Hello 😀

Happy Birthday Karthika_A akka ❤️

Vaanga vaanga story kulla polaa 🚴🏻‍♀️💜🦋

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♡♡

Aayush

The relentless coughing, the fever burning through me, the IV lines—everything had slipped out of my control. But at last, I recovered from the worst viral fever I'd ever endured.

I could hardly remember who had been by my side during those four days or if I'd left that old man to care for me alone. I was too sick to respond, too weak to see anything clearly.

The only thing I recalled was the doctor explaining that my fever might have come from traveling between such different climates—from the sun of Srirangam to the chill of Ooty—and, mostly, from being drenched in the rain. Lost in her memories.

It wasn't until now that I began to wonder how the old man—or whoever had told him—knew I had gone to Srirangam.

After all, I had told Elango that I'd be staying at a pay-to-stay resort in Ooty for a couple of days to relax.

Lost in these thoughts, I picked up my phone from the table. A small smile appeared on my face at the sight of her name lighting up the screen, but my expression quickly changed at the sound of someone clearing their throat.

My heart skipped a beat as I looked up and saw her standing in my cabin, dressed in a brown kurta with her dupatta draped over her left shoulder, arms crossed beneath her chest. Her expression was serious, yet her gaze held something deeply emotional.

"Seeth.."

"Naan kooda phone odanjirukumo ennamo'nu nenachen"

(I thought maybe your phone had broken)

Her voice was soft, filled with disbelief and hurt. 

I swallowed hard and shook my head, trying to say,

"Seethaa.. naan.."

(I..)

"Naan ennoda TC vaangeetu polaa'nu dha vandhen, professor" 

(I came here to collect my transfer certificate, professor)

My lips began to curl into a smile but froze when I heard,

"Vaangeetu unga kitta thanks solleetu polaa'nu vandhen"

(Then... I came here to thank you as well)

"Thanks'aah? Yedh.."

(Thanks? For wh..)

"Enga project'ku guide panna oru professor'nu kooda paakaama love'uh giv'uh nu solli pinnaadi suthunadhu ennoda thappu dha"

(It was my mistake to keep hanging around you, saying I was in love with you, even though I knew you were my professor and our project guide.)

I stared at her silently as her words sank in, but then I sighed and looked away, unable to meet her eyes as they filled with tears.

"Marandhuttinga'le?"

(You forgot me, didn't you?)

"Seetha.. apdilaa.."

(Noth..)

I shook my head, meeting her gaze again with a deep ache in my heart, but she shook her head too and said,

"Illa paravala, professor. Naan dha.  Naan dha thappu. Naan romba expect panni irukka koodaadhu. Eppavume ungakitta expect panna maaten. Aana theriyaama panneeten. Inimel panna maaten. But, nekku onne onnu mattum sollungo.. enkooda pesunadhu, nerukamaa irundhadhu ellaame poi dhaanaa? Ellaathayum indha rendu vaarathula marandhutte'laa?"

(No, it's fine, professor. It's me. I'm the mistake. I shouldn't have expected too much. I'll never expect anything from you again. But just tell me one thing... was everything you said, the time we spent, all those moments together—were they all a lie? Did you forget everything in just these two weeks?)

She sniffled, her eyes brimming with tears. I glanced around the cabin, then closed the window beside me, realizing that everyone had gone to the principal's meeting in the office. The corridor, classrooms, and the staffroom on the fifth floor were quieter than us.

"Seethaa"

I tried to explain the reason to her, but she wasn't in the mood to listen, continuing with her rants and sobs.

And, I realised, I should have called her at least once, or asked Elango or that old man to let her know I was unwell. 

She's crying because of me, and that's worrying me more than anything else.

"Ippadi marandhiruvinga'naa appove solleerkalaame? Yen apdi'laa nadichinga?"

(If you were going to forget me like this, you could've told me earlier. Why did you act like that?)

She sneered at me like a cat, yelling with her eyes red in anger. I smiled, and,

"Yeii loosu.. Inga vaayen"

(Hey, idiot.. come to me)

I tried to grab her wrist, but she pulled away, hitting my hand in the process.

I hissed in pain, which made her eyes widen with concern. She stepped closer, standing before me to check my hand, but I grabbed her wrist over her wristwatch and turned my chair, positioning her between my legs. 

She wriggled but I held her little hands tightly with mine, not letting her go.

"Seetha.. Inga paaren. Naan apdi nadippanaa? Sollu?"

(Seetha... Look here. Will I act like that? Tell me?)

I asked softly, looking into her eyes, but she still wore that straight, angry, rigid expression in her face.

"Sollu, ma"

(Tell me, ma)

Rubbing soothing circles on the back of her soft palms and knuckles with my thumbs, I stared into her eyes. But she lowered her gaze from mine and whispered,

"Apro yen naan call pannaa edukave illa neenga? Nekku neenga andha nerathula romba theva pattinga. Aana neenga phone attend'uhm pannala, naan call panna edukavum illa.. adhaa romba miss pannen.."

(Then why didn't you answer my calls? I really needed you during that time. But you didn't pick up the phone, and you didn't call me too... I missed you a lot.)

Her voice came out softly, filled with deep emotions. I smiled and held her hand tightly, tilting my face to meet hers as I said,

"I was sick, Seetha. En phone'eh naan naethu dha eduthen. Odane unakku call'uhm pannen, aana nee dha attend pannala. I was just as mad at you. But why are you crying about this now?"

(I was sick, Seetha. I took my phone yesterday. I called you right away, but you didn't pick up. I was just as mad at you. But why are you crying about this now?)

But, her face turned sad, filled with worry and concern as she asked,

"Odambu seri illayaa?"

(You were sick?)

I took a deep breath, nodded, and said,

"Yeah. Viral fever"

"Ennaachu dhideernu?"

(What happened all of a sudden?)

"Anga veyil, Inga kulur'le? So climate change naala vandhirukkum'nu doctor sonnaanga. I was bedridden for four whole days, ma. Illanaa kandippa call panneerpen. Aana nee dha en call attend pannala"

(The doctor said it was probably because of the climate change—from the heat there to the cold here. I was bedridden for four whole days, ma. Otherwise, I would've definitely called you. But you're the one who didn't pick up my call)

She moved closer, looking down at me as I faced her, gazing up.

"I'm sorry. Really sorry, professor. Anga enna ennamo nadandhadhu. Actual'aah naanu one week'aah normal'aah illai. I was really confused there. Maybe neenga inga ivlo kashta patta naala dha enakkum anga avlo kashtam pola"

(I'm sorry. Really sorry, professor. I, too, don't know what was happening to me there. I was really confused there. Honestly, I haven't felt normal for a week. Maybe because you were struggling here, I felt just as troubled there)

There was no teasing, no sugarcoating—only a pure, deep love in her eyes, filled with concern and a quiet fear that I might have forgotten her. 

But how could I tell her that, over the past two weeks, I had missed her just as much as I miss my mother?

But what's with that 'I was really confused there?' 

I raised my eyebrows and asked,

"Ennaachu? Is everything okay now? You okay?"

(What happened? Is everything okay now? Are you okay?)

I gave her hands a gentle squeeze, and she lowered her gaze again, shaking her head as she said,

"Mhum. I wish I had a few more years here to be your student"

I smiled at her pouty face.

"It's okay ma. Pakkathu pakkathu veedu dhane? apro enna? Yeppo naalum paaka dhane poro?"

(It's okay, ma. It's just next door, right? So, what's the big deal? We can meet by anytime!)

I offered her an assured smile, but,

"Enakku oruvela idha vida nalla vela kedachu naan Chennai, Coimbatore andha maadhiri poite'naa?"

(What if I find a better job than this and move to Chennai or Coimbatore?)

"Call panlaam"

(We can call)

I shrugged my shoulders, smiling.

"Naan busy aayiduven. Neenga football coaching center start panneervinga. Apro neengalum adhula busy aayiruvinga. Ippo varaikum namma kitta.. neenga enakku, naan ungalukku'nu solli eduthuttu poga kaila onnume Ill.."

(I might get busy. You'll start a football coaching center, and then you'll be busy with that too. Right now, we don't have anything in hand that ties us together, like 'you for me, and me for..)

She stopped making my heart clench with her words suddenly, when her gaze fell on my chest and before I could react, she slipped free from my hold and gently took the locket in her hand, holding it carefully as she said,

"Idha thavara, vera onnume illai'le?"

(Except for this, there really isn't anything else, is there?)

She asked, her gaze steady on mine, but I could only stare back, speechless, as the heavy thuds of my heart echoed in my ears.

"Mm. Ipdi paathuttu mattume irungo. Ungalukkaaadhu idhu irukku. Enkitta enna irukku?"

(Mm. Just keep looking at me like this. You at least have this. What do I have?)

I held her hands again even tighter and whispered,

"Seetha"

She chuckled.

"Appadi moonja vakkaadhinga, professor. Naan Chennai, Coimbatore enna? thirumba Srirangam ponaalum ungala marakka maaten. Indha voice, indha mogatha, naalukku oru dhadava paathaalum, kettaalum adhu mattume podhum. Neenga thirumba love pannuvinga'nu yedhir paarthu'laa naan ennoda love'eh ungakitta sollala, professor. So, neenga yeppavum guilt'aah feel panneedaadhinga. Yendha yedhir paarpum illaama dha naan appovum, ippovum and eppavum ungala nenachuttu iruppen. Ennoda life'le vera yaaraadhu vandhaalum, idha marakka mudiyumaa'nu nekku theriyala"

(Don't make that face, professor. Whether I end up in Chennai, Coimbatore, or even back in Srirangam, I won't forget you. This voice, this face... just seeing it or hearing it once a day would be enough. I never told you about my love with the expectation that you'd fall in love with me in return. So please, don't ever feel guilty. Without expecting anything back, I was, am, and will always be thinking of you. Even if someone else comes into my life, I don't know if I could ever forget this)

The last sentence caught me off guard. Was she implying that one day she would leave me, just like my mother? That she wouldn't need me anymore? That she wouldn't wait for me or come back, as she always had until now?

Lost in these thoughts, I stared at her while she looked around the staffroom, then back at me. Her trembling hands cupped my cheeks, but we both jerked back as the notification sound from my laptop broke the moment.

Silently, I switched my laptop to silent mode, rubbing my beard as her words replayed in my mind, weighing heavily on my heart.

"TC vaangeeten"

(I have collected my transfer certificate)

I saw her smiling at me, but I was just sitting there, feeling a mild dizziness

"Appo naan kelamburen, professor. Evening restaurant'le paakalaam. Naan inga keela friends oda dha irukka poren adhu varaikum. Charan'laa vandhirukkaan.. avanum ungala paakanum'nu solleetu irundhaan. Aana adhukulla Kamali'ku pasikudhu'nu canteen'ku avana iluthuttu poitaa"

(Then I will leave, professor. We can meet at the restaurant in the evening. I'm going to be downstairs with friends until then. Charan is here too... He said he wanted to see you. But in the meantime, he had to rush to the canteen because Kamali was hungry)

She spoke in one breath, adjusting the straps of her bag on her right shoulder while giving me a smile.

"Mm. Naan appo poren. Next graduation anniku dha paapo'nu nenaikiren. Apro solla marandhutten.. enga appa part time job'uhm vida solleetu irukkaaru. So, evening paakuradhum kammi aagum. Mudunjaa call pannunga, daily illanaalu weekly twice podhum. I know you will be busy. So.. naan..(gulping).. naan innu setha neram Inga irundhaa, theva illaama scene create panneetu iruppen, professor. Naan kelamburen"

(Mm. I'm leaving now. I'm thinking we could meet again on the day of the graduation. And, I almost forgot to mention... my dad is saying I shouldn't take a part-time job. So, we might not be able to meet in the evenings too. Please call me daily, or at least twice a week. I know you'll be busy. So... I... (gulping)... I may create a scene by staying here a little longer, professor. So, I'm leaving now.)

Stop her, Aayush!

My mind was screaming at me, but I didn't want to make her uncomfortable by intervening. So, I simply chose to stare at her, determined to keep my composure, my hands resting firmly on my thighs.

As I focused on maintaining control, her voice broke through the silence, calling out to me firmly.

"Professor?"

I looked at her frowning, confused face, gulped, and forced a tight smile, saying,

"Haan. Haan..b..bye, ma"

She smiled and said,

"Mm. Bye. Odamba paathukkonga. Naan kelamburen"

(Mm. Bye. Take care of your health. I'm leaving)

I hummed again. She smiled through her teary eyes and turned to leave, but I fought against the urge to pull her close and hug her tightly, not wanting to let her go, not wanting her to be away from me.

Just as I was about to give in to that desire, she stopped and turned back to face me.

The lost hope of maintaining my control slipped through my fingers as I found her standing there, gazing at me with those yearning eyes before she uttered,

"Miss pannen romba. Andha maadhiri innorukkaa miss panna koodaadhu'nu dha thonudhu. But, love'nu irundhaa rendu sid' uhm othupoganum illa? I can't force you. I know. Marandhuraadhinga, professor. Apro naan edhaadhu ungala romba torture panneerndhaa sorr.."

(I missed you a lot. I feel like I should not miss you ever like that. But if it's love, then shouldn't both sides come together? I can't force you. I know. Don't forget me, professor. And if I've tortured you in any way, I'm sorr..)

I kicked back my chair, and she jerked around, likely thinking I would stand up to greet someone at the doorstep. But before she could react, I caught her hands, pushed her back and pinned her hands against the glass wall behind her.

Her bag and her TC fell beside our feet on the floor.

Her eyes widened in shock, and a gasp escaped her lips as she looked up at me. I leaned in, pressing our foreheads together, savoring her presence and closing my eyes, avoiding her yearning gaze to help myself regain control, breathing in and out.

But when I opened my eyes and our gazes locked, her trembling fingers began to curl around mine. I tightened my grip, intertwining our fingers, and without a second thought, I leaned down, tilting my head to capture her parted lower lip with my own, kissing her forcefully. 

However, she gasped, struggling against my grip, pushing me away and panting.

"Seetha" 

I breathed out her name, and she looked at me with a wave of emotions. So, I continued, 

"Let me kiss you, Seetha. I know you need it too"

And that was the moment she curled her arms around my neck, and I crushed her to me as our lips met in an intense, hungry kiss.

I just poured all my fears of losing her and the happiness of having her intimately just for me into that kiss. 

Sucking her lower lip, and her innocent attempts to mirror my actions on my upper lip made me groan.

I pushed her back against the door, leaning down to her height. My hands were pressed firmly against the wall above her head, while she stood on her toes, still curling her hands around my neck, making it easy for me to suck her lips even more hard.

Her moans of longing mingled with my desperation as I wrapped my right arm around her small waist, lifting her feet off the ground and placing her on the desk. She gripped my hair behind my head, shifting to find a comfortable position while pulling me closer, moaning as I slid my tongue inside her mouth.

The desk felt cramped, with the CPU and my belongings taking up space, making it uncomfortable for her. She released her grip on my neck and placed her hands on the desk to sit more comfortably while I groaned.

To make things easier, I flipped her over the chair suddenly, kneeling before her without breaking the kiss. 

Her hands cupped my cheeks as mine gripped her waist and the sounds of our lips moving in sync echoed throughout the cabin..

As the moments passed, she knelt down in front of me, cradling my head and running her fingers through my hair, messing it up as if she had longed to do so for years.

I wrapped my arms around her waist and angled my face to kiss her harder. However, when she innocently tilted her face to match mine, I gently placed my hand on her jaw, tilting her face to the right as I leaned to the left to capture her lips sensually, oblivious to everything around us.

When we finally broke apart, we gasped for air, both of us panting hard. She buried her face in my neck, and I nestled into her shoulder, overwhelmed by the emotions we had shared. Those two weeks of missing each other weighed heavily on us.

And me—I was more than ready to welcome her into my life after everything we had experienced together today. However, I needed to ensure she could tolerate me, my life, and the rigid boundaries I had set.

But then I remembered her words about missing me and how we would inevitably miss each other in the future. She had mentioned that if someone else entered her life besides me...

A surge of possessiveness washed over me as I tightened my grip around her, and we both stayed in a kneeling position on the floor. I felt her tighten her hold around me as well, her breath coming in shallow pants against my skin.

After what felt like we had reclaimed a lost part of ourselves in each other's presence, I rubbed my beard against her shoulder, tilted my head to the side, and whispered near ear,

"Eduthuttu poga enna irukku'nu kaette'le?"

(ou asked me what you have as 'me for you', wasn't you?)

I felt her blinking eyelashes against my neck, making me smile as I whispered, inhaling her sweet fragrance with each breath.

"Moochayae kuduthutten. Ini vera enna venum unakku?"

(I've given you my breathe. What else do you want from me?)

As I finished with the cringy thought that she might laugh or push me away at my comment, she suddenly broke into heavy cries against my neck.

Panic surged through me, and I gently cupped her cheeks, pulling her back from my neck to look into her eyes and asked,

"Hey, Ennaachu?"

(What happened?)

But she only cupped my face and showered kisses all over—my cheeks, forehead, eyes, nose, chin, and jawline, making me feel ticklish.

To stop her, I pressed a firm kiss on her lips, tasting her salty tears. Then, I kissed her eyelids, which fluttered beneath my lips, before pulling back to gaze at her. Her natural pouty lips, still glistening from her cries, made me smile.

"Podhum"

(Enough)

I whispered, wiping her tears with the pads of my thumbs, still smiling, but she sniffled and asked,

"Marandhura maatel'eh?"

(you won't forget me, right?)

Understanding her mindset, I gently lifted her face, cradling it between my hands, our foreheads touching once more as I asked,

"How about I give you every part of my heart? Will you trust me then?"

She chuckled through her tears and confessed,

"I love you, professor"

I pressed our foreheads together and kissed the tip of her nose, playfully bumping our noses together, which made her giggle.

She wrapped her arms around me tightly again, and I responded by pulling her closer, holding her in my embrace, determined to protect her from any wandering evil gazes.

And I thought with a sense of possessiveness, I'm not going to allow anything or anyone to come between us.

I'm so deeply into you, Seetha. I am, and I will not let you slip away from me. Even if you were to drift from my grasp, I would traverse any universe just to find you and bring you back into my arms.

Seetha

If someone were to ask me now, 'Has anything changed around you?' I'd reply, "No."

But if they asked 'if anything changed between us' , it would be, "Yes, everything is about to change"

Because, finally—yes, finally—the just'uh miss kiss completed, leaving me breathless, flushed, emotional, with every feeling in the world coursing through me.

The thought of not seeing him after college ends for me, the memory of that moment when someone else, whoever they were, touched my waist—it felt like a betrayal to my love for my professor. But now, all of that fades away.

Because he marked me. He marked us. We know, after this, there's no going back. Every touch, every glance now feels etched into something deeper, like an unspoken promise, binding us in ways words could never capture.

Ellaam panneetu epdi onnume nadakaadha maadhiri utkaandhirukkaaru paaru..

(After doing everything, look at him sitting there as if nothing happened)

Now, I was leaning back against the desk, my arms crossed beneath my chest, while he sat in his chair before me, recounting the story of how he’d fallen ill. He explained how he didn’t even know who had cared for him and mentioned that the older man I'd seen during my first visit to his house was, in fact, his father.

I hadn't asked him anything; I knew he held a grudge against his father for reasons unknown to me, so I simply listened, nodding along while my gaze toured his handsome features—those alluring eyes, the sharply defined nose, and his soft cheeks that had once rested in my hands. His hair, messy and bouncing, had tangled between my fingers before, and those pink lips…

I quickly looked away, feeling my cheeks warm as thoughts of our kiss resurfaced. But when I dared to glance back at him, I gasped softly, only to look away again as he playfully winked at me, as usual.

But, my breath caught again when he suddenly dragged me forward, grasping my wrist, making me whine in surprise,

"Aiyoooooo..enna pandrel?"

(What are you doing?)

I asked him to let go and tried to wriggle free, but he only pulled me even closer, completely absorbed in drawing me towards him—even though there was hardly any space left between us.

Ipdiye ponaa nee avaa madila dhaan di Seetha poi utkaaranum.

(If he keeps pulling you like this, you'll end up in his lap, Seetha)

Blushing at that, I quickly averted my gaze from his lap, placed my hands firmly on his shoulders, and shot him a glare.

"Idhukku mela yedam illa"

(There’s no more space for this)

But he smirked, his eyes dropping to his lap briefly before meeting mine again, and asked,

"Illa?"

(Are you sure?)

My cheeks flushed red with embarrassment as he realized what I was thinking.

"Illa.. vidungo"

(Yes. Leave me)

I balanced my hands on his chest and stood up before him, draping my dupatta neatly over my shoulders. But he just sat there, looking at me with his dimpled smile, making me blush as I said,

"Naan kelamburen. Keela ellaam wait panneetu iruppaa"

(I'll be leaving now. Everyone is waiting downstairs)

I turned to leave as quickly as I could, but he grabbed my wrist, stopping me in my tracks and heard,

"Hey, iru. Naanu varen"

(Wait. I'm coming too)

I turned back, and asked,

"Meeting irukku'nu sonnel?"

(Did you not say there’s a meeting?)

"Irundhadhu'nu sonnen"

(I said there was a meeting)

He emphasized his words, stood up from the chair, arranged his things neatly, and picked up the important item—my TC—from the table.

I looked at him, smiling sheepishly as I completely forgot why I had come to college today. He then gently tapped the top of my head with the TC, saying,

"Nada"

(Go ahead)

I twisted my lips and turned to walk ahead, with him following closely behind, running his fingers through his hair while glancing at the glass windows, making me gawk at him secretly.

And, as we passed the staffroom and reached the lift, I leaned against the wall beside it, placing my hand on my waist and asking,

"Lift le students vara koodaadhu'le?"

(Students are not allowed in the lift, right?)

He smirked, glancing at my hand resting on my waist, which made me drop it abruptly, gulping.

But, he chuckled, tapping the TC against my face, causing me to whine as I pushed it away.

"Eyy"

"TC vaangeetaa student illayaam. Passed out student 'aahm. Unga professor solli tharlayaa, madam?"

(If you’ve collected the TC, then you're considered a passed-out student, not a student anymore. Didn't your professor teach you that, madam?)

I huffed at his teasing tone and turned away just as the lift doors opened to reveal an empty space inside.

I gulped and glanced at him, considering asking if I should take the stairs instead, but before I could say anything, he placed his shoe-clad right foot between the closing doors, forcing them to open again.

The next thing I knew, he pulled me inside, gripping the upper part of my arm, and the doors closed behind us while I tried to wriggle free from his hold.

"Aiyoo.. vidungo. Aaraadhu next floor'le vandhaa avlodha. Vidungo"

(If someone comes in the next floor, then we're done. Leave me)

"Mch"

He clicked his tongue as I continued to struggle to free myself from his grip.

"Enna?"

(What?)

I asked, and he released his grip on my hand but dropped his arms over my shoulders, causing me to whine again.

"Aiyoo"

"Shhh. Yedhukku ippo ipdi katheetu irukka? College'le yaarum illa, ellaarukkum sem leave. Staffs'laa meeting'le irukkaanga"

(Shhh. Why are you shouting like this now? There's no one in college; everyone is on sem leave. The staff are in a meeting)

He explained softly, looking into my eyes, and bumped his forehead against mine. I smiled, breathed in his warm breath along with mine and asked,

"So?"

"So... "

He stretched out the word, lifting his right hand off my shoulder to touch his lips with his thumb, then bit that lip between his teeth, making my heart do a flip.

But, he released them and asked something, which only made me blush even more,

"Lipstick'laa podala'le?"

(You didn't wear lipstick, right?)

He asked, eyeing my lips. I blushed and lowered my shoulder slightly to shake off his hand from my shoulder, trying to escape, but he grabbed the nape of my neck, pulling my face up and tilting my head, leaving an inch gap between our lips.

My heart raced at that, but he released me without doing anything, and I breathed out, leaning against the wall of the lift, gulping and wetting my lips.

Just then, I thought of escaping when the lift doors opened, but he closed it again and caught my wrist, dragging me closer to him.

"Prof.."

I stopped when he lifted his hand, revealing his phone. I saw our reflections on the screen, which made me smile wide. But I gasped when I noticed my lips had changed to a little pale; I quickly looked back at him. But he bit his lower lip, and I heard the click of the camera shutter. Turning again in shock, I saw him chuckling as he captured the moment again.

"Enna pandrel?"

(What are you doing?)

"Summa adhaye kekkaadha, ma. Indhaa.. slide to see your reactions"

(Stop asking me that over and over, ma? Now, here... Slide to see your reactions)

He handed me his phone.

The first picture showed me with a confused expression while he smirked beside me. The next shot captured him biting his lips as I stared at him, mouth agape. The final picture displayed my shocked face alongside his wide grin.

I turned to glare at him, but he placed a hand on my shoulder and gently pushed me back, creating some distance between us. At that moment, I realized the lift doors had opened.

He stepped out, winking at me and snatching his phone back. I smiled and shook my head, then followed him outside, spotting my friends Kamali and Charan waiting in the lobby on the ground floor.

"Sirrrr!"

Charan stepped forward and stood in front of Aayush sir.

"Epdi irukkinga?"

(How are you?)

"Nallaarken da, nee epdi irukka?"

(Fine. What about you?)

"Nallaarken sir"

(I'm good, sir)

"Good afternoon, sir"

Kamali too greeted him

"Good afternoon, ma. Epdi irukkinga?"

(How are you?)

"Nallaarken sir. Neenga?"

(Good sir. You?)

"Nallaarken ma. Inga enna pandringa?"

(Fine ma. What are you doing here?)

Ohh, ungalukku yen'nu theriyaadhu le?

(Do you not know what it's for, right?)

I smirked at him, but he didn't glance my way.

"TC vaanga vandho, sir. Iva ungalayum, mam ayum paathuttu varen'nu solleetu ponaa adhaa naanga poi saaptutu, Inga wait panneetu irundho"

(We came to collect the TC, sir. She said she would come after seeing both of you and Vinitha ma'am, but we went to eat, so we've been waiting here)

Kamali explained to him. He looked at me for a moment before shifting his gaze back to Kamali, making me lower my face to hide my blush at his single look.

"Oh. Seri, ma. Naan appo apdiye meeting'ku poren. Neenga..?"

(Oh. Okay, then. I'll head to the meeting. What about you all?)

"Naanga lunch saaptutu apdiye veetukku kelambro sir"

(We're just going home after having lunch, sir)

Charan replied to him.

"Okay. Carry on. Mm.. Seetha.."

I raised my gaze to him as he extended my TC towards me. I quickly grabbed it and met his eyes, where he offered me a small smile before turning to address the other two.

"Okay guys. Bye"

"Bye sir"

The two of them said, and he turned to leave, adjusting the cuff buttons on his shirt. I smiled as I watched his figure disappear until he was out of my sight.

"Madam, neenga unga crush'eh paathu sight adichu muduchuttinga'naa namma polaamaa?"

(Madam, if you've finished staring at your crush, shall we leave?)

Charan asked me, teasingly which made me break my gaze and grin at him. He playfully knocked my head, and the three of us walked out of the college.

I turned back to glance at the entrance of our college, silently thanking it for giving me a gem.

We headed to a nearby restaurant for lunch, deliberately avoiding the one where we worked part-time since Charan still didn't know about that. When he chose that restaurant, Kamali quickly diverted him to another, and I thanked her while washing my hands. She pinched my cheek playfully, and after our meal, Charan went to visit some friends nearby, while Kamali and I decided to take a rest in the park until college finished.

Once sir came to pick me up, I waved a bye to Kamali amidst her teasing glances. Hiding my face behind my dupatta, I left with him as she headed home.

As he drove, I slid my right hand into his collar from behind, resting my cheek on his nape with a smile while closing my eyes.

Bliss. Home.

Those were the two words that filled my mind as I savored his presence.

"Oi, Ennaachu?"

(What happened?)

He asked, gently tapping the top of my head while tilting his head back down.

"Mhum.. onnula"

(Nothing)

The bike came to a stop at the restaurant, and I sighed as I got off, standing beside him.

"Po"

(Go)

He took off his helmet and gestured for me to go inside, nodding his head, but I couldn't help but keep staring at him.

"Seri vaa.. vera engayaadhu polaam"

(Okay, come, let's go somewhere else)

He grabbed my wrist and pulled me closer, causing me to shriek and quickly create some distance as I rushed into the restaurant, hearing him laugh behind me.

Once I became more engrossed in my work, my phone suddenly rang. I answered it without checking the caller ID, placing the phone between my ear and shoulder.

"Oi"

I blushed instantly at the sound of his voice.

"Hello?"

"Haan"

"Enna Haan? Time paaru, keela vaa polaam. It's getting late"

(What haan? Look at the time; you should head downstairs. It's getting late)

I frowned and glanced at my wristwatch, noticing it was almost 8:40. I sighed and slapped my forehead.

"Just two minutes"

I pressed my phone between my shoulder and ear, packed my things, and quickly turned off the system.

"Okay, guys. I'm leaving!"

"Bye, thalaivi/cutie!"

I smiled and waved at them, opened the door, and stepped out, placing the bag strap on my shoulder, but I didn't see him anywhere.

"Enga irukkinga?"

(Where are you?)

I asked him through the phone call.

"Parking"

He answered. I narrowed my brows.

"Anga ellaarum irukkaanga, ma. I was waiting for you for more than 10 minutes"

(Everyone is over there, ma. I was waiting for you for more than 10 minutes)

He said before I could ask him why he didn't wait for me here as usual.

"Acho. I'm sorry. Naan vaelai'le mooligitten"

(I'm sorry. I got caught up with work)

He chuckled on the other end.

"Seri, vaa"

(Alright, come on)

I hurried through the parking lot, but my steps gradually slowed as I approached him, unable to shake off the sight of the Greek god standing in front of me.

His flexed arms held his phone in one hand while the other raked through his hair, a serious expression etched on his face.

Yedhukku moonja ipdi urru'nu vachirukkaaru?

(Why has he made that face?)

I thought, and his eyes fell on me, a smile spreading across his face. However, my gaze was drawn to his chest, which was visible due to the first two buttons of his shirt being open. I blushed, recalling the dream where I had touched his toned, bare chest with my hands, causing me to lower my head in embarrassment.

Unintentionally, as my head dipped down, I bumped into his chest, my forehead grazing his skin for a brief moment before I hurriedly pulled back.

But just then, I gasped as he yanked me closer again, twisting my hands behind me. I lifted my face to meet his smirking gaze and blinked in surprise, but then, realizing we were still in the parking lot, I began to wriggle in his hold, trying to break free.

"Achacho"

He chuckled at me.

"Enna sirikirel? Vidungo. Parking lot'le irukkom namma"

(Why are you laughing, sir? Let me go. We're in the parking lot)

"So?"

"So. Namma ipdilaa panna koodaadhu"

(We shouldn't do like this)

"Epdilaa panna koodaadhu?"

(Like what?)

"Haan.. "

I smiled at him widely, causing him to frown, and then I pinched his hand, the one holding mine, hard enough to make him scream.

"Ammaaaa !"

I giggled, pushed him away, and hopped onto his bike. I looked back at him as he still rubbed the spot where I had pinched his hand.

"Seri polaama?"

(Alright, shall we go?)

I took his helmet, unlocked it, and placed it on my head, trying to clasp it but couldn't. After a moment of trying, I looked at him with narrowed brows.

He chuckled, placing his hands on his waist, and asked,

"Vandi otta theriyumaa?"

(Do you know how to ride a bike?)

"Ohhh. Super'ah ottuven, utkaarunga polaam"

(Ohhh. I'll ride it super well, just sit back)

He smirked, adjusted the helmet on my head, and secured it, his long fingers grazing lightly over my neck and throat, sending a ticklish sensation through me but he asked,

"Helmet'eh poda therila. Idhula vandi otriyaa nee?"

(You don't even know how to wear a helmet, yet you're getting ready to ride the bike?)

I flipped the visor of the helmet up and knitted my brows at him, asking

"Kalaaikirelaa enna?"

(Are you teasing me?)

"Chey, naan yen ma kalaaika poren? Ippo enna unakku naan pinnaadi utkaaranum, nee vandi ottanum avlodhane? Wait.."

(Why would I even think like that? What now? I should sit back, and you should ride the bike. Right? Wait...)

Before I could respond or deny it, as I was just teasing him, he hopped on the bike behind me.

My spine straightened, eyes widened, and my breath hitched, but he said,

"Polaam, ma. Start pannunga"

(Let's go. Start the bike)

He said loudly for me to hear through the helmet, snapping me out of my shock, and I replied,

"Haan? Hmm.. dho"

(Alright)

I nervously searched for the keyhole with my fingers, bending my head down but couldn't see anything. I huffed, and murmured,

"Enga pochu idhu?"

(Where did it go?)

But I shrieked and pushed his hands away when he tickled my waist on either side.

"Enna pandrel?"

(What are you doing?)

"Neenga enna pandringa?"

(What are 'you' doing?)

"Aahn. Summaa.."

(Simply...)

"Summa?"

(Simply?)

"Dha..bh.."

I stammered, feeling embarrassed about how to tell him that I didn't know how to ride the bike and was just making fun.

However, I grinned when he slid the key into the ignition, kicked the starter, and the bike roared to life.

I clapped my hands in excitement, but he grabbed my wrists, guiding my hands to the accelerator and removing the side stand before we took off.

"Aiyo"

"Steady'aah utkaaru, ma. Apro rendu perum dha keela vilanum"

(Sit steady, ma. Otherwise, both of us will fall down)

He said that, and I blushed, feeling the warmth of his front brushing against my back, causing me to lower my head in embarrassment but jerked when he shouted,

"Hey, naeraa paathu otu, ma!"

(Hey, keep your eyes straight and ride!)

"Ohw, okay okay"

I straightened my head, snapping back to the reality that I was riding a bike. He gripped my hands on the accelerator and rolled it slightly, causing me to jerk in shock at the sudden roaring sound.

"Perumaley. Venaa pannaadhingo"

(Don't do that)

Roared.

"Noooo"

I shouted for him to stop doing that.

"Pinna epdi vandi otradhu?"

(Then how will we ride a bike?)

"Aiyo naan otave illa niruthungo"

(I'm not going to ride. Stop)

But he roared.

"Perumaaley"

Stopped but, again he roared it loudly.

"Perumaaleyyyyy !"

I shouted in joy as he increased the roar of the accelerator and the speed, feeling his arms crawl over me as he rested his chin on my shoulder.

A wave of blush washed over me, mixed with exhilaration, as he accelerated again, causing me to squeal and laugh in delight.

The day turned into something more than just a memory; it felt like the beginning of an exciting chapter in my life.

Our life.

I wasn't scared; instead, I was filled with anticipation to live every moment beside him, embracing the thrills and love that awaited us.

Even though he hadn't formally confessed before kissing me, I could see the emotions swirling in his eyes—more than enough to assure me of his feelings.

He had something deep within him, and I was willing to wait patiently, knowing that love isn't solely about words. It's a profound heart-to-heart connection, and I felt that bond between us, which was enough for now.

I love you, professor

I thought, almost as if I had whispered it into the wind.

As if he had heard my silent confession, he roared the accelerator, and I squealed in joy as the Ooty mist wrapped around us, offering a comforting warmth that felt like home.

My home, now made even more special by the moments we shared together.

***********

TBC..

Epdi irundhuchu?

"😘" Expected ?

Did anyone need a warning before the mature content? Feel free to speak up now if you do!

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Next update: 29th oct 💜

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