The distressing two weeks tick by..

And there came the engagement day of Jeeva and Meena...

Everyone reached the mandapam by early morning six as it was the auspicious time but the function was to start only by 10.. so they had ample amount of time for getting ready and other works...

It was only the close relatives at the hall as guests were expected only around ten.... The preparations were made in full swing... Hall being decorated, food being prepared, seatings being arranged and the bride and bride groom along with others were getting ready for their day...

Of all things happening around, there were two who couldnt focus on anything just roamed around with a fake smile till ears not to show their pain out and tried to keep a happy face....

When Mullai tried her best to avoid kathir in all possible ways, kathir tried to get her alone atleast for a minute....
But it didnt happen even after breakfast...

Kathir who was in hope that everything will settle down if they look at eachother moved away downhearted unable to get a glimpse of her eyes....

It was around 8.30 and there was a strike of luck for kathir...

Kathir, who had his eyes on mullai inspite of his works saw her moving to bridegroom's room after some talks with parvathi... He rushed to the room impulsively and bumped into her...

They stood transfixed locking their eyes till they were called by someone. Back to senses mullai sprinted out without any word, off course kathir didnt make any move to stop her.... She went to parvathi gave the things she asked for and moved aside before her mom could tell her anything..

She wanted a place to sit and think...
Sit and cry...
Sit and calm her down...

Definitly she cant get it done inside the hall nor she cant go out of the hall... She thought for a second, went to the room and took the car key thanking her father for not carrying it along...

She drifted to the car parking area... All their cars were parked backside of the hall not where the guest car parking was to be...
It made a best secluded place for her for the currect sitch as no one would drop by...
She sat inside the car and dropped her head on the steering with fresh tears descending down her cheeks...

Memories came swarming into her heart on seeing his eyes in person after two long weeks....

Many of her friends had questioned her on how does she stay in a relationship without open revelation...
She had argued back saying his eyes reveal all that love...

The eyes which spoke volumes of love...
Yes, she believed in those eyes...
It might look impractical but she could feel it...
In return, She filled her orbs with same love for him to understand...
She thought he did understand it too...

But....
But....
Didnt he....

Her heart wandered about the days they fell in love...
Do they knew when they fell in love with eachother...
No...Not exactly...

Mullai was equally close to all four brothers...
Moorthy was more like a father figure to her whereas Jeeva was like a elder brother while kanna was like a younger brother...

But Kathir was like a dearest friend right from childhood...
They both had very similiar charactertistics...
Both were very cool by nature, very playful, extremely naughty, never got carried away by silly things, etc...
Their similarities made them quiet close always...

Things changed between them when mullai joined her college in karaikudi and PS's another branch was in karaikudi..
It was taken care by jeeva and kathir...
Mullai had her classes till 4 and she would go by bus on normal days...
If kathir or jeeva had any work in kunnakudi shop or if they leave early, they will pick up mullai from college and drop her in home...
Sometimes it had happened when moorthi had come to karaikudi shop too...

Mullai had always had a habit of reciting things happened from morning to evening to her mom...
She never failed to mention about jeeva and moorthy who dropped her... But she will never took the call about kathir...
She will call jeeva even by midnight before her parents without any hesitation but wont dare to call kathir even during daytime....
She will explain how she had eaten out with jeeva but wont let a word about a extra five minutes with kathir...
In short, All her moments with kathir were so secretive...
Nothing she did was intentional but it did go as a flow....

She got it was the same with kathir during a diwali festival...
It was a diwali...
Murugan's family visited PS home for diwali celebration...
After all casual greetings, lakshmi opened about kathir's little secret to mullai...

L : kathir kuda solitu irunthan... mulla ah paathu romba naal achu.. paakave mudiyarathu illaa nu... ipadi vishesham elam vantha than paaka mudiyuthu nu...

P : hmmm aama athachi.. mulla kuda soluva... kathir ah than paaka mudiyarathu ilaa nu...

Both were embrarassed at the same time shocked to know that the other one is also sailing in the same boat... Both shared a stealthy look remembering the previous day they spent together in pizza hut...

Post that day they moved from the phase of hiding meetings from family to lying about their meetings to family...
After few months, it went to the phase planning the lies together to the family...

By then they understood, the only reason for all these is they fell in love with eachother...

Its the proverb "குற்றமுள்ள நெஞ்சம் குறுகுறுக்கும்" came to their mind always....

That's is the only reason they couldnt speak normally about eachother to their family....

Being occupied with past,
She couldnt stop thinking about the shirt he was wearing today..
It was the shirt she presented him for his last birthday...
A sky blue silk shirt...
She instantly remembered things happened during that time...

K : yen ipadi panre... na than sattai yellam venam nu sonen ila... veetula eduthu vechatha poda soli imsai panuvanga... enaku ne vanginathu podanum nu aasai ah irukum... potta itha yethuku vangina, nanga vanginatha podu nu soluvanga... thevai ah ithu...

M : ei enaku asaiya irunthuchu.. unaku intha color la vanganum nu... athan vanginen... ne itha mudhala potutu oru photo matum eduthu anupu.. apuram maathiko... ne potta pothum....

K : hmmm sari ok...

He did wear it firstly in the morning and sent her his picture in that... To her surprise, he wore the same in the evening while he came to meet her...

K : unaku aasai ah irukum nu vazhila roadla ninnu maathitu vanthen...

M : ada paavi... na than venam nu sonen ila.. athan photo la paathathene...

K : paravala enakum podanum pola irunthuchu... athan...

M : appo sari...

K : aama nalla iruka...

M : super ah iruku... photo ah vida nerla alaga iruke...

It was really a awesome day...
After her college, they went to temple, then dinner and came back to home around 8.30 claiming that mullai had dance practice for culturals...

Remembering that day in mind, she could easily find out the difference in kathir that day and today...

The eyes that shone in love and happiness totally showed his anguish today...
She was startled to see a little of tears in his eyes when he looked at her...

Tears....
Really....

Is it possible...
Then how come he accepted to...

KNOCK... KNOCK...

There was a knock on the window on her side...
She lifted her head to see kathir standing with a intense look...
He opened the door as she was looking at him with surprise and shock...

K : antha pakkam po...

M : yenna...

She was too numb to react...

K : antha pakkam poi ukaru...

M : yethuku...

K : po... amma veetuku poi yetho nagai eduthutu vara sonanga...anga poitu phone pana sonanga...

M : athuku na yethuku.. ne akka ah kutitu po...

K : anni velaiya irukanga.... athan unna kutitu poga sonanga... neram achu.. vaa mudhala... unakaga yellarum wait panitu iruka mudiyaathu...

His voice was so stern as if he was not affected by her or her tears... Her head raised automatically in determination wiping off her tears.. Her heart shouted Why should she be worried about a person who doesnt care for her...

She got down and hopped into the passenger seat with a expressionless face... They drove in silence and reached home in minutes with hundreds of questions running in their mind....

As they got down from the car and entered the home...

M : yena nagai... bureau la iruk...

Before she could complete the sentence, his lips sealed hers and his arms enclasped around her neck.... It happened in a breakneck pace and didnt give her even a second to react...

She tried to shove him off but her dainty hands couldnt win over his iron clench...

His kiss deepened with her every struggle to push him off...
The kiss that was placed to shed off his anger, pain of missing her, fear of losing her, bliss of looking her eyes revamped into a passionate one...

Though fuming out of rage inside, her heart that was full of love couldn't resist the temptation to melt in his nearness....
She didnt budge more and in no time, she was completely under his charm...

He slowly took his lips slightly away seeing her short-winded... But never let his hold...

K : I love you....

M : haan?????

K : I LOVE YOU....

M : I love you?????

K : HMMM.... I LOVEEEE YOUUU...

His longing lips reached for hers again in triumph of putting thoughts into words...

K : intha rendu vaaram ne yen yena avoid pana nu naa kekka maaten... aana inoru thadavai ipadi pani ennaiyum kashtapaduthi unnaiyum kashtapaduthathe... sari ah...

Only then, Mullai remembered the two weeks in between...

The reason why she avoided him....

The reason why she went mad on him....

All reasons are still alive and shamelessly she is clinging to him....

The guilt of forgetting her agony in just a kiss killed her...
Instant fury raged her mind as he kissed her cheeks...

M (yelled) : chiiii... vidu yena....

She pushed him forcefully coming out of his hold making kathir move into confusion...

K : yena achu... yen ipadi kaathare..

M : ithana naal yetho oor sutharathukum, kadalai podarathukum, time pass panrathukum na thevai patten... ipo ithukuma... unaku than ipo ithukelam puthusa aalu vanthache... appuram yethuku na...

K : vaaya moodu... yena pesare ne... kekkeve asingama iruku...

M : kekka asingama iruka... anubhavikara enaku yepadi irukum...

By now, kathir's temper was increasing...

K : yenatha anubhavikara... rendu vaarama na anubhavikarathu vidava... nimathiya enna thokki potutu poitu ipo vanthu vaai ku vanthathelam pesu.....

M : aama na than thokki potutu ponen....ne romba olungu than....

Vera oruthi vanthathum enna vitutu poitu pechu vera...

K : yeva vantha...

M : unaku theriyaathu ilaa...

K : therinja yen kekaren....

M : nambitten...

K : puriyara madhiri pesa mattiya... yaaru vantha... yena puthusa aalu... thappu thappa yetha yosichutu pesathe...

M : ithana naal ah thappu thappa than yosichuten... ipo than yellam sari ah puriyuthu...

K : yenanu mudhala sollu... sari ah thappa nu na solren....

M : yethume nadakatha madhiri yenna nadippu... inuma na yemaaruven nu nambare...

He clenched his fist in anger...

K : varra kovathuku aranjuduven de... porumai ah sothikaama yena nu sollu...

M : oh ho... ipo yellam enna paatha apadi than irukum.... yen intha moonu varusham kuda suthum bothu...

His furious stare cut her words in between...

K : yena nu mattum sollu... veriyethathe...

M : athan anga antha ponna kalyanam panika othukita illaa....appuram yethuku en kita vare.... poi un aasai padiyum, un kudumba asai padiyum kalyanam panitu santhoshama iru... enna vitudu...

Her eyes filled with tears which she wiped off in a second not wanting to show her vulnerability to him at any cause...

K : yentha ponnu... na yepo othukiten.... konjam puriyara madhiri than pesen...

M : kathiru pls... yellathaiyum panitu thirumba thirumba yethum theriyaatha madhiri nadikaathe....

K : un mela sathiyama enaku puriyala de... en vazhkai la unna thavira vera yaarum illaa...

Seeing her disapproving look,

K : sari amma mela saathiyam pothuma... ne theliva sollu....

His deep voice and eyes spoke more than his words....
Her temper was really coming down but she had her own reasons to be mad at him....

M : athan ungalukum meena ka thangachikum kalyanam pana porangalaame... neenga kuda santhoshama sari nu soliyache.. appuram yena...

K : yenathu.... yaaru sona unaku....

M : oh appo enkita sonathu than prachanai....athan eh...
Yen... na yetha keduthu vituduvena... na apadi yellam pana maaten sir... neenga poi kalyanam panikonga...

K : nijamave enaku porumai poguthu ne pesaratha kettu... avanga veetula ketanga... na mudiyaathu nu soliten... ithula vera yethum illa... neeya itha pathi karpanai panitu than rendu vaarama enna vitu velaigi poriya...

M : nan ah karpanai panala... enkita sonatha vechu than na solren...

K : yaaru sonna.... oh jeeva annanum, kaanavuma... nenachen... chumma yetha panu panu nu solite irunthanga.... athan plan pani intha velai ah paathurupangga...

M : yentha vishayatha yaaru sona nambanum nu kudava enaku theriyathu... avanga solala.....

K : appuram...

M : athai than sonenga.. athai mattum illa... appa, amma,moorthy mama, akka, yelarum than...

K(shocked) : amma ah.... yena de solre....

M : aama...

Mullai narrated what happened the next day after their last chat...

After the phone call on the way to trichy, kathir didnt contact her till the next day...

As she was pushing off time sitting idle, Murugan and parvathi left to PS home for some work... And after two hours mullai received a call from his father to come to PS home to pick up her mom as he is leaving for a work and no one is at home....
Mullai reached PS home and was surprised to see everyone except the three younger brothers at home...
But before she could speak, she happened to listen to the bitter conversation of them...

L : athan parvathi... avangaluku kathir ah yum pidichuruku.... rendu ponnunga ore veetula kuduthuta onnukonnu uthavi ah santhoshama irupanga nu nenaikaranga.... athuvum vasthavam than eh....

P : aama athachi... unmai than... kathirukum vayasu 24 achu illaa... panidalam...

L : aama athan nanum mudivu paniten... avanga vera rendu kalyanamum sethu panidalam nu solranga... namma vena nu solla poi avanga jeevakum vena nu solitanga yena pana... jeeva ku vera antha ponna romba pidichuruchu...

Mu : yen ka...kathir mapilla kita pesitiya...

L : oh athelam nethu night eh pesiten... mudhala venam nu sonan.... appuram jeeva kalyanathula prachanai agidum sonathume sari nu othukitan... kudumbam than eh avanuku yepavume mudhal.. maathathelam appuram than eh...

D : aama athum jeeva thudichathum kathir aala thanga mudiyala...udane sari nu solitan...

Mu : appo sari than.. appo nichayam rendu perukum sethe vechudalama...

L : illaa kathir ku jhathagathula inum oru rendu maasam sari ah illa... mudhala jeeva ku nichayam mudichitu appuram kathir ku nichayam panikalam... kalyanam vena onna ore medai la panidalam....

P : athu sari than athachi... apadiye panidalam... kavalaiye padathenga...

Mullai was rooted to the place hearing all those conversations...
Did she expect such a worse thing happen in her life...
Did really kathir accept to this marriage....
Thats why he didnt call or message since yesterday night...
She knows his family means a lot to him but is he ready to sacrifice his love for his brother and his family...
She knew jeeva liked meena a lot but doesnt it mean he can kill their love for his like...

Wait...
When was it declared as love...
Nope...
There was no such word spoken between them...
So she was insane to imagine things...
Her unsaid love stood as a big questionmark in front of her....

They started planning for kathir's engagement infront of her and didn't know how mullai managed to come home bringing her mom along...

To add fuel to the fire, there was a message from kathir...

K msg : iniki konjam veliya vara mudiyuma...kalyanam pathi oru mukkiyama vishayam pesanum... na itha pesara situation varum nu nan eh yosichathu ilaa....aana vera vazhi illaa.... athan...

Mullai thought may be he is going to clear off their relationship before he step into another one... She stopped messaging and attending his calls.. She didnt meet him by any chance alone as she didnt have the strength to hear it from him that he is going to marry someone else and he needs a break up...

Deep within , there was a voice saying they never spoke about any deep relationship and why about break up...
With the voice becoming louder day by day, she is here now...

K : loose ah ne... call panalaina thappu... message panalaina thappu na yepadi de... antha message na yethuku anupinen nu theriyuma unaku...

M : yethum solaaama iruntha enaku mattum yena theriyum...

Kathir understood there were so much hidden meaning in those words...

K : mudhala na solratha kelu... amma solra madhiri antha pechu vanthathu unmai than... aana amma sona madhiri yethum nadakala...

M : yena....

K : aama...

It was the dinner time of the bride look day...

Moorthy got a call from meena's father regarding his family's interest in getting married his second daughter to kathir.. He wished both marriages to happen at the sametime if they are ok with it... Moorthy conveyed the same to lakshmi amma and she started the talk to kathir during supper...

L : kathiru... meena oda thangachi ah unaku kalyanam pani vekka asai padaranga da.. kupitu pesinanga moorthy kita...

K(laughing) : yena comedy panrangala... mapilla kuda vanthavangaluku sweet kaaram than kudupanga... ivanga yena ponnu kudukarengaranga...

D : dei velaiyadama serious ah pesu.. yevalo mukiyamaana vishayam pesarom.... velaiyaaditu iruke...

K : neenga solrathu apadi than iruku anni....

Mo : illaa da..yepadiyum unaku pani than eh aganum.. nalla kudumbam.. ponnu nala iruku... avangale kekaranga...vera yena venum namaku...

D : aama kathiru... appuram sontha akka thangachi ah intha veetuku marumagalunga vanthuta otrumai ah irupanga illa... kudumbam piriyaama irukum....

K : yen anni.. neenga avangaluku sontha akka illaye.. appo neenga kudumbatha pirichuduvengala...

D : dei...

Mo : kathiru.. yenathu ithu...

K : illane logic illama pesina athan apadi ketten...

L : kathiru velaiyadathe... avanga namma venam nu sonna jeeva kum venam nu solida poranga... jeeva vera romba asai padaran....

K to J : anne... oru ponnu ketta innoru ponnum ilavasa ennaipa kudukara family namaku venam... romba nallathu nu vituru...

L : dei avanuku aasai nu solitu iruken illaa da... un velaiyaatuthanathala avan vazhkai ah yen kedukare....

K : annanuku asai na appo annikum asai irukum illa.. avangale avanga veetula pesi ithelam oru vishayam illa nu puriya vechu kalyanatha nadathatum... apadi avangaluku avanga veetula solrathu than mukkiyam anna mela asai illaana vitudatum.. namma annanuku anna mela mattum asai iruka madhiri ponnu paathukalam... ilavasa innaipu illama...

Amma... ithelam oru vishayam nu inime enkita ithai pathi ellam pesi time waste panathenga... nalaiki na nerathula trichy ponum... poi thoongaren...

Mullai was looking at him in astonishment....

M : ithan nadanthucha...

K : aama appuram.. intha pechu vanthu mudinjathuku appuram than na trichy ponen... trichy la irunthu kelambum bothu phone kela vilunthu velai seiyala.. night na varavum romba late agiduchu... vanthathum asathila paduthuten... athan aniki pesala... kalaila poi karaikudi kadai ku poi konjam velaiya mudichutu phone sari panitu unaku message panen...

Antha message la unaku yena thappa irunthuchu nu inum puriyala enaku...

M : illaa athula kalyanam nu mottaiya irunthuchu... athan un kalyanam nu thappa... cha...

K : inga paaru kathir ku kalyanam nale athu mullai kuda than.... atha thaniya solanum nu avasiyam illa...

A little smile graced her lips...

K : ne than yepavume kalyanam yellam ipo pana venam.. intha vayasulaiye thevai ilatha commitment athu ithu nu soluve... padikaren nu soluve....ithelam ennaikum na sonathu illa..na un ishtapadi than yellam nadakanum nu nenaikara aalu... aana inga ivanga konja naal ah kalyanam nu adikara kootha pathi namma pesi thelivaagikanum nu nenachen...

Kalyanam pathi pesina unaku perusa pidikathu nu theriyum... aanalum vera vazhi illaa... jeeva anne vera solite irunthuchu pesu pesu nu.. sari oru vazhi ah pesidalam nu nenachen... message panen.... vera yethum illaa...

M : sorry na than yetho thappa purinjukitu...

K : ei.. nee sari ah than purinjuruka.... sona aalunga apadi....amma, mama, atha solum bothu yepadi nambama irupa.. na un yedathula irunthalum nambirupen...

M : hmmm... aana avanga yen ipadi pananum...

K : avangalaiye keppom....

TBC....