi ya epdi narukka? ammi la potu podi aakanuma?"

M: "Ayo, ungala vechutu... podi podi aa naa chinnadha nu artham ga.. ungala laaaaam.. ipdi nagarunga.."she hits him on his shoulder as she pushes him and grabbed the knife from him to demonstrate how.

K : "Yei.. enna kai neeludhu.. naa unavida 2 vayasu periyavan.. nenaivu irkatum.. adhavida naa un purushan.. nyabagam iruku la?!"

M: "Naanum dhaan unga pondaati, vandi otum podhu adhaan chance nu evlo kottu vechurpeeha?! Adhulaam apdiye vida mudiyuma.. ipodhaan enaku chance-u! Pazhikku pazhi pulikku puli" she twitches her lips and smiles!

Kathir glares at her but turns around and silently smiles at her antics shaking his head.
"Seriyaana Vayaadi" he is actually enjoying this alone time with her.He was not going to let her know hes enjoying her company because... well...
"Idhu dhaan kathir.. etc etc etc", you all get the point!

The vegetables are getting cut one by one and Mullai schools Kathir about what a "vengayal thaal" is. Kathir is like the first bencher in a class, he has a hawk-like rapt attention and grasps everything quickly. But he also doesnt forget to admire Mullai and steal some time in between to just gape at her while shes busy explaining things.

The day was turning out to be one of the best he has ever had with every passing minute; He loves to see her nostrils flare in anger whenever he starts some random Papa story and hence keeps narrating more and more just to enjoy looking at his Mullai turn into a Chandramukhi!

After a few "neechal soli kuduthen" and "cycle soli kuduthen stories" Mullai had had enough!!!

M: "Yenga, Pesinadhu podhum, Edhaa paatu podunga, ketute samaikalaame!"

K: "Adhaan enodadhu Chozar kaalathu phone aache..un ultra modern phone la vekkavendiyadhu dhaane"

M: "Yenga, adhaan recipe video paathu samachutu irkom la.. summa oranda izhukkaama paata veikareehala?!"

Kathir wasnt done pulling her leg; He wanted to have a little more fun.. So he takes his phone and plays
"Unnai paartha piragu dhaan en sodhanai kaalam" and waits for her reaction with playful eyes glued on her face.
Yes, message received!! She immeadiately rolls her eyes and stares at him with her hands on her hip. Kathir controls himself from laughing and hurriedly taps random buttons and changes the song:
"Un samayal arayil naan uppa sakkaraya!!"

Mullai contracts her eyes and purses her lips as if shes demanding an explanation from him.
K: "Adhu.... ila venumne podala... adhu vandhu.. haan..
'Un' nu aaramikara paatu rendume.. adhaan confuse aaiten" he displays all his teeth.

M: "Hmm.. adhaane paathen.. idhu guru dakshanai naalum iniku naadhan ungalku guru- 'Give respect take respect Wokaaay?'" she replies mimicking Vadivelu with a side smile!

K: "Paah!!! apdiye vadivelu va paartha maariye irundhuchu!"

M: "Apdiya..Ungala paatha kuda dhaan cooku-with-comali contestant mariye irku, naa edhanaa sonenaa!"

K: "Unaaaaa..." he playfully holds her ears as she starts to pleade "Ayo pleasenga pleasenga"!!

He just relishes the adorable cries and lets her go. They both get on with the cooking with cute funny banters like this now and then.

Mullai is radiating with a wide smiley face while Kathir is now into the school-kid-the night-before-an-exam mode.

The vegetables are all now prepped up, and Mullai asks Kathir to fetch oil for the sautee.

  K: "Ndhaa.. endha ennai?' indha periya ennaya ila andha chinna ennaya?! ozhunga sollu!!"
Mullai is beyond shocked!!

She breaks the 4th wall and stares at... Us.. yes , Us....

"Ivara enna nga panalam.. Pandian Stores la velapaakara mariya pesraaru? Endha ennai nu peru kuda therila!!!"

..........,.

K: "Yei, naa orthan dhaan inga irken, nee yaarukitta pesitu iruka?"

M: "Adhulaam ungaluku puriyadhu vidunga.. Yenga... kadai la ennai peru laam epdi soluveeha?! Inga vandhu periya ennai chinna ennai nu solitu irukeeha!! "

K: "Bottle la oothi vecha enakenna theriyum. Kadai la packet la potu endha ennai nu ezhudhirpaanga la?!"

M: "Sutham, sunflower... adhu.. andha periya ennai dhaan, adha edunga" she hits her forehead and smiles.
As they sautee and take the vegetables to keep them aside, Mullai brings the egg crate so they can get on with the final step of making the omlette.

M: "Yenga, enaku chinnapillai lerndhe oru sandhegam aana yaarayume ketadhilla, ungala kekava?"

K: "Venaam na vidava pora, kelu kelu"

M: "Adhu, indha ulagathula modhalla kozhi vandhucha ila Muttai vandhucha?"

K: "Ipo edhuku unaku indha sandhegam?! Adhuvum enna paatha dhaan unaku indhamari elaame kekanum nu thonuma?"

M: "Illanga, omlette poda muttai eduthadhum nyabagam vandhuchu.. sollungalen please!"

K: "Yei.. ena nee summa noi noi nu kitu"

M: "Yenga, idhu samayalkattunga.. nei nei nu sollunga!!" she laughs at her own joke!

K: "Yei oru omlette soli tharadhukulla enna omlette potruva pola nee! Indha nei nei laam anikke naa joke illa nu soliten la!!"

M: "Seri adhavidunga.. badhil sollunga please"

K: "Ayo.. saavadikaraale! Seri.. Kozhi dhaan modhalla vandhuchu." he answers from the top of his head.

M: "Adhu epdi solreega?", she wasnt going to let it go so soon.

K MV: "Vidamaatale!! Periyya village vignyaani nu nenapu!!"

K: "Yei, seri.. idhu enna?!" he takes an egg from the crate and shows her.

M : "Muttai" she answers it in a tone sounding obvious.

K: "Adhu theridhu.. enna muttai idhu?"

M: "Mmm.. kozhi mutta!"

K: "Paathiya, neeye kozhi-muttai nu sonna aana muttai-kozhi nu solala.. adhunaala kozhi dhaan mudhalla vandhuchu!" he smiles at her victoriously raising his eyebrows!

M: "Ayuyyyuo!! Epdeenha ipdi?!" she sarcastically does a slow clap.

K: "Adhulaam apdi dhaan.. seri.. omlette aa papoma.. edhayaa pesikitu.." he gets back to his learning mode. He is definitely a quick learner; he cracks the eggs like a master and follows Mullai's instruction to the T and after what felt like a joyful eternitu, the omlette is finalllly ready!

Now was the moment of truth. He asks Mullai to do the taste test! As Mullai was looking around for a plate to serve it and taste, when she least expected, Kathir takes a piece and feeds her!
Lo!!!! The moment of truth became the moment for eyelock... they both literally get lost in each others eyes and then 
K: "ssssss aa!"

M: "Ayoyo sorrynga.. paakama unga verala kadichuten! Sorry nga.. ayo cha!"

K: "Ila.. paravala irukatum.."

Both blush turning to the other side followed by a few seconds of awkward silence. They both have their own self-debates in their own mindvoices if they should speak anything now and if so what to speak... As they turn towards each other at the same time.... Ri Ga Ma Ri Ga Sa... round 2 of the eyelock!!

Finally Mullai decides to break the silence.. she just bows down her head unable to look into those captivating eyes of his

M: "Sandhoshama? Omlette ivlodhaan.. naliku UNGA PAPA varumpodhu panikuduthu asathunga".

K: "Hmm... hey.. adhu.. vandhu..
...
Dho paaru, idhu naa kathukitadhu naaliku Papa ku pani kudukka mattum illa.. " he stops searching for her eyes.

Just as he stops, she looks up at his eyes and the smile from his lips gets transferred to hers.

And just like that, all was well in the little world of Kathir and Mullai.

K: "Hey, aprom, andha omlette seyyara vidhi murai laam indha note la ezhudhi veikariya. Kadai lendhu oru note eduthutu vandhen unaku ubayogama irkumo nu." he places it on the kitchen counter, nods a smiley goodbye and leaves to the store.

She takes the blank notebook from him to write down the recipe and was astonished to see what was written on the first page:

முல்லை கதிர்வேலன்

(Mullai Kathirvelan)

in his handwriting. She felt as if the universe heard her pleas and decided to shower her with happiness at that very moment.
Yes, as the others say, whoever that Papa was-Kathir might be very close to her..but not as close as she was..
The name on the notebook stood as a testament to their closeness- Kathir being right next to her name Mullai.

The End

———————————————————————————
Author's note:
Hello everyone! Hope you enjoyed this short story :) Thanks for the great support and super entertaining comments :)
Wanted to explain a few references used by me in this story in case it wasnt too obvious:
Breaking the 4th wall:
The technique of breaking the fourth wall generally applies to plays, TV shows and movies. It means that a character talked directly to the audience. The term originated from the idea that a theater stage is made up of three solid walls, the fourth wall is invisible. The audience looks past this last wall like voyeurs.

Periya Ennai Chinna Ennai:
This is a nod to actor Kumaran from that one episode of Mr and Mrs Chinnathirai in the round "Cook-u with Makku" where he says this when the judges ask him what oil he used to cook 🤪

As always.. start music in the comments 😊 Please give me your review and feedback! Thanks again! Cheers!