5: The Valentine's Day

A car pulled up at the entrance of a resort in Ooty. Siri and Karthik stepped out. The air was crisp and cool, the kind of weather that makes it hard to see without proper light.

It was Valentine's Day, and the resort was festooned with red balloons, roses, and lilies, from the entrance onward.

"Wow! It's so beautiful, isn't it?" Siri exclaimed.

Karthik, equally charmed, nodded in agreement.

"Sir, shall I take the luggage inside?" the driver asked.

"No worries, we'll manage," Karthik replied, paying the fare.

The driver unloaded their bags and drove off.

Karthik picked up the luggage and walked with Siri toward the reception area.

"Good afternoon, sir," a receptionist greeted them.

"Good afternoon. We have a reservation," Karthik replied.

"Name, sir?"

"Karthik."

The receptionist checked the register.

"Yes, sir, your booking is confirmed. Could I have your IDs, please?"

Karthik handed over a government-issued ID. The receptionist scanned it and returned it.

"Thank you, sir. We're having a Valentine's Day celebration here this evening. We hope you'll join us."

"We will," Karthik said with a small smile at Siri.

The receptionist rang a bell.

"Escort the guests to room 303," receptionist order a bellboy.

The bellboy took their luggage and led them to the elevator. Karthik and Siri followed.

The SI was playing an online game on his phone, headphones blasting music.

Chari entered the SI's office, carrying a stack of documents.

"Sir?"

Chari's voice was lost to the music. The SI, facing the wall, was completely absorbed in his game.

Chari startled his boss by slamming his hand on the table. The SI turned around.

"The Raghupathi case files, sir," Chari said.

The SI took the documents and began reviewing them.

"So, Mr. Raghupathi was intoxicated before his death?"

"Yes, sir. And there's nothing suspicious in the call logs either. I think it was a clear accident, sir."

The SI examined the call data, pausing at the last entry.

"Bring me Raghupathi's phone," he ordered.

Chari hurried to the evidence room and returned with the phone.

The SI turned it on and checked the call log. The last call was from his company at 9:07 p.m.

"Anything suspicious, sir?" Chari asked.

"Not just suspicious. We're close to wrapping this up. What's the status on the taxi driver?"

"I contacted him, sir. He's out of town, but he'll be back tomorrow morning."

"Good."

"Sir, one more thing. Karthik and Siri have gone to Ooty."

The SI smiled faintly.

The Valentine's Day celebration was about to begin in the resort's open-air area. Couples were seated at numbered tables, each bearing their names.

Karthik and Siri arrived, looking slightly bewildered. A member of the organizing committee directed them to table number 9. They took their seats and joined the romantic atmosphere. Each table was set with a water bottle, a wine bottle, two glasses, a small vase with two roses, and a tissue holder.

"Good evening to all the lovely couples here. Happy Valentine's Day!" a female anchor greeted the guests. Dressed in a red gown, she radiated charm, her smile a picture of practiced professionalism.

The crowd applauded.

"I hope this beautiful evening will create a cherished memory for all of you. Love! In this world, there are two kinds of love – successful and unsuccessful. But there's no such thing as great love or small love. Love itself is a great emotion. Every love story begins with a small moment. Tonight, we'll hear about the first moment of love from a special Valentine's couple."

She gestured to a transparent box filled with slips of paper. "Each table has been assigned a number. I'll draw a number from this box, and that table will be our special Valentine's couple for tonight."

The anchor reached into the box and pulled out a slip.

"And the lucky couple is… Table Number… 9!"

A spotlight shone on table number 9, where Karthik and Siri were sitting.

Siri was thrilled, but Karthik looked uncomfortable.

"There you have it! Our lovely couple of the night!" the anchor announced. "Please come up to the stage."

The crowd applauded. Siri gestured to Karthik.

Karthik, smiling despite his earlier unease, took Siri's hand and walked onto the stage.

"Your name, sir?" the anchor asked.

"Karthik," Siri replied.

"And you, beautiful lady?"

"Sirisha."

"Karthik and Sirisha. Lovely names!"

Karthik remained somewhat stiff on stage.

"Now, Sirisha, tell us, when was your first moment of love?"

"Actually, it was love at first sight for Karthik. He followed me for over a year, but never approached me. I didn't feel the moment of love until one particular day."

Siri looked into Karthik's eyes as she shared their story.

"One day, Karthik was sitting on a bike, smoking a cigarette, with his friends Rishi and Varun nearby. I was walking down the same road. Karthik started watching me, as he always did, with love in his eyes. I walked past him without acknowledging him. He continued to watch me until I reached the end of the lane, but I left him disappointed. As soon as I turned the corner, Karthik and his friends started their bikes, ready to leave. Just then, our fate took a turn."

"Two masked men attacked me from the front. I was thrown into the air and fell to the ground with a scream. Karthik saw me fall and ran towards me, yelling at the attackers. Seeing Karthik, they ran off. Rishi and Varun chased after them, but they couldn't catch them."

"My head was bleeding, but I could feel Karthik's love for me in his eyes, in his tears, and in his anger. That was the moment I decided to be with him forever, no matter what challenges we faced."

Hearing Siri's story, Karthik was swept away by a wave of emotions. He decided to return to his usual self for the sake of the woman he loved. He squeezed Siri's hand tightly.

"He took me in his arms," Siri continued.

"He laid me across his bike and rushed me to the hospital. I felt like it was my last chance to tell him how I felt. I hugged him tightly and said…"

Siri paused, then hugged Karthik in front of the crowd and said, "I love you!"

"Love you too, Siri," Karthik replied.

The couple had captivated the audience with their heartfelt story.

Soon after, romantic songs began to play. Everyone was dancing with their loved ones, including Karthik and Siri. The music was perfect for slow, romantic dancing.