24-05-2026, 09:15 AM
(This post was last modified: 24-05-2026, 09:16 AM by Hornytamilan23. Edited 1 time in total. Edited 1 time in total.)
Chapter 5 — Almost Close Again
Rain had settled gently over Chennai by the time Shruthi changed into an oversized T-shirt and loose cotton shorts.
The apartment still carried that rare silence she had enjoyed for the last hour.
No interruptions.
No responsibilities pulling at her every second.
No emotional tension sitting heavily in the corners of the house.
For the first time in months, she had felt… light.
Not excited.
Not restless.
Just calm.
And she hadn’t realized how badly she needed that.
---
She reheated water for tea and stood near the kitchen counter scrolling absentmindedly through mails.
Her eyes drifted once toward Karthik’s message again.
A small smile returned unconsciously.
Not because of romance.
Because someone had looked at her today with uncomplicated admiration.
No history.
No expectations.
No emotional baggage.
Just attention.
Fresh attention.
And that truth unsettled her slightly.
---
The sound of the door unlocking pulled her out of thought.
Lokesh entered first, looking exhausted enough to fall asleep standing. Behind him, he carried Hasini carefully against his shoulder.
Fast asleep.
One shoe missing.
Hair messy.
Completely unconscious.
Shruthi immediately softened.
“She slept in the car ah?”
Lokesh nodded tiredly.
“Gone by the time we crossed Saidapet.”
Shruthi smiled faintly and moved closer instinctively, adjusting Hasini’s small blanket while Lokesh carried her inside the bedroom.
Even exhausted, he looked unfairly attractive to her sometimes.
That annoyed her tonight more than usual.
---
After settling Hasini carefully on the bed, Lokesh walked back out loosening his watch.
“She ate?”
“Hm. We ate outside itself. I brought parcel for you.”
Shruthi raised an eyebrow.
“Miracle.”
“Don’t insult before opening.”
He handed her the cover.
Her favorite kothu parotta place.
She looked at him properly now.
“You remembered?”
“I’m tired, not useless.”
That made her laugh softly.
And for a brief moment, things between them felt easy again.
---
Lokesh changed clothes and collapsed onto the sofa while Shruthi ate beside him cross-legged.
Rain tapped softly against the balcony glass.
The television played muted news nobody was watching.
Comfortable domestic exhaustion filled the apartment.
---
“How was office?” Lokesh asked finally.
Shruthi leaned back.
“Busy. New trainee joined.”
“Hm?”
“PSG junior. Divya’s brother.”
“Poor fellow.”
“Why poor?”
“He got your team.”
She narrowed her eyes immediately.
“Excuse me, people love working with me.”
“People fear disappointing you.”
“That is leadership.”
“That is dictatorship with PowerPoint.”
Shruthi threw a tissue at him while laughing.
God.
She had missed this version of them.
Not tense.
Not defensive.
Just familiar.
---
“What about you?” she asked.
Lokesh rubbed his face tiredly.
“Investor meeting dragged. Appa missed platform announcement. Amma fought with porter. Standard family adventure.”
Shruthi laughed again.
Then quieter:
“You look exhausted.”
“I am exhausted.”
The honesty in his voice made her watch him more carefully now.
His shoulders looked heavy tonight.
Eyes slightly dull with fatigue.
Still handsome.
Still frustratingly attractive.
But tired.
Very tired.
---
Shruthi shifted closer slowly.
Not dramatically.
Naturally.
Lokesh looked at her briefly.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
She rested her head lightly against his shoulder.
He immediately relaxed slightly into her touch.
That tiny response encouraged her.
For the past few weeks, they had kept missing each other emotionally:
interrupted intimacy,
unfinished conversations,
exhaustion replacing desire.
Tonight she didn’t want distance again.
Not after finally feeling alive all day.
---
“You know…” she said softly, tracing a finger absentmindedly against his arm, “house feels nice without full population.”
Lokesh smiled with closed eyes.
“Hm.”
“And peaceful.”
“Hm.”
“And we’re finally alone.”
This time he opened his eyes slightly.
He understood now.
Shruthi moved closer, kissing him gently near the jaw first.
Slowly.
Familiar touch carrying deliberate intention.
Lokesh exhaled softly.
For one second, she thought he would respond the same way.
And he did—
briefly.
His hand moved around her waist instinctively, pulling her slightly closer.
Warmth spread instantly through her chest.
Finally.
---
But then she felt it.
The hesitation.
Not emotional.
Physical exhaustion.
Lokesh leaned his forehead lightly against hers and closed his eyes.
“Shruthi…”
Just her name.
Softly spoken.
Apologetically tired.
That alone told her everything.
---
“You’re dead tired ah?” she asked quietly.
He nodded once.
“Little.”
A pause.
“Actually… fully.”
Despite herself, disappointment hit immediately.
Not anger.
Not rejection.
Something lonelier.
Because she had wanted tonight to reconnect properly.
Not perfectly.
Just honestly.
---
Lokesh noticed the shift in her expression instantly.
“Hey,” he said gently, touching her arm. “Not because I don’t want to.”
“I know.”
And she did know.
That somehow made it worse.
---
For a few moments, neither moved.
Rain continued outside.
Hasini murmured something unintelligible from the bedroom.
Real life returning again.
Always at the wrong time.
---
Shruthi finally leaned back against the sofa quietly.
Lokesh rested his head there too after a second, eyes already half-closing from exhaustion.
Without thinking much, she started running her fingers slowly through his hair.
A habit from earlier years of marriage.
Lokesh relaxed almost immediately beneath her touch.
Within minutes, his breathing became deeper.
He had almost fallen asleep.
---
Shruthi looked down at him silently.
Still handsome.
Still hers.
Still capable of making her feel wanted with one look.
Yet somehow unreachable tonight.
And that contradiction stayed with her long after the rain stopped.
Rain had settled gently over Chennai by the time Shruthi changed into an oversized T-shirt and loose cotton shorts.
The apartment still carried that rare silence she had enjoyed for the last hour.
No interruptions.
No responsibilities pulling at her every second.
No emotional tension sitting heavily in the corners of the house.
For the first time in months, she had felt… light.
Not excited.
Not restless.
Just calm.
And she hadn’t realized how badly she needed that.
---
She reheated water for tea and stood near the kitchen counter scrolling absentmindedly through mails.
Her eyes drifted once toward Karthik’s message again.
A small smile returned unconsciously.
Not because of romance.
Because someone had looked at her today with uncomplicated admiration.
No history.
No expectations.
No emotional baggage.
Just attention.
Fresh attention.
And that truth unsettled her slightly.
---
The sound of the door unlocking pulled her out of thought.
Lokesh entered first, looking exhausted enough to fall asleep standing. Behind him, he carried Hasini carefully against his shoulder.
Fast asleep.
One shoe missing.
Hair messy.
Completely unconscious.
Shruthi immediately softened.
“She slept in the car ah?”
Lokesh nodded tiredly.
“Gone by the time we crossed Saidapet.”
Shruthi smiled faintly and moved closer instinctively, adjusting Hasini’s small blanket while Lokesh carried her inside the bedroom.
Even exhausted, he looked unfairly attractive to her sometimes.
That annoyed her tonight more than usual.
---
After settling Hasini carefully on the bed, Lokesh walked back out loosening his watch.
“She ate?”
“Hm. We ate outside itself. I brought parcel for you.”
Shruthi raised an eyebrow.
“Miracle.”
“Don’t insult before opening.”
He handed her the cover.
Her favorite kothu parotta place.
She looked at him properly now.
“You remembered?”
“I’m tired, not useless.”
That made her laugh softly.
And for a brief moment, things between them felt easy again.
---
Lokesh changed clothes and collapsed onto the sofa while Shruthi ate beside him cross-legged.
Rain tapped softly against the balcony glass.
The television played muted news nobody was watching.
Comfortable domestic exhaustion filled the apartment.
---
“How was office?” Lokesh asked finally.
Shruthi leaned back.
“Busy. New trainee joined.”
“Hm?”
“PSG junior. Divya’s brother.”
“Poor fellow.”
“Why poor?”
“He got your team.”
She narrowed her eyes immediately.
“Excuse me, people love working with me.”
“People fear disappointing you.”
“That is leadership.”
“That is dictatorship with PowerPoint.”
Shruthi threw a tissue at him while laughing.
God.
She had missed this version of them.
Not tense.
Not defensive.
Just familiar.
---
“What about you?” she asked.
Lokesh rubbed his face tiredly.
“Investor meeting dragged. Appa missed platform announcement. Amma fought with porter. Standard family adventure.”
Shruthi laughed again.
Then quieter:
“You look exhausted.”
“I am exhausted.”
The honesty in his voice made her watch him more carefully now.
His shoulders looked heavy tonight.
Eyes slightly dull with fatigue.
Still handsome.
Still frustratingly attractive.
But tired.
Very tired.
---
Shruthi shifted closer slowly.
Not dramatically.
Naturally.
Lokesh looked at her briefly.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
She rested her head lightly against his shoulder.
He immediately relaxed slightly into her touch.
That tiny response encouraged her.
For the past few weeks, they had kept missing each other emotionally:
interrupted intimacy,
unfinished conversations,
exhaustion replacing desire.
Tonight she didn’t want distance again.
Not after finally feeling alive all day.
---
“You know…” she said softly, tracing a finger absentmindedly against his arm, “house feels nice without full population.”
Lokesh smiled with closed eyes.
“Hm.”
“And peaceful.”
“Hm.”
“And we’re finally alone.”
This time he opened his eyes slightly.
He understood now.
Shruthi moved closer, kissing him gently near the jaw first.
Slowly.
Familiar touch carrying deliberate intention.
Lokesh exhaled softly.
For one second, she thought he would respond the same way.
And he did—
briefly.
His hand moved around her waist instinctively, pulling her slightly closer.
Warmth spread instantly through her chest.
Finally.
---
But then she felt it.
The hesitation.
Not emotional.
Physical exhaustion.
Lokesh leaned his forehead lightly against hers and closed his eyes.
“Shruthi…”
Just her name.
Softly spoken.
Apologetically tired.
That alone told her everything.
---
“You’re dead tired ah?” she asked quietly.
He nodded once.
“Little.”
A pause.
“Actually… fully.”
Despite herself, disappointment hit immediately.
Not anger.
Not rejection.
Something lonelier.
Because she had wanted tonight to reconnect properly.
Not perfectly.
Just honestly.
---
Lokesh noticed the shift in her expression instantly.
“Hey,” he said gently, touching her arm. “Not because I don’t want to.”
“I know.”
And she did know.
That somehow made it worse.
---
For a few moments, neither moved.
Rain continued outside.
Hasini murmured something unintelligible from the bedroom.
Real life returning again.
Always at the wrong time.
---
Shruthi finally leaned back against the sofa quietly.
Lokesh rested his head there too after a second, eyes already half-closing from exhaustion.
Without thinking much, she started running her fingers slowly through his hair.
A habit from earlier years of marriage.
Lokesh relaxed almost immediately beneath her touch.
Within minutes, his breathing became deeper.
He had almost fallen asleep.
---
Shruthi looked down at him silently.
Still handsome.
Still hers.
Still capable of making her feel wanted with one look.
Yet somehow unreachable tonight.
And that contradiction stayed with her long after the rain stopped.
-Pickup, drop, escape.
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