Vedha slept very late that night after thinking for a long time. She woke up a little later than usual as she had her scenes in the afternoon and she was planning to reach the sets by 10 in the morning. She slowly freshened her up and went to the sets. Her mother didn't accompany her that day and went to a nearby temple.

Saanthi was the only person who was tagging along with her. In the sets, Vedha was shocked to see the scene they were shooting. She felt a pang in her heart. It was a song shooting between Vijay and Lekha. The scene which hurt her was Vijay holding the waist of the other heroine.

Previously, they have had quite similar scenes and he had held her waist multiple times. But seeing him holding someone else did something to her. She also noticed how handsome he looked in her eyes. She was already angered with him for distancing himself from her and this scene added fuel to her mood.

Vijay and Lekha acted professionally. But Vedha didn't have it in her to see them romancing. She really felt there was something wrong with herself to feel this way about her co-star.

By the lunch break, Vijay noticed Vedha who was sitting all alone in a corner and munching on some food.

She also noticed him coming towards them. Even if she didn't want to notice, the people around him would always make sure that everyone was aware he was around. He had such a presence and love towards people. People also loved him back on how he cared about their well-being and providing food to everyone in the sets. Vedha also did not fail to notice his raising fame among the film fraternity as well as the common people. He was a good man, she thought.

He looked at Saanthi, "enna Saanthi unga periya madam inniku varaleiya???"

"Avanga koiluku poirukanga Viji sir"

"Hmmm. Nalla sapdunga. Sapdama irukkadhinga. Appo dhaan udambu konjamachi pudikkum" he said eyeing the girl next to Saanthi.

Vedha, who was pecking her food, stopped midway.

"Paappa, saptu po ma. Madhiyam scene vera irukku" Saanthi said out of concern.

Vedha, "pasikale ka."

Vijay then looked at her finally,"yean madam saappadu nalla illaiya?"

Vedha,"oh thirumba madam ku vandhutingala VIJI SIR??? Sari sari... Apdiye irunga..."

Saanthi was shocked to see the way Vedha was talking to him. Vijay signalled her not to say anything and the poor assistant kept quiet.

Vijay,"illa madam. Pesiye Konjam naal aache.. adhanale mariyadhaiya Madam solli kupdalam nu yosichen"

Vedha, "saringa sir. neenga apdiye kupdunga. Thappu illa. Naanum Sir ne kupdren."

Vijay,"sari edhuku ippo sapdama ezhundhinga? Naan vandhadhu dhaan thappo??"

Vedha,"ama adhu dhaan thappu. Yean vandhinga??? Ivlo naal pesama dhaane irundhinga. Ungalku vera indha padathule rendu heroine irukkom."

Vijay didn't leave her, "amanga. Avangalkum ennai suthama theriyale. Romba professional ah irukkanga. Pudhusa nadikka aarambikra maariye theriyale"

Vedha, "yean theriyadhu" she murmured.

Vijay," sari naan madam kupdale, Vedha. Yean sapdale???"

Vedha,"Saanthi akka, enaku saptadhe podhum. Unga viji sir kitte sollunga"

Vijay was irriated, "ippo dhaan naan madam kupdale le. Yean innum sapdama Adam pandre Vedha?"

Vedha, "madam kupdale. Ana edhuku ithanai naal pesale??? Pudhu heroine vandhachi le..."

Vijay,"unnai keka vandhen le... Enna sollanum"

Vedha, "varadhinga" again murmured. He had already left the place.

Raja, who was watching everything from afar, looked at his friend's dejected face, "enna Viji??? Andha ponnu romba pannudho...???"

"Adhellam illa da. Naan dhaan Konjam adhigama vilayaditen. Vidu" His elusive answer told Raja that there was something else going on between them.

The next scene was between her character and the elder-brother character. The director explained the scene to them. ADs provided them the dialogues for the scenes.

The director came to Vedha, "Ma purinjudhu le??? Neenga andha paathi (partition in fields) mela nadandhu poringa. Anga avanga naathu ellam vechirukanga. Adhe neenga merichidringa adhule ungalkum Veeranukum (elder brother) sandai varudhu. Veeran ungale sethule thalluvaru... Padhiluku neengalum thallanum."

She listened carefully and then looked at Veeran aka Vijay who was dressed in simple shirt and veshti. His folded veshti literally showed him like a villager. He also had a towel wrapped around his head.

Vijay also noticed her sporting a multicolored t-shirt and high waisted jeans with heels. She really looked beautiful.

As the scene started, they exchanged the dialogues. When he had to pull her into the mud, he did it in a way that she didn't get hurt but was smeared in mud.

When her turn came, she forcefully pulled him. Even though she wasn't a match to his vigour, she used all her strength and pulled him into the mud. She sat next to him and pinched his waist, "Lekha iduppe pidippingala?".

Her actions were not captured in the camera as she wasn't facing the camera. But it was his shot and he broke the character and laughed out loud.

The director then yelled, "cut...

Viji... Oru 10 minutes break eduppoma???"

"Veandom sir. Mudichidalam.. Naan sirichadhu dhaane... Adhe mattum maathi mudichidalam sir. Enaku endha prachanai um illa."

Vijay was an one take actor. So the directors always listened to him when he wanted a moment or two. Vedha realised how silly she acted and corrected herself.

They finished the scene without any issues in the next take.

Vedha,"Sorry Viji sir. Naan edho gavanam illama silly ah nadandhukitten"

Vijay,"Adhellam paravale... Indhaa." He said as he extended her a cup of ice cream.

Vedha,"ice cream ah???"

Vijay,"ama madhiyam edho kovama irundha maari irundhuche... Adhan Idhe saptu konjam cool pannalam le?? Adichu pudichu keezha thalli killi ellam vittachi..."

Vedha,"Viji... Sorry... Mannichurunga" she said with a smile...

She continued,"Ungaluku theriyuma... Unga kooda dhaan enaku padam panna easy ah irukku.. mathavanga kooda romba bayama irukku..."

Vijay looked at her seriously and asked,"yean apdi enna aachi???"

Vedha,"ama... Neenga romba nallavar.. ganniyama iruppinga.. ana Ella heroum ungale pola irukradhu Illaiye... Summa paakurappove orasa dhaan paakuranga..." She remembered the incident when she met Ganeshan for that story discussion.

She then said,"Ennale mudinja naan unga koodave Ella padamum nadippen. Ungalukum audiencekum dhaan bore adichu pogum"

He didn't answer and just smiled at her.

Vedha,"enga Amma solli dhaan ithanai naal pesama irundhingala???"

Vijay,"unga amma en kitte edhuvum pesaleiye.."

Vedha,"appo edhanale ithanai naal pesama irundhinga???"

Vijay,"namakku olunga scenes amaiyaleiye..."

Vedha,"ohh.. naan nenaichen Amma solli dhaan neenga pesale nu.. Nethu amma director sir kitte pesunadhu le thappa purinjikitten" she then told him the things that she heard the day before.

Vijay,"naan pesanum nu nenaicha yaarum thadukka mudiyadhu"

"Hmmm"

Vijay,"adhanale dhaan avlo kovama madhiyam?"

She showed a sheepish smile and nodded her head. He touched her head and moved away from there.

-----

Lekha, who was getting ready for the next scene, looked at Vedha.

Lekha,"neenga Viji ku romba close ah?"

Vedha noticed how Lekha didn't call him Viji sir.

Vedha, "Adhellam illanga. Munnadi work pannirukom. Adhan"

Lekha, "oh. Viji romba nallavar. Nalla co-star um kooda. Avar kooda velai seiradhule endha thondharavum illai. Mathavanga na pala prachanai. Unaku theriyadha enna?" She then turned away.

Vedha really regretted for acting foolish. They just seemed like friends. She also wondered why it bothered her to see them together. She wasn't able to put things together. She didn't even fathom the fact that she could get feelings for Vijay.