The three days went in a swift and Aryan and Sitara were sitting in the steps of the lily pond by late evening and the place was completely a mess just before 30 minutes and both were panting hard after cleaning up the mess. Aryan " idhuku pesaama veliyave shoot pannirkalaam "

He was wearing a black colour shirt and a cream colour pant while Sitara was wearing a sky blue colour flowy dress. Sitara composed herself by placing her hand in her chest and said " ada aama pola pa evlo vela chei ipo dhaa veedu veedave iruku "

Aryan looked at the lily pond and turned to her after realising that it's getting late and said " seri time aachu kelambu nee " 

Sitara looked at the clock which just showed " 7:30 pm and asked " idhellaam ungaluke overaa therla . we have been together till 2 A.M 4 years back. 7:30 manike thorathureenga "

Aryan turned to the other side and said " appovum ippovum ellaam onnaava iruku ?"

Sitara looked at him with hurt and asked " marakave maateengala ? " And indicated the distance between them and asked " idhu maarave maaradha ? enna dhaana hurt pannenu nenaikureenga naane marandhurunganu solre en ipdi panreenga ?"

Aryan let out a sigh and said " enaku time venum thara purunjuko . avasarappattu avasarappatu aduthadutha stage poi avasara avasaramaave mudunjum pochu . thirumba andha thappu panna vaikaadha . i need time " 

Sitara looked at him intently and took her bag while he asked, " dress change pannitu po ipdiye poga poriya ?"

She just looked at him and turned to leave to a room with one of her casuals while he held her hand not able to withstand her expressionless eyes.  Aryan looked into her eyes while she looked back at him, and he asked in a low voice " ennama ?" 

She let out a sigh and said " neenga sort out pantu step edukanumnu nenaikureenga ... i respect it but .... indha naalu varushama ungaluku epdinu therla i have missed your presence, proximity and fragrance in every second of my life. unga proximitya naa miss pannenu solradhula enaku endha vekkamum illa because more than being cosy or romantic our proximity have always given me a sense of belonging, a feel of being home and by proximity i don't mean our intimacy .... our hand holds, our hugs and the silent cuddles .... your unexpected forehead kisses idhellaam like more than your words unga loveah idhu moolama dhaa naa realise pannirke..... ippo neenga pesreenga aana .... something .... I miss this something about my aryan ....  " she looked into his eyes and said " unga silent way of expressions ellaathayume miss panren... take your time " 

with that she went into her room while he stood there looking at the way she left and he could completely understand her notion, but he isn't restricting himself from being in proximity with her just for them to gain an understanding .... he himself couldn't control his desire on her and he knew it very well that the hug or kiss they would share wouldn't just endup in hug and just a kiss. he was controlling all his piled-up emotions and desires for her all these 4 years, and he could feel himself being out of control around her. when they were in love in their college days his eyes would never travel beyond her face but now.... he shook his head, and he felt a little bit hesitant to share all these to her. but he felt the need of sharing his emotions as the way she thinks is not in right track. 

 By the moment he was out of his trance she was out with a high bun and bare face without makeup and her usual everdashing smile while he was stunned by this simple casual look of hers and he gathered his vision towards her eyes with much difficulty and smiled at her and left out taking his car keys.They settled themselves in the car and  She was looking at the video she was taking in his home as they were shooting for this cover song . Aryan smiled at the video and asked " enna vlogaah ?"

Sitara turned to him and said " mm aama Arya oru home tour maari vlog pannirndhe idhu innum 3 daysla post panniruve " 

Aryan looked at her with a smile and asked " edhuku ivlo free marketing huh? "

Sitara looked at him and said, " that is what we call supporting partners " She recalled the same dialogue he said to her when she asked why he is accompanying her to recordings in other cities leaving back his piled-up work and work all night and day to complete it when they were in college.  Aryan smiled and drifted his concentration back to the road while his mind was continously telling him to talk about what e is undergoing and that she is misunderstanding. 

Sitara turned on the music player and endha vaasal vazhi song played making them look at each other as this song was the catalyst of their first kiss. Both smiled shyly while Aryan asked " indha song nyaabagam iruka ?"

Sitara glared at him in a playful way and said" en ungaluku theriyaadhaakum " to which he chuckled and after a minute of silence he spoke up "naa time ketadhu namakulla nadandha pasta maraka mudiyaadhadhukaaga illa "

Sitara looked at him confused while he continued " enaku settle aaga time venum.... unga veetla vandhu pesa konjam hesitation iruku adhuku time venum.... mukkiyama marriage varaikum time venum " 

Sitara glared at him and asked " adhuku social distance maintain pannanumaa naa kooda innum hurtla dhaa irukeengalonu nenachu feellaam panniten chei "

Aryan chuckled and said " social distancela irundha kalyanathapo jollyaa idicha pacharisi puducha maavelakunu paatu potu aadalaam ... illena sarattu vandiyila paatu potu 2 in 1 aah muduchurlaam "

Sitara took 2 whole minutes to process what he was saying, and she looked at him with widened eyes while he smirked and said " neeye sollu social distance venuma venaama ?"with an eyebrow rise to which she replied " dha ba dha .... veedu vandhuruchu naa kelamburen and left the place leaving a smiling Aryan behind . She went into her home with flushed face and her father stopped her in her tracks by calling her " Sitara "

Sitara turned towards her father while actioned her to come and sit in opposite seat . She took the seat and looked at him with question while he looked at her mother and asked " innum evlo naalaiku ipdiye irukuradha ideala irukeenga ?"

Sitara could sense the disappointment in his tone as both of their act seems very childish when she think aboout it now and said " adhu... paa..... "

Her father held her hand and said " idho paaru naanga un personal decisionsla thala ida maatomnu sonnadhu unma dhaa aana adhukunu ipdiye ennaala vida mudiyaadhu . enna ippo ungaluku time venum ? aana adhuku enma ungala suthi irukura ellaarayum thalli vaikureenga ?"

Sitara looked at her father while he shook his head in disappointment and said " annaiku nichayathula Aryan Arjuna avoid pannadhayum paathen nee Ayaana avoid pannadhayum paathe . unga mela thappa vachutu en mathavangala guilt trip  panreenga ?"

Sitara looked at her father while he continued " nee onnum chinna ponnu illama . Aryanku kalyanam panni naanga kuduthaalum avan familyum unnoda family maari dhaan . avanuku Arjun mela varutham irundha adha solve panna nee atleast stepaachu eduthurukanum naa valatha en ponnu apdi dhaa . epporndhu selfish aana sitara ? and nee edhuku sandhyavayum Arjunayum avoid pannitrundha ? "

Sitara looked at him with confusion and said " adhu ... pa.... appo naa edhayum gavanikkala ... av... avar mattum dhaa mindla irundhaaru "

Her mom spoke " ithana varushathula Sandhya evlo miss pannirpa avana ? avana avaloda first kozhandha maari paathukitta ponnu ... irundhum ... nee avlo periya thappu panniyum ithana varushama ava unnoda touchla irukanumnu dhaa nenaikura en ? family values therunjuruku .... nee assaultaa ellaarayum udharividra. enga kitta nee ukkaandhu pesi ethana naal aagudhu sollu ? atleast avanoda samaadhanam aanadhayaavadhu sonniya ?  . modhalla lifela balance panna kathuko .enna pullaingalo pongad " 

Sitara's father actioned her mom to stop scolding her and said " idho paaru sitara unaku innum konja naalla marriage panni vachuruvom . marriage is not just you both getting into a bond its about two families. apdi irukela Aryan oru hesitationla irundha nee dhaa konjam mudunjalavu bonds seri panna paakanum . adhukunu unna poruthu poga sollala . nalla family nalla manushanga avan dhaa veembukunu ninna neeyum pesaama irukanumnu avasiyam illa . idhuku mela enna pannanumnu unaku theriyum take care " 

With that they left to their rooms leaving a confused sitara back. She thought to herself on why she didn't face Arjun after that incident. Though Sandhya talked to her in a friendly way still Sitara felt guilty as well hesitating to face them. But she never expected this to have such a dimension and this managing relationship was threatning her like never before and that's when she thought " idhuku dhaa time ketaaro ? namaku ennaiku dhaa avasarabuthi poga pogudho "and she looked at the clock which just struck 8 :30 and called Sandhya as she knew she wouldn't hit bed before 11 P.M .

Sandhya looked at the video call request from Sitara and picked it up with a smile while Sitara looked at her with a nervous smile and asked " mm.... akka.... ar... arjun mama enga irukaaru ?"

Sandhya looked at her confused and called Arjun who joined the frame along with their kid who was fast asleep in his shoulders. Sitara looked at him and said " Sorry mama .... naa edho oru confusionla , hesitationla unga kooda seriyaave pesaama irundhute ... venunu pannala ...  just didn't realise it myself " 

Arjun smiled at her, and a sense of relief was visibly spreading across his face while he said " paravaalla da .... naa pannadhum thappu dhaa ... Aryan eppo enta pesa poraan... pesuvaana edhume therila .... avasarappatruka koodaadhu " His eyes moistened a little which made Sitara feel guilty while Sandhya thought of easing the situation and said " aama unga thombikum ungalukum porumaila p kooda varaadhunu dhaa theriyume huh enna panna sikkitom thappava mudiyum enna chithu " while 

Arjun turned around her and asked " eii engaluku ennad ungala samaalika naanum en thambiyum extrava energy drink edutha dhaa mudiyum vaaya idhu "

Sitara went inside the banter and all the three had hearty laughter filled conversation while Vikranth and Charu joined the call 10 minutes later and they had a quality FAMILY TIME together while Vikranth said " indha Aryavum irundhurundha evlo nalla irukum . ippo naa call panna kalyana maaplanu kooda paakama kaluthula midhipaan " 

Sitara " avaru neenga nenaikura alavuku scene illana avar oru  kolandha "

Charu looked at her with a disgusting look and asked " enna andha kolandha oru 6 adi heightla 6 kilo dhaadi mudiyoda irukuma . modhalla shave panna sollud avana paaka sagikala avanum avan mudiyum Thevaangu ku thambi pulla maari . stubble beardoda short hair irukela engannan epdi irundhaan ippovum iruke " 

That's when she realised they shot the cover song by tying up his hair in a half pony and beard which imparted a rugged look and as she felt him handsome in it, she didn't feel like trimming it off but only after Charu mentioning his old look did, she felt an urge of seeing him in his old look. She smiled and said " Chithu iruka bayamen naalakaluchu unaku saree eduka poromla appo paaru un annana "

Charu " enguto manusha kutty maari vandha seri " and with that they said a bye and drifted off to sleep while Sitara herself felt her heart relaxed after having a hearty and funny conversation with these people and made a decision in her mind to bring Aryan back into this circle of family and bring his own naughty self-back . 

hello folks we are nearing the end and only 3 more chapters are left for the story to get over . This was surely a roller coaster ride for me . i will try to complete the book along with epilogue within sunday . happy reading 💕