32

Ashwin adjusted his ipad and looked at the screen with concentration biting his lips.

"Naan teriyarena?" he asked to no one in particular. "Romba naal aachu epdine marandiruchu." He scratched his head in confusion. "Idhu on aaiducha?"

(Can you see me? Its been ages since I did this. Is it on?)

Finally, when he saw familiar comments and hearts fly in screen, he was satisfied that he has successfully started live in his Instagram account.

"Hi!" he waved awkwardly at screen. "Inform panama live vandadhuku sorry. Free ah irunden, adhu dan ungala ellam paathutu polam nu vanden. Ellarum epdi irukeenga?"

(Hi! Sorry for coming live without prior notice. I was free so thought of interacting with you all. How are you?)

Ashwin's eyes tried to catch all comments that was scrolling up screen in speed to high for him to catch. Even the number of views was rocketing soon.

"Aiyoo! Questions ellam vegama pogudhe padika mudilaye." He pouted with the innocence people loved about him in spite of being a star.

(The questions go up too fast)

"Anyway" Ashwin braced himself. "Naan taniya varala. Ungaluku ellam oru surprise iruku. Oruthar en kooda irukanga." Ashwin changed ipad from one hand to another. "Yaarunu kaatren." He flipped live from front camera to back camera

(Anyway, I am not alone. I have a surprise. I have someone with me. Let me show you who that is)

Around 83K people who were watching live skipped their heartbeat when the camera showed Shivangi who was closely observing some plant.

"Shivangi!" Ashwin called

"Idhu enna plant Ashw..." her words died in her mouth as she saw him holding his ipad at her. She frowned in confusion.

(What plant is this Ashw....)

"Live." He informed. "Fans ku hai sollu."

(Live. Say Hi to fans)

Shivangi awkwardly waved her hand at the camera.

"Come here." Ashwin waved at her. He positioned ipad on the small stool he borrowed from the garage and moved aside in the swing to make place for Shivangi.

This was Shivangi's first informal live in years. She used to be pro at these and now she was clueless.

Ashwin tried to catch one interesting fan question they can start live with while Shivangi fisted her hand over the swing trying not to be conscious.

If it was professional life, she knew what questions will be asked, but now she was clueless.

As she let her eyes roam over the comment section of live, familiar names of fandom Ids she knew from years ago gave her the confidence that she was in safe territory.

Ashwin's hand with force of habit went to adjust his hair and beard that he does in all live. That is when a comment caught his attention and he knew he had to read that aloud to set the mood.

"Manna, mudila velayadradhu neenga innum vidalaya?"

(Manna, you have not stopped playing with your hair)

Shivangi burst out laughing hearing the comment. She turned to Ashwin who that exact moment removed his hand from touching his hair.

"Summa hair set pannadhu kuthama?" Ashwin chuckled

(I was just setting it)

"Rendu perum onna enna panreenga?" another question he read

(What are you both doing?)

"Live la unga kooda peseetu irukom." Ashwin answered

(We are talking with you all in live)

Shivangi laughed at his silly joke as usual.

"Innuma andha ponnu avar mokka joke-ku sirikudhu." She read a comment in her mind, but not aloud.

(She still laughs at his silly jokes)

Really! Nothing changed between them, has it?

Shivangi positioned herself more comfortably as energy of her old self began to crawl in her.

"Shivangi ma azhaga irukeenga." She read a comment. "Thank you."

(Shivangi you look beautiful.)

"Enn kannuku andha comment teriyave illaye." Ashwin looked at the screen

(I didn't find that comment)

"Unga kannu mangal aaidduchu." Shivangi teased

(Something wrong with you eyesight)

"Oi!!" he faked a glared at her making her say sorry with a giggle immediately.

"Sendhu project panreengala?" Ashwin read out. "Aama" he answered. "Periya project. Inniku dan confirm pannom. Seekiram announcement varum."

(Are you doing any project together? Yes. Huge project. We confirmed it today. We will announce soon)

Shivangi blushed knowing he was talking about their wedding.

"Blueberry pie ah?" Shivangi reacted to a comment. "Innum varala."

(I didn't receive blueberry pie yet)

"Varalaya?" Ashwin was offended. He turned to her. "Namba saptom illa?"

(Didn't? Didn't we eat?)

Shivangi nodded no. "Makkale, ivar innum oru blueberry pie tarala." She complained to fans.

(Folks, he didn't make blueberry pie for me yet)

"Neeyum innum en padathula paadala nu comment panranga." Ashwin pointed out

(Comment says you didn't sing in my movie yet)

"Nadakum Nadakum!" Shivangi repeated his dialogue from years ago with a teasing smile as her song is going to be released soon.

(Soon)

"Enga irukeengala?" Ashwin looked around knowing only his garden will be visible and not house. That is the privacy he liked. So, he replied. "Garden la."

(Where are we? In garden)

"Chellama, samaika kathuteengala?" Ashwin read out a question. "Sollunga Chellama." He teased

(Dear, have you learnt to cook?) (Have you, dear?)

"Oru alavuku." Shivangi replied

(Decent)

"Madhyanam saapten avanga samachadhu. " Ashwin interjected. "Innum onnum aagala enaku. So, okay dan cooking." He signed a-okay receiving a smack from her on his shoulder. "Ma, valikudhu ma."

(I ate her food in the afternoon and I am good till now. So, safe cooking,)

(It hurts)

Their eyes turned to screen and one particular comment Ashwin pointed out to Shivangi, but didn't read out loud. It read, "Evlo varsham aanalum adi ku mannar valikara maariye scene podraru. " Both smiled.

(He still pretends to be hurt when she hits him)

"Neenga questions tab la kelunga naanga answer panrom." Shivangi instructed

(Ask questions in question tab and we will answer.)

"Adhu epdi paakaradhu?" Aswhin asked

(Where is that?)

"Innum instagram palagala ungaluku." She mumbled as she navigated between options in screen effortlessly

(You have still not learnt Instagram)

"Inga filter irukum Ashwin." She said excited. She once loved using them and since all her past lives were professional never got to use them. She neither had the mood for it. Now, she wanted to do everything her old self would have done.

(We have filters here)

Shivangi clicked on a filter that gave horror background. Then soon changed it to battlefield. Not satisfied she changed to cowboy.

"Nalla iruku." She commented as she scrolled the options

(It is good)

Ashwin nodded his head as if saying she was hopeless. "Innum anda vilayatutanam marave illa."

(She is still playful)

"Ashwinney!!! Inga paaru." She exclaimed as she switched to snow filter and snowflakes fell on them

(Ashwinney! Look here)

Comment section was filled with happy tears for hearing her say 'Ashwinney' after many years.

"Kulu Kulu." Ashwin grinned making fans who already had heart attack to settle in the heaven

"Pugazh anna epdi irukanga?" Shivangi read a question. "Super ah irukanga."

(How is Pugazh anna? He is great)

"Three days munnadi dan meet pannom." Ashwin offered

(We met him three days ago)

"Shivangi watch nalla iruku." Shivangi read a comment and that is when she realized what she was wearing. It was his new watch that she on whim made him remove and swapped on her hand.

(Shivangi beautiful watch)

"Thanks" Ashwin answered. "Ennudhu dan. Madam suttutanga."

(Thanks. She took mine)

Shivangi's eyes widened at his open admission and comments section filled with purple heart.

"Ashwin" Shivangi giggled. "Ungala paatu pada solranga."

(Ashwin, fans want you to sing)

"Unnaya irukum ma." He said

(They will want you to sing)

"Inga parunga." She scrolled up to particular comment. She read the comment aloud. "Please, sing a song Achu." Shivangi turned to Ashwin and grinned. "Padunga, Achu."

(Look here. 'Please, sing a song Achu'. Sing, Achu)

Ashwin scratched his eyebrow knowing she was teasing him for more than one reason.

"Enn paatu teacher seri illa." He answered. "Innum endha song um full ah kathukala. Seekirama padren"

(My music teacher is not teaching me well. I have not learnt any song yet. Will sing soon)

Both their attention was turned to Ashwin's mother who from inside the house signalled for them to come in as it was time for all of them to go to temple together on his mother's insistence.

"Naanga ippo live end pannanum. Velai vandiruchu." Ashwin began. "Neenga ellam edhuku wait panreenga nu teriyum. Naanum adhuku dan wait panren. Shivangi ippo oru paatu paaduvanga."

(We have to end live. We have somewhere else to be. I know what you all are waiting for. I am waiting for the same. Shivangi will sing now.)

"Paatu-ah? Okay okay" Shivangi agreed . "Enna paada?"

(Okay. Which song?)

"Ennavena paadu ma."

(Any)

"Onna paadlama?" she asked excitedly. "Sirikade padlam." Ashwin nodded. He didn't have heart to refuse her.

(Lets sing together. Sirikade?)

"Manam vittu unmaiyai mattum

Unnodu pesida vendum

Nee ketkkum kaadhalai alli

Un mel naan poosida vendum

Naan kaanum otraai kanavai

Un kaadhil ularida vendum

Enai meeri unnidam mayangum

Ennai naan thaduthida vendum"

Ashwin joined her in singing 

"Koodadhae koodadhae

Innaal mudiya kodaadhae

Pogathae pogathae

Enai nee thaandi pogathae"

"Nerungathae nerungathae

En penmai thaangadhae

Thirakaadhae thirakaadhae

Ul manadhai thirakaadhae"

Ashwin ended the live with bye from them both. Placing the ipad flat on the stool he turned to Shivangi.

Shivangi side hugged him overwhelmed and placed her head on his shoulder.

"Thank you so much." She said. "Romba naal aachu ipdi live panni. I am glad it was with you."

(Its been ages since I did a live for fans. I am glad it was with you.)

"April 16, 2021" he said. "Ellarum ennada oru paiyan ipdi blush panran nu bangama otnanga. Ippo second live together."

(Everyone teased me for blushing so hard on that live. Now, it is our second live together.)

Shivangi lifted her head to look at his face.

"Unaku ellame nyabagam iruku illa Ashwin?"

(You remember everything don't you?)

"Unna pathi, nambala pathi ellame nyabagam iruku." He replied. "Naan oru ashaangian, chellama." He teased

(About you, about us, everything. I am ashaangian, dear)

"Naanum periya ashaangian, manna." Shivangi giggled

(Me too, king)

"Aama, kalyanam pannika porom nu edhuku fans kitta sollala?"

(Why didn't you tell fans about our wedding?)

"Engagement anniku sollalam. Adhu varaikum live vechu ururti vilayadatum."

(We will reveal on engagement day. Till then let them celebrate our live.)

"Kedi"

Pulling herself away from him, Shivangi threaded his ruffled hair with her fingers.

"Set panren nu kalachu vittuteenga mudiya."

(You ruffled you already set hair)

Ashwin having her so close couldn't resist so placed a quick peck on her lips.

"Ei!" she hit his shoulder in warning. "Athai tirumbi vandara poranga. Enna panra?"

(Ei! Aunty might return. What are you doing?)

Ashwin's smile widened into a full blown grin. This was the first time she addressed his mother as 'athai'. There is something so beautifully domestic about having her in his house, in his garden, doing a mundane thing, talking about his parents and planning an outing with family. Ashwin loved it. It made his heart swell with so much happiness that it hurt him.

"Naan poi refresh pannikaren kovil ku poradhuku munnadi." Shivangi said pulling her hair together and adjusting her dupatta.

(Let me go refresh)

"Namba room use panniko."

(Use our room)

Shivangi raised her eyebrow in surprise even as her cheeks coloured with blush.

"Namba room ah?"

(Our room?)

"Taali daan katla soulmate nu sonna illa. Ini ellam namba dan, separate illa."

(You said the other day even though we are not married, we are soulmates. So, no more you and I, only us)

Shivangi stood up from the swing and patted his cheeks. 'Love you' she mouthed before walking inside the house leaving behind content Ashiwn.

***

How was it?

I know Insta must have many features in five years or not even exist, but let me take writer's liberty here.

I have updated "I Owe Us One" chapter 8. Read it if you have not already.