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Shruti's heartbeat accelerated. His kiss lingered on her cheek as he slowly withdrew his face. She was stunned and wondered if she was awake or still sleeping? Because, ain't no way he will kiss her like this in his sense. She stared at him with wide opened eyes and he just smiled sheepishly before getting down from her.
" Yadasht kamzor hai tumhari, professor."
( You have a weak memory, professor.)
He said and tucked his hands inside the pocket. She blinked her eyes several times and turned her head at him. He was deliberately walking slowly to the bathroom.
" Hey!"
He stopped on his track momentarily when she snapped at him. She quickly sat up then got down from the bed.
" Come back here! What did you do just now?"
Before she could catch him, he ran to the bathroom at the speed of light and locked the bathroom door from inside. She banged on the door.
" Open the door! Why did you do that? You cannot touch me like this-"
She gasped when he opened the door suddenly and she came across to his naked upper body. How did he remove his T-shirt so fast?
" To..kya bol rahi thi tum?"
( What... were you saying?)
He leaned to the doorframe and crossed his hands around the chest. She glanced at his biceps as it buffed every time he made any movement.
" Uhm... S..say sorry."
She scratched below her ear and tried hard not to stare at his chest.
" For what?"
He, shockingly, seemed mischievous today.
" For... Just leave it," she scoffed irritatedly and turned her back at him. He laughed and went inside the bathroom then locked the door.
Shruti glared at the ceiling and sat on the bed.
" He just can't do this to me. At one time he misbehaves with me so much and then behaves like this. I am not a doll with whom he can play."
She huffed and cupped her cheeks. She instantly melted recalling that kiss.
" He kissed me thrice," she mumbled and squealed with happiness.
Butterflies danced in her stomach and she lay on her front, on the bed. She snuggled her face into the pillow shyly.
" Wait-"
She stopped her strange behaviour and sat up again. She pointed at herself and uttered,
" What if he's playing with my feelings?"
" I AM NOT!"
Jaydev replied loudly from the bathroom. She rolled her eyes and said to him in loud enough voice to hear,
" DO NOT INVADE MY PRIVACY!"
She shook her head and palmed her forehead, " there is so much stress. Don't trouble yourself much, Shruti. Let's pack things up."
She nodded at herself and started packing her luggage. Jaydev came out after freshening up and asked while drying his hair with towel,
" Why didn't you pack my luggage?"
" You have hands. So, do it yourself," she replied and zipped her bag then started gathering makeup products from the dressing table and put everything in her purse.
Jaydev wore his shirt then belt and looked at her.
" Shruti."
" What?" She faced him.
He frowned, " why do you talk so rudely?"
Shruti chuckled sarcastically, " look at the person who's complaining."
He exhaled heavily and shook his head, " leave it."
He sat on the couch and started wearing his socks and shoes.
He remembers what Pakhi explained to him and maybe it is true that he is still holding on to the past. He is not able to focus on his present and is deliberately pushing himself into darkness. He is causing pain to himself as well as to those around him. Shruti is one of them.
Should he accept this relationship? He does not want to betray Eisha. But will he betray Eisha by accepting Shruti?
He chewed the corner of his lower lip and recalled some of past days. This girl- Shruti definitely made him laugh so much with her antics. He did not want to accept before but yes, this holiday turned out beautiful because of her. He was so happy after so many years and felt that maybe he too has the right to live a proper life.
He came out of his thoughts when Shruti snapped her fingers before his face. He lifted his gaze and stared at her.
" Why are you smiling at yourself? Are you making funny scenarios about me in your mind?"
" Yep," he replied and tied the laces of his shoes then stood up.
" What is it?"
She asked interestingly. He stepped closer to her and parted his mouth to say,
" Do not invade my privacy."
He walked past her and she frowned then turned around. He picked up his wallet and mobile from the bed.
" I have the right to know what people think about me?"
" Ahn?"
" Hn."
He put his wallet and mobile in his pocket and he faced her.
" Leave that. Should I tell you something else?"
She glanced at his smile. Why does he look so happy suddenly? Has he found the way to get his sister back? What made him happy? She is sure she did not.
With curiosity, she nodded her head and he gestured her to come closer.
She walked toward him suspiciously and stopped 3 steps away from him. He ended the little distance and she lifted her gaze to look at his face. She was about to walk backward but he wrapped his hands around her waist and pulled her even closer to himself.
She blinked her eyes and placed her hands on his shoulders.
" What do you want to say?" She sounded nervous.
" You...like my cologne a lot, no?"
She nodded lightly and he withdrew his one hand from her waist only to bring it up to her face. She leaned into his palm as he tucked the strands of her hair behind the ear.
" Ab se mera har samaan tumhara."
( From now on, all my things belong to you.)
She frowned, " kyu? Bech Rahe ho mujhe?"
( Why? Are you selling those to me?)
He chuckled and shook his head in disbelief then stepped back.
" You are a professor. You answer the questions of so many students, so find out its meaning yourself."
He started packing his things and she did not ask anything further. She was still stuck to his weird behaviour.
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Pakhi fisted her hand with a light grip as water from his hair dropped on her face one by one.
" Should I?"
" Hn?"
He smiled and brought his face closer to her. He rubbed the tip of his nose with her. She fluttered her eyelashes down shyly and put her hands on his chest to push him back but he did not budge a little.
" Abhi kisko dekh kar sharma rahi thi tum?"
( Whom were you looking at and blushing?)
He moved back and asked the first question.
" There's a famous Italian hero."
A displeasing look appeared on his face as he said, " be loyal to your husband, biwi."
He grabbed his pants which were beside her.
" Now close your eyes."
" Go to the bathroom-"
She widened her eyes when he grabbed the knots of his bathrobe. She quickly covered her eyes and he laughed before saying,
" I am in my boxers, baby. I am not naked."
" So what?"
He laughed once again and wore his pants.
" Now you can uncover your eyes."
She peeked from the little distance between her fingers and found him wearing his back vest. She uncovered her eyes and scolded him,
" Never ever do this again. Have some shame."
" Mai kyu sharam karu? Biwi ho tum meri."
( Why? You are my wife.)
He went to the bed and grabbed his shirt. She scoffed lightly then asked as something clicked her mind,
" You have not yet told me about that fighting incident. Are you running an illegal business? Because how can a lawyer carry a gun?"
" Your husband is a multi-talented, sweetheart. I can argue. I can fight. I can shoot. I can shut anyone's mouth with words and guns as well. I can,"
He faced her and said while buttoning up his shirt,
" Love you whole day and night. Both ways."
" Both ways?"
He nodded and by the mischievous glint in his eyes, she understood both the ways. She chuckled humorously at him.
" This will never happen. You have time till 14th February only."
" That's too much. I needed 10 days only," he replied.
She raised her eyebrows amusingly and he started wearing his belt.
" Overconfidence is not good, Vakil Sahab."
She stood up and stretched her arms, " thank me. I packed your clothes as well."
" Such a kind wife I have," he said.
She chuckled and he walked toward the dressing table. She was packing the rest of the left out things when he suddenly asked,
" Don't you think I am too handsome?"
She shook her head in disbelief.
" What? Try to look at me. Trust me, then you'll only desire to see me."
" This will never happen," she disagreed very proudly. He put the comb down and came closer to her.
She turned around and felt her forehead bumping against his chest.
" Why are you standing behind me? Move."
She stepped aside but he again blocked her way. She sighed heavily, " what do you want now?"
" You," he smirked lightly and lifted his foot to go closer to her but she put her hand on his chest.
" Not now-"
" Some hours later?"
" No-"
" Tomorrow?"
" No-"
" Day after tomorrow?"
" Never!"
She made herself crystal clear and walked past him. He dramatically placed his palm on his left side of chest and whispered, " ouch!"
She sat on the stool to wear her shoes and he quickly went to her. She sighed softly when he snatched the shoe from her and knelt before her.
" Why do you keep doing this? Do you think you'll win my heart?"
He put her foot in the shoe and started tying the laces.
" Nope. This is not included in the plan. I do this because I love to adore you. You don't let me do anything else, otherwise I would have shown you my love."
" Are the laces tight enough?"
She nodded and he made her wear another shoe. A small smile appeared on her lips which she removed as soon as he lifted his gaze to look at her.
He stood up and fixed his blazer. She, too, stood up and stared at him as he turned to walk away. She roamed her eyes around and spotted his wallet on the bed. She bit her lower lip and found him in his mobile so she hurriedly went there and grabbed his wallet.
She opened it and found her picture there. The picture seem not old. He clicked this at the reception party when she was smiling with her brother.
She was so lost in staring at her picture that she did not realise Aryan saw her and came toward her. She got startled when he took the wallet from her. She turned around and saw him.
He put his wallet back in his pocket.
" Usme kyu dhoondh rahi ho khudhko. Aadmi samne hai, pyar Dil mein beshumar hai bas ek baar haan kar do, har jagah khud ko paogi."
( Why are you finding yourself in that? The man is in front of you, love is abundant in my heart, you'll find yourself everywhere.)
She blushed hearing his words and tucked the strands of her hair behind the ear, " I was just... removing it."
" Why so? You cannot do this without my permission."
He almost had a heart attack hearing her but he assured himself realising she was lying.
" I can. You, too, clicked my picture without permission."
She pointed out.
" That's a different matter."
" How can it be a different matter?"
Before Aryan could reply, a knock was heard on the door. Aryan hurriedly went to open it. He came across Jaydev.
Both of them blinked their eyes. The celebration of new year eve flashed before their eyes. They cleared their throat and avoided their gaze.
Shruti too came and stared at them one by one.
" Uhm, are you ready? We should leave now."
Jaydev said.
" Yeah yeah," Aryan replied in the same nervous voice and went inside the room. Pakhi came and spotted them. She smiled at Shruti who pulled her outside the room.
" Stick to me. I have to talk to you about something very important," Shruti whispered into her ear. Pakhi showed her the thumbs up.
They had breakfast first then came back and grabbed their luggages. They checked out of the hotel and booked a cab to the airport.
They were already late so none of them had time to talk to one another about some important topic.
Aryan told his parents about their departure and Jaydev told his family. Shruti and Pakhi sat together in the plane and forced the guys to sit together.
Once the plane boarded off, Shruti and Pakhi started talking to each other.
" Di, can I ask something?"
" Yes?"
" Uhm, you are lying about marriage, no?"
Shruti smiled and took a pause of few seconds before asking,
" So the spy really did her work."
Pakhi frowned and Shruti added, " my innocent papa thinks I am a fool."
She got embarrassed while Shruti took a deep breath and nodded.
" Guess I don't need to tell you anything. You can do your work."
Shruti grabbed the magazine and flipped the pages boringly. Pakhi stayed silent for a minute before asking,
" Do you like bhai?"
Shruti stopped her movement and felt her heartbeat rising. Was she that obvious?
" Uhm, no."
Pakhi smiled, catching her white lie.
" Di, you are terribly lying."
Shruti sighed and covered her face with a magazine. Her cheeks turned warm due to blushing and she removed the magazine from her face then asked her,
" Will you tell this to him?"
Pakhi shook her head, " it's not my place to tell him."
" Yes, please don't tell him. It's just a mere liking. I know I will soon get over this stupid feeling after our divorce."
Pakhi frowned, " divorce?"
" Yes, in some months. But if you'll expose our secret to papa, then I don't think so I'll have to wait for months. I'll be free from him."
" Di, I do not think so bhai wants to leave you now."
Shruti stared at her confusedly and Pakhi smiled before continuing,
" Trust me, I am sure Bhai wants a fresh start. His behaviour is changing. He is smiling more than usual and all because of you."
Shruti nodded and glanced at Jaydev's head. He is sitting on the seat before theirs with Aryan. They cannot not hear them.
" Acha tell me one thing, Does he want my money?"
" Huh?"
" He said I can have all of his things and he won't complain. That's strange. He doesn't let me touch his things. Does he want to sell them to me at a higher price?"
Pakhi laughed lightly, " see I was right."
" How?"
Pakhi gestured her to come closer and she leaned in. Pakhi brought her mouth close to her ear and whispered,
" Bhai only let a few people close to him touch his things."
Shruti widened her eyes and sat straight. Pakhi laughed at her reaction and Shruti gulped.
" Oh God! It cannot happen."
" Why? Do you not like him?"
" Who?"
Aryan, who heard Pakhi this time, turned his head behind. Jaydev too looked behind. Blush crept up to Shruti's cheeks looking at his face.
" Nothing. It's just girls talking."
" I see," Aryan uttered suspiciously and looked in front. Shruti was left stunned when Jaydev winked at her before turning his head back in front.
If girls could talk, then why not these two men?
" So we are good now?"
Aryan asked.
" Not in that way but yeah, good. I mean..i-"
Jaydev felt words stuck in his throat. Maybe he was too ashamed and didn't know what to say at this time.
" Chal chal maaf Kara tujhe. Kisi din dost tha tu bhi."
( Come on, I accept your apology. You were my friend once upon a time.)
Jaydev passed him a judgemental look, ", when did I say sorry."
" When Mr. Jaydev Chaudhary feels stuck, it means he regrets his actions. Don't forget I know you better than anyone."
" Isi baat ka dukh hai," Jaydev mumbled and ruffled his hair.
( I am sad about this.)
" So, do you want to talk about that incident?"
Jaydev nodded, " not here."
" Of course, not here. I need 2 hours to explain things to you."
" Stop exaggerating things," Jaydev irked.
" If I am proven right, what will you give me?"
Aryan smirked.
" What do you want?"
" One ride together. On the bike. In the middle of the night. Like before."
Frown disappeared from Jaydev's face and a smile casted on his lips hearing his wish.
" Sure," he agreed.
" Clear one thing to me," Aryan said.
" Hm hm."
Aryan glanced at Pakhi behind them and asked him, " after our patch-up, would you still fight for your sister? What about my sister? Will you leave her?"
Jaydev took a deep breath, " difficult question. Leave it unanswered for now."
Aryan nodded.
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