The night carried a lighter mood after training, but
Richard's bruises still stung.
Richard (firmly):"Don't
try to evade from your mistakes. Apologize to me."
Karikalan smirked, his tone calm but unyielding.
Karikalan:"Why
should I apologize? I'm your trainer. My goal is to make your body stronger to
fight against David."
Richard frowned, pressing further.
Richard:"If it was
training, then why did you throw stones at me?"
Karikalan's eyes narrowed, his voice cryptic.
Karikalan:"You'll
soon understand the reason."
Later, both of them sat at a restaurant, their food
steaming on the table. Richard's gaze drifted across the room, fixed on
someone.
Karikalan (noticing):"Richard,
the food came! What are you looking at?"
Richard's voice dropped, uneasy.
Richard:"Something
strange."
Karikalan leaned in.
Karikalan:"What
strange?"
Richard gestured subtly toward a man seated nearby.
Richard:"Stare at
that person. What do you notice?"
Karikalan squinted, his face tightening.
Karikalan:"Ahh…
I think… I've seen this person before. His face looks similar to Veera,
right?"
Richard whispered sharply.
Richard (silent voice):"You
idiot, that's Veera himself."
Karikalan's eyes widened in shock.
Karikalan:"What is
he doing here at this time? And by the way… who's that girl sitting in front of
him?"
The restaurant's warm glow contrasted sharply with the
tension between Karikalan and Richard.
Richard (insistent):"I
didn't see her with him before. I think you should approach and ask about
that."
Karikalan frowned, his voice steady but reluctant.
Karikalan:"Are you
serious? They came here without even knowing we'd be here. It's their privacy.
I hate to intervene in someone's private life."
Richard leaned closer, his tone firm but quiet.
Richard:"I
know it's their privacy. But Veera hasn't told us anything about this. And
remember you're responsible for taking care of him because of his parents'
promise. As his guardian, you have to confront him and ask."
Karikalan's eyes widened slightly, the weight of
responsibility pressing down. The playful banter of earlier training was gone —
replaced by the heavy reality of guardianship.
Karikalan's footsteps echoed softly as he approached
Veera's table, his presence unnoticed until the last moment.
Veera (to Maya, casually boasting):"Yeh! Listen Maya, I'm the one who protected you from those
bastards at school. If not, they would've abused you in front of everyone for
your work against them. Now, please buy me a shrimp as a reward for what I've
done."
Maya's eyes flickered with worry.
Maya:"But what if
they come here and confront us?"
Veera smirked, his confidence unwavering.
Veera:"Don't worry
about that. I'll handle them. Besides, I've got two idiots working as my
assistants. If I call, they could smash anyone within seconds."
A strange voice cut through the air, sharp and unsettling.
Voice:"Who are
those idiots, Veera?"
Without thinking, Veera answered.
Veera:"They're none
other than Karikalan and Richard."
Maya's face turned pale, her eyes wide with shock.
Veera (confused):"What
happened? Why does your face look like that?"
He turned his head slowly — and froze. Standing behind him
was Karikalan, his expression unreadable, his voice low and strange.
Karikalan:"So…
we're your idiots, huh?"
Karikalan's calm voice carried a weight Veera couldn't
ignore.
Karikalan (polite, measured):"Ok, boss… why are you here, and who is this girl?"
Veera leaned back, trying to sound casual.
Veera:"Oh, you're
asking about her? She's one of my classmates. We came here to eat because she
said this restaurant has dishes from different countries."
Karikalan nodded slowly, his tone still calm.
Karikalan:"Ok,
boss, I understand. By the way, what's her name? And why did you two come here
at this time?"
Veera's expression hardened, his voice sharp.
Veera:"It's none of
your business."
For a moment, silence hung heavy. Karikalan's face shifted
— his calmness replaced by a flicker of anger. Veera's thoughts raced.
Veera (thinking to himself):
"What am I doing? To impress this girl, I'm acting like I hate him. Why
is he so calm after hearing this? I think I've crossed my limits."
Karikalan's voice cut through Veera's guilt, steady and
firm.
Karikalan:"Since
you're the boss, it's my duty to protect you from threats. And it's my
responsibility to ask these questions."
The restaurant's calm atmosphere shattered as the roar of
engines filled the street. Twenty men stormed in, stepping off bikes and cars,
their flashy clothes marking them as rich troublemakers. Cricket bats, iron
rods, and sticks glinted under the dim lights as they marched inside.
The air grew heavier with each step they took toward
Veera's table. Diners froze mid‑bite, whispers died, and the tension became
suffocating.
Karikalan (alert, suspicious):"Who are they? And why are they coming toward your
table?"
Veera's face hardened, his voice low but steady.
Veera:"They're the
ones I beat at school."
The words hung in the air like a spark before fire.
Richard's eyes widened, Maya's face turned pale, and Karikalan's jaw tightened.
The gang's slow approach felt like the beginning of a storm one that could
erupt at any second.