Raghu stood there gaping at Parthavi who stood there leaning on his room door frame. He saw her raising her eyebrow and looked up at the towel that was still held above. He immediately lowered it and looked down and smiled but again had this straight face at being caught this way.

"Ahem!"

He looked up and saw her moving towards him.

"Hello Mr. Architect!"

"Ahem.. He.. Ahem.. Hello. Ms. HR"

"Hope you are comfortable?"

He looked up at her and frowned.

"Well.. Not everyday you stand in front of a girl in such shorts right?"

She said and folded her hands across her front again and raised her brows twice grinning. He opened his mouth gaping and looked down to see that he was indeed in his gym shorts. He immediately wound his towel around his towel and looked up to see Parthavi grinning there. But what caught his attention was the glint, the twinkle in her eyes. He looked at her eyes.

At that moment, the song changed.

Kaatuga Kallana chooste potunde mathi potunde..

Raghu looked around and wanted to bang his head somewhere. Parthavi giggled looking at his ears going pink. He looked cute, Parthavi thought.

But she frowned as he looked around and his eyes falling on his bed. She looked at his bed and found the remote.

Before he could do anything, she dived in but he was too fast as the remote was in his hold. He was about to switch it off when Parthavi dived in. He ran from there around the bed. The music of the song created such a nice atmosphere. But at last, Raghu sat on the bed panting and Parthu jumped beside him. She held the remote and tried to snatch it from him. But he did not budge.

Tharachi chustune.. Tharaganantunna..

Thaluku varnalu nee menu poonagane

Slowly her hand made way to his and held his hand in a very fleety hold.

Naligipothune.. Veligipothunna..

He looked at her. She looked at him.

Thanivi theerettu sandhinchu choopulanni..

He lost his hold on the remote and Parthu caught it and took in her hand and showed her tongue to him waving it in front of him. But his eyes never left her face.

Kanti reppalu rendu.. Pedhavula mari..

Ninne thinestamannaye..

Parthu looked up at him and froze for a moment. Then her eye lashes lowered as a pink hue spread on her cheeks as Raghu held her hand over the remote. He tugged her a little.

Nedu repo adi thappadu ga mari..

Nee kosam edayina sare..

Idedo baunde cheli..

PANDU!

And the moment was broken by his sister. Raghu caught the remote, snatched it from her and switched off his music system. Parthu stood up and adjusted her T shirt which pulled his attention and chuckled.

Parthu scowled.

"Bugs bunny? Seriously?"

He asked. She scowled more.

"Pandu!"

His sister called again and came there. Now it was Parthu's turn to giggle.

"Pandu? Seriously?"

Raghu scowled at his sister.

"Akka! Don't call me Pandu!"

He growled which made Parthu laugh out loud.

"And what is she doing here?"

He asked pointing to Parthu making her scowl. But Shantha raised her brow.

"She has been here for more than an hour and I did not hear any complaint till now!"

"I am not complaining."

"I can see that. Now get ready soon. We should leave soon. We should pick up Prasiddhi from her school and then go on for some important shopping."

"Shantha Akka.. where is Bhoomi?"

Parthavi asked.

"She is downstairs feeding Dhitvi."

"I will go and check on her"

Saying Parthavi went down giving the siblings space which made Raghu smile.

"Akka!"

"Do you remember I used to say about this girl in my school?"

Raghu frowned.

"Bhoomi"

Shantha said and smiled.

"Who? That girl who hit 4 boys left and right for making fun of your name and braces?"

"Do not get into so much details!"

Shantha said making him chuckle as he knew that was a phase when his sister hated herself. Thanks to Bhoomi who got the confidence in her.

"Ammo!"

He said. From where did his connection to Parthavi start? He had no idea. But now he felt, that somewhere he felt it that's why, he said ok without even looking into her pic that his mother brought for him and he gave his nod on the first meet itself.

Shantha smiled and nodded her head.

"Get ready Pandu. We have very important work."

Raghu nodded his head and went on to take bath. Parthavi was playing with Dhitvi when Raghu came down 15 minutes later. He looked so good in his white loose shirt and blue jean. And her mind kept saying only one things which she said to Bhoomi.

"Yem unnadu ra babu!"

Bhoomi giggled. Parthavi looked everywhere and then glared at Bhoomi who was laughing and Dhitvi also laughed and squealed.

Dhitvi who was Raghu immediately scrawl to him and held his pants tugging them. Chuckling Raghu carried her above his head and made her squeal.

"Hey Bangaaram"

He said rubbing his nose on hers making her squeal and giggle. Parthavi smiled looking at him becoming a kid himself with the kid. Dhitvi bit his nose making his yell and then laugh as Dhitvi laughed. Parthavi and other ladies stood there with admiration and pride in their eyes.

Bhoomi dashed Pathavi's shoulder and raised her brow and Parthavi shook her head as she saw Raghu move out with Dhitvi in his arms talking to her in baby language.

As they all moved to the car, Raghu remembered that he had forgotten his car keys and Parthavi her mobile. Both remembered their little stunt in the room which was a reason to this and looked away smiling.

"Shantha akka. I am going up anyway to bring my mobile, so let me get the keys too"

Saying she sauntered off inside even before anyone could react on it. Bhoomi shook her head.

"Yem pilla!"

"Kada?"

Raghu asked and shut his mouth at his akka's look.

"Ante.. What should I call you? Parthavi calls you bhoomi but you are 2 years elder to me.."

"What do you expect me to call you.. It depends on that"

Raghu raised his brow. God looks like PArthavi's whole family had sharp tongue with brains of their own. Chuckling..

"My Akka and Annaiya call me Pandu.. Amma calls me Nandhu and others call me Nandha. Take your pick."

"I will think and tell. But for now lets fix Thammudu. And you can call me by my name itself. I never liked those formal addressing that's why Pathavi, Vasu, Sriram all call me by name."

"Abbo!"

"Parthavi is your love anta? Prithvi garu chepparu"

"This man!"

Bhoomi rolled her eyes as SHantha laughed.

"Pandu.. You know, Bhoomi and Parthavi are Mama atha biddalu. Varasayina vaalu.. But by mistake both are girls. But you should see their understanding. They are worse than lovers or even husband and wife. This girl used to keep on talk about her that in school we all thought that Parthu was indeed her lover.. How about college Bhoomi? We lost touch after that."

"By college, in our mobile we had our names saved as lovers!"

Bhoomi said looking everywhere and RAghu laughed seeing which dhitvi laughed too.

"Oh boy! No wonder Prithvi garu was so jealous"

"Him and jealous? He likes Parthu a lot.. So much that I should only feel jealous. He is this brother Parthu and Vasu never had and the son my Parents and her parents never had. Parthu should say and he will happily sacrifice me letting her kill me."

Raghu smiled. He saw how protective Prithvi was about Parthavi. And he understood that he should live upto that standard to prove to be better husband and son in law.

Then he frowned.

"Akka! What is taking her so much time? Let me see. Bhoomi take Dhitvi"

SAying he gave Dhitvi to her and walked in.

Meanwhile..

Parthu stood in the room and stared at the bed. The moment that passed between them flashed before her and made her feel embarrassed about herself for such stupidity. She who always made fun of her friends about being romantic fools was becoming one herself.

Hitting herself she took her mobile from the bed and keys from the side stand and was about to move out when a very cute picture caught her attention.

It was a cute picture of a boy sitting on a chair and angrily looking up folding his hands across his front and his legs crossed over too.

She found it so cute. So she took her mobile and after struggling with selfie camera, she took a pic with the kid and herself and smiled at the result.

Then she heard his footsteps and rushed to the staircase. He stood down and she stood up the staircase. Slowly step by step, she descended down while he ascended up. Both ended together in the middle step. She was about to go around him when he held the stairhold blocking her way. She looked up at him but he was looking the other way and she could see this smile on his face which he was trying to stifle a lot. But she saw his eyes and understood. Glaring she went the other side and he blocked again. But this time, he looked down and she was sure he was grinning. His knuckle slightly brushed her waist above her jeans where her Tshirt had given a gap.

She grunted.

"Enti Ms. HR? Cant tackle a small problem on your way?"

He asked. She raised her brow. She closed in. He widened his eyes. Her hands went to his pant belt. His eyes widened more. And before he could grasp what she was about to do, she tugged his belt pushed him to the step she was standing and she landed on the step he was standing. Their positions reversed. She grinned.

"Never challenge the HR in me Mr. Architect"

She winked and sauntered down humming Idedo Baagunde as he stood there shaking his head and chuckling.

She was in the car on the back seat with Dhitvi on her lap as he sisterr took the passenger seat beside him and Bhoomi sat beside Parthu. Soon they were on their way. Shantha and Bhoomi kept chatting nine to nineteen and he as usual was silently enjoying their banter and man how right was his sister. The understanding Bhoomi and Parthu had was beyond any lovers or spouse he thought chuckling.

But suddenly Parthu was silent. He looked in the mirror and saw her and Dhitvi sleeping in the backseat happily and he could see her pout.

He chuckled. They were going on long drive and this girl had slept off.

But the pout and the touch of her skin to his.. His ears went red.

The first touch.. The magic.. He could feel. For the first time, he wanted to believe in such magic.