ukiyo

meraki

meraki

(n.) (japanese.)

meaning:- the soul, love or creativity you put into something. the essence of yourself you put into a work.

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recommended songs for this chapter:-

i. kadhal ennule :- neram
ii. iragai poley :- naan mahan alla

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A/N:- Completely unedited, so many typos would be there.

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Sivaangi tapped her foot nervously, leaning against the pole near her. She was waiting for Ashwin to show up. She stared at her phone, which showed no new messages or calls.

She rang his number, but he didn't pick up. She sighed loudly. Many cars and bikes zoomed across her but none of them had Ashwin on it. She was about to ring him again, when she heard a blaring horn from the side.

She turned around to see and saw a man atop of a bike. She dismissed it, knowing Ashwin didn't have a bike. She turned away.

Wait.

She looked again. Confirming her suspicions, it was Ashwin on the bike. She blinked rapidly, but he was sitting there with an amused smile. She walked towards him.

"Hi." he said.

She took in the bike and him, "Eppadi? Bike?"

He shrugged, "Chumma, oru change ku."

Truth be told, it had been years since she had gone on a bike. Vikrant had one, but he never took her since he was busy getting drunk. And after Advik was born, there was no time.

In fact, she was silently lamenting seeing all the couples zoom in bikes, tightly holding on to each other. It was a childish wish, she knew. Which is why she hesitated to ask her brothers. She felt like she was too old for such things. But seeing him, showing up on a bike without her telling him anything, indirectly fulfilling her desire without making her ask or going through the turmoil of apparent embarrassment it might bring her, shook her.

Ashwin noticed how silent she had gone, and snapped his fingers infront of her face. "Enna madam? Ippadiye road la nikartha idea ah va?"

Sivaangi broke out of her trance her mind shifting to the teasing tone he had used. She looked at him, "Neenga ukkaru nu sollave illaye."

He raised an eyebrow, "Oh? So why do you think I'm standing in front of you?"

Sivaangi decided to play along her lines. She shrugged, "Therila. You could be picking up someone else."

He nodded sarcastically, "Aama. Rendu block thalli en girlfriend nikkara. Athunala naa inga nikaren."

Sivaangi glared at him and said, "Oh? Girlfriend lam iruka?"

Ashwin looked into her eyes for a moment. He got off his bike and walked closer towards her. She cleared her throat nervously and took a step back. He was at a painfully close distance from her. An arms length away, but it seemed like miles. She slowly raised her gaze to his eyes and she regretted it immediately.

Ashwin Kumar had two minds, one was the one inside his head and the other was his eyes. It was a reflection of his subconscious, displaying passionate emotions that she had a hard time looking into. Right now, she could see some form of intense fire, ready to engulf her in the chilly flames.