the first time he didn't.
"Aiyoo, anna konjam vaaya moodraya. Naane avar birthday kaga etho pandren, nee kathiya avar kitta ellam soliduva pola?"
Sivaangi glared at Pugazh who just huffed and said, "Paithyame, nee speaker ah on panirken, atha than naa solla varen."
Sivaangi looked down at her phone and saw that the speaker was indeed on. Mentally slapping herself, she could hear Ashwin chuckle slowly from the other side of the line. She turned to Pugazh and said, "Neengale silent ah off panirkalam la."
Pugazh glared at her and said, "Sathiyama en kaiyala saavadi vanga pora."
A loud laugh came from Ashwin and he said, "Machan, ava sollala naa kooda ava etho plan pandranu theriyum."
"Athu epadi ungaluku theriyum?" Sivaangi asked, shooing Pugazh away who glared at her again and left.
"Aama iva periya James Bond-uh, nee enga ponalum oru story podra ithula nee gift shop ku en birthday kaaga than porenu kandupudikardhu kashtama?".
Sivaangi whined and said, "Seri naa plan panren thaana theriyum enna plan pandrenu theriyathu la, oru one hour la Pugazh anna veetuku vanga."
Ashwin hummed in response and she hung up abruptly. He blinked at the phone. It was things like this that drove him crazy. How she was casual and at ease with him, doing things for him he never imagined or deserved.
True to his word, he showed up at Pugazh's house and walked in. He spent most of his time here, after his own house.
The house was unusually silent and he called out Sivaangi's name. A few seconds later, she emerged from a room, wearing a simple white kurti her hair up in a bun. At the sight of him, she broke into a huge smile.
"Okay okay, inga ukaraunga naa oru five minutes la varen."
Few minutes later, she came out and stood behind him and covered his eyes. "Okay okay, anna atha eduthutu vaanga. Aan, anga vechudunga. Naa 321 solren, appo open panunga okay va? Okay."
"3...2...1!!!", she removed her hands, and Ashwin was met with himself. No no, it was a drawing of himself. It was sketched in charcoal and it was truly the most amazing drawing he had seen of himself. The lines were defined and the strokes spoke of love and admiration.
He blankly stared at the painting, feeling different emotions sore into him like the lines of the drawing of himself. He looked up at Sivaangi who smiled sweetly and just shrugged.
"2 days ah thoongama itha varanjurka," Pugazh said, smiling at his sister.
Ashwin got up and inspected the drawing closely. He could see the attention to detail and at the bottom of the painting was written, "Anbudan Kulu Kulu.", along with a small heart.
"Cake vandhurchu nenaikren, naa poi paakren." Pugazh said and went out of the room, leaving them alone.
Ashwin stared at the painting in silence before she asked, "Pudichirka?". He turned to look at her, and Sivaangi could see his watery eyes. Standing up, she clutched his hands and asked, "Enna achu?".
Ashwin shook his head, staring at their entwined hands. Looking up from them, he cradled her face in one hand, rubbing small circles on her face. "Onnum illa, thank you so much. Ipadi lam yaarum panathila."
Sivaangi smiled in response, and he wanted to do it. He wanted to kiss her. And he was going too, so hesitantly. Inching his face closer and closer, until their noses were bumping.
