Aadarsh 🔆

On reaching our floor, I pushed open the door of Dev's cabin and stood rooted, perceiving the condition of his work room.

His blazer, a few files and papers, and coffee cups were scattered on the floor, and the cabin looked deserted. I was too shocked to open my mouth, but Rithvik laughed his heart out.

"Dev," a loud voice was heard. Wait, wait, that's a girl's voice. A familiar voice.

"Idho paaru, one more word, naa manushana irukka maaten." I heard Dev yelling back at her.

The voices were from the left corner of the room, and before I could move, a glass's crunching sound was heard. It should be her.

Adhu ava na indha satham varadhula aachariyame illai.

When did she come to India?

"World War III start aaguradhukulla vaa da poi stop pannidalam. Aana enakku aanandhama irukke." Rithvik exclaimed.

Before we took a step, a human appeared all of a sudden, shouting in some foreign language.

Nope, that was Bangla.

That's Abirami! My guess was right.

"Ami bangla. Ami bangla bolthi." (I am a Bengali. I will talk in Bengali.)

She wasn't aware of our presence, and in an attempt to move away, she dashed on me with force.

I held her safely, and she let out a joyous scream.

"Aadarsh anna," she hugged me happily, which I gladly reciprocated. It's the first time I am meeting her in person, but I feel as if I have been living with her for years.

Abirami went on expressing her happiness, and I chuckled every time she used Tamizh, Bangla, and English together to speak. She's definitely fluent in Tamizh, but being multilingual made her talk as such.

I heard a footstep, and immediately Abirami hid behind me, seeing Dev coming out.

He was sweating, with a messed-up shirt and hair.

Anybody other than us would have misinterpreted the whole situation, but considering the fact that he's my human, I can surely say that - ivan avlo worth illai.

Rithvik must have guessed what I thought and laughed hard. Abi was clueless and shook my arm.

Dev scoffed, catching up our minds voices, to which Rithvik cackled up for the second time.

Abirami came out, and they started bickering again.

"Tumi ekdham..."

"I said stop. Tamizh la pesu."

"That's my wish."

"You can't do that. That's called being rude."

"Rude? Me? That's you, Mr. Obhodro."

Rithvik was leisurely leaning back on a chair, watching their bickering as if it were a daily soap drama, while I tried my best to stop them.

I don't know what they fight for. It's annoying, as well as amusing at the same time, to watch them quarrel.

This monk surely has something for her.

Solla veikkiren.

I eyed Rithvik, asking for help, to which he raised his thumb with utmost confidence.

Aama apdiye kizhichiduvaru.

Rithvik held Dev's and Abi's hands and sat on the daybed, with him in the middle.

First, he turned to Abirami.

"Neenga sollunga ma, ungalukku enna prechanai?" His scratchy voice brought up waves of laughter from me and Abi, but with one stern look from that monk, we smiled sheepishly.

"Se amake baka dicche, dada." (He's bugging me, brother.)

Rithvik let out a foolish smile and turned to Dev, whispering, "Machan, thangachi enna solludhu?"

"Panchayat panna vandha la paruppu maari, enkitta en kekura?" Dev stood up, shrugging his shoulders, and knocked on his head.

Finally, the monk came and hugged me. I felt a light kiss on my shoulder, which I returned to him, feeling content.

A platonic soulmate without whom I find it hard to look at the world, even if it's flocked with billions of people.

Our chemistry and understanding were so imperfectly perfect that had anyone of us been a girl, our parents would have married us up when we turned eighteen.

Perks of being straight men-we lost the chance!

We, born forty-two days apart, didn't make a difference, as our thoughts and actions portrayed us as fraternal twins. The family dispute due to a problematic Rajeshwari separated us, and we were seven thousand plus miles apart on two different continents.

Although we made it up during his summer holidays, the absence was an undeniable feeling.

Though we had a vivid memory of our childhood days, the period between 1999 and 2000 felt like it was erased from our memories just like that. And it's exactly during this period of time that appa and maama fought, with our mothers backing up their husbands. Pechiyammal also should have her hands in the issue, and what's fishy is that our parents never disclosed the actual reason for their fight.

The ones who fought got back together, but our mothers couldn't patch up as before. Amma always wanted to talk to aththai, but she never gave her an opportunity for reconciliation.

And I have seen amma sometimes lose herself in a thought, but whenever asked, she would brush it off with an excuse.

Dev said the same about aththai, and more than me, he doesn't even have the slightest idea of what happened during that period of time. I know, we were just five to six years old, but it's not that you won't remember even a single thing that happened then.

And for us, remembering our earliest childhood days even before this timeline seemed sceptical and doubt-worthy.

"Yenna da yosichitu irukka?" Dev asked, parting the hug, and I just shrugged my shoulders in reply.

"Ammakkal ah epdiyachum pesa vechidalam di chellam. Kavala padadha." Dev assured him, and Rithvik gagged in jealousy, hearing his endearing words. All I had to do was to laugh out.

Dev and Rithvik always had a tiff, in a friendly way, when it was about me.

"Dada, hinsa karabena na." (Brother, don't be jealous.)

Rithvik's look of bewilderment was an eye treat, and even though neither I nor Dev got the context of her statement, it was comical to watch him go mad.

"Avan enna da ivankitta konji kolaavuran, indha amma vetru gragavaasi baashai ellam pesudhu. Dei Aadarsh, book their flight tickets. Let's parcel them back to Canada."

"Tumi ki chao ami chale jayi, dada?" (Do you want me to leave, brother?)

Dev was quick enough to catch her altered tone and moved in a jiffy, kneeling down in front of her.

"What did you ask him? Say it in a language that I know." Abirami politely translated her claim, and Dev literally burned Rithvik with his eyes.

"Ayyo pattukutty, naa chumma sonnen da." Rithvik apologised honestly, earning a smile from her.

Dev was a calm, composed, and loving guy who never let his guard down in terms of emotions. It was really rare for him to be angry.

On seeing Abirami's smile, Dev slightly nodded his head and hugged Rithvik, apologising for his questioning glare.

What about me? Why didn't he call me for the hug?

"Ahem!" I cleared my throat, gaining their attention.

"Poramai pudichavan." Rithvik exclaimed, earning a knock from me, and the three of us embraced together, feeling content.

Usually, the boys friendship is looked upon as a super-energetic and supportive bond, and a lot of people fail to notice the depth of love and affection they have for each other. The love I have for Dev and Rithvik and the love they have for me is no less than the pure love of a little lad for his family and friends.

We parted ways after hearing a shutter sound, and we saw Abirami clicking a picture of us. She smiled, which we reciprocated, but Dev turned his face away.

"Tumi..." Before Abi could start, I stopped her.

"Abirami, enga yaarukume Bengali theriyadhu. Konjam karisanam kaati Tamizh la pesu ma." I begged her.

"Anna, avaru sandai podraru enkitta." She complained and sulked.

"Yen darling sanda podra nee?" I asked Dev, to which he glared Abi, while Rithvik glared at me for calling him a darling.

"Poda," I mouthed to Rithvik, and he quickly went and sat next to Abirami, wrapping his arm around her shoulder.

"I don't know what the issue is, Abirami, but I am on your side. Nee andha lover boys ah kandukadha." Abirami laughed and stuck out her tongue at Dev. Rithvik smirked at Dev, holding Abirami, and I slapped my forehead, not knowing what to do.

"Ava saaptala illaiya nu kelu, Aadhu." Dev finally said the reason, and it was my turn to glare at her and see her trying to escape.

"Saapdama oru adi eduthu veika koodadhu. Idhukku thaan ivlo aarpattama?" The same scenario from the morning repeated here, and I saw her trying to escape just like my mother.

Abirami ate her lunch quickly and washed her hands, wiping them on a tissue. He took out another tissue and wiped her mouth, still bickering with her.

"Enna da, un lover ku lover kedachachu pola." Rithvik mocked, and I stamped on his foot coolly.

"Jealous huh?" He laughed, and I kicked his leg.

"Avan kaadhula vizhundhu irundha unna thorathi thorathi adichi iruppaan." I shut him off and saw Abirami setting up Dev's hair.

"Naa thaan kalachen, so naane seri panniten." She shrugged, and he shook his head in disbelief.

Abirami retired to the daybed tiredly and closed her eyes for a nap. Dev stood at the foot of the daybed, smiling at her sleeping form like an idiot.

Am I third-wheeling here? How dare he make me do it?

You wait, Mr. Dev Neelakandan. I will also get a chance. Let me show you what third-wheeling actually means.

"Darling," I called him, breaking his trance, and Rithvik sighed, "Unna thavira avan vera orutharukku attention thandha porukkadhe."

Of course, this human is my best friend, and I will be the same with him, even if he has great grandchildren. The influx of new people into our lives should not remove the importance of the already-existing ones, right?

No one is a replacement.

The three of us sat on the adjacent sofa, discussing our upcoming projects and our collaboration with Peter.

Dev was in and out of the discussion as his complete focus was on the sleeping human.

Poramai ellam illa, ana light ah poramai thaan.

"Ayya raasa, konjam indha pakkam thirumbu. Kazhuthu sulikika pogudhu." Rithvik teased, and Dev slapped his cheek lightly.

His gaze shifted to me, and I playfully raised my eyebrows, eyeing Abirami. He shook his head, but unfortunately, a blush crept up his cheeks. We pulled his legs, and he finally gave up, answering us.

"I am not sure of my feelings, but it might turn into what you are expecting. Since her accident, she's been goofy and happy around me, unleashing her inner child, but still, her initial life is forbidding her from accepting the truth."

We sighed, and the monk continued.

"And as far as it's me, she is a very important person, just like our parents and you both. A day without her is hell, and I feel like keeping her with me forever." Rithvik patted his arm, calming him down, while I sat quietly, looking at Abirami.

She has suffered a lot, and if I can trust my human reading capacity, Dev is her only cure.

"Inga paaru Dev, the process of realisation might be tiring, but at the end, it will lead to a beautiful beginning. The heart and brain will behave like notorious monkeys, not allowing us to settle on a conclusion. But everything will fall into place if your feelings are true and strong." Dev smiled lightly, and I sat there, admiring them.

Though I am a chatterbox among the three of us, sometimes I sit back and listen to these saamiyars, who are pros at letting out advice and consoling words.

"I can bet that Abirami is your girl. It's just that Abi might take time to reach the truth. Just leave it to destiny, adhu paathukkum." The experienced lover was advising the budding one. Rithvik was so sure of his feelings that before he could confess them to his fiancee Sreesha, he said them to us and our parents with unmatched confidence.

Not to forget, he was barely fifteen back then.

Our chitchat continued, and I saw Abirami stirring in her sleep. Before Dev could reach her, I patted her arm and slowly shifted her head to my lap. Dev sat back and let out a warm smile at us.

Ever since Dev introduced his 'frenemy' to us, we instinctively had a sisterly vibe from her, which seeded a need for protection in our hearts. I always wished to have a younger sibling, which was fulfilled by Abirami and Anvi.

Literally, no one will believe that I would trust a person this easily. Maybe, since she was from Dev's circle, I really didn't have the need to be cautious around her. That monk himself will think a thousand times before making a move around a stranger. So, peace.

Abirami resembled my parents in many aspects, which further increased my affection for her.

As if the monk understood my thoughts, he shifted to the foot of the bed and took her legs to his lap. Rithvik sat in front of us in a bean bag.

"Speak," the boys chorused, and I laughed silently, careful enough not to disturb her sleep.

"Abi pattu eppo kelambuna? Nee eppo kootitu vandha? Unkitta sollitu vandhala? Travel ellam, okay la? Yen enkitta ava varadha nee sollala?"

"Porumai saami porumai. Take a deep breath." I glared at that monkey and hit his head.

"Eppah saami, niruthu da. Un thangachi unakku surprise ah irukkatum nu solla venaam nu sollita. Avala airport la irundhu pickup panna ponadhu naala thaan ennala poojaiku vara mudiyala. Romba varusham kazhichi India vandhadhu naala inga kootitu po anga kootitu po nu ore adam. Meeting aprom kootitu poren nu sonnen. Keta odane kootitu pogala nu sandai potu, saapda maaten nu aarpaattam pannita."

Dev finished, and Rithvik closed his mouth, pretending to be shocked.

"Adhu epdi da, Abirami pathi na pakkam pakkama pesura illai na vaaiyave thorakka maatingura?" I laughed, and he hit him with a pillow.

"As if I don't talk to you. Adangu da dei." He commented and shifted his focus back to Abirami.

"Romba kashta pattuta la da? Naama nalla paathukalam." I assured Dev, but he shook his head in denial.

"Athukku ava nammala vidanum. She is not ready. The fear of being judged and her insecurities are piled up like dunes. Medhuva thaan seri pannanum. Nammala ethukka veikanum." He completed it, and before we could continue, a knock on the door was heard.

"Anna, naa thaan." It was Anvi, and I called her in. She came and stood in front of us with a sorry face.

"Hey, andha aalu edhavadhu thittunara enna?" I asked her out of concern and started feeling bad for sending her to present it. Not bothering the situation, Dev started bickering with her now.

Ivan yen eppo paaru en thangachinga koodave sandaikku poraan?

"Dev, wait. Anvi ma nee sollu. Ennachu?" She sighed and looked up, as if she'd been building up her courage.

"Anna, andha project..." She fidgeted with her fingers, and we looked at her. Dev stopped being playful and turned serious. The project was to build a ten-story apartment.

"It's okay, ma. Indha project pona enna aduthadhu paathukalam." I cheered her up, and it's futile to be angry now. Our hard work won't pay off all the time. Sometimes we should face problems and downfalls that eventually pave the way to success.

We took a long time to prepare the plan, and I really don't know what he found wrong in it.

"Anna irunga naa solli mudichidren. Andha project...."

"Andha project..." We chorused, and she let out a grin now. Here comes the drama queen!

"Ethana dhadava soldrathu TV serial paakadha nu. Paaru avan pandra maari background effect thara, aalalukku focus pandra, enna ma nee?"

Rithvik laughed at my rambling, rolling on the floor, and I kicked his back, shutting him off.

"Andha project mattum illama, Trichy la fifteen-floor apartment katra contract um namakke tharen nu sollitanga." She jumped in the air, as did Rithvik, while I and Dev gave a series of hi-fies to each other.

The one who cracked the projects stood there with a big smile on her face.

Leaving Abirami under the watch of Anvi, we left to call Mr. Venugopal, and he praised us so much for our plan. That guy was a tough nut, and this brat brought us two projects, convincing him.

After finishing the call, we came back to see Anvi and Abi playing games on their phones. As it was close to evening, we ordered some evening refreshments and decided to call the day off even before the shift was done.

It was only the five of us now. I saw Anvi reading something serious on her phone.

"Aama sooniyakkari la nee?" Rithvik teased Anvi, to which she whined and answered, "Anna, adhu sooniyam illa josiyam. I don't know how, but my parents say that I have an innate ability to predict things. Not that I have done so many times, but at a considerable rate, my predictions do come true."

"You also know palm reading, right?" Dev asked her, to which she bobbed her head enthusiastically.

"Anvi, tumi ki amara hatera talu dekhate paccha" (Anvi, can you look at my palm?)

Abirami asked Anvi, to which she grinned and held her arm. With their actions, I guessed that Abirami had asked Anvi to read out her palm.

God! The language sounds so different, and I should learn it to survive with her.

"Subtitles please. Dei Dev, please get me one book on 'How to Learn Bengali in Thirty Days.' Indha pulla enakku paithiyam pudikka vechidum pola."

Dev let out a frustrated look and sighed, "Theriyudha en nelamai."

"Teek ache, didi." (Okay, akka.)

All of us let out a shocked look and saw Anvi conversing with Abi in Bengali.

"Indha ma Anvi, how do you know the language?"

She peeled her eyes from Abi's palm and grinned, "Porapokula naalu mozhiya kathukkalame nu kathukitten. Avlothaan."

"Namakku rende naakku thalludhu shei." Rithvik shook his head and held his head.

"Seri seri irunga. It's disturbing, Anvi. Chup kara, tumi tinajana."

Phew! That's a trilingual, complex sentence.

"Akka, with whatever I could see and read from your palm, I am saying this to you. You really had a life that wasn't meant to be yours, and that's blocking the path to happiness now. Just loosen up and embrace what comes your way. And that's your remedy. What you are searching for is right in front of you."

Abirami sat speechless, so Dev and we were happy to hear her out.

"Dho, ivan thaan." Rithvik whispered and tickled Dev. I joined him, as the girls were engrossed in their talks.

"Cheri. Anvi Kutty, read my palm." I stretched my palm to her, which she gladly held, and we waited for her to speak.

She took a good amount of time, with her face exhibiting a myriad of emotions.

Finally, she looked up and faced me.

"Anna, an unexpected incident is about to happen in your life that will topple everything upside down. Good or bad, it all depends on you and your decisions."

I was quite amused to hear her words and pondered over them. I am neither going to completely ignore her words nor believe them as well.

To further confuse my brain, the black thread with three miniatures that was tied by the Sivaachariyar caught my attention, and though my eyes were locked on the tiger-faced human, my finger was on the deer's antler.

What does the antler mean? Am I overthinking about something that doesn't even exist?

"Uyirukku..." Dev gulped his words, but Anvi cut him sharply: "Haiyo, annavukku ellam onnum illai. Wait, let me make it clear to all."

Anvi let go of my palm and squealed, "Edhir paaradha nerathula annavoda vaazhkaila oru dhevadhai vara pora. Athuvum romba seekirame."

Abi was excited like a little kid and held my arm, as if the dhevadhai had come all along. The boys too mirrored her expressions, probably linking the dhevadhai with my future wife.

I was equally curious and excited like them, having two minds as to whether to give into her words or not. That made me a silent spectator, bottling up the emotions within.

Nonetheless, I am ready for anything and everything.

If a dhevadhai really wants to make an entry into my life, I would welcome her from the heart.

As far as she doesn't cause harm to my loved ones, I am well and good.

Let me see who that dhevadhai, alias angel, is and what she has in store for me too.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hey peeps! Here's the fourth chapter. Kindly drop your much needed comments and feedback.

I have translated all the Bengali dialogues and hope it's clear.

It'll take a little time for the leads to meet, as I am setting the base, the situation and also the cupids, who would work hard to make them meet *sheepish smile*.

Also, certain things are to be made clear and that's the reason I am keeping an elaborate introductory set of chapters.

As rightly said, patience is the key and I hope to take the story in the best possible way.

I also would like to rush the chapters but as you know, it takes time to type, check for grammatical and spelling errors and proof read, which is a little tiresome.

Still, as soon as I finish typing a chapter, I will publish it real quick.

Thank you so much for putting up with my inconsistency in the previous story and I hope, I reduce the waiting time of yours, giving you quick updates in both the stories.

Happy Reading!

Take care. Thank you.

Anbudan,
Mrinalini 💗