Though fuming inside mullai met kathir's look that had been literally dumped with all emotions and just nodded the head in acceptance...

T : sari... neenga pesitu sikirama thayar aagunga... naanga poi kalyana velaiya paakarom...

K : paati... naanga pesi mudichathuku appuram venumna kalyana velai start panalam... just wait till that...

L (angrilly) : yenathu venumna ah... yen da yena velaiyadariya... nee than eh venum venum nu kuthicha... ippo venumna nu illukare... apadi yenatha pesanum unaku... athan yellam pesitiye...

K : maa... naan mattum than pesinen... naan mattum than venum nu sonnen... NAANGA pesala... NAANGA solala... so please wait... dont rush things...

The family understood his point and consented to leave with heartfelt prayers to make things happen as they expect...
As they left the room leaving kathir mullai alone,the atmosphere which was kind of cool with all others started heating up blowing the emotions of both...

K : honey... unkita... konjam pesanum...

M : oh... thats really so nice of you kathir... (slow claps)

atleast ippovachum ungaluku thoniche enkita pesanum nu... neenga yellathaiyum pana speedku enkita oru varthai kuda kekkama nera poi manavaraila ukanthuruvenga nu nenachen...

anyways end of the day you want me... thats all about right... enkita pesi yena aga poguthu...

K (deep breath) : true honey... i want you... but...

M (irritated) : honey... honey... honey... ufff... will please stop calling me so... neenga apadi kupita enaku apadiye kaathula eeyatha kaachi oothara madhiri iruku...

Kathir's eyes lost a spark hearing to it
but managed to get back to normal...
He has lots of issues to sort out and definitely this is not in priority now...

K : sorry mullai... hereafter i wont... and naan yethaiyum unkita kekkama pananumnu nenaikala... i called you yesterday but you were...

M (shouting) : yes... i was sleeping... do i know... kaalaila kalyanatha vechutu night innoruthar phone pani propose panuvaaru... phone pesalaina sariyana nerathula vanthu yetha drama pani kalyanatha niruthudivaarunu... ithelam enaku theriyaama poche... nalla thoongiten... en thappu than...

K : illaa naan unkita pesitu than...

M : yes yes... neenga sariya than panirukenga... pesalam nu kupiturukenga... pesirukenga... naanum respond paniruken... unga mela thappu illaa... enmela than thappu...

K : hon... mullai...

M : my bad... enaku naan call attend panathum theriyala... neenga pesinathum theriyala... naan respond panathum theriyala...

morning eluntha yetho dream madhiri yellame blurrred ah irunthuchu... i couldnt get what it was... i couldnt leave it as a dream nor i didnt  know whether happened in real... your words were taunting me... your voice was echoing in my ears... theriyuma ungaluku...

Kathir's heart skipped a beat to hear that his proposal had a impact even when she was unconscious...
It gave him a small grin which was caught by mullai in a snap...

M : sirikarenga illaa... en nilamai ungaluku siripaa irukuula...

K : hon... mullai... apadi illaa... naan...

M : pesathenga... enaku yepadi irunthuchu theriyuma... yena nadakuthene puriyala.... oruthar kuda kalyanatha vechutu just oru thadavai paatha inoruthar oda proposal ah pathi imagine panrennu enake kevalama irunthuchu... infact i had a fear if i had such a thought buried inside me... athu than dream ah varutho nu yellam bayam...

en integrity ah naan eh doubt pana time athu... i was totally down... i dont have words to explain... life eh oru madhiri gloomy ah... the worst feel...

(Determinedly)  but i forced myself to come out of it... and yes i did come out... because i was pure and really unaffected...

but... but... then you came in real...everything changed... only then i realised that it was not a dream and very much real...

tho... ippo yellam mudinju intha roomku ullaa vanthathum than mobilela call register poi paakaren unga call ah... appuram than naan yellathaiyum connect pani paakaren... anniki neenga sonathu... nethu pesinathu... iniki nadanthathu yellame... (sobbing)

The one who was keeping quiet right from the moment of shock poured out everything to the one who was speaking oddles since then...
Kathir just stood stern not wanting to disturb her flow of emotions nor silent tears which ached him badly...
Just few seconds, she bounced back like a wounded lioness...

M : yen ipadi panenga kathir... why to me... you really owe me explanation for everything... iam going mad not knowing anything...

K (deep breath)  : iam very sorry for putting you out here hon...mullai... yes i owe you everything always... sollu unaku yena theriyanum...

M : everything... what is all these drama... when did start... why... yellame theriyanum... please dont say bluntly you want me... i have heard enough of it...

For me you are just a cousin whom i met before 20 days for hardly five minutes but who ended up stopping my marriage in a cruel way... but who am i to you...

K : my life honey...

Kathir's orbs pierced into hers swearing what he said was true to life and it sums up everything he wanted to say...
Though taken aback by the spontaneous answer in his deep voice, mullai looked at him sharply symbolising she wanted to hear more and this is not the answer...

K : fine... just like you... even for me you were just a cousin whom i met before 20 days for hardly five minutes... but ore difference than... antha anju nimishathula naan mothama unkita tholanjuten... i started loving u madly and started thinking you are my own...

Even before her mind started thinking, her heart started reeling the conversation just before the car started and the words he uttered...
She dismissed that for now and looked at him probing more...

K : hmmm... after that i went to singapore... ponathume first naan panathu unna pathina details collect panathu than...

Seeing annoyance in mullai's face,

K : no naan thappana meaningla details collect panala mullai... namma cousins than... veetula sonale pothum avanga yellam paathupaanga just like now... but enaku athu pidikala... i thought namma rendu perum palagi naan unkita vizhuntha madhiri neeyum enkita vizhanumnu... i wanted you to fall in love with me...

M : ....

There was a thick silencee as if they were imagining things thats said and even unsaid...

K : hmmm... where did i stop... haan... i was collecting details about you... appo than theriyum enga auditor janaki aunty kita nee practice panrathu... unaku inum three months practice iruku... so i thought i can use that time for my love...

Unfortunately anga factoryla fire accident... amma and appa was completely into it... and i got stuck up in new project... yellame hectic ah irunthuchu... yetha pathiyum yosika mudiyaatha alavuku... first factoryla yellam sari aachu... then new project got signed... i was on cloud nine that i will be coming to you... you know what... nethu ithe neram i was happilly heading to shopping... athum unakaga than... (painful smile)

There was a slight change in mullai's facial reactions which she did change before kathir could notice...

K : hmmm... then after shopping ammakita pesinen... thats when i came to know about the marriage today... immediately i told them about my love and marriage ah stop pana sonen... but avanga kekala... i called you up... but... ufff... then your dad... mamavum othukala... finally i decided to come for my love... chumma vantha yethum nadakathu nu theriyum... because i didnt have strong reasons... so... so... i had to frame few things for my love... vera vazhi illaama...

The guilt dipped words of kathir affected mullai but then it instantly reminded of the plots he executed for achieving it which made her explode...
Afterall she was not a saint nor sand to just skip things on the go...

M (sarcastically) : what... love ah... oh itha neenga lovenu vera nenachutu irukengala... how innocent you are kathir...

K (calmly)  : off course it is love hon... mullai...

Even that calm voice rubbed up mullai in a wrong way making her speak out of her character...

M (curtly) : dont ever say that word... neenga unga ishtathuku per vechukita athelam love aagidathu...ungaluku enmela vanthathu love illa...

VERI... ENNA AANALUM ENNA ADANJE AGANUMGRA VERI...

paati solluvanga... antha kaalathula raja yellam poruku pona yedathula kannula patta ponna thookitu vanthu anthapurathula vechupaangalam... athu inoruthar pondattiya iruntha kuda apadi thanaam... antha madhiri than neenga... enna adaiyanum athuku intha play yellam...

K : adanje aganum nu nenaikaravan kaadhal, kalyanam nu yosika mattan mullai...

M : aama yena panrathu... mama ponna poitanala kaaadhal, kalyanam nu polish ah pesa vendiyatha pochu ungaluku... illaana just oru keep ah enna neenga...

K : MULLAI...

Moving close to mullai, Kathir roared in rage reverberating his angry voice all across the room making her shudder in dread...
His crimson red eyes with darkened face and stiffened frame made him look like predator ready to pounce on its prey...
But next second giving her a doubt if the scene happened, his face was calm and composed and he moved backward maintaning a distance...

K (clearing throat) : enna hurt pananum numngra intentionla unnoda dignity ah vitudathe mullai... please... intha madhiri pesathe... nijama kekka mudiyala... its killing inside...

M : ...

The pain in his voice made mullai numb but kathir came back to it not able to accept the awkwardness of those words...

K :  ipadi oru kevalamana velai pani kalyanatha niruthinathala enna pathi yaarukum apadi than thonum illaa... kandipa nalla vidhama yosika thonathu... i understand... but do u really think am such a kind of person...

Kathir conveniently pushed the ball to her court making her speechless...
Mullai stood still ashamed of her own words
and importantly unable to answer his question...
Frankly the answer for question was no....
Yes...
She was angry with him...
She was irritated with him...
She realy wanted to kick him out for what he did...
But she didnt have a even a ounce of feel that  he had cheap thoughts like what she spoke inspite of all happened...
Infact she couldnt imagine, kathir being interested to another girl just like how he is...
She felt it was impossible...
Why this confidence...
She didnt know...
But she didn't want those thoughts to reach him so cleverly changed to the most pricking question of the day...

M : naan sonathula... sonathula yena thappu...

kaadhal, kaadhal nu solrengale... kaadhal na enna pathi, en feelings pathi oru nimisham kuda yosichu paakama ipadi onnu panirupengala... ithelam nadantha naan hurt aaven nu thonalaiya ungaluku...

K ( shooking his head as no ) : ...

M : what if i was in love with dheena mama... didnt you think about it...

K ( another no) : ...

M (disappointed) : appuram yena kaadhal... kanravainu... ungala pathi mattum yosichu ungalukaga matum oru vishayam pana athu kaadhal illaa... veri than... naan sonathula oru thappum illaa...

Though it was obvious that kathir disregarded her feelings, it was more painful to see kathir acknowledge the same openly and her heart sunk for unknown reasons that made her throw words...
Than for the Broken marriage, she was pissed off which made the tears that disappeared minutes back come in full swing...
But...

K : enaku unkita onnu solanum mullai...

Mullai wanted to refuse but something in his voice kept her on guard...
Taking her silence as acceptance, kathir continued...

K (clearing throat) : i learnt swimming when i was just 5 years old... i am an excellent swimmer... athula enaku oru perumaiyum irunthuchu... till an incident happened...

I was twelve years old then... naan amma appa keralaku tour poirunthom... amma appa were in the shore and i was swimming in the beach... things were so going so happy...but then i was stuck in a whirlpool and i was pulled inside water...

M (shocked) : haannn...

K : amma appaku en mela kannu irukum yepavum... so immediately they found me missing...  but sametime i started drowning... i was swirling in the maelstorm and suffocating badly... moochu vida mudiyala... body parts yellam waterla fill agara madhiri irunthuchu... it was dark everywhere... i lost hope... u know what happened then...

M : yena achu... you got safe soon right...

Poor girl...
Even in that situation she couldnt help being emphathatic that made him smile...

K : yes... appa udane enakaga thanikula yerangitaaru...  ammaku swimming theriyaathu... so she was standing there looking for help... but it was a isolated place... so no much help... engala thaniya vitutu poga ammavala mudiyala... appo yellam mobile phones um illaa...

M (worriedly) : hmmm...

K :  soon dad came for me... he tried to balance and pull me out... but you know what happened...

i pushed him inside water and i tried to come out for air... i wanted something to hold on and i used my own dad for it... for my life i tried to take my father's life...

M(widened eyes) : ...

K : trust me... athu than nadanthuchu... yetha pidichutu veliya varanum theriyaama, ulla iruka mudiyuma... i caught hold of my dad...

M : appuram...

K : offcourse my dad was stronger than me...  he knocked me off slightly and pulled to the shore holding my hair... and we were safe then after a long struggle...

M : ufff... thank god... but ithu yethuku ippo...

K : solren... anniki practically kaapaatha appa thavira yaarum illaa nu theriyum... appa yepadiyavathu kaapathiduvaaru nu theriyum... still i couldnt stop myself pushing him down for breathe...

Also emotionally speaking appa ku naan pana vishayathala yetha aayiruntha i cant live my life nu nallave theriyum... because our family was just always three... ippo unakaga ithana per pesinangale... apadi engaluku yaarum illaa... it was three always and appa illana naanum ammavum illaa... ithuvum theriyum...

But antha second i was blanked out... yethume thonala... basic survival instinct kicked inside me in full fledge... i did things unknowingly not able to think about anything...

Mullai could understand the flow of topic and why it gets fitted here so just listened without interruption...

K : i think you understood why iam saying this now... ( a little smile)

M (stammering) : nethu... you...

K : off course mullai... i was in the same state yesterday... when i said iam in love with you, appa sona mudhal vishayam you were not in love with me... but frankly i didnt care about it... all i wanted was u... i just focussed only on how to make you my own and not about your feelings...

Aniki iruntha antha fear for survival... hunger for breath... thirst for air... obsession for life... athelame thirumba naan experience panen...
Instead everything was for YOU.... and ONLY FOR YOU... the fear.. the hunger... the thirst... the obsession... in short love for you...

Mullai looked at him with eyes popping up in disbelief and heart drumming in surprise...
Not to forget, mind was probing and complaining about the things he did...

K : nee enaku yepavume illaana yena panrathu... nee innoruthanuku sontham agita yena panrathu...
nee illaatha lifela yena panrathu ipadi varisaiya questions...
yellathoda base um nee than...
Ithelam yepadi just 5 minutes meet la possible nu kekkalam but enkita answer illaa...

M : aanalum... aanalum... oru thadavai kudava yosikala enna pathi...

K : i swear... sathiyama yosikala... dheena kaila thaali oda unnaa pakathula paatha antha momentla purinjuthu... your eyes had happiness, excitement and even fondness for him... athula love irunthuruntha yena agirukum nu bayama irunthuchu antha nimisham...

Ippo nee ketiye... what if you were in love with dheena nu... that question answered me that you weren't in love with him...

but.. but... i dont want to pretend i am good..

(low voice) athula love irunthurunthalum naan itha than panirupen... sola pona itha vida yetha kevalama yetha pana than nee kedaipanu oru situation vanthuruntha athaiyum kuda panirupen... because i wanted you... and i want you always...

Mullai stood flabbergasted not knowing what to react...
Should she be happy for this intense love or get angry for the arrogance that was binded in it...
She really didnt have a idea...

She had to accept his words surprised him and at the sametime scared her too...
She had to accept he was good but at the sametime she knew he can be at his worst...

Not able to think straight, She was getting weak on knees and she slumped on the couch restlessly...
In no time, Kathir kneeled down near her and looked at her holding her hand comfortably...

K : nee soniye... ithuku per love illaa... veri nu... same way amma sonanga ithu ayogiyathanam nu... appa sonaru its pure adamance... paati sonathu kolla aasai... athai sonathu vidhi... en friends sonathu vadikatina muttaalthanam... ipadi en feelings ku neraya per vechukalam... i really dont mind...

but trust me... ithelam enaku vera yentha ponnu melaiyum vanthathu illaa... this is first and this will be the last...

I LOVE YOU HONEY...
I LOVE YOU MADLY AND I WANT YOU ALWAYS...
WILL YOU ACCEPT ME...

KNOCK... KNOCK... KNOCK...

Before mullai could answer, there was a knock at the door with voices of lakshmi and parvathi making them part away...

K : they are coming for our answer... its in your hands honey... i really wish you say yes...

M : just because you love me madly, you are forcing me to love you... right...

K : definitely no... just because i love you madly, iam asking you not to hate me...

Eyes locked and the sametime door opened...

TBC...