The morning following their adventure, Omkara woke up with a smile on his face. To say the truth, he barely slept last night going over and over the intimate hug he had with his love...the moments he got to spend with her working together.

He had craved to talk to her for the last three years but his insecurity always held him back. He cannot take her rejection. She had been the only woman he ever loved and she will be the only one till he breathed his last... come what may.

Over the years he never wanted anything for himself solely... he worked hard trying to make ends meet for his brother. So that at least he can have a better life than him. Every asset, every rupee he earned had the name of both the brothers on it... every aspect of his life and every corner of the house had their memories engraved in it. The only thing he ever wanted for him alone in all selfishness was her.

Now that he spent a few cherished hours with her and she seemed to tolerate his presence beside her, he gathered courage to ask her if she can tolerate him for the rest of their lives too. Will it be asking for too much if he hoped for a future with her? Will she give him a chance?

Life has made him strong to deal with ups and downs of it. He singly drove through the rough and smooth plains and emerged safely to the finish line... he only wished he gets the girl of his choice to cross that line together and win in the life race.

As he freshened up... he ted talked himself to gear up and propose her today at any cost. He cannot back out now that he took Rudra's name in the promise. Thinking of ways to ask Gauri... her hand in marriage, he cooked the breakfast and walked to Rudra's room to wake him up. He had another task at hand... telling his brother about Gauri.

"Rudy... wake up.. it is past eight" Omkara gently called him stroking his head.

"Bhaiyya... five minutes more... please"

"The coffee will get cold Rudy... and your five minutes will never come to an end... get up and have your breakfast... I need to talk to you" he urged and Rudra begrudgingly sat up on the bed still drowsy.

"Go and freshen up...I will set the table till then" he said and walked out.

After breakfast Rudra was back to being his chirpy self and pestered Omkara with questions about his adventure the previous night.

Omkara explained the events in detail... of course subtracting the hugs.

"We are still not safe Rudy... even if we have the documents, Vijay Thakur can resort to illegal means and try to claim the land... we need to file a complaint in the police... Veer ji will come today I guess we need to meet him in the afternoon" said Omkara.

"Veer Saxena...Svetlana madam's husband?" he asked surprised and his brother nodded his head.

"Yeah... he recently got transferred here as the superintendent.... He has been asking for Svetlana mam's forgiveness since then" he informed smiling "I know she forgave him... it is just her ego that is stopping her... Veer ji is a good man... she might be misunderstanding him"

"Then consider the work done bhaiyya... Svetlana madam can ask him for help directly... how can he deny her" he said winking and Omkara smiled in agreement.

"Achaa.. I have something to tell you bhaiyya" started Rudra looking at him.

"Ohh.. even I have to tell you something.. you go first then" Omkara said smiling at his brother.

"Bhaiyya... I feel guilty for hiding this from you... please don't feel bad" he said.

"What did you hide from me Rudy... I understand you... even if you did.. there must be a reason" said Omkara.

Rudra gave a charming smile, took a deep breath and dropped the bomb "I love Gauri and she loves me too...she was weary whether to tell you or not but I strictly told her that we should plan the wedding this year itself... what do you say?"

Omkara stared at him in shock praying that he misheard his brother saying he loved Gauri... No... this must be some cruel joke.

"G...Gauri?"

"As if you don't know.... Gauri... Ms. Beautiful... the one who helped you with the documents" he said clearing whatever doubts Omkara had.

The rest of Rudra's words went to deaf ears because his brother's mind was not in a state to interpret anything. Only one thought spiraled in his mind and drilled into his heart 'He cannot have his love... he lost her even before he tried'

The thought gave rise to a searing pain which started in his heart and spread through every cell in his body making it difficult to carry out their bodily functions. Can he get out of this place and never return back... he cannot imagine his brother and her together... no... it would kill him.

A lone tear escaped his eye and he wiped it with his sleeve turning his face away from his brother. He heard love gives pain but it would be this debilitating, he couldn't fathom. Good that Rudy was not the one to go through it. If it meant his brother will have a happy life without the torture of losing his love... he would gladly accept his brother's share of pain as well.

"Bhaiyyaa!!" shouted Rudra to get his attention and he turned to him with a smile "Yes Rudra... Gauri will be a good partner" he said trying to hide his pain and not letting his voice crack.

Rudra gave him a jubilant smile and hugged him while he took the only sense of comfort he had... embracing his brother, furiously wiping away the tears hiding from him.

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"Omkara... I informed Gauri to come to the school today in the evening... everything is set... you just need to deck up and sweep her off her feet" said Svetlana in all excitement.

"Thanks for everything madam" he said and she frowned "When did you start thanking me? Are you okay?"

When he merely hummed, she sighed "Don't be nervous.... I assure you Gauri will choose the best for her and it is you Omkara... just tell her what you feel for her" she said in encouragement.

"Yeah... I will... I have to... I promised you right... I will take care of it" he said and she smiled.

"So what do you wear..." she started her set of instructions and he merely listened giving appropriate response here and there though water continued to escape his already swollen eyes.

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The kids of the school left their games for the day and gathered around the conference room of the school which has been cleared of the tables and chairs today. The news of Omkara proposing Gauri spread like wildfire through the school after Sahil caught a whiff of the conversation his teacher had with her friend and the kids were beyond shocked.

Nevertheless, they felt extremely happy that their favorite pair were to unite today... Kamala, Roshni and Sahil occupied the front places to catch bits of the conversation as they were short and better at hiding while the rest of them decided to stay back anxiously waiting for their friends to fill in the news later on lest the staff suspected something if every kid peeped through one window.

Omkara fidgeted in his place as Gauri waited for him to start the conversation.

"Svetlana di told me you had something to talk Omkaraji?" she asked with a small smile.

"Yeah... I .... Gauri..." he started and did the mistake of glancing at her. His tongue refused to form words which would take her away from him forever. His heart pleaded him to be selfish for once and tell her what he felt for her and let her decide what she wanted next.

His mind however, told him not to betray his brother who was everything to him. He closed his eyes and turned away from her smiling face.

"I came to ask your hand in marriage for my brother Rudra" he finally uttered the very words that had the power to destroy his only chance at happiness.

Sahil, kamala and Roshni collectively gasped and looked at each other in disbelief.... What the hell is going on? Roshni and Kamala stood up and ran to bring Svetlana there while Sahil continued to listen to the conversation now glaring at Omkara.

When Omkara didn't hear her response, a small selfish part of him hoped she isn't okay with the proposal. He looked at her in doubt but his hope withered away seeing her smile widen.

"You... you agree?" he asked and she nodded her head in yes.

"Is this what you want to talk Omkaraji?" she asked him and he nodded a yes showing his back to her once again.

"Why would you discuss a personal matter in school? I will come to your house today and we can discuss it" she said and he started counting numbers...he heard emotions can be put under control with the simple exercise...maybe he can mellow down his pain too.

"Rudy doesn't know you are going to talk to me today... does he? He would have told me otherwise" she asked and he shook his head in a no.

"Good... let it be a surprise then... just tell him I will come to your place in the evening" she said in all excitement and he merely nodded.

"Okay then... shall I leave? I need to finish some work at home" she said and he nodded again fearing his voice would betray him if he dared to speak even an okay.

"Meet you tonight" she said and went walked away leaving him to struggle to keep mum while his heart wailed in agony.

A few minutes later Svetlana rushed inside with Roshni and Kamala in tow.

"Omkara... where is Gauri" she asked angrily.

When he didn't move or even try to speak showing his back to her, she went to him and turned him around to face her.

"I asked you where is Gauri? ... what did you do Omkara... and why?" she shouted at him.

"Rudy said he loves her" he mumbled in a bare whisper and Svetlana closed her eyes in irritation.

"Omkara... Rudy is your brother... you could have told him how much you love her.... He would have understood... how will you live without her"

"She loves him too" he replied in a lifeless tone and she couldn't help but feel sorry for him...her own eyes turning misty.

She hugged him crying and rubbing his back, muttering 'everything will be alright'. Roshni and kamala hugged Omkara from behind their little hearts breaking along with his.... their hands encircling his waist holding him tightly while he remained motionless as he closed his eyes and tried to breath.

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Okay this stretching forever....and i decided to split it.... the next part will be updated by tonight or by tomorrow.

Vote and comment your views about the chapter... 

Signing off... yours Soujanya.