You and I - a pranushka tale

chapter twenty-seven

audio for the chapter: bgm from ananda thandavam

play on loop when you see the * sign

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Mithrah had walked into the kitchen in search of something to eat when she saw Thara alone by the stove, her face glowing with a small but radiant smile. Mithrah was hoping to run behind and scare her but she didn't realise her anklets were going to make noise. Thara swirled around on spot and narrowed her eyes when she caught her best friend frozen on spot like a deer caught in headlights.

"What are you doing?" Thara asked, even though she knew exactly what she was doing.

"I came to help." Mithrah lied and walked closer to the stove to see that she was cooking some sweet dish in the pan. "What are you doing?"

"I'm making Rana some pongal." She beamed opening the pan's lid, allowing Mithrah to catch a whiff of the heavenly scent of the dish. Noticing the dreamy expression that fell on her face, Thara smirked. She knew Rana was going to love it.

"Why are you making it just for him?" Mithrah asked with a frown. She wanted to have a huge heap of tasting herself but it was obvious with the way Thara immediately closed the pan that it was only for her husband to be.

"It's his favourite dish," Thara answered simply hoping that it would be clear enough. But Mithrah just stared back at her with a long expression. She sighed and summoned her clueless best friend closer. "Once in a while, it's nice to randomly treat your guy. So I'm making pongal just for him."

"What are you going to gain from that?" Mithrah asked making a face. She thought Thara was wasting her time when she could be doing something much more productive.

Thara rolled her eyes and nudged Mithrah's forehead. "Don't be silly. If I randomly do something he really likes do you think he's going to complain?"

Mithrah shook her head.

"I'm not a very romantic or expressive person. Rana's not like that. He showers me with affection and makes me feel loved all the time." She said with a warm smile. "But me? It's in these small things that I show him my love."

Mithrah slowly nodded, taking in her words. Her mind was beginning to wander off to Prabhas. She accepted that nothing could happen between them once they go their separate ways but that didn't mean she couldn't show her affection in small ways like this. With an uncontrollable smile on her face, she realised that is what she wanted to do. She wanted to show him she cares in whatever way she could.

With excitement, she hurried out of the kitchen and searched for Rana all around the villa. When she caught sight of him, she ran and stopped him from walking out into the garden. Rana looked at her funnily wondering why she sprinted towards him until she was out of breath.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

She took a moment to regulate her breathing before looking at him with a conflicted expression. She wondered how could she ask Rana without raising doubts but soon realised she couldn't ask him in any subtle way.

"What's Prabhas' favourite food?"

Rana raised his eyebrow. "Why are you asking?"

Mithrah quickly shrugged in a nonchalant way before thinking of a random reason that wouldn't lead to Rana thinking she likes Prabhas. "He made a bet with me." She lied, the words flowing out of her mouth naturally.