'Idhuku mela mudiyadhu da saamy!'

Ashwin relieved a deep breath before loosening his tie. He was dead tired after working non stop for the past 12 hours. His team mate was on leave and he had to cover it up for him.

He checked his mobile phone and gasped when he noticed 10 missed calls from his mother. He knew that his mother would be waiting for him to arrive. He immediately called her and she answered,

'Enga pa iruka?'

'Ma, ipo dha office la irundhu kelamba pore..' he thought that he would be scolded for being so late but for his surprise his mother remained calm,

'Seri pa, namma pakkathu veetu Kalyani ponna nalaiku ponnu paka varrangalam, adhuku sweets ready pandradhuku odhavi panna sonna, ni vandhu saptutu thoongu pa, na sapte..'

'Seri ma..'

Ashwin picked his belongings and ran towards the bus stop in a hurry as it will be hard to find buses after 11pm and he might have to wait for a long time if he missed this.

The bus stop was around 300 meters away from his office and he reached sooner than he expected. He removed his upper two buttons of the shirt and waited for the bus, inhaling some fresh air as he was literally running to the stop to catch the bus.

He relieved a sigh when he saw the bus and soon got into it. He sat on a double seater freely and forwarded the money to the conductor. Once he got settled, he took his phone and started surfing randomly.

He was too engaged in his mobile phone until he jerked when a petite woman came and sat beside him, almost clashing with him.

He turned towards the lady and got stunned for a second. Her eyes pleaded something before she even spoke. For the first time in his life he has seen a pair of eyes which was expressive.

Before he even opened his mouth to talk, she encircled her hands around his arm, making his gasp softly,

'Yenga, please nga, edhum pesadheenga..konja nerathuku na ipfi pudichukre...' she whispered softly, confusing Ashwin,

'Yaru nga neenga?' he spoke softly but it was loud enough due to his base voice. She quickly shushed him,

'Iyayo sathama pesadheenga, andha pyscho ku ketuda podhu..'

Ashwin frowned and looked back. That's when he noticed a young man sitting Two seeds of from where they were sitting. He was literally glaring at Ashwin and he looked back at the woman,

'Yaru, pinadi irukra andha paiyana?' he asked and she nodded immediately,

'Ore imsa nga, oru masama pinadiye suthitu irukaa..na pudikala nu sona kuda vida matengraa..avana pudikadhadhuku oru reason sola soli saavadikraa..enala mudila..' she whined cutely and it brought a smile on Ashwin's face.

Without her knowledge, she tightened her hold around his hand and Ashwin felt something new for the first time in his life. Her shallow and harsh breaths hit his hand and he didn't know why his heart was palpitating.

'Romba tired ah irukiya baby?'

She exclaimed a bit louder, bringing a heart attack to Ashwin. He sat there speechless and she nudged him softly this time,

'Edhadhu pesunga..' she mumbled and he sat there helplessly.

She got sparked with something and she immediately took her college ID card from his purse and showed without the person at the back noticing. Ashwin was confused at the beginning, but then he realised that she was showing her name which brought a smile on his face,

'Sivaangi...' he read it and had a look at the cute picture of her it had. His trance broke when she spoke further,

'Tired ah irukranala dhana enkooda seriya pesa matengra baby?'

Her addressing him as baby did stir something up in him. Composing himself, he started to pretend along,

'Ila Sivaangima, unna patha adutha seconde andha tirednesslam kanama poiruchu..'

It was now Sivaangi's turn to get stunned. Her name with his 'ma' made her smile involuntarily. She didn't know why it felt so rightful and calmed her instantly when he addresses her like that. She looked into his eyes which was already staring at her.

She didn't know whether an acting would be this impactful. His eyes did something to her and she gulped the lump in her throat when his brown eyes were staring at her lovingly. Hiding her overwhelming emotions, she averted her gaze realising their mission,

'Ipdi epo pathalum poi solradhu dha unga vela, parunga epdi tired ah irukeenga nu? sapteengala?' she asked concerned and he nodded a no which made her glare at him,

'Ivlo neram sapdamala irukeenga? ipdi irundha odambu ennathuku agaradhu?' she asked furiously which brought a smile on his face,

'Adha enna pathuka nee irukiye? enaku edhume agadhu..'

This time she even wondered whether they were acting. They looked into each other's eyes but jerked when the person who was sitting at the back stomped his feet and got down from the bus.

Sivaangi felt him leaving and relieved a sigh before turning towards Ashwin,

'Romba thanks nga, innaiku neenga matum ilana na enna ayirupe nu enake theriyadhu..'

He nodded his head and looked down at her hands which were still holding his arms. Sivaangi's eyes followed his gaze and she realised before immediately withdrawing her hands,

'Aiyayo sorry nga! unga permission ilama unga kaiya vera pudichute..adhu..oru flowla..' she bit her lower lip and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear while Ashwin's eyes roamed around her face slowly for the first time.

In the moonlight her face glowed like moon, and the small nose stud she had on her left nostril shone brightly, attracting him,

'Flowla?' he asked, and she looked at him with the corner of her eyes,

'Flowla apdiye elame vandhuruchu..'

'Elame na?' he probed further and she looked at him who looked back at her with amusement,

'Neenga ipo enna ootringa dhana? avankita irundhu escape panradhuku help paneenga nu patha overa dha panreenga? acting ah dha sonne..' she huffed and rolled her eyes,

'Ohooo, apo acting inum poitu iruka ena?' he asked and she frowned. That's when she noticed how closer she was sitting next to him. Their legs and were pasted together and no air would go within the gap it seemed. His arm was grazing her chest but the woman didn't know what havoc she was creating in that poor man. Yet he tried to withdraw himself away from her but she kept coming closer to him all the time.

She stood immediately from the seat as her face got flushed. She realised that he was not an ordinary man. If so, he would have used this chance in whatever the way he liked. He was literally crushed with the window the whole time and that showed his gentlemanism.

His eyes didn't look anywhere except her eyes which impressed her.

'Adh..adhu..uhm..sorry nga..na kelambre..romba thanks!' she hid her smile and got down from the bus as she felt too shy to handle the situation. She was too affected by the stranger she met in the bus, yet it didn't feel uncomfortable.

She stopped in her tracks when she heard him,

'Hey Sivaangi!'

She looked back and noticed him also got down at the same stop,

'Indha nightla thaniya epdi pova?'

She smiled at his concern,

'En veedu dho pakko dha..na poiruve..'

'Venumna..un veedu varra varaikum unaku boyfriend ah nadikalama? I mean unna badhrama veedu kondu poi serkra varaikum?' he asked with a doubt but it broke into a smile when she spoke back,

'Nalaikum idhe mari varuve busla..apo pakalam..'

She said and walked with shyness but stopped when he spoke back with an exciting smile,

'Ashwin..en peru..baby kuda nala dha iruku..aana peru soli kupta inum nalarukum..' he exclaimed for which she stood there with a shy smile without turning for a while.

She suddenly turned towards him and it made him stop in his tracks,

'Okay Ashwineeyyy!'

He chuckled at the way she called him and it felt righteous. Never in his life he thought that he would be walking like a mad man on the road. He didn't believe in love at first sight until it happened to him.

Before he came out of his trance, she walked further which made him follow her like a magnet,

'Varatuma? Ipdiye?' he asked,

'Vendamnu sonna poiduveengala?' she asked back without turning.

'Mhmmm!' he nodded a no before speaking further,

'Vaalka mulukka ipdiye varuve..' she heard him and stopped in her tracks again. This time she turned and walked towards him which increased his heartbeat at the very instant. He knew that it was his moment. He composed himself and asked,

'Pudichiruka?'

She remained silent for a while and it made his heartbeat thud.

'Pudikama poradhuku reason edhume ilaye?' her answer confused and also brought a smile on his face.

'So...' she dragged and he looked at her keenly expecting something,

'So?' he asked back as he expected the answer he yearned for.

Before finishing the next line, she turned and walked with a blush which didn't go unnoticed by Ashwin and he scratched his nape with a shy smile,

'Nalaiku busla pakalam!'

*****

Author's Note :

Vanakkam makkale!

Longgg time no see la? Sorry!! evlo sonalume pathadhu, aana vera vazhi therila pa..I am fine, work romba stressfulla poitu iruku..oru edathula manasa vachu type pana mudila..

You don't believe, inume 4 5 shots complete panama draftla iruku, yen na flow vara matengudhu..and if I am not satisfied with it, I am not going to give it you all adha..

Kochukadheenga pa! Hope you all forgive me..kandippa enaku time kedaikrappo lam shots kudupe!

Enna marandhudadheenga yena?

Indha shot epdi irundhuchu? Romba nalaiku apdi yezhudhre, pudikala na solunga, next time better ah try pandre..touch poiruchu la adha! Hehe!

Keep supporting! Love you all!

With Love,

Aathvi