This chapter is an alternate POV (sort of??) to the previous chapter Verum Kaanala?. Please make sure to read that OS first before you read this one.
To keep it true to Verum Kaanala?, only one of the main characters whose name was revealed in Verum Kaanala has been named.
As always, there's a note at the end.
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Ashwin scrubbed his face in irritation closing his laptop. He definitely did not want to go home. He briefly wondered if he should grab a drink before he headed home. Interrupting his thoughts, he heard a knock on his door. His best friend and colleague Adi stuck his head in with a question "want to grab dinner before you're headed home?". Not having any plans Ashwin nodded his head packing up for the day.
"The usual?" Ashwin asked as he put the seat belt on. "Nah, I'll give you directions" Adi replied getting a questioning look from Ashwin. "New place, Priya's recommendation. It's your big 35 tomorrow, we're not doing the usual stuff" Adhi replied. Ashwin gave a dry laugh before replying "I didn't realize people considered 35th birthday a milestone. 30, 40? sure. By the way, will Priya be joining us?" referring to Adi's wife. "She said she'll be there, a little late though, she's out to meet a friend", Adi replied.
"It's been over an hour, if we keep driving any further, we'll probably reach Pondicherry. Where is this restaurant exactly?" Ashwin asked Adi keeping his eyes on the road. "Just a little further. Actually, take the next left at the lights" Adi replied. Taking the left Adi referred to, taken aback Ashwin asked "in the resort?" to receive a confirmation. "Olive and Ivy? That restaurant isn't new, it's been here a while", asked Ashwin. "Yeah, the very same. Have you been here before?" Adi asked curious. "Yeah, almost 5 years back" Ashwin replied quietly.
Getting seated in the restaurant at a table overlooking the bar where he had first spoken to her, his brain took a walk down the memory lane involuntarily. The same bar where he'd witnessed her breakdown over her best friend getting married to her sister, the very bar he'd walked up to her to introduce himself. The same bar he had extended his hand saying "Hi, I am Ashwin". Only she had taken a good look at his face for about 30 seconds before she said "Fuck you, Ashwin" and walked off .
Breaking Ashwin's line of thought, Adi placed his drink order to the waitress adding "we are waiting for a few more people in our party. We'll order once they're here". Ashwin looked at his friend questioningly when Adi let him know they were waiting for their other friend Ram, Ram's girlfriend and his wife Priya. Nodding Ashwin looked around noting how much the restaurant had changed. They had done some design changes, even had a musician playing the piano. As he listened to the music, he thought back to the first time he'd met her.
It was about 8 years back, on an official call. He had only just heard her voice. He was running late to an investor meeting with one of the startups his firm was looking at to fund because of his car batteries and had decided to just call into the meeting via his phone. He had called his colleague Adi to ensure he was available to sit in on the meeting. After the introductions and the presentation by the entrepreneur , Ashwin's team had started off with the Q&A. That was the first time he'd heard her speak. He had briefly considered investing in the business solely because of her and her answers- the clarity, conviction and her ideas. Although, they had rejected the pitch Ashwin had checked with his team to see who she was. Calling Adi after the meeting he had asked, "yaaru Adhu? The female who responded to the questions at the end? Co-founder ah? I don't remember seeing a co-founder on the paperwork". Adi had simply replied, "oh her, the founder Sidarth's friend. She's been with the company since the scratch. Such a firecracker she is, even more so in person".
