UNTIL I MET U - AN ENDEARING TALE OF LOVE

The Meeting at Madras

ADITHYA'S POV

After much talking and persuasion, we find ourselves boarding a flight to Chennai, the city of my childhood. It's a place where I was once immensely happy but also where I tragically lost my parents, taking a piece of my childhood with them. It's not that my grandfather didn't take care of me, but there are moments when I can't help but miss my parents. Honestly, who wouldn't miss them?

Upon our arrival in Chennai, we head straight to our old house, the place I once called my home, my sanctuary. As soon as I step into the house, memories come flooding back, piercing my heart. All I can hear is my mother's infectious laughter and the playful banter with my father, usually silenced by a single glare from her.

A chuckle escapes my lips. I think I should regain my composure. "What's on your mind, bro?" Ajay asks, bringing me back to reality. "Let me guess, you're lost in thoughts of your future wife, huh? Just hang in there for a while, okay? We'll go meet her soon. Don't worry, okay?" He adds this with a mockingly babyish tone, which is somewhat ridiculous coming from a grown man.

I take a deep breath to calm myself, resisting the urge to punch him in the face, and he turns to Grandpa, saying, "Okay, Grandpa, I'll be back soon. I know he can be unbearable at times, but we have to endure this until he gets married." With this, he heads towards the door.

Morning comes. The rising sun's rays illuminate my room, transforming its dark brown decor into a brighter space. I open my eyes and check the time on my phone; it's 7 in the morning. After two hours at the gym, I return and get ready in a three-piece suit.

When I reach downstairs, Ajay grins at me and says, "Look,Grandpa, our soon-to-be groom is here." I warn him, "If you don't stop, be prepared to learn sign language, because that's the only language you'll be speaking soon." He just shrugs it off.

After breakfast, we all pile into the car and head to Krishna villas to meet the girl my grandfather wants me to marry. The house is quite traditional mansion, with a beautiful garden. Memories flood my mind of running around in that garden, even though it's supposedly my first visit. I brush off that strange thought.

"Mr. Krish! Nice to meet you," I say, extending my hand. He surprises me by giving me a hug, leaving me momentarily bewildered. He comments on how much I've grown since he last saw me as a child.

His wife chimes in, "Oh, come on. Of course, he's a grown-up now; otherwise, he wouldn't be here to marry our daughter." Mr. Krish playfully asks, "Who are you calling old, Mrs. Krish?" She shoots him a glare, and he falls silent, just like my father used to when my mother glared at him.

We move to the living area, and my grandfather asks them to call their daughter. Just as she's about to leave, I hear a familiar voice. I turn to see her, and what I witness leaves me utterly speechless.

She's chasing a boy, playfully threatening to dismember him if she catches him. "Stop, Aarav! If I catch you, no one will find your body. I'm going to kill you and chop your body into tiny pieces," she exclaims. Aarav, with a sarcastic retort, teases her about her weight and ability to catch him.

They notice us watching, and I can't believe she's the one I'm supposed to marry. I have my reservations, and my mind is flooded with doubts. Why, of all the girls out there, did my grandfather choose her?

Ajay breaks the silence with an exuberant "Brown-eyed beauty!" I glare at him, but he ignores me and goes to her.

"Come sit here, Ahaana," her mother said. She nodded and settled on the other side, Aarav alongside. Witnessing her, I was too stunned to say anything, while Aarav seemed somewhat bewildered, trying to grasp the situation. Ahaana maintained her grounded stance.