Harshitha's Pov:

The warm rays of sunlight hit me as I moved the blindfolds to the sides. The tints of orange and red filled up the sky, the flocks of chirping birds rushing to their sweet home with their young ones, As the beautiful ball of fire descended in the west.

"God! Harshi close the blindfold please." Vihana groaned in a sleepy voice from the bed.

"Viha, get up! For half an hour grandma is calling you. Everyone is ready for going to the temple. It's you who is balance" I pulled the blanket off her head and pulled her to get up from the bed.

"Please Harshi! lie to patti that I'm not feeling well" She pleaded and lay on the bed again.

(Patti-grandma)

"What has happened to madam? I'm 64 years older than you but, I'm just fine" Suddenly a voice startled us. We both turned towards the door and saw thatha standing at the door with his arms crossed across his chest.

(thatha- grandpa)

"Then what have you said? ahh..lie to grandma, then till now you are lying like this?" Thatha came near us and twisted vihana's ear.

Vihana pouted and rubbed her ears showing her thumb saying 'kaa' to thatha.

Thatha signaled me to close the door. I closed the door and sat down next to the whining vihana.

"Thatha your acting has improved over years." Vihana complimented him with thumbs up.

"I can't stand your grandma's torture" thatha sat down with a huff on the bed.

I and Vihana laughed out loud at his words.

"Shuu.. one monkey followed me here" Thatha silenced us with a finger on his lips, referring to vihaan.

"Don't he has any other work, always gossiping about me with grandma" Vihana scolded Vihaan punching the pillow.

"Avana vidu thangam, Ni poi seekram ready agitu kela vaa. Otherwise, your Patti will start 'Vihana! unkitta evlo time solirken, velaku vekra neratula thoonga kudatunu.' And she will not change her dialogue for me too."

(Forget him thangam, you go and get ready fast and come downstairs. Otherwise, your grandma will start' Vihana! how many times have I said this, you should not sleep during lighting time?) (Lighting time- prayer time)

Thatha imitated Patti with a frown on his face.

"Grandpa we can give oscar for your acting." I praised him with a clap.

"What to say? I'm am a born actor."

He stood up, with his right hand on his chest he bowed and left the room whistling BTS fire.

I and Vihana looked at each other's faces and burst out laughing.

Vihana locked the door and left for the bathroom with her towel and toiletries.

I looked at the undone bed and signed out loud.

"Harshi please fold my blanket. Thank you." with that she closed the bathroom door.

I done the bed, folded the blanket, and kept it at the foot of the bed.

Living with your cousins can be tiring sometimes, that too with younger ones, surely, they will dump their work at your head and will escape with puppy eyes.

Even though we don't have a huge age gap, I have to do her work sometimes.

I walked to the left and opened the windows.

I gazed out the window to see the sun has set, Forming beautiful shades of pink across the horizon. The green leafy branches of the trees fluttered and swayed along with the breeze.

Farmers, washing their hands and legs in the canal water. One can see the smile and satisfaction in their eyes, as they walked home to their loved ones after a day of hard work in the field.

The dogs barked at the teenagers as they sped past them on the bicycle.

The sound of Nadasvaram reached my ear, I looked at the temple that is at the corner of the street. The temple is decorated for the upcoming festival. A group of smiling young girls in half saree with pooja things entered the temple after washing their legs in the nearby water tap.

Although we have everything in the city, nothing can bring peace and happiness like our native place.

"Can we go?" Vihana's voice startled me from behind.

"Yes, we can." with a hand on my chest, I nodded.

"Ahem ahem, someone is dressed up for their anniversary I see," Vihana exclaimed looking me up and down.

"Nothing like that, shut up. I responded controlling my blush.

"Ahaan, I believed. I don't think one will wear a new dress simply at home, that too without a reason," Vihana exclaimed with a teasing smile on her face.

"Okay, yes I'm dressed up for our anniversary. Are you satisfied?" I accepted with my hands covering my face.

I have worn a beautiful red Anarkali dress that has golden embroidery work on the neck and sleeves, the dress flowed down till my ankle. I pinned the shawl at my shoulder and let my hip-length hair down freely.

(She is not Harshita, only the dress is worn by Harshi)

(Hairstyle of Harshi)

"Are you blushing Harshi, aww?" she removed my hands off my face and playfully pinched my cheeks.

"Viha, Harshi it's already late, come down." Hari anna knocked at our door.

"Yah, coming anna," I replied and took my phone off the charger.

Vihana closed the windows and switched off the light.

Vihana linked our arms as we descended the stairs.

"Vihana! How many times have I said this, you should not sleep during lighting time." Patti scolded Vihana as soon as we reached the hall.

Vihana nudged her elbow with mine controlling her laugh.

"Grandma, I was just getting ready. I didn't even sleep." Vihana replied with an innocent face.

"Patti, I saw her sleeping like a kumbakarnam with her mouth open," Vihaan exclaimed.

"Vihaan Kanna, you should not lie, Vihana was getting ready." Thatha lectured Vihaan and secretly winked at us.

(Kanna- endearment)

"Ai, dummy, don't lie I saw you"

"Enough, it's already late, we should leave." Patti ended the brewing fight between them and ordered the boys to carry the pooja things to the car.

The boys loaded the car and waited for us outside the home.

Hari anna sat in the driver seat, Vihaan took the passenger seat, Patti Thatha took the middle seat, I and Vihana took the back.

"Patti, Vikram just informed me that they have reached the temple." Hari anna said as he put on his seat belt.

"Okay, Kanna" Patti replied and leaned back on the seat.

.

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We arrived at the temple by 7.00. Hari anna parked the car on the empty ground across the temple.

I and Vihana switched on our phone torch and helped Thatha Patti to the temple as the ground has many thorns and insects.

Behind us, Vihaan and Hari anna followed us carrying the pooja items.

We joined our parents. We removed our sandals and washed our legs and hands with the tap water nearby.

I bent down and touched the first step at the entrance and then entered the temple.

Vihaan and Hari anna handed over the pooja things to the Iyer.

(Iyer- priest)

"Acho, I bought malli poo for everyone. I kept it in the car dashboard. Can anyone go and bring it.?" Athai exclaimed hitting her forehead lightly with her hand. (malli poo- jasmine) ( Athai- aunt)

"I will go athai. Give me the keys aunty." I asked forwarding my hands to her for the keys.

"Vikram has gone to fill the fuel. his phone is also with me. I think he would have come, go and see darling."

"okay athai." I said and came out to see him parking the car next to our car. He locked the car and started coming towards the temple but stopped seeing me.

I switched on my torch and walked towards him with careful steps.

I stood before him and forwarded my hands " Keys."

Instead of keys, warm hands enveloped my cold once.

I looked up to see him already looking at me with a smile.

"Someone will see." I exclaimed and looked around for anyone.

"Come." He paid no heed to my words and started walking towards the car.

He opened the car and made me sit in the passenger seat, opened the back door, and took a cover from the back seat.

"Turn right" He ordered me softly. I turned my head slightly to the right. The smell of jasmine spread as he opened the cover.

I felt him pinning the malli poo in my hair with a safety pin.

I turned around after he arranged my hair on my back properly.

He leaned over me and switched on the car lights.

I squinted my eyes at the sudden light and pulled down the sun visor mirror above the seat. I turned my head left and right to check what has he kept.

"Do you like it?"He asked me softly, his brown eyes looking deeply into mine.

I nodded my head and looked down my lap to hide my blushing face.

He tugged me to get up from the seat, I looked up to see him already looking at me with warm eyes and a gentle smile.

His long finger intertwined with my slender once. I pulled him a little closer to me. He brought our intertwined hands near his lips and left soft kisses on my hands.

Warmth engulfed me as his hands cupped my face, He tilled my chin up and kissed my forehead.

"You are so beautiful" He whispered in my ears and pecked the top of my head.

"Thank you, And you are perfect."

I smiled brightly and kissed his cheeks.

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to be continued...