Ram's mom pov :
The housewarming was buzzing with laughter, clinking glasses, and the aroma of freshly fried snacks wafting from the kitchen. I was making rounds, greeting everyone, soaking in the pride of our new home and the joy it brought. My boy, Ramakrishna, finally back in his roots, in our street, in our lives again.
Just as I stepped up the stairs to check if the snacks I kept in the first-floor kitchen were being served, I heard faint whispers and a shuffle. Curious, I tilted my head. The door to Ram's room—right next to the master bedroom—was slightly ajar.
I peeked… and oh dear, there it was.
My son, Ram, standing close, so painfully close to Max. Her off-white saree was gently brushing against him. And they weren't just talking. That kiss—it wasn't a peck. It was the kind of kiss that speaks stories. Max's hands were gripping his shoulders like her world rested there.
I didn't make a sound. Just a little smirk curled on my lips. My boy finally made a move, huh?
Without missing a beat, I shouted louder than necessary and called out, "Ramaaa! and teasing them with the assumption You're showing your room to Max, ah?"with the tweakling smile ..
Max jumped like a popcorn kernel on a hot pan, trying to adjust her pleats with trembling hands. Ram, bless him, tried acting cool. "Yeah, Amma… just showing her the photo wall," he said, pointing to a random spot in the room like it mattered.
I kept a perfectly straight face. Oscar-winning performance.
"Good, good," I said, strolling in like I'd seen nothing. "Max, you come down soon, ma. Your mom's asking where you went. She's in the backyard gossiping with Valli aunty about those drumstick trees again."
Max nodded with a shy smile, clearly still shaken. I patted her head. In my heart, I already called her maapillai ponnu.
Downstairs, Max's mom was giggling over some old school memories with the neighbors. Clueless and sweet, she asked, "Where did Max disappear?"
"Oh, just helping Ram with some room arrangement," I said, winking at myself in my mind.
The neighborhood was already bubbling with assumptions. Mrs. Janaki from next door whispered, "I saw your son staring at Max during the pooja like he was trying to burn the camphor with his eyes!"
I laughed. "Maybe he was just praying extra hard!"
Everyone chuckled. The mood was light, the future glowing. I didn't say a word about the kiss. Some joys are better treasured in the heart.
But one thing was clear—Max was already family in my eyes. And this new home? It wasn't just bricks and paint. It was where love would bloom.
Pov:Max
Just when I thought I'd escaped enough teasing for the night, my phone buzzed with a message from my mom.
"Come home, now. Enough party."
I barely had the strength to lift my head. I looked up and saw Ram's mom noticing my screen.
Before I could say anything, the front gate creaked.
My mom had arrived.
"Max!" she called, peeking into the hall.
Ram's mom walked out to meet her.
"Oh, let her stay, no? It's just one night. All the girls are here."
But my mom had already stepped in, scanning the scene with that mom-level intensity.
"She's coming. No arguments. It's late."
She didn't say it, but I knew. She sensed something. Maybe not the kiss, but something had lit her sixth sense. Ram's mom gave a slightly awkward laugh and nodded.
"Okay okay, she's all yours," she said, smiling.
Ram's eyes followed me as I grabbed my bag and quietly left with my mom. Our eyes met—just for a second. A silent apology. A promise. A thousand unsaid things.
When I entered my room, Ren and Kitty were already there, lounging with chips and scrolling through memes like nothing had happened.
"Took you long enough," Kitty smirked, tossing a pillow at me.
Ren raised an eyebrow, "Ram's mom was teasing you so much, bro. Are we invited to the wedding or not?"
I threw my bag at them.
"Shut up. I'm going to sleep."
But the second I laid down, I knew—there was no sleep tonight.
Because every inch of me was still remembering the way his lips felt. The way his hands had held me. The look in his eyes.
And somewhere in the other house, I knew he wasn't sleeping either.
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