ViKa Kutty Stories

Europe Trip - Part 2 - Venice

By the time they reached Venice, the charm of the canals had begun to weave its magic. The tension from Paris had mostly faded, though Kaveri still couldn't help casting a watchful eye whenever Vijay garnered the attention of a passing woman.

Venice, with its gondolas with the serenading gondolier, provided the perfect setting for a romantic moment. Vijay held Kaveri's hand, pointing out the colorful buildings lining the canals as they strolled through the vibrant Venetian market.

As they enjoyed their walk, Vijay became distracted by a street vendor selling hand-painted masks. Kaveri noticed a small jewelry cart a few meters away, displaying a beautiful necklace. Eager to see more of the collection, she let go of Vijay's hand and told him she would be at the jewelry cart to take a closer look. Vijay, too engrossed in the vendor's elaborate explanation of the hand-painted masks, simply gave her a quick nod.

At the jewelry cart, delicate chains were displayed alongside earrings, bracelets, and hair accessories made from seashells. But what caught Kaveri's attention was a glittering, thin necklace with seashell pendants. She toyed with it, contemplating getting one for each of her sisters.

That's when he appeared.

His soft, shy voice startled her.

Stranger : Excuse me, urmm...sorry to bother you, but do you think this is nice ? (He gestured toward a necklace draped over his palm)

He had the kind of face that made you pause, sharp jawline, kind eyes, and an air of quiet Korean actor charm. His cheeks were faintly pink, as though asking a complete stranger for fashion advice was far beyond his comfort zone.

Kaveri : Oh, um, sure. It's nice. Can be worn with many outfits (she stammered as she was completely off-guard)

Stranger : Thank you. My sister likes this kind of thing. I didn't know what to pick.

Kaveri : Haha, that's okay. I am selecting these for my sisters too. (she said pointing to the necklaces she had already selected)

Stranger : You have a good eye (he said with a shy polite smile)

Kaveri : Thank you (she said with a blush)

The man had features that were undeniably Korean, and there was something familiar about him, though she couldn't quite place it. He had dark, neatly styled hair and a shy yet charming smile that lit up his face. But before she could ask him if he was someone she would probably knew, a K-drama actor perhaps, he beat her to it.

Korean man : Urmm....sorry if this comes off as too forward...but...and I couldn't help but notice that you have such a graceful presence. Are you an Indian actress? Or maybe a model?

Kaveri : Me? Oh, no no....I'm just....me. (she stammered, suddenly feeling self-conscious)

Korean Man : Well, you could be. You have that look. Too bad, the Indian Film Industry doesn't know what they are missing.

Kaveri blushed, a warm flush creeping up her cheeks. She wasn't used to such direct compliments, and the sincerity in his voice made it even more surprising. She managed a shy laugh.

Kaveri : Um...Thank you... that's very kind of you.

Before the conversation could continue, the Korean man noticed Vijay walking toward them, his gaze sharp, his expression thunderous. By the looks Vijay was giving him and Kaveri, he sort of assumed that he might be Kaveri's boyfriend.

Korean Man : Haha, I think your boyfriend got the wrong idea and might be on his way to kill me ?! (he chuckled, though his tone was slightly shaky)