By the time Manohar came out of the music studio the day turned night and the corridor was almost empty. Only those who were with him in the studio were walking out.

Taking a wild guess, he left to the library.

Still engrossed in her assignment Anuradha did not realise that Manohar was now standing next to her.

"Radha, don't get too engaged into your assignment and not being alert about your surroundings." Manohar whispered as startled Anuradha almost threw her pen at him.

"Hmm... now who wants to harm me? I did nothing to anyone" Anuradha check the time and closed her laptop.

"Yeah, yeah. So, are you done?"

"Not yet, I have these papers to compile and get a photocopy of this then_"

"Enough" he stopped her, "are you planning to finish everything today and rest for the remaining semester?

"If I could. The earlier I finish the more time I can have to concentrate on exams"

"Okay, okay... I'm not interested to know how hardworking you are. I need you to follow me now, pack up. Pack up" Manohar started stacking up Anuradha's papers and putting them in her bag.

"What?! I'm not done yet and I won't come with you. Give my things back, Manohar!" she snatched her papers back.

"Fine! No one is going to take your stuffs, leave them here and come." Manohar pulled her out despite her protesting not to come out of the library.

"I need your help, Radha. Come"

Manohar brought her out to their usual hangout spot. It was almost quarter past ten and the placed was quiet, calm and cold.

"What help do you need here?" Anuradha asked as she sat on the bench.

"I need you to sing for my final project"

Anuradha did not reply but stared at Manohar for quite some time.

"Good joke, Manohar" Anuradha commented before getting up to leave.

"No, no wait!"

"If you are serious, I think you should go and ask someone who can really sing Manohar. I don't sing" Anuradha stressed the words.

"Please Radha" Manohar asked batting his eye lashes. "Please..."

"Fine! Stop batting your lashes now." She sat with arms crossed over her chest. "So, why me?"

"Okay, at first I did not have you in mind to sing but since its because everything about the song started from you."

"Me?"

"Yes! Don't ask how, even I don't know, the tune just started flowing all by itself"

"Really? How long did it took you to compose this?"

"Six hours"

Manohar took out his laptop from his bag and a number of papers with hand written notes on it. Handing one copy to Anuradha, he kept one with him while he setup the laptop on the bench.

"What is this?" she asked looking at the paper.

"Lyrics for the song"

"Lyrics? This looks crabbed and hideous, Manohar" Anuradha showed the paper to him.

Scratching the back of his neck, Manohar smiled not knowing what to say. "I wrote it  just today, didn't had enough time to re-write. So, I just photocopied the original scribble"

"Looks just like you" she remarked. "Why hurry? Is your submission tomorrow?" Manohar shook his head left and right.

"Then?"

"That's called excitement, Radha. The need to share my new creation, if my mother was here she would be the first one to listen."

Unknowingly Anuradha stiffened on hearing the word 'mother'. Is she the only one who has such mother who despise her? She has the same question asking to herself every time someone speaks about their mother. Not jealous but just wished hers was just like theirs too.

Brushing off the thought of mother Anuradha took a pen from Manohar and started re-writing the lyrics while Manohar fix his laptop.

"It's not in English, how will they judge your work?" Anuradha asked, curiously as she started writing the first few lines.

"The work as a whole that plays the vital role in this project language isn't a problem here. I'll try to translate it... only if I could" Manohar laughed.

தேடி பார்க்கிறேன் என்னை நானே
தேவையாகுமே நீயாய் ஆனேன்
("I am searching for myself within, Because I have become you, and that is now my need.")

"well that's beautiful lyrics"

"thanks to you" he said as he plugged in the wire for his speakers.

Anuradha looked away, did she really helped him to get these beautiful lines? How? She thought, before she could further her thoughts Manohar called.

"Radha! Where have you lost? Here listen to the tune first" he played the audio.

A beautiful two note tune from the Venna started off melodiously followed by male chorus. As the music started a smile stretched across Anuradha's face while Manohar watched her reaction to his music composition.

"It's such a beautiful melody. Well done!" Anuradha praised as soon as the music faded off.

"Thank you, Radha. Shall we start?" he asked

"Am I supposed to sing the entire song?"

"No, just few lines. Those in red ink are your lines"

It took them almost five hours, trial and error of the voice tones, the pronunciation, the shruti. Somehow Anuradha understood why Manohar didn't want any others to sing, the lyrics by itself was a little though. Hence, it laid between Radha and Shika the only Indians to sing for him.

He made a choice.

By four in the morning, they managed to record the final version of the song and was very much satisfied with the outcome as they were listening to the recording again. Since the entry to the music studio was only up till ten night, excited Manohar decided to record it outdoor for now. 

"My selection wasn't wrong at all. You can actually sing well, Radha" Manohar exalted.

"Shika sings much better than me, you know. Maybe you should try her voice as well" Anuradha suggested.

"Nope, this is good. Okay, we are done. Let's go" Manohar stood up.

The next day after Anuradha's class she headed to the dance studio and found the members of the Drama and Dance club was scattered in groups engaged in some conversation.

Shika and Christopher was at one corner, too engrossed in their mobile phones, did not realise Anuradha stood in front of them.

Clearing her throat, both turned their attention from the phone to her.

"Anuradha! When did this happened?" Shika gasped as she got down from the table and stood in front of Anuradha. 

**************************

Song in the video is what I imagine Manohar would have wrote and sung with Radha :P if you have any song suggestion to make a video for this scene, let me know. Any language is welcomed.

COMMENT! COMMENT! COMMENT! and don't forget to VOTE! 

https://youtu.be/dco6kpWWQB4

FINALLY, if you have not come across THE CHRONICLES OF SUBHADRA HEDGE by penfolk PLEASE go and give a try to her so called meaningless story,  a mystery and mind boggling story. I have lost it after reading it. KAUSHI the MASTER of Twist and Turns. I need to take classes from you, I guess. 

https://youtu.be/P8AlrVd5s6U