July 8, 2019...

K : hello mulla...

M : sollu...

K : naalu naala kupidaren... unnala phone ah attend pana mudiyaatha...

M : velai irunthuchu...

K : oh... ippovum velaiya irukiya...

M : aama...

K : night pathinoru maniki velaiya...

M : aama...

K : appo naan vekkava...

M : sari...

K : ....

M : ....

None of them uttered any word and mullai dropped the call after seconds not believing her ownself...
She was very sure she would leave all her anger if she hears his voice which she didnt want to...
It was not just only about her...
It was more about her family this time...
Her mom was to be completely blamed but the way kathir reacted to her father and his aftertalks made her go mad...
She didnt want to come down even after four days...
It was maddening not to speak to him, not to meet him and even to think they are fighting but still the final words of him were enough for her to lose her cool...

Kathir threw the phone in anger on the bed knowing she had disconnected the call...
It was four days since the fight and till date there was no call or message from mullai...
She never picked his calls or replied to his messages...
Yes, she had dropped into his home to pacify dhanam and apologize to lakshmi but left even before he came...
The initial anger kept him in guard and he tried to act curt but then as the time passed all the anger took backseat...
All he was concerned was about her negligence...
He was afraid about the last words spoken by him asking her not to come home or call him...
He was mentally chiding for those words and also his behaviour that day...
Not able to withstand the separation, he called her again and again succeeding finally...

K : hello...

M : sollu...

K : neeyum kupida matte... naan ah kupitaalum velai iruku nu vechuduvela...

M : illaa velai irunthuchu...

K : oh irukatum... yen veetuku, kadaiku varala...

M : nee than eh sonna... naanga vantha prachanai nu... unga nimathi poguthu nu... athan...

K : chh... thappu than manichudu... yetho kovathula pesiten...

M : sulabama manippu ketuta pothuma... anubhavikaravangaluku than eh antha vali theriyum...

K : mulla... anniki naan pesinathu yellame thappu than... thayavu senju soli kaamikaathe... kekka mudiyala...

M : appo anniki ketta enaku yepadi irunthurukum... yena yellam sonne... naanga veetuku vanthale prachanai... nimathiye illaangra... sari varalainu kovama solren... sari nu solre illaa... ithula phone um pana venaamaam...

sari apadiye irukatum... intha nadavula vantha naal ah maranthudalam... munnadi rendu kudumbamum pesama irunthuche... apadiye irukatum... inime naan phone panala... nerlayum varala... nee un kudumbathoda prachanai illaama nimathiya iru... naan vekaren...

Mullai dropped the call with pooling tears as she got reminded of those words and ofcourse the future without him spread it wings in front of her...
Surprisingly, it was only about him and not the entire family who she loves a lot like her own family...
The fact that she had started thinking only about him and he literally dumped her for his family made her more angry...
Just to soothe her, she got calls from kathir which she avoided with brimming tears and finally after twenty calls she attended it...

K (gritting teeth) : ipadi chumma chumma phone ah thooki vesitu ponena ippove kelambi unga veetuku vanthuduven... yaaru irukaanga illaa nu paaka matten...

M : naanavathu phone ah than eh thooki vesinen... nee un annikaga un kudumbathukaga ennaiye thooki vesina illaa... jeeva mama meena ku ithe than eh panaru... athe than eh neeyum panre enaku...

K : paithiyam madhiri olarathe... yena thooki vesitaanga... yen sandai pota adutha naal la irunthu phone panren... yeduthiya nee... ippo kuda rendu mani nerama phone ah pottu naan than eh kenjaren...

M : aama aama periya vishayam than... ithe vaai than solichu pesa venam... paaka venam... veetuku vantha prachanai nu yellam...

K : aama yetho kovathula kathiten... ippo yena... athuku than sonnen pesina sandai varum venam nu... nee ketiya...appove pesanum ne...athu yenga konduvanthruku paaru...

M : apadi yena kovam... yen en amma puthusa ippo than apadi pesarangaala... yepavume ipadi than eh... atha purinjuka mudiyatha unnala...

K : yen naan mattum anniki matuma kova patten... yepavume vara kovam than eh... unnala atha purinjuka mudiyaatha...

M : aama konja naal ah yellam sari agirunthuthe nu nenachen... en ammaoda oru pechula yellam palaya madhiri agidumnu enaku theriyaathu...

K : un amma pechu mattum illaa... neenga kelambum bothu enna paathu nakkal ah sirichanga theriyuma.... yenamo saathicha madhiri... yethulaiyo jeicha madhiri... ippo than nimathingra madhiri... enaku athu than sema kovam...

M : aniki nee soniye... yellarukum oru karanam irukum... avanga yen apadi sirichangangrathuku avangakita oru karanam irukum... unaku athu therinjukanum na avanga kita kellu... athuku yen enkita sandaiku vare...

K : anniki naan chumma irunthathu unakaga than... nee than kaaranam... athan avanga mela iruntha kovam unmela thirumbiduchu... ivalaala than eh nu... 

M : oh ho... sari yen appa yena panaaru... avarkita yen apadi nandanthukita... akka ah amma pesinathuku avar unkitayelam manippu kekanum nu illaa... aana namma ippo than nalla irukom...athu ketuda kudaathu nu ketaaru... atha kuda mathikala nee...

K (softly) : avaru apadi thaalnthu poi manipu ketathu enaku pidikala... atha yenamo perunthanmaiya naanga manikara madhiri pesa suthamave pidikala... athan anga irunthu poiten...

M : itha naan nambanuma...

K : aama... yena athu than unmai... vena un appa ah kelu... mill ku poi avarkita pesinen... mannipum ketten... athelam manasula vechukaama yepavum pola veetuku vaanga nu kupiten... avarum sari nu santhoshama sonaaru...

M : yenathu... unmaiyava...

Even before kathir could reply, mullai's mind recaped a scene between her and her father two days before...

"Ammadi mulla... mapillaa iniki milluku vanthurunthaaru maa oru vaadikaiyaalar ah arimugam pana... appo anniki nadanthathuku romba varuthapataaru... manippum ketaaru... appuram anniki nadanthathuku namakula manipelam venam... inime kekkathenga nu sonnaru... ketta kashtama iruku nu... yeppavum pola veetuku vanthutu ponga nu sonaaru... enaku avalo santhoshama irunthuchu theriyuma..."

Yes those words were the exact words said by her father and the poor girl thought it was moorthy...
Jeeva who was in guilt mode to lifetime doesn't face them properly so definitely would have not done this...
Kanna was known for his playful talks and these matured talks were not his cup of tea...

Kathir was not even in that list as per her...
But it was him...
Kathir...
The one who hates her family gave a proper respect and concern to her father's feelings...
Even in his extreme rage, he have kept quiet to her mother even after witnessing her making unwanted talks...
If at all these have a reason behind, then it should be her...
His words bore into her ears again...

"avanga en amma kathiru..."

"antha oru karanathukaga than vaaya mooditu irunthen... illana nadakarathe vera..."

All of a sudden, The world which was in melancholic gray color turned to splash of appealing happy hues...

K : unmai than... unaku enmela nambikkai illaana un appa ah kelu...

M : thevai illaa... nee poi sola matte... appuram appavum annike sonaru... aana verumane mapilla nu sonathum moorthy mama nu nenachen... nee nu yosikala...

K : yen naan un appa ku mapilla than eh...

M : aama maama ah maama nu kupida yosikara aala yepadi mapillaa nu solrathu...

K (smiling) : ippo athu than un prachanai illaa... sikirame kupidaren... konjam naal pogatum... enaku yellathukum neram pidikum... sarasari aalungala vida... nee atha purinjukanum...

M : puriyuthu... enakaga pana venaam... unaku thonina kupidu...

K : inum enmela kovama irukiya... athan ipadi solriya...

M : cha... illaa appa kita pesine nu sonathume poiduchu... yethume iyalba nadakanum... athuku than sonnen...

K : hmm appo paaka varathe pesathe nu sonathuku kuda kovam illaa... un appa kita nadanthukitathu than kovam...

M : illaa apadi sonathukum kovam than... aana athu namakula... iniki sandai poduvom... nalaiki samaathanam agiduvom... athunala nammakula kovathula thappa vidara varthaigal perusu illaa...

aana atha nee appa kita kaamichathu romba kovam... kovathula yosikala... enakaga en amma ah poruthu pone aalu appakita matum yen verupa kaamika pore nu...

K : hmmm sari... ippo intha vishayam mudinjutha inum yetha iruka... naalu naal ah paduthikitu iruka enna... yena da vazhkai nu agiduchu...

M : avalo salichikitu yen enaku kupita... pesama vitudalam la...

K : mudinja vituduvane...

M (angrily) : oh appo vitudu... naan vekaren...

K (smiling) : avalo kovam varuthu la unaku... ennaiye minjiduva pola...

M : pinna vituduven nu sonna kovam varatha...

K : inga paaru mulla... appo soniye jeeva anne avughala kudumbathukaga vita madhiri naanum unna thooki potuten nu... athu thappu.. yepavume athu nadakathu... yaarukagavum unna vida matten... athu en kudumbathukaga irunthaalum sari...

M : hmmm...

K : sari naan kekkava... un appa kita olunga nadanthukala nu nee enna thooki potuta nu...

M : chhh... thooki yellam podala... kovam mattum than... unkuda pesama naan yevalo kashtapatten nu enaku than theriyum... meena jeeva mama mela kovama than iruka athukaga vitutaala yena... apadi than ithum... naanum unna madhiri than yaarukagavum unna vida matten...

A thick silence hugged them and a lightening thought struck them hard...
Are they crazy...
What is all about the context they are speaking...
They are assuring that the other is important than their own family...
They are accepting that anger wont affect their relationship anymore...
They are acknowledging that they would never leave the other at any cause...
Craziest of all, They are comparing their relationship with jeeva and meena...
How come its possible...
When did both equations become equal...
They really didnt know...
Scared to think of further, they did pretend to be sleepy and dropped the call..
But never slept even a wink the whole night...

July 11, 2019...

M : yena kathiru intha nerathula kupituruka... mani onnu...

K : Unkita.. onnu... solanum... athan...

M : yenathu...

K : namma vettula...  chinna room la... paai iruku la... athu valanthuduchu...

Mullai who was listening to him drowsily woke up sensing the slight blabbers, incoherant talks and funny chuckles...

M : yena paai valanthuducha...

K : aama... yevalo uyarama valanthuruku theriyuma... en paathi uyaram iruku...

M : olarathe... yenga iruke nee... un friends ah paaka than eh pone...

K : paathachu... pesiyachu... aadiyachu... kudichachu... sapitachu... vanthachu...

aana yen jeeva anne hall la... paduka venaam nu... intha chinna room la thalivituchu nu theriyala... veliya vara venam nu vera solichu... naan kekaren yen nu...

Anne...anne... jeeva ne...

M : aiyo kathiru...kathiru... chummaa iru... kathi yellaraiyum yelupi vitudathe...

K : naan yena alarm ah yellaraiyum elupivida...(giggling)

M : uff... sari naan sonnaa keppe la...

K : nee... enna sonalum... keppen...

M : mudhala kadhava thaal potutu sathamilaama vanthu padu...

K : valantha paailaya...

M (chuckling) : aama athula than...

K : paduthuten...

M : kudichiya yena...

K : cha... yaara paathu yena kelvi ketta... tholachuduven...

M : hmmkmmm... nee pesaratha kettum ipadi keturuka kudaathu... sari yetha sapitiya...

K : oh nee...

M : sapiten...

K : yena sapite...

M : soru than...

K : yepapaarum... soru soru... unaku alukave alukaatha...

M : unga veetulayum athe than eh sapidarenga appuram yena...

K : athu veetula... iniki... naan... yena sapiten...  nu sollu paapom...

M : yenathu...

K : athu...yetho queue...

M : barbeque ah...

K : unaku yellam theriyuthe... nee arivali mullaa...

M : aapdiya... irukatum... irukatum... neram aguthu... chamatha paduthu thoongu... naan kaalaila pesaren... vekkaren...

K : venam vekkathe... pesu...

M : chh kathiru... nee thoongu...mani onnu... ippo yena pesarathu...

K :  pesathe... naan pesaren nee kelu... iniki pasanga kita... unna pathi sonen... vazhkaila naan... oru ponna pathi pesinen na... athu nee than...

M (fondly) : parra... yena sona vaayadi, tholla, imsa nu sonniya...

K : cha illaa de...

M ( shocked ) : yethu de ah...

K : yen sola kudaatha... apadi than soluven...

M : sari soliko... mudhala sollu... pasanga kita yena sonne...

K : haaan athu... ei mulla... oru vishayam theriyuma... paai than valanthuchu...

nalla velai sombu valarala... athum valanthruntha naan yepadi thani kudipen...

M : ufff.... aama aama... nalla velai athu valarala... sari sollu yena pathi...

K : iru thani kudichutu solren... aiyo thani kotiduche... yena pana... nee vanthu sutham panidariya... naan vanthu unna kutikava... apuram kondu poi vidaren...

M : hmmmkmm antha thaniya sutham pana oru aalu... athuku nee vanthu vera kupidare... appuram vidare... aiyo paduthathe kathiru... sollu yena sonne...

K : nee pakathula iruntha kai pidichu solirupen... vena anga vanthu kai pidichu solava...

M : aiyo vera venaiye venam... room ah vitu veliya vanthudathe... olunga sollu... illaa nan phone ah vechuruven...

K : venam venam... solren...

Haan... yena sonnenn na... nee anbaana ponnu... arivaana ponnu... azhagaana ponnu nu sonen... sari than eh...

M : yen kathiru... azhaguna sonne... (blushing)

K (smiling) : pinna... azhagu than eh de nee... romba azhagu...

enaku unna... romba romba pidikum... nu sonnen...

Ippo unkitayum solren... enaku unnaa... romba... romba... romba... romba pidikum...

Mullai couldnt contain her happy smile and started grinning like mad hearing to those words...
Though drunk, the stubbornness in his voice and tone said everything making her fly in air...
Then...

K : appuram... innonu solanum...

M : hmmm solllu...

K : good... night...

M : ei kathiru... kathiru..

There was no sound from the other side except a slight shushing sound of air...
Wishing to be aside him in that moment, mullai dropped the call and tried to sleep with fluttering heart...

July 12, 2019...

Kathir pressed hard on his temple trying to soothe the muted ache and uneasiness somehow...
As there was no symptom of subsiding, he dismissed it and started getting ready for shop...
By then mullai stormed into the room with a piercing look at him...

K : ei mulla... yena kalangathala vanthuruke..

M : chumma than... intha itha kudi...

K : naan tea kudichuten...

M : ithu elumichai juice... inji yellam potathu hangover ku nalatham... kudi...

K : hangover na...

M : hmm night kannumannu theriyama kudicha adutha naal thalai vinnuvinnu nu valikumam... athu than hangover... intha kudi...

K mindvoice : aiyayo ivaluku yepadi theriyum... anne soliducha... oru madhiri paakaraale... kathiru getha vidathe.. strict ah iru... loose vita neeye avakita yellam olariduve...

K (fake anger) : intha yara paathu kudichengra... kanavu yetha kandiya...  kalangathala olaritu irukama kelambu...

M : yaaru... naan olararana... nee nalla olaritu enna solre... aama kudicha unaku yethume niyabagam irukaatha...

K : chumma kudichen kudichengra unaku yepadi theriyum...

M : hmmkmmm nee than phone pani un paai valanthathula irunthu barbeque sapita varai sonna... vena un call list paaru...

Kathir who was chiding himself for getting drunk was very sure that none should know about this...
He maintained the same at home and except jeeva none knew it...
Of all mullai topped the list whom he should hide...
He had seen the treatment his anni gives to her brother when drunk...
Definitly he didnt want that and also didnt want her to think bad of him...
But he stood dumbfounded to know he himself had blabbered to mullai...
Worst of all was he didnt even know what he spoke and to his annoyance the duration showed 26 minutes...

K mindvoice : aiyo 26 nimisham kaamikuthe... yenatha pesi tholachen nu theriyalaiye... onum niyabagam illaa... yena nenaikaranu vera theriyalaiye... thituvaala.. illaa pesamataala... kathiru yena da sothanai ithu... avalaiye keppom...

K : intha... athu... chumma pasanga sonanga.. romba naal achu nu... athan... enaku romba yellam palakkam illaa ithu... kudikaaran yellam illaa naan...

M : oh ho... apadiya...

K mindvoice : yetho sari illaye... yedakudama yetha solitana...

K : yena pesa matengare... kovama...

M : chumma na kudichathuku kovam vanthurukum... aana nee pesinatha kettu kovam poiduchu...

K : yena... yena pesinen...

M : neraya unmaiya sonne...

K : chhh... puthir podama sollu... kadupaguthu...

M : athu... naan anbana ponnu... arivana ponnu... azhagana ponnu nu sonna... enna romba pidikum nu sonna...

Kathir's face burned red as he was blushing inside out...
He knew this was the most simplest words
of all his complex thoughts about her...
He has oodles to tell her and this seems to be the gist of all...
So the gist is at her footstep finally...
Still not knowing a way to face her, he tried to brush it off ...

K : parra... niyabagam illanathum ishtathuku kadhai vida vendiyathu... po poi velaiya paaru... naan kadaiku kelambaren...

Kathir turned to the door just to be stopped by his own voice with her sweet voice too...

nee anbaana ponnu... arivaana ponnu... azhagana ponnu nu sonen... sari than eh...

yen kathiru... azhaguna sonne...

pinna... azhagu than eh de nee... romba azhagu...

enaku unna... romba romba pidikum... nu sonnen...

Ippo unkitayum solren... enaku unnaa... romba... romba... romba... romba pidikum...

Mullai stopped the audio in her mobile and stood in front of him with hands tied and a naughty smile lingering her lips...

M : en phone la call recorder iruku... ithana naal use agaala... iniki use agiruku...

Kathir's heart started beating madly as his voice kept echoing in his ears and thinking what was her thoughts about that...

K : ...

M (smiling) : appuram ithellam kudichutu than solanumnu illaa... kudikaama kuda solalaam... enaku inum santhoshama irukum...

K : mulla...

They stood looking at eachother which felt like decades and they were brought out of reverie by dhanam's voice...

D : mulla... athai kupidaranga...

M : varen ka...

Mullai took the juice from the shelf and placed it on his hand with a stern stare...

M : kudi... appuram ithu than kadaisi thadavaiya irukanum.. inoru thadavai kudicha konnuduven...

As she left with a strict face and a suppressed smile, kathir broke into a smile with lips sipping the juice and hands rubbing his chest...

July 25, 2019...

K : intha... kelambu nu solitu iruken... moonjiya paavama vechukita aacha...

M : kathiru... iniki oru naal mattum...

K : ipadi than naalu naala solitu iruka...

M : iniki kandipa nalla kathupen kathiru...

K : yaaru neeya... onnu break, accelerator nu pesitu vandiya suthi suthi vanthu adi pradhakshanam panre... Illaa road la vilunthu angapradhakshanam panre... naalu naal la inum start pana kuda kathukala...

M : romba pesathe kathiru... unaku soli thara theriyala nu sollu...

K : yaaruku enaka... potena theriyum...

naan appove sonnen... unaku vandi yellam sari varathu nu... paathi neram kela vizhare... nee ootaratha paathale enaku patharuthu... intha velaiye venaam... unaku kaalam muzhuka driver vela paakakuda nan ready... intha aasaiya mattum vidu...

M : athellam mudiyaathu... yellarum enna kindal pani sirichangala... avanga munnadi getha vandi ooti kaamikanum...

K : intha...

M : enaku vandi oota theriyaathu nu potu kudukumbothu nalla irunthuchu la... anubhavi... nee solithanthe aganum...

K : ei naan venumnu pana madhiri solre... anni udambu mudiyala kadaila saapadu kuduthuru nu sona yena pananum.... phone ah potu enkita solanum... gethu kaamikaren nu vandiya thalitu varre... annaiku yetho naan paathen paravala... illana muzhusa thalitu poirukanum... thevaiya ithelam... intha madhiri loose velai nee thirumba pana kudaathu nu than soliten...

M : athelam naan othuka matten... nee senjathu thappu...

K : sari thappu than... athuku than eh naan eh vandi oota soli kudakaren nu sonnen...

M : solita illaa... appo sei... intha pudi...

Mullai gave the mobile to him and tucked the pallu in her hip getting ready for the adventure while kathir secured her mobile joining the club...

K : unaku yellam vaai mattum than...

hmmm inga vaa... ithu break... ithu accelerator... naan solaama itha thirupa kudaathu soliten...

M : thiruparatha... thoda kuda matten... avalo bayama iruku kathiru...

K : ufff bayam veraya... kilinjuthu... inga paaru... bayam iruntha kathukave mudiyaathu... thairiyam than mudhal... nee nadanginena vandi control la irukaathu... athu than mukkiyam...

M : puriyuthu aana bayama iruke...

Kathir thought for a second and with a deep breath switched on the vehicle...
With a steady gait, he turned to the rear seat of the bike and sat on it trying to gauge mullai's reactions...
She turned sideways to see him with a palpitating heart and a crimson face...

K : athu... ipadi than soli thara mudiyum... paravalaiya...

Not able to form a sentence to reply, she just nodded her head...
Just like that, the driving classes took a different turn from then...
They travel together in bike now and then but this felt different...
The little breath, slight touches, safe proximity, soft whispers, everything transported them to a different world...
Both of them didnt want mullai to learn driving soon but the magic was done soon...
She drove so well leaving all her anxiety end of the day leaving kathir beam in pride...

As they reached home happily, kanna saw mullai driving and shouted everyone to come out...
It was a perfect moment, murugan had come to see lakshmi and moorthy, jeeva were at home for lunch...
They wanted to see mullai driving and the driving show started...

Mullai who was cool with kathir's proximity became nervous again sweating profusely in tension...
She looked at kathir pathetically wanting his warmth...
Understanding her, kathir gestured her to calm her down with closed eyes and carry on...
Those gestures were received by mullai and filled her heart with confidence....
Next moment, she drove the bike effortlessly and everyone including murugan, kanna, dhanam took turns to drive with her...
She didn't even leave moorthy and jeeva in peace bringing all smiles even to the people in the neighbourhood...

When murugan was happily expressing his wish of getting a bike for mullai, she took a look at kathir who was enjoying the driving videos taken by jeeva...
Same moment, kathir turned to see her as his usual practice and got stuck up in those big eyes...
He answered proudly beaming for her gesture of how did she do...
They got drowned in each other with more smiles and more happiness not knowing jeeva was watching them with a relieved smile...

TBC...