Both of them get out of the car.

Mullai walks a bit fast just to avoid the unnecessary questions, be it from whoever.

She already don't know what's happening with her life right now.

Did he actually propose for the marriage?

Did she actually say yes?

Did he actually say that he would take care of everything?

Wait.

But,

Did he mean it really?

She doesn't have answers for any of these questions.

For her,he is the stumper and he is the vindication as well.

Unknowing the fact that he thinks on the other way around.

Or knowingly?

Is the veil still covers her brain?

The rollic of love isn't that easy to play with.

It will make the steadfast ones obnoxious and the worst part is they can't even lift their fingers against the gambol as they sweetly accept the fact that they are in a spring fever.

When they understand where they are, the romp is already bygone.

Of course, Kathir is not an anomaly.

He just stops her.

She turns.

K-Veetla edhuvum nee pesa venaam.

Naan pesikren.

Nee un room ku po.

And, un sim ah on panni vei.

Old number I mean.

Saying so, he passes over her.

It is just seconds when the warmth of their bodies meet and the new shooting stars are born out of it.

She goes to her room through the steps before anyone stops and interrogates her.

He sees her running and lets out a bitter smile.

He tries to go inside just to get stopped by Ponni.

Ennanga Chinnaiyaa..

Akka oda onnaa vantheengalaame..

Enna kezhakaala udhikira sooriyan merkaala udhichirucho inniki nu paathenunga..

K-Avanga kovil ku poitu nadandhu vanthaanga..

Naanum adhe vazhila vanthen..

Onnaa dhana varanum nu naane kootitu vanten..

Ipo enakku thala valikkuthu..

Naan room ku poren..

Nee coffee kondu vaa oru ara mannerathuku aprama..

He jumps over the steps and goes to his room.

After some time, when Ponni again comes with the coffee, he drinks and ambles across the room.

He just thinks and taps his mobile on his hand.

He calls up Murugan.

The ring goes and he can hear his heartbeats thudding outside.

Just two rings and he picks up the call.

K-Hello..

Mu-Hello.. Yaarunga?

K-Naan Kathir pesren..

Absolute silence for a minute.

K-Hello?

Mu-Sir..sollunga sir..

Epdi irukeenga..

Neenga pesnadhum onnum purila..

K-Hmm.. Paravala..

Naan oru mukkiyamana vishayam solla dhan koopten..

Mu-Sir, sollunga sir..

K-Adhu..

Naanum Mullaium kalyanam pannikalaam nu irukom..

He pauses just to give time for him to grasp what he said moments ago.

K-Hello..

M-Sir sollunga..

K-Naan pesunadhu purinjudha?

Mu-Ellathayum marandhuttu..

Ivlo seekrathula..

Neenga idhukku..

K-Inga paarunga..

Unga kadhaiya kekka laam naan phone pannala..

Enna pathi naan explain pannavum phone pannala..

We are going to get married..

Avlo dhan..

It is an information..

Ava enkitta Nagpur lendhu kelambrapa inime ungakooda laam iruka maaten nu sonnaa..

Adhukku avaluku thagudhi illa nu sonnaa..

Adhunala dhan..

Andha orey kaaranathukaaga dhan avakitta again marriage proposal ey vechen..

Ava enna da na neenga varanum kalyanathuku nu ipo marubadiyum aarambilkira..

Mu-Engalukku edhuvume theriyadhu sir..

Apa ponava dhan..

1.6 varusham aachu naangalum avakitta pesi..

Number um maathitaa..

Enga ponaa, enna panraa edhuvume therila engalukkum..

Naanga phone panna switch off la dhan iruku..

Mela pesavo thedavo engalukku..

K- Ipo dhan sonnen..

Naan unga kadhaiya kekka pesala nu..

Naan vishayam solla dhan call pannen..

Ava ungala varanum nu solraa..

Adhukkaga dhan call pannen..

Unga mela kovapadra edathula neenga illa nu enakkum theriyum..

Neenga varadhunaala enakku onnum aagida poradhu illa...

Nadandhadhu ellam epdiyo..

Aana inime nadakka poradha naan dhan decide panna poren..

Adhunala avakita pesunga..

Avala pazhaiya number ah on la veika sollirken..

Neenga vara koodadhunu solra alavu kodooram aanavan illa naan..

Neengalum enna maadhiri dhan nu enakku theriyum..

Aana manasu kekkadhu..

Ava manasu vera kashtapadum..

Adhu enakku venaam..

Adha ennala paaka mudiyaadhu..

Avakitta poo maadhiri oru siripu irukum..

Adhu illa ipo..

Adhu venum enakku..

Adhu enna avalukku kudutha dhan kedaikum naa kedaikkatum..

Ipo naan vechirren..

Kandipa vaanga kalyaanathukku..

Saying so, he disconnects the call.

He knows that he was bit harsh.

But, everything is right from his POV.

After all, a wounded lion will speak in this way.

He lets out a deep breath and sends a blank text to Mullai's old number.

It gets delivered and he smiles coyly.

I love you di..

He whispers to himself as if saying it louder will get transmitted to her through the text.

****

Mullai on the other hand, unknowing the reason behind why Kathir had asked her to switch the old number on, holds her mobile in the hand.

The moment she switched it on, the mobile gets flooded with texts.

Almost everything is from Kathir.

'Why did you do this, Penguin?' - is the context of most of the texts.

The word 'Penguin' has the ability to choke her up.

Those were the days, when Kathir used to call her as penguin whenever he feels so overwhelmed or happy.

He was so happy whenever she was around him so he would address her as Penguin most of the time.

And she would get her nostalgic emotions kindled up whenever he calls so and will end up kissing his adam's apple.

Life was smooth then.

And then, calamity happened,

Artificially.

She gets back her senses when she mobile rings.

Appa calling..

Her body lets out some tremors.

It's been a long time since she spoke with them.

She picks up the call with shaking hands.

Ammadi Mulla, epdi ma iruka?

M-Paaa..Nallarken pa..

Neenga?

By then Parvathy grabs the phone from him.

Ammadi..epdi da iruka?

Sollama kollama enga da pona?

Theda venaam nu vera..

Naanga enna ma pannom..

Enga mela unakku enna ma ivlo kovam..

She starts with the anxiety and ends up with tears and cries.

M-Amma azhaadheenga ma..

Please..

Idhuku dhan naan phone ey on panla..

Enakku theriyum idhu maadhiri nadakkum nu..

Naan pannadhukku naan inga iruken ma..

Avlo dhan..

Yaaraiyum kora solra nelamaila naan illa..

Kora sollavum koodadhu..

On hearing the cries of P, Mu grabs back the mobile again.

Ammadi..

Kathir phone pannaru ma..

Kalyanathuku naanga varanum nu sonniyaame..

Romba sandhoshama irundhuchu ma kekkave..

M-Neenga illama epdi pa..

Mu-Hmm.. Sonnaru ma..

Avarkooda iruka nu therinjadhuku aprama enakku paadhi prachana mudinja maadhiri iruku ma..

Avaru unna paathupaaru..

Naanum ammavum kalyanathuku laam varala ma..

M-Yen pa..

Kathir edhuvum?

Mu-Pch..Avasarapadaadha ammadi..

Avaru edhuvum sollala..

Naanga varala..

Engaloda mudivu dhan idhu..

Innum solla pona avaru dhan vara sonnaaru..

Aana, naanga un vaazhkaiya panayam vecha vara podhum..

Nee inimelaachum nimmadhiya iru..

Naanga varalana dhan un nimmadhi unakku kedaikkum na adha dhan ma naan pannanum..

Paathuko ma..

Naan vechidren..

He says so firmly and disconnects the call leaving Mullai stupefied.

******************Sudum*************