It's a fine evening. A man in the mid of his 20's is standing at the rooftop cafe which belong to his friend. As he booked the entire rooftop, its surrounding is decorated by lightings and at the middle there is a table with chairs on opposite sides. The man's eyes darted to the sky which turned from blue to pinkish orange and then to red. He is waiting more than an hour for his girl. It's their blind date arranged by their parents.
He turned towards the door creaking sound to see his girl full dressed up in metal blue colour sleeveless floral long gown with a sling bag on her shoulder and mobile in her hand. She looked divine than on the pictures. She walked towards him with smile which reflected on his face. They both settled on their seats.
"Hi Sivaangi" he initiated the conversation in his bass-baritone voice which send shivers to her spine. For a minute, she forget the words which she had prepared before entering the place. She just looked at him by fidgeting her fingers without replying. He saw her nervousness and forward a glass of water to her "Don't be nervous".
She nodded her head before drinking the water. "Thanks" she whispered and took a deep breathe which made him smile.
"Na Arj.." he started to introduce after a moment of silence but stopped by her voice.
"Teriyum veetula sonanga. Neenga Arjun.. Family-oda Dubai-la settle aagitinga...Anga oru reputated bank-la Manager'a irukinga... Aprom ungaluku rendu sisters rendu perukum marriage aagiduchu.. you have one niece and one nephew." she nodded with a hum as if asking 'Is it correct'.
"Not bad" he commented with a smile and smirk which says 'Still, there are lot to know sweetheart'
"Sir order" the waiter interrupted their conversation.
"One black coffee... ungaluku" Arjun asked her but she was confused to order without menu card "Athu vanthu athu.."
"One blackcurrant icecream with blueberry and oreo scrumbles as topings" he ordered her favourite while she looked at him shocked. He showed his thumbs up whilst shooking his head asking 'Ok va?'.
"Ungaluku epdi.." before she completes her question, there came an answer "I know you more than you know me" with a wink while she averted her gaze immediately.
The waiter came with their order, placed it on the table and left.
"Spit it out" he said breaking the long silence while she looked at him quizzically.
"See, I'm your huge fan for years, I know you are a talkative person. But still now you are being quiet unusually. I think something is bothering you. If you are ok, I'm all ready to hear you"
"Actually I'm here to reject this marriage proposal" she said in low voice.
Yeah, she came there to say her decision of rejecting him but the aura around him and the emotions in his eyes bothered her. The ray of hope in his eyes stirred an unknown emotion inside her.
He just hummed with a hint of disappointment and asked after a pause "May I know the reason"
"Athu..." She trailed her statement while he interrupted "Do you have someone in your mind ?" hoping a negative reply but she nodded her head hesitantly.
Gulping hard he asked slowly "If you don't mind, is he the one from that reality show" she denied immediately by shaking her head.
With a bit of relaxation, he asked further "Apo?" she questioningly looked at him.
"Sorry summa coffee kudikura vara ethachum pesalamae nu" he dragged by tooking his cup in his hand. "Ungaluku virupam ilana vena"
She closed her eyes for a second and said "AD"
"Huh ?" He looked at her in shock whether he heard right or not.
"Neenga keta antha someone...avaru peru AD. Full name enanu kekathinga athu enakae teriyathu" his eyes held different emotions, he became still in his place.
"Unmaiya solanumna name matumila avaru epdi iruparu enga irukaru ethuvumae teriyathu" she sighed with downhearted.
"Aprom epdi" he asked once composing himself.
"I fell in love with his writing" her eyes had a huge admiration while saying it which didn't went unnoticed by him.
"Is he an author ?"
"I'm not the one who read books , but the letters from him made me read" she chuckled painfully.
"The way his words describe me, his love towards me and his admiration towards my passion made me fell for him more. Sometimes kavithai-lam irukum antha letter-la, atha padikurathukagave Kani Akka-va torture panni tamil kathukiten teriyuma ?" Her voice gets excited for each words she spoke about him which made her to unnotice the one sitting opposite to her wiping his tears occasionally.
"In last two years, I had received and receiving his letter each month without fail. Those letters become my solace when I got shattered once, it made me to bounce back and fight against the negativity. It made me strong than the words do."
She had imagined many tones to match his words in that letter. Now, she couldn't help but replay the words in her mind in the voice of the man who is sitting opposite to her.
"Kadhal Kottai part-2 aa?" He teased trying to ease their conversation as he saw her eyes brimming with tears.
"Somewhat...but in our case, it's unilateral.. avarkita irunthu matum than letter varum without from address"
"From address kooda eluthama anupuravanga epdi nerla varuvanganu namburinga ?" He couldn't help but ask her.
"His last letter and the words it hold tells me, he will come to me soon" he nodded with glistened eyes which she still failed to notice.
"Sari apo na kilamburen. Ungala nerla paathu en decision'a solanumnu than vanthen. Enga veetula naa pesikuren" she bid bye and got up to leave.
"Whatif he didn't ?" His words made her to hault.
"In these years, I'm used to live with his letters" she took a second before completing "if he didn't, I have those to survive". She said without turning back. She started to move but froozed hearing him.
"Ithuvarai kadithathil pesiya naan
un kannai paarthu pesum velaiyil ennai kanavanaga yerpaaya...."
she turned towards him with tears rolling down her cheeks.
"K-A-N-A-M-M-A" his whisper made her to walk towards him.
She pointed her forefinger infront of him and mouthed "A-D"
He nodded positively before telling "Arjun... Arjun Das"
She hugged him tighter as if her life depends on him while crying hard. He too reciprocated the hug and placed his face in the crook of her neck whilst patting her back.
After sometime, she pulled off from the hug and started to beat his chest with some sweet scoldings. He couldn't help but chuckle. He caught both her hands in single hand "Intha kutty kai vachu adicha enaku valikumnu ninaikurya... Huh?"
He smirked at her but she twisted her lips at him and started to walk towards the exit door. Seeing her move, he ran behind her by calling her and blocked her before opening the door "Oi oi oi ena ethuvum solama pora"
She stopped on her tracks and crossed her hands over her chest while glaring him. "Enna solanum" she asked raising her eyebrows.
"Naa ketathuku bathil" he asked in low shy tone.
"Apdilam tuckunu sola mudiyathu" he pouted at her which made her chuckle internally.
She moved closer to him and grabbed his collar to bend him down "Moonjiye kaatama ena feel pana vachala" he looked into her eyes by blinking rapidly.
"Ipo pinnadiye suthi impress pannu... Aprom'a yosikuren" she left him and dusted her hands.
Without a second thought he caged her in his arms. In reflection she closed her eyes tightly while his hot breathe touches her earlobe "I guess, I had done it already" his whisper made her open her eyes.
She pushed him by glaring "Ninaiputhan po daa ". She opened the door and got down the stairs.
"Kanamma nillu...please di" he shouted and ran behind her. He scooped her in his hands and started to gotdown further.
"Dei vidra public place-la ena panra" she try to wriggle out from his hold but couldn't.
He stopped on his tracks and bend towards her face so close which made her to stop her actions. "Apo private'a panuna ok va" he whispered with a wink.
She came out of trance with the wink "Choo.. epdi pesran paaru chi.." she closed her face with her palms.
"Hey.. na una thokunathu pathi soliren di..ne thapa yosichiya" he asked with a tease by raising his eyebrows. She turned into a human tomato and hid herself in his chest by holding his neck tightly.
"Fraadu" he commented and chuckled at her.
She lifted her head to see his face "Dei oru celebrity'a ipdi public-la kadathitu poryae naa kathuna ena panuva"
He looked into her eyes "I have my ways to shut your mouth". His words made her to gasp. He chuckled at her reaction and whispered 'Sample kaatava ?'
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Thank you for reading 💞
-- Krithi