Standing at the threshold of terrace, feeling the outside cold compete with the fire burning inside them, Sameer held Naina close to his heart.

They stood comforting each other for how long, they didn't realise. Only when the intercom started to ring did Sameer lift up his head.

"Sameer, dekho toh kaun hai?" Naina nudged him when he kept staring at the ringing phone, without making any effort to move.

With a sigh, he walked to pick up the instrument. In reply to his dull hello, whatever the person on other side said, he listened without much interest.

"Theek hai." He ended the call with a contribution of two words.

Looking back at Naina, he spoke with a serious face, "Jab hum Ooty jayenge toh aisa kamra nahi lenge jahan intercom ho."

She blushed at his mention of their honeymoon destination... and his frustration at being disturbed by the call.

"Chalo, Rahul apne kamre mein bula raha hai... unhone khana wahin mangwaya hai." He got up from the couch, running a hand through his hair.

They went to Rahul's room. He had ordered food for all of them. Rahul and Sonali were in their usual excited and chirpy mood, teasing each other, joking with Sameer and Naina. Soon, their cheerful banters helped to improve Sameer's state of mind as well. By the time they finished their dinner, he was enjoying with them, pulling their leg or getting laughed at.

"Sameer, pata hai, Sonali ko lagta tha mujhe Naina mein interest hai... isliye usne mujhse kabhi baat nahi ki." Rahul chuckled, winking at his wife.

"Haan toh lagega hi na... baat tum usse karte the, bahane dhoondhte the uske paas jaane ke, yahan tak ki baithne bhi lage the uske saath. Ab koi bhi yehi samajhta na ki tumhe Naina pasand hai." Sonali smacked his chest lightly.

"Waise laga toh Sameer ko bhi tha." Rahul gave a mischievous look to his friend.

"Theek toh keh rahi hai Sonali... koi bhi aisa soch leta tere naatak dekh ke." Sameer frowned as he recalled his own reaction to Rahul's advances.

"Lekin Naina, tumne toh aisa nahi socha na?" Rahul questioned her.

Naina pursed her lips, twisting her fingers.

"Rahul, sach bataun toh maine kabhi dhyan nahi diya ki tum kya baat karte ho... main apne hi problems mein itni uljhi hui thi ki aur kuch sunne samajhne ki haalat nahi thi." She looked at Sameer, then lowered her eyes.

"Bas isiliye maine tumse baat karni shuru ki thi, mujhe pata tha tum mere kisi baat ko galat nahi samjhogi... Naina, jo pyar karte hain na, woh pyar samajhte bhi hain... mujhe lagta tha tum kissi ki wajah se iss haal mein ho... par woh Sameer hai yeh ahsaas baad mein hua." His voice went soft.

All three gave him a surprised look.

"Tumhe pehle se kaise pata tha... main toh iske saath rehti thi fir bhi nahi samajh paayi." Sonali was impressed with his interpretation.

"Sonali, tumhare saamne yeh khush rehne ki koshish karti thi... kyonki tum iski dost ho... main jab bhi baat karne gaya, Naina ka dhyan kabhi hota hi nahi tha mujh par... uski aankhen jaise kuch dhoondti rehti thi... aur ek din woh nazar Sameer pe jaake ruk gayi... uske baad maine hamesha notice kiya ki Naina ke naina Sameer ko hi dekhna chahte the... aur ek woh tha... jo chupta rehta tha." Rahul glowered at him.

"Tujhe bataya toh tha maine... uss samay sab kuch alag tha... bohot mushkil haalaat the." Sameer was reminded of the melancholy of his initial days.

Naina placed her hand over his. He looked at her... she gave him an assuring blink... those days were over... they were together now... and will always be...

He smiled in relief, taking her in a side hug, no more bothered about the other two... not that they had any problem with it. She rested her head on his shoulder.

Sonali was happy to see the contended smiles on their faces, "Jo bhi hua ho pehle, ab toh tum dono ko dekh ke koi bhi kahega ki tum ek doosre ke liye hi bane ho... yeh kehna mushkil hai ki kaun zyada pyaar karta hai... tum ek doosre ke liye jo bhi karte ho usse tumhare pyaar ki gehraai pata chalti hai... humne bohot kahaniyaan suni hai pyar karne walon ki... Laila Majnu, Heer Ranjha, Shiri Farhad, Mirza Sahiba... lekin inn sabke naam judd nahi paaye kabhi... tum dono ka pyar inn sabse aage hai... isliye main tumhara naam jod rahi hun... aaj se hamare liye tum Sameer aur Naina nahi Samaina ho... jinki kahani adhuri nahi rahi... jinhone apne pyar ko paaya bhi aur nibhaya bhi."

Rahul jumped in excitement, "Arre waah meri smart biwi, kya naam diya hai tumne... Samaina... inn dono pe kitna achha lagta hai... Sameer, aage jaake agar tum koi naya business karoge toh issi naam se shuru karna."

"Sach mein, Sonali... naam toh tune bohot sundar diya hai." Naina was overwhelmed.

Sameer was too emotional to speak for sometime... he always cherished the bond between him and Rahul and similar closeness between Naina and Sonali but he had no idea they valued his and Naina's love to this extent.

"Tumhe kaisa laga yeh naam, Sameer?" Naina looked at him, still engulfed in the crook of his arm.

"Main kya kahun... mujhe hamesha lagta tha ki bhagwan jab rishte bana rahe the toh woh mere naam ke panne ko khali chod ke aage badh gaye... isliye main rishton ke maamle mein itna gareeb hun... par ab lagta hai unhone jitna mujhe diya hai woh har kissi ko nahi milta."

He glanced at her, "Mujhe Naina mil gayi," then shifted his gaze to his friends, "Tum dono jaise dost mil gaye jinhone har kadam pe hamari madad ki hai... aur aaj bhi kar rahe ho... mujhe mera parivaar mil gaya... ab mujhe apne naam ka panna khali nahi lagta... uspe tumhara aur Munna Pandit ka naam likha hai aur unn sabke beech likha hai 'Samaina'... isse khoobsurat shabd maine aaj tak nahi suna... thank you Sonali."

Rahul jumped up from his chair, "Iss baat pe toh gale lagna padega."

Sameer started to get up when Rahul pressed his shoulder, "Main toh Naina se keh raha tha."

There was silence in the room for a few seconds... Sameer froze in his seat, Naina stared wide eyed at Rahul...

When Sonali couldn't hold any longer, the sound of her sharp smirk cracked up Rahul too. Seeing the two of them laugh hysterically, Sameer ran after Rahul, who was quick enough to sprint out to the terrace... Sameer at his heels.

Sonali was in splits seeing the two of them. Naina couldn't control herself either as they dashed around like cat and mouse.

"Bas yaar, khana khaya hai abhi... kitna daudayega ek chote se mazak ke liye?" Rahul finally stopped, bending over as he clutched his stomach.

Sameer held his shoulders... and crushed him in a bear hug, "Maine socha nahi tha Naina ke alava kisi aur se yeh kahunga par... I love you yaar."

Rahul hugged him back, "Ab rulayega kya, bhai... itna pyar bhi achha nahi hai."

Looking inside the room, he whispered, "Hamari biwiyaan dekh rahi hain... kya sochengi?"

Sameer gave a hard smack on his back before leaving him, "Saale, kuch bhi bolta hai... ek din pitke hi maanega mujhse."

Rahul instantly brightened, "Yeh sahi bola tune."

"Kya? Ki tu pitega?" Sameer was confused.

Rahul shook his head, "Nahin, saale... mujhe tu apna saala samajh... kyonki Naina ko main apni behen hi maanta hun."

The hug this time was even tighter than before.

When they came back to the room, Sonali giggled, "Ho gaya bharat milap?"

Rahul winked at her, spreading his arms, "Tum bhi kar lo... kisne roka hai."

He wasn't quick enough to dodge the cushion that landed on his face.

Sameer threw his head back and laughed.

"Tu kya aise hans raha hai, yehi milega tujhe bhi... thode din ruk jaa." Rahul showed fake anger.

"Arre nahi, meri Naina thodi aise maregi mujhe... haina meri jaan?" He walked back to Naina, looking at her as he took her in a side hug again.

She lowered her head, smiling shyly... colour spreading on her cheeks.

"Kya baat hai bhai... bada bharosa hai... hamari anniversary pe aaoge na jab tum log tab puchunga... tere ghar ke mausam ka haal." Rahul flicked his brow knowingly.

Naina instantly looked up at Sameer,who was watching her... a silent communication took place between them.

"Rahul, teri anniversary hum Ahmedabad mein celebrate karenge... bohot badi party karenge... tum log wahan aana please." Sameer said.

Rahul was surprised, "Arre yaar, tu kyon party dega? Hamari anniversary hai toh hum hi denge na... aur tum dono ko aana padega."

Sameer bit his lip, "Woh Rahul, teri shaadi wale din hamari pehli shaadi hui thi... toh hamari bhi anniversary hui na."

For the second time, complete silence prevailed in the room.

Sonali and Rahul gaped at their friends for a few minutes, completely dumbfounded at this revelation... then they looked at each other, not sure what it meant.

Rahul finally managed to speak, "Sameer, tum log shaadi kar rahe ho ya exam de rahe ho? Kitni baar hogi yaar? Normal logo ki tarah ek baar ki shaadi se kya dushmani hai tumhe... aisa confuse karke rakh diya."

Sameer swallowed, knowing that they were indeed shocked.

Suddenly, Rahul hollered, "Ab bolega bhi kya hua tha ya suspense mein maar dalega humein?"

With a jerk, Sameer held up his hands in resignation, "Bata raha hun na... woh tum log thode chup ho gaye the isliye main... "

"Haan toh chup na ho toh kya ho... tune itna bada jhatka diya hai... bhai, maine aaj tak kissi ki aisi shaadi nahi suni jo teen teen mahine ke baad hoti jaaye." Rahul gave a furious look, still perturbed by the information.

"Naina, tune bhi kuch nahi bataya... itna hi achha dost maanti hai mujhe?" Sonali complained.

"Nahi Sonali, aisa nahi hai... woh... jo bhi hua... itna achanak tha... pehle toh hum khud hi hairaan the... laga ki pata nahi isse kya samjhe... matlab aisi koi poore tareeke ki shaadi thodi thi... bas maang hi bhari gayi thi meri... galti se." Naina tried to give an explanation.

Sonali slapped her forehead, "Maang bharna bas nahi hota, meri bholi behen... dekha nahi hai kya filmon mein... ek maang bhar dene se poori shaadi maan li jaati hai."

Rahul furrowed his brows, "Aur yeh galti se maang bharne ka kya matlab... Sameer, tu sindoor leke ghoom raha tha kya? Ab poori baat bata de warna mera dimaag ghoomne laga hai."

Sameer took a deep breath and narrated how Naina had slipped and he tried to save her when the tilak that Rahul's mom had put on his forehead, touched Naina's hair, giving her a red mark in her parting.

He, however, did not mention that this happened in the bathroom.

Sonali held her hands over her open mouth, bewildered.

"Yeh... yeh... sach mein koi ishara tha bhagwan ka... Sameer, tujhe pata hai woh tilak sirf dulhe ko aur uske bhai ko lagta hai... uss din mummy ne tujhe mera bhai banake lagaya tha... unhone aisa nahi kiya hota toh kaise maang bharti? Yeh saari kadiyan judni hi thi... tumhara rishta toh pehle se hi ban ke aaya tha dost... tum hamesha se Samaina hi the... aur rahoge." Rahul ardently fitted all the pieces together.

"Sameer, Naina, agar uss din bata dete toh tumhare phere bhi saath hi lagwa dete hum... ho jaati ussi din shaadi... fir hum har saal saath mein anniversary mana sakte the." Sonali was equally amazed at the turn of events.

"Woh toh ab bhi manayenge, Sonali... shaadi ki pehli tareekh toh yehi rahegi." Naina held Sameer's hand, looking at him lovingly.