M: Flask eh enkitte kudu...Tea eh oothi tharen...
He watches as she carefully removes the lid and pours the hot tea into the cap of the flask and before giving it to him, she blows on it. That gesture warms his very soul...smiling he reaches forward and their fingers brush as he takes the cup from her hand. Surely she felt it too...this friction between them...this crazy electricity...
She is looking at him with a thoughtful gaze...
K: Ivlo mazhai peiyuthey...pesamae plan eh cancel pannidalamae?
M: Illae.. Kunnakudi yeh patthi unnakku theriyathae..innum konjae nerathulae veyil pinnae pohuthu parru.
And then he asks her about her studies, her hostel life and Mullai is pleasantly surprised that they both can have a casual conversation without any awkwardness or fights.
The girls arrive huddling under umbrellas and get in. He finishes drinking his tea and starts the car.
K: Innikacho mudivu pannigala engae ponom nu?
M: Mazhaiyai poruthu dhan irruku...
Ninnuchu nah Theanaaru, nikkalae nah Chettinad Palace.
He starts the car and they are off.
By the time they stop for a late breakfast, the rain has stopped completely.
Mullai wakes Kanna up, and they follow the girls into the hotel, he sees Jhansi beckoning at him, when suddenly Mullai stops, turns around, comes up to him and says...
"Poh...seekaramae poh...un Jhansi unnakkagae wait pannittu irrukae la" and she leaves in a huff.
For a moment, he stands there not understanding what just happened and then like the sun piercing through the dark clouds, it dawns on him that she is jealous. He can't believe it. He shakes his head, rubs his neck and smiles and smiles.
Kathir sits next to Mullai.
An: Sapada enna venum nu sollu Kathiru..naan poyi vangren...indhae hotel lae self service dhan.
He rises to go with her...
An: Illae nee ukkaru...ivloh thuram drive pannae leh...tired ah irrupeh.
Dei Kanna nee vah da..
Kanna grumbles something and joins her.
They tell her what they want.
K: Ippo ethukku nee avalae ennodae Jhansi nu sonneh?
She mumbles something.
K: Kekkalae... (he leans towards her and his elbows brush against hers)
M: Chumma dhan sonney..
K: Inimey appadi sollathae...avae onnum ennodathu kadaiyathu..
M: Nambitalum...
K: Aana...summa sollae kudathu...avah azhagae irrukkae
He is just teasing her, he wants to see her reaction.
She remains silent and doesn't talk to him at all.
Kanna and Anandhi bring their breakfast.
Mullai stabs at her poori.
Ka: Andhae poori ennae paavam pannucho..
Kathir bites back a smile.
His heart is feeling so light.
Their thighs brush against each other under the table and both jerk and move away as though it burned.
***
They get back to the car and Priya asks Kathir to drop her, Jhansi and Gayathri at Kunnakudi bridge road. Her distant relatives live there and her father has requested her to visit them. An argument breaks out between the girls. Anandhi does not want the group to split.
Priya: Nalaikku Chettinad Palace ku kandippa nangae varom...Mazhai ninathu nalae dhan ingae porom..illaenae marupadiyum nalaikku ivlo thuram thirupi varanom.
K: Ithukku munnadi angae poirkingalae?
Pr: Illae...phone panni varavum sollae mudiyathu...konjam vayasana avungae verae..
Ga: Dei Kanna...nee engae kooda vayaen da. Unnaku dhan ellae edamum theriyumae...
Ka: Seri...aana..oru condition...shopping ku mattum kupudae koodathu.
Ga: (laughing) Seri da.
He drops them off at the bridge and asks them to call him once they are ready to leave.
Mullai asks Anandhi to come to the front...she goes to the back and leans against the window and stretches her legs on the seat.
Kathir nonchalantly adjusts the rearview mirror, so that it reflects her face perfectly.
***
They reach the river,
K: Ndha...
M: Yarae kuputtae?
K: Unnaiyae dhan...
M: Ennaku dhan engae Amma Appa kutty ah azhaga Mullai nu peiyr vechirukagae lae, athuku mattum dhan naan thirumbhi pappen.
K: Seri seri... Mullai...Anandhi kittae indha aarukku yen Theanaaru nu peiyr vaichangae nu sollu..
M: Yen...Adhey nee yeh sollurathu..
K: Illae naan solluven ana unnaku dhan naan enthae ponnugae kitte pesunalum, pudikka mattinguthey..
He's trying hard not to smile while saying this.
As expected, she gets angry and starts yelling at him.
Anandhi who is walking in the front turns around on hearing their argument.
An: Aiyo neengae rendu peiyrumae solleh vendam pah saami...naneh google pannikurren. Konja neram amaithiyae vangae...indha edam evlo nisapthamae irruku...
The place is indeed beautiful...Huge trees join together to form shadowy archways, the entire place smells of the fertile aroma of rain and earth. Small yellow flowers dot the grass beside the pathways. In the distance stands an old bridge in a picturesque ruin. And below it runs Theanarru...
It is usually dry or is just a sludge but because of the recent rains, it swirls by swiftly, gushing and bubbling. All three pause to admire the beauty of the place and listen to the melodious sound of the water hitting the rocks. Peace descends on them.
K: Angae paarungae, Meenkotthi paravai..
He points to a small, sharp beaked bird with blue and orange feathers.
They all watch as it swiftly swoops into the water and comes out with a fish wriggling in its beak.
An: Kingfisher dhanae?
K: Hmmm... Appadiyae? Nammalukku therinjae Kingfisher lam verae...
Mullai glares at him but Anandhi laughs.
They just walk about exploring, identifying plants, spotting different birds.
Kathir is so surprised as to how at ease he is with Mullai and Anandhi. He is able to talk freely with them.
Mullai spots a bunch of touch me nots with their tiny spiny pink flowers at the river bank..
M: Naan poiye adhai thoda poren..
Kathir watches as she runs to the river bank, and with childish delight, she starts poking the touch me nots.
He laughs when he hears her sing..
Thottae sinungi...thottathalae mulangi...
And stands frozen as she slips on the mud and with a loud shriek falls into the water.
To be continued...
