Mille - Thousands of Love

Hot Chocolate!

'Intha mazhaila ipo inga varanuma? Office la evlo vela iruku?'

Rakshan, his business partner and friend looked at him in disbelief, 

'Deivame! un business ah konjo oorama vaikriya? (huffs) avanavan mazhaila sooda ethathu sapdrathuku aengitu irupaan, unna lam vachukitu...' Ashwin intervened, changing the topic,

'Pudhu cafe ah? na ithuvaraikum pathathe ilaye?'

He looked around the small yet serene environment of the cafe which calmed him instantly since he entered,

'Roadah matum pathu vandiya ootuna ipdi tha, konjo nimirnthu roadla irukra kadainga, aalunga, ponnungalayum pakanum da..'

Ashwin glared at him, while Rakshan smiled sheepishly,

'Nee paru..enna yen ilukra?'

Ashwin glared at his friend, while he pouted. Suddenly Rakshan got a call and went out before excusing himself to attend it. Ashwin looked at him in disbelief and got up to use the restroom but gasped when someone dashed on him dropped the drink on his suit. Anger surged up in him and he looked above to confront the person, but his eyes immediately froze, looking at the petite woman.

His eyes bored into her innocent black orbs which looked back apologetically, and felt his heart skip a beat. Never in his life he had such affect until he saw her eyes. Soon, his angry side switched him from his trance, 

'Kanna enga vachirukeenga? pathu vara mateengala?'

'S..sorry sir..ath..athu...' she stuttered and that's when he noticed her uniform and learnt that she was a staff there.

He glared at her which made her gulp,

'Irukra tension pathathu nu innum tension aakrathuku ne vareenga..(huffs) enaku matum en ipdi lam nadakutho..' 

'Extremely sorry sir, will be back..'

She didn't wait for his reply but ran into the kitchen, making him shake his head in disbelief. 

After cleaning himself, he returned back and looked at the hot chocolate placed there, confusing him. He remembered that he ordered a green tea and Rakshan a cappuccino. His phone pinged with a message from Rakshan, who left suddenly and asked him to grab his coffee.

Ashwin was confused when his eyes fell on a paper which was kept under the hot chocolate cup. He picked to read it,

"There is no problem so big that hot chocolate can't be the answer..try panunga Sir.."

Ashwin's lips curled up reading it. He stared at his hot chocolate like it held the secret to the universe. His hand went to pick his cup and the aroma itself made him feel the freshness. Inhaling the smell of cocoa, he sipped it for the first time. A smile crept his lips and he felt his muscles relax.

Anyone would look at him in disbelief if he said that he had not tried a hot chocolate. Today, her words urged him to try it, and he didn't regret.

His eyes involuntarily searched for the person behind this, but to his disappointment, she was not there. He waited for her sometime and his eyes shone at her sight at the cash counter. Her bright smile made his heart warm, and he involuntarily smiled when he reached the counter.

'My order is misplaced...'

'It was at the right place sir..'

Ashwin frowned, when she smiled,

'Sunset ah beachla ninnu pakradhu, night mottamadila paduthukitu vaanatha pakradhu, kozhandhaya mari trampoline la gudhikradhu, mazhaila nananjukite ice cream sapdrathu, (looks intently) adhe mazhai naal la nerrraya marshmallows potu hot chocolate sapdradhu..don't overlook life's small joys while searching for big ones sir..'