Shravani's POV:

Neela Hill...
The memories associated with this hill are immense...
So many childhood memories...
Dad and I used to come here to see the plantations of the famous Neelakurinji... Blue blossoming beauty.

I have seen them being planted from childhood but saw them blossom only once in my life...

Nothing here has changed...
Rubbing my palms together I looked at the beautiful kurinji buds.

They were still to bloom. I had a smile on my face while the fresh breath of cold chill air made my hair fly and my scarf was flying in air. I held it tight and wrapped it around my shoulders.

I had a smile on my face looking at the little buds. They take a lot of time to blossom. The wait is longest but not every kurinji survives. It hurts to see years of hardwork at times by our farmers going for a toss. At times they die in 3-7 years time. It's like raising your own baby so there's immense respect for these Kurinji farmers. They really have the patience to keep up with this loss. We can pay them for their job but not for their love and dedication.

We had various varieties of kurinjis here. I kept walking carefully around the hilly terrains while I heard Satyendra...

'Doc... This way' he called out and I turned around. I walked in the direction and there was a small house there. I smiled looking at it.

'Omg this house is still here... ' I chuckled.

He had a wide smile on his lips. He simply nodded.

We walked inside and I was welcomed by a few people. A middle aged man, his wife and a elderly couple. They seemed like a family.

'Ummm Doc this is Muthhaih...he heads the plantations' Satyendra introduced me to him and the middle aged man folded his hands and I smiled back and folded my hands.

'They stay here...I mean it's not easy to travel in and around always so I had offered him and his family to stay here
..and the other farmers stay in the houses downhill but Muthhaih and a few others stay here...' Satyendra explained.

I smiled. Although I had a lot of emotional memories with this house, it's better that now someone's family stays here rather this house being locked up and remaining non maintained.

While the lady along with Muthhaih invited us inside I hesitantly went inside. She offered us a hot cup of coffee and I smiled and accepted it.

I began looking at the old roof and old red oxide floor reminding me of me and dad running playing blindfolded catch around here. I could still hear dadda's giggles...

'Shravu....I'll catch you...runnnnn'

'Daddddaaaaa noooooo....you cannot'

How I wish I could once go back to my childhood. I touched the cold walls once again while my trance was broken by the lady who probably was Muthhaih's wife...

'Sattu Anna... Akka is beautiful...you are very lucky to find such a beautiful wife' she said and Satyendra looked at me. Our eyes met at once and immediately we averted our gaze.

'Ummmm Doc this is Manimozhi... Muthhaih's wife...and Mani this is Shravani...my ... Ummm...my'

'His wife' I said at once and once again Satyendra's eyes met mine. A strange feeling of acceptance was sinking within me. I don't know if it's the atmosphere or our childhood memories or if it's our parents... The Neela hill and this house was always special.

I emptied the cup of coffee and thanked Mani for it and began walking outside the house not before taking blessings from the elderly couple who caressed my cheek and blessed me. While I was about to leave Mani stopped me saying...

'Akka just a minute' and came back with some turmeric and vermillion. I looked at her. I was speechless.

'Akka I know you are from city and all maybe you may not believe in these much but...we follow rituals as you are a married lady and also a newly wed...so may I?' she asked. My eyes met Satyendra's and he was looking everywhere except my face. I nodded to Mani hesitantly.

She kept a small dot on my forehead with the vermillion. Took a little turmeric and applied on my cheeks. I could feel Satyendra's gaze on me and I felt heat rising on the back on my neck and my cheeks warming up.

Next she asked me for my nuptial chain. I looked at her and she insisted again.

I slowly removed my scarf and showed her my chic nuptial chain and she applied the tumeric on it as well. Next she made me wear some red and yellow glass bangles. I was feeling all concious now.

'Mani you need not...it's ok' Satyendra tried to interrupt.

'Anna...you call me your sister...it's our custom Anna... please' she said and Satyendra couldn't utter another word. She asked me to apply the same on her cheeks and nuptial chain. I did the same.

We left the house. I began walking along the hills in silence...I was trying to calm myself so I began walking fast in an unknown direction... while I heard Satyendra's voice... 'Please stop' he said and I closed my eyes...I could feel he was behind me...in no time he stood infront of me with his hands in his pockets. He was tapping his feet and he looked restless.

'You want to say something?' I asked looking at his restlessness.

'Ummm...Shravani...I'm ...I'm sorry...i didn't want to make you feel awkward' he said at once and I turned around...

'Its fine Satyendra.. you...you didn't know it's fine' I told and we began walking while I winced at once.

'Ouccchhhhhhh' and I couldn't bear the pain. I literally had tears in my eyes.

Satyendra came running to me to see what happened...

'Ahhhh it's a sudden sting on my neck' I said and I quickly removed my scarf.

He came closer and saw saying ..
'Shitttt...it's a swelling...may I?' he asked and I slowly lifted my open hair and put it on the other side of my shoulder...

I felt his finger touch back of my neck...just near my nape. I gasped at his touch...I didn't know if it was the sting or his touch I felt my heart rate increasing ten folds.

'Does it burn?' he asked and I nodded.

'How do you manage to do this again?' he asked and I snapped my head in his direction...

'What do you mean' I asked while still feeling the burning sting ..

'Its a bee sting... Again!!!' he said and for a minute his eyes met mine again...

'Come with me' saying he took me to the jeep and asked me to stay there...

It was painful as hell. I was feeling the burning sensation.

He came back in a while with a small bowl of honey.

Now don't move he said and made me sit on the seat and inspected the sting.

He took out his wallet, pulled out his ATM card and began scraping on my neck.

'Oh...Ou...Ouchhhh... what the... what are you...ouchhhh'

'Shutup Shravani'

'Its...ouuuuu.... pai... paining...ouuuuu'

'Stop acting like a baby Shravu'

'Im not...ouuuu....it....burns'

'For god's sake ...you are not a 18 year old kid now'

'Ahhhh how does that justify...ouuuuuu...it's paining you idiot'

'Shhhh.... baby... calm..it's done done... little just a little' he said and I clutched his shoulders tightly...

'Its done.... finally....' saying he applied some honey on the bruise'

'Ahhhhhh....it's burning Sattuuuu' I said at once...

'Shravu it will be fine...shhh calm .. Comeon open your mouth' saying he made me drink rest of the honey...

I made a face ...

'Sattu I'm not a bear ok'

'No you are a panda who asked you to go examining those plantations'

'I was just seeing them'

'Yeah and those bees fell in love with you so they kissed you right??? Leaving the Neelakurinji they wanted to suck over you'

'Obviously because I'm sweet na'

'Yeah yeah and I'm Rajnikanth'

She began laughing loudly and I burst out laughing too...

Suddenly our giggles stopped when we both felt a strong de-ja-vu moment of our flashback...

Our eyes kept looking at each other and there was only the fragrant air around us and wind blowing and leaves rustling.

Suddenly Satyendra bent closer to the level of my eyes and his eyes fell on my lips. My heart began pounding in my mouth now.

I closed my eyes tightly anticipating something crazy while I felt the touch of his finger on my lips.

I opened my eyes only to see Satyendra's face too close to mine such that my breathing stopped.

In a second he wiped something on my lower lip. The touch of his finger on my lower lip was much of a shivering to me than the bee sting.

'Honey' he whispered

And a 'Huhh' left my mouth...

He smiled saying 'I mean left over honey' and gave me a lopsided smile.

I swallowed a lump and then I realised he meant there was left over honey on my lips ..

I blinked my eyes and before I could think much I felt the jeep moving.

I saw Satyendra already on the drivers seat and we began driving back home.