Not A Simple Engineer Boy!

H' & Thirteen: Consequences (Part 6)

The damp sand beneath them started to dry off as both of them started to walk away from the shore.

Taking a bite from the slice of her raw mango snack, Krithika asked him, "So, how's life?"

"Pretty good. It's the final year now, so I am kind of agitated with the major project.", Karthik took a slice from her hand and started to nibble it, "It's fun but stressful as well."

She nodded, "Then, MBA or direct to business?"

He choked, "What? No way!", he coughed while Krithika tried to gently pat his back, "I am preparing for GATE."

"I thought you were pursuing engineering to have a pretend degree to live.", shrugging her shoulders, she continued, "What about Appa's business? You are his precious little heir, aren't you planning on inheriting his tiny empire?"

"You are sarcastically funny.", he chuckled. Passing his slice of raw mango to her, he motioned her to eat it, "You were the business brain in our family, it never interested me, Akka."

Is it?

"Oh."

Skimming her vision thoroughly around her, she found a spot to sit near the never-ending stalls of junk food vendors. She pointed him towards the place and asked him to follow her. Finally, they both sat down.

Karthik brushed off the sand from his chappals, "I want to pursue engineering, probably in the future try my luck in the automotive and related field."

What the fuck?

"What!?", Krithika shrieked, causing the bystanders to be interested in their conversation.

"Why are you so shocked?", he frowned, worried by her reaction.

Calm the fuck down.

"No, I am just a bit surprised.", she cleared her throat, trying too hard to not hit herself for creating drama, "You never said about being interested in that stuff."

"I would like to reframe it, you never cared to ask.", he gave her a sad chuckle.

After a few seconds, he continued, "Not your fault, you were busy fighting your battles.", he placed his elbow over her shoulder, using her like a stand, "I was always interested in being an engineer, Appa is kind of pissed and still thinks that he can manipulate me into the family business.", his eyes seemed distant, "But that's not me, I am a simple guy who gets excited about machines and enjoys to be surrounded by them, that's all."

"Why automotive?", she snapped as soon as he had finished with his confession.

He slightly flinched, "Oh, nothing, I was reading about your bosses, Mr. Joseph kind of inspired me to think about my choices.", he raised his brows and focussed on her, "He's something else, isn't he?"

He's more than something else.

"Hmm..."

Karthik continued, "I mean, imagine a guy from a small town with no generational wealth or top-tier connection or any great background to start with, other than his academic excellence, and then rising to be one of the top multimillionaires against all odds, just based on a small idea and gutsy determination.", he shook his head in disbelief, "Bloody hell, I can feel goosebumps over my arms just by reciting about his life."

Yes, Xavier is crazy like that.

"Hmm..."

"Don't get me wrong... I know you love Ms. Devi, she fucking came to our house to convince our parents for you and your career, but I'll choose Mr. Joseph as my hero over her any given second."

Krithika desired to tell her little brother the truth about her relationship with Mr. Joseph, she so fucking wanted to share how much she loved this stupid Mr. Xavier L. Joseph. She wanted to tell Karthik how her Xavier prayed every second to her very being, how he was completely bewitched by her, and how he chanted his life to be hers to claim every fucking day.

She yearned to show the proof of their love radiating from her finger.

I'll talk to them, you don't need to worry.

Xavier's voice resonated inside her mind and she questioned whether it was right to be this gutless, why was she scared to talk to Karthik about him? On many occasions, Xavier had complimented her about how much of a strong lady she was, and how she stood for herself at every moment, so why wasn't she able to uphold her love for Xavier in front of her family?

"Akka, are you alright?"

Karthik mildly shook her shoulder and she swatted his hand away in annoyance, "Yeah."

He frowned but continued with how much he fancied her boss, "Unfortunately, he doesn't come out much in public. I don't have a picture of him or anything.", he faced her with an expectant look, "Do you have any photos of him? You must have some from official gatherings and all those fancy parties, right?"

Oh, Thambi, you have no idea that my gallery is filled with his images.

"No, I don't have any."

"Oh, okay.", he clicked his tongue, "You have met him though, right?"

More than just met, so much more than just meet your Mr. Joseph.

You are imagining about him, stop it!

"I work there, I see him every day in his cabin or get to talk with him in meetings.", she replied, her voice had a deep layer of huskiness and she felt frustrated by how easily her sweet fiancé could affect her whole mood.

"Wow, you get to see and meet both of your bosses daily?", he pulled her hand, "If possible, can you get an appointment for me and my friends to meet him?", with his not-so-baby face he tried to flash best of his puppy eyes to her, "Please Akka, my friends will go crazy to meet him."

"I'll try"

A wide grin encased him as he exclaimed, "You are the best Akka in the world!"

And her lips turned up in a smile.

--

"From when you started to fancy rings?", Karthik asked her, wiping his lips as crumbles from fried chicken covered his mouth.

"I don't."

Fuck!?

She rushed, "I mean, I started to like recently."

"That thing over your finger is twinkling like a real diamond.", he snickered, "Must have been pricey, how come you spent so much on a piece of fake jewelry?"

Swallowing a lump she continued, "I had to change a bit of my lifestyle."

"And still wear these boring clothes? Yes, very smart choices, Akka.", gulping his diet Coke he continued, "By the way, last time when I went home, I heard Appa talking to one of the suitors for your marriage."

Please, not now, not ever.

Krithika felt cold, her whole body felt like it was sinking somewhere in Antarctica while Xavier was trying to pull her from her death. She pressed her thumb over Xavier's love, his ring, "And?"

"Nothing. Just wanted to warn you that he might start a drama soon.", chuckling, he continued, "The persistence of that old man, I am just surprised by how Appa never gets tired of you."

"Hmm..."

"You should thank him, you got that arrogant stubbornness from him."

Thank him, my foot!

--

A/N

Somewhere when I was writing the 65th-70th chapter, this scene was playing in my mind, and it took quite a time to reach here. Damn, I was so wrong when I said to you guys that I have covered 70% of the story T-T

Anyway, let's see what happens next.

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