Inline comments are love💜.

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Harshitha's pov;

The chirping sound of birds and the sunlight that pierced through the window woke me up from my deep slumber. I rubbed my eyes and stretched my body within my warm, cozy bed. Vihana was nowhere in sight. I exhaled, seeing her side of the bed was unmade. I know Vihana is lazy but can't she even fold her blanket?

After folding our blankets, I took my toiletries and entered the bathroom to do my morning routine. The tap water was already hot due to the weather so, there is no need to use the heater. I can't even imagine what the temperature would be in the noon If the water is this hot in the morning. After completing my bath, I dried my body and put on my inners and a T-shirt n paired it with a knee-length skirt.

Putting my dirty clothes in the hamper, I came out to see Vihana sitting on the bed and scrolling through her phone, grinning widely. Clearing my throat, I sat down next to her. But still, she didn't look up from her phone.

"Ahem!" I teased, nudging her shoulder with mine.

"Ni epo vanda?" She quickly kept her phone down and questioned me. (when did you come?)

"When I came doesn't matter, may I know what are you doing?" I asked, raising my brows playfully.

"He messaged me'' She squealed and laid down, hiding her blushing face on the pillow.

"You're only saying 'he', But you are not telling who is that 'he'. I wondered, applying moisturizer on my face.

"Konja naal agatum solren." She promised, leaning against me. (I will tell in a few days)

For the past two months, they were texting and video calling each other. When I asked for his name but, her reply was, "I will say when the time comes and trust me, everyone will accept our relationship."

Everyone thinks Vihana is more mature for her age, but only we knew how innocent she is. So, when she said 'He' proposed to her, and refused to tell me his detail. I was so worried that someone would play with her feeling. I hope that 'he' will not hurt her.

"So, what my brother got you?" Vihana eagerly asked as she helped to remove the tangles from my hair.

"He got me a watch, and I got a watch to him." I sighed, putting my hair in a ponytail, and kept a small Bindi in between my brows.

"What the problem in that- wait! You didn't like that! I know! that is why he should bring me to select a gift for you. " She blabbered, nodding to herself with a pout on her lips.

"Hello madam, I didn't say I don't like it, I love it. The problem is we got a couple's watch. He got the women's one, and I bought him a men's one at the same shop. Only one of us gets to wear it. I want him to wear it but, you know him, that stubborn man said that watch looks beautiful on me, and I should wear it.

Then Amma lectured me for an hour after we came home about how careless I was and how Vikram sacrificed his precious time to help me." I complained, rolling my eyes, opening the bedroom door Vihana waited for me to follow her. Our footsteps echoed in the silent hallway as we walked towards the stairs.

"Aww, so cute! Look how in sync you guys are. Without knowing itself, getting each other a couple's watches, celebrating your 4th anniversary near a beautiful lake ahhh, I can't wait to see how me and Ha-" She stopped midway, keeping her hands on her mouth looking at me nervously. I stared at her, waiting for her to complete that sentence with my hands on my hips. However, she smiled at me sheepishly, scratching her neck.

"You need to control your tongue if you want to keep that secret." I looked at her amusingly, laughing at her cute expression. I want her to be happy, and I would support them for sure if they are serious. But considering how protective Vikram was on Vihana, I don't think he would like it. Eventually, he would come to accept them.

"Amma! Athai." I called out loud as nobody was in sight when we entered the dining room.

"Papa, the ladies have gone to garden and the men have gone to take a bath in pump set)." Sundari aunty emerged from the kitchen and informed us.

"Okay, aunty can I help you with anything?" I asked, following her to the kitchen.

The smell of sambar filled the kitchen as she transferred the sizzling hot sambar into a vessel. Friday and Tuesday mean sambar. I don't know if every Tamil family follows this, but our family follows this tradition for generations. They were a belief that we should not cook bitter or sour on Tuesdays and Fridays as these days are very auspicious days for goddess Mahalakshmi.

"No papa, every work is completed, shall I put coffee for you both?" She asked us, taking out the vessel and mugs to put the coffee.

"You just relax, I will prepare it, aunty," I replied, taking the vessel out of her hand.

I poured the boiled milk into two cups and added a spoon of sugar and coffee powder to each cup. After filtering the coffee, I brought the mugs to the living room, Handling the coffee mug to Vihana, I walked out to sit in the swing.

The coffee felt heaven as the bitter taste touched my taste buds, awakening me further. I smiled at Amma, Athai, and Patti as they walked past me with a basket full of vegetables.

The swing started to sway as my foot gently kicked the ground. I closed my eyes in bliss as the village breeze gently caressed my skin. The air was warm yet cool. The sky was in the best tint of blue, and the morning sun was already up and doing its job of giving the daily dose of vitamin D.

I looked back as I heard someone's footsteps. Vihana took a seat next to me with a huff cursing the boys for enjoying their pump set bath.

Sometimes we take a bath in a pump set too(of course with our clothes on). But athai asked vihana not to go as her periods are nearing. So obviously, I can't go alone if vihana doesn't come considering our safety, as it is not safe to be alone in the middle of the fields.

"Vihana, come here!" Athai shouted from the doorstep with a plate in her hand. Vihana groaned, already knowing what it would be. One astrologer said that Vihana should offer food for crow daily morning without fail as she has some dhosham in her jaadagam. Whining, Vihana got up from the swing, walking intentionally slow, earning a shout from athai to come faster.

Leaning back on the swing, I took a sip closing my eyes to enjoy the sun.

"Please Viha, you go and come, tomorrow I will go for you," I said as I heard the footsteps again but didn't open my eyes, knowing that Vihana would have returned to ask me to accompany her to the terrace.

No answer came so, I opened my eyes to see Vikram standing behind me with a grin in a grey shirt and black shorts. I smiled at him, but instead of smiling back, he looked at me with a smirk. I looked at him suspiciously, trying to figure out what was lurking in his mind. Suddenly drops of water fell on me as he shook his wet hair causing me to giggle.

"Vikram! I just now took a bath." I huffed, wiping the water off my face. He laughed and plopped down next to me, causing the swing to shake.

"Man, be gentle! you going to make us fall.'' I countered, holding the swing reins tightly.

"As if I will let you fall." He replied smoothly, taking a sip from my cup.

Confirming that nobody was there in sight, I leaned against his shoulder with a content sigh. He circled his arms around my waist and pecked my temple with a smile.

I moved away from Vikram as I heard someone shout my name, I looked around, but nobody was there.

"Up." I looked up to see Vihana standing on the terrace waving her arms comically. Just as I was about to lean again, I saw Vihaan standing behind Vihana, looking at her in confusion.

I quickly stood up and went inside, hoping that he didn't see anything. Vihaan can't keep any important secrets. If anyone thought Vihana to be talkative, then they are very wrong.

Vihaan speaks miles per minute and eats out our ears off with his nonstop talks. We love and trust him a lot, but we don't trust his mouth at all. When we tell him something normal, he forgets it then and there, but when we tell him a secret, he ends up blurting out it in front of our family.

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to be continued...