𝔻𝕖𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕪

CHAPTER 12

"S.. Sir!"
"Macha!"

Both Kathir and Shivanya stammered seeing Ashwin.

"Illa naa kekalama nu ketten?" Ashwin asked casually

"yedha sir?" Shivanya asked cluelessly.

"Next time when someone enters your cabin, make sure you check their Bluetooth earpiece is not on connection" Ashwin advised Shivanya as he walked around her cabin.

Shivanya immediately turned to Kathir and realised but he was too busy staring at his friend with his mouth wide open, completely awestruck. 

Nejama ivan Ashwin thana? Oru vela pei'o? Oru vela namba friend'ah kidnap panni Vera yaravadhu vandhutangalo?

A smack from Shivanya brought him back to reality,
"Valikudhudi!" Kathir whined whispering
"Naliki lerndhu en cabin ulla 'earpiece not allowed' nu notice podha poren"
Shivanya whispered,
Kathir scratched his head.

"So can I see it?" Ashwin interrupted them
"sure sir, but it's not done yet," Shivanya said hesitantly
"Paravala, I just want to know your idea" Ashwin chuckled not wanting to make her more nervous.
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When Teju was on her way to her cabin. She found one particularly familiar cabin quite crowded. It was Shivanya's.

Almost everyone from the floor were there. She walked through the crowd to be astonished.

Ashwin and Shivanya are both discussing about something looking at the laptop while their other colleagues stood around them. Kathir was standing beside Ashwin with his mouth wide opened. Even Teju couldn't believe her eyes.

Ashwin?
Out of his cabin?
For the second time?
Same cabin?
Sitting beside a girl?

She looked at Kathir for some explanation, he too seemed clueless.
He mouthed
Oru vela irukkumo?
Teju's eyes widened at that thought.

Their trance was broken by Varun who was also there
"Hey Teju, indha strategy paren, it's perfect and brilliant. Indha tender'ku submit panradhuku, I think we should work on this!"

Varun exclaimed as if it was his idea. Everyone else just glared at him, especially Shivanya.

Idha dhane naanum sonnen!

"Not us, Mr Varun. You. " Ashwin was quick to respond without turning his gaze from the laptop.

"Shivanya will give you the data's by tomorrow, it's her idea but still you should be the right person to prepare all the files and stuffs to be submitted, you're quite experienced anyways, this is a mere thing, right?"

Ashwin said with whimsically teasing Varun. Everyone who were present at the meeting were quick to understand him. Whereas Teju had no idea. Kathir was beyond happy to see Varun sweating.
Mattuniya da mandhaya! Rendu nalliki nee yepdi ponnunga kitta pesura'nu naa pakuren!

"Sir, yes sir, OK sir," Varun stammered knowing the amount of work he has to do, all alone.

"Teju OK dhane?" Ashwin asked her.
Kathir motioned her to agree from behind.
"yeah, yeah, of course" Teju answered, she decided to ask her colleagues for the full story later.

"OK, you guys carry on" Saying that Ashwin left to his cabin.

Shivanya right now is wonderstruck by what just happened. She has a pile of questions in her mind.

He knows me
He knows the way to my cabin
He helped me, twice
He defended me, twice
WHAT THE HECK!? Why?!
--------------------------

Rain comes with its heaven-given soundtrack, washing every hue into a strong and soulful vibrancy.

Everyone in the office has started to leave and call it a day before the downpour gets worse. But Ashwin decides to leave late, it's not like he has anyone expecting him after all.

Ashwin held his hand to the cool window pane, watching his breath condense around his outstretched fingers.
What is happening?

Trying to recover from everything he did today. He himself is quite surprised by his deeds. Ashwin is always conscientious about his deeds but when comes to her, all his cautiousness goes in vain. He feels free and uncaged. The way he used to feel around his mother, HIS MOTHER.

Yes, Sathya ma is not his own mother. She is his stepmother. His actual mother passed away when he was 10 in an accident. He never liked Sathya ma at first but eventually they become so close, the mother-son duo they are now. He still misses his mom, but he loves Sathya ma no less than that.
But recently Ashwin has been missing his mother a lot, more than usual. Ever since he set his eyes on the bite sized girl. He only gets calm when he sees her again. These thoughts are making him go crazy.

When the same situation goes on with Shivanya, she too has no idea what is going on. Normally when someone helps her or stands for her, she usually tries to stop them. To stop herself from getting used to any companionship. But with Ashwin, all her insecurities are broken. She can't find the urge to stop herself from being in his defence.

Breaking a trance, she receives a text from Shakthi

Don't drive in this rain. Wait for a while.
Shivanya sighed sending him an
OK.
He had told her earlier that he is going out with his department friends. So she has to drive home alone.

She looked out at the window. It was raining heavily. She decided to wait for it slow down. She packed her things and waited, resting her head on the table.

Both of them waited for the rain to slow down, not expecting the rainbow that is yet to connect their hearts.

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Hi fam, hope you're all well. Thanks for your constant support. I hope I am not going all draggy with these chapters. Trust me, there is an interesting one coming ahead. Will love to hear from you guys. Thanks again.