Neethu glanced at them, confusion displayed in her eyes. "Why is there a sudden change in your faces? Did I ask anything wrong?" 

"No, nothing is wrong in it," Rahul answered.

Neethu smiled. "Okay. Say about yourself, brother. I'm eager to know about you and your family."

Rahul inhaled and exhaled deeply. He glanced at Rithick.

He cleared his throat and said, "My dad, Mr. Rudhra is a senior Army officer. My mom is an doctor. I have a younger sister named Riya. My native town is in Tamil Nadu, but we don't have a permanent residence there. We stay in Bengaluru now. Also, I have an affectionate cousin. He is my best friend since forever."

Neethu exclaimed, "Wow... that's a seriously lovely family. I wish to meet Riya."

Rahul said, "Of course."

"Your cousin is too lucky to be your best friend." She chuckled.

"Then, Rithick is not your friend? See, his face has saddened the moment you said that your cousin is your best friend." She sighed.

Rahul glanced at Rithick with a smile. He was unable to answer Neethu. He was blank at that moment. Rithick could sense Rahul was searching for words. He didn't want Rahul to be in this situation.

Rithick said, "Okay, my turn. What do you want to know about me, Neethu?"

"I know only your name, nothing more than that, Rithick." Neethu smiled, anticipating his words. 

Rithick was unable to describe himself as Rithick Sanjay to her. He had no idea that how she would react if she knew that he was the only son of one of the top businessmen in the country. Hs mind voiced that she would keep a distance from him if she know the truth. Lots of questions swirled within him. Finally, he decided to tell her the truth.

Rithick gazed at Neethu for a while. "Neethu, my dad--" he didn't get to complete the sentence.

"Rithick, wait."

He glanced at her unsurely.

"Rithick, I could sense the sprinkling of water on my hand. Did you feel it?" Neethu asked excitedly.

"Yeah. Of course, I did, Neethu." He wiped the water drops from his head and hands.

Neethu raised her head above, the rain drops moistened her soft cheeks.

"Wow! It's rain. See those dark clouds... lightning is occuring between them." She giggled.

Rithick sighed. "It has started raining heavily. Let's move towards that tree, Neethu."

He groaned when she made no attempt to move. "Neethu, come on."

Neethu stood up and started drenching in the rain. Rithick and Rahul stood up and moved under the tree. Rithick thought that Neethu was following him. Rithick found Neethu stretching her hands straight towards the sky. Her head was raised and she looked like a kid playing in the rain.

Rithick shouted, "Neethu, come on. It's raining heavily. You will get sick."

Neethu was not in the mood to listen to Rithick. She was enjoying the rain.

"Don't play. Listen to me," Rithick yelled. 

She waved the hands at Rithick and giggled. "Come on, Rithick. Let's enjoy the rain together."

Rithick shouted, "You will catch a cold, Neethu. Come here."

She didn't even hear his words. Rithick had no other option. He moved towards Neethu. "What are you doing, Neethu? Please, don't get drenched in the rain."

Neethu was happy to see Rithick standing next to her. Both were drenched by the beautiful drops of rain.

"Rithick, let's enjoy." Neethu chuckled. 

"There is nothing special in rain. Don't get drenched. Try to understand me." He sighed.

"No way, Rithick." Neethu gave him an incredulous look.

"I love rain. It rejoices the thirsty earth and blesses the new plants and flowery buds. It won't come often. If it rains, I never miss it. Once you started enjoying the rain, you can feel the happiness in each drop." replied her enthusiastically.

Rithick thought she was being childish. He held her hand and tightened his grip on it. 

He pulled her hand and she fell on his chest. He lost his balance and thought that Neethu would fall down. Immediately, he wrapped his arms around her waist to save her from falling. His heart skipped a beat for a second when she was wrapped in his arms. He could feel her cold breath. He could feel her heart pounding faster. The most beautiful angel was so close to him. Both of them gazed at each other. Their forms were interlocked.

Neethu exclaimed, "Rithick, what are you doing! Leave me."

Rithick said, "Nope! I won't leave you"

"I asked you to enjoy the rain, Rithick. Leave me" She started pushing him. He loosened his hold and stood close to her.

"Yeah... I'm enjoying it, Neethu." He chuckled.

"I have never enjoyed the rain before but now I wish to enjoy it with you." Rithick added.

"No, Rithick. You haven't been drenched before so you may catch a cold." She frowned.

"No way! I will enjoy it today." He raised his arms above and then stretched his hands straight. His foot wasn't in one place as he started dancing. 

Neethu glanced at Rithick. She couldn't stop him from enjoying. "Let's go. You have never been drenched before, maybe it won't suit you. Come, Rithick, please."

He was enjoying the moment by closing his eyes. He was singing the lyrics, "I asked my heart Who am I? It replied that I'm yours. (Nan nanna keten enai nanae? Nan neeya nenjam sonathe)"

"Wow! You have a fabulous voice, but I can't enjoy it now. I won't allow you to get drenched. She pulled his hand and dragged him under the tree. They stood under the huge tree, where they could hide themselves from the rain drops.

"Why have you drenched yourself? Your clothes have become so wet and now, you are shivering." Neethu sighed.

"I love rain!" Rithick exclaimed.

"What?" she asked with doubtful eyes.

"I started loving the rain since the past 15 minutes or so." He chuckled.

Neethu smiled at Rithick. They were standing in such a way that the rain drops wouldn't sprinkle on them. They stood very close to each other. Rithick leaned on the tree. She leaned more or less near to his chest. They seemed to like a beautiful lovey-dovey couple.

"Neethu..." Rithick spelled her name in a low-pitched voice.

"What?" She chuckled.

"This is the most beautiful moment in my life." He grinned. 

"Really?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, Neethu. It's the truth," he admitted. 

"I told you already that rain would enhance the happiness of any person," Neethu added. 

"Let the rain shower its blessings upon us," Rithick wished with closed eyes.

Neethu showed a small smile without understanding the meaning of his soulful words.

"It's too late." Meanwhile Rithick snapped his eyes open. How will you go to the hostel, Neethu? No one is here." 

Neethu looked around her. No one was present in the Green Park. Mithila was also not there. She had gone to meet her family today.

"No problem, I will go alone, Rithick. How will you go?" Neethu asked.

He laughed. "Rahul is there for me. We both will go together. I will get an umbrella for you,"

Neethu smiled at Rithick, "I have drenched thoroughly."

"It may rain heavily again," Rithick commented. 

Rithick got an umbrella from Rahul, who was standing in the corridor, "I am sorry, Rahul. You have waited since so long."

"It's not a problem. Why are you saying sorry and all? You are my bestie, man." Rahul patted Rithick's arm.

Rithick handed the umbrella to Neethu. She took it from him and smiled softly. She waved her hands at Rithick and Rahul. Neethu then stepped towards the hostel. Rithick stood there, his eyes filled with longing.

"Rahul, Neethu is going alone. I feel that it is not safe for her. Let me go with her. Don't wait for me, okay? You go home."

"Nope, I can't go, leaving you alone. I will wait for you, Rithick," Rahul said.

"My dear, Rahul. Please, it's getting late," Rithick requested.

Rithick's phone rang. The screen displayed his mom's face. He answered the phone immediately.

"Rithick, where are you?" his mom asked.

"Mom, I am at the college. Rahul will come home now. I will come within half an hour, mom." He chuckled.

"Why? What happened? Is there a problem?" his mom asked, worry evident in her voice. 

"No, don't worry. Take care, mom." Rithick cut the call.

"Rahul, can you do a favor?" Rithick asked.

"Of course, Rithick."

"Please, you go home, I will be ok. Also, ask the driver uncle to park my bike in the college. I wish to enjoy the happiness of driving my bike," Rithick almost begged.

Rahul could feel the happiness in Rithick's words. He didn't want to spoil it.

"Okay, Rithick. You had driven the bike before years. Are you sure?" Rahul asked. 

"Yes." Rithick grinned.

"Take care," Rahul said as he walked towards the car.

Rithick could see Neethu walking far ahead. He moved towards her quickly.

"Neethu. Neethu," He called out her name.

Neethu could hear someone was calling. She couldn't sense that the voice was Rithick's. She started to take faster steps.

Neethu turned back immediately. He could see Rithick moving towards her. She couldn't express her happiness in words. She stood rooted on the spot

Rithick was only a few steps away from Neethu. He ambled forward, hoping not to waste even a second. Neethu raised the umbrella above his head. They both were under the single umbrella. It didn't comfort them. They tried to keep a distance, so both of them were drenching. 

"Why did you come here, Rithick? It's too late. You should go home"

"I know, but I can't go home leaving you alone," he said.

"Why?" She asked, tightening her hold on the umbrella's handle.

"Only your words said that you will go alone, but your eyes didn't. Am I right?" Rithick smiled softly.

"Yup. You are right, Rithick. This place was started to scare me, actually." She blinked away the water falling in her eyes. 

"Are you okay, now?" he asked, hoping she would see how much he cared for her. 

"Yup! Of course, Rithick. I feel safe and comfortable if you are near to me."

Rithick couldn't control his happiness.

"Okay... Are you scared of me, Rithick? I won't do anything. Come under the umbrella," Neethu said, her eyes speaking her innocence.

He refused to move closer to her, though he wanted to be close to her. He was still drenching.

"Come on, Rithick. I won't be mistaken if you do so."

He shook his head. He couldn't move near to her.

"Okay... I am going to drench in this rain, then. You hold this umbrella." Neethu rolled her eyes as she stretched the umbrella towards Rithick.

"Nope."

"Then come under the umbrella, Rithick."

Rithick responded by smiling. 

"Will you come inside or not?" She wrapped her arm around his waist to move him under the umbrella. She wanted him to stop drenching.

"Girl, what are you doing? You are making me giggle." He chuckled. Rithick couldn't stop smiling stupidly since she held him.

"I didn't do anything. You were drenching, so I had to hold you," Neethu explained.

"Do you like me, Neethu?" Rithick asked. His heart had so much love for her. He wished she could see that.  

Neethu looked into his eyes and said, "I liked you from the first day itself, dumb Rithick. When I talk to you and Rahul, It's like the feeling I have when I am with my parents."

"Girl, stop saying the word dumb," Rithick teased. He felt shy when she used the word 'dumb'.

Neethu laughed at Rithick.

"Why are you laughing? Did I say anything funny?" Rithick inquired.

"No. Calm down." She grinned. "I am happy, Rithick, really." She didn't know that he had enjoyed every moment with her.

"Okay. How far is your hostel from here?" he asked. He longed for a long walk together with Neethu.

Neethu pointed out the hostel to him. "Only a few steps more, Rithick."

"God! Damn hostel," Rithick said.

"Why, Rithick? It is pretty beautiful"

"Beauty! What beauty?" he chaffed.

"Rithick, this is too much." 

They neared the hostel. "Bye, Rithick. Take care." 

"Ok, bye." Rithick was saddened within seconds.

Neethu stepped into the hostel and turned back with a big smile, "Will you go alone, Rithick?" she teased.

He laughed. "Yes. Bye."

Rithick then walked towards the Green Park. He was thinking about each and every moment that he had spent with Neethu. He was in his own dream. He felt like he had forgotten himself. He had never imagined the day would end with such a special moment.

His bike was parked in the vehicle stand. He was crazy about driving a bike but his parents wouldn't allow him to. After five years, he was going to enjoy driving his bike. He was in the spirit of rejoicing.

Rithick's phone rang. It was Rahul.

"Rahul, you are jealous of me, man. You asked driver uncle to park my old bike, right? okay! It's not a problem. Anyway, thanks, Rahul!" Rithick was excited. 

"Drive slowly. Safety is important, Rithick Take care," Rahul said.

"Sure. I'm really excited, Rahul." He hung up the phone.

Rithick was contented to ride his bike after so long. He kept his hands on the handlebars. He had put all his force on the handlebars which made him to realize that he was nearly flying in air. His jet speed made him overtake all the others on the road. He was damn happy. He shouted like a child having fun. Everyone on the road stared at him like he was crazy. 

He crossed the couples riding. His speed automatically got reduced. He felt happy to see a married couple with a baby in the lady's arms. The baby smiled toothlessly at Rithick. He smiled softly and waved his hand. The baby too waved his small hand at Rithick.

His heart pounded the name 'Neethu'. He was going crazy for her. His speed reduced slowly and now he was as slow as a bicycle rider. His lips didn't forget to smile while driving and he showed lots of expression without his knowledge.

He was not aware of the two missed calls. Again, his phone peeped, the screen flashed the name: Riya. He stopped the bike and attended the call.

"Rithick anna, where are you, now?" Riya asked worriedly. 

"I will reach within five minutes, Riya."

"Aunt and mom are worrying about you, Anna. Please, come soon."

"Okay, I will. Tell them not to worry, Riya." He hung up the call. 

Rithick noticed a strange man with a helmet. The strange man slowed down his bike as he had stopped the bike. He could see the man in the rear end mirror of the bike. Then, He started his bike casually.

The strange man was still following him. Rithick had a doubt and slowed down the speed to view the strange man. He started driving in an alternative path to catch the stranger.