A Sunflower's Tale

~ Chapter - 4 ~

Parthiban's project was taking up both Kathir and Mullai's time completely for the next whole month. The plan was finalised just a few days back after a month of sleepless nights and working weekends. Parthiban's daughter Priya was meeting Kathir and Mullai from the time the deal was signed. Priya was the same age as Mullai and she was a very humble and kind person in contrast to what they saw of her father. Priya was doing the major works of her father's business but still her brother was leading every company of his father's. She didn't care about it and was jovial yet sincere in business. She quite a few times even joked to Mullai about the male chauvinism that existed in her ancestors and even in her father. Mullai liked Priya in their first meet itself and they developed a beautiful bond of friendship in the one month they worked together.

Kathir had been happy that Mullai was not talking about their relationship nor was insisting him to get another girl for himself, after their conversation that night. All he wanted was her to make peace with the idea of getting him married elsewhere. The mere utterance of it itself made his blood boil and to hear it constantly from the woman he loves was beyond hell. Mullai had decided to be silent as of now, there was no use in her fighting a lost battle. All she wished was Kathir falling in love with a girl himself and then everything would go as per her calculations. Their marriage was not something she would ever agree to and time would change the way Kathir thinks, was all she hoped for. Little did she know, the cupid, that would unite them and change her mind, is just around the corner.

Priya had fallen for Kathir in a week's time of knowing him. The knowledge of Mullai and Kathir's engagement even before she interacted with them, made her control the way she thought of him. Her love took a form of high respect for him. Being brought up in a family of dominant men, Kathir felt like an oasis in the middle of a never ending desert. But the one month she spent with them made her doubt whether they were really a couple. There was pure friendship and respect for each other but love, she was not sure. And then, one fine day after the plan was finalised, she heard one of her company's employees talk about their rumoured broken engagement. The next few months it was only Kathir, she had to work with and Mullai would join them only after the construction works ended. Priya wanted to be sure about their relationship before talking to Kathir about it. She felt, to talk with Mullai first was more dignified before taking any step in this matter.

It was the last day Priya had to meet Mullai in her office and then it would take months for them to meet again for work. They were talking over things happening in the city and some general things before they both left for home. Mullai was so grateful that she got to meet a person like Priya and work with her in her first project itself. The meeting with Parthiban and his men had made her fear over a dreadful first project experience. But this girl had come out of the blue and made it all simple and easy for her. Mullai was about to thank her, when Priya asked her something that she never knew was coming at her, "Mullai... unga kitta idha kekanum thappa right ah nu laam enaku theriyala... aana I feel it's better to ask than to assume... What is your relationship with Kathir... neenga engaged nu nenachen... but I hear different stories around... and... neenga rendu perum kooda you both don't seem like you are in love or anything like that... sorry if I had...".

Before she completed, Mullai nodded her head sideways asking her not to apologise. She looked in Priya's eyes and then it all clicked for her. Priya liked Kathir and had immense respect for him was an undeniable truth. Maybe she loved him too. Mullai opened her mouth to tell her that she had no problem with her loving Kathir and that her and Kathir's marriage won't happen. But suddenly she felt like those words were not so easy to utter. Her heart did hurt and she didn't know why. This was what she was hoping and praying for but today it all felt so wrong. Why did she suddenly feel so possessive about Kathir? Priya looked at her hoping for an answer and she gulped hard, making herself act against her heart, "athu... no... we are not engaged anymore... Kathir accept pannikala... but aanalum... i am not ready for marriage and our marriage... won't happen... we are just friends... yen dhideernu ivalo naal kalichu ungaluku indha kelvi...", she was mentally scolding herself for hoping that Priya says she was just curious and there was nothing more.