Aadhi could not contemplate what was going on around him from the time he read Sakthi's message. It is not like her to jump to conclusions and he was certain that it had something to do with her meet.

But there was only one other person who could tell him what happened and he wasn't sure if he should risk revealing their relationship to Vijay. He quickly called Sathya to vent out his thoughts.

Sathya: Sollu da.. enna sudden ah call?

Aadhi: Ava kochukta da..

He explained briefly all the things that happened including his parents' idea to surprise him with a girl to marry, Vijay flirting with Sakthi, her meet with Vijay, his unplanned run into Kavya and finally her message.

Sathya: Dei ivlo nadandurku... en da neenga rendu perum eduvum solala nethu meet panna apo. Ne enna loose ah? Ava kita en Kavya vishyatha solala?

Aadhi: Dei ava already rombha bayathla irunda... parents ta sona they will ask us to get married nu. Epdi avalta poi enga appa amma enaku theriyaama ponnu pathutanga nu solradu? Anyway, na amma appa ta solten that I am seeing someone nu. They understood. I did not want to stress her out.

Sathya: Avale ippo dan thirupi konjam open up aagirka. She trusted you. Ippo she might feel like she can't trust you.

Aadhi: Dei solution sollu da.. I know I screwed up.

Sathya: There is only one solution. Go.. talk to her.

Aadhi: I just hope she will be willing to listen.

Sathya: She will. She loves you. En kutty ma va enaku theriyum. Don't make her feel that she is alone.

Aadhi: I will go now and text you once I talk. Sorry da.

Aadhi started driving to Sakthi's apartment with the hope that she won't shut him out.

***

Sakthi stood there when Vijay posed the question if they can be friends.

Sakthi: I am not sure about that and I am emotionally exhausted right now.

Vijay: I understand. I am going to be in Chennai until end of the week. You have my number and you can call me anytime. I hope we can at least be friends. Take care Sakthi.

Sakthi: I don't think anything will change in three days.

Vijay: I have waited three years without even knowing if I will ever see you. I believe that I found you for a reason and our story is far from over. I will always be a well-wisher.

His car zoomed past and she stood there wondering all the things that had happened in the last couple of hours.

Sakthi was not someone who acts out in an impulsive reaction. Today when she needed him by her side, he was not. Her mind was filled with questions that only Aadhi could answer. Why did he not tell me that his parents want him to get married? Why would he not share that his parents went to extent of selecting the girl for him? Why did he say that he is not ready to get married to any girl? Couldn't he at least say that he is seeing someone? After all that is what she said to Vijay.

She walked into the studio with a heavy heart and a diary that knows her darkest pains. The reason for why she left her home and family was still haunting her. There is no way she could forget the nightmare she lived through. There have been times when she had wondered how she managed to survive. Loneliness is something she chose for herself, to protect her from anyone else breaking her heart and trust. Today, after a long time when she heard Vijay talk about how hard it was to read her diary and not know the reason, she couldn't stop herself from crying her heart out.

She tried to ease her mind by distracting herself with work without realizing that the mobile was still switched off.

***

Kayva walked out of the Café and saw that Aadhi was searching for someone and was in a panic. She was sure something was keeping him distracted from her because he had not even looked at her properly. Now she was certain.

She called her dad.

Thiru: Sollu ma

Kavya: Na Aadhi ah pathen Resto café la...

Thiru: Super ma.. Aprom en dull ah pesra?

Kavya: Therila he was very distracted. Na pesa try panen aana friend ah kooda iruka mudiyadu nu rombha rude ah sonan. Now he looks like he lost something.

Thiru: Avane namba vazhi ku varuvan. Ne kavala padaadha.

Kavya: Enaku edo seriya padala pa.

Thiru: Enkita solita la. Na pathukren. Avan unaku dan.

***

Aadhi kept trying to reach Sakthi but her phone was switched off and he was losing his mind every passing minute. On his way, he wanted to stop by the studio because last time when she was upset, that's where she was.

In 30 minutes, Aadhi was in front of Studio AD. He walked into the studio and found her working on the costumes for Monday as he had guessed.

Aadhi MV: Ipdi oru message anupchutu... inga patha onnume nadakaadha madri work pantu iruka. Ivala enna panradu?

He faked a cough to get her attention. She deliberately ignored his presence even though she knew he was here from his fragrance. She was not going to let him go that easy after what he has done. Though, she trusted him enough to believe that there would be reason for it, he should have not kept her in the dark about something this important.

Did he think she wouldn't want to marry him if it came to that? Does he not know her better? Yes, her career was important but not more than him. Would he not do the same for her if the situation were reversed?

Aadhi settled on a bean bag in her room and started admiring his girl. She looked beautiful even when she was angry. Her small frown on her face when he faked a cough was so cute that he wanted to close the gap and kiss her. He noticed that she had changed into a baggy crop tee that showed off her slim waist and capri.

Aadhi MV: Indha kodumaiku oru alavu illa? En de en self-control ah ipdi sodhikra? Nalla vela we are fighting. Ilana enna nadandurkum nu enake therla... ivalta rombha safe ah iru da Aadhi.

It was about an hour and he could not keep watching her tease him.

Aadhi: Please go and change to a different tee shirt.

Sakthi: Mudiyadu. If it's that disturbing you can leave.

Aadhi: Therinjute vambuku izhukaadha Sakthi

Sakthi: Iduku munnadi endha girl oda waist um pathadu ilaya.. apram enna? Maybe Kavya oda waist nyabagam varudo?

Aadhi: Avala pathi en ma ippo pesi en mood ah spoil panra.

Sakthi: Oh, na un mood ah spoil panrena?

She came closer and started hitting him.

Sakthi: Sollu Aadhi ... na un mood ah spoil panrena?

Aadhi quickly held her hands with one and pulled her in with another. Na vera mood la iruken.

Sakthi: Nee endha mood la vena iru... na kovama iruken. Enkita pesadha.

Aadhi: Adiye please de... oru 5 minutes ku apram sanda podlam. Ippo just let me hug you. Rombha over azhaga iruka.

His hands were holding her waist under her tee making her shiver. He let her hands go and hugged her tight with his face buried in the nape of her neck. Both of them forgot anything else that happened and felt so safe in each other's arms. Aadhi came back to reality when her tears hit his neck.

Aadhi: Sakthi I am sorry. I should have been open about what happened at home.

Sakthi: Why did you not? Do you really not want to marry any girl?

He quickly broke out of the hug.

Aadhi: Nee enna pathi enna therinju vechirka? I will marry you right now. Don't you know that?

Sakthi: Apa en avalta apdi sonna?

Aadhi explained everything that happened and how father and Kavya's father are very close friends.

Aadhi: Na appa amma ta solten that I love someone nu. Avanga nee happy ah irunda podum nu soltanga. Iniku Kavya va patha apo I sensed that they did not share that information with her family. So avala porutha vara I am not ready to get married. Adunala apdi sonen.

Sakthi: Enkita idha munnadiye en solala?

Aadhi: Nee already amma appa ta sona kalyanam nu soluvanga nu bayandha. Apo epdi unkita idha solradu? I did not want to pressurize you into sharing our relationship with our parents. Unaku epo thonudho apo dan solanum nu nenachen. Adunala dan.

Sakthi: Oh...

Aadhi: Aama ippo kovam pocha?

Sakthi: Illa aana atleast un side la irunda nyayam puriyudu.

Aadhi: Apo en ma inum kovam?

Sakthi: Na anga dan iruken nu therinjum endha deiriyathula avaloda coffee kudika vanda? Sollu da

Aadhi: Ohooo apdi variya... Yaro sonanga pa... yaar enkooda flirt ah pannalum kovam varadu, upset agamaten nu... avanga enga ippo?

Sakthi: Apdi sona...  odane enna vena panlam nu arthama?

Aadhi: Sakthi ava rombha force panna... awkward aka venam nu ulla vanden. Angayum unaye dan paathutu irunden loose madri.

Sakthi: Seri edo solra pozhachu po.

Aadhi: Enna de mariyaadha korayudu...

Sakthi: Adulam apdi dan... ne dan purushan aga poriye. Unaku avlo dan mariyada.

Aadhi's eyes widened in shock. He was beyond surprised and excited to hear those words from her.

Aadhi: Sakthi velayaadadha...

Sakthi: Nijama dan solren.... veetla sola enaku ok.

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Neenga padikum bodhu... enna song apt ah irukum nu thonudu comment pannunga. Basically I am crazy about music. So, unga favorite songs ah therinjukanum nu oru small peraasai 🤩

Votes are definitely a great motivation. So chapter pudicha... please vote so that I will know what is working for my readers 😊 Love you all!

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Author's Note:

And that's Chapter 23!

Thank you so much for taking your time to read, vote and comment. Please share this story with your friends too. 

Will Sakthi open up about her meet with Vijay? What will Kavya do next? Will Vijay and Sakthi be friends? 

Come back to know more. 

There will be fun, romance, drama and some mysteries going forward. I think we have established the core of the plot. Much more to unfold. Keep guessing.