As we walked inside, I saw Satyam Uncle descending the stairs. He gave me a rare smile and said, "Good to see you, Krishna. How was the travel?"
Satyam Uncle wasn't a talkative person. In fact, as long as I could remember, I had never seen him open up to anyone. Once, out of curiosity, I asked Aunt Bujji about it. She explained, "After your Satyam Uncle came out of jail, he became like this. It's all because of that woman, Vasundhara. She left him, married another man, and never even speaks to her son, Ramana." After hearing that, I never asked about it again.
I returned his greeting, "As always, Uncle. It was good."
He nodded and then turned to Aunt Bujji, "Bujji, Krishna must be hungry after his travel. Give him something to eat."
"You don't have to tell me that. I know Krishna is hungry; that's why I'm going to prepare something for him," Aunt Bujji replied, waving off his concern.
"But didn't you already make dinner?" Uncle Rangam interjected.
Raji stepped in, "Papa, we made egg rice. Krishna can't eat that."
Understanding dawned on Uncle Rangam's face, and he nodded. At that moment, Samba returned from disposing of the pumpkin. Aunt Bujji turned to Raji and instructed, "Raji, take Krishna to his room."
Without waiting for Raji's response, she walked over to me and whispered, "Raji is angry with you. This is your chance to make up." Then, speaking normally, she added, "Krishna, go and freshen up, then come for dinner."
"Thank you, Ma," I replied with a smile.
She smiled back and headed towards the kitchen. Raji started walking towards the room, her silence still palpable. I followed her, catching up quickly. As we walked away, I heard Uncle Rangam mutter, "Today's kids," followed by the laughter of Satyam Uncle and Samba.
We walked down the corridor in silence, the only sound the soft rustle of Raji's saree and our footsteps. The house, with its familiar scent of spices and old wood, felt comforting yet charged with the unspoken words between us. I glanced at Raji, her face still a mask of calm, but I could sense the storm beneath.
Reaching the room, she opened the door and stepped aside for me to enter. "Freshen up," she said softly, her eyes avoiding mine.
As Raji was about to leave, I gently took her hand and pulled her inside the room, closing the door behind us. She looked at me with fiery eyes, "Krishna, let me go," she demanded.
Ignoring her protest, I quickly moved in front of her and wrapped my arms around her waist. She tried to wriggle free, her voice rising, "Krishna, let me go, or I'm going to shout!"
"Even if you shout, no one will come. They already know what's happening here," I said softly, hoping to calm her down. But she continued to struggle, her anger palpable. With a sigh, I released her, our eyes locking. "I'm sorry, okay? Really, I am."
Her eyes glistened with unshed tears as she stood there, defiant yet vulnerable. "It's all because of you," she began, her voice breaking. "You never have time for me, and—"
Before she could finish, I cupped her face in my hands and kissed her gently but deeply. When I pulled back, she started again, "It's all because of—" but I kissed her once more. This cycle repeated until she finally fell silent, the tension melting away.
She looked into my eyes, and I asked softly, "Now, are you calm?"
This time, she surprised me by kissing me, and I responded, our kiss deepening. When we finally broke apart, both of us were breathing heavily. I gently hugged her, feeling her heartbeat against mine. "I'm sorry, Raji, for not spending enough time with you," I whispered.
Looking into her eyes, I added, "How about this? Tomorrow, come with me to Hyderabad. We'll spend a few days there and return in time for Anu's friend's wedding. What do you think?"
She hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Okay."
We hugged for a moment longer, the air between us clearing. Then Raji said, "Go and freshen up."
I grinned, teasing, "Let's go together. We can take a shower together."
Raji laughed and pushed me towards the bathroom. "Pervert! Go yourself," she said playfully, her smile returning.
As she left the room, I breathed a sigh of relief. At least her anger had subsided for now. Removing my clothes, I headed to the bathroom, the tension easing from my shoulders.
Under the warm stream of water, I replayed the events in my mind. Raji's anger had been a storm, but her love was the calm that followed. I was determined to make things right, to show her how much she meant to me. As the water washed away the fatigue of my journey, I felt a renewed sense of purpose.
After taking a shower and changing into some comfortable clothes, I made my way to the others. Night had fallen, and as I entered the hall, I saw Uncle Rangam, Satyam Uncle, Samba, and my dear friend Ramana sitting together with glasses of alcohol in their hands. Spotting Ramana, I held back a mischievous grin.
Silently, I began to move towards him from behind. The others noticed me and were about to say something, but I stopped them with a playful smile. Ramana was in the process of refilling his glass, and as he placed the bottle on the ground, I saw my chance. Swiftly, I snatched the bottle away.
Startled, Ramana looked around in surprise and irritation when he realized his bottle had vanished. He found me standing a few feet away, holding his precious alcohol. "Krishna, give me back that bottle," he said, his voice tinged with annoyance.
"No, no, no, Ramana," I replied with a grin. "As always, the old rules apply. If you catch me, I'll give you the branded stuff. But if you lose, you lose."
Ramana stood up with a determined look and began to run towards me. I darted away, the room filled with laughter from the others. After a few minutes of playful chasing, Ramana, exhausted, collapsed onto the floor, panting heavily.
"Already giving up?" I teased, laughing as I approached him.
He glared at me, annoyed but with a hint of a smile. I placed the bottle next to him, and he grabbed it, resuming his drinking with a satisfied grin.
Just then, Aunt Bujji came into the hall, carrying a plate full of food. "Krishna, come here and eat," she called.
I nodded and walked over to her, taking a seat on the chair she had set up. She handed me the plate, and I began to eat, savoring the delicious home-cooked food.
As I was eating, before my plate could become empty, Raji promptly refilled it. Smiling, I said, "That's thoughtful, Raji, but I can't eat any more."
She ignored me, continuing to pile food onto my plate. Aunt Bujji, noticing, intervened, "That's enough, Raji. Don't serve him more. I don't want my Damad to get fat."
Raji retorted, "He's not going to get fat, and you don't have to worry about him. Focus on your husband. Look at how he's drinking."
Uncle Rangam, caught in the crossfire, raised his hands in mock surrender, "Don't involve me."
Ignoring his plea, Aunt Bujji scolded Raji, "Is that how you talk to your mother?"
Raji shot back, "That's why I'm saying, marry me off to Krishna, then no one will talk to you like that."
We all burst into laughter at Raji's cheeky remark. Aunt Bujji, shaking her head but smiling, said, "Focus on your studies first, then we'll talk about marriage."
The laughter continued, filling the room with warmth. Ramana, wiping a tear of amusement, looked at me and asked, "Why are you here, Krishna?"
Feigning offense, I replied, "What do you mean? This is my house." Turning to Aunt Bujji, I put on my best puppy dog eyes, "Look, Ma, what he's saying."
Aunt Bujji glanced at Ramana with mock severity. Ramana quickly clarified, "That's not what I meant. I meant Raji said you were coming after a few days, but you showed up suddenly."
I nodded, "Oh, that. My friend from Nellore needed my help."
Ramana raised an eyebrow, surprised. "What, you have friends?"
"What does that mean?" I retorted, feigning hurt. But before he could respond, Samba chimed in, "Speaking of Nellore, we heard on the news about what happened recently there."
Uncle Rangam nodded, "Yes, the fingerprint case. The lengths people go to for money."
"Yeah, I heard about it too," I said, trying to keep my tone casual.
Ramana looked at me intently, "Krishna, do you know anything about it?"
Feigning innocence, I replied, "How should I know about it? I don't know anything."
Hearing this, Ramana looked at me suspiciously but didn't press further. If you're wondering why they don't know I was involved in the case, it's because I gave all the credit to Athreya and the others. I didn't want my name to come out. This way, Athreya became famous, which helped Vamsi's promotion without any obstacles. Even now, Athreya and the others are working for me, but I want them to maintain their regular lives.
As we continued talking and laughing, I knew it was time to discuss something important. Finishing my meal, I handed my plate to Aunt Bujji. She took it and left, while Raji stood behind me, gently massaging my hair. Feeling her soft hands, I smiled at her. Then, I looked at the others and suddenly said, "The elections are coming."
Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to me. Ramana was the first to speak, "So, what does that have to do with us?"
"Before I left Hyderabad, I received a call from Paani. The old man is asking for funding," I replied.
Ramana, looking irritated, said, "So what's new? He asks you for funds every year. Why do you even fund him? That's why I don't like you."
"You don't understand because you don't understand politics," I retorted.
Ramana ignored me, and Satyam Uncle spoke up, "Krishna, what are you trying to say?"
"This time, Aunt Vasundhara is standing for the position of Law Minister of Telangana," I said.
At that moment, we heard the sound of kitchen appliances falling. Aunt Bujji was clearly angry. She stormed over to us and said, "We have nothing to do with her, whether she stands for Law Minister or any other position."
I sighed and tried to explain, "You have to understand, this isn't as simple as it seems."
Satyam Uncle, sensing the gravity, asked, "Krishna, what does that mean?"
I looked at Ramana and said, "It might create problems for Ramana."
Ramana's eyes widened in disbelief, "How can it create problems for me? I have nothing to do with her. She doesn't even want to talk to me."
"I heard that Kata Madhu is interested in the Law Ministry too, but the old man wants Aunt Vasundhara to take the position. Kata Madhu is angry and threatened the old man using your name. Not many people know that you are Aunt Vasundhara's son. Knowing that you could become a problem for him, the old man will definitely do something," I explained.
Hearing this, Ramana angrily threw the glass in his hand, shattering it against the wall. Aunt Bujji, her voice filled with a mix of frustration and determination, said, "Don't show your anger here, Ramana. Do something about it."
As the environment grew tense, I tried to ease the atmosphere. "But for now, don't worry. We'll see what we can do," I said, pausing briefly. "I'm taking Raji with me to Hyderabad tomorrow, and we'll be back after a few days."
Ramana, who had been deep in thought just a moment ago, looked at me sharply. "Why?"
Before I could respond, Raji interjected, "Why? Do you have any problem with that? I want to spend time with Krishna, and it's been a while since I've had a vacation."
Ramana, taken aback, quickly backpedaled. "I'm just asking."
The conversation had effectively shifted, and the atmosphere began to lighten. We chatted about lighter topics, and soon it was time to sleep. Saying goodnight to everyone, I made my way to the room. Once inside, I jumped onto the bed, feeling the day's tension and excitement drain away.
As I slept peacefully, I heard the faint sound of someone entering the room. I knew it was Raji; she did this every time I came here. Without reacting, I waited as she quietly approached and slipped into bed beside me, her warmth immediately comforting. Feeling her hands, I pulled her close without opening my eyes, holding her tightly. Slowly, I opened my eyes and found her gazing at me.
With a smile, I teased, "It's not good to enter someone's room without asking, and on top of that, their bed."
She returned my smile, her eyes twinkling. "But I didn't enter someone's room; it's my future husband's room. Do you have any problem with that, mister?"
"Why would I have a problem when a beautiful girl like you is sleeping beside me?" I replied, chuckling.
Her smile widened, and she hugged me tightly. "I missed you, Krishna, so much. Did you miss me?"
Looking into her eyes, I let all the love I felt for her shine through. "I am the moon, you are my sea. Your love is the tide that sets me free. Under your spell, I am meant to be. I am yours; don't give myself back to me." I paused, savoring the moment. "Does that answer your question, or should I say more?"
She laughed softly, a beautiful sound that filled the room. "You and your sweet words."
We lay there in comfortable silence for a moment, simply enjoying each other's presence. The dim light from the window cast a soft glow over her face, highlighting the contours I had memorized so well. I stroked her hair gently, feeling a deep sense of peace.
As I lay there in the quiet of the night, feeling the comfort of Raji beside me, she suddenly sat up and moved onto my stomach, her presence both surprising and exciting. I smiled up at her, half amused and half curious. "Raji, what are you doing?" I asked, my voice playful.
Instead of answering, she cupped my face in her hands and leaned in close. Our eyes locked, and I understood immediately what she wanted. Without another thought, I grabbed her butt firmly, pulling her closer, and we began to kiss passionately. The intensity of our kiss grew, and I squeezed her butt harder, feeling the heat between us build.
My hands roamed from her waist up to her breast, exploring her body with an urgency I could barely contain. We were still kissing, lost in each other, as I held her butt with one hand and her breast with the other. After a while, we pulled back slightly, breathless and staring into each other's eyes. I could see the desire burning in her gaze.
"Raji, calm down," I murmured, though I could feel the same fire within me.
She looked at me with a determination that made my heart race. "Krishna, let's have sex," she said, her voice filled with longing.
I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. "Not now, Raji. We don't have protection, and I don't plan on becoming a father this early." I kissed her neck gently, hoping to soothe her.
She shivered under my touch but persisted. "You don't have to worry. I can take pills after that."
I looked at her, concerned. "Where did you get those pills?"
"I have them with me, just in case," she said confidently. "I knew something like this might happen. So, let's have raw sex."
I sighed, trying to find the right words. "No, not now. I know if we have raw sex, you definitely won't take those pills."
Her eyes flashed with hurt. "Don't you believe me?"
I smiled, trying to reassure her. "It's not that. I just want our first time to be special, okay?" I kissed her forehead gently. "Now, calm down, alright?"
She nodded, her expression softening. "Okay," she whispered, and then she hugged me tightly. I hugged her back, holding her close as we lay there together. The heat of the moment slowly faded, replaced by a deep, comforting connection.
(Word's Count:2759)