Naanam Mozhi Agum

Vidiyalum Irulagume

A/N: Very long chapter. I HOPE i dont bore you. 

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"Yenna... avanuku innoru ponna pudichi irundhuchu..." she said, bearing her scarred heart in her palms for him, for the first time in years....

The second the words left her lips, scars reopened. Just like that, years of strict rules and the skillful burying pain of the past proved, pointless. The scars ripped back open, fresh and red, making her shift her gaze away from him. 

He sat there blinking in silence, something about the way she said it. It knocked the wind out of him. She had looked away, onto her palms, the happy reminicinsing mood of hers clearly changed to a somber one, by the wedge of her brows. She was turning her fingers into paste by kneading them, tirelessly. 

He sunk back into the pillows, seeing her unsettling,  was so disheartening for him. He was hating on this mystery guy not seconds ago, but now her pain and silence... made him wish that things worked for her. Anything to see that smile of hers, he thought. 

"Pasanga antha age la romba stupid Mullai, unnaku theriyum la...amblaingaku vaisau aga aga than buthi varum.." he said in a soft voice, involuntarily going in closer. 

Mullai didn't know what she was expecting but she wasn't expecting that... 

She gave surprised but small chuckle, to him it felt like a pity laugh, but she was grateful for his attempt to left her mood. 

"Appidi' dra?" she asked, her voice significantly smaller.

"Sathyiyama... antha payankunu muula nu onnu iruntha, unna kannu munadiye vetchi kitu appidi pani iruka matan" he said, as a matter of fact, hoping to see that confident smile light up her eyes again. 

But his words had the opposite effect in her as they sunk in to her being. That's not true, she thought, six years later, she was still in the same position. Yearning for a man, who might forget about her as soon as dawn awakens. She was still in the same place, like a hamster running on a wheel. No escape from the helpless drag of unrequited love. Not even when the man himself reassured her

A humourless smile spread, as she finally looked up to him. He had sense of foreboding, as her big bare eyes dwelled deep into his. The darkness of the night was starting to lighten, as dawn peeked its head. Her face was starting to get sharper, while her voice pierced.

"Nan laam kai ku ettra thooram irunthalum, kannuku theriyamatan Kathir... I'm invisible to some people." She stated, heavily. To her, there was no other way of being clearer than this to him.

Kathir's whole body reacted, to her words, as thought they were a whiplash. Just like that she shooed away the level of comfortability they reached in these few hours. Like a vacuum it sucked all the happiness and laughter, leaving his a frightening chill down his spine. He straightened up slowly, and she moved away, keeping a tight smile on her face. The one you have to show that that everything is fine when it's definitely not.  

"Mullai, nee yen ippidi.." he started softly, despairingly grappling for those threads of camaraderie, between them. But just as she looked away, he felt it. He felt himself losing her...

"Thookam varthu Kathir, almost vidinjiruchu parunga, konjam atchu thoongalam.." she stopped him, albeit as politely as she could, turning away and fixing her pillows "Neenga bed laye padunga, tharai romba aluka iruku.." she, stated, turning to the other side and laid down, without another word.

That was it.

Kathir was left, shook and speechless. Helplessly, he got down to turn off the small flower bulb, and walked back to the bed not before sneaking a peek at the supposedly sleeping companion. It seemed to him that she was squeezing her eyes shut... But then again with the tiny bit of light gone, he hoped that it was the darkness playing tricks on him.