Y/N's POV

Vijay grinned, tilting his head, signing me to hop on as if I'm his girlfriend or something. Vijay has changed a lot since I saw him in the last lecture. He is taking care of himself well. That is nice to know; even he started to avoid me. So, I guess he moved on.

I sat gripped on the back of the seat, placing my backpack between the gap. Vijay adjusted his mirror and combed through his hair. Is this some must-do thing of guys who hop on their bikes? I rolled my eyes as he grinned at me through the mirror.

"Go go I need to return before dark." I pushed his back a little. "Yes ma'am" he kick-started excitedly and roared off. I fell on his back. "Sorry madam" he maintained the speed from here on.

"The next time you do this I will be holding a knife on your back. and I won't be sorry for the bad roads," I whispered in his ear. He winced and promised that the ride would be smooth as jelly's surface.

The rest of the ride was smooth as jelly's surface.

The first shop

"Welcome, sir and madam! What do you want to buy?" The salesperson asked politely. Vijay looked at me and I replied to the salesperson politely, "Bridal suits."

The salesperson smiled wide, "Oh we have the newest collection that you can rock in your wedding!" he ran and jumped behind the table before I could tell him he's mistaken. 

********

"Vijay, what's our budget?" I asked him; he is busy checking catalogs on the latest lehenga collections page by page.

"Vijay?" I shook his arm to snap him out of his hunt. He pulled my arm without taking his eye off the catalog and pointed a heavy flowy lehenga.

"How about this?" His eyes are still on the lehenga he points out for me, his hand still on my arms, squeezing tightly. I coughed and cleared my throat and he retreated his hand slowly. His eyes never left the catalog; guess he is very much interested in fashion.

"How am I supposed to walk wearing this?" I asked him and the salesperson joined in.

"Sir will take you in arms ma'am. Nowadays that is what the groom and bride are doing at weddings right? and filming it like a movie. A lifelong memory-la, madam!?" The young boy chuckled at Vijay, who is grinning at the boy. His eyes light up, more than the warm spotlights in the store.

His grin dropped once he met my eyes, and pinched his ears in apology.

"hmmm... What about the dress of Prab-"

"That I can purchase it myself. Today we only buying dresses for the girls." Arjun started to go through the catalogs again.

"Love marriage-ja sir?" The salesboy asked, sitting in front of Vijay to which Vijay smiled.

"No groom ever spent this much time and effort to find a dress for his bride. Congratulations to you both!" The boy genuinely wished us and I couldn't break it- I mean what can I possibly say? That he is my professor and I am his student? What would he think of us going shopping together? Can I tell him that Vijay is my friend or my brother? Oh, he is actually a potential groom to me according to our family so it's awkward for me to call him that too! Argh, it's too late already! It's all because of this Vijay! I'll deal with him later.

"I pictured you in this dress Y/N, this color enhances your skin and your figure well but this *turns pages* is THE  dress Y/N! But it is up to you." He shoved the catalog into my hands in excitement and turning pages for me to compare both suits.

" You do aware that we're here to purchase for drama and not for an actual wedding right?? Why such an expensive dress? As if I am going to get married on the stage!" I whispered to him so that the salesperson doesn't hear. 

Vijay now sat straight to me and leaned a little. The excitement he showed seconds before vanished now. I too leaned in to listen to what he has to say very seriously.

"Look. You will marry Prabhas one day and definitely my family would break off with yours because they have two potential grooms for you and you chose to marry outside your community. Arjun and I might never even be allowed to be at your wedding because of the family clash. I wouldn't be able to do my rites there - to buy you things and clothes and be in the ritual and to witness your wedding. So, I want to do something for you, that might count as one." 

"What sir, madam doesn't like the collections ah? We have more, let me take that from upstairs." We leaned back to our respective places. Vijay's reason was genuine; I can't believe he really forethought a lot, about MY wedding. I couldn't even say anything back.

"Madam? You don't like sir's selection na?" The Salesperson once again asked and I quickly moved my head from side to side. 

"no no no no I like it!" 

"You didn't even look at it," Vijay stated bluntly while smirking a little.

"Since it's your gift. You're the one who must select. And I'm okay with anything considering your good fashion sense." 

"Okay, then, let's see a super-suit for you, sir!" The salesperson showed the way for the men's section.

********

Y/N's House

"Prabha! Why didn't you ring me before? I would've come soon, nah!" 

I got a little surprised to see Prabha in my living room sitting silently in the dark after opening my door. I gave him another key to my house just in case. But, Prabha would normally hide behind the door or be already sleeping on the couch. He wouldn't sit in the dark with his back facing the door. 

I was much surprised seeing ahead inside my dark house that my nose only process the alcohol smell that was accumulated inside the hall. Prabha never drinks.