I think you still love her.

KURALINI

     After my parents left with Raghavan, Vasu Anna brought his car around and waited for us to get in. Divya, always full of energy, hopped into the front passenger seat with a bright smile. I turned to Renu, but she remained standing on the pavement, her posture rigid with hesitation.

     “What are you waiting for? Get in the car,” I said, nudging her gently.

     “Kural... I just remembered I have some work. I have to go now,” she stammered, her eyes darting everywhere except at the car. “You guys go home. I’ll just grab an auto.”

     She was practically desperate to avoid joining us. Is it because of Vasu Anna? The question flashed in my mind, sharper than before.

     “What’s wrong with you?” I asked, confused. “You’ve never been to my home, and you were the one who said you wanted to come today. Now what happened? Don’t give me excuses, you’re coming with us, and that’s final.”

     Before Renu could utter another word, Divya leaned out of the car window. “Renu! Don’t make me angry. It’s already late and Vasu Anna is waiting for us. You’re making him wait too! If we stay here for two more minutes, the traffic will be a nightmare. Now get in!”

     Renu looked genuinely worried, her face pale. I noticed Vasu then; he was sitting perfectly still, his eyes fixed straight on Renu through the side mirror. He didn't say a word, but his intense focus made my skin crawl with suspicion.

     “Renu, come on. It’s getting late,” I said again, taking her hand. Her fingers were trembling.

     Finally, with a slow, reluctant nod, Renu gave in. I led her to the car, and we both climbed into the back seat. As the door clicked shut, the small space felt suddenly crowded, and the air turned cold.

     Vasu Anna pulled the car into the flow of traffic. Renu immediately turned her head toward the window, her gaze fixed on the passing buildings, but I could see her reflection in the glass, she looked like she was counting the seconds until she could get out. I glanced up and noticed Vasu’s eyes constantly shifting to the rearview mirror, tracking Renu with a cold, steady rhythm.

     Divya, completely unaware of the tension, turned to him with a curious grin. "So, Anna, where is your native place?"

     "Coimbatore," he replied smoothly.

     "Wow! Renu is also from Coimbatore! What a surprise!" Divya looked back at me, her eyes wide.

     "Is that so?" I said, looking at Renu. "I didn't know you both were from the same city."

     Renu gave a forced, brittle smile that vanished almost instantly. She didn't say a word; she just lowered her head, her hair shielding her face like a curtain.

     Divya wasn't finished. "And what about your family? Are you married?"

     My heart skipped a beat. It felt far too intrusive to dig into his personal life like this. "Divya! Stop it," I whispered, trying to catch her eye. "That isn’t an appropriate question to ask someone you’ve just met."

     Divya rolled her eyes at me. "What’s wrong with asking? Do you really want to travel for the next fifteen minutes in total silence? He’s Raghavan Anna’s friend, which makes him like our brother. There’s nothing wrong with it. Right, Anna? Did I ask something wrong?"

     Vasu chuckled, a low, calm sound that didn't match the intensity in his eyes. He glanced at the mirror again before answering.

     "Of course not," he said, his smile widening. "I don't mind at all."

     He didn't answer the marriage question immediately. Instead, he let the silence stretch for a moment, enjoying the way Renu seemed to shrink even further into the upholstery of the backseat.

     With a winning smile, Divya looked at me triumphantly before turning back to him. “Then answer my question, Anna!” she urged.

     “Well, there are five of us in my family,” he began, his voice calm as he navigated a turn. “My parents, my elder sister, and my younger sister. Both of them are married. As for me... I’m still unmarried.”

     “What? You’re not married yet?” Divya asked, leaning forward.

     He shook his head.

     “But why, Anna? What’s the problem?” I found myself asking, genuinely curious now despite my earlier suspicion.

     “Yeah, what happened? Is there a story behind it? Maybe a love failure?” Divya asked with a mischievous smirk. I shook my head, I really didn't know what to do with this girl sometimes.

     “Divya, are you an HR manager by any chance?” Vasu asked, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he drove.

     Divya’s jaw dropped in surprise. “Yes, Anna! How did you know?”

     “The way you keep questioning me feels exactly like an HR manager interviewing a new recruit,” he joked.

     I couldn't control my laughter at that, and even Divya looked a little embarrassed but joined in. For a moment, the tension in the car seemed to lift. He seemed so normal, so human.

     Vasu’s smile turned a bit more thoughtful as he continued. “I’m just joking. The truth is, it was my family situation. My father is a heart patient, so the responsibility fell on me. After college, it was just work, work, and more work. My sisters' marriages, family loans... everything took over my life. I simply didn’t have the time to love again.”

     A heavy silence followed his words. It was a classic middle-class story, the weight of the world resting entirely on the son’s shoulders. It’s a reality for so many families, where the sons sacrifice their own happiness to provide for everyone else.

     I looked at him with a new sense of respect, but then my gaze drifted to Renu. She hadn't joined in the laughter. While Divya and I were moved by his story, Renu looked even more terrified. If he was such a "responsible son," why did the mere sound of his voice make her look like she wanted to jump out of a moving car?

     “Anna, did you say love again? That means you loved someone before, right?” Divya asked, her voice echoing the shock I felt.

     What did that mean? I casually glanced at Renu. She looked more than just tense now; her eyes were shimmering with unshed tears. Before I could even open my mouth to check on her, Divya interrupted again, leaning completely toward the front seat.

     “Anna, tell us what happened! Did you two break up? Did she break up with you?”

     Vasu Anna smiled sadly and gave a small nod.

     “Tell us about her! Was she a good person? I’m sure she was bad—otherwise, how could she break up with someone like you?” Divya said, her voice rising with protective anger.

     Vasu Anna immediately shook his head. “No, no... she isn't a bad person. She is... she is angelic,” he said softly.

     But as he spoke, I noticed a chilling shift. He wasn't looking at the road; his eyes were locked onto Renu through the rearview mirror. I immediately turned to look at her. Renu’s eyes were wide with shock, fixed on the back of Vasu’s head. As I watched, a single tear escaped and rolled down her chin.

     Why was she reacting like this? My heart hammered against my ribs. I was certain now—something deep and painful had happened between them. I made a silent vow to get the truth the moment we reached home.

     “She was my happiness once upon a time,” Vasu continued, his tone thick with disappointment. “She understood me more than anyone. That one year with her was the happiest period of my life... but it didn’t last long.”

     “I think you still love her,” Divya said with a warm, sympathetic smile. “I’ll pray for you, Anna. I hope you find the love of your life again soon.”

     Vasu Anna looked at Divya and smiled a teasing, mysterious smile. “Of course, Divya. Just like Raghavan married Kural after his breakup.”

     The air in the car turned to ice. What breakup? What on earth was he talking about? Did he know about Shruthi?

     Divya whipped her head around to look at me, her eyes wide with surprise. I could see the victory in Vasu Anna’s teasing smile in the mirror. He knew exactly what he was doing.

     “Anna, what do you mean 'breakup'?” I asked, my voice trembling as my curiosity and suspicion boiled over. “Did Raghavan have a breakup I don't know about?”

     Vasu Anna’s smile widened, but he kept his lips sealed.

     “Anna, come on. What do you mean by 'breakup'?” I insisted.

     He let out a short laugh. “Kural, you’re better off asking your husband. I gave him my word I’d never tell a soul without his permission. But man, it’s a hilarious story, the whole gang knows what happened with Swathi.”

     My heart sank slightly. “Who is Swathi?”

     “Like I said, ask your husband,” he teased. I realized I wasn’t going to get anything more out of him, so I just nodded and gave him a small, accepting smile.

     We finally arrived at my apartment. Divya hopped out first, followed by Renu, who practically scrambled out of the car as if she were escaping a cage. I stepped out but noticed Vasu Anna remained in the driver’s seat.

     “Anna, what happened? Come in,” I said, gesturing toward the building. “Stay for a bit until Raghavan arrives.”

     “No, Kural, this isn't the right time,” he said, his voice smooth and polite. “Besides, I’m running late. You guys head in; I’ll come by another day.”

     I didn't push him. Honestly, I wanted him to leave so I could finally get Renu alone and find out what was going on.

     “Okay, Anna, you can go for now. But you have to come over this Sunday, okay?” I insisted.

      He gave a small nod, then leaned slightly toward the window, his expression turning playful, yet there was something sharp behind it. “Kural... don’t forget to ask your husband about Swathi, okay?”

      I forced myself to keep my expression neutral, matching his playful tone with a smile of my own. “Of course,” I replied, though the name Swathi felt like a cold weight in my stomach. Who was she?

     “Anna, thank you so much for dropping us! We’ll meet again!” Divya chirped, waving with her usual high energy.

     Vasu Anna smiled at Divya, but his gaze didn't stay on her. His eyes drifted past us, locking onto Renu for one final, intense moment. I caught it, the way he looked at her was different, hungry and possessive. The second he realized I was watching him, his expression shifted instantly. He masked it with a casual wave, put the car in gear, and drove away.

     As his car disappeared around the corner, a heavy silence settled over the three of us.

     I turned to find Divya and Renu already halfway up the steps. They were moving so quickly, it was as if they were trying to outrun the echoes of that car ride. I hurried to follow them.

     By the time I reached the landing, they were both standing by the door, waiting for me.

     "Will you come on? Fast!" Divya said, looking back at me with an impatient pout.

     "Did I ask you two to climb this fast?" I puffed, reaching into my bag. My fingers fumbled with the house keys for a moment before I finally found them. I unlocked the door and pushed it open, the familiar scent of our home greeting us.