Next day....
Early morning as the sun peeked through clouds ,warm color filled the area pleasantly with cool breeze gently passing through.
Karunakar took his tools and ''mother, I will be back by noon'',left the house. On his way he met Siva who is on his to his farm. Siva called out'' karunakarr... how was your last day?'' with a loud voice making karunkar uncomfortable as the villagers around them looked at both of them curiously. Karunakar leaped towards him as fast as he could with his tools in one hand and reached the other hand to close his friend's mouth. ''Can't you just greet me properly? Look, what happened? Everybody is looking at us now.'' closing his friend's mouth with his hand. Siva ,removing his hand from his mouth'' heh.heh.don't worry, don't worry'' patting his friend's shoulder, continued walking. Karunakar just sighed and quickly caught up to him and walked beside him. ''Tell me ... what happened yesterday?'' with a mocking tone ,continued '' my mother told me that you did not go home till late at night. Where were you roaming without me?'' with a smirk and raised brow. Karunkar answered'' I couldn't think straight after what happened yesterday morning so I just needed some air to cool off and went to river bank.'' ''Wait ,wait.! Weren't you supposed to be with Aparna and Krishna? .....'' Siva confused and after a long pause ''AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH... Did the chance come?''
Karunakar nodded. Siva jumped around him like a kid excitedly. Karunakar shared what happened between him and krishna . After telling him what happened, he looked at siva who is blooming with happiness , smiling ear to ear . Siva '' at last, your love of 14 years has come true. AAAAAA what to do.... i am so happy for you....'' he jumped around in ectasy placing his farming tool on a rock. Karunakar joined him in the same way. People kept looking at their weird behaviour as they pass by.
Later at krishna's house.... krishna woke up as usual and tend to household work. After some time her father left to their farm. Aunt kasthuri not yet arrived. So she went to cattle shed ,cleaned the shed and gave fresh grass to cows and buffaloes. And came back to her room after a while. She took her bath and got ready. She prayed to god. She walked towards kitchen to prepare some food.
Whatever chore she was doing karunakar came to her mind in one way or the other. In usual days, she often remembered karunakar and would smile as she does . But today this was entirely different. She kept remniscing about how good he looked in traditional attire,how he asked for her hand,how warm his hands were ,how he asked her if he can kiss her... Those thoughts interrupted her normal pace of doing chores. She felt helpless and came out of her house into yard and moved to an area where she and aunt Kasthuri planted some flowers. She sat on rock near them and looked intently at those flowers as if she is asking them to offer some advise leaning over her knees as she supported her head with both hands clasped and placed under her chin and elbows over her knees.
...this situation continued for four days...
After four days, Krishna'' aaah, what's wrong with me. I shouldn't be like this? It's been four days... I should clear my mind first'' smacking some sense into herself. Thinking that , she went to her father who was sitting in a wooden chair in their yard looking at the moon. ''Father.?'' called in a low voice. Her father turned to her in respone. ''Father can I visit our coconut farm tommorrow?''asked hesistatingly. Father ''okay . Do you need anyone to accompany you, or?'', '' I can go by myself , father.'' Krishna interrupted. Muthyalaiah felt something was wrong and did not pry much.
The next day, after completing her breakfast Krishna left the house. As she kept walking forward she recalled walking with Aparna and Karunakar.... she shook her head to dispose those thoughts. After a short while she arrived at coconut farm. Around 5 acres of muthyalaiah's land is for coconut. As she reached coconut farm a middle aged person came to greet her..'' greetings. Your father informed us about you. Please look around and if there is anything you want, call for me , my name is singanna''politely. Krishna nodded in response and took her leave politely.
She just wandered around the farm,looking at the tall trees filled with coconuts around her. She then heard a similar voice and turned her feet towards the sound where she recognised a person among four who're engaged in a deep discussion. That's Siva. As she approached them one among them looked at Krishna making others look at her. Siva asked them to wait a few minutes and came towards Krishna '' krishna, sit there on cot. I'll just finish this quickly and come to you. I have something to tell you.'' pointing towards an wooden cot, and went to continue his meeting.
Krishna took a seat there and a person offered a coconut to drink. She took that and drank. By the time she finished coconut , Siva came to her and sat at the other side of cot. Siva '' How was your temple visit with Karunakar and Aparna?'' She knew Karunakar would share everything with him. They all used to hang out together along with Oormila.
'' It was a great time.'' Krishna replied plainly. As Siva looked at her, he noticed hesitation in her face ,he did not pry much, and added '' Karunakar is supposed to come here now.'' Krishna looked happy and was scared at the same time, but remained silent. ''He's come'' looking at a person in a distance. Krishna's heart began to pound faster and faster as she heard leaves rustling under the feet of the person coming closer and closer.... they stopped.
She kept her head down with her hands clasped tightly together....with difficulty to breath.
''Krishna, can you look at me ?''a familiar voice struck her ears which is low and is filled with fear.....