Mullai cupped her cheeks, and Kathir, for his part, stood there confused. He expected her to say something, maybe call him a lot of god-awful names, hit him, or scold him, but instead, she said, "Thalai la engayadhu adi pattucha..."

"Damn. From where does she get these ideas from?" Kathir wondered as Mullai went near him and pinched him again.

He winced. "Oh my god, Indu Kanani kedaiyadhu Neenah nejamavae sorry sollitinga," she exclaimed. Never in a billion years did she expect that.

She couldn't find the correct word to describe her feelings. Astonished, astounded, surprised, shocked, dumfounded...

"Neenga nejamavae sorry sollitinga," she said, clutching her dollar.

"Ama naan nejmavae dhan sorry sonnen," Kathir said, smiling at her, and Mullai was swooned seeing him smile. He looked so handsome and beautiful when he smiled.

"Kunnakudi Muruga ivaru yenkitta manipulation ketutaru..." Mullai jumped, looking above. Kathir looked at her weirdly as though an alien from Mars had entered his home.

Mullai controlled herself when she found her husband gazing at her with a confused look. "Adhu, sorry, naan rom has excite ayiita, appidi dhan edhavadhu lussu thanama seiyven...ahm yenna dhidheer nu..." she asked.

"Purulia..." Kathir said.

"Illa yenna sudden sorry yellam...neenga podhuva, sorry yellam keka mattingalae..." she abbreviated her question.

"Illa yendha thapum seiyadha neeyae yerangi vandhu mannipu kekumbodhu, Thapa Sena naan mannipu kekama irrundha nalla irrukadhu, thavira naanum unna rombha pesiten, sorry..." he apologized again.

"Illa paravala irrukatum nga, naanum unga kitta unga thuniya thovaikiradhuku munnadi keturukanum..." she said.

"Hey, adhellam paravala naan unna actually adhukaggha tittala... nee unga veetla chellama vazhandha ponnu unnaku indha vellai yellam senju palakam irrukadhu adhan sonnen... unna rombha vellai vangura maari oru impression create panna kudhadu Illa..." he hollered.

Mullai was overjoyed. He thought for her... He cared for her. It was as though a white light of emulsion burst in her.

Before she could say anything, Kathir's stomach grumbled out loud. Mullai cupped her mouth to control her laugh.

Kathir felt so mortified that his face grew red. "Adhu..." he scratched his head.

"Pasikudha..?" Mullai asked, smiling.

"Hmm ama..." he bobbed his head at her like a toddler. She found his reaction to be extremely cute.

"Oru five minutes wait pannunga dho konduvanduren..." she tells him and sprints outside the room dashing to the kitchen.

Huffing and puffing, she opens the refrigerator, leaving a satisfied breath as the cool air hits her face. Rolling her berry eyes, she scans the fridge but finds only some eggs and tomatoes with some leftover rice.

Letting out a small pch, she scans the upper cupboard. There was a long Maggi packet. She grabs it and examines it. "Nalla dhan irrukum, ana ivaru sapuduvara...night vera ayudhuchu...hmm seri seivom..." she decides then switches on the stove.

She empties half of the masala packet into the vessel and half into her mouth. After exactly five minutes, she scoops the hot piping food and serves it into two bowls.

"Ennanga..." she calls out while strolling the living room. Kathir enters the hall talking to someone. He sidesteps his faces and manages the call with one hand and motions his hands, mouthing five minutes to her.

She nods and places the bowls on the dining table. After finishing the call, Kathir enters the dining room and gets shocked seeing noodles being served.

"Maggi ah..." he squirms seeing it and looks up at her, passing a blank look. "Adhu vegetables edhum illa...adhan oru urgent ku idha senjuten konjam adjust pannikonga..." she requests.

He nods, and he looks at his bowl. It must be that bad. It looks very colorful with all tomatoes and sauces garnished with coriander. He takes the fork, swirls the food, opens his mouth, and chews.

Mullai was rubbing her hands anxiously. She wasn't even this nervous during her exam results. Kathir's eyes widen, and he gives a full-fledged smile at her. "Rombha nalla irruku..." he exclaims and continues eating.

Mullai releases her caught breath, and his heart swells with happiness at his remark. Even though all she did was simply tear the packet, put the noodles in hot water, and serve, it seemed special to him.

Mullai places her hand on the side of her cheek and sits next to him, watching her husband relish her food with a content look. There was nothing that brought her immense happiness than watching her husband relish her food. That satisfied smile he gave was worth a million dollars.

Kathir empties the whole bowl and hands it to her. "Bowl ah wash panna vae thevai illa..." Mullai teased. Kathir had literally licked the whole bowl. He gives her a sheepish look, rubbing the back of his head.

Mullai strolls into the kitchen and comes back wiping her hands. Kathir, who was scrolling his phone, looks up at her and yawns. "Neenga poi thungunga...nallaiku office ponumla..." she tells him. He nods and gets up. "Goodnight..." he tells her. "Night night..." she waves and backs and retires to her room and falls asleep.

And for the first time after her marriage, she sleeps with her face tears devoid...

Kathir breathes in the fresh air. The atmosphere was so serene and tranquil. The children's park was filled with giggles and jiggles with kids running here and there with helium balloons and bubbles. Beside them were their parents or grandparents watching them with a content smile.

Pandian places a hand on his son's shoulder. "Pa..." Kathir turns around. "Ennapa edho pesanum nu kupta..." he asks.

"Ama pa vanga anga poi ukkaralam..." Kathir points over to the bench there. Both sit down on the wooden bench.

"Chinna vayasula yenna adikadi inga kutitu varuvingala..." Kathir got nostalgic. "Ama appo nee chinna pillai ya irupa...varushangal odiruchu...ipo unnaku kalyanam ayiduchu...natkala evlo vegama pogudhu..." Pandian exclaimed.

"Pa naan..adhu...unga kitta konjam personal ah pesanum nu dhan kupten...adhu ennaku mullai kum kalyanam nadandhadu..ungalukula theriyum ennaku appo adhula virupam illa..aprom engalukula marrigae ku aprom neraiya prechana..."

"Ippo konjam paravala...ana ennaku rombha kastam ah irruku pa..mullai ah pakkum bodhu ellammanju dhan nyabhagathuku vara..." Kathir said.

"Puriyudhu pa..yaarumae manju yerandhu poiduva nu edhir pakala...an akthir onnu mattum purujuko...edhir pakadha nerathu edhir pakadha sambavangal ellarukumae nadakudhu...ana adhukagha nambha adhulayae muzhgi poidanum nu artham illa...."

"Past ah marakuradhu kastam dhan naan illanu sollala..ana adhukagha unnaku ippo irruka life ah spoil pannikadha..." Pandian advised, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Puriyudhu pa ana bhayama irruku...erianavae naan mullai ah rombha kasta padutitten..thirupi edhavadhu prechana vandhu naan avala kasta paduttita..." Kathir wondered.

"Kathir prechanai illada kalayanam vazhkaiyae illa...oru vaati kuda sanda podada kanavan manaivi yum illa...prechanai varadhu sangajam ana nambha adha eppadi samlikirom ndradhu dhan mukiyam..." Pandian stressed.

"Ennakum unga amma kum kalyanam agi 46 varusham achu ana innamum engalukula silla prechanai irruka dhan seiyudha ana naan adha eppadi samalikirom theriyuma..." Pandian asked.

"Eppudi..." Kathir asked.

"Anbhu..." Pandian said.

And he picks a rope nearby. "Idha pattiya pa..idha mookana kaiyuru nu solluvanga..idhu moonu kaiyura irrukum..." Pandian says and he loosens the rope. There were three strands binned together.

"Idhula oru kaiyuru husband rendavadhu kaiyuru wife moonavadhu kaiyuru, anbhu...idhu moonum serum bodhu andha bandham eppadi irrukum theriyuma..? Ippo nee indha kaiyura izhu..." he asks his son to pull the rope.

Kathir tries to pull the rope, but he couldn't. It was so strong that his hands became red. "Appid irrukum strong ah..unmaiyana anbhu odanae vandhuradhu...andha nee porumaiya vazhathukanum appo neenga rendu perum sandhoshama irrupinga..." Pandian explained.

Kathir felt clear. His eyes brightened as though he tasted some fine honey from a honeycomb. "Rombha thanks pa..." he thanks.

"Paravala pa...irrukatum..." Pandian tells, and both of them get up.

"Kathiru..." Pandian says seriously.

"Endha prechana vandalum ukandhu sumugama pesi seri seiyunga pa..endha karanatha kondum divorce mattum pannadinga...yenna kadhalikom bodhu rendu per pirinja adhu avanga remdu per ah mattum dhan badikum adha manasula veinga..." Pandian said sternly.

"Seri pa..." Kathir nodded.

And they both parted ways after sharing a small hug.

"Mulla...mulla..." Kathir calls out loudly as he enters the hall, loosening his tie.

"Dho vanduten..." Mullai shouts from the kitchen. Out of the smoky places, she emerges, her churidar-clad body covered with an apron, her face with streaks of flour.

"Enna kolam idhu..." he asks, puzzled.

"Adhu naan innaiku ungaluku bake panne..." he pulled out a chocolate cake and shows it to him.

Kathir goes aww... He smiles at her. "Ennaku two minutes kodu, uzha poi dress change pannitu vandhu unnida andha amazing ana cake ah taste pannuren..." he says and winks at her and moves in, leaving her astounded.

"Yennachu ivaruku sudden ah...ippidi marritarae..." she blinks in his way, scratching her head, wondering whether he was struck by some magical powers.

Tbc..