Kumerasan continued with a sombre tone,

Kumerasan : Konjum varsem kalichi..
Patavadu pass pannena..
Aven nalla mark vanggena..
Nalla padipan..
(proud smile)
Kaleje Kileje poirenda ippeh aven enggeyo irepan..
Engge kethan..
(disappointed sigh)
Anthe marksheet appadiye petti kulleh vatchi paraneh mele tooki pothuthan..
Hmm..
(He looked on to Moorthy with a knowing sad smile.)

Moorthy remembered that day when Kathir came from school straight to shop with a sad face.

**Flashback Starts**

Kathir walked in slowly, his steps were heavy just like the heaviness in his heart.
Forlorn and devastaded, he threw his bag on the ground *thud!* and pulled himself up to sit on the counter. Took in a deep breath with closed eyes, calming his stormy mind. His grip on the side of the counter was reflecting his frustration and anger.

K Mindvoice : Ennaku mattum yen ippadilam nadakuthu? Ippeh ithe veetle sonna, innum padi'nu solvaghe. Naanum padikeh poita, aprem Annen mattum kadaiyeh paatukum. Yerkeneve, Jeeva Anneh college fees katte, Anni valayal kalathi kudethangge. Kadaiku saraku vaange, Anneh kadan vaangechi... Kannan vere school poran.. Amma'kum marande selavu.. aspitri..appadinu povanum.. Ithuleh ennakum selavu pannanuma.. Hmm KADAVULE ENNE YENNE YEN PASS PANNEH VATCHE?! AYO NAA FAIL AYIRKE KUDATHA?

K Manasatchi : Adukuh nee paritcheyeh tappu tappa eluderikanum. Unneh yaare nalla seiye sonna? Athan Pass'ayithe..

K Mindvoice : Teriyathe vishayathe theriyathu'nu sollelam.. Terinje vishyathe eppadi theriyathu'nu solerathu? Paritche paper'leh kethuthu ellam ennaku theriyum... Athe eppadi tappu tappa eluduruthu? Appadi eluduruthu thaan tappu...

K Manasatchi : appoh eppadi fail Ave?

Moorthy was noticing all this quietly, though he jumped a little hearing the bag hit the hard cemented floor of their age old shop.

Moorthy Mindvoice : Ivan yen ippadi irekan? Bag'eh vere appadi poderan..ippadilam panneh mataneh...

Moorthy : Kathiru Ennachi? Yen, Ippadi iruke?
(concerned look)

K: onnum illeh.. Nalla thaan iruken'neh
(answered without looking)

Moorthy Mindvoice : Seri illeyeh.. Yetho tappah irukeh..

Moorthy : hmm inniki result vanderekanume?
(noticed the change of demeanour)

K: hmm aama...Vanduchi..vanduchi..
(sulked)

Moorthy : engge kaathu...

K : athu kadekadu'neh..
Nee enna vele iruku sollu, Jeeva anneh kolej poirechi leh..
Naa poren deliveryku..

Moorthy : dei! Naa ingge enna pesikithu iruken.. Nee enna pesere? Result enggada?

K : athu... Anneh...

Moorthy : fail ayithiya... Hmm...

K : athu...

Moorthy : (sigh).. Seri vidu.. Unne kuttam solli enna iruku.. Enne sollanum..
Padikireh payaneh kadaileh raathiri pagalah velai paakeh vachiten..
Nee eppadi padipeh..
Ellam yen tappu..
Enne.. Manichiruda Kathiru..

K Mindvoice : Anneh yen ippadi pesathu?

K : ayo Anneh! Enna'neh neenge.. Athu..
Hmm.. Anneh naa.. Ungge mele tappu onnum illeh.. Athu.. Naa fail....

Moorthy was guilt ridden. He knows deep inside he is the reason for all this.

Moorthy : hmm.. Illeda.. Nee fail aganuthuku naan thaan kaarnam

K : neh.. Ileh'Neh.. Aagaleh'ne..

Moorthy looked at him with a confused teary eyes.

K : Naa fail aageleh..

Moorthy : ennada solre.. Aprem yen ippadi kavalaya iruku..

K: hmm athu.. Naa.. Pass panithen... Athan..

Moorthy was shocked and confused, he erupted.

Moorthy : dei! Evanda iven?! Pass pannena sandosama irekanum da!

Kathir had a small sarcastic laugh within him and thought of an idea.

K : seri naa sandosama irekanumna.. Naa onnu kepen.. Athuku Nee othukanum..

Moorthy : enna?

K : othukarennuh sollu.. Appeh thaan solluven..

Moorthy : ivan oruthen.. Seri da.. Othukaren...sollu..

K : sathiyama? Aprem pechi maare kudadu..

Moorthy : ennada Nee sathiyam ellam vaangi kithu.. Periye manasan mari...

K : periya vishyam thaan..

Moorthy : seri da.. Sathiyama othukaren..
Un sandosathuku..
Ippeh Sollu yen kavalai padareh?

K : anneh.. Naa nalla Mark thaan vaangirken.. Aana naa ithodhe padippeh nipathikalamnu iruken.. Naa un kude Kadaileh vele seyiren.

Moorthy : Ey! Vilayaderiya? Pass panithen solre.. Aprem yenda nipathanum padipeh?

K : Naa fail ayirnda nipathirpeleh?

Moorthy stared at him angrily..

Kathir continued to justify his decision,

K : evlo naal thaan neeyum, Kumerasan Mama'vum mattum kadaileh vele paapingge? Jeeva Anneh kolej pothu, Kannan chinna payen..Anni veedayum kadaiyum paatukanum..
Ennaku ivlo padippu podum'neh..
Naanum un kude kadaileh vele seyiren.
Naanum innum padicha apprem..
Hmm..
(pause)
Kashtham'neh..
(sad)
Ippoveh Jeeva Anneh kolej fees'uh, engge school selavu, veedu selavu..
Kadaiku saraku vaangerathu..
Amma'ode aspitri selavu'nu ekkachekama iruku...
Neeyum Anni'yum eppadi samalikiringgenu ennaku theriyum'neh..

Moorthy was rendered speechless for a moment.

Moorthy Mindvoice : Inthe chinne vayasu leh ivlo yosikeran..
Eppadi ivlovum terinji vatchirkan?

Kathir understood his brother is surprised with the amount of information he knows about their financial situation. Moorthy and Dhanam always tried to keep it to themselves, never brought it up in from of the family. They had always tried to maintain a happy environment for everyone in the house.

K : ennaku ellam theriyum'neh..
(whispered)

Moorthy : Kathiruh... Dei.. Athu... Hmm.. Athu pathilam Nee kavalai padathe da.. Anneh iruken leh.. Anneh paatekeren..

K : Anneh.. Nee enggeleh paathukuve... Theriyum'neh...
Aana..
Naa naanum unneke ore uthaviya ireken'neh..
Naa padikireh selavu onnu korenja..
Jeeva Annenayum, Kannanayum nambe innum nalleh padikeh vakilam..
Ennaku ithu podum'neh..
(pause)
Naa padichadu podum...

Moorthy was so touched by the wisdom of this teenager. The way he think and analyse reminded him of their father but this isn't right. Kathir is still young, there is alot more in life he should see and enjoy at this age. It would be very selfish and unfair if he agreed to this suggestion.

Moorthy : dei.. Illehda.. Unneke chinne vayasu thaaneh, innum konjum varsham pogathum. Appeh venumna Nee kadaiku vaa..
Ippoh padikire vayasu..
Inthe kadai vele ellam vendam..

Kathir got a little irritated now.

K : eppoh'neh? Ippeh irukere veedum adamanam vatchirpeyah?

Moorthy stared in disbelief.

Moorthy : ithu.. Unneke..

K : ennaku ellam theriyum'neh!

This time Kathir cried, he couldn't hold in him anymore.

K : Kadai yerkeneve bank'leh adamanam vatchschi...
Unggelku serre vendiya kaasu innum varle..
Sarakku edutheh aalu.. Ippeh kaasu thaarama percheneh pandrange..
Puthu sarakku edukeh..
Ippoh veetle...
Irukure naaghe kaasu ellam..
(took in a deep breath)
Ivlo..
(hiccup)
Nereya percheneh...
(hiccup)
Iruku..
(pause to calm him)
Ippoh ennaku padippeh mukiyama..

Kathir felt exhausted after venting out everything that he had been holding up in him a this time. He couldn't take it...
He couldn't control...

He felt drained..
His body felt weak..
He exhaustedly dropped on his knees in front of his brother..
Holding his head in his hands,he mumbled..

K : Nee ondi inthe kudumbathu'ku kashta pathadu podum'neh..
Naa ireken'neh unneke...

Moorthy heard everything tears sliding through his closed eyes. Yes, everything his brother said is true. Dhanam and he tried to hide as much as he could from the children, but he knows...he knows among of all his brothers, Kathir is the most observant and sensitive to his surroundings.

He finally opened his eyes and what he saw shattered his heart in million pieces.
Kathir was on his knees..
Tearing...

Moorthy immediately went to him and hugged that young boy..

Moorthy : Kathiru! Ennada nee.. Ippadi panikithu?

K : otthuko..

Moorthy : dei.. Kathiru...

K : sathiyam panirkeh...

Moorthy stood up and pulled up that thin lanky boy with no much effort. Held him by his shoulders and told,
Moorthy : dei, nee enna sollurehnu puriyutha? Chinna payenda nee..
Un vayasu pasangelam..
Nee yenda?

Kathir wiped his eyes, pushed his hair back and looked at his brother in the eyes and said,

K : Ithaan Naa..
(determined look)
Ithu thaan Kathir..
Ivan thaan Kathir..
Ippadi thaan Kathir..

**Flashback Ends**

TBC