At RM

Hearing him and seeing his ignorance Anjali was hell angry and thus told to hurt him intentionally

Anjali: See na Dadi, he is becoming really like Mrs. Raizada and her family, always the rebellious attitude and let me tell you Arnav, you are going to suffer for that

Arnav gritted his teeth and decided to not comment upon that. He was very much vulnerable and was angry with himself for showing his weak side before them, which he opened only in front of Khushi. He knows he needed his Kiya right now more than anything, but he was afraid to confide in her as he doesn't want her to see his state now and get all stressed up.

Kiran pressed his shoulder and he smiled sadly at her thinking that this tiny girl is much more understanding than his matured family. He indicated her to get ready soon and headed towards his room so that he can go for a shower and calm himself down before meeting his Kiya.

He silently entered his room and leaned on the closed door and his eyes instantly welled up as he was missing his Mom terribly. He wiped off his tears angrily changing into the ASR avatar and turned around only to come to a standstill as he came face to face with his love, his life, his Kiya.

Her eyes were puffy red and were also welled up with tears indicating him that she had heard everything that happened downstairs. He was very much afraid as she recently was back to those terrific attacks and what happened now will only act as a fuel to them. 

But what happened next was completely unexpected by him as he was engulfed by a warm comforting and understanding hug by her which broke the wall which he created around himself and he broke down instantly in her embrace and she rubbed his back comforting him.

Actually, Khushi who got ready was heading towards Lavanya's room so that she can go down as instructed by him heard the commotion downstairs. She first thought as they all don't know about their relationship, she has no right to hear their talks and was about to go, but stayed back as she heard Sheetal is the good Bahu according to the family and they spoiled Lavanya and all. She was sad as she realized she doesn't have the qualities that they looking for their daughter in law. The fear started to engulf her notch by notch as she heard their words. But when Arnav started to defend them she was afraid as it will create problems, and when Anjali said she is a bad sister she started to hyperventilate. Then Chachi mentioned them as orphans and all memories of her parents came back which she buried deep inside and was on the verge of passing out. That's when she heard Arnav's reply to them which was like a balm to her open wounds. All the confusion which she had on being the good sister vanished as he explained how much he look into her as a good sister and her respect for him increased folds as she heard he defending her parents and referring them as his own.

She was constantly crying and was about to go down towards them so that she can stop him from saying more awful things at them. But she was rooted to her spot with his next set of words which broke her heart to million pieces to see her man in that vulnerable situation where he was like the lost child which she met after Mom's death. She forgot about all her sadness and was very much worried about him seeing his situation.

She realized sometimes drowning in her own pain she is forgetting about her love and her promise to her Mamma that she will always keep him happy. She was angry on herself as she realized she herself forgot about his pain and instantly remembered the day she had with Manav and Arnav on the day of Arpita's first death anniversary after their reunion.

FLASHBACK

Khushi was as usual like every year very sad on that day as she lost her second mother on that day. But she knows she had to be there with Manav and Arnav on that day as their strength and thus composing herself she headed to their home. Reaching there she met Manav who was in the swing in the front lawn itself looking lost towards the garden with moist eyes. She silently sat beside him and put her hand on his shoulders. 

Manav was startled but composed himself and tried to smile seeing her.

Manav: Kiya! ... you are here! ... I mean what happened today that you blessed us with your presence early in the morning?

Khushi: (In a low painful voice) Uncle, no need to act ... I know what today is ... after all she was my Mom too

Manav looked at her shockingly as he realized she remembers everything even after years being away from them while today morning his daughter was asking about conducting a surprise party for her fiancé forgetting completely about her mother's death anniversary which broke him and his son completely.

He was so much helpless as he saw the innocent Arnie controlling his tears as he heard his sister and moving from there pretending to have a nonexistent assignment so that he will not worry his father more. He was angry with himself to put the phone on loudspeaker and was pained to see his son shutting himself from everything related to his mother when he will even discuss his attraction towards Khushi.

He engulfed her in a silent hug comforting his burning heart and was suddenly jealous of his friend to have a daughter like her. He hoped as his Arpi's wish their Arnie get this angel as his life partner.

Manav: Kiya ... Arpi was always right about you. You ... you truly are a gem ... to come here and comfort us ... which even our family forgot. Thank you, dear.

Khushi: Uncle ... why are you thanking me? What have I done special? I was here just to check up on you guys. Arnav is my bestie and you are like my Papa. So I have to come here right?

Manav smiled sadly at the girl before him. She doesn't know how much her innocent words mean to him, it will mean to his son.

Manav: That is so sweet of you beta but ... I am very angry with you

Khushi: What happened uncle?

Manav: Because of this only ... why are you calling me uncle if you are considering me similar to your Papa? I mean ... call me Dad like Arnav does

Khushi: Oh! This was the reason. You really worried me unnecessarily ... and yeah don't worry I will call you Dad now onwards ... but please don't be an angry bird, like your son

She bit her tongue realizing the slip of the tongue

Manav: Ha ha ha, angry bird! ... must say you have got a perfect nickname for him

Khushi: Dad ... mein ... voh (Dad ... that ... me)

Manav: (Chuckling) no ... no, it's ok as I (Winking at her) always support the truth. (Controlling his laugh) by the way, where is your tail today?

Khushi: Who? ... oh Kiddu? I have left her with Papa

Manav: Why? .... and how she allowed you to come to Arnie without her?

Khushi: She doesn't know that I am coming here ... er ... actually, she doesn't know anything about Mom, and I don't want her stupid questions to affect you guys ... also she will not understand the depth of your pain even if I tell her now. So I thought it is better... in fact, I was afraid, thinking even my presence will not be good. By the way uncle what you said about family? How come they forgot what is today? I mean don't they miss Mom?

Manav: Don't you dare even to think like that, how you or Kiddu will be disturbing us? Don't think like that Kiya, never. And ... and what you asked is unfortunately right. (Sighing) but what I can't understand is how come Anjali don't remember this day always? I mean... she will forget this day every year. You know I used to force her to call and talk to Arnav so that he will not get any idea about all these, but after what she has done today he will forget he even had a Di

He then explained everything that happened early to her and she had tears in her eyes hearing Arnav's situation

Manav: See Kiya ... even without seeing him you understood his pain, but Anjie ... I hope she cared at least ten percentages about him as you care for him. (Sighing) you know what? ... maybe the mistake was ours always... I mean my parents were very orthodox and I was never attached to them like Bhai. And after our marriage, we settled here with your parents as I was very sad since they couldn't understand me or my love ... but when Anjali born they accepted us and we used to go there once in a year. Anjali from childhood liked the stay there but after Arnav was born she felt we don't care about her anymore and expressed her wish to stay there. We both tried to talk to her as he needs our attention being the little one, but she was jealous and was adamant to stay there as there she was treated like a princess, everyone will dance on her words, which we too have done before Arnav ... but after he came we concentrated more on him, especially Arpi and he was a total Mamma's boy as you know. We thought her situation as the problem every eldest child facing and will go away one day, but it never happened and only got intensified, and there lies our main fault we ... we ignored it. I mean we were ok with her fury towards us as long as she was cordial with Arnav, but I didn't know ... I never thought that she was waiting for a chance to pounce upon him. And you know when she took her revenge on him?

Khushi: Revenge? What revenge?

Manav: For snatching her place, for not settling in India because she thought we don't want to settle there just because Arnav likes to stay here. But the reality was my family doesn't like Arpi much and used to taunt her. Little Arnav who was the perfect Mamma's boy once heard that and since then he was against to go there even though he missed his Di so much. (Sighing) you know Kiya he loved her like he loved me and Arpi, but her single act destroyed the love and respect for her in his mind

Khushi: What happened Dad? Please tell me if you are comfortable because I remember the old Arnie taunting me saying I am very irritating unlike his Di, whom he loved so much and ... now there is this Arnav who get angry even hearing her name, and calling her by name, not as Di anymore

Manav: After ... after Arpi's death ... I thought it was best for him if we stayed with the family ... I mean I thought ... then even if he will miss his Mom, his Di will be there, the whole family will be there. Also, we both couldn't survive here without her so that was the reason we shifted to India then. But when we shifted there what Anjali told him broke his little heart to pieces ... she ... she firstly taunted him saying now I accepted her wish and he has to live there with all the traditions and all which he hates the most. For that, he was just angry but ... then she told they will get a new Mom as Maa was planning my second marriage with the girl whom I left for Arpi. Of course, I haven't done because nobody can take her place in my life. But some ... some simple questions that is, 'why are you sad unnecessarily Arnav? It's been 2 weeks ... and what if she died, Dadi said we will get a new Mom, and you know what she will be staying here, not in London so you don't have to miss me. So aren't you happy now?' and that broke every love and respect he had for her ... and he started to treat her like a perfect stranger or sometimes like a responsibility because of his promise to his Mom. (In a choking voice) I ... I still can't forget the painful eyes of Arnie who told me all this. Then he was aloof from everyone other than me until he met Rahul. They both were suffering almost the same pain so that bound them. Then day by day he was getting away from everyone, also I couldn't stay in India always so he used to tell me to send him to a boarding school. I thought it is because he is missing his Mom, he used to skip his meal whenever got chance and diabetes which was under control when Arpi was here again got worse and he even lost his consciousness one day and I realized why he didn't want to be there, because nobody 'actually' cared about him other than me ... not even Anjali. And then I decided it is best if he lived on his own rather than with my family. Arpi's Mamma was against to send him abroad and asked me to send him there, but he didn't even listen to his Nani, he was adamant about his decision. So I send him London with Rahul in boarding school as this place will keep reminding him about his mother. From then he is bottling every memory related to his Mom within himself even when he will share every single detail of other things with Rahul and me ... (Turning towards her and smiling a little) but you know what? ... now he is opening up Kiya

Khushi: What do you mean?

Manav: Offo ... you are not understanding beta ... look now he is talking freely about his Mom. I mean I had seen he keep talking about her habits and pieces of advice to Kiddu. And it was only after realizing the Khushi he attracted to was none other than his childhood buddy whom he nicknamed as Kiya, his Gayu aunty's daughter. And ... you see he even told me about his Mom last week

Manav was giving her proof's to make his point valid, but Khushi was struck to the sentence where he said Arnav is attracted to her. Manav seeing her stance

Manav: Hey what happened? (Then realizing something) please don't tell me that idiot hadn't told you anything about it

Khushi: (Pouting) unfortunately no

Manav: (Sighing) I think with this speed I will have to wait for more than I expected for you to be officially my daughter. Oh God ... what to do about this tube light son of mine?

They both shared a laugh at that

Manav: By the way, don't tell him I told this

Khushi: I will think about that

Manav: Baap re (My God)! ... don't do that, he will skin me alive ... er... you know na? ... your angry bird

Khushi: (Sighing) okay Dad don't worry. My mouth will be zipped until he confesses it. Okay? Now leave all that and tell me where is he?

Manav: In his garden near the pool ... and beta please be calm, because he will be like a volcano today towards everyone who tries to talk to him. I know it will not be that intense to you ... but still ... please be careful, okay?

Khushi: Sure Dad ... so now get up ... and please set the table for breakfast. I will come with Arnav

Manav: But beta, he won't have anything today, I had tried it many times, I don't think it will work and I am sure he will blast upon you

Khushi: It is totally fine Dad, I can understand his situation, don't worry I will handle him; you please go I will come with him

Manav: As you say, señorita

She then headed towards Arnav's room and knocked. Hearing no reply she entered the room only to stand still as she saw Arnav standing there before the pool, looking very vulnerable and lost in his thoughts. 

Khushi: Arnie ...

Arnav who was standing with his back towards her was startled as he heard her calling him like that ... since they started calling each other as Arnav-Khushi from the time they met again before realizing it is the old Arnie and Kiya, and from when he knows she is his childhood buddy he was back to Kiya, the name she loves most as it was given by him, but she was continuing it as Arnav as they are not kids anymore and she was finding it very weird to address him like that now. But today seeing the lost child before her without her own knowledge it came out. She pressed his shoulders and instantly felt him stilling under her touch. And when he turned around the pain she saw in those eyes was enough to describe his situation and her moist eyes made him disturbed.

Arnav: (Chokingly) Kiya...(Then masking it) why are you here early morning ... whatever it is please don't disturb me now. I mean ... I have the assignment to complete by tonight, so we will meet tomorrow ... tell Kiddu too ... bye.

And turned his back towards her but Khushi turned him around and forcibly met his eyes

Khushi:  Arnie ... stop ... stop running away ... I... I know everything ... so, please ... please don't mask it. (Sighing) I know sometimes we will not be willing to share our pain with anyone and to do that we will be afraid. I too was like that when Mamma was in bed until ... once I opened up to Ninu. But then I realized one thing that is when we will be having enough courage to share it then it will be much peaceful than this pressurized situation. You know you will feel much much better

Arnav instantly hugged her tightly crying all over her feeling overwhelmed as she understood him well. She hadn't said anything about understanding his pain and asked him to move on, which he hates but said him what she had done in a similar condition to get him opened up and with that, he realized why she always had that special space in his heart.

She rubbed his back comforting him and they stood in perfect silence until he broke the embrace and gone to sit near the pool, near the plants and he felt his Mom around him. She too sat near him. Both of them were sitting with their foot immersed in water and he turned to her suddenly

Arnav: Khushi, I wish my parents never allowed Anjali to stay there; she ... she was my lovely sis like you are to Kiddu. You remember I used to taunt you for not having a sister like her, but now she changed Khushi ... totally changed ... she ... she forgot her Papa-Mamma who did everything in them to remove her insecurities, her chotte, (Sighing) in fact, now she doesn't even remember that name. Khushi ... whenever ... whenever I try to forgive her for everything she has done she ... she creates more and more situations for me to hate her. You know now, I don't know what I feel for her, whom once I loved equal to my parents ... but I know one thing, how much ever I try I ... I can never love her like before

He choked on his words due to emotions

Khushi: Arnav

Arnav: How could she Khushi? How could she get over Mom so easily? She had told me to forget Mom and move on ... that too on the second week after she had gone. She ... she told me she won as we will settle in India but I was okay with that as long as I have Dad and Di but she ... she told me we will get a new Mom. It was ... it was so easy for her to forget Mom, just ten days and she got over her, the one who carried her for nine months, the one who stood the unbearable pain to deliver her, who treated her like a princess. Just ... just some years in India and she forgot her whole family in U. S. You know she could ... she could stand them taunting Mom because those traditions were important for her than Mom. And as per those traditions for the house, a Bahu was a must so, rather than mourning over the lost one they started to hunt for a new one. I know they all are like that only ... but what hurt me the most was my own sister was with them, to give our Mom's place to another bimbo woman. And  ... and did you hear what happened today? She ... she remembers her stupid fiancé's birthday, the one she found along with her traditional family going against mine and Papa's wish. And you know she had gone against Nani taunting her along with Chachi when she said he is not good for her. She told she hates her mother's family ... then she hated everything about her mother's lifestyle and culture, now she hates her mother's family, who knows tomorrow it will be her mother too

Khushi: It may be due to the surroundings she brought up Arnav ... don't worry she will be again your old Di someday. Maybe ... maybe this Shyam will be her true love and that's why she reacted like that, and he may even guide her to be a better person

Arnav: I too thought the problem is with the surrounding at first, but now I know it is not ... Khushi she had changed ... changed forever ... never to become the old Anjie. And if you are expecting that Shyam to guide her then I will call you as the fool of the lifetime, because it will never happen, he is a puppet in her hands and an orthodox fool who never gonna change. And you think that greedy idiot will tell her to go against Dadi and all? Then how will they get the traditional wealth? He ... he will destroy her remaining goodness too Khushi I ... I

He couldn't continue more as his throat was clogged with tears and she side hugged him and rubbed his shoulder 

Khushi: Arnav, please ... please calm down, if that is the fate for her we cannot change it. And hey stop being a crybaby ... come on cheer up ... because Mom will definitely like to see you as happy not with this stupid tears. And yeah now get up, let us have some breakfast, Dad will be waiting for us

Arnav: You go Kiya ... have it with Dad ... I am fine here ... I ... I don't need anything now

Khushi: Arnav ... don't be insane yaar ... why are you making him upset being like this? Please ... please don't do this ... not to him and definitely not to yourself. Are you thinking that he will have anything today without you? No, right? ... so come on get up ... I have promised him to bring you down ... also Mamma asked me to get you there as she wanted to tell you something

Khushi started to pull him by his hands, but he hasn't moved an inch with the pulling of the tiny girl, so he himself helped her and got up. He told her he will come after washing his face. He reached the bathroom door when she called him and he raised his eyebrow asking what.

Khushi: Waise ek bath kahu Arnav (By the way shall I say something Arnav), you look more handsome when you are the angry bird, not this crybaby

Saying this she winked at him and he smirked at her comment and then shook his head at her efforts to cheer him up.

Khushi: Arnie, I am sorry dear, I should have been comforting you but what I have done, worrying you with my stupid problems. I am very bad, right? How could I forget about your pain? I am really very bad ... I ... I don't deserve you...

She was going on and on when he placed his forefinger on her lips silencing her and then hugged her tight

Arnav: Kiya, this is what I need ... not any comforting words ... your one tight hug and all my worries will be gone. (Then breaking the hug) and hey, don't you dare to call my wife as bad because then you will have to face me

Khushi smiled at him and hugged him tight kissing the side of his neck with a strong determination to be the old strong Khushi who had brought the Kadoos ASR back to life, leaving her unnecessary thoughts about his family and all mumbled near his ear

Khushi: I love you

Arnav: I love you too baby, I love you too

He told happily as he was relaxed realizing the change in her body language which resembled the old feisty Khushi Kabir Khurana and he smiled to himself as it will be much more interesting now.