Rithick and Rahul reached the guest house. Rithick felt the house was empty without his mom and dad. During his school and college days, his mom would be at home, waiting for him, leaving all the official business matters. She would cook her son's favourite meals. Though he was better in the hands of his uncle Ruthra and his lovable cousin, Rahul, he longed for his mom's love.

Ruthra was not in the home. Both Rithick and Rahul had tea together. They talked about random stuff.

Rithick said, "Rahul, it's my Mom's birthday this weekend. Last year we all had a great time together."

"I remember it well, Rithick. Why not this year? We can enjoy this year too."

"Mom will be busy there. I don't want to overwork her. Let her enjoy with dad this time."

Rahul knew about the surprise that was about to happen.

They heard the sound of a car. Rithick and Rahul were upstairs. Rithick peeped out through the nearby window. He was in extreme shock to see his mom, Rahul's mom and Riya (Rahul's sister)

Rithick rushed towards the car excitedly and held the hands of his mom. "Mom, how are you? I missed you so badly."

Kalpana (Rithick's mom) said, "Missed you too, my son." She bent his son's head and kissed his forehead. Then, she patted his shoulder.

Rithick said with a cute smile, "Welcome, aunt. How are you? Where is my naughty sister?"

"I am here, anna." Riya opened the door of the car and came out. (Riya as Nazriya)
 

She was standing in the middle of her both brothers. She wrapped her right hand over Rithick's neck and her left hand over Rahul's neck. She hugged both her brothers tightly. "Missed you, damn fellows."

Everyone entered the home. They had a great time together.

Rithick said, "I didn't expect your presence. I feel very happy about it."

Kalpana (Rithick's mom) replied, "I can't stay there without seeing my son. Our home seems to be empty without you, my dear."

"Stay here, mom... aunt, you too. Then Rudhra uncle and Rahul will be happy," Replied Rithick.

"Sure, son. I will try to spend time with you all," Rithick's mom said.

After their conversation, Rithick and Rahul moved upstairs.

"Now I can see my cheerful, Rithick," Rahul commented.

"Yeah, I am happy, Rahul."

Rithick winked. "Let's invite Neethu to the birthday party."

"Oh God! Someone saves me from Rithick. He is murmuring Neethu's name for two days."

Riya entered the room and she heard them talking. "Hey, Rahul, who is Neethu?"

Rahul blinked at Rithick and said, "She is our new friend."

Riya laughed. "Maybe she is your friend, Rahul anna. I know my Rithick anna very well. He doesn't even look at any girl."

She sat down on the couch and started arguing with Rahul that he was wrong about Rithick. Rithick quietly enjoyed the silly fight between Rahul and Riya.

Rahul winked at Rithick and said, "If you have a doubt, ask Rithick,"

Riya huffed. "You shut up, Rahul anna! In Rithick anna's heart, only two ladies are there. One is Kalpana Aunt, and the other is me." Her voice held pride.

Rithick said, "Yeah, you are right, Riya... but..."

Riya was shocked by Rithick's words. She stood up from the couch and moved towards him. She frowned at Rithick and asked, "What? Why did you pause? Who else is there in your heart?"

Rithick dodged her question. "In my heart... there is a small place for my girl too."

Riya couldn't control giggling. She felt happy to hear these words. "I know that, obviously. My sister-in-law is the luckiest girl to get my Rithick anna, but who is she?"

Rithick smiled softly. "Yeah, I like someone but I don't know if she likes me."

"I can't believe your words, anna. Do you like her? I want to see her. Please arrange that." She started tickling him.

"Even I can't believe it. Rahul, save me, man!" Both Rahul and Riya started tickling Rithick.

They were still behaving like kids. They had matured in growth no doubt, but it had no impact on their relationship.

They had some lovely moments together after a long time and slept after a long,

The beautiful rays of the sun fell on Riya's face. She opened her eyes and rubbed them. She noticed the time was 7:30 AM. She turned her head left. Both her brothers were sleeping peacefully. 
"Rithick! Rahul! Get up! It's time for your college," her mom's voice echoed.

"They will come down now," Riya yelled.

Riya tried to wake her brothers up. "Rithick and Rahul anna. Get up! It's time for college."

There was no response from them. She knew that waking her brothers up was not at all easy.

She started shaking their hands. After some time, she managed to wake Rahul up.

"Why, Riya? I want to sleep, girl. You go from here. Don't disturb me," Rahul cried out and hide his face under the blanket.

Riya huffed. "It's time Rahul anna. It is going to be 8 AM soon."

Rahul pulled away his blanket and got up from the bed. He facepalmed himself. "God! It's time. Happy morning, my cutie. See Rithick? He is still sleeping peacefully."

"It's time, Rithick anna." Riya shook his hands.

Rithick didn't give them any response.

"Rahul anna, I have an idea to wake Rithick anna up."

Rahul blinked at Riya. "What?"

Riya smiled and said, "Neethu, come on. See our lazy Rithick is sleeping till now."

Rithick threw away his blanket and got up from his bed immediately. "Neethu came! Where is she?"

Rahul and Riya burst out laughing.

"Super trick, Riya. I will make use of it daily." Rahul grinned.

"First open your eyes, Rithick anna." Riya giggled.

Rithick opened his eyes and noticed Rahul and Riya sitting beside him with big smiles.

Rahul exclaimed, "Neethu woke you up."

Rithick smiled and said, "You both... damn it. What a beautiful dream I had! You both disturbed me before the dream came to an end."

After a burst of big laughter,

Both Rithick and Rahul jumped out of the bed. They were getting ready for college. Both the boys stood in front of the mirror. They were neatly dressed. Riya noticed both her brothers were standing there for more than ten minutes.

"What are you doing there? Beauty will not be added even if you look into the mirror for a thousand times." Riya laughed.

"Riya! How do I look? Will Neethu like me?" Rithick asked unsurely.

"You both look like the worst creatures in the world." Riya laughed and shook her head.

Rithick and Rahul glanced at each other. They knew well about Riya. They paused for a minute to hear Riya's actual words because she couldn't hurt them even for fun.

Riya moved closer to her brothers and said, "Both of you are looking handsome. I like your dressing sense."

Rithick and Rahul smiled at Riya. "Bye, sis. Take care."

They reached the college within 15 minutes. They were on time. Rithick entered the class. He saw Neethu talking to her friend. He wanted her to glance at him. He gazed at her for some more seconds before sitting on his usual seat.

Neethu glanced at Rahul and Rithick, "Morning, Rahul brother." She didn't even look at Rithick.
 

Rithick could perceive that Neethu was not behaving like her usual self. Her face seemed to be unhappy. Her eyes were not bright. Her voice was dull. He missed his charming and innocent Neethu. She was worried about something. But he couldn't understand the matter behind her lifeless face. What had happened?

Rithick glanced at Neethu often but she refused to look into his eyes. He thought that the words which he had spoken to her earlier might have hurt her.

Rithick was worried. "Rahul, I think Neethu doesn't like me. She didn't even look at me once."

"She likes you. You don't worry, Rithick." Rahul patted his shoulder. 

Pausing for a minute, Rithick initiated, "I can sense something other than this. The other day before leaving, she had glanced at me with her cute smile."

"You are probably right." Rahul's eyebrows scrunched up. Let's wait for a few more minutes. Neethu will talk about it."

Neethu shared her worries with Mithila. "I am unable to give a fake glance at Rithick."

Mithila said, "Be cool, Neethu."

Shantra stared at Neethu from her right. Her big eyes demanded that Neethu should be away from Rithick.

Neethu gave her no reaction.

"Neethu... Neethu." Rithick heard someone calling his girl's name from the back row.

Rithick turned his head right to see who was calling. Meanwhile, Neethu turned back to see who was calling her.

Shakash was calling her name continuously.

Neethu looked at him,

"I am Shakash," he replied. "I know you are Neethu, the young, charming beauty. You can call me Shaku."

Rithick was vexed. He didn't like the Shakash's behaviour towards her.

"Nice to meet you, Shaku." 

Rithick stared at Neethu, but she didn't spare him even a glance..

Shakash asked, "Will you give me the syllabus, Neethu?"

"Sure. Wait a second." Neethu then took the syllabus and gave it to him. Both of them shared their smile.

"Why is Neethu behaving like this?" Rithick asked, his face contorted in a frown. 

Rahul replied, "It's nothing wrong, Rithick. He is our classmate. Stay cool."

"There is no need for a syllabus, now. Also, if he needed it, he could have asked someone near to him,"

Rahul smiled at Rithick. "My Rithick is jealous of Shakash, right?"

"Maybe, Rahul, but his intentions for Neethu do not seem to be good.."

"I can guess the same. Let's wait," Rahul replied with a sigh. 

Shakash glanced at Rithick and Rahul before saying, "Neethu, are you comfortable with that place?"

Neethu nodded. She showed him her smile and then turned to face Mithila.

"Neethu, Rithick was looking at you... when you were conversing with Shakash."

"I know, Mithila. Shantra is staring at me and Rithick. If I talk to him now, she might be annoyed with him. I think she would like him," Neethu explained.

Mithila asked, "Why you are bothering about others? Rithick is your friend, right?"

Shantra's look from other end looks so horrible. Neethu was speechless. She busied herself in reading from the book on her desk. 
 

Rithick could sense the dullness flashing on her face often. He wasn't able to see Neethu with a sad face. He whispered, "Something has happened to Neethu. I am damn sure, Rahul."

Rahul asked, "Neethu... are you okay?"

Neethu hide everything behind her smile and said, "I am happy, brother." She glanced at Rithick for the first time that day.

Rithick eyes didn't have the usual spark. Looking at his dull eyes, She forgot about everyone around her.

"Rithick... are you okay? Why is your face so dull? Are you alright? Nothing happened to you, right?" she asked in a single breath. 

Rithick shook his head, indicating he was not happy.

"Why Rithick?" Neethu frowned. "I haven't seen you like this before."

Rithick didn't want Neethu to be worried because of him. He smiled at her but he sensed something has happened to Neethu.

Neethu grinned. "Such a cute smile. Wear it often, Rithick. I am happy now."

They both gazed at each other with smiles on their faces.

Neethu... Neethu?" Shakash called.

Rithick broke his eye contact with Neethu's and glanced at Shakash. Neethu snapped out of her daze. She could perceive that someone calling her but she was not aware of who it was. She turned around, but there was no response from anybody. 

Meanwhile, the class in-charge entered the classroom. Everyone greeted her. She smiled at the students. She handled her subject with a simple concept and explained it in an understandable manner. The students paid attention, except Shantra and Shakash. Shantra gazed at Rithick.

Meanwhile, the class in charge completed the lesson and said, "Students, I'm glad to inform that a group singing competition is going to be held at the Green Music Park. The students who are interested can kindly give me their group name."

Immediately, Neethu raised her hand. "Ma'am. We are interested. Our group includes Mithila, Rithick, Rahul, and I."

The class in-charge appreciated Neethu and her team for their immediate response. Rithick and Rahul blinked at each other with half-smiles.

Rithick said to Rahul, "God... Neettthuuu! Let us be the audience."

Rahul chuckled, "We can't do that."

Rithick teased, "You play the instrument for your sister, Neethu. Leave me, man."

"Oh. This is your chance, man. Try to show your love in the composition of a song," Rahul suggested. 

Neethu grinned. "Which song? Any idea?"

Rithick and Rahul laughed simultaneously. 

"She didn't even ask us whether we are ready or not. I can see my Neethu back. I have no words in front of her beautiful smile." Rithick sighed dreamily.

Neethu suggested many songs. Rithick shook his head with his a half-smile because he had composed a song for her already in his heart. He was waiting to hear that particular song from Neethu. Somehow, Neethu suggested a few songs randomly and find out.

Rithick nodded, his face lit up with an attractive smile. Rahul and Mithila decided to play the instrument. Rithick and Neethu began singing together...They started practising...Shantra was irritated by their closeness. Shantra was waiting for the chance to throw Neethu away...