Naam Konda Matrangal

Mudhalum Nee & Mudhivum Nee

He didn't say a word, but came in closer and reached out to take the keys from her, she drew away like he was, an inferno. He clenched his chattering teeth, in irascibility.

It took him seconds to open the lock that she had been fumbling around with it for minutes. He pushed open the door and the indoor warmth engulfed them, saving them from the harsh cold. Mullai entered in first, she was dripping from head to toe and desperately needed to change.

She walked in a hurry but stopped abruptly. He wasn't coming in, she turned around to find him transfixed at the door, glaring at her. Flashes of Kathir, who used to dislike her, swamped in, making her inside freeze.

"Na ulla varalama, illa enna ippidiye thorathiruviya?" he asked stonily, she gave a humourless smile.

"Ulla vara kudathu nu neeye mudiyuvu panitu pessuna, athuku na porupu illa, yen mella pazhi podatha" she said and threw her handbag on the chair nearby. He gritted his teeth.

Kathir closed the door with a mighty bang and locked it. Silence took hold of their voices. Eyes unwavering from each other, not only in anger but also hungrily consuming the others' presence, taking in their fill of each other making up for the absence.

Mullai was seeing him properly in light. He was in an eggshell white T-shirt that had gone transparent. He was breathing hard like a bull trying to charge at the matador, in this case, his beloved Mullai. She should really back down, she thought. But seeing him like this mad after he was the one who had the audacity to see Maalika first... she was just as livid.

"Unnaku enna prachana Mulla?", he asked sternly, slowly dragging his way to her, "Yen varthaigal ah la erikura?"

"Onnum theriyatha mari nadikatha Kathir," she spat at him, "You're not a child, unnaku 25 vasaiyu aguthu, athuku ulla moolaiyum irukum nu namburan.." Tension set in thick. They had rarely ever been like this after becoming friends, they usually either got along or one or the other just adjusted to the others temperament. But this... he was almost scary mad and she was furious.

"Oh! Appudi ya?! Appudi enna pannitan? Yenna, nee intha 10 naal la ethum panatha maari than," He looked away, angrily recollecting all those times she deliberately moved away from him, avoiding him.. "Moonja pathu pessi irupiya nee?... Illa pessamale irunthuta, perchana thana kanama podium nu nenchiya.." he mocked her, he called her out on her habit of "Ignorance is Bliss" she did this for her marriage with Jeeva, where she didn't want to talk about the problem until the very last minute and now again to him. But he wasn't having it.

She was taken aback. It infuriated her, that he had something to pinpoint at her too. She suddenly turned, and walked to her room, wanting to get away from his glare.

"Pecha mathatha Kathir!" she said, walking away from the hall to her room. He followed her in an instant, hot against her heels. No, he wasn't going to leave her today..

She couldn't face him. She stomped her way around to her wardrobe, the heat in her head was fogging her thinking, her hands were working on its own accord, flinging the door of the wardrobe open.

"Yaar pecha mathra.. Nee than maraikura, oodi ozhiyura," he said, not shouting but severe, She pointedly ignored him, and rummaged through it, he was so consumed with rage that he forgot to breathe for a second.

What he couldn't see, was that she was already in tears, her throat closed in painfully and hot tears splashed down her front, she gripped the neatly folded clothes in support.

Kathir was so done with this distance, not anymore. "Unnaku yenna prachana Mullai, yen intha pathu naal"- he took hold of her arm and spun her to face him and she finally exploded.