Rithick stepped into the flight before Neethu stepped in.

"Welcome to the airways, sir! Your seat number is 25, please move straight right" said the air hostess.

Rithick didn't react.

"Welcome to the airways. Your seat number is 26. Please move straight right." Neethu smiled at the lady before moving towards Rithick, who took the window seat, 25.

Neethu by noticing his suit thought he was probably a businessman.

Neethu asked, "Sir, Can I have the window seat? My seat number is 26, next to you."

'Oh my God! What the hell? I can't sit near a girl,' he grumbled to himself and got away from his seat.

Neethu was very happy to have the window seat and took the seat immediately. "Thank you, sir! Why are you standing?" He blinked. He wanted to get off from the flight immediately.

"The flight is ready to take off, sir. Please take your seat" Informed the air hostess. Rithick hesitated to a core before sitting near Neethu. He sat carefully without even touching her. He rested his head on the back of the seat and closed his eyes thinking How could he pass an hour and a half? He felt uncomfortable. This was the first time in years that he was sitting near a young girl.

Neethu observed his anxious face and initiated slowly, "Sir, what happened? Are you worried about leaving anyone?"

Rithick didn't open his eyes.

Neethu said, "Sir, listen to me. There is nothing to worry about. Our intellect is responsible for everything. Always have a smile on your face. Feel free and cool."

What? Advice from a girl! This was her limit. Rithick opened his eyes and glared at her.

Neethu said, "Sir, Do you want to see my face smiling or with tears?" Her eyes held an innocent look. He was stunned and he couldn't tolerate hearing her words and unnecessary questions.

Without knowing acknowledgement, she started "Sir, This is the first time I am leaving my family and friends for pursuing my higher studies. If I remain quiet, I would remember those happiest moments that I have experienced. I miss them badly and it may break down into tears" she said whole-heartedly.

He was struck by her words because he was dealing with the same situation as her. He was actually not in a mood to curse her.

She looked at him weirdly. Why was he not responding? Maybe he was dumb.

'Oh, God! Why am I thinking like this?' she murmured. She decided to check out whether he was dumb or not.

"I am Neethu, what's your name?" She was shocked as there was no response from him. He was looking at her with fixed eyes without knowing how to make her mouth shut?

Her eyes rolled over his face and find certain kind of emotions playing in his face, "Sir! I feel really sorry for you... you can't utter a word. Don't worry about it. I hope you can hear me."

How dare to think me as dumb? My God! who is she? He didn't find this type of Girl anywhere. He had a glance at her and her looks make him loosen his lips and makes the situation funny.

By seeing his smile, her eyes brightened. "Sir, always have this smile on your face." she continued again.

"I have lots of info to share with you, sir. Can you bear with me?"

He smiled. Ah! This girl is interesting! Hey! Are you Rithick? Unbelievable man, he thought to himself... He is the one who can't bare Girl's talk but she sounds very different from others that gains his attention. who would talk these much to a stranger without getting a single word reply? but Neethu differs due to her innocence.

"Let me introduce myself," Neethu said.

He gazed at her, unbelievably.

"Of course! You know my name. My dad is a teacher and my mom is a housewife. My parents permitted me to fly beyond my dreams that is the reason I am here now. My younger sister is named Geethu. This was about my family," she said without pausing in between and looked at him. Thinking him as poor dumb who couldn't reply, she continued, "Well! I have lots of friends in my hometown. Every weekend we used to play many games, especially hide and seek. It was one of my favourite games." she stopped.

'What? Hide and seek! I played that with my cousin, Rahul during childhood,' his mind voiced.

He gazed at her and wondered, "How could a girl be childlike even when she was grown up?"

Rithick turned 25. Till now, there was no place for girls in his life. How could she made him turn at her? He couldn't take off his eyes from her as she was innocently pouring his heart out.. Many chosen to talk to Rithick only after valuing his money and the reputation in the society but Neethu was entirely different from them. She thought that he was dumb and she even didn't show pity for him.

Neethu continued, "Sir! Do you want to know about my Dream?"

He nodded instantly.

"Sir, my dream is to build an orphanage as soon as I have settled down in my life." Rithick admired her thought and felt proud of his dad (there were five orphanages in his name). Each and every word made Neethu closer to him.

She then described her likes. "Singing is my passion. Do you want to hear my song?" she asked with excitement. He nodded with a smile.

She cleared her throat and sang the song from Alaipayuthey Movie,

'Oh! My friend! My secret friend!

Oh! Friend! Listen to my small, small wishes...

This same way of embarrassing me!

This same way of being close to me!

I want this, till the end of our life

Oh! My friend! My secret friend!'

The lyrics touched him somewhere. He was mesmerized, each and every word seemed to be new though he heard the song many times before, he was melted by her voice.

He was bid to appraise her but by knowingly or unknowingly, she thought him as a dumb person, If she knew that he was just acting, she might be vexed. His hatred for girls made him dumb in front of her. He didn't find any wrong here.

'Oh, God! Come on, Rithick! There was no mistake from your side. She misunderstood you, that's it. You changed your attitude to make her happy. If you showed your usual awkwardness, she might be in distress," His inner voice consoled himself.

"Sir, did you like my song?" she asked enthusiastically.

He nodded his head with a small smile, gestured her a thumbs up.

"Ah! Thank youuuu!" she said with full energy with cheered up eyes.

After sometimes later, They both looked at each other often without any conversation.

"Well, come on, sir! I can't sit without talking," she uttered.

Rithick was amazed really like how she could talk without stopping, even when there was no response from his side. she continued saying her favourite hero, heroines, movies, books, novels and the list goes on...

The flight had safely landed at the destined place. The passengers from the flight were getting off slowly except Rithick and Neethu. They were requested again to get off from the flight. Both of them came out from their dazed states. Rithick wondered how the flight had reached the destined place within a fraction of seconds! They took their respective baggage and got off.

After getting down from the flight, Rithick and Neethu gazed at each other. Rithick felt that they wouldn't be seeing each other again.

Neethu said, "Sir, I am grateful to you. You have spent your time with me patiently. I have enjoyed my moments with you forgetting everything. I felt warmth, same as that of my family. If I hurt you in any means, I'm extremely sorry for it. Bye. Take care."

She took her luggage and walked about three steps and paused, turned her neck back slowly to see him. He walked straightly in alternate direction without looking her.

"Sir!" she yelled. She almost ran towards him. He turned and noticed her pink cheeks. She was breathing heavily.

"Sir, you have made my day memorable. I am going to miss you," she told him with misty eyes. "Wait a minute please," she ran her hand through the handbag that was placed in her shoulder. she took a small box and gave it to him. "Keep it, sir. Let it be our symbol of meeting," She placed it in his hands holding a small smile in her lips before moving away.

Without thinking a minute, he got it from her and looked at the box about three to four times. He looked at her till she disappeared. It was really surprising how Rithick got it from her?