Disclaimer

This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the popular show cook with comali 2. The description of incidents in this story is fictional and entirely unrelated to the persons after whom the characters are named. The story is only an imaginary plot with my take on ashaangi. This is not to hurt anyone or affect their personal space. This is purely a fictional plot that is not recommended to connect with real-life incidents.

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https://youtu.be/akwckufIIgo

Each and every line of this song is entwined with the emotion of this chapter. Do listen to the song before reading to connect with them. Few parts of the visuals also match, especially the one in the kitchen 😉

7

Sivaangi was driving into the parking lot. Her mind was loaded with enough thoughts that put a faraway gaze on her face. She remembered the conversation that she had with her brother Rakshan last night. The thought of the interview has bothered her for about a week now. Ashwin was informed only 2 days before the interview, unlike Sivaangi which saved him from a week full of anxiety attacks.

"Enna nadandhalum annan irukeyn da. Roovfa maam is right, listen to her. She has always given you the right directions. You are a strong and independent woman now, and I know you can handle it. The past should not haunt your bright future. Kashtam dhan ana I know you can and I'm always there." These emboldening words from her brother that played in her mind on loop, made her feel a little easy.

When she was lost in her thoughts, all of a sudden a lean and wiry, tall man, with a polished sense of clothing, sprung in, out of nowhere facing his back to her car and made his way towards the set taking long strides which almost felt like he was sprinting. He had his shades on when his sculpted face and wiry frame half turned to owe an apology, knowing that he was the reason for the tire to shriek a break.

Sivaangi raised her left hand from the steering wheel and yelled in panic "Ey arivu iruka una....."

(Do you have any sens.....)

Before she could complete the sentence her eyes dilated in shock. Just at the flick of her eyes, she knew it was him. He has become more thin and structured. And his dressing sense has aced up to another level in these years.

Thankfully her voice was not heard outside her car and thankfully again the windshield was tinted. Otherwise, she just could not imagine the consequences.

She quickly looked to her left and found his white car parked in her spot. Deliberately she moved her car far from her set's parking lot to the adjacent one.

She turned off the ignition and sat there still. Her hands were holding the wheel and she was looking straight into the plain compound wall. That quick teaser was enough for her to realize that she was clearly not ready to face him yet. The only thing that made her drive to the set was Roovfa and Rakshan's words.

"How am I going to handle this? Just the sight of him is making me struggle within. Should I just get back home?" She felt like her head would burst any moment now.

Her assistant spotted her in the parking but was confused to see her car far from her wonted spot.

"Vandhutingala ma'am? Good afternoon! Unga room first floor la potrukom ninga keta madhiri, you can head straight there" He said giving her the key to the room. Usually her room is always allotted in the ground floor but she had asked for a green room in the first floor just to avoid facing him before or after the shoot. Sivaangi just wanted to get done with the interview and nothing else.

(You are here ma'am! Good afternoon! Your room is on the first floor today as per your request, you can head straight there.)

She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and mumbled to herself when the assistant left her alone with her thoughts, "Sivaangi nii interview panna matum dhan vandhuruka. This is your show. He is only a guest, nothing more than that. Act professional. Get it done and get going. Whatever had to happen it just happened 3 years back and you are not the same anymore. Don't you dare cry and Don't you dare think about anything"

(Sivaangi you have only come to take interview)

She was wearing a well-fitted white Kurti with three fourth sleeves and white Patiala. Multi Coloured chiffon dupatta was lying carelessly all over her. Pairing it with chunky silver bangles and with her open semi-wet hair, she looked like heroine popped out of 'Samjawan' song. She got out of her car and trotted to reach her room quickly without meeting anyone on the way.

She climbed two steps at a time and was already gasping for breath. Just a step before she could reach the first floor her footwear strangled in her Patiala pants and her hand searched for a grip, out of reflex. As she tried to hold the railing, a sharp nail scratched her right above her wrist tearing through her sleeve. She yelped and scrunched her eyes in pain, and lost her balance. She knew she was going to fall anyways; right then a familiar, masculine hand grabbed her by her wrist and secured her by wrapping an arm around her waist as she crashed on his toned chest in the sudden yank. He pulled her over him to the landing, lifting her feet off the stairs.

Her dupatta flew haphazardly all over the place and covered the man's face who was holding her. She knew that strong hand and that hold. Her heart skipped a million beat and gasped more for breath. He pulled down her dupatta from his face with the other hand. Her palm fisted and held his garment one near his chest and another wrapped around his hip gripping behind him. The subtle wind that blew from the open first-floor passage carried a scent of freshness from her hair that ruffled close to his face. His eye's captured her petrified face that was looking down and panting. She slowly opened her eyes to meet the ones that she hadn't seen in 3 years. 

He dare not utter "Pathu Sivaangi ma" but his eyes conveyed it all. She was so close that he could feel her irregular breath near his nape. He could sense her racing heart calmed down as he landed her on her feet, safe on the floor. For a second it all felt like a dream for both.

Quickly realizing the closeness she moved away from his hold. She tried to straighten herself adjusting her dupatta without uttering a word and avoiding direct eye contact. He has never been in a place that was so quiet in her presence when she stood there without uttering a word. Only her bangles that were clinking while adjusting her dupatta filled the silence.

"Should I start a conversation or run away from here?" Her mind began a war with her heart.

He kept staring at her as if trying to compensate for all that he has missed all these years.

"Hii. Epdi iruka?" Ashwin broke the silence.

(how are you?)

"Epdi irukiya?" this guy really has the nerve to ask her such a question she thought to herself.

"Romba nala irukeyn. Ninga?" She gave a bland answer with a hint of sarcasm

(I'm doing too well, and you?)

"Nala Irukeyn m...ma" his confidence was slowly ceasing.

"Oh super! Aprom? Unga girlfriend nala irukangala? Ninga dhan ungala suthi irukuravangala romba nala pathupingaley, kandipa nala happya irupanga la?" Her sarcasm quickly reached the next step.

(Oh super! How is your girlfriend? You take very good care of people around your right?! So I'm sure she would be very happy!)

She just dint know where that sudden dauntless came from, but a part of her was pulling her back to stop what she was doing as she knew it would hurt him and more than him herself.

This triggered Ashwin's temper "Oh Yea! She is doing great!" He retaliated with the same sarcasm without thinking.

Sivaangi froze for a second. She dint expect him to answer that way. What else was she expecting from him?

His eyes were starting to get moist. He immediately regretted saying whatever he blabbered, seeing Sivaangi's expression. He cursed himself for blurting out what came to his mind that second.

They just snapped at each other. How more foolish can they be? There is never going to be an end to this any soon. This felt like a trailer for their interview.

But who talks like that to people meeting after 3 years? Well if you have hurt them enough in the past then they probably could!

Two kids of a member from the production team came running towards Ashwin shouting Ashwineyyyyyy broke the blistering conversation between two hearts. They both hugged his legs and giggles in joy. The kids were excited to see him after a long time after cook with comali 2. He becomes one amongst the kids during shoot time when they are around. Such a scene would melt her heart if she was standing there 3 years back and would have clicked a minimum of 100 selfies. This somehow only troubled her heart more. He kneeled down to hug the kids without breaking eye contact with her. Her eyes showed mixed emotions of mostly sorrow and pain that her heart held all these years. His eyes were yearning for a conversation.

She swiftly turned around to go to her room. Ashwin quickly held her wrist tight while she turned. The bangles that she wore pressed against her wound from the nail and made her whimper in pain. The slightest sound that she uttered made Ashwin quickly realize and loosen his grip. She slid her hand out of his grip and rushed towards her room without making any eye contact.

She closed the door behind her. She was confused to see the longing in his eyes. But his words brought her the pains of the past. If anyone asked her 'what was her weakest moment in life?' she would blindly say it was this very moment of facing the reality, facing him. She decided not to meet him ever again 3 years back just to save her own heart from any more damage.

Call it fate or destiny something put them in front of each other after 3 long years.

She heard a knock at the door. She knew it won't be him. Come on, he is not the creep who would follow her like that. Somehow she felt nervous. Maybe she did want him there at the doorstep or maybe not! She diffidently opened the door and was relieved to see her team of hair dresser, makeup artist, and stylist at the doorstep. Sivaangi realized the importance of being presentable before the camera. Thanks to her mentor who beautifully guided her to step into styling and fashion. She decided to look on-point that day to compensate for her lack of strength in her heart.

She let them in and tried to call Rakshan. Her mind was unsettled, she was not sure if she can do this.

Just one eye contact with him made her legs wobble in weakness. How was she going to pull an interview with him which would last for few hours at least? Just the thought of sharing the same stage with him terrified her.

Rakshan was not able to pick her call as he was in the middle of a shoot. He quickly sent her a message "Enna thangam? Pakathu set shoot la irukeyn. Is everything all right? Should I come?"

His worried message was evident that he was more nervous for her. She dint want to trouble everyone to face her fears.

"Ila anna just felt like taking. You carry on. I'll call you later after the shoot." She replied

"Ok da. You remember what I told you yesterday right? You can do this Thangam"

"Seri na see you later"

She settled before the mirror to get ready for the shoot. Three others in the room were busy with their work which was coordinated perfectly. Sivaangi dint have much work to do other than to sit there patiently for the next one hour.

The conversation with Rakshan made her trance back to the day when Ashwin confessed he had a girlfriend. 

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Running into each other after 3 years with an ordeal past, How did you like it?

This was a short update but I wanted their meet to have an exclusive chapter 💜 So the next update will be real soon mostly by this Sunday.

-----  I have penned down an Ashaangi One shot for a contest hosted by _Chaaru_ author of "Invisible golden thread" 💜 Do check it out and show some love💜 I will drop the link in the comments below. Also check out other stories in the contest, vote, and support your favorite Authors story. I personally enjoyed writing the one-shot as it gave me a different experience and I hope I have kept the readers engaged throughout. 

Very importantly, thank you soooo much Harsi123987  for tagging me in the contest, this one is for you 💜💜💜

Do share your thoughts in the comments even in previous chapters and I would be replying 💜

https://www.instagram.com/dk_storiess/ 👈 That's my Insta handle and I would be posting updates there, so do follow and check it out 💜