Hi, everyone!! Thank you very much for your response for the last chapter!!!

Note: I am not very good in writing about romance. Sorry if you find it boring or if not as you expected. Naan romance scene eluthurathule rombe weak!!

CHAPTER 24

Mullai’s House

At the Kitchen

Pugazh: Anjali ethukku Mullai’ye parthu excite aanangge??

Arjun: Unakku anthe doubt!! Enakkum Kannan’ukkum Anjali ethukku engagement postpone pannina’nu doubt.

Vetri: Etho onnu irukku. Akhilan’um Anjali mathiri than pesuraru.

Arjun: Something is terribly fishy. (Jeeva comes that time with Meena.) Vaangge, Jeeva, Meena.

Meena: Naan ulle varalama?? Ingge ladies not allowed’nu kelvi patten.

Pugazh: Samaikke maaten’nu sollungge, ulle varalam.

Meena: Samaikkale’ngge. Kathir pathi pese vanthom.

Arjun: Sollungge.

Jeeva: Inthe Kathiru yaar kitteyum sattunu palage maatan. Aana anthe Akhilan kitte eppadi ottunane puriyale.

Vetri: Naanggalum ippo athe pathithan pesikittu irunthom. Akhilan, Anjali, Kannama, avungge moonu perum etho namme kitternthu maraikkirangge. Event planner’kaage yaaravathu engagement postpone pannuvanggala??

Meena: Anjali Mullai’ye parthu excite aanangge. Akhilan Kathir’eh parthu excite aaguraru. Ore kulappama irukku. (Arjun takes a chips packet and gives to Meena.)

Arjun: Rombe kulambathingge. Ithe mothe saapidungge.

Meena: Thanks. (She takes the packet and eats the chips. Kannan comes that time and sees Meena eating the chips.)

Kannan: Hai, chips’u!! (He grabs the packet from her and runs from there.)

Meena: Dei, Kanna!! (She too runs chasing him. ArVP laugh seeing them.)

Jeeva: Saapadukku adichikirathukku, ivungge rendu peru mattumathan irukkum.

Pugazh: Avungge gang’le Akila’vaiyum serthukke sollungge.

Jeeva: Avunggaluma?? Sariya pochi!! (ArVP laugh.)

Mullai is standing at the swimming pool staring at it. Kathir who was walking around the house sees her standing there and goes towards her. Mullai realises his presence looks at him.

Kathir: Ingge enna pannikkittu irukke??

Mullai: Summathan’ge.

Kathir: Oh!! Naan kude nee etho neechal adikke poriyo’nu nenechen.

Mullai: Aathi!! Enakku neechal teriyathu!!

Kathir: Appadiya?? Mathavaghalukku??

Mullai: Akila akka’vukku teriyum. Annan, aththans’ku teriyum. Unggalukku neechal teriyuma??

Kathir: Oru alavukku teriyum. Chinna vayasule engga ooru eri’le palagikitten.

Mullai: Sari, ippo neengge engga poikittu irukkighe??

Kathir: Enakku enna panrathu’nu teriyale. Angge’na kadai’leye neram poyidum. Ingge ethuvum pannama irukkire naale nerame poge maatingguthu. Athan veede suthi appadiye nadanthu kittu irunthen.

Mullai: Paavam. Unggalukku rombe bore adikkuthu’le??

Kathir: Athe vidu. Nee etho yosanai’le irunthe mathiri irunthuchi.

Mullai: Anjali’ode engagement pathithan yosichikkittu irunthen. Rombe bayama irukku. Eppadi eduthu nadathe poren’nu puriyale.

Kathir: Hey!! Athukka ippadi yosichikkittu irukke?? Athellam unnale nalla panne mudiyum!!

Mullai: Enakku inthe field’le periya experience’lam onnum illei. Ithu kude ennode athma tripthi kaagethan pannuren. Athu naalethan naan mostly home’ku, vasathi perusa illathavaghalukku seiven. Avughellam chinnatha ethir paarpaghe.

Kathir: Anjali, Akhilan’um perusa ethir paakaleye. Nee manasaare senja pothum’nu thane sonnaghe.

Mullai: Avughe appadi solluvaghe. Aana avughe veetule vere level’le thane ethir paarpaghe?? Athuvum Akhilan’ode veetule, avughe amma semma high class.

Kathir: Appo onnu pannalam. Avughe amma’ve parthu entha mathiri ethir paakuraghe’nu kepom. Avughe solre mathiri senjiralam.

Mullai: Yen’ge?? Neengge ithukku munnadi inthe mathiri ethavathu event plan pannirukkighala??

Kathir: Illei’ye. Yen kekkure??

Mullai: Idea’lam kudukkurighale. Athan oru velai ethavathu function nadathirukkighalo ennemo’nu nenechen.

Kathir: Anthe mathiri’lam onnum illei. Enakku thonuchi sonnen.

Mullai: Neengge solrathum sarithan. Avughe amma kitte pesurathe better. Naan Anjali kitte Akhilan amma’ve meet panrathe pathi solluren. (Kathir nods.) Naan avughale paake porappo, neenggalum en kude varighala??

Kathir: Kandippa varen!! (KM smile. They see Kannan running holding a chips packet while Meena is chasing him.)

Meena: Dei, Kanna!! Anthe chips packet enkitte kudura!!

Kannan: (still running) Mudiyathu.

Meena: Adi vaangge pore!! (She continues to chase him.)

Kathir: Ivungge rendu perum ippadithan. (Kathir shakes his head seeing their antics while Mullai just smiles.)

Mullai: Aana cute’ah irukku.

Kathir: (confused) Ennathu?? Koota??

Mullai: Illei. Cute. Eppothum kuzhanthaigala partha thonume.

Kathir: Oh!! Kuzhanthaigale appadi sollalam. Ivughaleyuma?? (Mullai chuckles. Kannan who was running towards the swimming pool doesn’t notice KM are there. He collides with Mullai making her to fall on Kathir and both of them fell into the swimming pool. MeeKan cup their mouths in shock. Kathir holds Mullai immediately recalling their conversation just now. Mullai grabs his shoulders tightly and breathes heavily.) Unakku ethuvum aagale’le??

Mullai: Illei’ngge. Enakku onnum illei.

Kathir: (towards Kannan) Dei, parthu vara maate?? Ippadiya thalli viduve??

Mullai: Paavam, thittathighe. Avan enna terinja pannina??

Kannan: Sorry, anni. Pinnadiye parthu odi vanthena. Neengge ninnathu gavanikkale.

Mullai: Paravale, Kanna. Un dhaadikkara annanukku unneye thitturathe velaiya pochi.

Kannan: Sariya sonnighe, anni. (Kathir glares at him. Meena helps Mullai to come out from the pool.) Sari sari, kaiye kudu. (He extends his hand towards Kathir. Kathir holds his hand but instead of getting out from the pool, he pulls Kannan into the pool. Meena laughs seeing Kannan.)

Kathir: Neengge enna sirichikkittu irukkighe?? (He pulls Meena into the pool as well. Kannan laughs seeing her. Meena gets irritated and splashes water on him. The same does by Kannan towards her. Mullai just laughs seeing them. ArVPJ are confused listening to the noise coming from the pool area. They are surprised to see MeeKan playing inside the pool while Kathir is standing inside the pool beside Mullai who is sitting with her legs inside the water.)

Jeeva: Rathiri aage poguthu. Thanni kulle inthe nerathule enna vilayattu??

Arjun: Athane. Meena, ithu enna nyayam?? Ungge husband’eh vittutu neengge mattum jolly’ah vilayadalama?? (Jeeva looks at him confusingly. Arjun smirks and pushes Jeeva into the water. Others laugh seeing him.)

Jeeva: Enna Arjun ippadi pannittighe??

Arjun: Enjoy pannungge, Jeeva!! (MeeKan splash water on him. He too splashes water on them. MA also come there and laugh seeing them.)

Akila: Ore enjoyment pole!! (Arjun looks at VM and PA. He pushes them into the pool but Pugazh pulls him with them.)

Pugazh: Enna da?? Unneye mattum escape aage vitturuvoma?? (VP have a high five. Arjun stares at them an splashes water on them. Soon they started to enjoy among the couples. JM, VM and PA spend some moment together while ArKan enjoy among themselves. Mullai just smiles seeing them. Kathir goes towards her and forwards his hand towards her.)

Mullai: Enakku neechal teriyathu.

Kathir: Naanthan irukken’le?? Vaa. (She hesitates a bit. He is about to take his hand but she places her palm on his. Kathir holds her waist and lifts her from her sitting position. He gently places her into the water. Mullai feels imbalanced and holds his shoulders.) Bayappadathe!! Unneye appadiye viture maaten.

Mullai: Teriyum. (They smile looking into each others eyes. Kathir sees few strands of her hair fell on her face blocking his view. He brings his hand near to her face and tugs the hair behind her ears sending shiver to all over her body. She doesn’t understand why the proximity with him is affecting her that much and she couldn’t push it away too. Kathir sees her lost in her thought.)

Kathir: Enna yosikkire??

Mullai: Unggale pathithan.

Kathir: Enna pathi enna yosikkire??

Mullai: Eppadi ungge kude ippadi nerukkamanen’nu yosikkiren. Ungge kitte etho oru magic irukku. Athuvum inthe ‘Bermuda Triangle’ mathiri kannu irukke.

Kathir: (confused) Appadina?? (Mullai smiles.) Ennenemo varthai sollure. Enakkuthan puriyale. Mothe anthe Kannan’eh parthu kootu’ndre. Ippo etho ‘ber’ndre.

Mullai: Koot illeingge. Cute. Cute cute.

Kathir: Enakku appadithan solle varuthu. Koot. (Mullai chuckles seeing his cuteness.)

Mullai: Cute.

Kathir: Ennakku appadithan varuthu’nu solren’le. (Mullai shakes her head.)

Mullai: Naan unggale sonnen. (Kathir looks at her confusingly.) Neenggalum cute’ngge. (Kathir blushes when she tells him like that.)

Kathir: Summa kindel pannathe.

Mullai: Nijamathan’ge solluren. Neengge cute.

Kathir: Rombe kindel pannure. Naan poren. (He leaves her making her stumble. He holds her immediately and pulls her towards him.) Sorry. Etho ninaippule vittuten.

Mullai: Paravale. (They smile silently looking at each other. They didn’t realise their act is witnessed by other spectators inside the pool who are smiling seeing the bond which is developing between KM.)

Kannan: Ivughenaale mattum eppadi kannale’ye romance panne mudiyuthu’nu teriyale.

Arjun: Nee appadi yosikkire. Love panname’leye eppadi love panrangge’nu naan yosikkiren.

Akila: Avunggalukkulle oru nalle camaraderie develop aaguthu.

Kannan: Athu yaaru Kamala Devi?? Eppo vanthaghe?? (ArVMPA laugh.)

Jeeva: (slaps his head) Kamala Devi illei, da?? Camaraderie. Athu oru mathiriyana nerukkam.

Kannan: Oh!!

Vetri: Sari. Rombe nerama thannile iruntha jala thosham vanthurom. Vaangge veliyaagalam.

Malar: Appo avungge rendu perum??

Kannan: Malar anni, avughe rendu perum vere grahathukku poyi rombe neram aachu. Eppo varuvaghe’nu teriyathu. Naame mothe pogalam. (They laugh. The guys climb out from the pool first. ArKan leave from there while VPJ help their respective wives to come out from the water. They see KM are still in their own world.)

Pugazh: Mothe galaxy’yum suthittu than varuvangge pole. Naame polam. (They too leave from there. KM break their eyelock and realised others are left.)

Kathir: Ellam poitaghe pole.

Mullai: Naame ingge thane irunthom. Eppadi namakke teriyame ponaghe??

Kathir: (murmurs) Enneye keta?? Naan unmele mattum thane gavanatai seluthikittu irunthen.

Mullai: Enna sonnighe??

Kathir: Eppadi ponaghe’nu naanum yosichikittu irukken. Neram aavuthu. Nammalum pogalam. Illei’na jala thosham pudichirum. (Mullai nods. Kathir climbs out from the pool and lends his hand towards Mullai. Mullai takes his hand and he slowly takes her out from the water.)

Night at Dining Area

All are having their dinner.

Kathir: (towards Jeeva) Anne, naan eppo doctor’eh paakanum?? (ArVMPA look at each other.)

Jeeva: Enthe doctor?? (Meena slaps his thigh and glares at him. He remembers their plan.)

Kathir: Enna, ne?? Doctor enneye paakanum sonnaghe’nu solli thane enneye ingge vara sonne. Ippo enthe doctor’nu kekkure.

Jeeva: Illei, da. Amma’vukku vaithiya paakure doctor’eh paakurathukku kekkirayo nenechen. (They sigh in relief.) Athu, avaru etho conference vishayama Bangalore’ku poyirukkara. Innum rendu moonu naalile Chennai’ku vanthiruvara. Appo poyi paakalam. (Kathir nods. Rest of the dinner went on silently.)

At the Lawn

Kathir is standing alone at the fountain recalling the moments he spent with Mullai in the swimming pool just now. He smiles rubbing his chest. JM and Kannan come there and see him smiling to himself.

Kathir: Ava kude iruntha etho oru vithiyasamana unarva irukku. Oru mathiri santhoshama irukku.

Jeeva: Kadhal’na appadithanda irukkum. (Kathir is surprised to see JM and Kannan there. He mentally cursed himself for speaking his mind voice out.)

Meena: Enna Kathir, mind voice nenechi sathama pesittinggala?? (Kathir turns away feeling embarrassed.) Paravale paravale. Naanggethane. Mullai ethuvum keturale.

Jeeva: Dei, nee ithellam sollame irunthirunthalum, enggalukku teriyum.

Kathir: Enna teriyum??

Jeeva: Athan parthome swimming pool’le neengge pannine romance’eh. Suthi yaaru irukka, enna nadakkuthu’nu kude teriyame….

Kannan: Neengge vere grahathukku poitighe. Athu eppadi kannaleye romance pannure?? (Kathir stares at him.)

Meena: Athan Akila sonnanggale, ivunggalukkulle nalla camaraderie irukku’nu.

Kathir: (confused) Yaaru Kamala Devi?? (Kannan laughs.)

Jeeva: Dei!! Camaraderie!! Athukku artham naangge innoru naal sollurom.

Kathir: Sutham. Ellam puriyathe English varthaile enkitte sollanum’nu ninaikkirighalo??

Meena: Vere yaaru enna sonnangge.

Kathir: Ava mothe ‘kootu’na.

Kannan: Ennathe kootanuma??

Kathir: Anthe kootu illei, da. Athu ava vere mathiri sonna, enakku ippadithan solle varuthu. (JMKan look at each other confusingly.) Mothe neengge rendu perum odi pudichi vilayadurappo ‘kootu’ sonna. Appurom enneye sonna.

Meena: Oru velai cute’nu sonnanggalo??

Kathir: Aama athethan. (JMKan smile teasingly.) Appurom en kanne paarthu….. (He looks at them who are smiling in a teasing way.) Naan ulle poren.

Kannan: Anne kootu kootu kootitu po. (Jeeva slaps his head.)

Kathir: Aama. Kootitu ponom naalaikki.

Jeeva: Yaare??

Kathir: Mullai’ye. Akhilan amma’ve parthu pesanum’nu avughe veetukku naalaikku polam’nu sonna.

Jeeva: Sari. Parthu poitu vaangge. (Kathir nods and they go inside the house.)

Next Day

Mullai is driving while Kathir is sitting beside her. He could see her twitching her lips in nervous.

Kathir: Enna oru mathiri pathattama irukke??

Mullai: Akhilan amma’ve paake porom’le. Athan. Avughe enna mathiri kekke poraghe, ennale avughe kekkure mathiri seiye mudiyuma’nu ore tension’ah irukku. (She holds the gear to change it. Kathir places his hand on her’s. She looks at him.)

Kathir: Athellam unnale panne mudiyum. Yen, avughe ethir paakurathe vida nee nalla seive. (He pats her hand and about to take it.)

Mullai: Kaiye appadiye vechirukkiyala?? Ennemo tension korenje mathiri irukku. (He agrees and places his hand back on her’s. Mullai continues concentrate on the road. She feels a bit relaxed which noticed by Kathir.)

Akhilan’s House

KM reached the bungalow. The security guard opens the gate.

Guard: Vaangge, madam. Akhilan sir neengge varratha sonnaru. (Mullai smiles and drives entering inside. Anjali who was standing at the balcony becomes excited seeing Mullai getting down from the car.)

Anjali: Hay!!! (She runs from there to go downstairs. Akhilan is on call with someone and about to go downstairs when Anjali collides with him. He ends the call and holds her.)

Akhilan: Engga ippadi odure??

Anjali: Mullai vanthuttangge, Akhil.

Akhilan: (happily) Appadiya?? Woww!! Irunthalum un excitement’eh konjom korachikke, ma. (He turns and sees KM entering the house. He too becomes excited. Anjali is confused seeing his excitement and follows his gaze.) Kathir bro.

Anjali: Yaaro enneye excite aage kudathu’nu sonnangge?? Ippo avunggale excite aagurangge.

Akhilan: Guest vanthirukkangge. Vara verkama vala vala’nu pesikittu irukke. Vaa avunggale poyi welcome pannalam. (He takes her hand and goes towards KM.)

Anjali: Vaangge Mullai!! (She hugs Mullai.)

Akhilan: Hi, bro!! (He hugs Kathir.) Vaangge Mullai!! Neengge ingge vanthathule enggalukku rombe santhosham.

Anjali: Vanthu ukkarungge. Enna saapiduringge??

Mullai: Illei, paravale.

Akhilan: Engga veetukku vanthuttu sapida vekkame anuppe maatom. Neengge kandippa saaptuthan poganum.

Anjali: Sari, naan unggalukku juice eduthuttu varen. (She leaves from there.)

Akhilan: Neengge amma’ve pakkanum’nu sonningge’nu Anjali sonna. Avungge mele zoom meeting’le irukkangge. Innum konje nerathule vanthuruvangge. (Mullai nods. They keep silent for a while when Akhilan decides to break the silence.) Bro, neengge enna panringge??

Kathir: Naangge Kunnakudi’le kadai vechirukkom. Engga appa aarambichathu. Ippo naangge eduthu nadathurom.

Akhilan: Family business’ah?? Super, bro. Kadai peru enna??

Kathir: (proudly) Pandian Stores.

Akhilan: Naangge ungge kadaikku vantha discount kidaikkuma??

Kathir: Kandippa!! Eppo varighe’nu sollungge.

Mullai: Avugha kadaile vikkire velaiye discount kudutha mathirithan irukkum.

Akhilan: Oh!! Avvalavo cheap’ah?? Appo kandippa varuvom. (Kathir chuckles. Anjali comes there bringing three glasses of juice. She serves KM and another one glass she gives Akhilan.) Enakku ethukku??

Anjali: Paravale kudi.

Akhilan: Thanks. (They sip the juice. They hear some foot steps. They look up and see Soundarya is walking downstairs with her husband, Venu. Mullai becomes nervous but Kathir pats her hand and calms her. Mullai just nods. They get up from their places.)

Anjali: Aththai, naangge sonnom’le Mullai.

Soundarya: (smiles) Vaa, ma. Nee ingge vanthathule enggalukku rombe santhosham. (KM greet her.) Dei, Akhilan, koopitu irukke vendiyathu thane?? Vanthu rombe neram aacha?? Sorry, ma. (Mullai is surprised seeing this gesture of Soundarya which is opposite from what she has heard from outside.)

Mullai: Paravale, madam.

Soundarya: Ethukku nikkuringge?? Ukkarungge mothe. (KM take their seats. Akhilan introduces Soundarya and Venu.)

Akhilan: Ithu en amma appa. (KM smile at them.) Ma, pa, ivaru Kathir.

Soundarya: Enneye paakanum'nu sonne'nu Anjali sonna. Enna vishayam, ma??

Mullai: Athu illei, madam. Ungge paiyan'ode engagement'ku neengge enna mathiri ethir paakuringge'nu terinja athu padiye panniralam. Athan ungge kitte ketutu polam'nu vanthom.

Soundarya: Nee ithe panne othukittathe, enggalukku avvalavo santhosham. Unakku eppadi pudichirukko appadiye pannu.

Mullai: Illei, unggalukku oru ethirpaarpu irukkum'le.

Venu: Adambarama irukkirathu vide, manasaare senja pothum. (Mullai looks bewildered.)

Kathir: Athu illei. Ivughe etho panni athu unggalukku pudikkalena?? Utharanathukku... Anjali, unggalukku enthe color pudikkathu??

Anjali: Pachai.

Kathir: Aan!! Ippo Mullai pachai color'le ellathaiyum thayar pannina unggalukku santhoshama irukkuma?? (Anjali thinks for a while.) Yosikkirighale?? Athe mathiri'than Mullai'yum yosippaghale?? Customer'ku pidikkirathe pannanum'nu thane ivughe ninaippaghe??

Akhilan: Bro, neenggalum event planner'ah??

Kathir: Illei. Enakku thoninathe sonnen. (Mullai is amused seeing him handling the issue so well. This is what she was feared about and he understood it.)

Venu: Ivaru sollurathum sarithaan.

Soundarya: Sari. Anjali, Akhilan, neengge unggalukku enna mathiri vendum'nu Mullai kitte sollungge. Sariya sollanum. Mullai'ye sanggada paduthure mathiri aayire kudathu.

Anjali: Enakku idea've illei.

Mullai: Ippadithan nadakkanum'nu unggalukku oru kanavu irukkum'le?? (Anjali looks at Akhilan.) Rombe yosikkirighe. Paravale. Nalla yosichi sollughe. Appurom eppo engagement vechikkalam'nu irukkighe?? Erkanave ennale postpone pannittighe.

Anjali: Ungge dates eppo available'ah irukku??

Mullai: (hands over a small note book to Anjali.) Ithule enakku enthe dates available'ah irukku'nu state pannirukken. (Anjali looks at the book and gives to Soundarya.)

Anjali: Aththai, neengge parthu sollungge. (Soundarya looks at it.)

Soundarya: April 15, naal rombe nalla irukku. Appo vechikkalam. Enna Akhilan, Anjali?? (AA agree.)

Akhilan: Amma sonne date'eh fix pannirungge. (Mullai nods.)

Mullai: Appo naangge varom.

Soundarya: Enna athu kullare kilamburingge?? Saapittu pongge.

Mullai: Paravale, madam. Innoru naalaikki kandippa saapittu porom. (Soundarya smiles. Akhilan hugs Kathir.)

Akhilan: Neengge kandippa ingge adikkadi varanum. (Kathir nods and KM leave from there.)

To be continued….