With the squealing sound of opening of the shutter, they parted away from eachother looking at the one who entered the scene out of the blue...

For a fraction of the second, the world seem to be caught in a cold snap for all the three...

Kathir, mullai

and

It was jeeva to their misfortune...
But then yes...
They had to face this some day and its all now...
Kathir and mullai peeped at eachother and moved their orbs to jeeva with a scared sigh...

There...

Jeeva's face showed instant disgust and anger seeing the duo together...
Unfortunately he did see things he shouldnt have seen in his lifetime...
Kathir's happiness, mullai's messy but chirpy look that too in kathir's outfit, their smile, the nearness and sudden movement shoving of eachother away gave him oodles of untold stories of what could have happened here...

Offcourse, He was not so insane to think they were upto something extremely awkward...
He knew about both of them and he didnt mistake them for anything wrong but he knew they had their intimate time...
That was enough to bid adieu to his calmness...

Though he cursed himself for coming, he was thankful too...
His entry was enough to make him get the answer for the question that was open for three months...
Added to the scene, mullai reflexively covered herself fetching kathir's towel from his shoulders...
That gave a unsaid answer where she had kept jeeva and where was kathir...

A bitter smile popped out of his lips thinking about the castles he built in air in past months which he himself bursted few minutes ago...

L : jeeva... namma vaniga sanga thalaivar irukaaru la... avaru vanthurunthaaru... athu... athu... avaru ponnuku unna kekararu da... nalla kudumbam... nalla edam... ponnu nalla irukaa... namaku pidicha paaka kuda thevai illaa pesi mudichudalam nu solranga... athu... nee yena pa solre...

J : maaa...

Jeeva was shocked to hear such a idea from his mom which clearly portrayed what she has in mind...
Lakshmi's face showed extreme pain to speak more but she continued...

L : unnaa vittu kuduka solren nu unaku kovam varalam da... aana kathir ah vittu kuduka sola mudiyala da jeeva... athan unmai... (crying)

J : ...

L : avan ithana naal yepadi irunthaan nu namaku theriyume da... oru vaai saapadu kuda avanuku pidichatha asaiya kekka maatan da... potatha sapitutu, kudutha thuniya potutu, iruka velaiya senjutu poiduvan... padippu,thuni, velai, vandi yethume... oru varthai yethuthu pesinathu illaa... kallu madhiri irunthavan da... ippo than avana karaika oruthi vanthurukaa... avanuku ava mela aasai vanthuruku... aasai nu onnu avanuku varum ne ippo than da theriyuthu enaku... ennala athu venam nu sola mudiyala da...

J : ...

L : parvathi kupitaa da... intha vishayam kenathula potta kallu madhiri irukanala ava anna paiyana mullaiki paakatuma nu kekkara da... kandipa kathiru thaanga maatan da jeeva...

Unaku amma oru kannula vennai oru kannula sunnambu nu yosikara madhiri irukaalam... aana apadi illaa da... enaku neenga rendu perume venum... rendu perume nalla irukanum... Ithuku mela nan yena da solatum...

A deep silence slipped in the space for sometime...
All the daydreams jeeva had so far seemed to vanish like mist in the sun...
He had been oscillating with the same for past few days looking at his brother struggling for life literally with no soul in eyes...
His tender heart went for kathir and now his mom's words proved his oscillations to be taken to next stage...
On another side, he had a feel that mullai too seemed to be out of mind when coming to this chaos....
Finally he decided...

J(clearing throat) : antha sanga thalaivarku kupitu solidunga ma... nammaku samatham nu...

L : jeeva... en mela kovama da...

J : cha... yena ma neenga... kovam elam illaa ma... ennala ungala purinjuka mudiyuthu... nan vittu kuduthudaren ma... kathir eh mullai ah kattikatum... appapo en manasula thonina vishayam than ithu... yenalaiyum avana ipadi paaka mudiyala... mullaikum perusa yedupaadu iruka madhiri theriyala... avan eh sonna madhiri enaku mullai mela kaadhal nu illaa oru aasai than eh... sari aagidum ma...

L : muzhu manasoda solriya da... illa...

J : muzhu manasoda solrana nu theriyala ma... aana ithu than sari nu purinju than solren... neenga kavapadathenga...

L (happy tears) : ithu pothum da... intha onnu pothum... thambikaga nee aasai patatha vitu kuduthuruka... unaku oru koraiyum varathu da.. un vazhkaiyum amogama irukum da...

K : anne...

Kathir's call brought him back to the present...
Till then, jeeva had a feel he had sacrificed for his brother but how funny it was evident he just stepped aside not being a obstacle in his brother's happy life...
His idea of sacrifice laughed at him sarcastically which kindled a annoyance in him...

K : anne... mulla friend veetuku poitu thirumbi varum bothu mazhai pidichukichu... athan othunga inga vantha... thunni elam nananju...

J : naan yethum kekkala... yethum nenaikavum illaa... yethuku enaku vilakkam solre...

K : illaa ne... athu...

J : vidu... vandiya yedukaama nadanthu vanthute nu kanna sonnan... mazhai athigama iruke nu kuttitu polam nu vanthen... inga vanthu paatha... hmmmm... nee vandiya eduthutu poi mullaiya veetula vitutu vanthudu... naan nadanthu poikaren... kudai iruku... intha saavi...

Jeeva gave the key to kathir who stood without getting it...
Seeing them look at eachother, a shrewd sadism seeped out with a urge to hurt both...
Yes, he loves his brother...
He obeys his mother's words...
He didnt want to complicate more and decided to give up for his brother...
But couldnt control that anger and frustration coming out specially on mullai...
After all he is a human being...
He couldnt help it...

J : yena da muzhikare... athan yellam plan pani panite la... nichayatha niruthiyaachu... amma kita solli kalyanatha niruthi enaku vera ponnu paathu kalyanam pesiyaachu... appuram inga ithu...  yellam unaku sari ah than eh nadakuthu...

K(shocked) : kalyaanama... anneee... nichayatha niruthinathu en thappu tha... aana amma kita elam unna pathi nan yethum pesala ne... nee solrathelam enaku yethume theriyaathu... intha vera ponnu, kalyanam elam nijamave theriyaathu ne...

J(sarcastically) : oh ho... theriyaathu... hmmm sari... appo therinjuruntha venaam nu solitu nee antha ponna kalyanam panitu, mullai enna kalyanam panikatum nu vituduviya...

There was a jerk in both kathir and mullai that sadistically soothed jeeva's pain to some extent...

J : yena mulla... enkuda kalyanam nathum valikitha... illaa kathir ku vera ponnukuda kalyanam nathum valikitha... nichayathuku munnadi ena pidichuruku , kalyanathuku sari nu solli enkuda manikanakula phone pesinathu elam maranthu pochu pola...

It was a low hit and mullai was done...
The thing she feared the worst has come up...
The thing that had her tongue tied to kathir was out...
She didn't know what jeeva would be thinking about her now...
She didnt know what would others think of her if her decision about marrying kathir comes out...
But she really didnt care...
Her eyes were on kathir...
What would he think about her...

Will he think her as a girl who flirts with his brother accepting to engagement and marriage...
Once there was a choas, eventually changes and drops everything...
Calculates things in few months and changes like a chameleon from one to another...
Adding to it, proceeding to smooch him with the circumstances that she got...
How worst is she...
Tears started pooling in her eyes...

Mullai wanted to say she didnt say yes to jeeva just because it was a yes...
It was because she didnt have any reasons for a no...

She accepted for the engagement and henceforth the marriage...
Not after thinking about it for months...
Not after knowing he loves her madly...
Not after understanding the same oozing love in her...
Not after falling for him completely...
In short, not being a mullai how she is now....
How would she say that...
Will it make sense if she did open up too...
Will kathir understand...
What if he dont...
Her thoughts were interrupted by kathir's calm voice...

K : anne.... antha nichayathuku naduvula maasakanaka naal illaa... rende rendu naal than irunthuchu... athula nee oru naal than mullai oda pesina... athuvum enakum kannanukum munnadi than pesina... neenga pesinathu kuda enaku niyabagam iruku...

ippo ne pesarathu yepadi theriyuma iruku... yetho ava unaku naal kanakula aasai kamichu yemmathina madhiri iruku... yen ne ipadi thappa vaaya vidare... un tharathuku ithu nalla illaane...

Though taken by the heat of the situation and reacted with words, jeeva understood he had stooped low...
His heart knew really what was between him and mullai...
Before he started speaking ,kathir continued...

K : naan panathu thappu... enna nee yena vena pesu... kevalama thittu... yen nee seruppaala adikka kuda sei... unaku urimai iruku... enmela thappum iruku...

aana ava... (shooking his head) romba thappu ne... anniki nee yepadi ennala baathikapattu ninaiyo apadi than avalum ninnaa... anniki yepadi nadanthathu unaku athirchiyo avalukum athe than... anniki nee asingapata madhiri than avalum asingapatta... solla ponna avaluku inum mosam...

Unaku kalyanam ninnathu mattum than... aana ivaluku athu mattum illaa... ipadi oruthan vanthu pesaraan na appo iva edam kuduthurukaanum nu ivala thappa pesinavangalaum irukanga... ippo varai antha pechu iruku... nadantha vishayathula avaluku than baathippu neraya... ava mela thappu illaa ne... thayavu senju avala yethum solathe...

(voice densed) enaku... naan... chh... avala yethum solathe ne... avalo than... nan chumma iruka matten...

Kathir gripped his fist gritting his teeth trying to control the anger but even before he utter any mullai took over in a clear voice...

M : mama solrathu unmai than... nan anniki baathikapattu than ninnen...

nalla poitu iruntha vazhkaiya sethachu pota madhiri irunthuchu anniki...
Ooruku munnadi asingamagiduche nu irunthuchu...
Appa amma manasu varuthapadarangale nu irunthuchu...
Yellarukum santhoshama nadakara oru vishayam yen enaku mattum ipadi nadakanum nu thonichu...
Yellarum naanum thappu pana madhiri paathapo yengayavathu kann kaanama odidalam nu thonichu...

Athelam vida ivan yaaru ipadi pana nu thonichu...
Enna pidikama enna pazhi vaangarana nu thonichu...
Enga appa amma ah asingapadutha venum nu panrana nu thonichu...
Sattaiya pidichu veliya thalanum nu irunthuchu...

Her lips trembled as if she was living that day and tears started flowing down...
It really did melt the two with two different feelings...
Kathir was completely in guilt mode as he was the one responsible for everything...
Jeeva was reading between lines noticing she never mentioned about him or missing the engagement...
Both stood fixed to the floor and in sometime mullai looked at kathir for a second and turned to jeeva...

M : jeeva mama... aana antha nimishathulaiyum mama oda kannula therinja kaadhal purinjuthu... enaku athu pidikalanalum purinjuthu... athu than unmai...

Konjam konjama antha naatkal la iruntha kovam poga arambichudhu... anniki nadanthathelam vera madhiri puriya arambichuthu...
aniki nadantha vishayathoda aazham puriya arambichuduchu... appuram en manasu maara arambichuduchu...  mama ah manasu theda arambichuthu... nadanthathelam nallathuku than nu thona arambichuduchu...

Seeing jeeva look at kathir...

M : mama enna vanthu paakala... pesala... yethume panalaa... intha moonu maasama naanga pesinathe illaa... paathathum oruthara oruthar paakathapo than... aana... aana...

enna ariyama sila vishayangal enakula nadaka arambichuthu...
Ipo enkita yen nu ketengana athuku en kita bathil illaa... aana nadanthuchu... athu than unmai...

Her eyes started tearing up more and her face showed more of regret and shame which was well spotted by the other two...

K : mullaa... vidu... nee yethum sola venam... intha kashtam yellathukum nan than kaaranam... ne unna varuthikaathe... paathukalam...

M : illaa mama... nan pesanum... please...

Jeeva mama... aana nan pana periya thappu ungakita itha solaathathu... neenga veetuku vanthathu, pesinathu elam yethukaga nu therinjum chumma irunthathu thappu... en manasula irukaratha solirukanum... aana yena nenaipengalo nu avamanama irunthuchu... appa amma kita sola kuda bayama irunthuchu... oruthar kuda nichayam varai vanthutu avar thambi ah kalyanam panikarennnu solrale nu kevalama nenachuduvangalo nu... antha nenaipe manasa arukara madhiri irunthuchu... athan yethuvum pesama oru kozhaiya irunthuten...

Mullai looked at them again wiping her tears and uttered in a clear voice...

M : ungaluku thonalaam ipo matum yenga irunthuchu vanthathu thairiyam nu...

Nan thali poda poda yenga mama enaku illama poiduvaaro nu bayam vanthuduchu enaku... mama enaku illangara oru nilamai varum bothu than yaaru enna pesinalum paravala... enna nenachalum paravala... enna nadanthalum paravala.... en vazhkai mukkiyam nu thonuthu... athan ippo solren...

neenga kekkalam appo kalyanathuku samatham soniye nu... nichayathuku othukitiye nu... aama sonnen than... veetula sonathukelam othukitten...
appo venaam nu solla enaku karanam yethum illaa... perusa yethum venum nu thonala... aana ippo... ippo...

Mullai's cries that seem to settle with talks increased in no time...
It felt like all the pain she locked within herself was dripping out in the form of tears...
Unable to stand, she fell to her knees crying making the two worry...

K : ei... yena de...

J : mulla...

They too dropped to the floor kneeling near her and looked at her not knowing how to pacify her...

M : Mamaku mattum illaa... enakum mama venum... kandipa venum... yepavume venum...

sathiyama enaku vera yena solrathu nu theriyala... nadanthathu elam veliya iruntha paaka thappa theriyalam... aana enaku sari ah paduthu... enaku mama venum...

Even after she was done with speaking, her tears were flowing nonstop...
Kathir clutched her hands without thinking about the other and caressed it without a word offcourse with tears in eyes...

Seeing kathir pacifying mullai,  jeeva got up from the place not wanting to disturb them...
Off course, he understood he is the not wanted here...
Not just here...
In her life...
In their life which is one single entity now...

Yes... He is clear on that point...
They belong to eachother and destined to eachother...
Thats why even a engagement, a planned marriage, their lovable family and society couldnt stand before this...
Their life was supposed to take a different turn but then it was all changed now...
That too without their control over it...
It was just love and destiny made it work...
So no point in brooding over this and hurting eachother for something that happened without their knowledge...
All is fair in love and war...

And to be on practical side, he is worrying for something that is really not his...
Hightime to stop all these...
He was much relieved to know he accepted to his mother about the marriage before knowing about them...
It did make him feel good as a brother and also his male pride was not put down...

More than all, his brother would be happy with her...
Only with her...
Knowing it thinking otherwise made him feel so selfish...
No This shouldn't continue...
This pain that kept mounting all these days should be wiped off...
When jeeva was getting things cleared within himself, kathir saw jeeva standing away from them and went to him...

K : annee... engala manichudu... enaku...

J : dei kathiru...

Jeeva gestured him for a hug and kathir hugged him tight with a content of getting back his brother cum friend...
When mullai stopped crying looking at them, the duo was raining tears...
When kathir started to apologize ,Jeeva took the role of the big brother and tried to set things right...

K : annee... naan thappu...

J : adei venaam da... athe kettu kettu bore adikithu... vitu thallu atha... aduthu aga vendiyatha paapom...

K : illaa ne... enaku...

J : inga paaru da... konjam nan solratha kelu... neenga rendu perum pesitenga... naanum pesidaren... inaiyoda ithuku oru mutrupulli vechuralam...

Nadanthathu sariyo thappo atha pathi pesa venam da... moonu maasam patathu pothum... konja naal ah thoninathu than... unna paaka mudiyala ipadi... sila samayam pesama mullai ah neeye kalyanam paniko nu unkita sola thonum... athulaiye nan purinjurunthukanum enaku ava mela kaadhal irunthuruntha antha ennam kuda vanthurukaathu nu...

Appuram amma pesinanga... unna pathi... nammala pathi... kalyanatha pathi... enaku sari nu patuchu... nan antha kalyanathuku samatham solitu than vanthen...

Inga vanthu ungala paathathum ennai ariyama kanda pechu vaaila vanthuduchu... ipo naan ah apadi pesinen nu iruku...

K : anne unakku nadanthathuku nee yena vena pesalam... thayavu senju varathupadathe...

J (with a wink) : konja nerathuku munnadi pesathe nan chumma iruka matten nu sonne...

The smile with a playful wink after longtime made kathir's lips curl too....
They felt as if they were in their brother's nest after many decades...

K : kuda innonum sethu than eh ne sonnen... enna pesu... serupaala kuda adi nu... unaku urimai iruku nu...

J : adei pothum da... thirumba arambikkaathe... antha pullaa namma over paasatha paathu bayanthu odida poguthu... appuram unaku than prachanai...

Jeeva tried to sound so cool bringing a pain in the other two...

J : atha vidu... moolai kettu pesiten... appuram ippo neenga pesinathu, kashtapadarathu elam paathu valikithu da... naanum varuthapattu  , neengalum kashtapattu, namma veetula yellarum varunthi ithelam yethuku nu thonuthu... vazha porathu oru vazhkai... atha pidicha madhiri vazhuvom da... ithana azhugai,  mana kashtam ithelam venam da... yena solrenga...

Chumma maathi maathi manichudu, thappu panitom... ithelam venam... konjam yatharthathuku varuvom... nadanthatha maranthutu avanga avanga vazhakaiya paapom... yena solrenga...

As kathir hugged jeeva again, Mullai too got up from the floor with a relieved smile...

K : sari ne...

J : yena pa mulla... unaku sariya... inime ipadi thembi thembi azhuthutu irukaathe... nalla illaa paaka...

M : inime illaa mama... thanks mama purinjukitathu...

J : athan vidunga nu solitane... ini aga vendiyatha paapom... veetula pesuvom...

K : anne... anna,anni enkita pesarathu illaa... nee than pesanum...

J : avanga yenga da poiduvaanga... paathukalam....

K : sari ne...

J : sari nan kelambaren... nee mazhai ninnathum antha pullaiya veetula vitutu vaa... avasaram illaa... nan varen da... varen pa...

The extremely tensed atmosphere shifted to lighter one and now a little bit emotional...
Kathir clutched jeeva's hands along with the key and uttered with utmost genuineness...

K(broken voice) : romba thanks ne...

It did move jeeva too who went for another hug and moved away...

J : poda dei... naan varen...

Saying this, jeeva in no time moved out bidding bye leaving them alone...
Kathir and mullai looked at eachother with a relief but still N number of questions popping up about the future and off course the past too...

K (clearing throat) : nan vanthu kaadhal ngra per la prachanai panaama irunthurukalam nu thonutha de...

Mullai drilled his heart through eyes before answering him...

M : aama nu sonna yena panuve...

K : thonina thonitu pogatum nu vituduven...

M : dei mama... nee irukiye...

A loud laughter echoed across the room as they hugged eachother finding solace in eachother's nearness...
Soon it was embraced by a stiff silence...

K : nan unkita konjam pesanum de...

M : naanum than mama... sila vishayangal inaiyoda pesi mudichudanum...

TBC...