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Sidharth was working in his office when one employee came to him.

"Sir aaj thoda zaldi nikal na hai. Thoda hi kaam bacha hai. Agar aap kisi aur se karwa lete toh....."

Before he could finish, Sidharth asked, "Zaldi kyu jaana hai?"

"Asal mein aaj humari shaadi ko pura 1 mahina hua hai isliye wife ke saath celebrate karna hai. Usko thoda ghumane le jaaunga toh khush ho jaayegi woh."

Sidharth suddenly stopped typing hearing his words. He checked the date. It was his one month wedding anniversary as well.

He paused for a while and then said looking at the employee, "Aap jaaiye. Baki ka kaam main dekh lunga."

"Thank you so much Sir."

Saying that, the employee left from there happily. But Sidharth became lost in deep thoughts.

"Aaj one month wedding anniversary toh meri aur Shehnaaz ki bhi hai. Kya woh bhi mujhse aisa kuch expect kar rahi hogi ki main aaj ke din uske saath celebrate karu?" He asked himself.

"So what? Uske chahne se kya farak padhta hai? You don't accept her as your wife." Said his brain.

"But the fact is, she is your wife. Chahe tum dono ki shaadi kaise bhi hui ho, tujhe iss shaadi ko nibhana chahiye. You should be with her at this special day." Said his heart.

"You don't believe in this marriage. Phir yeh sab dikhava kyu?"

"Because she believes in this marriage. She loves you. She will be hurt."

"But does this matter to you? You don't even love her."

"But you care for her. You care about her feelings. You can't see her tears. You want to see her happy. Don't you?"

Sidharth's thoughts broke when his phone started ringing. It was Shehnaaz.

"Hello!" He said picking up the call.

"Sidharth mera shift 8 baje khatam ho jayega. Aap aa rahe ho mujhe lene?" Asked Shehnaaz.

"Yeah I'm.... Coming." He replied.

"Okay."

Saying that Shehnaaz hanged up. After that she opened a photo of their wedding in her gallery.

"Humari shaadi ko hue pura 1 mahina ho gaya. Kya aap ko yaad hoga ki aaj humari one month wedding anniversary hai?" She thought and then chuckled painfully.

"Main bhi pagal hoon. Aap toh iss shaadi ko maante tak nahi hai. Toh phir one month wedding anniversary kyu yaad rakhenge? But it's ok Sidharth. Mujhe aap ka pyaar nahi chahiye. Woh haq Sana ka hai. Main aap ki life ka thoda sa bhi hissa ban paayi, mere liye yeh hi bohut badi baat hai."

Thinking that she wiped her tears and focused on work.

After sometime...

Shehnaaz's shift was over and she was standing outside the office. Soon Sidharth came there with his car.

She was about to go towards his car when Sidharth himself came out of the car.

"Yeh kya Shehnaaz? Tum iss halat mein bahar kyu khadi ho? Andar baithi rehti. Main toh aa hi raha tha tumhe lene. Doctor ne tumhare pair ko rest dene ke liye bola hai. Aise milega rest?" He said making an annoyed face while coming towards her.

"Offo Sidharth! Main aap ko kitni baar kahu ki mera pair thik hai, mujhe dard nahi ho raha? Dekhiye main toh uchhal bhi sakti hoon."

Saying that Shehnaaz jumped two to three times and then stopped feeling pain in her right ankle.

"Ahhhhh!" She screamed.

Sidharth nodded his head in disbelief seeing her.

"Gadhi kahi ki!" He said looking at her.

"Main Gadhi nahi hoon." Said Shehnaaz making an angry pout.

"Bilkool sahi kaha. Tum Gadhi nahi ho..... Bohut badi wali Gadhi ho. Ab chalo."

Saying that Sidharth moved towards his car and Shehnaaz started following him.

"Jab dekho daante rehte hai. Paata nahi kya samajhte hai apne aap ko. Huh!" She thought.

Sidharth opened the car's gate and got inside. Shehnaaz also opened the gate and became surprised seeing something on her seat.

It was a bouquet of lilies. Shehnaaz kept looking at it.

"BAITHO!" Said Sidharth loudly making her shiver.

She nodded and took the bouquet in her hand. Then she got inside the car holding the bouquet.

Sidharth started driving while Shehnaaz was caressing the flowers. While driving, he was trying to notice Shehnaaz's expression to know if she liked the flowers or not.

"Yeh....."

Before she could speak, Sidharth said, "Tumhare liye hai."

Shehnaaz widened her eyes hearing that and asked, "Mere liye?"

"Haan woh.... Uske saath ek card bhi hai dekho."

Shehnaaz checked the bouquet carefully and found a card with it.

Shehnaaz's heartbeat increased seeing the card. She couldn't believe her eyes. He remembered this day.

"Happy One Month Wedding Anniversary." Said Sidharth while looking at the road.

Shehnaaz felt butterflies in her stomach. She smiled shyly and said, "Same to you."

"Woh actually....mujhe samajh nahi aa raha tha ki main.... Kya gift laau... So I bought these.... Woh kya hai na, Sana ko lilies bohut pasand the. I don't know tumhe kya pasand hai isliye main yeh sab......"

Seeing him hesitating this much, Shehnaaz smiled and said, "Even I love lilies. Mujhe bohut pasand aaya."

Sidharth didn't say anything and just smiled. He continued driving.

After sometime, Shehnaaz noticed that he was going to another route.

"Sidharth hum kaha jaa rahe hai? Ghar ka raasta toh uss taraf hai." She said.

"Hum aaj bahar khana khayenge. I hope tumhe iss se koi problem nahi hai." Said Sidharth.

Shehnaaz understood that he was doing this to celebrate their one month wedding anniversary. Yes, it was being little awkward for him which Shehnaaz knew. But still he was doing everything for her happiness which made her feel special.

"Ok. No problem." She replied smiling.

Soon they reached the restaurant. They sat at a table and ordered their food.

"Tumhe paata hai Shehnaaz, yeh jagah Sana ki favourite thi. Hum aksar yaaha aaya karte the. Yaaha ke noodles toh Sana itna pasand karti thi ki puchho hi mat. Hum toh shaadi se pehle bhi kabhi kabhi yaaha aate hai. Bohut yaadein judi hai iss jagah ke saath humari." Said Sidharth and smiled looking around the restaurant.

Shehnaaz smiled sadly looking at him. From the starting, whenever she saw love in Sidharth's eyes for Sana, she felt a sharp pain in her heart as it always reminded her that her love was one-sided. But today she felt happy and proud of herself that she loved a man like Sidharth who could love someone like this even after her death. Today he was going through a lot of pain. So Shehnaaz chose to hide her own pain and let him share everything with her. Be it Sidharth and Sana's love story, she would listen everything just to make him feel good.

"Jaha tak mujhe paata hai, aap ne Sana ko iss hi restaurant mein shaadi ke liye propose kiya tha na?" She asked giving a teasing look.

Sidharth nodded in yes and said, "Haan. Sabke saamne table pe khada ho ke."

"Aur usne kya kaha tha?"

"Of course haan kaha tha. Maana thodi karti?"

"Yeh bhi hai. Accha ek baat baatao. Aap dono mein se pehle pyaar kis ko hua tha?"

"Pyaar toh hum dono ko eksaath hua tha. Par Sana ko pata ne ke liye papad maine zyada bele the. Uss shaadi mein usse impress karna mere liye ek  bohut hi difficult job ban chuka tha."

"Accha? Kya kya kiya tha aap ne?"

"Pehle toh main uska har waqt peecha karta tha. Jaha woh hoti thi waha main pohuch jaata tha. Aur phir....."

Sidharth started telling her the story while Shehnaaz kept listening showing interest. She noticed that Sana's topic always brought smile to his face and his smile meant everything to her.

"Aap ne itna kuch kiya Sana ke liye?" Asked Shehnaaz while eating.

"Pyaar mein insaan bohut kuch kar jaata hai. Tum abhi nahi samjhogi. Jis din kisi se pyaar hoga....."

Sidharth suddenly stopped after realising what he said. He looked at Shehnaaz and noticed that her expression also changed. He tried to cheer her up.

"Yeh lo, hum apna one month wedding anniversary celebrate karne aaye the, aur main phir se purani baaton ko le kar baith gaya." He said smiling forcefully.

"It's ok Sidharth." Replied Shehnaaz. "Jo baatein kar ke aap ke dil ko accha lage, aap woh hi baatein karo. Main toh hoon hi, sun ne ke liye always ready."

Sidharth just kept watching her being amazed. He could feel her pain which was hidden behind her smile. Was it easy to love someone so selflessly? To see that person madly in love with someone else? He never tried to think from her side. But now he was asking himself, what he would have done if he were at her place?

He had no answer.

He sighed and said, "Nahi. Abhi meri baari hai sun ne ki. Tum apne baare mein mujhe sab kuch baatao."

"Mere baare mein?" Asked Shehnaaz.

"Haan. Tumhari pasand, na pasand, mujhe sab kuch jaan na hai."

"Thik hai aap puchho aap ko kya jaan na."

"Umm.... Let me think.... Favourite flower?"

"Lilies." Said Shehnaaz showing the bouquet.

"Sirf mera dil rakhne ke liye." Said Sidharth. "Ab sach baatao."

Shehnaaz chuckled and said, "Ok I admit. Mujhe lilies pasand nahi hai. I love Sunflowers."

"Good. Now.... Favourite colour?"

"White."

"Favourite movie genre?"

"Thriller."

"Favourite food?"

"Chhole bhature."

They kept talking while eating. It was the first time when Sidharth took the initiative and tried to know Shehnaaz better.

After dinner...

They both were enjoying fresh air standing on a bridge. Cold air was blowing their hair.

"Are you serious? Tumhe sea beaches se zyada hill stations acche lagte hai?" Asked Sidharth with disbelief.

"Of course. Hill stations are my favourite." Replied Shehnaaz. "Aap ko pasand nahi hai?"

"Bilkool nahi." Said Sidharth. "Mujhe toh hill stations jaate hi sardi lag jaati hai. Phir trip toh enjoy kar hi nahi paata, pura time bas khas te aur cheekh te hue nikal jaata hai. Na Baba na, main toh hill stations se dur hi thik hoon."

Shehnaaz laughed seeing Sidharth's expression while Sidharth also laughed along with her.

After they both stopped laughing.

"But seriously Sidharth, aaj aap mujhe yaaha laaye, mujhse itni baatein kiyi, mujhe bohut accha laga. Aaj pehli baar aisa lag raha hai jaise hum ek hi chat ke neeche rehne wale do ajnabee nahi hai. Thank you for this." Said Shehnaaz.

Sidharth smiled and said, "Sach kahu toh aaj tumhare saath baatein kar ke mera bhi dil halka hogaya. Waise...."

He paused for a while and said, "Dekha jaaye toh aaj ke din humein ek dusre ko gift dena chahiye. Par gifts dene ki jagah kya hum ek dusre se kuch maang sakte hai?"

"Kyu nahi?" Said Shehnaaz smiling. "Kya chahiye aap ko?"

"Kya tum meri dost banogi Shehnaaz?"

Shehnaaz couldn't understand what to say. She never thought that he would ask for this.

"Ek chat ke neeche do ajnabee ban ke rehne se accha hai, hum dost ban ke rahe. Mujhe paata hai suruwaad mein maine tumhare saath bohut rudely behave kiya hai. Par kya hum past ko bhul ke, ek dusre ki taraf dosti ka haath nahi badha sakte?"

Shehnaaz suddenly forwarded her hand and said, "Badha diya. Dosti ka haath."

Sidharth smiled and shook hands with her.

"Ab meri baari. Mujhe bhi aap se kuch maang na hai." Said Shehnaaz breaking the handshake.

"Haan haan. Bindaas maango."

"Soch li jiye. Baad mein maana toh nahi karenge?"

"Nahi karunga. Pakka promise. Tum maango toh sahi."

Shehnaaz smiled and started moving closer to Sidharth making him little confused.

"Mujhe.... Aap se....."
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What will Shehnaaz ask for?

Stay tuned...

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