"Suman...when are we  going to talk about us to your parents? I am scared..what if, they don't like me..."

He mumbled  in low tone....

Suman looked up him and pouted...

" Why do you think so shravan..? They will definitely like you"

  She raised her brows and punched his biceps...

" Ouch... it's paining...devil...."

He winced...

" Suman...if your parents don't like me, what will you do?"

Cliche!!!!

" I will live with my  prince ..or else I will die"

She acted like a retro heroine...

His face shrunk in embarrass... He stood up and began to walk...

" Hello...my dear  Majnu...." She called him with love filled  expression and followed...

It was a Saturday evening  which had begun to dusk...

  They were in Shravan's farmhouse which was obviously their weekend meeting point...

    She interlaced her fingers with his..

" Shravan... don't worry.. let's handle everything together..."

He smiled and nodded with a deep sigh...then , he smiled within a second.. 

" Yes... let's handle everything together.."

He pulled her to him for a fond hug...

_____________________________________

      Ting ...ting...

" Suman beta.. Where are you ?open the door.
..I am at kitchen."

Priya shouted from kitchen...

"ma...I  can't .. it's Sunday..Let me sleep for some more time"

She rolled over the bed , pulling the blanket close to her...

" Suman.. papa went for jogging.. He told that someone related to a case would be coming.. perhaps , it would be that someone.. Please open the door dear..I am on my way"

Priya replied .. 

No other go if there is a word like investigation and cases .. I have to get up now...

Suman got up in a wink..she quickly went to fresh herself while the bell rang for the second time..

She hurriedly stepped down , while calling Priya...

" ma.. this is too much .. can't you open the door ..?"

She opened the door swiftly and stood froze for a second...

Shravan...!!!

" ssshhhrava.."

She didn't complete..

" Who is that?"

Neeraj stepped in the portico and stood confused , seeing shravan..

His brows arched at suman.. 

Suman muttered under her breath, in an attempt to say something...

" hello sir.. I am shravan... "

Shravan said in an energetic tone and extended his hands to Neeraj..

Neeraj's face turned into familiar note and he shook his hands gently..

" come inside,  young man..."

 he invited shravan to get inside and ushered the couch to be  seated...

Neeraj sat down just  opposite to shravan  and gauged him from top to toe...

All through the scenario, Suman stood like elf struck and was starring at them .. 

" Suman beta.." she didn't respond..

" Suman.. " Neeraj called her again..

" pappa.."

 she  came out of the reverie...

" bring something to drink..coffee for me.. and , What would you like to have?"

He asked shravan..

" Anything would go , sir"

He said politely.. 

" Suman.. coffee.. for both of us.."

She walked towards the kitchen like a programmed robot...

what is happening ? papa is reacting cool.. will he accept our love?

She reached the kitchen and by the time , Priya was ready with the coffee...

" here is the coffee.. give the coffee  tray to papa .. "

suman looked at the tray.. along with the coffee, there were sweets and savories too..

" ma... I can't" she denied and began to walk towards her room...

In fact, she was scared to the hell.. she was unsure what would happen if shravan would  come up with the marriage  proposal..she  closed the door and sat down in her bed...she clenched her eyes tightly thinking that , she won't go downstairs again.. In other hand, enthusiasm peaked in her mind.. She wanted to know what they are talking and how shravan convinces Neeraj and Priya..

She pushed herself to a quick shower and dressed up well.. Looking in the mirror she breathed out slowly...

nothing would go wrong suman..you are not a common woman.. You should face anything to get shravan...

She patted her shoulders and pranced through the steps..

her prance tumbled to a slow walk when she saw neeraj and priya talking with Shravan. She stood there for sometime and watched them , leaning at the wall..

" suman.. come on .. join us.. "

Priya invited her...

 She joined them with hesitation...

The talk wandered from politicians to space science and from economics to finance.. Suman sat there simply and starred at shravan , only at shravan.. In one point, he noticed her starring at him .. he shrunk his brows and gestured what .. she pointed Neeraj and Priya ... He pouted to be normal ..momentarily, he winked at her naughtily..

She threw a fake punch in air..

Priya and Neeraj were not aware of their subtle play, and carried on with the conversation seriously..

while the talk was on the go, Neeraj got a call and excused himself..

" Then, I take a leave sir.. Meet you soon"  Shravan was ready to leave..

" nice meeting you shravan.. I like you .. surely, we have to meet"  He gave a formal handshake to shravan and   went with his call, shravan stood up to leave..

" I am leaving.. thanks for the coffee..." he politely said to priya and touched her feet...

" be happy always .. come home  some other time.."

Touched by his gesture, Priya invited him to home again..

" sure ..."

saying so,  he walked towards the door..

suman couldn't hold her.. she wanted to know what they were talking about..but, he wasn't even looking at her..  she was looking at him eagerly...

when priya turned away from shravan , he gestured suman to come to terrace.. 

it happened in less than a minute...

 Then , he left..

" ma.. I will come"

 " where are you going?"

Leaving behind Priya's shout, Suman quickly leaped towards the terrace..

" shravan" she called louder and he closed her mouth from behind.. 

" loud speaker.. !! what if your father hear it?"

He spoke softly at her ear.. 

" what? didn't you talk about us to them?" she questioned , while relieving herself from his hold..

"about us?!.. good then, your father will shoot me!"

 saying so, he laughed until tearing.. 

she stamped her feet irritated..

" stop it.. shravan.. I am not in a mood to enjoy your joke. stop laughing"

she said annoyed..

" sumo.. angry bird.. come here.."

he pulled her beside him.. she looked at her thoughtfully..

" suman.. at any cost i will not loose you.. that's my promise.."

he was serious and his eyes were screened with tear..

" I have met your parents and they knew me.. but, this is not the right time for the proposal..but, suman .. i wanted to tell you something . Will you listen to me...?"

For no reason, he was tensed.. he held her shoulder and starred into her eyes..

 There was a long pause..

Something is bothering him!  I have never seen him at this much stressed!

" shravan.. what's troubling you.. ? I am there to help you out.. tell me"

she insisted...

" I know suman.. You will be there for me.. and I need you to listen to me .. suman.. I love you  a lot.. you are important more than anything in my life.. You are my soul.. I.. I.. I love you"

 suman looked him baffled .." shravan ..i know it.. why you are hesitating? I am getting scared to see you.. what's bothering you ? just  tell me"

He squeezed her hands and kissed them firmly...

" suman.. now, I am going on a mission to Serbia..... I don't know how I would be returning! now, i want you to do only one thing...trust me suman.. have trust on me.. I am your shravan and i would be the same even if the earth stop revolving.. and my love for you is my life.. my everything.."

As he was talking emotionally, she pulled him close to her and pecked at his lips softly..

" You don't need to say that.. I trust you because I love you.. "

She spoke to his lips... 

" Thank you suman.. " He deepened the kiss , embracing her fondly...

For unknown reason, tears rolled  down his cheeks...

________________________________________

" suman .. How are you feeling now beta?"

Neeraj shook her as she was not replying..

suman blinked as though she had stepped out of longbterm coma just then...

She understood that she was thinking about shravan.. and the truth strike her hard that shravan is no more...

 seeing Neeraj was like a relief and she fell on him with a loud cry..

" pappa....."

" beta.. everything is going to be alright don't cry.. and nothing lies in our hands.. everything happens for our good.. think in that way.. "

he said reassuringly..

All of  a sudden , suman wanted to let out her agony.. She is after all a human being and wanted her heart wrench to come out..

" pappa.. shravan!!"

 she cried out his name...

Neeraj gently stroked her head, sitting beside her..

" I know beta.. you both were in love...:

 She looked up , shocked...

" Pappa!?"

 Her eyes asked him how did he know it..

" I knew it suman.. because he was assigned to love you.. I mean to act as if he loves you"

 He hung his head.. 

Assigned? to act ? !

She starred him in disbelief....

" yes suman.. it's me who have assigned him to love you fakely"

" what?" 

she was still in disbelief...

__________________________________

hello friends..

here 's the next chapter..  how  are you all...?you would have used to my delay updates .. sorry again.. please read the chapter and give your smiles that  are going to be my charging batteries.. pen your criticisms and kudos too.. waiting for your votes .. meet you all soon.. 

love 

arulpirai...