Athulya positioned herself before the mike and stared at the paper once. Once the time hits,

Athulya- " vanakkam makkalae naama inaiju irupathu 106.4, hello fm, naan ungal sagi, diary nigalchiyil... inaiku namma nigalchiyin nanbar 'kadhalin kadhalan' oda sinthanagaloda thaan intha nigalchiya thodaraporom.. vaanga nigalchikulla pogalam..

sagi, romba naal aachu naan unga kita pesi. Pesurathuku perusa enakita ethuvum illa. athanala, thinamum neenga pesuratha gavanichutu irunthen. inaiku ungaloda pagirthuka enkita oru visayam iruku. aalamana oru vali iruku.. satharana vali illa sagi, idhayam thanave surungi raththa kanner vidura alavuku vali, uyir kovathula udamba uthari thalitu pona varugira vali, nan ipo sumanthukitu iruken.. unga kooda pagirthuka vanthiruken... 

inaithu irupom, ithu diary.. naan ungal sagi.. .. (a song to be played)

Sagi, naan vela pakura niruvanathuku pakathula oru maruthuvamanai iruku. naan vela visayama anga porathu undu. Oru naal naan velai visayama anga poi kaathirunthen, appo oru china paiyan valila thudika avanoda thaai anga inga nu odi anga irukura doctor nurse nu ellarkitaium kooptu treatment panna soli kenji, oru valiah antha paiyanuku treatment um koduthachu. antha payan mayakathula bed la paduthirukaan. Enaku theliva ketuchu sagi, antha doctor kandipa bill ah katanum nu strict ah solitu poitaru .. antha paiyanoda amma, enna panrathunu theriama thavikuratha naan pathen sagi.. kannula kaneer nikave illa, udambu kooda nadunguchu avangaluku, mela paathu etho munumunuthanga .. kannuku theriatha kadavula ipo vachum ethavathu uthavi panennu kekurathu pola irunthathu.. appo antha paiyan melliya kural la, 'amma amma' nu kooptaan sagi, kannelam thudachutu punnagayada ulla odi ponanga sagi. paiyan kooptathum apadiye maritanga.. Naan jannal valiah etti pathen sagi avanga pesinatha ketaen, avanga appo sonathu enaku inamum kaathula olichukite iruku sagi...

inaithu irupom, ithu diary.. naan ungal sagi.. .. (a song to be played)

 sagi, antha paiyan kita, 'unaku onum illa da raasa marunthu kudicha sariah poidumam, doctor mama solitanga. amma naan irukenla naan ellam paathukaren thango. amma naan irukum pothu nee alugalama thango.. naan ellam pathukaren, nee thoongu raasa, valikuthunu ambuttu neram aluthathu aluppa irukum.. amma pakathulaye iruken nee thoongu raasaa' nu sonanga.. avanga avlo uruthiah sonanga sagi. avangala paathu enaku avlo pramippa irunthathu. avanga paiyanuku avanga kodutha nambikaium, avangala konjam kooda mathikama kaasu illathathala mariyathai illama nadathuna antha doctor ah kooda onum solama, mama sonaru antha paiyankita sonathum ipadium sila manithargala nu irunthathu sagi, ungalukum thonutha?

inaithu irupom, ithu diary.. naan ungal sagi.. .. (a song to be played)

sagi, naama oruthara ninachukite iruntha avangala namma santhipom nu solluvanga kelvi patrukeengala..' una pathi thaan ninachen neeyae vanthuta' nu yaravathu yarkitayavathu solli ketrukeengala.. enakum apadi onnu nadanthathu sagi.. antha paiyanaium avan ammavaium naan ninachukite irunthen. Manasu oru mathiri aluthama nimathi illama irunthathu. konjam manasa nilaipaduthalam nu naan koyiluku poirunthen sagi. anga thaan naan antha amma va paathen. enna pathanga, enkita pesinanga.. epadi theriuma, sagi? oru manjal pudavaiyila, nethi neraiah viboothi kumkumathoda, munthanaia munnadi pudichu,  iru kai neeti, en munadi vanthu yasagam ketanga sagi.. 'en pullaiku udambu mudiala raasa, en otha pullaiah aasupathirila valila kidakuthu raasa, polaikanum samikita vendikitu iruken. unnala mudinchatha yasagama podu mavarasaa. oththa roobanalum podu raasa, pullaiku gunamagam. thayavu senju podu raasa' nu ketanga sagi.. 

inaithu irupom, ithu diary.. naan ungal sagi.. .. (a song to be played). 

Athulya wiped her tears, drank water and composed herself. She need some time to regain herself. Once the song completed, 

sagi, adhirchila naan enaium ariyama kaila irukura kaasa poten. antha amma enna kadanthu poitanga. appo koyilla irukura vera rendu pengal pesinatha ketaen sagi. 'epadi thaan ipadi puthusa puthusa ketu pichai edukurangalo. kaiyum kaalum nalla thane iruku ulachu sapta enna. nee ethuku avaluku 10 rooba pota? ava pullaiku mudialainu unaku theriuma?' nu romba athangama oru ponnu ketanga sagi. itha namma pala peruku irukura ennam thane sagi. athuku pakathula iruntha ponnu sonanga, 'enaku athellam theriathu di. naan thantha 10 roobayila ava enna sothaya vangi poda mudium? oru coffee than kudika mudium. unmaiah iruntha ava pullaia seratum apadi illana ava vayuthuku pogatum. koyilla vachu pullaikunu kekura di, naanum oru pullaiah pethurukenae.. petha vayuru irugi pudichu thudikuthu di ava alugum pothu.. 10 roobayila naan ena kuranchu poiten ippo? ava enna yemathina yemathitu poganum. ipo kudukalaina manasu kadanthu uruthum di.. en nimathiku naan koduthuten di, enaku athu pothum.' nu sonanga. Sagi, ithu pola sila peraium nama kadanthu vanthirupom. pala neram yemaliah theriura ivanga than unmialaye nimathiah irukanga sagi.. 

inaithu irupom, ithu diary.. naan ungal sagi.. .. (a song to be played). 

Sagi, En manasu uruthaluku naan enna pananum nu appo than purinchathu. enoda sambalatha eduthu koduthen antha kulanthaioda treatment ku. Avangaluke theriama thaan senjen, enaku enna velipadutha pudiakala sagi, yen nu theriala... Antha paiyanuku gunamagiduchu, avanga amma mugathula avlo oru santhosam.. oru peria nimathi enaku appo kidaichathu. avanga santhosatha maranchu ninnu vedika paaka romba pudichurunthathu.. aana antha santhosam romba neram nilaikala..  'ipadi motha kasaium koduthutu vanthirukiae. unaku konjamachum moolai iruka, kaasoda arumai theriutha unaku. Thanku minji thaan thanam pananum.. nanga irukura thairiyathula, venumna enga kita kekalamnra thimurula thane nee ipadi panra? intha masam unaku oru rooba kooda kenji ketalum koduka matom. kaila kaasu ilama intha masam alancha thaan adutha masam athoda arumai therium.. nee appo than thirunthuva' nu enna enoda appa amma thorathi vitutanga sagi, enna oru varthai kooda pesa vidama.. en amma ku ipadi than enna thirutha therium, ithu avangaluku therinja vagiyila kaatura pasam pola. en ammakum en mela anbu irukum sagi, ennala than unara mudiala..

inaithu irupom, ithu diary.. naan ungal sagi.. .. (a song to be played). 

Nalla vela sagi, naan thaniah room eduthu thangi iruken. athunala perusa enaku peria pathipu irukura mathiri theriala, thangurathuku idam iruku. adutha 25 natkala epadi samalika poren nu konjam bayama than irunthathu, sagi. kaila romba konjama thaan kaasu irunthathu. thairiam konjam kooda illa. marupadium koyiluku ponen sagi, manjal nirathula sattai potrunthen. sami silaiaya paathu kai yenthi yasagam ketaen sagi, adutha 20 nalaikaga illa, antha paiyan anubavikura antha pasatha naanum anubavikanum, enakum kodu nu yasagam ketaen sagi.. antha paiyan anubavachitha vida adhiga valiah anupavika thayar, adutha nimidam uyir ponalum kooda paravala enaku antha anbu venum nu ketaen sagi.. anbavichu pakanum nu romba yetkama irunthathu sagi.. ini en valkaila vara vendia ore uravu, ennavalin uravu mattum thaan. avalidam thaan naan antha anbai peruven endra nambikkaiodu kaathirukiren sagi, ennavalukaga yetkangalodum idhayam niraintha anbodum.

inaithu irupom, ithu diary.. naan ungal sagi.. .. (a song to be played).

She completed her program and returned back to home with Pragyan. She was highly affected by the content. Tears are flowing from her eyes when she recalled the lines in the letter. There is no much adverbs or adjectives. It just had the description of the happenings but that had a great impact. She completely understood why these letters got famous among people. 

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In the evening, Athulya is practicing her song for the competition. But the lines in the letters are still in her mind. It keeps ringing in her ears. She can able to imagine those words in his voice. She looked at her hand and felt guilt for cheating him. 

Pragyan- "konjam kanna moodi feel pani paadu aththu". The same time Siddhik came in. 

Sujan noticed that and then said - " Feel panni paadu Aththu, song ellam nalla choose panitu yeno thano padina epadi?"

Pragyan too noticed Siddhik but didn't reacted, since Sujan gave signal to him. Athulya closed her eyes and started to sing. 

(song: Onna pola oruthara film: Vetrivel) 

Onna pola oruthara
Naa paarthathae illa
Un osarampaathu
Vaanam kooda kurugume mella

Siddhik started to listen without moving placing the bag down. Her voice made him to stop his activities.

Unnudaiya saalaiyil nindru malar thoovavae
Kannivaram ketkiren
Naanum arangeravae
Unnarugil vaazhvathondru
Pothum intha mannilae
Veru ondrum thevai illai
Yavum unthan anbilae

Ennai aalavae vantha magaraasanae
Naan unakkagavae pala piravigal
Thunai varuvenaae

Siddhik moved towards her. 

Onna pola oruthara
Naa paarthathae illa
Un osarampaathu
Vaanam kooda kurugume mella

Saami pola vanthavanae
Kekummunae thanthavanae
Naan vanagum nallavanae
Nalla ullam kondavanae

En ottumotha jenmathukum
Sontham neethanae

A lone tear escaped her eyes. When she opened her eyes, She saw Siddhik standing before her. Athulya stood up. Pragyan and Sujan left the house closing the door. Athulya' s lips started to tremble, her eyes shed tears. She panted a little, biting her lips. Siddhik hugged her tightly. Athulya started to cry in his embrace. 

Siddhik patted her and asked, "ennachu Athulya? yen ipadi alugura? enna ma?"

Athulya - "enaku.. enaku.. enaku ithu pudiakala.."

Siddhik shocked and moved away from her, "enna pudiakala"

Athulya removed the bandage with so much force and started to shout, "En kaila kayam ellam illa, naan poi thaan sonen. enaku ipadi poi solla pudikala,. etho namakulla distance iruku, enaku athu pudiakala.", she clutched his shirt and said, "unkita enaku free ah pesanum. enaku nee than venum. enaku sariah solla theriala.", she removed her hand from his shirt and said, "unkita epadi palagurathunu theriala.. unkita nalla peru vanganum, epadi nu theriala. yarkitaium namala pathi share pana thonala. enakavum ethuvume pana theriala.. nee nambikkai veranum nu sonna, aana naan poi than solren unkita.. enaku ethuvume panna theriala, samaika kooda theriala.. ellame sothapuren." 

She closed her face and cried stating, 'ellame sothapuren. ellame sothapuren. enaku theriala, enaku enna pananum theriala. naan nijamma ipadi kidaiyathu."

Siddhik hugged her and patted her back. she hugged him tightly and burst out. He waited for a while so that she can vent out her feelings. 

Siddhik- "enaku munnadiye therium, un kaila kayam illanu". Athulya was shocked to the core and moved away from him. 

Athulya- "ep.. epadi?"

Siddhik- "anaike therium. Romba blood loss agiduchanu therinjukurathukaga kitchen fulla suthi pathen, engayume blood sinthinathukana adayalame illa. sari tharaya thodachirupeengalo nu paatha engayum eeramavum illa, entha thunilaium ratham illa.. apove purinchukiten. antha viralla veekam illa. konjam kooda vali illama nee bag ellam thookitu pona, tiffin box eduthutu vantha ellathaium vachu purinchukiten."

Athulya looked down, her eyes shed fresh tears and muttered, "sorry". She said in a low voice.

Siddhik cupped her cheeks and said, "ipadi nee sangada pada koodathunu thaan naan therinja mathiri kamichukala.. Athulya, nee enna poi sonalum, un anbu unmaiyanathu. nan oruthara oruthar nambanum nu sonnathu, oruthar mela oruthar vachirukura anba. Nee unmaia pesanum nu naan ethir pakala, enna pesinalum athula enmela unmaiana anbu irukanum nu thaan ethirpathaen"

Athulya widened her eyes moving a little away from him. Her eyes shined with tears and happiness. She smiled a bit curving her lips.

Siddhik tugged her hair that is settling in her face behind her ear and said, " Athulya, nee normal ah iru. Yosi ma, nee epadi enna nerungi vanthalum, nan yethukiten. unna naan thadukala. Aana, enaku ithu pola enna velipadutha theriathu ma. enaku yethuka thaan therium. Ennala nee romba kastapaduriah ma?".

He said the last line with guilty and expectation filled eyes. They both looked at each other. Athulya completely understood him and his statements. She felt a great relief now. 

Athulya - "amam, romba kastama iruku, athunala kovamagiten.. enna samathana paduthunga"

Siddhik blinked at her. He didn't expect this reply from her. 

Athulya- "epadi samathana paduthurathunu yosikureengala?". Siddhik nodded his head. 

Athulya- "samathanapadutha onnu kenjanum, illaina mutham tharanum.. "

Siddhik smiled and started to kiss her. He first kissed her forehead, then her cheeks and then started to kiss her lips. They both lost themselves in the kiss. 

He again and again kissed her when they were about to part to breathe.

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Parvathi Suresh Sharma.