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Sindhu woke up early the next morning and started cooking. She peeled potatoes before putting rice in the cooker. She was slicing onions and tomatoes when she remembered Karthik is not awake yet; or may be he is getting ready in his room.

When rice was cooked, she put a pot of water on the stove to prepare tea. When it was done, she took a cup and knocked his door. There was no sound from the other end except the whirring of the fan. She entered the room, only after knocking the door again.

Karthik was asleep on his bed. She had to call his name number of times until he finally woke up.

"What?" he yelled, irritation lacing his voice.

"So.. He is always like this" she mumbled under her breath.

"What?" he asked, looking annoyed at her.

Sindhu thought he looked cute with his morning bed hair, even if he looked annoyed. She cleared her throat "I said you will be late to office"

As if on cue, his eyes shifted to the wall clock opposite to his bed making him get up in hurry.

"Your tea" she said, giving his cup which he took without arguing; she sighed in relief for a non-fussy morning.

Going back to kitchen, she resumed her cooking. She made Maggi for breakfast not knowing what he likes.

By the time he came to the living room formally dressed, she placed a bowl of Maggi in front of him and saw a look of surprise on his face.

Oh My God!! He doesn't like Maggi? But I thought everyone loves it.

He sat in one of the chairs of the dining table, grabbing the bowl.

Sindhu hoped he liked it. It was looking colorful, with the onions and tomatoes and she prayed it was tasty too.

When he took a spoonful, she was almost ready to pass out from the tension.

Thankfully, he said nothing and continued eating. Meanwhile, she went back to kitchen and packed his lunch.

When Karthik came to kitchen to wash hands, he was shocked seeing the Tupperware Lunch Box Set that Sindhu was packing hurriedly.

"What's that?" he asked, unable to keep the surprise off his voice.

"Lunch for you" she answered nonchalantly.

"I didn't tell you to prepare" he said coldly.

Sindhu sighed heavily knowing where this discussion is going. She replied however "Should you?"

When he glared at her, she added "I already told you, I am only doing what I am supposed to do. I don't have a problem cooking for you since I have to cook for myself. And I know, food at mess is horrible"

"But, I am used to it" he fumed.

"You need not eat that anymore. You have a choice now" she said, almost pleading.

"Please. Take this" she finally said and thrust the lunch bag into his hands.

He took the bag, not at all happy at what she was making him do and left the house taking his backpack with him.

After he was gone, Sindhu brought a bowl of Maggi for herself and savored it happily. It's very tasty.

Karthik walked out of his apartment, took the elevator to the cellar where his bike was parked. Then, he started the engine and drove to his office.

His office is about 20 kms away from his house, but since it is located in the outskirts of the city it took less than half an hour to reach there. This is his third company after he started working. He was a CSE graduate from one of the reputed colleges of Hyderabad, found a job in Deloitte during the campus placements where he worked for almost 3 years. After that, he joined Infosys where he met Tulasi.

He was a TA there while she joined as a fresher. She worked with his team and they fell in love eventually. After she left, he couldn't work there anymore and left the company.

His seniors from college started the company he is presently working, MSS. They wanted Karthik to join them but he was in Infosys and didn't accept their proposal not wanting to leave Tulasi. After she left him, he didn't have a reason to stay there and so eventually joined MSS as a team lead.

Though it is a small company, it's paying him well. Moreover, his best friend Ravi is working there.

He made way to his cabin and switched on the computer. He scheduled meetings with his team members and clients. By the time he answered mails, talked with the clients, had a group meeting with his team, lunch time arrived.

Karthik was in his cabin when Ravi entered the room, without knocking.

"I am hungry. Shall we go?" Ravi asked.

"One minute" Karthik answered replying to a mail, before locking his system.

"Your wife packed you lunch?" Ravi asked eagerly looking at the lunch box.

"Yes" he said dryly and got up from his chair not taking the bag.

"You are not bringing your lunch?" Ravi asked him, looking surprised.

"No" he replied.

"Are you mad or something? You prefer messed up mess food over homemade food?"

"Yes" Karthik said firmly. He doesn't want to eat her food. She made sure he didn't have a choice at home. Now, he can eat whatever he wanted to; even if it's horrible.

"Is your wife a bad cook?" Ravi asked, alarmed.

Karthik remembered the previous day's dinner. It was good and today's breakfast was amazing. It was the best maggi he ever had. Yet, he doesn't want to eat her food. He was scared he would get used to her food; to her.

She must be cooking to earn her way to his heart and he is no fool.

"It's fine" he answered his friend.

"Then why don't you--" Ravi stopped, apparently understanding his best friend. After few seconds, he added "If you don't want to eat, then I will"

Karthik didn't respond to that and both of them walked towards the cafeteria. There were number of software companies in the building and only two cafeterias; both worse.

They walked towards the one they always go and found themselves an empty table. Karthik went towards the billing counter to buy his routine - South Indian Meal. It was as bad as the North Indian Meal. In fact, he found no difference between the two but he had no choice.

He went to the table where Ravi has already unpacked his lunch boxes.

"Kar, did you see what your wife prepared?"

He didn't like his friend referring Sindhu as his wife. It might be true that she is his wife but she had a name. Why can't Ravi say her name instead of reminding his pain every few minutes.

"I don't care" he replied dryly.

Ravi glared at him "You have rice, tomato dal, potato fry, rasam and curd here"

"So?" he prompted.

"You have a full meal here from home and you want that tasteless food" Ravi said, looking at Karthik's plate.

It was indeed tasteless, Karthik thought. But he was used to it.

"If you still want to eat that, go on. I will eat your box" Having said that, Ravi served rice on his plate mixing it with dal.

He thought the food was amazing. He loved everything Karthik's wife cooked. He was never a fan of rasam, but even that was good.

Ravi didn't understand how his best friend can be such a fool. He knew everything about Tulasi; he met her so many times. Tulasi was a really good woman but she is married now and moved on with her life. He wished Karthik did the same with Sindhu; he attended Karthik's marriage and thought they were made for each other.

He wanted his best friend to be happy again but even he knew it's not going to happen anytime soon. Karthik is stubborn and he felt sad for Sindhu. She seemed like the kind of woman every man wants as his wife. Karthik is stupid to not realize that.

Ravi is married for an year now but his wife never packed lunch for him. She is always busy socializing, organizing kitty parties rather than taking caring of her husband. He would give anything for a wife like Sindhu.

After emptying all the boxes, Ravi gave the lunch bag back to Karthik and made their way back to their cabins.

****

That evening when Sindhu saw the boxes empty, she felt very happy. The whole day she was scared he might not want to eat the food she prepared but now that he did, she relaxed.

She was glad that he accepted her cooking.

As days passed, she cooked food everyday which he would take without arguing. But he never commented anything; not even a single compliment.

Most of the times she cooked full meals but at times when she woke up late and didn't have time to cook a full meal, she would prepare simple dishes like tomato rice.

Even though she was cooking and doing all the household work, Sindhu still had free time. She rarely went to Karthik's room except when she had to clean. It was during one of those times, she found a bath tub under the shower in his attached bath room. She sulked at the thought that all she had in the common bathroom was a small shower; she so wanted to use the bath tub one day when he is away, which he is always. He worked on Saturdays as well.

One Friday morning when Sindhu is tired from cooking and didn't have a proper sleep the night before, she decided to use his bath tub.

After making sure he left, which she observed from their balcony she walked to his room and locked herself in his bathroom. She let the tub fill with hot water and sat in it, instantly feeling better. After few minutes, she had a shower and walked out of the bath wrapping a white towel around her body.

However she was shocked seeing Karthik in his room, searching for something in his cupboards. Like her, even he looked shocked seeing her in his room, in just a towel.

His eyes narrowed into slits, Karthik yelled "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I-I was u-using your tub" she stuttered, feeling scared.

"And who gave the permission to use mine?" he snapped.

"I f-felt like using it" she said shrugging off.

"Or were you here to seduce me?" he fumed, looking very angry.

Till then she was scared seeing him. But now, all she felt towards him was hurt and anger. When he observed that she was hurt, his expression softened a bit; a very tiny bit.

"Who do you think you are? Shah Rukh Khan?" She spat back, with a scowl.

"I-I- " he stuttered and then stopped himself, saying nothing.

However Sindhu had a lot to say and so she did "If you really don't want me to use your things, I won't as you wish. But remember one thing - I am not your maid who cleans your bed room and bath room and doesn't even get to use them. I don't--"

"You clean them?" he interrupted her, looking surprised.

"No. They clean themselves magically" she said sarcastically making him glare at her.

They continued glaring at each other, none of them showing signs to back off. Even Sindhu didn't care that she is just in her towel.

"How did you get in by the way?" she asked finally.

"I knocked the door. I had to use my key when you didn't open the door" he said seriously.

"Oh. I didn't hear, I was in the shower" she said calmly.

"I figured it out. But I didn't expect you to be in mine" he said dryly.

Sindhu groaned mentally "Look, I won't use yours ever again. I came here only after I saw you leave. I didn't think you'd be back soon"

She turned around to go to her room before stopping herself at his door "I am sorry. I promise I won't be here again"

Having said that, she left the room.

Sindhu spent the rest of the day thinking why she said sorry to him when he was the one who accused her of trying to seduce him.

She felt dejected and hurt. She didn't expect him to be this cold towards her.

--

Thank you for reading.

I know Karthik is being mean to her. But, you can't expect him to change overnight. He is just married and needs some time to know his wife. So, please be patient ;) ;)

Comment your views of this chap.

The bonus of 'It's time to move on' is also updated. Please, have a look.

- JANAKI S