60."Bhanumathi?"

As I drove along NH 216A, leaving behind the bustling streets of Amaravati, the scenery shifted to a more peaceful, serene landscape. The clear blue sky and the light breeze made the atmosphere feel refreshing. I couldn't help but smile as I glanced in the rearview mirror, watching the girls animatedly chatting with one another, their laughter filling the car with warmth and energy.

Amidst their conversation, Aamukta suddenly turned to Anu and asked, "By the way, Anu, you never told us how you met your friend Renuka. I mean, she's from Kakinada, and we're from Hyderabad."

Anu smiled, her eyes lighting up with fond memories. "Oh, that was last year. Renuka came to Hyderabad for some special classes. We met during that time. She was there for about two months, and we just hit it off and became friends."

The others nodded, intrigued by the story. Raji, ever the curious one, chimed in, "And what about her husband-to-be? Where's he from?"

Anu tilted her head, thinking for a moment before responding. "I remember Renuka telling me over the call that he's an NRI. He's from Austin, Texas."

Ammu's eyes sparkled as she leaned forward, grinning. "Well, that sounds pretty exciting—an NRI from the U.S.!"

The girls giggled, their conversation effortlessly flowing from one topic to another. I couldn't help but feel a sense of contentment listening to them.

Anu nodded, smiling softly. "Yes, Renuka is really happy about this marriage. She mentioned that her husband-to-be doesn't have parents, but he does have two younger brothers. She seems at peace with everything."

I nodded thoughtfully, glancing at her with a smile. "Well, it sounds like your friend has found a good guy."

Anu smiled in return, and the girls continued their conversation, their voices mingling with the hum of the car as I kept driving. The road stretched before us, the vast sky above mirrored by the endless miles of open land. After what felt like a comfortable four and a half hours, we left the National Highway and found ourselves navigating through winding village roads, the pace slower and more relaxed. The air felt fresher, cleaner.

I eased the car to a stop at the entrance of the village, the kind of place where time seemed to move slower. Raji noticed the halt and leaned forward, curious. "What happened, Krishna?"

I smiled, gesturing toward the view outside. "Nothing, I just wanted you all to look outside. Don't you think it's beautiful here?"

The girls followed my gaze and stared out of the car windows, taking in the sight. The village seemed like a scene out of a painting. Lush green fields stretched as far as the eye could see, framed by distant mountains standing tall under the bright blue sky. The farmland was vast, dotted with trees and patches of blooming wildflowers. Birds chirped, and the light breeze swayed the crops gently.

Ammu, sitting closest to the window, grinned. "It really is beautiful." Her voice was filled with awe.

The other girls nodded in agreement, their earlier conversation fading as they got lost in the tranquility of the view. For a moment, everything felt still, as if the world had slowed down just for us to take in this perfect, peaceful scenery.

I stepped out of the car, feeling the cool village air wash over me. As I stretched, taking a deep breath, I heard the soft sound of the car doors opening behind me. The girls followed, stepping out one by one, their eyes adjusting to the surroundings.

The sky was starting to shift, dark clouds slowly gathering overhead, casting a shadow over the fields. I glanced at my watch—3 PM, but it looked like it could rain any moment.

Anu stretched her arms above her head and sighed in relief. "It feels so good to stand after sitting for five hours," she said, her voice light with a sense of release.

The other girls nodded in agreement. Aamukta took a deep breath of the fresh air, smiling. "The air here is so fresh, it's a completely different feeling," she said, her words full of contentment.

Everyone seemed to relax, enjoying the brief pause, but I could feel the air getting heavier, a telltale sign of the coming rain. I looked at them, smiling. "Anyway, we should get going before it starts pouring," I said, motioning toward the car.

The girls nodded and climbed back into the car, settling in quickly, but I lingered outside for a moment longer, the breeze brushing against my skin. Glancing over at Anu, who had just closed her door, I asked with a teasing smile, "By the way, Anu, do you know where Renuka's house is?"

She looked up at me with a slight grin. "Not exactly, but we can ask someone. It's a wedding house, so it shouldn't be hard to find."

I chuckled, nodding. "True, it's not like they can hide a whole wedding."

I was about to open the driver's seat door when I heard the distinct hum of a scooter approaching from behind. Turning to look, I noticed a girl around our age driving it, with a boy sitting behind her. He seemed taller than her, casually holding onto the scooter's sides, both of them heading in the same direction we were, deeper into the village.

I paused for a moment, a smile playing on my lips as I turned to the girls in the car. "Looks like someone's headed in the same direction as us," I said, gesturing toward the approaching scooter. "How about we ask them for directions?"

The girls, who were already seated comfortably inside, turned their heads to look. They exchanged amused glances and nodded, smiling. "Why not?" Ammu said, a playful tone in her voice.

I grinned and took a step toward the road, but before I could call out, I noticed Anu sitting silently in the back seat, lost in thought. Her gaze was fixed on the scooter, and there was a hint of something in her eyes—recognition, maybe?

As the scooter came closer, I stepped forward and raised my hand to signal them to stop. The girl driving the scooter slowed down and came to a halt right in front of me. I smiled and greeted them, "Hello."

The boy sitting behind her returned the greeting with a casual "hello," but the girl remained silent, her eyes scanning my face as if she was piecing something together. It felt a little awkward, but I brushed it off and turned to the boy. "We're here for a friend's wedding, and we're looking for her house. Could you—"

Before I could finish, the girl suddenly gasped in surprise. "No way! Are you… are you really Krishna Prasad?"

I blinked, caught off guard by her excitement. I wasn't expecting to be recognized here, in the middle of a quiet village. "I am," I replied with a curious smile. "How do you know me?"

The girl's face lit up with enthusiasm. "No way! I'm such a big fan of yours, Krishna! Can I please get a photo with you?"

I stood there for a second, completely surprised by her reaction. A fan? Here? I hadn't realized I was that famous. I glanced back at the car, where the girls were watching the interaction with amused smiles. Anu raised an eyebrow, and Aamukta chuckled softly, clearly enjoying the situation.

I was about to reply to the girl's enthusiastic request when Anu suddenly spoke up from the car, her tone filled with recognition. "Bhanumathi?" she asked.

The girl on the scooter turned toward Anu, surprise flashing across her face. "Yes?" she replied, still not quite understanding.

Anu smiled warmly. "You're Bhanumathi, right? Renuka's sister?"

Bhanumathi's eyes widened in realization. "Yes! And you… you must be Anupama, Didi's friend!" she exclaimed. "Didi told me her friend was coming today, but I had no idea it was you—Krishna Prasad and his girlfriends!"

I chuckled at the way she phrased that, and smiled at the coincidence. "Well, it seems like fate that we ran into each other here, Bhanumathi." I turned to the boy sitting behind her on the scooter, who was watching the conversation unfold with a quiet smile. Extending my hand for a handshake, I introduced myself, "Krishna."

The boy took my hand with a firm grip. "Varun," he said, his voice calm and steady.

Bhanumathi, still smiling, added, "Varun is my jiju's brother."

I nodded, piecing it all together. "Nice to meet you, Varun."

"Same here," Varun replied, his smile reflecting a sense of calmness that balanced Bhanumathi's bubbling energy.

The girls inside the car had been watching the whole exchange with amusement. Ammu whispered something to Raji, who stifled a laugh.

I smiled at Bhanumathi and said, "We should head out now. It looks like the rain is going to start soon."

Bhanumathi nodded, her smile still bright. "Yes, follow me."

I got back into the driver's seat, started the car, and began to follow their scooter as they led the way down the village road. The atmosphere outside was calm but had that unmistakable scent of impending rain. The sky was growing darker, with clouds gathering, and a cool breeze swept through the air.

As we drove, Ammu turned to me with a teasing smile. "Krishna, don't go trying anything with that innocent girl," she said, her tone playful but with a hint of mischief.

I glanced at her, genuinely taken aback. "Where did that thought even come from? Don't you all trust me?" I asked, a little surprised that they'd even joke about it.

In perfect unison, all the girls chimed in, "No."

I let out a dramatic sigh and shook my head, laughing. "Well, believe whatever you want, but for your information, that girl Bhanumathi and the boy Varun are already in love."

The car went silent for a moment before Aamukta broke it, her eyes widening. "Wait, how do you know that, Krishna?"

I flashed her a knowing smile. "I can read people's hearts. You know, I've got a talent for understanding these things."

Raji rolled her eyes with a grin. "You and your cheesy lines."

Everyone burst out laughing, the sound filling the car, lightening the mood even more. Despite the teasing, there was a sense of warmth and affection in the air. As the laughter subsided, we continued to follow Bhanumathi and Varun, the road ahead leading us deeper into the village, surrounded by lush greenery and the distant mountains.

The rain hadn't started yet, but the anticipation of it made everything feel more alive. The village had its own charm, with small houses scattered around, and a simplicity that was refreshing after the long drive.

After following Bhanumathi and Varun through the winding village roads, we finally arrived at their home. The house wasn't too big or too small—just the right size for a warm, welcoming family. Bhanumathi brought her scooter to a halt in front of the gate, and I parked the car right behind her as the first drops of rain began to fall softly from the overcast sky. The light drizzle added a certain charm to the scene, with the air smelling fresh and earthy.

As we stepped out of the car, I glanced around. The house was beautifully decorated with garlands of flowers, marigolds mostly, their bright orange and yellow contrasting with the darkening sky. The front yard was bustling with activity—people milling about, chatting, and laughing. It looked like most of them were family members, preparing for the wedding. There was an unmistakable sense of celebration in the air.

Bhanumathi walked inside to fetch Renuka while the girls and I began unloading our luggage from the car. Varun immediately offered a hand, helping me with the bags. He had a quiet but friendly demeanor, and I could tell he was someone who valued family deeply.

As we finished, I noticed Bhanumathi returning, accompanied by a young woman and a man. The woman was radiant, dressed in a simple but elegant salwar suit, her smile wide and genuine. The man beside her looked just as cheerful, and holding his hand was a little boy—he must have been Varun's younger brother.

The moment Renuka spotted Anu, her face lit up even more, and she dashed toward her, wrapping her in a tight hug. Anu laughed, clearly just as happy to see her friend. The rain picked up slightly, but it was still gentle, as if the weather itself was joining in the warmth of the reunion.

I couldn't help but smile at the scene in front of me—Anu and Renuka, lost in conversation and laughter, as if no time had passed between them. It was one of those moments where everything felt right, as if all the effort of the long drive was worth it just to see the joy on Anu's face.

As I stood there, taking in the scene, more of Renuka's family began to step out of the house. Her relatives—parents, cousins, and other members of the extended family—joined us.

Renuka and Anu were still laughing and catching up when Renuka began introducing us to her family. She gestured toward the man standing next to her, saying, "Jiju, this is Raju, my husband-to-be, and this little one here is Bujji, his younger brother."

I turned my attention to the kid, Bujji, who was staring up at me with wide, curious eyes. The moment he noticed me looking at him, he grinned and stretched out his small hand, his voice confident yet innocent as he said, "Hi, I'm Bujji."

I couldn't help but smile back. There was something endearing about the little guy's energy. I crouched slightly to meet him at eye level and took his hand for a handshake, feeling the warmth of his enthusiasm. "Hi, Bujji, I'm Krishna," I said warmly.

Bujji beamed at me, as if making a new friend, his excitement contagious. I could tell we'd get along just fine.

Standing up again, I turned my attention to Raju, who was observing the exchange with a calm smile. He seemed like a grounded, thoughtful person. I extended my hand toward him, smiling. "Nice to meet you, Raju."

Raju shook my hand with a firm grip and a polite smile, responding, "Nice to meet you too, Mr. Krishna."

I let out a small chuckle and shook my head. "No need to be so formal. Krishna is just fine," I said, still smiling.

Raju nodded, his expression shifting to one of concern as he said with a friendly smile, "Krishna, I heard about what happened recently in Hyderabad with Vikram Sarkar. I hope everything is going fine now."

I chuckled lightly, wanting to reassure him. "Hahaha, don't worry; everything is going smoothly now," I replied, my tone lighthearted, though the memory of those events lingered in the back of my mind.

Raju's smile returned, relieved. As I spoke, I could see Renuka's expression change. She turned to the girls, her eyes reflecting a shared understanding of the sadness that had briefly overshadowed our conversation. "It's really tragic that some people can commit such crimes and still walk free," she said, her voice softening. "I feel especially sad for that little kid involved."

Anu nodded in agreement, her voice taking on a comforting tone. "Don't worry, Renuka. Rajan is now part of our family. Krishna has already adopted him," she said, emphasizing the warmth that our group shared.

Renuka looked at me in surprise, her eyes wide for a moment before a bright smile broke through. It was a mix of admiration and happiness.

Just then, Renuka's father, a dignified man with kind eyes, interrupted the moment with a gentle reminder. "Renuka, are you going to talk with the guests at the door, or will you invite them inside? The rain is starting to get heavy."

With a nod, Renuka turned back to us, her smile returning as she said, "Oh, please come inside!"

We nodded in agreement, feeling the cool air that wafted in with the rain.

(A/N: If you'd like to support me, please use this UPI: omgadekar29@oksbi "Om Gadekar". If you do, please let me know your webnovel name so I can recognize you.)

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