Five minutes

The door closed behind us with a soft click.

Mazhayude sound [sound of rain] got muffled.

The flat was small. Warm.

It smelled like old books and coffee.

He stood near the door, nananju [drenched].

I tossed him a towel.

"Five minutes," I said. "Timer set cheyyunnu [I’m setting a timer]."

My voice was calm. Not angry.

Vihaan took the towel and smiled a little.

"Ninte curtains ippozhum same aanallo [You still have the same curtains],"

he said, looking at the blue ones.

I shrugged. "Athe. They’re comfortable."

He sat on the couch. Not like a stranger.

Like he used to belong here.

Silence. But not heavy.

Just... familiar.

"So," I said. "Paray. Five minutes undu [You have five minutes]."

Vihaan ran a hand through his wet hair and looked at me.

"I came because of your post," he said.

"'Some loves are like Ente Priyam [My beloved]. You don’t notice them until they’re gone.'"

My heart skipped.

"That was just writing, Vihaan."

"No," he said softly. "It was you, Tarini."

I looked away. "Why are you saying this now?"

"Because I’m getting married," he said.

"Arranged aanu [It’s arranged].

But Achan said, 'If ninte manassu [your heart] is somewhere else,

tell me before it’s too late.'"

I turned to him. "And?"

"And my heart..." he paused. "It never left this room.

It never left you, Tarini."

The timer rang.

Five minutes over.

But neither of us moved.

"Vihaan," I whispered.

"Don’t say things you can’t mean."

He took one step closer.

"I mean every word.

Nee ente priyam aanu [You are my beloved]."

Just then, the doorbell rang.

I opened the door.

A girl stood there.

Umbrella in one hand, box of sweets in the other.

She was smiling. Not crying. Not angry.

"Hi," she said. "Njan Aadhya aanu [I’m Aadhya].

Vihaan-ettante [Vihaan-etta’s] fiancée."

Vihaan came and stood behind me.

Aadhya looked at both of us and laughed softly.

"Relax. Drama undakilla [I won’t create drama]."

She stepped inside. "Achan sent me."

"Uncle?" I asked.

"Athe [Yes]," she said. "He said before the wedding,

I should meet the girl who taught Vihaan-etta how to love."

I blinked. "What?"

Aadhya kept the sweets on the table.

"See, Vihaan-etta and I are cheriya kaalathu [since childhood] friends.

There’s no love between us.

Achan just wanted him to be happy.

But he told Achan, 'I’m already happy. With her.'"

She pointed at me.

Vihaan looked down. Then at me.

"Sathyam aanu [It’s true]," he said quietly.

"I told them about you. About Ente Priyam."

Aadhya grinned at me. "So chedi [sister],

coffee kudikkan varatteyo [can I come for coffee]?

Because I think I’ll be coming here a lot."

For the first time in three years,

the air didn’t feel heavy.

It felt light. Like a new beginning.

I looked at Vihaan.

He was looking at me like I was home.

"Five minutes are over," I said.

"But maybe... we can take more time?"

Vihaan smiled. The first real one in years.

"Enikku pinne ethra time venam [I need as much time as you want], Tarini."

The timer had rung long ago.

But none of us moved.

Aadhya was sitting on the couch, eating sweets like she owned the place.

"So," she said, mouth full. "Confession kab hoga [when will the confession happen]?"

I choked on my chay. "Aadhya!"

"What?" she grinned. "Njan oru cheriya help aanu cheyyunnathu [I’m just doing a small help].

Vihaan-etta 3 varsham [3 years] se silent aanu [he’s been silent]."

Vihaan looked at the floor. His ears were red.

"Stop it, Aadhya."

"Why?" she said. "Tarini chedi deserves to hear it, no?"

She looked at me. "Okay I’ll go to the kitchen.

But don’t take too long. Sweets thirichu varum [the sweets will be over]."

She got up and left. But stood right outside the kitchen door.

I could hear her. Obviously.

Silence again. Just me and Vihaan.

"Tarini," he said quietly.

I didn’t look up.

"Nokk [Look at me]," he whispered.

I looked. His eyes were the same.

That warm, sun wali look ☀️ that used to make me feel safe.

"That day I left," he said. "I told myself it was for the best.

Family, responsibility, all that.

But every day without you felt like night without moon."

My throat tightened. "Vihaan..."

"Shhh," he said. "Let me finish.

Nee ente Nila aanu [You are my moon], Tarini.

And I’m tired of being a Sun without you.

I’m cold without you."

From the kitchen, Aadhya coughed loudly.

"Clear aanu [It’s clear]! Now propose pannu [propose now]!"

Both of us turned red.

I laughed a little. "Aadhya is listening."

"I know," Vihaan smiled. Embarrassed but brave.

"So let her listen. Tarini,

will you give me more than five minutes?

Will you give me a chance again?

Enikku ninne venam [I want you]."

My heart was beating so loud.

Aadhya was probably counting from the kitchen.

I took a deep breath.

"Vihaan," I said. "If this is real...

then let’s not waste more time."

He exhaled like he’d been holding his breath for 3 years.

And then, right there,

he held my hand.

From the kitchen: "Yesss! Sweets celebrate cheyyam [Let’s celebrate with sweets]!"

We both laughed. Awkward, nervous, but real.

For the first time,

the sun and moon were in the same sky.

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