Malar looks at Anirudh with wide eyes, before schooling her expression into a poker face. She clenches her hand so hard that she is pretty sure she left crescent-shaped nail marks on her hand.
Anirudh smirks at her internal struggle before continuing what he was saying, "-but I am not free right now."
Shruti pouts, "But your schedule is always free on Wednesdays."
Malar continues standing there with an expressionless face, but her inner turmoil made it hard for her to stay calm.
"I have something to do. That's all Shruti.", Anirudh says curtly.
Shruti pouts more and goes to touch his arm. Anirudh moves out of reach before shouting, "Lina!"
Lina hurries into the room and Anirudh says, "Please escort her back to her car."
Shruti glares at Malar before stalking away. Malar lets out a sigh of relief when she finally leaves the room. However, her eyes open in shock when she feels long fingers release her clenched hands.
"You're going to hurt yourself.", he whispers looking down to see nail marks on her hands.
Malar looks up to see his face very close to her. They both seem to be lost in each other's eyes until Malar gets back to her senses and pushes him away. She glares at him, crossing her arms over her chest.
Anirudh laughs at her cute position, "Why are you, angry darling?"
Malar glares at him, "Don't you dare call me that." She turns away from him, picking up her bag.
"Since today is your OFF DAY, bye I 'm going back home.", Malar says before turning away from him.
She gasps when he catches ahold of her wrist and pulls her back to him. Their chest almost touches as Malar takes in a slow breath. Anirudh looks down to see her flushed face.
"You know I wouldn't have gone with her right?", Anirudh asked looking at Malar.
Malar shrugged, "I don't know, how will I know?"
Anirudh narrowed his eyes, "So you weren't jealous?"
Malar gave him a bored expression, "Naana?Nan yedhuku jealous aga pore?"
Anirudh lets out a frustrated breath making Malar smirk.
"If you accept that you were jealous, then maybe I'll tell you.", Malar smiled slyly.
Anirudh glares at her infuriating behavior. Suddenly Malar's stomach grumbles, making Anirudh chuckle.
She pouts at him, "Nan kalaila irundhu edume sapdale theriyuma?"
"Apdina ena busyah irunde?", Anirudh asks worriedly.
Malar rolls her eyes, "Adha inge vandhe le.Time wasteuh."
Anirudh holds her hand and drags her out to his car.
"Vaa we will go have lunch.", he says.
"But where?", Malar furrowed her eyebrows, "Won't people take pictures and stuff?Aprom nalaike headlines le varum, Anirudh on a date with a mysterious girl."
Anirudh smirked, "Avunga news podunuma illae unakku venuma?"
Malar rolls her eyes, "Oh please, ennaku endha headline venum na, Mysterious girl forced to work with Anirudh as her assistant."
Anirudh scoffed, "Nan yedhum force panela.Ippo venum na kude you can go back to working at your office." Kadavule ava no sollnu Anirudh hoped in his mind.
Malar smiled in happiness, "Apdiya?Really?"
Anirudh looks at her face with no expression, but inside his heart feels pain.
After that conversation, Anirudh drove to the restaurant silently while Malar watched the buildings whiz by from the car window.
Reaching the restaurant, Anirudh asks for a private booth. After they get settled in, they order their food and wait.
Malar looks at Anirudh who has gone silent and is looking everywhere except her eyes.
She kicks him under the table to get his attention.
"Ouch", Anirudh winces, "what was that for?"
She smiles before saying, "Nan pomaten. Ok va?"
Anirudh looks confused for a second before realizing what she meant.
He gives her a slow half-smile, making butterflies erupt in her tummy. She turns a little pink and clears her throat before looking away.
Anirudh smirks at the effect he had on her.
After having their lunch, Anirudh drops Malar home.
As she walks towards her gate he calls out, "Oii, yen amma yenne leave anniku yaaru kooda irundhe nu keta na yenna solven?"
Malar smiles walking backward and teases him, "Shruti?"
Anirudh smirks playing along, "Appe okay."
Malar glares at him before stomping inside.
As she enters her house she gets a message notification.
Anirudh: Sorry di
Malar:po da
Malar smiled at the text before walking inside.
"Amma, I'm here.", Malar yells.
"Kathathe di, her mother calls from the kitchen. Malar walks into the kitchen hugging her mother from the back.
"Yenna di achu?", her mom asked concerned.
"Yedhu ille ma summa dhan vande.", Malar responds.
"Appa and Sakthi enga?",Malar asks.
"Sakthi office le irrukan, innaiku late agum.Unga appa kadaiku poirukaru.", her mom replies.
Malar nods before walking into her room. She sees Ayira who was lost in thought as she looked at something on her phone.
When Ayira noticed Malar she immediately closed her phone and kept it down.
Malar looked at her suspiciously, "Ayy yenna di maraikura?"
"Adhu onnum ille.", Ayira brushes it off.
"Orunga sollu di.", Malar glares at her.
"Appo nee 'un avara' pathi sollu.", Ayira smirks at Malar who blushed and threw a pillow on her face.
Ayira threw back the pillow on Malar's face and just like that the room was filled with giggles and laughter as the two of them continued their pillow fight.
The next morning Malar woke up to see the bed next to her empty. Ayira exits the bathroom, drying her hair.
"Innaiku fever lam kammi aayiruka?", Malar asked.
"Hmm di netha poiruchi.", Ayira replied.
"Nee yenge kelambite?", Malar asked her with raised eyebrows.
Ayira shurgs, "summa dhan."
"Appo yen kude Anirudh ode studio ku variya?", Malar asks.
"Naana? Ungla disturb pana maten?Neenge rendum perum busyah rom-", Ayira stops halfway after receiving a glare from Malar.
"-I mean neenge busyah work panuvingala?", Ayira asks.
"Adha lam onnum illae, anywyas you will be bored here.", Malar states.
Ayira finally nods in acceptance.
Malar walks into the bathroom to get ready.She comes out to see Ayira sitting on the bed but in the middle of drying her hair she seemed lost in thought as she smiled at some memory.
Malar goes near her and shakes her, "unnaku yenne di achu, nethu le irundhu ippadi dhan irruke."
"Onnum ille di, I was just thinking about something", Ayira says being secretive.
"Ithu nalladhuku illae", Malar says shaking her head.
"Periya Remo le vara patti nu nenapu, chi pe.", Ayira says making Malar laugh.
On the other hand in Anirudh's studio, Anirudh and Arjun enter the room talking.
"I met her da machan.", Arjun says dreamily lost in thought.
"Yaaru da?", Anirudh asks looking at his friend.
"It feels like she is the one for me da.", Arjun says
"Love at first sight la irruka da indha kalathule? Unakke irundalum, andha ponnu epdi feel panra nu unakku epdi theriyum?", Anirudh asks skeptical.
"Athale oru feel machan.Unnake enga puriyapodhu.Manga", Arjun laughs.
Anirudh gives him a done look, "Adhu seri.Do you know her name?
Arjun shakes his head as no.
"Number?", Anirudh asks.Arjun again shakes his head as no.
"Address? At least vandi number adhu pathiya?", Anirudh asked.
"Avala thavara vera yethume paakale.But avaluku yen peru theriyum.", Arjun says.
"Ada paithiyame, of course, she knows your name, you are a celebrity.", Anirudh huffs.
"Seri seri kochikadhe da", Arjun says as he throws his hand over Anirudh's shoulder.
Malar walks into the reception area greeting Lina.
"Hey Lina, this is my best friend Ayira.", Malar introduces.
Ayira gives her a polite smile before saying hello.
Lina wishes her back before saying, "Ulla Anirudh sir um his friend Arjun irrukanga."
Ayira's heart lifted at the mention of the name Arjun, but then she dismissed the thought thinking there were hundred of Arjuns in India.
Malar and Ayira walk into the studio. Anirudh and Malar share eye contact and a smile, but their moment was interrupted by a loud gasp.
"Neengala?", Ayira and Arjun ask each other at the same time.
***