*Happy IPKKND 11th anniversary to everyone*❤❤🌠🌠

"Lollipop," he called out, pulling out a chair to sit beside her in her cubicle.

Hmm was all he got as response from her side. Her eyes were fixed on her laptop as she keenly observed her sketch designs displaying on the screen.

"What are you doing?" he asked, shifting his attention from her laptop to her face.

"Checking all these designs before I send it to Lavanya ma'am for approval," she replied seriously, adjusting her specs that slipped from the bridge of her nose.

"Leave all that for our 'after lunch' hours. Let's feed our empty stomachs now," he whined complainingly, removing the glasses from her eyes to annoy her, which he was quite successful at, when she finally looked at him, threatening him to give her back the - more precious than anything in this life - specs with her beautiful big hazel eyes.

"Give me what's mine Choco pops!"

"After lunch!"

"Lavanya ma'am will kill me if I don't submit this in time Arnav!"

"I have been working for this company for four years. You just joined eight months ago, so believe me when I say your life is safe in this place.. a few hours late in submitting your designs won't put your life at risk here."

"Fine.. You win," she sighed defeatedly.

"I know your Lavanya ma'am more than you do. She won't scold you for this. Trust me lollipop," he pinched her cheek to cheer her up.

Khushi looked at him intently for few seconds before extending her hand to him, "My specs!"

"Your Jaanu will be returned to you after lunch," he smirked, holding her specs securely in his hand.

"Arnav I can't live without my specs!" she cried.

"It's not that you're completely blind without your specs ok!" he said with a sarcastic tone, "I love to see you like this."

The last line was supposed to be thought running in his mind, but he never realized when he said it aloud for her to hear. And before things could get awkward, he had to cover it up for his slip of tongue.

"What did Garima aunty packed you for lunch today?" he quickly changed the topic, not letting his facial expressions give away his feelings.

Khushi slapped his shoulder, narrowing her eyes at him, "I cook for my lunch Mr. Choco pops, not your Garima aunty."

"That's not what she said to me last time I was in your house," he shrugged with a light smile playing on his lips, he loves teasing this girl until she loses her cool with him.

"I brought biryani in my tiffin. You better eat that and not my brain Arnav!"

"I'm getting tired of your biryani now. Couldn't you bring me butter chicken today?" he fake-complained, getting up from his seat to reach her tiffin.

Khushi too stood up from her seat, "You're in the mood to tease me today, right?!" she asked, grabbing his hair in fist making him let out a sharp cry of pain, "Khushi.. stop it yaar!"

"And you stop complaining about my food because you even lick your fingers when you eat it," Khushi said releasing his hair from her tight hold.

Arnav pouted with a small frown adorning his forehead, holding her tiffin and specs in his hand, as they walked together towards the canteen of SK Fashion company.

"You're such an evil witch.. chudail kahiki!" he glared at her, staring at his hair condition after her attack through the glass door of the canteen entrance, "Look what you've done to my hair.. I looked so smart today and your witch hands turned it into a jungle mess."

"Oh hello.. NaagRaj (King of Serpents) you should thank me for this.. you look even more handsome with messy hair," Khushi blurted out her feelings without realizing how strange it would sound to him.

"Oh really?" he smirked, surprised with her outburst.

Khushi nodded her head, running to an empty table to hide her blushing cheeks from him.

"We should sit here!" she shouted, calling him to join her.

Arnav followed her to the chosen table for their lunch, he kept the tiffin and her specs on the table with a teenager like grin playing on his lips for getting a compliment from the girl who he got so attached to in the past four months.

Khushi got the right opportunity to take her specs back but she let it rest on the table because a certain Choco pops of her life admitted he likes to see her without specs today.

Khushi waved at Manju, who already knowing their order, sent the waiter to their table with two Mirinda bottles.

"Who asked you to order Mirinda? I wanted to drink Pepsi today," Arnav raised his eyebrows questioningly.

Khushi rolled her eyes in response, thanking the waiter for bringing their cold drinks.

He chuckled. He loved to see her annoyed. She looked cute.

Just when they're starting to eat the biryani, Khushi looked around her surroundings and found a group of employees staring at them and commenting something among themselves, she frowned a bit and concentrated on eating her food.

"What?" Arnav asked.

"When you're with me, people always look at us as if we're doing something wrong," Khushi said, "It's damn frustrating... I feel like yelling at them to mind their own business instead of wasting their time gossiping about us."

Arnav chuckled softly, "You're sitting with a divorced man.. sharing your lunch with him. People are obviously going to talk!"

Khushi rolled her eyes, "Rubbish.. Now you can't have friends because you're a divorcee!"

"Female friends," he emphasized, taking a sip of his drink, "They might be thinking I've cheated on Lavanya with you."

"I didn't even work here when you divorced Lavanya ma'am," Khushi frowned slightly.

"Do you think they care? They will just believe in what they want to," he shrugged, then suddenly stopped eating and pushed the tiffin to her side, making Khushi lift her eyes to meet his questioningly.

"If people gossiping about us when you're with me here makes you uncomfortable, then I don't mind to keep a distance from you," he spoke in a serious tone.

Khushi glared at him, pushing the tiffin towards him, "Eat your biryani and shut your mouth."

"How am I supposed to eat my biryani with my mouth shut?" he retorted.

"You should have thought that before speaking nonsense to me," she said repeatedly punching his shoulder, "NaagRaj kahikaa.. You really think I'm going to leave you because of what others think about us."

Arnav chuckled, "You know you would have thought the same about me if you were a part of that group that is gossiping about us."

"I wouldn't," she stopped beating him, uttering immediately in her defense.

"You would!"

"I wouldn't Arnav!"

"You even judge your poor neighbor who wears the same jeans everyday and the tea vendor near your apartment.. you accused him of greeting you with a creepy smile every day.. now think, if your neighbor bought many of same type jeans to wear everyday and she's actually wearing different ones, but you think it's the same one... and what if that tea vendor was born with a crooked smile that looks creepy and it's not his intention to tease or scare you with his smile?"

Khushi wanted to argue with him but after hearing him, she ended up laughing heartily. She brought her chair near his to start hitting him again, then side hugged him tightly with a smile playing on her lips, "You're crazy Choco pops. You're the only person who can make me laugh when I want to argue with you."

Arnav smiled softly, circling his one arm around her waist to reciprocate the hug.

"And you're kind of right.. maybe if I was in that group of friends, I would think you cheated on Lavanya ma'am with another girl.." she sighed, "But it's also possible that, I would have thought how it doesn't make sense because that girl joined the company after your divorce."

"Hmm."

"Not hmm.. Admit it there's a possibility for you to be wrong in your guess as well," she pinched his nose.

"Okay, there is-"

"KHUSHI!"

Khushi immediately sat straight after hearing her name being called out loud by her boss. On the contrary, Arnav was sitting relaxed, pouring the cold drink into his glass.

"Ma'am.."

"The designs Khushi?"

"She's almost done Lavanya.. You'll get those designs after lunch time," Arnav replied.

Lavanya frowned, "What?"

"It's not that entire fashion show week will get ruined if you don't get the designs with few hours delay Lavanya."

"You know what? It's good that we got divorced.. this chill-it's-nothing-to-be-worried-about attitude would make me want to murder you someday," Lavanya sighed, pulling a chair to sit with them on their table.

A nervous Khushi calmed herself down when Lavanya joined them for lunch. She immediately picked up her specs on the table and wore them.

Arnav chuckled mockingly at Lavanya, "See how I'm good to you.. I saved you from becoming a murderer."

"Yeah right," Lavanya rolled her eyes, beckoning the waiter to approach their table so she could order her food, "I'm so famished yaar.. this upcoming fashion show is killing me. CEO sahab wants everything perfect but does nothing apart from throwing his attitude at me. I'm the one who has to deal with everything here and take this stress home with me. That's why I'm so worried for the designs, Khushi please do it quickly.. otherwise he'll eat me alive."

"Sure Lavanya ma'am. Just give me some 30 minutes and I'll submit it to you today itself," Khushi said when the waiter left disappeared from their sight after taking a note of Lavanya's order.

"She's not our ma'am now. We're on break time," Arnav said to Khushi. Khushi looked at him wide-eyed.

"Please Arnav.. don't make Khushi like you," Lavanya said, "She's the most loyal and hardworking designer I've in my team unlike you."

"No no ma'am.. He's also loyal and hardworking member of our team. In fact, we stayed long nights awake just to complete these sketch designs," Khushi immediately jumped to defend Arnav.

"Acchaa (Oh really)," Lavanya shifted her glance from Khushi to Arnav with a smirk playing on her lips.

"Yes, he's very good.. He only taught me everything when I joined here," Khushi said, getting up from her chair, she looked at both and excused herself to go to the washroom.

When she was out of their sight, Lavanya turned to Arnav smiling, "Cute.. Staying up with her all night to help her with work.. Confronting your boss to let her have lunch and give her time to complete the work properly. Are you going to tell her or just keep up with the sweet gestures?"

"It's not easy," Arnav sighed, taking out the tissue to wipe his hands.

"To fall in love again?" Lavanya asked, softening her tone now.

"Not that.. my life is a mess right now and I don't want to include her in this mess."

"Matlab?"

"It means.. neither at work nor at home, I have no peace except the time I spend with Khushi. Here at work, I feel like I'm committing a crime when I look happy maybe people think I should suffer my whole life because I'm a divorced man and when I'm at home, I keep getting calls from Mom asking me to reconcile with you to prove to the world that I didn't cheat on you with another woman and crying over the phone while sharing what her relatives and neighbors think about our divorce," he said with an irritated tone.

"I do understand.. everyone here also looks at with me as if they're feeling pity of me.. and when I'm home, Mom and Dad keep pestering me to get married to CEO Sahab.. Can you believe it? Can't they just see how this relationship won't work at all? They're just hurrying to get me married with a well settled man because they don't like the divorcee tag on me."

Arnav frowned hearing that, "Why didn't you tell me that before? Do you want me to talk with your parents?"

"Please don't.. They don't even want to hear your name at home," Lavanya said, "And I didn't tell you earlier because I agree it's getting annoying now but it's nothing to worry. I can handle it.. right now, I just want to keep my focus on my career and if love comes on my way, then I'll happily accept it.. I'm in no hurry," she ended with a soft hopeful dimple smile.

"If you need a friend to share like everything that's worrying you, you know you can count on me, right?" he patted her cheek.

"I know Arnav," she nodded with a grateful smile. And that moment the waiter came with her food. He looked at both for a second before composing himself and hurriedly went to share the latest update of 'Arnav & Lavanya divorce' status to his colleagues.

"See," Arnav gestured her to look at the waiter gossiping with his colleagues.

Lavanya shook her head in disbelief, frowning in irritation, "Unbelievable yaar.. they have nothing to do other than gossiping about our lives."

"Maybe our life story looks like a tv serial for them," Arnav chuckled getting up from his chair, "Now excuse me.. I need to go to the washroom."

Lavanya nodded.

Arnav headed towards the gents washroom, finding Khushi on her way back. He winked at her smiling.

Khushi smiled at him, "Did you finish your biryani?"

"Yup.. you would have killed me if I didn't," he said. Khushi slapped him on his arm, pushing him away as she walked back to their table.

************************************
6:46pm
XYZ Shopping Mall.

"I can't believe this. Is it necessary to find Daawat Rozana Super Basmati Rice with Amitabh Bachchan picture included in it? Can't we just buy another Basmati rice? Basmati toh Basmati hoti hai na," he sulked going through the rice section in the supermarket, trying to find her favorite Basmati rice.

"Yes, it's necessary to find my favorite basmati rice only," Khushi pouted stubbornly.

"Let's try this ShrilalMahal Empire Basmati Rice.. You'll feel like a Royal Queen while eating this one," he said picking up a rice bag to show it to her.

"Please.. I don't have any interest in feeling like a NaagRani of ShrilalMahal!" she replied sarcastically.

Arnav laughed keeping the rice bag back to its place. His eyes continued to search for her favorite rice.

"Finally.. I can see Amitabh Bachchan there.. that's your rice, right?" he sighed in relief, pointing up to the third row of the section while asking her.

Khushi smiled gleefully, "Yess.. that's my favorite basmati rice."

He took the bag of rice for her and put it in the shopping cart. Khushi poked his cheek with her index finger smiling as they walked to another section.

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

Suraj Apartment.

Parking the car near Khushi's apartment, Arnav and Khushi got down the car with the shopping bags in their hands.

Arnav noticed the tea vendor looking at Khushi with a creepy smile while she was busy pressing the lock button of his car keys.

He raised his brows intimidatingly at the man, yelling, "What? Never seen a woman before?"

The man awkwardly shifted his attention to his tea stall. Arnav stared at him furiously, he walked to Khushi, circling his free arm around her protectively, guiding her inside the apartment.

"See.. I told you.. he always looks at me and other women like that," Khushi whispered.

Arnav nodded acknowledgingly, "Don't worry.. I'll do something about it."

"What? Please don't go and beat him up now.. I don't want you to go to jail because of that man," Khushi said worriedly.

"Relax.. I'll talk to him when I'll go back home.. and warn him if he doesn't change his ways then I'll complain to police and send him to the lock up for few days," Arnav said.

"Okay.." Khushi agreed, "Just talk.. don't use your hands Choco pops."

"Hmm.."

"Hmm nahi.. Haan bolo Arnav!"

"Haan meri ma.. I won't do anything to him."

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

"Arnav beta," Garima opened the door only to find a pleasant surprise, her most favorite of Khushi's friends, the person she loves as if he's her own son standing with her daughter at the door, "Finally you found time to visit me Arnav beta."

"Please don't talk like this aunty.. I was here only three days ago," Arnav said with a soft tone, dropping a kiss on her forehead.

"She misses you more than her own daughter," Khushi added sarcastically.

Garima shook her head, she moved aside letting them inside the house and closed the door, following them to the kitchen.

"I hope you bought toothpaste from the supermarket Khushi," Garima said.

Khushi hit her forehead lightly, "I forgot Amma.. I knew it something was missing there."

"Of course you would forget it.. Aunty we took the whole time of shopping to search for her Dawaat Rozana Super Basmati Rice with Amitabh Bachchan picture in the rice bag," Arnav said teasingly, taking out the milk pack to keep it in the fridge. Garima rushed to help him, taking out the juices and followed him to the fridge.

Khushi pouted, "Amma you know that's my favorite.."

"Khushi tomorrow you're going to cut that empty toothpaste of yours in two with scissors and use whatever is left of that toothpaste to brush your teeth," Garima said scoldingly.

"Amma!!" Khushi cried.

Arnav giggled silently staring at her crying expressions while Garima went on and on scolding her. Khushi kept throwing murderous looks at him throughout.

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

After sometime, Garima walked again into the kitchen after finishing a call with one of her relatives, she found Arnav and Khushi warming the food together for their dinner.

"Cute lagte hain ye dono saath mein (They look cute together)" she thought smiling to herself.

"Who was it on the phone Amma?" Khushi asked.

"Your Renuka aunty asking if we need anything," Garima said faking a smile.

"Why do you even answer their phone calls Amma? She just wants to make fun of us.. to remind us that Dad isn't with us in this world anymore.. and I hope you reminded her that you've a grown up daughter now earning enough money to give it to you, so we don't need her help at all," Khushi said angrily.

"Haan.. I told her we don't need anything from them," Garima nodded, she walked to Khushi, caressing her daughter's head to calm her down.

"Please next time don't pick her up phone.. You don't have to be so good with everyone Amma," Khushi hugged her mother tightly, shutting her eyes to hide her tears.

Garima looked at Arnav while hugging Khushi, "Look how this girl gets angry so easily."

He smiled a little in response, "That's true.. but I know how to deal with her when she's in a bad mood."

Khushi smiled faintly hearing this, she was facing her back to him, so he couldn't see her face.

Garima broke the hug, she left from there giving an excuse that it was time for her to watch her favorite daily soap on tv and she couldn't miss it at any cost.

"Are you okay?" Arnav asked softly, staring concernedly at Khushi.

Khushi nodded her head, composing herself, "I'm fine.. It's just I hate when Renuka aunty calls to remind my Amma that she's a single mother. She's always teasing us that we don't have a man to earn money and bring food home."

"Don't spoil your mood because of people like them," Arnav said, rubbing his thumb on her cheek lightly.

Khushi nodded her head again, blinking her eyes assuringly at him, staring deeply into his chocolate brown eyes.

"Go and stay with aunty now.. She's probably upset too after this phone call. Although we didn't buy that ShrilalMahal Empire basmati rice, today I'll serve the dinner and make you two feel like Royal Queens!" he said to cheer her up.

"Okay my Choco pops," Khushi poked his cheek with her index finger as usual and walked away from there with a smile never leaving her face.

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

"Arnav beta please fix this TV.. I was changing channels and suddenly the screen went black.. I don't know what happened," Garima called him.

Arnav came to the living room, he took the remote control from Garima's hand who repeatedly explained the problem to him.

"Aunty it's nothing to worry.. You go and have dinner. I'll fix your TV in the meantime," he smiled at how cutely she sounded so worried for her TV when it wasn't even a big problem. He could fix it in seconds.

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

After eating dinner and watching a few movies together, Garima insisted that Arnav stay a little longer, but the fatigue of work was getting to him and he needed to go home to rest.

"Okay I'll let you go today.. but do come tomorrow to visit us again," Garima said smiling sweetly at him.

"Pakka," he smiled back at her.

"Do invite my other friends like this too," Khushi said forcing a sweet smile to her mother.

"I don't like that friend of yours who forced you to cut your hair.. It took you six months to get you long hair back," Garima pouted.

Arnav looked at Khushi confused.

Khushi giggled, getting up from the sofa, she approached Arnav to accompany him to the door, "She's talking about my college friend, Riya."

"Bye aunty," Arnav bid goodbye to Garima once again as he walked with Khushi to the door, "Tomorrow pakka!" he shouted on his way.

"I'll be waiting," he got the response from Garima.

"Oh I forgot to tell you," Arnav looked at her once they reached at the door, "You'll come with me to my house now.."

"Why?"

"I have a new toothpaste at home. You'll need it tomorrow, right?"

Khushi jaws dropped, "You had a new toothpaste at home and you let Amma scold me for that.. I can't believe this."

Arnav nodded his head with a tight lipped smile. Before Khushi could catch him to hit him, he went running downstairs.

Khushi quickly went to inform Garima that she's leaving with Arnav and will be back soon, then she went running behind Arnav.

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

While in the car, Khushi was staring at Arnav driving silently after having a phone talk with his mother.

"What did your Ma say?" Khushi asked.

"That my cousin thinks I got divorced because Lavanya is more successful in her professional career than me.. that it hurt my ego to have my Lavanya as my boss.. that's why we got divorced.. everyday a new theory to the same old divorce story," he rolled his eyes.

"I don't understand why it's so hard for them to understand that we divorced because we fell out of love... our marriage wasn't working anymore... it was our mutual decision to separate. When I can't give my 100% to my life partner, then what's the point of insisting on such a relationship?" he punched the steering wheel frustrated.

"See Choco pops.. I can only advise you to try your best to ignore what people around you say about your relationship with Lavanya. They won't stop speculating and talk about things they don't even know, but you must be strong to face this phase of your life.. and I'm here with you always. I don't care what people say about you.. or what they think of us when we're together.. I'll always be by your side.. hamesha ke liye," Khushi said softly, ruffling his hair.

Arnav smiled genuinely, thanking her through his eyes for being by his side always.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Anything!"

"Are you scared of falling in love again?" Khushi asked after mustering up all her courage to talk about this matter with him.

"No!"

"Then are you scared to ask me for a date?"

Arnav looked at her flabbergasted for a moment, he had to park his car on the side to register what she just asked.

Khushi felt his heart beat rapidly the moment he stopped the car. She was getting nervous and wondering if she was too quick to bring up this topic between them. Maybe Arnav really only sees her as a good friend and she misinterpreted his loving and caring nature towards her for love.

"What did you say?" he asked again, unbuckling his seatbelt.

"Nothing.. Just forget it," Khushi shook her head vigorously.

"That's not something I'll forget anytime soon," he said with a bright smile growing on his lips.

"So.. you also feel the same I.. feel for you?" she asked to confirm her doubts.

"I.. (taking a deep breath).. I do Khushi.. but-"

"Chhodo tum bhi ab yeh bahana toh
(So stop making excuses now).. Dil ke badle dil nazrana do (Give your heart as a gift in exchange for mine)," she interrupted him, singing the line of a song to him.

Arnav shut his eyes chuckling at her terribly singing the song. After few seconds, he looked up at her, "Are you sure you want to date a divorced man like me?

"Yup.. I'm sure I want my Choco pops in my life," Khushi said firmly.

Arnav pulled her into a tight hug suddenly, Khushi took few seconds to register his move before losing herself in his warm embrace.

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

Galaxy Apartment

Once inside his room, Arnav walked in his bathroom and came back with a new toothpaste for her. He extended his hand giving it to her.

Khushi approached him but instead of taking the toothpaste, she threw herself in his arms.

"Kya hua Khushi? (What happened?)" he asked with soft tone, throwing that toothpaste to his bed, he wrapped his arms around her petite frame.

"I want to say one more thing to you," she whispered feeling his heartbeats. She closed her eyes chanting to herself that she can do it.

"Let me say it this time... I love you Khushi," he whispered huskily near her ear, burying his face on the crook of her neck, planting soft moist kisses on that spot.

"How do you know.. forget it.." she shook her head, stopping herself from ruining the moment with how's and why's, "I love you too," she confessed to him, running her fingers through the back of his hair, pulling himself closer to her.

Arnav moved back a little to stare at her blushing face, he smirked before leaning closer to kiss her, but Khushi stopped him by resting her hand on his chest, "Wait.. Let me take off my specs."

Arnav chuckled softly, "I can kiss you like this as well my Chashmish Lollipop," he stopped her from taking off her specs and pulled her closer to him by her waist, placing his lips on her soft ones, sharing their first kiss, it was a sweet gentle kiss marking the start of their sweet love story.

"Don't forget your toothpaste.. otherwise you'll get scolded by your Amma," Arnav mumbled between their kiss making Khushi burst out laughing in such a romantic scenario.

When they broke the kiss, she poked his cheek smiling at him, then wrapped her arms around his neck, "My Choco pops.. now it's proven that you can actually make me laugh in every situation of my life.. even when I'm in mood for romance too!"

"See you got a man who values your name Khushi .. I can do anything to make you Khushi," he said proud of himself.

"That's true!" she blinked her eyes, tilting her head a bit and flashing a cute smile to him.

"My Chashmish Lollipop," he smiled fondly at her, pecking her lips twice before reminding her of the toothpaste again.

"Come.. We need to leave. Garima aunty must be worried for you," he said as he walked to take the car keys from the side table of his bed.

Khushi hurriedly picked the toothpaste from his bed and rushed to Arnav waiting for her at the door with his hand extended for her to hold. She held his hand, intertwining their fingers as they left his house, going downstairs towards his parked car. The glow of love was clearly visible on their faces.

The End (Only of the story.. Not the IPK anniversary celebrations 😉)

Kyun ki...  it's IPKKND 11th Anniversary.. I'll leave you guys with a beautiful video I found on YouTube of our dear Arshi..  Enjoy!

(Credit goes to the editor of this beautiful video).