Arnav - What are you thinking about us?

He enjoyed the childish look of bafflement on her face. No doubt, he's always enjoyed such moments where she was speechless. Her reddened surface amused him.

But this wasn't enough. He allowed himself to tease her.

Arnav - Are you having those kinds of thoughts? Do you want some privacy?

Her eyes rounded at his question as she jolted out of her reticence.

Khushi - What? No! N-no...I'm not that kind of a girl.

Arnav - What kind of girl?

She received a tight slap by herself in her head for giving him the chance to act all innocent. So in a situation like this she did what came in her mind first.

Khushi - N-nothing.

Avoiding uncomfortable talk.

Khushi - I was just thinking...what is this? This meeting...and our late night phone conversation....?

Arnav - I don't get it. What do you want to ask?

She looked at him skeptical about his naivety.

But if one thing she was for real, it was innocent. As innocent as a five years old kid.

Khushi - You really don't get it?

His playful smirk betrayed him. Her pout disappeared upon realizing he was indeed playing with her.

Khushi - Arnavji, be serious!

She couldn't believe her own words. Was it Khushi Kumari Gupta asking Arnav Singh Raizada to be serious? Hard to believe.

Arnav - Okay, I'm serious now.

His eyes depicted earnestness. But now it was Khushi who failed to sustain a stern facade and broke in a series of giggles instead, much to the amusement of the person sitting opposite to her who couldn't help but just stare the girl like a lovesick puppy.

Arnav - Laughing at the fact that you needed to tell me to be serious?

Khushi - Guilty!

She struggled to breathe normally but failed miserably as Arnav just shook his head in disbelief. His hand wandered upon hers in a hold. And this time she didn't pull it away.

*

*knock* *knock*

Anjali opened the door to receive NK with a heartwarming and welcoming smile.

NK - Di, I need your help.

Anjali - Yes sure. What is it?

She stepped aside. Getting the indication he entered the room. She waited for him to speak as she watched him rub his nape. Anjali frowned at the hesitancy.

Anjali - NK bhai, what is it?

NK - Erm' Di, I wanted to ask you something.

She raised her brows in a silent gesture for him to continue.

NK - Remember I told you there's a girl?

The contentment on her face faded away. Anjali was aware of his liking for Khushi. But she was also aware of her brother's feelings for the same girl and those aren't one sided. She was almost sure of that.

And in all this if she allowed him to continue dreaming of a future with Khushi, he'll be the only one hurt in this triangle.

NK - And I want to ask her out today. But I need your help. I want to write a romantic letter in pure Hindi.

Anjali - NK bhai...I think we should talk about the girl...it's Khushiji, isn't it?

He nodded dreamily, oblivious to the reality mirrored on her face.

NK - Yes...you know!?

Anjali - Yes. I did have an idea. But...there's something you should also know.

His expression changed drastically and he looked right into his eyes.

*

Madhumati was a middle class woman fully dependent on the pension money of her late husband, the only source of income for a five headed family. So financial problems were prophesied. But never had there been such an economic dilemma.

It wasn't surprising that she suffered from chronological migraine in the last days. And now she sat at the dining table with a scarf tied around her forehead as usually, counting each and every coin of rupees she could locate at home.

But as the sound of doorbell rang in her ears, she felt as if someone hit her scalp with a hammer. She was least in the mood to speak to anyone at the moment, let alone gossip about others miseries.

Buaji - Ey Khusi, open the door and whoever it is, send them away.

Her niece came running from the kitchen with a ladle in her hand and proceeded towards the door.

She had been cooking dinner with her dupatta tied diagonally around her torso and her hair made up in a bun. She had had them open during her rendezvous with Arnav, just as he liked them.

Before she stormed off to see the person standing at the door, Khushi was thinking about their meeting. After the laughter attack, she had relaxed and forgotten about his history with Lavanya, his beliefs of marriage and religion. They had conversed about their siblings, their marriage, his office and home, their families. The usual stuff anyone would talk about. And she was elated as never before.

She only felt guilty for lying to her family. They asked her if she was successful in her search of work when she returned back home and she couldn't say anything. No more meetings she decided. She won't lie to them anymore.

Khushi - Ji?

She frowned at their landlord standing at the door. Mr. Shukla usually comes to collect rent only. But it was the end of the month. Buaji pays her rent on the first dates after receiving her pension.

Shukla - I'm here to give a week's notice to vacate the house.

Khushi - Vacate the house? Why? Buaji pays the rent on time. Then why vacate?

Shukla - The rent for three months is due and she hasn't paid even a single rupee.

Khushi was baffled at this new piece of information. Buaji hadn't paid the rent of three months? How can that be?

Khushi - Buaji, Shukla ji is here to tell us to vacate the house.

Buaji - Haye re Nand Kishore.

With a hand still on her head, Madhumati walked reluctantly to the door. The usual spirit missing from her expression.

Buaji - Shukla ji, I've been living here for decades and you know I always pay my rent. It's just I don't have that much money at the moment. Please have patience.

Shukla - Madhumati ji, I've been patient since three months. I gave you time considering it was your niece' marriage but now I've had enough. You have one week to vacate the house and leave this place.

Shukla left without listening to any of Madhumati or Khushi's pleads.

Upon learning the truth about her family's financial situation, she understood why they asked her whether she could find any work. But she couldn't digest the fact that they kept the truth hidden from her.

Khushi - Buaji, why didn't you tell me anything?

Buaji - You've already done so much for this house Titliya. You were the only person earning last year. Even during Payalia's wedding you took so much workload on yourself.

She took a deep sigh and smiled a bit cupping Khushi's face.

Buaji - You don't worry. I'll arrange for money to pay rent.

Khushi looked at the coins on the dining table and her eyes welled up realising the state of desperation her Buaji was going through.

Khushi - Everything will be alright Buaji.

I'll make everything alright.

Though she was hurt for neither Amma nor Buaji felt the need of getting her up to date, Khushi blamed herself too for being so blind and dreamy. If she had been a bit more conscious, she would have noticed the problem her family was going through.

She hugged her aunt. Assurance and condolences were everything she needed right now, apart from money.

*

Arnav Singh Raizada wasn't used to waiting, and he hated it. Being the ASR had many advantages and privileges. He didn't need to wait at any appointment, meetings, dates or phone calls. No one would dare to make the mighty Raizada wait for anything. Except of this girl. Khushi.

She had been testing his patience and pushing him to the limits ever since he met her. And even though they were together as a couple now, she was still capable of having him blow a gasket. It was his third attempt of reaching her. She kept on rejecting his calls and it wasn't helping his temper at all.

If she was sleeping, he expected her to pick up and at least wish him a good night. If she didn't attend this time, he was going to drive to Laxmi Nagar. And he didn't care that it was eleven in the night.

But it seemed like he won't need to leave for Gupta House right now as his call was finally answered.

Arnav - Khushi?

She didn't say anything. But he could hear her breathing.

Arnav - Khushi, what the hell is this? Why weren't you picking up?

Khushi - Arnavji, listen I'...I'm just not in the mood.

He got up to sit on the bed and ran a hand through his hair as he perceived the perplexity in her low voice. And it pricked his heart to know she was dejected. He couldn't stand it, the thought of her being in some trouble.

Arnav - Hey, is everything ok? You sound upset.

Khushi - No...I'm ok. I'm just a lil' tired and...I want to sleep.

She was lying and he could hear it out of her voice. But it looked like she wasn't going to reveal the matter. Not like this, over the phone. So he tried his best to cheer her up at last.

Arnav - Won't ask why I called?

Khushi - To hear my voice I suppose!?

A low chuckle escaped his mouth at her reference to their call from last night. He felt flattered but jumped straightaway to the point.

Arnav - Remember you asked me something today?

Khushi - Hmmm...

Though her mind was somewhere else she did have a vague idea of which question he was referring to. But she wasn't concentrated enough to ponder about his possible responses, something which was most important to her till in the afternoon.

Currently her mind was occupied with the newest developments of her family's condition and its consequences.

She concluded she needed a job to avoid losing everything in span of a week.

Arnav - You asked about our relationship. You're my girlfriend.

She didn't take it as enthusiastically he put it forward. She analysed the word girlfriend. For someone who grew up in a society that rejected the western concept of a boyfriend-girlfriend and accepted no relationship other than husband-wife and brother-sister between a boy and a girl, that word caused an imagination of a sinful affair into her degrading the emotional relation they share purely based on innocent love.

Khushi - Don't call me girlfriend. It...it doesn't sound right.

Arnav - Really? What does sound right then?

He was aware of her traditional and religious views regarding a relationship without marriage but he supposed it was based on sexual activity and not on the complete idea of girlfriend and boyfriend.

He asked himself: if not call her girlfriend, then what? What kind of relationship do they share? Was she even in acceptance of being in a relationship with him?

Khushi - I...I don't know, um, fiance or wife.

Only after the words had escaped her mouth in a subconscious state already did she realize the heaviness of those nouns. And it was embarrassing.

Admitted, her only intention for questioning him about their relationship was to somehow get him to talk about marriage. She wanted to clear her doubts regarding his views of the sacred bond. It wasn't Europe or America where you date, be in a relationship, move in, live together and then marry. This was India. Here the first step is marriage. You fall in love and right after the next thing you should be doing is to somehow convince your parents to marry you to the person you love or you use tricks and involve someone who works as 'Rishteywali Aunty' between both the families.

To Khushi, it wasn't important anymore, not for now. So she was embarrassed for having spoken it out. And before she blurt out anymore things she'd regret later, Khushi decided to disconnect the call.

Khushi - I'm very tired Arnavji. I'll sleep now. Good night.

She hung up on him without even awaiting an answer. She feared he won't let her finish the call.

She had no expertise of the stilled person on the other end of the call. He was in a blow and it seemed he'll be having problems falling asleep tonight, same as her.