In which Anjali moves to Misayur, a small town in Western Tamilnadu to live with her grandmother and ends up running into her childhood crush Karthik, who is not the unserious boy she knew him as anymore.
"Oh my God!" Anjali climbed up into the loft above the departmental store with wide eyes and her palm covering her mouth. "Shalini and Senthil?"
Karthik looked up from his desk with black-rimmed square glasses on. "Yes, that's been going on for a year." With that, he went back to his calculator and notepad.
"Why didn't you tell me? And for a year? They still don't know they like each other?" Anjali fired, sitting on the mattress without disturbing Tanya, who was flat on her belly with her head turned to the right. She was fast asleep.
"One, because you never asked. Two, yes, for a year. Three, they are quite dumb that way."
Anjali grabbed his free hand and swayed it from side to side. "Come on, Karthik. We have to help them!"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because it's different here, Anjali," he said, sighing and removing his glasses. Anjali wished he kept them on. "Shalini is from a well-off family who studies in a city. Senthil works a delivery job in a small town store. They are from two completely different worlds. It won't work out. If this is encouraged, it will only lead to problems. Just let them be."
"But… It's about hearts, Karthik. Not status or money or backgrounds. It's about the connection. It's so rare. You can't give up on it and choose the trash societal norms that some dumb people came up with," she argued.
Karthik smiled fondly at her. "It's easy to say and I really wish it was that easy. But reality is harsh."
Anjali pouted. "At least, let us give them an opportunity to talk."
"They can talk whenever they want," Karthik said, puzzled.
"No, we have to create a situation where they have to. Like we did with Vishal and Layla when we pushed them into the photo booth. Sometimes people have to be forced out of their comfort zones, Karthik. You know that!"
Karthik's face grew sad.
"Hey, you okay?" Anjali touched his arm. She didn't know why but after their impromptu picnic together, things had gotten way more comfortable with Karthik. Like they were back in school.
"Yes, I am. Sorry," he said. "Okay. Let's give them an opportunity to talk. If they take it, good for them. If they don't, good for us."
"So anti-romantic," Anjali grumbled. "You really have changed."
He simply shrugged. But Anjali's heart was sinking inside her chest. Why wasn't he the least bit interested in romance? She wanted him to crave that emotional and physical intimacy so she could give him that.
"So, what's the plan?"
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"Senthil, can you watch over Tanya? We're going into town to get some things," Karthik said. Anjali knocked his foot with hers. "And Shalini. You too. Can you help him watch over her?"
