When no one knew how to explain the situation, Guna stood up and walked toward Athavan. Without hesitation, he bent down and touched Athavan's feet, shocking everyone with his action.
"I'm sorry for all the disrespect I've shown you since you came into our house," Guna said sincerely.
Athavan quickly pulled Guna up, his expression filled with confusion. "Why are you doing this?" he asked.
"I know and understand now—you're a divine being. I'm thankful... No, our entire family is grateful for your divine grace that cured my father," Guna spoke slowly, his voice filled with reverence.
Athavan was visibly shocked. He lost his usual composure and looked around at the family's serious expressions. Taking a deep breath, he calmed himself and waited for Guna to continue.
After hesitating for a moment, Guna finally voiced the question on everyone's mind. "Can I know... um..." He struggled to complete his sentence.
"What do you want to ask?" Athavan prompted gently.
Guna gathered his courage and spoke at last. "We all want to know—why would a divine being like you marry my sister?"
Athavan raised an eyebrow. "Is this what all of you want to ask?" He turned his gaze to the rest of the family. They all nodded in unison.
Athavan suddenly burst into laughter, startling the family. They had never seen him express such raw emotion before. He laughed so heartily that it seemed as if he was an entirely different person. The usually calm and expressionless man had become someone unrecognizably carefree.
As he finally composed himself, he switched to fluent English, speaking with an accent that sounded distinctly American. "You know, all of you are really cute!"
The family was struck by another shockwave.
"Owh no... He actually understands English," Guna muttered under his breath, his face turning pale. He recalled the times he had spoken in English in front of Athavan, badmouthing and even making fun of him, thinking he wouldn't understand. Now, he wished he could dig a hole and hide.
"Luckily, I apologized earlier," Guna thought to himself. "Hopefully, he won't curse me to turn me into pig or dog for my past behavior."
Athavan, still chuckling, walked to the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee. When he returned to the living room, he took a deep breath and looked at Guna.
"Take out your phone and search for 'Nehru Veera Ganapathy' on Google," he requested.
The entire family looked at him in confusion but obeyed nonetheless. Guna and Dhiviya quickly searched for the name. Within moments, they found a Wikipedia page of a renowned Ayurvedic master—Nehru Veera Ganapathy. He was a globally recognized figure in traditional medicine, highly respected for his contributions to the field, and had received numerous international awards.
Dhiviya summarized the information for her parents, but they still looked puzzled. What did this have to do with Guna's question?
Athavan finally spoke. "Master Nehru Veera Ganapathy had a daughter. That daughter is my mother, which makes him my grandfather. I grew up under his guidance and learned all forms of traditional medicine and Ayurvedic healing from him. So before I answer your question, you all need to understand—I am not a divine being. I am an ordinary man, just like you."
He laughed again, and the family's embarrassment deepened. They had let their imaginations run wild. Everything he did yesterday—was it truly just that simple? The family of four had the same thought at the same time.
Guna, in particular, felt the most ridiculous. "Damn it," he muttered under his breath.
Athavan took a slow sip of his coffee, his expression gradually returning to his usual calm and unreadable state. The room fell silent.
After a moment, he asked, "Is there anything else you want to ask me?"
Archana hesitated before carefully choosing her words. "Why don't you tell us more about yourself? We know so little about you. I'm sorry to ask this, Maapillai, but what happened to your mother? Everyone has to face death in life, but I've never seen anyone mourn the way you do. If you truly are just an ordinary man, this mourning seems like a punishment. What happened to you? Can you share your story with us?"
Athavan's expression darkened. A fierce look flashed in his eyes before he quickly suppressed it..
Athavan exhaled deeply before speaking. "Yes, Atte. This mourning is a form of punishment. In a way, you're right." He paused, his voice quieter. "I caused my mother's death. My enemies killed her because of me. And in response, I became a monster. To calm my heart and soul, my grandfather instructed me to mourn for a year—to let go of the rage, the monster inside me, and to heal the pain."
He closed his eyes. The weight of his words settled over the family. They could sense there was more to his story, but they didn't dare to press further.
Vasanthan slowly sat beside Athavan, gripping his hand. "I can feel your pain from what you just shared. Whether you are divine or not, for me, your presence and what you did for me felt like a divine blessing. You have a gift—a healing touch. We won't ask you about your past. If you ever wish to share it, we'll be here to listen. And if you don't, we won't force you. But there's one question you must answer, Maapillai."
Athavan looked at him attentively.
"Are you a good person?" Vasanthan's voice was stern and serious.
Athavan opened his eyes and studied Vasanthan's face. "What do you think, Mama? Do you believe I am a bad person?"
Vasanthan locked eyes with him, searching for an answer in the depths of Athavan's gaze. After a moment, he firmly declared, "A man with such a divine healing gift could never be a bad person."
Athavan smiled—a rare, genuine smile that carried a unique charm. Dhiviya was struck by it. She recalled the moment on her wedding eve when this very same smile had mesmerized her. She felt warmth rush to her face and quickly averted her gaze.
Athavan responded softly, "In my twenty-eight years of life, I have never hurt an innocent person or acted against my conscience. That is all I can tell you."
"That's enough, Maapillai. I won't question you anymore," Vasanthan replied firmly.
Athavan turned his head toward Dhiviya. She had been watching him intently, unable to look away. He raised his eyebrows slightly, as if asking her what was on her mind. She quickly shook her head and smiled—a smile so peaceful that, for the first time in a long while, Athavan felt as though his heart could finally heal.
And without realizing it, he began to fall for her.
The End.