[Nsme]

Latching onto the idea Sandhya Anni had given him, Dinesh immediately started searching online for upcoming symposiums at leading engineering colleges in Chennai. He found out that a national-level technical symposium was taking place the following month at a reputed college in Chennai.

Gathering the details right away, he went straight to his department HOD.

Seeing Dinesh's enthusiasm, the HOD was pleasantly surprised. "Usually, only third- and fourth-year senior students show interest in things like this. I'm really surprised to see you coming forward so eagerly right now to ask about a paper presentation. Very good!" he praised him wholeheartedly.

After reading through the rules of the symposium, the HOD said, "Dinesh, a maximum of only two members per team is allowed in this. Since you are a junior, I'll pair a final-year student with you for support. Only then will their subject knowledge be useful to you, and this opportunity won't go to waste."

As Dinesh nodded in agreement, the HOD sent for a female student to come to his cabin.

Her name was Swetha.

Swetha was from Kerala. She was slightly taller than most girls and wore large spectacles on her face. She stayed in the college hostel. She wasn't a popular, head-turning figure or an ultra-modern girl on campus; she had a quiet, very simple appearance. Dinesh was seeing her for the very first time today.

Being tagged along with an unfamiliar senior girl made Dinesh feel slightly upset inside. *'Here I was thinking I could go alone and happily spend time with Anni, and now she's tagging along in the middle of it?'* he grumbled to himself. However, since getting to go to the symposium was what mattered most, he hid his disappointment and quietly accepted the arrangement.

From that day on, Dinesh stayed back at college for an extra hour after classes every day, working alongside Swetha to prepare the abstract. Within just a few days, Dinesh realized that although Swetha looked quiet on the outside, she was very bright and studious. Her subject knowledge and clear-headed hard work helped shape the paper exceptionally well.

Meanwhile, Anvi's romantic antics had begun playing out a bit too openly at college.

After that fierce sexual encounter at her cousin's house, Anvi had grown even more obsessed with Dinesh. Sitting with her fingers interlocked with his in the college canteen for everyone to see, leaning on his shoulder outside the classroom—she displayed her affection very openly. Because of this, it became common knowledge to many in the college that the two of them were boyfriend and girlfriend.

Dinesh didn't stop this either; he handled her closeness casually. Having such a pretty girl as his girlfriend gave him a sense of pride too. Yet, his entire focus remained fixed on the Chennai symposium and going there to meet Divya Anni.

After a week of hard work, Dinesh and Swetha showed their abstract to the HOD. Reviewing it, he was thoroughly satisfied and told them to submit it to the symposium right away.

Within a few days, the email they had been eagerly waiting for arrived.

Dinesh and Swetha's paper had been selected for the Chennai symposium!

Hearing the news, Dinesh's heart raced with joy. His master plan had worked out to perfection. Now, there was no obstacle at all to going to Chennai and staying at Divya Anni's house!

While preparations for the Chennai trip went on in full swing on one side, on the other side, Anvi was yearning for another chance to be alone with Dinesh. Her body craved to experience that rough passion from her cousin's house all over again.

On the evening the abstract was selected, the two of them were sitting in a quiet park near the college. In those few minutes of privacy, Anvi leaned on Dinesh's shoulder and eagerly captured his lips. Their embraces and deep lip-locks went on for a long time there.

"As soon as you get back from Chennai, we're going straight to my cousin's house... okay?" Anvi murmured near Dinesh's ear, desperate with lust.

"We're definitely going," Dinesh assured her, while keeping his entire focus on the upcoming Chennai trip.

---

Since train tickets to Chennai weren't available, Dinesh and Swetha decided to travel on an omni sleeper bus.

As Swetha didn't know anyone in Chennai, Dinesh suggested that they go straight to his older brother's house, freshen up there, and head to the college hosting the symposium from there—to which she agreed without hesitation.

Although the ticket fare was slightly high, keeping comfort in mind, Dinesh booked a lower single sleeper berth for Swetha and the upper single sleeper berth directly above hers for himself. On the night of the journey, packing the formal clothes needed for the symposium in their bags, both of them boarded the bus wearing comfortable track pants and t-shirts for the ride.

At every rest stop along the way, Dinesh stepped down to buy tea and snacks for Swetha, behaving with great care and helpfulness. This mature, considerate attention from Dinesh multiplied the respect Swetha held for him in her heart.

Early the next morning, the bus reached Chennai.

Since Dinesh had informed them of their arrival beforehand, his brother Ganesh had taken leave from the office for the day. Taking his car out to the bus stand early in the morning, he welcomed both of them with a warm smile and drove them home.

Once they reached the house, Divya was overjoyed at seeing Dinesh in person after so many days. Dinesh had already informed Ganesh and Divya that a female senior was coming along with him. Even so, seeing a girl with him in person stirred a slight hesitation inside Divya. Dinesh introduced Swetha to his sister-in-law.

After resting for a short while, both of them bathed, got ready in their formal attire, and came out to the hall one after the other. With his shirt tucked in and wearing a tie, Dinesh looked very smart. Swetha, who usually looked plain at college, now looked very striking in an elegant formal kurti, glowing with the natural charm typical of Kerala women. Watching the two of them standing together like a pair sent a sharp pang of jealousy shooting through the pit of Divya's stomach.

Both of them ate their fill of the piping hot breakfast Divya had lovingly cooked.

Ganesh, who usually snapped at Divya over every little thing, behaved like a very loving older brother in the joy of his younger brother's visit. Driving Dinesh and Swetha in his own car, he dropped them off safely at the college hosting the symposium and waited right there for them.

Within a few hours, their paper presentation concluded with great success. Once the event was over, Ganesh drove both of them safely back home.