Bro Daddy! ~ Sai x Adrija FF ~ Chap 6 on pg 3 - Page 3

Chapter 4 (When a Star Saw the Chef’s Heart)

Inside Spice Symphony — Padmaboti Waits

Padmaboti took a small sip of the chilled water placed before her, unaware of the chaos unfolding just beyond the glass doors.
Her manager scrolled through emails. Staff whispered nervously. The restaurant hummed with an anticipation that clung to the air like the smell of spices.

But Padmaboti?

She was simply enjoying the quiet.

She glanced around the restaurant, noticing small details:
the warm lighting, the intricate carved wooden panels, the faint trace of ghee in the air…

And something else.

A feeling.

A sense of… sincerity.

“Strange,” she murmured.

She couldn’t explain it, but Spice Symphony felt different from other restaurants she’d visited.
Like the walls themselves carried a heartbeat.

Just then, Trina looked up from her phone.

“Boti, the chef will send the dishes soon. They’re plating now.”

Padmaboti smiled.
“I’m excited. People say he cooks with emotion.”

She didn’t know how ridiculously true that was.

Or that the emotion he was cooking with… had just walked outside holding food packets.

Outside — The Feast for the Forgotten Begins

The children sat on the pavement in a perfect little circle — a mini mandala of joy.
They tore open the packets like they were unwrapping treasure.

“Ayyo! Smell enti ra idi!”
(What is this smell, man—wow!)

“Real chicken smell vastundi!”
(You can actually smell chicken!)

“It’s paneer, stupid!”
A girl corrected him with the authority of a school headmistress.

Venky watched them eat — truly eat — not like hungry kids attacking food, but as if each bite reminded them that life could be kind sometimes.

His chest warmed.

He didn’t cry — chefs don’t cry — but something behind his ribs softened like melting jaggery.

Rohit stood beside him, arms crossed.
“Bro… I swear to God… if Padmaboti finds out about this—”

“She won’t,” Venky said simply.

“YOU DON’T KNOW THAT!” Rohit flailed. “Her food is missing! Missing! Disappeared! Vanished! Gone like my hopes of retiring early!”

Venky didn’t reply.

He just continued watching the children, who were now laughing with full mouths, cheeks puffed out like tiny squirrels.

And in that moment… Venky felt something he hadn’t felt in a long time.

Peace.

Inside — The Missing Food Mystery Begins

Meanwhile, inside Spice Symphony, the waiter approached Padmaboti’s table with a confused expression.

“Ma’am… one moment please. The chef is preparing your dishes.”

Trina frowned.
“Didn’t he plate them already?”

“Yes, ma’am, but… uh… they’re not… there.”

Padmaboti blinked.
“Not there?”

The waiter nodded nervously.
“As if the plates walked away by themselves, ma’am.”

Trina sighed.
“Go check properly. And tell the chef we are waiting.”

The waiter hurried off.

Padmaboti simply rested her chin in her palm, amused.

Plates walking away? That’s new.

The Moment of Discovery — When a Star Saw a Chef

After another few minutes of waiting, Padmaboti’s instinct nudged her to turn toward the entrance.

The glass doors.
The bright sunlight.
The faint silhouette of someone familiar.

A man in an apron.
Messy hair.
Hands still dusted with coriander.
Surrounded by laughing children.

The same man she had glimpsed earlier — the one hiding behind the pillar.

But this time… he wasn’t hiding.

He was smiling softly at the children as they devoured the food he’d cooked with such devotion.

Padmaboti’s breath caught.

Something inside her shifted, like a curtain being drawn open.

Trina followed her gaze and gasped.

“Oh God—who is that giving food to—kids? Why is he feeding them?! And why is the food plated like a five-star chef made it—OH WAIT—”

Padmaboti shushed her with a gentle hand.

She kept watching.

The way he knelt down to wipe a little girl’s mouth with a tissue…
The way he refilled a boy’s packet so he wouldn’t fight over the last piece…
The way he looked at them with genuine affection…

This wasn’t charity.
This was care.

Quiet, unperformed care.

And Padmaboti — who had spent years surrounded by cameras, scripts, and pretence — felt something in her chest tighten.

A warmth she hadn’t expected.

“Who is he…?” she whispered.

Rohit Spots the Incoming Storm

Rohit, turning around, froze.

His soul left his body. His knees buckled. His brain shut down.

“VENKY BRO.”
His whisper cracked like a broken hinge.

Venky turned mildly.

“What happened?”

Rohit jabbed a finger toward the glass.

Venky followed his gaze.

And saw her.

Standing inside the restaurant.
Watching him.

Padmaboti Sen.
Bollywood star.
Grace personified.
His crush since forever.

And she was watching him feed children.

Venky’s heart dropped into his stomach.

“A—Ayyo…” he croaked.

Rohit slapped both hands on his face.
“Oh we’re dead. We’re finished. She saw everything. EVERYTHING.”

Venky froze like a statue.

A hot wind blew.
A child tugged his apron.
Somewhere, a scooter honked.

But all Venky could hear was his own heartbeat pounding like a dhol at a baraat.

Padmaboti slowly stepped forward.

One step.
Another.
And another.

Crossing the lobby.
Reaching the door.
Opening it.

The sunlight kissed her hair as she walked outside, her expression unreadable but soft… incredibly soft.

She stopped right in front of Venky.

For a moment, no one spoke.

Then…

She smiled.

A small, sincere smile that held more gratitude than words ever could.

“You gave them your food,” she said gently.
“The food meant for me.”

Venky swallowed, throat dry.

His voice came out barely above a whisper.

“I… I thought they needed it more, ma’am.”

Her eyes softened.
Trina’s jaw dropped behind her.
Rohit whispered a prayer of relief.

Padmaboti took one long look at the children eating happily…

Then she looked back at the shy, flustered chef whose ears were turning a deep shade of pink.

“And you were right,” she said quietly.

Venky blinked.

“I… I was?”

She nodded.

“Food tastes best when shared with those who need it. Thank you… for reminding me of that.”

Her gaze lingered on him for a moment longer than normal.

It felt like a silence that meant something.

And Venky… for the first time in hours… breathed properly.

But Then—

Trina cleared her throat.

“Boti… your segment? The tasting? The shoot? The schedule?”

Padmaboti turned calmly to her manager.

“Reschedule it.”

“What?! Why?!”

Padmaboti smiled — the serene, stubborn kind.

“I’ve already tasted something today.”

“Madam… you haven’t even had lunch!”

Padmaboti looked at Venky again.

“Maybe I will now.”

Rohit’s eyes nearly popped out.

Venky forgot how oxygen worked.

Padmaboti tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

“Chef… if you’re free… would you join me inside?”

The world stopped turning.

Children froze with food in hand.
Rohit covered his mouth.
Trina fainted internally.

Venky stared, stunned.

“M–Me? Inside? With… you?”

She nodded softly.

“If you don’t mind.”

Mind?

Venky could have fainted, floated, combusted, or ascended to heaven.

But what came out of his mouth was:

“Okay.”

Just… “Okay.”

Rohit slapped his back so hard a coriander leaf flew off him.

------

To be continued.

Chapter 5 (Two Hearts at One Table)

A Chef and a Star — Sitting Together

Spice Symphony had never been this quiet.

The staff had retreated into the kitchen, pretending not to stare.
Rohit lurked behind the counter like a secret agent with a ladle.
And at the very center of the restaurant, surrounded by soft amber lighting...

Padmaboti and Venky sat opposite each other.

Venky's pulse hammered so loudly he wondered if she could hear it.

He had washed his hands thrice.
Wiped them twice.
And still, they trembled.

Padmaboti watched him with gentle amusement.

"You don't have to be nervous," she said softly.

Venky looked up, startled.
"Nervous? Me? No, no... I'm a... cool person."

A plate clattered loudly in the kitchen as someone dropped it from laughing too hard.

Padmaboti hid a smile.

"So, Chef Ven—"

"Venky," he corrected quickly, then panicked.
"If—if that's okay. I mean, you can call me whatever... Venkat... Venkatesh... Chef... sir—no not sir, I'm not sir—"

She giggled—warm, melodious, unmistakably Bengali.

"Venky is perfect."

He nearly melted into the chair.

The First Bite — Shared Silence

The waiter finally brought out a fresh plate of the dishes Venky had prepared again—this time under Rohit's direct supervision because no one was losing food to children twice in one day.

The gongura-paneer.
The cashew-cream biryani.
Roasted vegetables.
Mocktail.

Padmaboti inhaled gently.

"Mmm... smells beautiful."

Venky held his breath as she took the first bite.

Her eyes fluttered closed.
Her shoulders relaxed.
A smile slowly bloomed across her lips.

"Venky..."

"Y-yes?"

"This tastes like... home."

Venky blinked.

"Home? But... but this is Hyderabadi fusion food, and you're—Bengali—?"

She nodded softly, eyes still on the food.

"Yes. But the warmth... the simplicity... the honesty... it reminds me of my maa's cooking."

Venky's heart thumped painfully.

Food was his language.
And she understood it in one bite.

The Quiet That Spoke Volumes

For a while, they simply ate.

Not awkward.
Not loud.
Just... peaceful.

Padmaboti finally placed her spoon down and looked at him with those gentle kajal-lined eyes.

"Can I ask you something?"

Venky stiffened.
"Ask... anything."

"Why did you give my food to those children?"

He swallowed.

His eyes lowered to his hands — fingers calloused from chopping, palms marked with tiny burns, the signature of a chef's life.

He breathed slowly, searching for the right words.

"When I was little... Nanna always fed poor children," he said softly.
"Everywhere we went — traffic signals, temple steps, bus stands... if he saw a hungry child, he would stop."

Padmaboti listened closely.

"I used to hold the food box while he handed it out," Venky continued.
"I didn't understand it then. I just thought he liked kids."

He gave a small smile.

"But as I grew older... I realised something.
Whenever Nanna saw a child alone or hungry, his whole face changed.
Like... something inside him cracked open."

Padmaboti's eyes softened.

"So for me... feeding children isn't a habit," he said quietly.
"It's... the way I grew up.
The way Nanna taught me to look at the world."

He looked up, voice gentler now.

"Maybe I'm just... following him."

A hush settled between them.

Not sadness. Understanding.

Padmaboti's voice was barely a whisper.

"That's why your food tastes like this. It carries the tenderness of someone raised with real love."

Venky's breath hitched.

No one had ever understood him so effortlessly.

Her Turn — The Loneliness Behind Stardom

Padmaboti exhaled deeply, almost as if she'd been waiting to say something.

"Can I tell you something too?"

Venky nodded quickly.

"I know people think my life is glamorous," she said softly.
"Lights, cameras, fans... all of it."

He listened, gaze fixed on her.

"But fame is... lonely, Venky. Terribly lonely."

He shifted, concern flickering across his face.

She continued.

"When so many look at you...
...but no one really sees you...
...it's exhausting."

Her eyes glistened for a moment.

"I miss sitting at a normal table. Eating normal food. Talking to someone who doesn't treat me like a brand."

Venky's heart clenched.

"Today," she said, voice warmer now, "I saw you feeding those children.
Not for attention.
Not for praise.
You didn't even know I was watching."

She held his gaze.

"That... felt real."

Venky's breath stuttered.

"Real?" he echoed.

She nodded.

"And rare."

The Almost Touch

A spoon rolled slightly toward the edge of the table.
Instinctively, they both reached for it.

His fingers brushed hers.

Just the lightest touch.
Barely contact.

But enough to send a jolt through both of them.

Padmaboti didn't pull away.
She looked at him, eyes softening...
a hint of warmth blooming on her cheeks.

Venky immediately retracted, flustered.

"S-sorry! Sorry—my fingers, they—"

She shook her head gently.

"No need to apologise."

Their eyes held for one more second.

Something unspoken passed between them.
Something fragile.
Something warm.
Something that felt like the beginning of a beginning.

Rohit, the Worst Spy Ever

Meanwhile, behind a giant menu at the counter...

Rohit whispered dramatically:

"Ohhhhh my god. Did they just TOUCH? Did fingers touch? Did fate touch? God, take me. I have seen everything."

A junior staff member whispered:

"Sir... your head is fully visible above the menu."

"Oh. Right."

He ducked lower.

A Promise of Tomorrow

As they finished their meal, Padmaboti stood up.

"So, Chef Venky..."

She hesitated for a heartbeat.

"...would you show me your kitchen?"

Venky nearly fainted.

"K-kitchen? My kitchen? With me? Inside the kitchen? Both of us?"

She giggled again — that soft, melodic Bengali laugh that made his chest bloom with warmth.

"Yes, Venky. With you."

He swallowed.

"Haan... sure. Of course. Anytime. Always. Forever— I mean FOR the tour. For the tour."

Padmaboti smiled.

"Great. I'd like to visit tomorrow."

Tomorrow.

She wanted to see him again tomorrow.

Venky's knees became metaphorical jelly.

"Tomorrow," he repeated softly, as if tasting the word.

She nodded.

Then, with one last look — tender, grateful, quietly curious — she walked out with her manager.

Venky watched her leave...feeling something he had never felt for real before.

Hope.

Warm, simmering, sweet hope.

Like a pot on slow flame...
something was cooking.

Something beautiful.

------

To be continued.

Chapter 6 (The Kitchen Tour of Destiny)

Morning at Spice Symphony — A Chef in Panic

Venky woke up before sunrise.

Not because of work.
Not because of biryani orders.
Not because Rohit had called him 12 times.

But because today…

Padmaboti Sen was coming to his kitchen.

He stared at his reflection while brushing his teeth.

“Don’t embarrass yourself. Don’t stare at her. Don’t faint. Don’t trip. Don’t talk too much. Don’t talk too little. Don’t—”

His comb slipped and fell into the sink.

“Ayyo, idi kaadu… today is not the day for disasters,” he muttered, rubbing his temples.

By the time he reached Spice Symphony, the entire staff stood in a line, saluting him dramatically.

Rohit stepped forward.

“Ladies and gentlemen…
Romeo Reddy garu has arrived.”

Venky glared.
“Rohit. Not today.”

“Exactly!” Rohit clapped. “Today is special! Today is destiny! Today is the day you will show Padmaboti that your kitchen is HOT in more ways than one—”

Venky slapped a ladle on the counter.

“ENOUGH.”

The staff snickered.

Rohit winked, unfazed.

“Ay, relax ra. You're doing great already. Just… try not to hide behind any pillars today.”

“I DID NOT HIDE—”

“You crouched like a frightened squirrel.”

Venky groaned.

Padmaboti Arrives — And Everything Stops

At exactly 11:15 a.m., the glass doors opened.

Padmaboti stepped inside wearing a simple sky-blue kurta, hair loosely tied, eyes sparkling with morning sunlight.

No makeup.
No cameras.
No PR team hovering.

Just her.

The staff straightened like someone pressed a reset button.

Rohit whispered to Venky:

“Breathe. Breathe, bro. Oxygen is free.”

Venky’s heart thumped so loudly he wondered if the plates were vibrating.

He stepped forward.

“Uh… good morning…”

She smiled — soft, warm, instantly calming.

“Good morning, Venky.”

He nearly melted into the floor.

The Tour Begins — Controlled Chaos

Venky led her into the kitchen.

The staff stood frozen like wax statues.

“This is… um… the chopping area,” Venky explained, gesturing awkwardly.

Padmaboti tilted her head, studying him more than the counters.

“And… that is the… uh… the stove.”

She smiled.
“Do you always point out stoves with such seriousness?”

Venky flushed bright red.

“I—I'm usually more… normal.”

“I like this version too,” she said softly.

He forgot how to breathe again.

The Knife Moment — Too Close for Comfort

Venky picked up a knife to demonstrate chopping techniques.

“This is how you dice onions evenly—”

The knife slipped.

Padmaboti gasped and reached out instinctively.

Her hand clasped his wrist before the blade touched the counter.

Venky froze.

Her hand was soft. Warm. Close.

His pulse skyrocketed.

She looked up, eyes wide.

“Are you okay?”

“Y-yeah… yeah… the knife… it just… um… jumped.”

“Knives don’t jump, Venky.”

“They do when I’m nervous.”

She blinked.

Then smiled — a small, shy smile he had not yet seen from her.

“Well… don’t be nervous with me.”

Her hand lingered a second longer before releasing him.

That one second burned into Venky’s memory permanently.

A Little Jealousy Twist — Enter Mikael

Just then, a tall, handsome assistant director entered the kitchen.

Mikael Sharma.
Beard. Sunglasses. Overconfidence.

“Padmaboti, we need you for a quick photo—”

He stopped mid-sentence when he saw her standing close to Venky.

His eyebrow twitched.

“Oh. You’re… in the kitchen.”
With him.

Padmaboti stepped slightly back, but her tone stayed polite.

“Yes, Mikael. I’m doing the food tour.”

Mikael forced a smile at Venky.

“So you’re the chef? Nice… very… rustic.”

Rustic?
RUSTIC?

Rohit, listening from behind a shelf, whispered:

“Oh no. This man wants to die today.”

Mikael continued, without being asked:

“Padmaboti doesn’t need to spend too much time here. We can continue the shoot.”

Venky lowered his eyes, quietly stepping back.

He wasn’t confrontational.
He wasn’t bold.
He wasn’t the kind of man who fought for attention.

He just retreated.

Exactly the moment Padmaboti turned toward him and noticed the shift in his expression.

Her voice sharpened.

“Mikael?”

“Yes?”

“I want to stay.”

Venky looked up in surprise.

She continued firmly:

“And I’d like you to leave the kitchen. I’m in the middle of something.”

Mikael blinked.

Something?

With him?

Rohit whispered:

“Ohhhh. Ohhhh my god. Bro. She defended you. YOU. Not me. Not the biryani. YOU.”

Mikael muttered, embarrassed, and walked out.

Padmaboti turned back to Venky, eyes softening again.

“Sorry about that. Film people can be… intrusive.”

Venky shook his head quickly.

“No… no… it’s fine… he was just doing his—”

“He wasn’t,” she corrected gently.

Venky blinked.

She smiled.

“Come. Show me more of your world.”

The Nanna Moment — A Bond Deepens

As they walked to the dessert counter, Padmaboti quietly asked:

“Your father… your Nanna… he must be a kind man.”

Venky’s eyes softened instantly.

“The best,” he whispered.

There was no hesitation.
No doubt.
Only warmth.

Padmaboti watched his face transform — how speaking of Nanna softened Venky’s entire being.

“He taught you everything?” she asked.

Venky nodded proudly.

“My compassion… my cooking… even my discipline… all from him.”

She smiled gently, warmth filling her voice.

“You talk about him with so much love.”

Venky shrugged slightly, shy.

“He raised me alone… so… he’s everything.”

Padmaboti’s heart tightened.

Not out of pity.

Out of quiet admiration.

When She Tasted His Dessert… Everything Changed

Venky placed a small ceramic cup before her.

“Try this… coconut-jaggery mousse with dry fruit praline.”

She dipped the spoon, tasting it slowly.

Her eyes widened.

“Oh…”

Not just enjoyment.
Not just surprise.

Something else.

“It tastes like…” she whispered, searching for the right word.

“Comfort?” Venky offered shyly.

She met his eyes.

“No.
It tastes like someone who cooks… with love.”

Venky’s breath faltered.

Because that was the one thing he never said aloud —
the one truth Nanna had taught him silently.

Padmaboti stepped a little closer.

“Venky?”

“Hm?”

“You’re not just a chef.”

He blinked.

“You’re… a healer. With food.”

His throat went dry.

He didn’t know how to respond.

So he just stood there, heart thundering, as she smiled softly at him…

A smile that felt like sunlight after years of shade.

And Then—The Near Confession

She took a small step closer.

Close enough that he could smell the faint jasmine in her hair.

“Venky… I—”

Rohit burst in dramatically:

“BROOO!”

Venky jumped.
Padmaboti stepped back.

Rohit froze, realizing he JUST interrupted something sacred.

“Oh no,” he whispered.
“Ohhh no. God, smite me. I ruined the moment. I ruined love. I am the villain—”

Venky turned crimson.

Padmaboti bit back a smile.

Rohit backed away slowly, hands raised like a criminal caught by police.

“I’m going! I’m leaving! I was never here!”
He disappeared behind a shelf.

Silence returned.

Padmaboti stepped closer again, eyes soft, voice gentle.

“Venky… I—”

CRASH!

A Swiggy delivery guy burst into the kitchen like a meteor on two legs.

Helmet still on.
Bags swinging.
Google Maps yelling directions from his phone.

“SIR! SPICE SYMM—OHHHH NOOOOO—”

He slipped.

THUD!
Food bags flew.
A mixing bowl clanged.
The staff collectively gasped.

Rohit stormed forward.

“Ay! Delivery entrance is on the OTHER SIDE! Are you delivering food to the fridge?!”

Venky rushed to help the poor guy stand.

“I’m so sorry… careful… are you hurt?”

The delivery boy shook his head and limped out.

Padmaboti hid a laugh behind her hand.

Venky sighed.

“Where were we…?”

She smiled, stepping closer again.

“Venky… I was saying—”

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

The FIRE ALARM BLARED.

Everyone jumped.

Rohit screamed:

“WHO BURNT THE PAPAD AGAIN?! WHO?! Show me your face!”

Smoke wafted from a trainee’s counter.
The papad lay blackened like charcoal.

Venky ran to switch off the alarm.

“I told you—LOW flame! LOW! LOW means NOT HIGH!”

Padmaboti laughed openly now, eyes sparkling.

She waited until the chaos calmed… then leaned in again.

“Can I… tell you something?”

Venky’s heart skipped.

“Yes…”

She stepped closer. Close enough that he felt her breath.

“Venky… I—”

SPLAAAAASH!

A junior chef yelped:

“AYYOOOOO! HOT OIL! HOT OIL!”

The pan had slipped; oil splattered across the floor.

Rohit rushed over with towels, slipping halfway.

Venky grabbed the junior chef and pulled him aside.

“Are you burned? Hands? Face? Show me—”

“No sir! Just scared!”

“Good. Be careful…”

Padmaboti watched him — the gentleness, the instinctive protectiveness, the panic turning into focus —
and her heart melted further.

The chaos settled once more.

She approached again, smiling softly.

“Venky… now can I tell you—”

“EXCUSE ME!”

A furious voice echoed from the reception.

“HELLO?! IS THIS HOW YOU TREAT CUSTOMERS?!”

Rohit groaned.

“Oh god… that fellow again.”

Venky rubbed his temples.

“Ayyo…”

“VENKY!” a waiter shouted. “He says we forgot his chaas! CHAAS! He is threatening to make a REEL!”

Padmaboti raised an eyebrow.

“A reel… over chaas?”

Venky sighed in defeat.

“I’ll… I’ll be right back.”

He jogged outside.

Padmaboti leaned against the counter, laughing softly at how the universe seemed determined to interrupt them.

Rohit whispered dramatically from behind her:

“Madam… it’s destiny. Even God is saying ‘slow burn, slow burn’.”

She laughed harder.

When Venky returned — flustered, apologetic, adorable — she stood waiting.

He rubbed the back of his neck.

“I’m… so sorry. Today is… chaos.”

She shook her head.

“No, Venky. It’s perfect.”

He blinked.

“Perfect?”

She stepped closer — not too close this time, because they both knew the kitchen was cursed today —
but close enough.

“I got to see you,” she said softly.
“How you handle pressure. How you care. How you think.”

Venky’s breath caught.

“And…?” he asked shyly.

She smiled — gentle, luminous, and warm as sunlight.

“And it makes me want to meet you again.”

Venky’s heart stopped. Then restarted.

“Again?”

“Yes,” she said simply.

And this time…

No alarms.
No spills.
No angry customers.
No delivery boys.

Just silence.
Just the two of them.

Just the heat of something beautiful beginning to simmer.

-------

To be continued.

Chapter 7 (Aftermath, Confessions & A Night That Changes Everything)

Back in the Kitchen — Rohit Goes Ferocious

The moment Padmaboti left the kitchen, Venky stood absolutely motionless.

Not blinking.
Not breathing.
Not processing.

Just… existing like a man struck by lightning.

Rohit peeped from behind the counter like a lizard assessing prey.

“Bro…”

Venky didn’t react.

“Brooooo…”

Still nothing.

Rohit sighed dramatically and marched forward, grabbing Venky’s shoulders, shaking him like a maraca.

“HELLO! EARTH TO ROMEO REDDY GARU!”

Venky finally blinked.

“…she said she wants to meet me again.”

Rohit staggered back like he’d been fatally shot.

“Oh.
My.
GOD.”

The staff gathered instantly, sensing drama.

Rohit pointed at Venky like a cricket commentator witnessing history.

“HE DID IT! FOUR INTERRUPTIONS COULD NOT BREAK HIM! OUR BOY IS INNNNN!”

Venky turned bright red.

“Rohit, stop—”

“STOP?” Rohit gasped. “You expect ME to stop when SHE basically said your whole existence is aesthetically pleasing to her?!”

“That is NOT what she said!”

“Bro,” Rohit insisted, hands on hips, “she said: ‘You handle pressure. You care. You think.’
In GIRL LANGUAGE, that means: ‘Bring baraat tomorrow.’”

Venky buried his face.

“Oh my god…”

“No, you’re not god,” Rohit said, patting his cheek.
“But you ARE Padmaboti’s favourite chef now.”

A junior cook whispered:

“Sir… is this love story going to continue tomorrow?”

Rohit raised a solemn hand.

“Yes. Tomorrow begins Phase Two: FEELINGS ON LOW FLAME.”

Venky groaned loudly.

Meanwhile — Padmaboti in the Car

Trina glanced at her through the rearview mirror.

“You look… quiet.”

Padmaboti adjusted her dupatta, a soft smile unknowingly blooming on her face.

“Do I?”

“Yes, and it’s suspicious.”

Padmaboti gazed outside as Hyderabad’s lights streamed past.

“I just… enjoyed today.”

Trina stared like she’d heard blasphemy.

“Madam, today you were nearly murdered by a papad, roasted by a fire alarm, hit by a flying delivery boy, and threatened by hot oil. THIS is what you enjoyed?”

Padmaboti laughed softly.

“It wasn’t the chaos.”

“Then what?”

Her voice softened.

“His… nature.”

“Nature?” Trina echoed.

Padmaboti exhaled.

“He’s gentle. Sincere. Humble. He listens. He doesn’t perform. He doesn’t pretend. He’s just… Venky.”

Trina smirked.

“Ohhh. Someone is smitten.”

Padmaboti rolled her eyes but didn’t deny it.

He made her feel normal.
Seen.
Safe.
Warm.

Not love.
Not yet.

But something she had forgotten existed.

Back at Spice Symphony — Venky, The Meltdown Version

Hours passed.
The staff left.
Chairs were stacked.
Lights dimmed.

Only Venky remained.

He sat with elbows on his knees, staring at the floor.

“I messed up so much… the knife… papad… oil…”

Rohit stood beside him like a tired elder brother.

“Bro, that girl faced FOUR near-death experiences and STILL wants to see you again. This is not coincidence. This is DESTINY.”

Venky looked up.

“You think she likes spending time with me?”

“She didn’t just like it,” Rohit declared.
“She SPARKLED, bro. She glowed like fresh ghee on halwa.”

Venky groaned into his palms.

“I’m going to faint.”

“Good. Do it now. Not tomorrow.”

Rohit slapped his back, grabbed his keys, and left.

The restaurant fell silent.

Venky sighed, stood up, and went to switch off the lights.

And then—

The Unexpected Return

The door chimed.

Venky froze.

Who on earth—

He turned.

And his soul left his body.

Padmaboti stood in the doorway… stunning.

No kurta this time.
She wore a sleek, elegant black gown — not flashy, but effortlessly glamorous.
A soft shimmer on her skin.
Hair styled in cascading waves.
Eyes lined perfectly, glowing under the dim lights.

She looked every bit the actress the world adored.

And yet… she was here.
For him.

“P-Padmaboti?” he whispered.
Voice cracking like a teenager.

She stepped inside, closing the door gently behind her.

“Hi again.”

He stared.
Too long.
Too obviously.

She smiled, slightly shy — a first for her.

“Is everything okay?” Venky managed. “Did you forget something?”

She shook her head slowly.

“No. I came back because… I wanted to spend more time with you.”

Venky forgot how to inhale.

“Oh.”

Quality Time — And The Heart Realisation

They sat at a corner table, dim lights reflecting softly on her glamorous attire.

Even in that dress… she looked comfortable.
Safe.
Happy.

“Venky,” she asked softly, “how long have you known my work?”

He flushed.

“Since your first telefilm.”

Her eyebrows lifted.

“That long?”

He nodded.

“I’ve watched everything. All your movies, interviews… I even kept your award magazine cover in my culinary school locker.”

A silence.
Her eyes softened in a way he had never seen before.

“You’re… my fan?”

He swallowed.

“Your biggest one.”

Something inside her shifted.

Something warm.
Dangerous.
Real.

Venky Cooks For Her

“Make me something?” she asked.

“S-something?”

“Something simple. Something… from you.”

He nodded and hurried into the kitchen.

Ten minutes later:

“Upma?” she teased when he placed it before her.

“My Nanna says… simple dishes have the most truth.”

She tasted it.

Her eyes closed.

“This tastes like… safety.”

And Venky nearly fainted.

The Bittersweet Goodbye

After they spoke for nearly an hour — about cooking, cinema, childhood stories, and dreams — Padmaboti finally stood up.

But eventually, she stood up.

“It’s getting late.”

Venky’s heart tightened painfully.

She walked toward the door.

“Padmaboti?”

She turned.

“Will… will this be our last meeting?” he asked, voice trembling.

A long pause.
She saw the hope in his eyes.
And the fear.

“It could be,” she said softly.

His face fell.
It broke something in her.

He whispered:

“Can I… at least get your autograph?”

Her lips curved slowly.

“I’ll give you one.”

“I-I don’t have any paper—”

“I don’t need paper.”

The Kiss — Done For Love, Not Impulse

She stepped closer.

Closer.

Her glamorous gown shimmered under the dim kitchen light.
The scent of jasmine and vanilla drifted toward him.
Her eyes softened — not flirtatious.
Not playful.

But full of emotion.

Real emotion.

She had fallen for him.
She knew it.
And she wasn’t running from it anymore.

Venky whispered, trembling:

“Where… will you sign?”

Padmaboti gently cupped his face.

“In a place you’ll never forget,” she whispered.

Then she leaned in — slowly, deliberately — and brushed her lips against his.

A soft, warm, lingering kiss.

Not quick.
Not casual.
Not a tease.

A kiss filled with everything she couldn’t say aloud.

She pulled back only slightly, lips still brushing his, and whispered:

“That’s your autograph, Venky.”

Then she smiled — glowing, glamorous, utterly beautiful — and walked away.

“See you… maybe.”

The door chimed behind her.

He touched his lips, trembling.

“Ayyo… Nanna… I’m finished. I’m absolutely… finished.”

He collapsed into a chair, dizzy with joy.

Padmaboti’s POV — Falling, Fear & The Kiss That Meant Everything

The hotel room was quiet.

Too quiet.

Hyderabad glittered below her window, but inside her chest, something fluttered wildly — something she couldn’t calm, couldn’t name, couldn’t hide.

Her fingers lifted again to her lips.

The lips that had just kissed Venky.

She closed her eyes.

It wasn’t a reckless kiss.
It wasn’t a fan-service moment.
It wasn’t something done for chemistry or PR or camera angles.

It was real.

Because for the first time in years…she had fallen for someone.

Not slowly.
Not cautiously.

But softly, unexpectedly, all at once.

Why She Went Back — The Real Reason

She had tried to return to her hotel room, tried to change, tried to rest…
but her heart kept replaying one moment:

“Will this be our last meeting?”

There had been nothing dramatic in his tone.
No pressure.
No demands.

Just honesty.
Raw, vulnerable honesty.

It pierced something inside her.

Because Venky wasn’t like people in her world —
people who wanted attention, validation, power.

He wasn’t chasing her fame.
He wasn’t dazzled by her celebrity glow.
He wasn’t performing.

He simply… liked her.
For who she was.
For how she spoke.
For how she cared.
For how she existed.

And she had felt seen — deeply, quietly, beautifully seen.

That scared her.
That thrilled her.

And that’s why she went back.

Not out of politeness.
Not out of guilt.

But because she couldn’t stay away.

Why She Dressed Like an Actress Tonight

She could have gone back in the same kurta.
She could have gone casually, simply, unnoticed.

But she didn’t.

She stood in front of her wardrobe, heart pounding, and chose a sleek black gown — elegant, glamorous, unmistakably cinematic.

Because she wanted Venky to see all of her.

Not just Padmaboti the simple girl in a sky-blue kurta.
But Padmaboti the actress —
the woman who lived between cameras and lights,
the woman the world looked at from afar,
the woman who had built a fortress around her heart.

If Venky was going to fall for her…
he deserved to see the real her — even the intimidating parts.

And deep inside…

She wanted to know if she still felt like “his Padmaboti” when she was dressed like a star.

And she did.

Because his eyes didn’t widen at her glamour.

They softened.

He looked at her the same way…

With awe.
With kindness.
With quiet admiration.

When He Said “Your Biggest Fan”

She had heard the word fan thousands of times in her life.

But never like that.

Never whispered.
Never shyly.
Never with reverence instead of obsession.

And never with ears turning red.

She felt something warm spread across her chest.

Not ego.
Not pride.

Tenderness.

Because he didn’t idolise her.
He admired her work.
He respected her journey.
He valued her passion.

He liked the person, not the celebrity.

And that was dangerous.

Because men like Venky — genuine, gentle, good —
are men you fall for without realising.

The Upma Moment — Where She Truly Fell

When she took the first bite of the upma he made…

Something shifted.

It wasn’t just food.
It was warmth.
It was care.
It was sincerity in a bowl.

Her life was full of luxurious meals, Michelin stars, curated tasting menus.

But nothing tasted like this.

Nothing tasted…safe.

She opened her eyes and saw him watching anxiously — like her opinion mattered more than any critic’s, any judge’s.

And in that moment, she realised:

She could fall for him.
She was falling.

Fast.
Quiet.
Deep.

Why She Said “It Could Be” — The Pain Behind It

That lie tasted bitter even now.

She said it because:

Her world was unpredictable.
Her fame was fragile.
Her schedule was ruthless.
Her life was not normal.

She didn’t want to give him false promises.

But when she saw the light dim in his eyes, something sharp twisted inside her.

She had hurt him.
She had seen it.
And she hated herself for it.

She wanted to take the words back.

But she couldn’t.

Because she was afraid.

Afraid that if she allowed herself to hope…
she would fall deeper than she could handle.

Why She Kissed Him — The Real Truth

She sat on her bed, fingers touching her lips again.

She didn’t kiss him because it was romantic.

She didn’t kiss him because he asked for something.

She kissed him because—

She had fallen for him, truly and quietly.

She kissed him because—

She wanted him to know he mattered.
She wanted him to remember tonight.
She wanted him to feel cherished.
She wanted to give him something real, without words.

She kissed him because she didn’t know what tomorrow would bring…
but she knew what tonight meant.

The kiss wasn’t an autograph.

It was a confession.

A soft, trembling confession her voice wasn’t ready to speak.

The Fear She Cannot Admit Aloud

She hugged her knees on the bed, staring at the dark window.

She wasn’t afraid of scandals.
She wasn’t afraid of paparazzi.

She was afraid of him.

Afraid of how gentle he was.
Afraid of how sincerely he looked at her.
Afraid of how safe he made her feel.
Afraid of the way her heart thudded when he smiled.
Afraid of the way she fit so easily into his quiet world.

And afraid because—

Venky was the kind of man who loves once, fully, without hesitation.

And she wasn’t sure she deserved something so pure.

But she wanted it anyway.

The One Truth Her Heart Whispered

As she finally lay down, pulling the blanket around her, her last thought wasn’t about work.

It was Venky.

His shy grin.
His trembling voice.
His warm hands.
The way he breathed her name.

She whispered into the empty room:

“I hope… this isn’t our last meeting.”

And with that unspoken hope, she closed her eyes —Venky’s kiss still warm on her lips.

------

To be continued.

thanks for such long chapter updates. It was like a treat . Thoroughly enjoyed it. The kiss in the last chapter was a sweet surprise. I was feeling shy in place of characters that's how good written it was 😊.

The slow burn between venky and padmaboti is just delicious to read if I say in chef language. I am glad you aren't jumping things in their relationship. They are taking their own time .