Hello my lovely readers, I am glad that you all loved the prologue. Wasn't sure if people would be happy to accept their favourite hero being portrayed with some negative shades. But looks like I am not the only one wanting to see AK in a shady, villainous role.

Thanks again for all the lovely comments xx

Tarun eyed the black SUV parked up outside Sivaangi s  house. It wasn't a taxi.

He saw Sivaangi's work friends Rohit and Vaishali in the kitchen with his  future mother in law, Chitra.

Chitra: Hi Tarun, yen ivlo late uh? Sivaangi kita thitu vaanga pora nee.

(Hi Tarun, why are you late? Sivaangi is probably upset with you!)

T: Aama aunty. Actual ah 10 o clock coffee ku meet panalaamnu sonna. Ennaku work la busy irunthuthu, sudden ah plan lam maatha mudiyathunu solliten, so poga mudila. Straight ah airport ku varenu sonnen, aana ava than veetuku vara sonna. Flight eppo?

(I know aunty. She had asked me to meet her for coffee at 10. But I had a busy day at work, I couldn't change my plans. I did tell her that I will meet her at the airport directly but she wanted me to come home. What time is her flight?)

C: Flight ah? Car la thana poraanga.

(Flight? They are travelling by road)

T: What!

C: Enna Vaish, car thaana?

(Vaish, aren't they taking the car?)

Vaishali: Aama ma, car than.

T: Oh, eppo plan maathunah? Seri, enga avala kaanom?

(Oh, when did she change her mind? Btw where is she? )

C: Mela room la iruka, poi paaru.

(She is upstairs, in her room. Why don't you go talk to her)

Tarun walked into her bedroom without knocking and found Ashwin pulling out some clothes from her wardrobe. He turned around at the sound of the door being opened.

A: Hey dude! How are you?

T: Hey man! Good, thanks. And you?

A: All good. Sivu kulichitu iruka, vandiruva.

(All good. She is the shower, should be out soon)

Tarun looked mildly surprised.

Even if he was her best friend, what was he doing in her bedroom when she was in the shower. And most importantly why is he packing her bag!

A: Yenna work romba busy ah. Kalaila coffeeku kupitu varamudiyathunu sollitanu sonna.

(Work is hectic? She said you couldn't make it for coffee)

T: Yeah man! I don't like to be change my routine. Thursdays mornings are usually catch up meetings with my team. Romba kovam ah irukala?

(Yeah man! I don't like to be change my routine. Thursdays mornings are usually catch up meetings with my team. Is she very upset?)

He eyed Ashwin casually moving to the next wardrobe to get her nightclothes.

How does he know where her clothes are?

A: Illaye. She is okay. 

(Not at all. She is okay.)

T: Seri, flight plan eppo car plan ah maaruchu?

(Well, when did you guys decide on a road trip instead of flying?)

A: Mathavunga flight la than poraanga. Naanum Sivu mattum car la porom.

(Everyone else is still flying. Sivu and me are taking the car)

T: What!? Why?

A: All thanks to Siv..

Sivaangi stepped out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her hair. She was dressed in her bathrobe and seemed to have no qualms about walking in like that in front of a male friend.

S: Hey Tarun! 

Sivaangi moved to give Tarun a hug making Ashwin scowl at the couple lost in each other's embrace. He changed his expression in a fraction of a second and turned away to put all her stuff in the bag. 

T: Sivu, yenna aachu? Why aren't you flying with the rest of them?

(Sivu, what happened?Why aren't you flying with the rest of them?)

Ashwin had a tiny smile on his face as he detected a tinge of discomfort in Tarun's voice. His inner voice screamed Sadist at him but he ignored it. Sivaangi did not ask him to pack her bag but he saw Tarun climbing the stairs so decided to do it to see his reaction and he was happy with the outcome. Definitely a sadist! screamed the same voice again.

S: I was upset about not being able to shoot the Perseid meteor shower this year, so Ashwin offered to drive me just so we can stop for some midnight astrophotography. There are plenty of places on the way to Bangalore where there is no light pollution. Will be perfect!

She hugged Ashwin's arm and looked up at his face like a child who had just received a lolly. Ashwin had a hard time fighting his emotions. He was hellbent on ruining her engagement but in a way that she won't hate him, so he had to take it slow. 

A: I love to drive so it is no big deal. Sivu, can you dry your hair before you fall ill again?

T: What's with your crazy obsession with night photography?  

Ashwin clenched his jaws while Sivaangi's face flashed a flicker of irritation

S: It is not an obsession, it is my interest, my hobby. Just like how you enjoy playing tennis every evening. Helps your relax doesn't it? How would you like it if I asked you to stop wasting your money on your tennis club and it's events?

Tarun realised that he sounded like a jealous, dominating husband and he changed his tone immediately. He eyed Ashwin and had an uneasy feeling about having another male in his fiancée's bedroom touching her intimate things. But he did not want to be this typical jealous fiancé so he took a deep breath and calmed his raging senses.

T: Sorry babe! I did not mean it that way. I am just worried for your safety.

S: I will have Ashwin with me. Atha vida ennaku vera safety thevai illa. I am in safe hands.

(I will have Ashwin with me. Nothing and nobody can make me safer than him. I am in safe hands.

Tarun was taken aback.

WTF!!! Did she call him her safe place? What am I then? 

He felt rage pulsing through his veins but he did not want to create a scene in front of this man who he believed was unaware of the tension he had unknowingly created between the couple. 

If only he had seen the winning smile on Ashwin's face, devoid of all the warmth he had shown earlier while he spoke to Sivaangi.

S: Now, can you two step out while I get dressed?

Ashwin pretended to finish the packing, taking longer to make sure Tarun stepped out first. He finally turned around and walked to her. She was seated in front of the vanity table, her mood visibly sour but her eyes softened as he took the towel off  from her hair and threaded his fingers through her wet hair making her close her eyes.

A: It is okay! Ignore everything, I promise to keep you safe. Always!

S:Mmmm.

A: I have finished packing all your stuff. But check for yourself before we leave, to make sure you have everything. I will wait downstairs. And don't forget to dry your hair.

As he left the room, his voice echoed in her ears.

I promise to keep you safe.

Sivaangi opened her eyes and tried her best to block those six words from her head.

A reluctant, unhappy Tarun bid bye to his future wife. Sivaangi was clearly miffed by their argument that she did not give him a chance to speak with her alone. And he was so focussed on his bride to be that he did not notice a certain young man indirectly not letting her be alone with him. 

Tarun bent down and held her hands, rubbing her knuckles with his thumbs while she sat at the front passenger seat. He did not want either of them to feel bad while she was away. He whispered to her in a low voice.

T: Babe, I am really sorry. I know I have been a complete jerk. I won't repeat it again. Can we put it past us? I don't want to see you leave like this.

S: Apology accepted. I don't want to be angry with you either. I am actually okay now. 

T: I love you. 

Tarun kissed her cheek making her blush.

S: I love you too. And I will miss you.

T: I know! I will miss you too. Really bad! It is going to be a long week for me without you around. Come back soon okay?

S: I will. Bye. Take care.

T: And you stay safe. Bye baby.

Sivaangi was still smiling that she failed to notice the soul next to her filled with anguish. When she finally turned around to change the song, she found him gripping the steering wheel so hard that his knuckles had turned white. She frowned as she touched his knuckles. She couldn't read his face as he was hiding behind his sunglasses.

S: Ashwin. Enna aachu ma?

(Ashwin, what happened dear?)

Ashwin relaxed at her light feathery touch.

A: Onnum illa.

(Nothing)

S: Are you okay?

He turned around to give her one of his best smiles and held her hand and placed it on his thigh holding it there.

A: I am. (Now that I have you with me)

Nervous! How do you all like it?