Vedha, who was seated in the passenger seat, was silent for a moment. Vijay looked at her and then asked her, "yean indha amaidhi?"

"Illai... Amma pona vaaram oru car vaangunanga. Aana adhule naan innum pogale. Unmai theriyuma??? Enaku car ottavum theriyadhu"

"Otta theriyale nu varuthama? Illai pudha car le pogale nu varuthama?"

"Otta theriyale nu varutham dhaan. Ana adhe Vida pudhu car le pogale nu romba varutham"

He smiled, "Hmmm. Otta naan solli tharen. Apram, Idhu pudhu car dhaan. Inniku dhaan eduthen"

"Apdiya??? Solliruka veandiyadhu dhaane???"

"Yean Idhu pudhu car maari theriyaleiya?"

"Viji... Unga kitte irukka Ella car ume pudhusu maari dhaane irukkum... Naan vera seat mela kaal ellam vechiten.." she then straightened and moved her legs down from the seat.

"Vedha.. unaku epdi utkaranumo utkaru. En kitte irukradhu le paadhi Raja eduthadhu. Idhu dhaan naane eduthen. En personal use kaga"

"Ohh... Indha car peru enna?"

"Contessa"

As he finished, they reached their destination. She noticed him driving into another studio. She was puzzled for a moment.

They got down and she noticed him shaking hands with someone. He walked ahead and asked her to follow him. There were few more people in which she only recognised Raja. He also smiled at her when he noticed her presence.

They entered a theatre and someone from the front row came towards her.

"Vedha ma, Viji ayya ungale Inga utkara sonnanga. Producer director ellam front le irukkangalam. Avanga kitte pesitu Inga varen nu sonnanga."

She also nodded to that person.

Raja, "andha ponne screening ke kutitu vandhutiya, Viji?"

"Ava paakanum nu sonna da"

"Viji, yerkanave unga rendu perukum kisu kisu eludhuranga. Indha nerathule nee ipdi kutitu suthure nu therinja kadhai eh ezhudhiruvanga"

"Raja...."

"Sari... Naan edhuvum sollale... Pudichiruku na solli kalyanam panniko... Apdi na kooda avanga amma bathrakaali othuppala???"

"Raja kovathe kelappadhe"

"Sari pa... Nee po... Naan onnum sollale"

Vijay had a heart of gold but he wore his heart on his sleeve, especially his anger.

Vijay came and sat next to her and the film started.

"Nee paakanum nu kette le... Andha padathoda screening dhaan Idhu"

"Ahh thanks"

Once the movie started, she was so engrossed in it. He also noticed how she clenched the seat everytime there was something scary on the screen.

In the interval, she turned and looked at him.

She was too excited, "Viji... Viji... Viji... Neenga indha police costume le romba handsome ah irukkinga.. DSP Dheenadayalan (his character in the movie) pattaiye kelappa poraru paarunga... Ana ivlo nera padathule neenga ippo dhaan varinga..."

"Muzhusa paaru pudikum..."

She nodded diligently. Once the film ended, she didn't close her mouth. She shared her opinion about the movie on their whole way back.

"Super padam. Kaalathukum ninnu pesa podhu, Viji. Eppudi dhaan choose pandringalo kadhaigale"

"Indha padam odadhu nu Ethanai per sonnanga theriyuma???" Vijay asked.

"Apdi ellam aagadhu... Indha padam romba nalla odum. Idhule nadicha ellarum romba nalla vara poranga paarunga"

"Periyavanga neenga sonna sariya irukkum" he pulled her leg.

"Paarunga indha kindal dhaan koodadhu"

They grew closer without even their knowledge. She reached home that day like nothing had happened. She didn't even inform Saanthi about her watching a movie with him.

The thriller which they watched together got released before their movie. It became a super duper hit as per her words. She went and watched it again with Saanthi and Amudhavalli. Saanthi did doubt her when she spolied some scenes to her.

Saanthi, "Paappa irukkadhu Avangalku epdi connection irukkum. Adhellam kedaiyadhu" she said as they discussed the movie in the theatre.

Vedha,"nee veanumna paaru ka."

Saanthi was shocked at the end. Film ended the way Vedha told her.

"Paappa, Viji sir un kitte kadhai sonnara???" She murmured to Vedha as Amudha Valli was sitting in front.

Vedha,"nee ippo dhaane indha padam paakure... Naan release aagum munnadiye avar kooda paathuten"

Saanthi was shocked for a moment but didn't show anything as Amudhavalli was there with them.

Vedha had become his choice of heroine for his next movies. Even though Amudha Valli tried stopping them, there weren't any other offers. So she had no other go.

------

Two years later....

Amudha residance....

Amudha Valli was yelling at the top of her lungs, "ippadi solli appadi solli 7 padam nadichitte Avan kooda... Unnai tamizhnaatin kanavu kanni aakanum nu naan paatha... Nee andha karuppanoda koothu adichitu thiriyure...

Enna dhaan de nenaichitu irukke un manasule??? Matha nadigainga ellam ellarum koodavum dhaane padam pandranga... Nee mattum yean Avan padame pandre??? Nee major ngradhaale oru alavuku mela un agreement ngale ennale paakavum mudiyale...

Unnai yean padikka vechen nu avlo varuthama irukku...."

Vedha, who was silent for sometime, started talking, "enna ma ippo korai unaku??? Nalla padangal dhaane panniruken??? En call sheets full ah irukku. Indha veette suthi paaru... Enna illa??? Nee aasai patta maari indha veette kattaleiya??? Onnuku 4 car vaasal le nikkaleiya???"

"Nikkudhu de nikkudhu... Andha car eh unaku yaar otta solli kudutha??? Andha karuppan dhaane??"

Vedha was beyond angry at that point, "summa karuppan karuppan solladhe... Nalla manushan avaru."

"Ayyayo romba thaan siluthukriye... Ennamo Avan kooda paduthava maari... Enakum sandegama dhaan irukku... Avan un mundhanaiye pudichitu suthuradhe paatha... Andha poster eh dhaane un arai le kooda otti vechirukke"

"Chi... Nee ellam amma va??? Engalkulla onnum illa... Camera illama avar andha maari ennai orasunadhum illa nerungunadhum illa"

"Ahahah... Uthama puthuran... Ungalku onnum illa na yean de Avan padam mattum nadikkure??? Vera nadigarunga koodavum Nadi... Appo namburen..."

"Chi..."

Vedha ran back to her room. She looked at their poster in the wall.

Un selai kaathil aada... En nenjam koothada...

It was their very first photo from their first movie together. She didn't know what kind of relationship they had. He was her friend. Great friend. She relied on him for many things. She had become one of the people in his circle. He was no longer that rising star. He was the star of the tamil cinema industry. His films were guaranteed to collect the amount they invest.

He worked day and night to reach that fame. His 24th film released last week and she was again the heroine of his 25th film for which they wrapped the shooting three days before.

Her mother's words had really hurt her. She wasn't sleeping with him. He hadn't even looked at her in such a manner. All their acting always ended before the camera. Off screen, they were good friends and he had protected her multiple times.

She then remembered a moment half a year ago...

It was a song shoot and the choreographer, Natrajan, was a famous name in the industry.

Natrajan came next to her,"nee dhaan indha padathule heroine ah ma??? Idhu varaikum naan Vijay sir ku padam pannale.. adhan un kooda work pannale"

She noticed his sarcasm. Some were sarcastic about her relationship with him. But she didn't mind it as it was usual in their industry.

Natrajan,"aada theriyuma ma???"

Vedha,"oralavuku aaduven..." She was a trained dancer but didn't want to brag to him.

He then showed her steps and she started dancing. On that particular day, Vijay was shooting a scene in other end of the sets and she was dancing her solo shots before he joined her.

After few cuts, the choreographer kept saying,"enna ma aadure nee??? Munnavum theriyale... Pinnavum theriyale... Valaichu nelichu aada theriyadha" with that he touched her waist and rear.

She pushed his hand away.

"Ama engale ellam thalla dhaan seivinga... Naanga hero illaiye... Thottalum Paravale nu dhaane nadikka varinga" Natrajan whispered. But she was able to hear him as she was standing closer to him.