Author's note

Apologies for the late update. I'm not doing well but I'll be, hopefully. Here's the next chapter. Please do read, vote and comment, to let me know if you enjoyed it. Thank you to all those who are constantly supporting my book. I'm sorry that I'm inconsistent.

Please do keep them both in your prayers and support them professionally. Please do stream Adipoli whenever possible. Thank you!

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Ashaangi SS Bewitched

Chapter Forty One

Harish pushed Vinayak into their room and closed the door behind him. He dragged a protesting Vinayak to the bed and made him sit down.

"Bro, did you see what I saw? Why aren't you reacting? Did sh—"

"First, let me ask you a question. What exactly is your problem here? Is it because Sivaangi hid her relationship from us, or because it was Ashwin?" Harish asked seriously.

"Why would I have any issues with Ashwin, bro? He's amazing, and I'd be happy if he became part of our family," Vinayak sat up properly. "But Sivu... she didn't say anything to us at all. How could she hide such a big thing from me? And, what if someone else saw what we saw?"

Harish sighed and sat down next to Vinayak.

"Vinu, listen, before leaving Coimbatore, Sivaangi and Ashwin came to my room together."

~ Flashback ~

After confessing their feelings verbally, the next day, Sivaangi was packing her bags when Ashwin called her. Together, they decided to let Harish know about their relationship. Sivaangi was closer to Harish than to any of their other siblings, and she didn't want to keep it from him.

Ashwin also felt it was the right thing to do. Harish was the one who had come with Sivaangi, and he wanted to respectfully let him know about their relationship and his genuine feelings for her.

They sat Harish down and looked at each other. Harish, guessing what was about to come, pretended to be oblivious to what the couple was trying to say. He literally held back his laughter, seeing his sister and friend hesitating and struggling to speak.

"Th-that we didn't mean for it to happen, but we can't help it," Ashwin fumbled.

'Aahaan' Harish thought sarcastically. It was indeed difficult to act clueless when you already know everything.

"Okayyy," Harish dragged the word out.

"And we didn't mean to keep it from you for so long," Sivaangi nervously knotted her fingers.

"Okayy."

"It's just... we were waiting for the right time."

"And, I, we, I mean us—" Ashwin scratched his head.

"We?" Harish blinked, trying to look clueless when in real he was smirking mentally.

"I mean, we both," Ashwin clarified.

'Maatna dee nee' Harish grinned mentally.

(You are caught now)

"You and me, machan?" Harish put on his best innocent face.

"Aiyooo" Ashwin groaned softly, "me and—"

"Me," Sivaangi stressed. "Anna, Ashwin and I, we... we. I mean, listen, I don't want you to take this the wrong way..."

Ashwin watched as Sivaangi fumbled while Harish looked at her expectantly. He tapped his fingers on his thigh, exhaled deeply, looked at Harish, and said,

"Machan, naanum unn thangachi um love panrom da."

(Dude, your sister and I, we love each other.)

Harish and Sivaangi looked at Ashwin.

"We don't know when we fell for each other exactly, but we acknowledged our feelings months ago," Ashwin said after composing himself.

"And last night, we confessed it verbally," Sivaangi added, taking a step closer to Harish and holding his hand. "I know I've never kept anything from you, Anna. But, I needed to understand my feelings for Ashwin myself first. With families involved, we took our own time. We gradually realized that what we share is something special and for life. I wanted to tell you, but at the right time. After last night, we wanted to tell you first thing this morning."

"Machan," Ashwin started, "you have been an amazing friend to me for the past seven months. I don't want you to think I've taken advantage of your trust or your sister. What I feel for Sivaangi, I can't just explain in words."

Ashwin looked at Sivaangi and then at Harish.

"I tried resisting my feelings for her, but I couldn't. I really love her, dude. And we wanted to tell you first."

Harish looked at both Ashwin and Sivaangi before standing up. Sivaangi chewed her lips as Harish gently tugged his wrist from her hold. They both waited anxiously to hear Harish's response.

"Ashwin, Sivaangi," Harish's face was stern, but then it melted into a smile. "I'm happy for you two."

Sivaangi jumped into her brother's arms. For a moment, she thought Harish wasn't happy with their relationship, and she heaved a sigh of relief as she hugged him. Harish smiled at Ashwin, who beamed back at him.

"Machan, yean da ipdi bayapada vacha?" Ashwin hugged Harish.

(Why did you scare us like this?)

"Hehe, summa velayatuku machan" Harish broke the hug and added in a serious tone, "See, Ashwin. I know you. I'm happy that my sister fell in love with such a great guy. But, let me tell you this as her brother. I love my sister a lot. Don't you dare hurt her. I know you won't, but still."

(Hehe, just for fun, dude)

Harish sighed softly.

"Ashwin, don't worry that you've taken advantage of our trust or something. You haven't. I know you. So, if you're guilting yourself over this, please don't. You both are adults, and if you are clear about your feelings for each other, there's nothing for me to say."

Harish looked at Sivaangi.

"And Sivu, I knew you must have had a reason for not opening up to me all these months." Seeing their surprised faces, he added,

"Yes, I knew about you two a long time ago. At first, I sensed something brewing between you two, and over time it was evident that you love each other. I just wanted to hear it from you, so I didn't say anything before."

Ashwin and Sivaangi looked at each other and then at Harish.

"Take your time and let the family know, but please be discreet before opening up. It's evident on your faces that something is going on. Please make sure you're alone before getting lost in each other's eyes."

Ashwin and Sivaangi's eyes widen.

"Naa paavam da! Adhellam ithana maasam paathu enn body thaangunadhe perusu!"

(Poor me! I had to watch much more than this all these months!)

Ashwin rubbed his nape in embarrassment while Sivaangi whined making Harish laugh. That day, Harish advised them both and even for the marriage, he advised them to be discreet and behave accordingly.

~ Flashback ends ~

"You knew!"

"Of course, I knew! Those two don't know how to be discreet at all!" Harish scoffed. "Even back in Coimbatore, they thought they were being discreet, but no! I caught them a handful of times. I'm sure Saradha Aunty and Dhanalakshmi Paati must have sensed it too. But those two? They are under the illusion that they're being discreet."

Harish stretched his limbs, "Avlo advice panniyum waste uh. Paaru, yepdi rendum suthudhu nu."

(All my advice was a waste. See how they are behaving.)

"Aanalum Sivu yepdi enta sollama irukalam?" Vinayak whined.

(But how could Sivu not tell me about her relationship?)

"Seri, vidu da. Ipo dhan unaku therinchu la. Yenna, unn akka purushan unaku okay ah illa aala matha solliruvoma?" Harish asked, wrapping his arm around Vinayak's neck.

(Leave it. You know now, right? Do you like your sister's husband, or do you want us to find someone else?)

"Avaru na enaku romba pidikum neyy aana paavam manushan, andha kuttachi ta maatitu shaa, orey sangatam dhan," Vinayak eased and then added with a grin, "Right uh, namaku football ground la aprm game la velayada permanent aalu kedachachu."

(I really like him a lot, but poor him, being stuck with that shortie... Anyway, now we have a permanent member to play football with, both on the field and in video games.)

The brothers chuckled.

"Yepdiyum rendum maranchu romance panren nu yaru kann la aachum patruvanunga. So, apdi nadakaama namma dhan da pathukanum," Harish patted Vinayak's arm.

(Anyway, those two will try to romance under the impression they're discreet and get caught. So, it's our duty to make sure that doesn't happen.)

"Neyy, namma ava brothers neyy," Vinayak whined. (Bro, we are her brothers, bro.)

"Deii, machunan duty nu vachuko da. Paavam rendum. Maatikunga namma help illa na."

(Think of it as brother-in-law duty. Poor them. They'll get caught without our help.)

"Serii!" Vinayak sighed, "Enn akka kaaga illa naalum enaku Ak bro dha Mama va venum. So, adhukaga panren."

(Fine! If not for my sister, I want AK bro as my brother-in-law. So, I'll do it for him.)

True to his word, Vinayak kept an eye on his sister and future brother-in-law. The next day, the Haldi ceremony took place in the morning, on the lawn. A cloth was tied as a partition between the bride and groom's sides.

Sivaangi stayed by Anusha's side throughout, and Ashwin made sure he was always within her line of sight. By the end of it, she slipped away to her room. Vinayak, noticing Ashwin walking in the same direction as Sivaangi, frowned when he saw his cousin Devika heading that way as well. He quickly ran after Devika and diverted her.

"Yebba, mudiyala!" Vinayak sighed, walking away.

(Oh God, I've had enough!)

After the Haldi, Ashwin's family went out to explore the city. Sivaangi was busy with her relatives and taking care of pending work. By late afternoon, she spotted her father on the lounge sofa. She sat next to him and leaned against him.

"Tired?" Krishnakumar asked, stroking his daughter's hair.

"Appa," Sivaangi side-hugged her father and dramatically added, "Marriage preparation work is so tiring! When I get married, please let it be a simple affair. I'm done with all these chores!"

"Sivu, for your marriage, you won't have to do any work. You'll be the bride, remember? You can relax and enjoy. So, you don't have to worry about that," Krishnakumar reassured her, wrapping his arm around his daughter.

"Ada aama la! Cha! Idha yepdi naan marandhen?" Sivaangi exclaimed.

(Oh yeah! Gosh! How did I forget that?)

Krishnakumar chuckled, "Adhukulla enn ponnu ku kalyaana aasai vandhrucha?"

(Is my daughter already dreaming about getting married?")

"Paaa!" Sivaangi whined, and Krishnakumar laughed. The father and daughter spent some quality time together before Sivaangi excused herself to freshen up. She only remembered lying down on the bed and didn't know when she fell asleep.

When Sivaangi woke up, it was nine o'clock. She quickly freshened up and texted Ashwin before closing her room door. She went to the banquet hall and saw everyone having dinner. She saw Ashwin's family elders, but he and his cousins were missing.

Sivaangi had dinner with her cousins. Ashwin texted her, saying he was in his room with his cousins and asked her to come over. She hesitated for a moment but realized she had missed him all day.

So, Sivaangi walked to Ashwin's room and rang the bell. Aarthi's daughter, Janani, opened the door. She smiled when she saw Sivaangi and invited her in. Sivaangi beamed at Janani and walked inside.

There, on the bed, Ashwin, Rahul, and Shravan were sprawled out while Meghana sat at the foot of the bed, her mobile in hand, asking something to the boys. Ashwin was looking at Shravan's phone, the duvet up to his chest, while Rahul was playing with his fidget spinner as they listened to Meghana. Sivaangi focused and realized Meghana was reading hints from a game she was playing.

"Hellloo makkaleyy!" Sivaangi cheerfully greeted everyone.

(Helloo guyyss!)

Ashwin, hearing Sivaangi, looked up. His lips curled into a smile as his cousins greeted her, and she walked toward the bed. Janani sat next to Meghana and patted the spot beside her. Sivaangi sat down, right in front of where Ashwin was lying down.

Sivaangi had already befriended Ashwin's cousins, so they chatted casually. She asked them about their day out, and they shared their experiences while Ashwin chimed in now and then.

"So, what were you all doing?" Sivaangi asked.

"We were playing this brain booster game," Meghana said, showing her mobile screen.

Excited, Sivaangi asked Meghana to continue the game so she could guess along with the others. Ashwin's eyes roamed over Sivaangi's face, admiring her beaming expression. Then his gaze drifted down her kurta-clad frame.

Ashwin gasped softly when Sivaangi's waist peeked out slightly as she made hand gestures while talking with his cousins. His mischievous side kicked in. With a lopsided smile, he moved his hand out from under the duvet and slowly inched it closer to her.

"Naan solluren! Naan solluren!"

(I'll guess! I'll guess!)

Sivaangi, who was excitedly making her guess, jumped a little when she felt a caress on her bare waist. Knowing who it was, she gave a nervous smile to Janani and Meghana, who were waiting expectantly.

Ashwin chuckled to himself, his index finger now scratching her lower waist before softly tracing her bare skin with the back of his hand, making her curl her toes. Sivaangi managed to utter a word, which Janani dismissed as wrong, and Rahul took his guess.

Seizing the opportunity, Sivaangi turned her head and glared at Ashwin. He feigned an innocent expression, still making a guess to Meghana, but rubbed Sivaangi's waist again before palming her hip. Gasping softly, she looked around to make sure no one noticed.

Thankfully, no one did. Sivaangi pushed her hair back as she moved back, sitting closer to Ashwin. Taking the chance, his hand was about to roam under her kurta, but she caught his hand with her left.

Sivaangi shook her head at Ashwin and mouthed "no," while he smiled mischievously and drummed his fingers on her waist. She glanced at the others, then back at him. He just shrugged.

Ashwin watched as Sivaangi sighed, and in a split second, he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. Sivaangi froze as her back hit Ashwin's body, her eyes darting to the others in the room before looking at him.

Sivaangi felt both her heart flutter and panic at the same time. She placed her hand on top of Ashwin's, trying to remove it, but he held firm. She enjoyed his touch but was also scared of getting caught. This thrill excited them both.

"Ena vidu, Ashwinn," Sivaangi muttered softly, her voice husky and audible only to Ashwin. She gave him puppy eyes when he shook his head playfully.

(Leave me, Ashwinn.)

"Why aren't you making a guess?" Janani nudged Sivaangi's arm, and she looked clueless.

"Ah...umm..." Sivaangi stammered when Ashwin squeezed her waist.

"I got it!" Shravan exclaimed, and the attention shifted to him.

Sivaangi threw another glare at Ashwin, who squinted his eyes and blew her a kiss. Her gaze softened, and a shy smile spread across her lips at his gesture. Seeing the effect he had on her, he grinned.

Thankfully, Sivaangi's phone rang. It was Harish. Sighing with relief, she quickly stood up, breaking free from Ashwin's grip, and answered the call. She hummed to Harish's words and hung up with an "okay," while Ashwin looked at her with a slight pout. She chuckled inwardly before saying,

"Guys, it's getting late. I'm leaving now. Meghana and Janani, come to the mehndi ceremony on time. We'll get it done together," Sivaangi said, looking at the boys. "Be on time for the match." Then, she turned to Ashwin. "Harish anna asked you to pick up his call. He's already called you thrice."

Ashwin nodded, and Sivaangi bid bye to the group and walked to the door. Before closing it, she glanced at Ashwin, who stared back at her and mouthed "bye." Smiling, she closed the door behind her and left.

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Thank you for reading,

Nan ~