Guest Room,

Khushi was sleeping under the thick blanket snoring, lost in the world of dreams. Around midnight, Arnav, who looked like a zombie, returned home after many days. He, with his red eyes, quietly entered the guest room to avoid waking anyone, searching for the confidential file he kept here. He always uses this guest room to keep confidential files in a locker. His family knows not to give this room to any guest, no matter what. He used his flashlight to find the file, not wanting to wake up his brother, Akash. Arnav thought it must be his brother, Akash who would have been kicked out of his room by Payal. Whenever he was kicked out, he'd come here and sleep.

"Don't know what he did again that Payal kicked him out again," Arnav whispered, looking at the thick bundle on the bed shaking his head.

Khushi, in deep sleep, didn't stir from her place. After finding the file, Arnav took photos and kept the file back in the locker. Too tired to go back to his room, he slept on the other side of the bed.

The next morning, Khushi, still asleep, kicked Arnav off the bed as a habit. He woke up with a start, yelling at Akash. "What the — Aka-" he stopped seeing her.

Khushi, also waking up, peeked out from under her blanket, mumbling something.

Arnav, shocked to see her, his Tintin after a longtime and that too, on his bed. He was lost in admiring her. Finally he's seeing her. When he decided to see her the next day three months ago, he was called to the office because of a murder. And then he got busy in the case, not even having the time to get back home as that one murder soon turned into serial killings. 28 people were murdered in the span of 14 weeks. Forget meeting his Tintin, he didn't have the time to come home and sleep peacefully! Now that he saw her finally, he couldn't help but stare at his Tintin. She has the same expressions, her cute, sleepy face is still the same.

Khushi, still groggy, smiled at him. Then, realizing where she was, sat up on the bed, her eyes widened in shock.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" Khushi demanded and then soon remembered his face, "Hey, aren't you that CBI Officer? What are you doing here?"

Arnav smirked, 'Sunny' hiding in his heart slightly came out as it decided to play a prank. "I'm here to arrest you."

Khushi frowned at him, becoming defensive, she asked, "What did I do?" she then realised why he's here to arrest her, "Haaww! Are you arresting me because I work in Lisa's company?" Without waiting for his response, she fumed, "That's so wrong! Who made you a police officer?"

Arnav smirked some more, enjoying the moment, and replied, "When did I say I was arresting you for Lisa's case? I'm arresting you for kicking a CBI officer."

Khushi, confused and indignant, retorted, "I didn't kick you! When did I kick you?" She soon got furious at his lies, "You, shameless, being a CBI Officer, how can you lie? And why are you in my bed?"

Arnav raised an eyebrow at her last words. "Excuse me? Your bed? This is my bed."

Khushi narrowed her gaze at him. "Haaaw! Again a lie. This is my Anjali Di's house and I am her best friend cum little sister. So, this is my bed. How is this your bed?"

Arnav shrugged. "Maybe because it's my house and Anjali Di is my sister?"

Khushi's eyes widened. She quickly angered up as she gritted her teeth. How dare someone try taking her best friend's place? "Anjali Di's brother is Chotte, my 'Sunny', not you, okay?"

Anjali, hearing the commotion, entered the room. "Chotte? Khushi? What's going on?"

Khushi complained pointing a finger at him as if complaining about a bad boy to her mother, "He came into my room and tried to arrest me on false charges!"

Anjali frowned at Khushi's words and turned to Arnav. "Chotte, is this true? What are you even doing here?"

Arnav with innocence dripping from his face, replied, "Di, why would I do that?"

Khushi, finally registering the word "Di," whispered, "Di?"

Arnav nodded. "Yes, Di. My Di. My house. My bed. What are you doing here?"

Khushi's eyes widened in realization. "Chotte? Sunny? Arnie? Arnav?"

"Tintin...vo sab me hi hu. Arnav. Arnie. Sunny. Chotte!"

(Tintin..all of it is me. Arnav. Arnie. Sunny. Chotte)

Khushi widened her eyes in shock, making three O's. True, if Anjali Mallik became Anjali Singh Raizada, then Arnav Mallik is Arnav Singh Raizada, isn't it? "Oh. Khushi, how can you not connect the dots?" Khushi patted her own forehead as she remembered his CBI Badge and his own words earlier. How foolish of her. "Tu sach me pagal hai, Khushi." she murmured under her breath, amusing Anjali and Arnav to no end.

(You are really mad, Khushi.)

Anjali, shaking her head, asked the main question, "Why are you in the guest room, Chotte? Why aren't you in your own room? And when did you come?"

Arnav explained the whole incident, how he mistook Khushi for Akash and ended up sleeping in the guest room. Anjali laughed, "Just like childhood, you both haven't changed at all."

Both Khushi and Arnav blushed. Anjali left, telling them to freshen up and join for breakfast. As Arnav was leaving, he turned behind, teasing Khushi, "You should learn basic rules, you know?"

Khushi, confused, looked at him frowning and asked, "Basic rules?"

Arnav smirked. "As a good citizen, you must know that a cop cannot arrest a civilian for kicking them off duty!"

Khushi flushed again, mumbling, "But I am a good citizen." She pouted at her silly behavior, feeling embarrassed and frustrated with the situation. "I can't believe this is happening," she muttered under her breath.

Arnav, hearing her, couldn't resist teasing her further. "You know, Tintin, you should really work on your aim. That kick was pretty weak." His eyes sparkled with mischief, enjoying the chance to poke fun at her.

Khushi glared at him, her cheeks turning a deeper shade of red. "First thing. I wasn't trying to kick you! I was asleep! Second thing, my kick is not weak, you know. If you remember, you fell off the bed." Her voice was defensive, trying to assert herself.

Arnav raised an eyebrow, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Oh really? If that was your best shot, then I'm not impressed." He leaned in slightly, his tone playful yet challenging. He wanted to rile her up. It's always been his favorite thing to do.

Khushi crossed her arms, trying to look stern but failing miserably. "You think I care about your impression?" She tried to sound tough, but her voice wavered slightly, betraying her true feelings.

"Ouch! That was quite harsh, Tintin. Do you think my poor heart would be able to bear your harsh words?" Arnav acted dramatically, clutching his heart as if wounded by her words. His exaggerated expression made Khushi roll her eyes.

Khushi raised her eyebrows, "Right! Hitler ke twin banke toh main ghoom rahi thi na shahar mein?" She reminded him of his earlier behavior, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

(Right! It was me who's roaming in the city with a 'Hitler' tag, isn't it?)

"Well, at least, I don't go on punching a thief with that soft little hand to save myself," he smirked, clearly enjoying the banter.

Khushi narrowed her gaze at him. "In any way, are you implying I didn't handle the thief well, Mr. Raizada?" Her voice was sharp, challenging him to deny her bravery.

"Yes, if that soft little hand belongs to you!" Arnav smirked, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "But yeah, I can teach you better self-defense techniques if you want it," he added, his tone softening slightly.

"I don't need your lessons, Mr. Raizada. I can handle myself just fine," Khushi retorted, her voice firm and unwavering, though her eyes betrayed a flicker of irritation.

Arnav smirked, leaning casually against the doorframe. "You know, Tintin, for someone who acts so tough, you sure do get worked up easily," he teased, his tone light and his eyes amused.

Khushi shot back, her hands on her hips, "And for someone who's supposed to be a top CBI officer, you sure do have a lot of time to tease me." Her words were laced with sarcasm.

Arnav chuckled, a deep, rich husky sound that filled the room. "Teasing you is my favorite pastime. It's like watching a cute little kitten trying to roar," he said, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

Khushi narrowed her eyes, stepping closer. "Well, this kitten has claws, Mr. Raizada. Don't make me use them," she warned, her voice low and threatening.

Arnav raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying the banter. "Oh, I'm so scared. What are you going to do? Scratch me?" he asked, his tone mocking.

Khushi smirked, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Maybe. Or maybe I'll just kick you off the bed again," she retorted, her voice dripping with confidence.

Arnav's smirk widened, his eyes locking onto hers. "Wow! Already confident we will end up on the same bed again, Khushi?" he said, his voice softening, the smirk never leaving his face. The way he emphasized the 'Kh' in her name sent a shiver down her spine, and she felt her cheeks flush a deep red.

There was something about the way he said her name, or maybe it was the words he used, or just the smirk on his face, but it definitely made her ears turn red, butterflies dancing in her stomach, and her cheeks flushing with heat.

Arnav smirked again before turning and walking out of the room, leaving Khushi standing there, feeling like a puddle in the rainy season.

She's going to kill him someday for doing this to her. She thought, clutching her heart.

_________________________

Khushi admired herself in the mirror, adjusting the pleats of the red saree she had selected from Anjali's wardrobe. The vibrant color complemented her complexion, and she felt beautiful and charming as she admired herself from every angle in the mirror.

"You look beautiful, Khushi," she said, giving a flying kiss to her mirror image.

Just then, the door creaked open, and Anjali peeked in with a warm smile. "I knew that saree would look stunning on you," she said, stepping into the room. Khushi turned around, grinning. .

"Hai na, Di. I feel like a princess," Khushi replied, twirling around to show off the saree. Anjali laughed softly, her eyes twinkling with affection.

"You are indeed a princess, Chutki. Now, let's go downstairs. Everyone is waiting for you," Anjali said, extending her hand. Khushi took it, excited as they walked out of the room together.

_________________________

Meanwhile, in the dining hall, the aroma of freshly made Masala Dosa filled the air, making everyone's mouth water.

Everyone sat around the breakfast table, eagerly waiting for their guest so that they get to dig into the delicious spread.

"Arnav Bitwa, kab aaye ho ghar?" Manohar asked, surprised to see Arnav in casual attire after so long.

(Arnav, when did you come home?)

Everyone turned their attention towards him, curiosity piqued.

"Night, Mama," Arnav replied, taking his seat.

"How's the case going, Bhai? Nowadays this case is making headlines," Akash inquired, his eyes reflecting concern and curiosity.

"No progress as of now," Arnav said simply, his tone betraying a hint of frustration.

HP, the ever-diligent helper, served breakfast to everyone. He placed a glass of juice and a Dosa without Masala in front of Arnav.

"Thanks, HP," Arnav said, taking a sip of the juice.

Just as he was about to take another sip, his phone rang. He glanced at the screen and saw it was an important call.

"Excuse me!" He walked away to answer it.

_________________________

Khushi started descending the stairs, her every step careful. If she missed one step, she would roll down the stairs and soon will become 'bhagwan ki pyaari'. She didn't want to take that risk.

Anjali, herself, is draped in a grey saree, followed behind Khushi and chuckled at Khushi's stunts.

"Chutki."

"Haan, Di." Khushi's eyes were on her saree pleats and the stairs. What if she fell? That was the only worry she had.

"You don't wear sarees often, do you?" Anjali raised her eyebrow in amusement.

Khushi halted in her steps and looked at Anjali, pouting, nodding as 'no'

Anjali laughed, "then why did you chose saree from my cupboard? You could have chosen a salwar suit or any casual top or a maxi!"

"But I fell in love with this saree, Di. Kya karu?" Khushi pouted, battling her eyelashes.

(What can I do)?

Anjali laughed some more and this grabbed the attention of the Raizadas who saw them standing in the middle of the stairs. Finally, they could start their breakfast, they though shifting their attention to delicious Dosas.

Arnav, completing his quick call, turned around and froze. Khushi. His best friend. His Tintin. She stood there, pouting at his laughing Di, draped in a stunning red saree, looking breathtakingly beautiful.

His heart skipped a beat, his mouth slightly open in awe. He was utterly captivated, his eyes tracing every delicate fold of her saree, every graceful movement she made.

"Di!!" Khushi whined, unaware of her effect on a certain someone and turned around. Only for her eyes met his, and in that moment, the world around them seemed to vanish.

"Haaye! Ye Sunny white shirt me kitna handsome lag raha hai," she gulped, admiring him.

(This man is looking so handsome in white shirt)

"Why is he looking at me like I look at my Jalebis?" Khushi thought, getting goosebumps on her skin.

His gaze was intense, almost burning with the depth of his emotions. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest, each beat echoing the fervor of his feelings. Butterflies fluttered wildly in his stomach, and a shiver ran down his spine.

Khushi, blushing slightly, tried to hide her red cheeks, remembering how he had teased her earlier.

Anjali is the only one who observed two and silently descended the stairs.

Khushi sensing the movement, followed too, that blush intact on her cheeks.

His eyes never left hers as she descended, speaking volumes of the unspoken emotions between them, as if his very soul was reaching out to hers.

_________________________

After breakfast, Khushi chatted warmly with everyone in the family, while Arnav couldn't help but steal glances at her.

"I should go now, di." Khushi pouted, checking the time.

However, Raizadas insisted on staying for some more time. But Khushi didn't budge.

"I'll drop you home," Anjali, though disappointed that she will leave, offered with a smile.

Before Khushi could respond, Arnav stepped in. "I'll drop her," he said firmly, getting different looks from everyone, "I have some work near her place, so...I'll drop her," he explained, his eyes meeting Khushi's for her approval.

Anjali raised an eyebrow but nodded. "Alright, Chote. Take care and drive safely."

The Raizadas gathered at the door to bid Khushi farewell.

"Come back soon, Khushi! We'll miss you," Nani said, her voice filled with affection.

Khushi smiled brightly. "I promise, Nani. I will visit soon," she replied, grinning as Nani hugged her. She waved at everyone like a child as they walked to the car, Arnav opened the door for her.

_________________________

Arnav pulled up in front of Khushi's house, the engine of his sleek SUV purring softly. He turned off the ignition and glanced at Khushi, who was already looking at him with a smile, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

"Andar nahi aaogi, Sunny?" she asked curiously, her voice light and inviting.

(Won't you come in?)

"Huh?" Arnav was momentarily lost in thought, his mind still lingering on the morning's events.

"Won't you come in?" she repeated, her tone more insistent this time, breaking through his reverie.

"Next time," he replied, trying to avoid the invitation with a casual shrug.

"No way, Sunny. This is the first time you came to my home. You will have to come," she insisted, her stubbornness shining through as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"No-" he began, but was cut off by Khushi's fierce glare. "Are you coming or not?" she asked in such a way that if he said no, she'd murder him and bury him in her garden.

Arnav sighed, knowing there was no escaping her determination. He got out of the car with a small smile on his face. "You're still as stubborn as hell, Tintin," he whined, using the nickname he had given her quite lovingly.

"What to do? I learnt from the best," she smirked, knowing he'd catch the phrase.

Arnav rolled his eyes, recognizing the taunt aimed at him. He took a moment to admire the beautiful house in front of him, surrounded by a lush garden. It was charming, just like Khushi. The vibrant flowers and neatly trimmed hedges seemed to reflect her personality — bright and lively.

Suddenly, they heard a scream, "Khushiiii." The sound echoed through the garden, startling them.

Khushi turned to look at her friend, "Preetika?" she asked, her eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Just tell this man to go away. I will kick him if he doesn't," Preetika fumed, pointing at her husband who was following her closely, his expression was full of frustration and helplessness.

"But Preetika?" Alok tried to intervene, his voice pleading as he attempted to explain his stance.

"You shut up," Preetika snapped at him, her eyes blazing with anger.

"What happened, Preeto?" Khushi asked, waiting for another silly reason for which they'd fight like cats and dogs. She knew her friends well enough to expect the unexpected.

"This man, he is getting on my nerves," Preetika complained, her voice rising with each word.

"What did he do?" Khushi inquired, rolling her eyes and chuckling. It was not new; their arguments were a regular occurrence.

"Do you know what he said when I asked him about how many girlfriends he had?" Preetika's voice was filled with anger, her hands gesturing wildly.

"What did he say?" Khushi asked, her curiosity piqued.

"He said, 'How was I supposed to know how many girlfriends I had?'" Preetika mimicked, her anger palpable as she imitated her husband's tone.

"Preeto, I was just kidding with you," Alok tried to explain for the umpteenth time, his voice weary from the repeated attempts.

"I don't want to talk to you at all. Go away," Preetika retorted and turned to Khushi, complaining, "I mean, who in the world doesn't remember their ex-girlfriends? What does it mean by his 'how was I supposed to know?' dialogue? Were those girlfriends his or his enemy's that he can't keep track of who and how many?" she huffed in anger, her frustration evident.

Khushi, all the while, was controlling her laughter from the moment she listened to the reason. Preetika and her husband, Alok, were always like this. They fought over small matters, which always made her laugh, like now.

No one really noticed Arnav's presence, who stood amused, watching the scene unfold. Khushi had completely forgotten about him as she enjoyed the banter of her friends.

But Alok did notice Arnav. "Preeto, Khushi has a guest. We can sort this out in our home, can't we?" he chided her gently, and that's when Preetika's eyes fell on the handsome man standing with Khushi.

Only then did Khushi remember she had Arnav with her. She widened her eyes, bit her tongue at her foolishness, and turned towards Arnav with a grin. "Sorry. Sorry," she muttered cutely, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

Arnav only shook his head at her, a small smile playing on his lips. He wasn't surprised. His Tintin could start anywhere and anytime with anyone. God save everyone from her, he thought amusedly.

"He's Arnav. My childhood friend," Khushi introduced Arnav to Preetika and Alok, her voice filled with warmth.

"And Sunny, they are Preetika and her husband, Alok. My friends and also stay on rent," Khushi introduced the couple. The couple stayed in a 1BHK outhouse they had in their garden beside their two-storey 3BHK house.

"Oh, hi," Arnav greeted casually with a small smile, his demeanor relaxed.

"Hello," the couple responded awkwardly, still recovering from their argument.

"Excuse us," Alok said, dragging his wife away, hoping to avoid further embarrassment.

"Don't mind them. They are always like that, fighting over silly matters. Pagal hai dono," Khushi muttered, shaking her head with a fond smile.

"Yeah, that's why they are your friends," Arnav commented sarcastically, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

"Haaaww!" Khushi bit him on his shoulder playfully. "In that case, even you come under the 'pagal' category, Mr. Raizada." she glared at him, her eyes narrowing.

"Who denied? Of course, I am pagal to be best friends with you. But the sanest pagal," he grinned, his smile widening.

Khushi rolled her eyes and dragged him inside,"Buaji, me aagaaayii." Khushi screamed. 

Regards, 

Poly, 

17/07/2024

Let me know how the update was!