My dear sir
part 17
Standing at the portal of the Ranganathan st,Karthik was terrified by the mass of crowd stretched in front of his eyes ...all he could see was only the crowd of people overflowing up to his eye's reach...let alone shopping , he could hardly see any space to walk in that street..he looked at the mysterious girl besides him in appalled..seriously she wanted to shop in this place..?he wondered beyond limits..and shook his head in disbelief..he even bewildered to step in the street..he was obvious he would suffocate to death if he go and struck into the crowd..
Before he could make any move to stop her,he had found her made way into the crowd immersing herself into the vast crowd..he jerked back from his thought and followed her hastily..
"Raji stop.."he screamed running behind her..keeping track of her sight.
She already stopped in front of a cloth shop..it's not technically a shop ,a platform display he would say..
She watched some clothes..and didn't buy anything and moved to the other shop..
Having no other go I silently followed her where ever she goes and I even fantasized myself into a hutch dog..baffled by that thought I shook my head to come out of that hallucination ..
Crowd is increasing as time passes..and he was forced to walk very close to her..when a guy is about to bump on her..he pulled her towards him instantly clasping her hand wrapping his fingers around hers firmly...Raji looked at him in surprise and turned her gaze to their joint hands and a shy smile appeared to her face..after that no one tried to part their hands as if it felt more natural being like that..and they started strolling hand in hand..
Karthik felt the softness of her palm in his..and why it felt, it was not the first time I am holding her hand...he was puzzled as always with the unanswerable question..however his heart was at peace while holding her hand..he wished he would never let that go off..
Suddenly Raji's eye fell on a dress hanging on a display..and she pin pointed that to him.
"Andha kurti nalla irukkula?"
That florescent yellow colored material had him to twitch his eyes...what an awesome taste she has..!he exclaimed in mind, but didn't bring himself to say it out, while seeing her eyes gleaming in excitement..he nodded affirmatively..
Her face beamed by his gesture..
"Andha yellow dress yevlo ?"she enquired the shopkeeper..
"1200 rupees..kaa.." I was surprised that the middle aged man called her as akka..what stunned me even more was Raji didn't complain she took that casually..
"200 ku tharuveengalaa?"
I was literally horrified as she initialized the negotiation..
I was sure the salesman would chase her away cursing with bad words ..but it seemed he was used to such awesome bargains..he lessened the price considerably..
After many rounds of negotiation that sales man said his final rate 500 ...but Raji seemed nowhere to go up from her 200 ...
I slowly whispered to her "Raji ..its seems somewhat a good deal..why don't u buy that ..avaru dhaan avlo kuraichirukaarula?"
"shhuuu..chumma irunga ungalukku onnum theriyaadhu ..i will manage it.."she literally shooed me away ..the way she talked authoritatively and cut me down..first I was taken aback but inside my heart I can't lie to myself,yes I liked her bossing over me..I have an illusion that we are couples came for the shopping together..strangely the imagination lit up my mood and I smiled at my weird thoughts...
"Today I am totally gone nuts..."I murmur to myself..
Finally the deal was finalized for 350 and she bought the dress with the victorious smile as if she won a battle..
I can't help but smitten by the strategy she used for bargaining..she must take classes for HR students about negotiation tactics..
Next she stopped at the fancy shop..and was peeping inside the crowd of people and fished out something..while I was waiting impatiently sweating like anything under the hot sun.. after few minutes she came out with a metal bangle ...with a huge grin on her face..
"Sir see this kada.."she showed the kada to him..
"Oh now women too started wearing kadas ..is this a new fashion or something?"he asked sarcasticallys..
"Sorry it's not funny..better luck next time..Actually I bought this for u.."
"For me? u know ..I don't wear such cheap stuffs.."
She twisted her lips in anger.. "periya lord labakku ivaru..i don't wear such cheap stuffs."she mimicked him in mind voice..
"I bought this to show my gratitude.."
"Gratitude ..For what? He was surprised..
"For bringing me here for shopping. and allowing me to stay in ur home...so pls..accept this.."she asked with a cute pleading face..
"Ok..if u insist .."he extended his hand to take it..but instead of giving it to him..she held his hand and slipped into his hand by herself..
Her face glittered in happiness seeing the kada in his hand..
His mood also elevated seeing her happy..
"It's cool no?"She asked with sparkling eyes..
"Actually its weird.." he replied..suppressing his laughter..
She made face and cursing me something under her breath..I smiled inwardly ,actually I kind of started enjoying her eccentric cute expressions while I am annoying her.
We wandered the street lazily, at times we dropped by some random shop when her eyes caught something attractive, that would be most likely to be accessories..fancy items ..moreover rather than buying she liked window shopping more..not forget to mention about her habit of stopping at every snacks shops and tucking in bajji,cut mangoes,fruit salad,juice chat etc ..
While we are standing in front of the Bombay chat vendor and I am watching Raji stuffing the 12th paani pur into her mouth ,I thought..I wouldn't have believed my science mam's saying.."stomach is an elastic bag." if I had not seen a live example for myself..if not others certainly Raji would have one..
Suddenly we heard a male voice called out politely..
"Excuse me mam.."
We turned towards that side ,a guy with decent cloths..wearing full hand shirt buttoned up to collar even in the hottest of sun wearing a tie..needless to say he is a sales man ..
He was extending some pamphlet to Raji..
Raji took that carelessly and ran her eyes over it leisurely..immediately after reading it.. her eyes widened in shock..and her face reddened in anger..
She casted a deathly look at the sales man ..
"How dare u give me this notice..ivlo periya crowd la unakku naan dhaan kedaichenaa idhai kudukka?"she shouted at him..Having caught by the curiosity out of her interesting outburst , I peeped in and read the pamphlet and I couldn't control my mocking chuckle ..
That irked her more..and she looked at me with fiery glare..
That pamphlet was the advertisement of the fitness center ..titled..
"Cut ur belly fat in 4weeks challenge.."
"yennai paarthaa gundaa vaa theriyudhu?yenakku yeppadi indha notice ah tharalaam..?" she ready to attack him at any moment..and I held her shoulder to refrain her from killing that poor soul..
But the salesman seemed really brave "Sorry madam ,,neenga pani puri ya muzhungara speed ah paarthaa seekirame ungalukku yenga help thevai padum nu nenaichen..this is called business forecasting u know.."he said with pride..
"yov odipoidu..illaatti unnai.."she raised her hand bag to hit him..scared by her freaky behavior he ran away saving his poor life from the wrath of Raji...
Her face was worth to watch...I laughed out loud out of my control...but seeing her sulking face ..I muffled my laughter with lots of effort..
Her face reddened and cheeks puffed like the puris that she ate a while ago..
Her eyes are sputtering yet She looked very cute for me ...
"Ungalukku siripaa irukkula..ippa vayiru appadiye kulu kulunnu irukkume..naan poren ponga.." she said fumingly and stomped off in anger..
He smiled at her antics and paid for the pani puris ,while he turned to her side his heart stopped for a moment..
Raji was about to cross the road..an auto coming from nowhere heading towards her in full speed, ..Raji noticed the nearing wagon at the last moment only and before she make a reflexive move it came very closer and was about to hit her..even if the driver applied sudden brake also it would collide on her for sure..he rushed to her and within a blink of an eye he pulled her back at the right moment..cocooning her in his embrace..it was an hair line escape..
Raji was startled and she hugged him tightly and her body was shaking in fear..
She could hear his heart beating rapidly as if it would explode ...she remembered the similar kind of incident from the past when her life was under danger where he saved her and his heart raced with the same rate as of now..what if he forgot everything and his attitude has changed..but his inner self doesn't change a bit..he was still her same loving and caring Karthik sir..who couldn't bear her being get hurt..her heart filled with contentment ..
The fact that she would have almost had an accident ,had shaken a life out of him..he can't afford to lose any more life to accident..that too Raji was beyond imagine..
As soon as he realized that she was safe .. all his fear had burst out as an anger on her.."how reckless she is..." "Don't u know how to walk on road? can't u be cautious ? I could have lost u damn it.."
She looked at him surprise ..at first she was shocked by his outburst..but as his words sinks in ..she raised her brows in astonishment..
"What did he just say..?"before she fathom his words he dragged her towards his car..
And thumped her inside it..and rode the car in anger..
"Sorry.."
She said softly..
"yenakku yaen sorry solra?its ur life would have gone"he asked with a straight face..
"Inimel careful aa iruken.."she added
"mm.."his face had no emotion as if it etched with stone
"Adhaan sorry solren la?"she asked tears threatening to fall at any moment..
"Ippa yenna pannanum adhukku?"
"yaen innum kobama irukeenga?"
"naan kobama irukennu yaaru sonna?"
"adhaan unga moonji sidu sidu nu iruke.."
"yen face ae appadi dhaan..?'
she twisted her lips grumbling..
"kobamaa dhaan irukeenga .."
"illai.."
"aamaa"
"I said I am not.."
"naan namba maaten.."
"yenna panna nambuva?"
"appo yennai beach ku koottitu ponga"
"why should i..?"
"paatheengalaa neenga kobamaa irukeenga?"
"I said no.."
"appo beach ku?'
"polaam.." word spilled out against his will..
After ages he had started driving..his left leg was paining pressing the clutch all the time in the jam packed traffic of Chennai city..if he went to beach and go back to Anna nagar means,his legs would have gone for sure..But seeing the amused face of Raji all his pain vanished and he could do anything to retain that smile there..
Beach...
KR walked on the sand and sat down facing the beach..the vast blue sea and the waves crushing the beach continuously with loud chord was the sight to behold..
They sat quietly for a while..until a voice hits their eardrums..
"sundal..sundal..."
He immediately looked at her cautiously where she was throwing a discreet look on him with s corner of her eyes...
"No way ..u r eating that sundal Raji.."
He cut off her little hope in the bud itself..as if he read her mind..
"kanjus.."she muttered sulking..
"How much u will eat..if u r eating at this rate u will surely end up getting food poisoning.."
At the mention of food poisoning she jolted back and looked at him in shock..
"Did he remember anything..?"
"how come u know that I would get food poisoning?"she asked with widened eyes full of hope and surprise..
He looked at her apprehensively..
"ivlo unhygienic stuffs ah saapitaa food poisondhaan aagum..idhula ivlo aacharya pada yenna irukku.?
"ohh..."Her face shrunk in disappointment..
"Sari polaamaa?"he asked and he stood up dusting his hands..
"ivlo dhooram beach ku vandhu sundal kooda saapida mudiyalai...yellam indha Hitler aala.."
She mumbled but he heard him clearly..
"Nee yenna saabam kuduthaalum it won't work on me ok? no means no.."
He said with finality and she silently followed him with grumpy face..
That day was happens to be the valentine's day and the ambiance of the beach was fully surrounded with so much love birds(lovers) ..and many vendors had set up their stall to earn profit making use of that occasion ..
When they were crossing one such newly set up stall..that was happened to be a chocolate stall selling many variety of chocolates, specially made for valentine's day gift..
Raji halted for a moment, colorful balloons with heart shape and even serial lights arranged in heart shape ..she watched all those things in amusement..
Suddenly they heard a sweet voice of an young lady calling out..
"Karthik.."that had them raise their gazes in that direction..
They had seen a beautiful lady calling her mate ,probably his name might be Karthik..
"Yenna Raji.."he asked in soft loving voice
(By the time you would have guessed it ,yes they are our MTB KR...surprised aa?lol how is the surprise?)
They seemed newly married couple and one could see the happiness and zeal glowing their skin..that girls eyes filled with glow evident to their love filled life..
With the first sight itself anyone can tell they are deeply madly in love ..precisely love oozing out from their bodies and the aura enriched the atmosphere..
They looked perfect together..
She was pointing towards the teddy bear kept in the shelf..
"yenakku adhu venum..How cute no?"
"Yes..cute dhaan but un alavukku illai.."he was flirting..
She blushed at his compliment and whacked his arms lightly in fake anger..
"yenakku venum vaangi kududaa.."she beseeched him..
"Ok vaangi tharen iru.."
He approached the sales girl and enquired about the price..
"sorry sir..adhu sales ku illai..inniku valentines day ngaradhaala couples ku oru game avchirukom..andha basket ball net la ballah basket panravangalukku dhaan andha teddy bear gift aa kedaikkum..but u will get only one chance ...adhukku peru "soul mate bear"..neenga unga loved ones kaaga win panni tharanum..appadi win panni neenga indha teddy bear unga mate ku kuduthaa..unga love success aagum..yerkanave kalyaanam aanavanga life full aa onnaa happy aa irupaanga..that is the sentiment about that teddy..andha bear oru heart ah yeduthu neetra madhiri irukku paarunga..neenga unga partner ku love ah life ful aa kuduthittae irupeengannu symbolic aa solra maadhiri design panni irukaanga.."she explained about the teddy...
"Raji whats all these..do u believe these stuffs..stupidity aa illai..?Karthik asked mockingly..
"U men are hopeless..yaen ivlo insensitive aa irukka?how romantic is this!yenakku theriyaadhu nee yenakkaga andha teddy bear ah win panni tharanum..appo dhaan nee yennai unmaiyaa love panrennu naan othupen.."she said adamantly..
"Adi paavi..indha silly matter ku namma love ah adamaanam vaikiriye..this is too much...?"
"vaayila vadai suttadhu podhum ..modhalla game ah win panra vazhiya paaru.."
"yaaru kitta..iyaa college la basket ball player theriyumaa?ippa yeppadi basket panrennu mattum paaru..madam ballah kudunga oru kai paarkaren.."he asked getting ready for the fighting mode..
"Sir before that u should buy our valentine gift pack to participate in that contest.."the sales girl said in sugar coated voice..
"Idhu veraiyaa?nalla business strategy aa irukke..50 rupees bommaikku naanga 200 rupees ku chocolate box ah vaanganumaa?Raji don't u think it's a waste of money.."he showed his disproval..
"Leave it ,I will buy it myself."she threatened him ..
"Ok ok..moraikaadha vaangaren.."he paid the money and picked up the heart shaped chocolate box and gave it to her with a lovely smile..and said..
"Raji pass the ball to me.."
"yen neeye yeduthukka maatiyaa?she asked sarcastically..
"aamaa yellathukkum ippadi kurukku kelvi kelu..loosu..u r my lady luck..un kaiyaala ball ah vaangi potaa..vizhum nu oru nambikai dhaan.."
Her face lit up instantly, she happily picked up the ball and gave it him wishing him good luck..
"MDS "KR watched it all in amazement..and they were also eager to know what would happen next..
There he goes...Karthik basket the ball in single attempt..
Raji was so much overwhelmed and hugged him in exhilaration.. "I love u Karthik..u r the best.."
"Hey, yellarum paarkaraanga..."his voice only complained but not his face..it seemed he liked it too..
"paarkattum yenakkena? u r my hubby..the best hubby in the world..naan hug pannuven.."
She said boldly..
Meantime the sales girl hand over him one of the teddy bears in the rack..he took it and knelt down before her and extended it to her..
"My love ,accept my small gift..I won this in the battle for u.." he said with a naughty smile..and she accepted it with her face gleaming in glory and a slight tint of pink on her cheeks..
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"Show offs.." "so cute."Karthik and Raji uttered in unison..
Raji watched them forgetting to blink her eyes ,full of fascination...
"How cute and lovely pair they made?i wish we should be like them in future.."
"But... having this kadus as my mate how could I smile like that girl.."
She sighed heavily..
Karthik's MV,
What a show they are displaying in public..it all seems ridiculous...
But as his gaze fell on Raji ..he was stunned for a moment..with a dreamy shining eyes she watched that drama in daze..
"OMG what is cooking up in her awesomely crocked brain..seriously she likes such PDI s?"
"oh no..it can't be that"he prayed the god to save him..
As he predicted she looked at him with ever so innocent puppy face with so much of expectation confined in her eyes..
He was not ready to give in to her demands this time..
"Now what?"he asked sternly..
She pouted her lips cutely..
"See ..how he barks like a dog?on the other hand that man how sweetly he talked to his love?"she grumbled in mind..and said meekly
"Nothing" and turned her face away..
"Don't say, u want me to participate in this game..Raji are u out of ur mind..didn't u hear what she said? that is couple game..for heaven's sake we are not couples .."
He tried to knock some sense into her..
"Do we need to mention that now..?"she glared at him in annoyance..
"Why do u have to take those words literally..u can take it as a challenge or a mere game and participate.."
"I love chocolate and the teddy as well..see how cute and lovely teddy bear..i want to have one..pls sir.."
She tried her best to convince him with all her charm...
"No..it makes no sense Raji.."he denied firmly..
"Ok leave it.yenna sonnalum kadaisila neenga nenaikaradhaa dhaan seiveenga..it was my mistake ,to expect something like that from u.."she was sniffled her nose as if she was crying..making a very sad disappointed face..
He rolled his eyes at her antics..
"Seriously...she knows how to confound me.."
"See who is telling what..since the time I have seen her..Nothing was going in my way. now she is complaining ,yen ishtathukku seiraennu..kaalaila irundhu yedhu yennoda ishtthukku nadakkudhu?
He grumbled to his own self..
"ippo enna andha teddy bear venum adhaane ...come"
"adhai konjam sirichitae sonnaa yenna Hitler..yeppa paaru urrrnnu moonjiya vachikaradhu.."
She twitched her lips ..
First he bought the gift box in order to sign into the competition..
Raji took the ball with so much of enthusiasm and offered to him..but he gave her a royal ignorance and had taken another ball and focused on his target..
He shoot the ball towards the basket..but missed the target.
Her face fell in disappointment..he couldn't take her grumpy face..
"Can we get one more chance pls.."he couldn't help but ask the sales girl..
"Of course sir..but u should buy another gift box to get a chance.."She said coolly ..
"OMG!pagal kolaiyaa irukku.."he muttered yet bought another box..
As he has no choice or else his drama queen won't spare him alive..
There started the mission basket the ball..
Two
Three
Four..
Every time the ball missed the basket..except for the chocolate boxes piled up in Raji's hands..
Finally Raji gave upon her all hopes..
"It's ok sir..chocolates yenakku pidikkum dhaan adhukaaga yevlo box saapiduradhu?
"But u asked the teddy too"
"Vittutudunga..andha maadhiri teddy,toy shop laye kedaikkum..yedhukku ivlo veen selavu?"
Though she said those words ,he know she was sadden at the corner of her heart.. "does she really think that I could not make it..?"he was shocked..
What insult he can get than this..his ego was badly hurt..he looked around for a second all the crowd gathered to watch the game had given him a pitiful look... "Why all of them glared at me as if I am the miserable man on earth..?"he clenched his jaw in annoyance..
"Give me one more .."he said with stubborn voice..
The sales girl also pitied him..
"Sir, indha vaati poda mudiyalainaa kooda ok..i will give u that teddy for free ..because u already bought five boxes..u can take it as our compliment.."she said with compassion..
he glared the sales girl in return..
"Thanks for ur kindness mam.. but I don't need this..I will win that teddy for my lady on my own abilities not with ur charity..."
He said with gritted teeth..
Raji's heart fluttered with him mentioning as my lady..did he really mean it?
She looked at him surprised eyes..
" Why r u staring at me? pass me the ball ..."
"ahhh?"she asked in disbelief..
"I said give me the ball..."
At last he was asking me to get the ball for him... with a huge grin on her face..she gave the ball to him..
He focused on his target..his mind fully occupied on only one thing..the basket..
He shoot the ball and it was a perfect basket..
Loud cheers and hooting from the audience echoed everywhere..
The sales girl give him the teddy with a huge smile..
"Congrats sir..at last u won.."
He grabbed the teddy with pride..and gave it to Raji raising his one brow as if boasting of his capabilities..
"R u happy ?"
She smiled big and took that from him she didn't know why her eyes smeared with wetness all of a sudden..
"Very happy.."she said gulping down her choking up emotions..
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"Avan yenna loosaa..?naalu dhadava bulb vaangittu anjaavadhu thadava pottadhukku..world cup jeyicha maadhiri appadi sirikaraan.."MTB k mocked MDS Karthik..
"Nee irukka paaru..avanoda lover aasai ah yevlo kashta pattu fulfill panni irukaan..he is really great..and that girl also very lucky"
"yennai vida avan onnum best illai therinjiko..naan yeppadi first attempt laye poten.."
"ofcourse u r the best..but he is also not less nu solren avlo dhaan...avan yethana dhadava potaannu mukkiyam illai...he tried until he succeed illaiyaa?adhaan important."
"Aamaa at the cost of 1000 he gained just a toy not even worth 1/10 of the amount .."
"karthik if we think of materialistic elements ..it may sounds silly... but the earnest effort he had put for making his lover happy what matters here ...the thing is he wanted to give his girl what she actually liked..I guess for her happiness he would do anything.."
"Podhum..why u r praising that guy..it makes me feel uneasy .let's stop talking about others ok..?"he said in irritated voice..
"R u jealous ..?"she asked with a naughty glint..
"What.. I am jealous..?that too with that loser...? no way..."
"Hey ..he may lose the game but. .he surely won her heart ..andha ponnu muathula yevlo sandhosham paaren.."
"You may be right..ok..it's getting late shall we.." he extended his hand for her..and she placed hers on his with a smile..both left walking hand in hand...
"Karthik,u know something?avanga rendu per perum kooda Karthik Raji dhaan.."she said in an excited voice..
"Is it..?unakku yepapdi theriyum..?"he asked in amused voice..
"Avanga pesum bodhu ottu keten.."she said with an absurd smile..
He laughed and pulled her cheeks..
"You r the cutest thing on earth..ottu kettennu yevlo perumaiyaa solra?"
Both laughed as they walking and their voices faded in air..
To be continued...
