[Hi friends, I have not originally planned 2nd part of Wake up Sleeping Prince. I wrote it because thisuni21 wanted a second part of this story. So this part is dedicated to thisuni21.]

Ranbir was about to walk down the stairs leading to the hall when an enchanting scene stopped him on his track. His lips curved into an adorable smile out of their own volition. Prachi was sitting on the table with his family and was chatting away as if it was her own family.

A sigh of contentment left him. He had always known that his family treated Prachi as their own. But then the girl is like that. Her intrinsic benevolence, helpful and cheerful nature, respect for elders and love for young ones made her endearing to anyone and everyone.

The family into which she would marry would be the luckiest to have her as their daughter in law and the guy whom she would marry would be the luckiest person in the whole world to have her as his wife.

He frowned. That family was down there in the hall and that man was right where he was at the moment. As if he would let her marry anyone else now that he knew that she too reciprocated his feelings.

Time to tease would be wifey. Ranbir grinned wickedly. Walking down the stairs, he sauntered into the dining area.

"Good morning everyone." Ranbir beamed

"So finally your morning has arrived. Thank God your mom sent Prachi to wake you up or else our sleeping beauty would have greeted us 'Good Afternoon' instead of 'Good Morning'." Vikram chuckled.

"Mom, Dida, see how dad is taunting me." Ranbir made a puppy face.

"Vikram, why are you always after my grandson. I'm warning you if you do that again I will twist you ear like I used to do when you were young." Daljeet glared at him.

"Yes, mummyji, scold him. He is always after my poor baby." Pallavi patted Ranbir's cheek.

"Have you seen that Prachi? Now tell me who the most defenseless person in this house is?" Vikram stared glumly at a giggling Prachi.

"Off course you, Sir. Please dadiji and Pallavi aunty don't scold Sir anymore." Prachi made a sweet entreaty which melted Daljeet and Pallavi instantly.

The unique pair of mother in law and daughter in law beamed at her and Prachi grinned happily too. However, someone was glaring at her all this while.

"Excuse me! You are ought to support me and only me and no one else." Ranbir glared at Prachi.

Prachi looked up at him, her face turning slightly red and glared at him.

Bemused at this display of temper, he frowned. A fleeting glance around him explained the reason of her embarrassment.

The Kohlis were looking from their son to the girl they had come to love as their own daughter with raised brows and knowing smiles.

"And why will that be, son?" Vikram looked at his son with a knowing smirk and a raised a brow.

"Because she is my friend. And a friend should always support his or her friend." Ranbir changed tack smoothly.

"Are you sure, son?" Vikram was now smiling amusedly.

Seeing Prachi's face reddening even more, Pallavi slapped Vikram's arm lightly.

"Vikram! Why do you always tease Ranbir? Let's have breakfast now and Prachi have at least the dessert I have prepared. Don't say no." Pallavi smiled at Prachi.

Prachi just didn't have the heart to refuse such a sweet demand. With a smile, she nodded in affirmation and settled down on a chair opposite to the ones occupied by Daljeet and Pallavi, a chair away from Vikram who was sitting on the chair of the head of the family.

Ranbir immediately settled down on the chair beside his father, so that Prachi was on his other side, ignoring the smiles and raised brows of his family.

As the food was served and everyone began to eat, Ranbir glanced sideways at Prachi and a naughty idea flitted across his mind.

With a straight face he grabbed Prachi's hand under the table, making her gasp.

Immediately, the Kohlis looked up from their food.

"What is wrong, Prachi? Are you alright?" Daljeet, along with Vikram and Pallavi, was looking at Prachi with so much concern.

"I...yes...I am fine dadi. Thank you. Food went the wrong way probably." Prachi smiled nervously while simultaneously trying to free her hand from Ranbir's clasp.

After making sure that everyone had resumed their breakfast and that no one was looking their way, Prachi turned to Ranbir and pleaded through her eyes.

However, Ranbir was having none of it. He shook his head slightly and stared back at her adamantly without the slightest intention of letting go of her hand.

Prachi narrowed her eyes and was about to whisper something when her words were lost before materializing.

Ranbir had begun drawing abstract patterns on the back of her hand with his finger making her colour surge again. A frisson of awareness coursed through her body.

"Ranbir! Please!" Prachi whispered.

"No." Ranbir was adamant in his refusal.

Suddenly, Prachi saw his fork lying beside his plate and an idea occurred to her. She glanced around the table and then sideways at her tormentor. Everyone was engrossed in their food. And even the shameless guy was now devouring the dessert with gusto.

Prachi removed the fork quietly and then dropped it with a loud clang. Everyone looked up from their plates.

"What happened?" Pallavi looked quizzically at Pranbir.

"Ranbir's fork fell down aunty." Prachi smiled oh so innocently, ignoring the glare being directed to her.

"Why are you sitting still? Pick it up, Ranbir." Vikram prompted his son impatiently, puzzled by his sudden languor.

"Ok dad." Ranbir mumbled glumly and stooped down to pick the fork up.

However, he still had not let go of Prachi's hand. With a straight face, Prachi slide the fork further on her side with her foot, so that Ranbir would have no choice but to leave her hand as his other hand won't reach so far.

"Have you found it Ranbir?" Prachi stared at him innocently.

Ranbir glared at her from under the table and finally conceding defeat, let go of her hand. Prachi immediately put both of her hands above the table.

Prachi threw a triumphant look at Ranbir who returned it with a glower of his own. Soon, he straightened up and kept the fork on the table.

"I am done. I will leave for office now. Bye Dadi, Sir and Pallavi aunty." Prachi smiled sweetly at them.

"Bye beta, keep coming. We love spending time with you." Pallavi smiled at her and both Vikram and Daljeet agreed with a smile too.

"Bye Ranbir." Prachi turned to Ranbir with a smirk.

"Not so fast Prachi." Ranbir got to his feet with a devilish grin.

"I mean I have a file that Prachi gave me to sign and since she is already leaving for office, she can take it with her. I have signed it already and it is in my room. Also, I have to discuss some points in that fle with you before you leave. So, shall we?" Ranbir elaborated to the room at large and then turned to Prachi.

His totally sober expression would have convinced her had she not seen the devilish glimmer in his eyes. She just knew he was up to something.

"I..." Prachi began.

"Will definitely come with you and see what you needed to discuss. You were going to say this, weren't you? Since you are such a workaholic?" Ranbir stared at her innocently.

Conceding defeat, Prachi nodded her head with a smile.

"So, shall we go?" Ranbir gestured towards the staircase.

"Yeah, sure." Prachi trotted off after bidding farewell to the elder members of the family.

Ranbir followed suit with a wide and mischievous grin which made him appear even more boyish than he already looks.

As soon as they went out of earshot, the elder Kohlis broke into fits of laughter.

"What did you understand Beeji and Pallavi?" Vikram smiled at his mother and his wife.

"That very soon we will be welcoming the junior most Mrs Kohli." Pallavi giggled.

Daljeet too laughed and nodded in affirmation.

As soon as Prachi entered Ranbir's room , she turned on him.

"You are such a shameless fellow! Why did you do that in front of others?" Prachi swatted on his arm with the flat of her hand.

"So, what Miss Prachi Arora is saying is that I can do that when we are alone." With every word Ranbir began to advance towards her while Prachi began to step backwards.

Soon her back collided with the wall and Ranbir placed his hands on both side, effectively holding her captive.

"I...I didn't...m...mean anything like that." Prachi's words faltered on the face of the magnetic attraction that pulled her towards him with an unbreakable charm.

Ranbir smiled at the evidence of the effect his closeness was having on her and leaned in even more. He blew off the stray tendrils of the sleek dark hair that was obstructing his view of his lady love. However, some tendrils fall back again with the force of the air, covering her cheek partially.

Taking one hand off the wall, Ranbir slowly tucked them behind her ear. Instead of taking his hand off her, he lightly caressed her cheek and began to drawn a line down her cheek.

"I can hold your hand even in public because the right to do so is only mine. And somewhere even you know it, Lecturi."

The whispered words made Prachi's eyes flew open and what Ranbir saw there just confirmed his thoughts and words.

Suddenly, the shrill tone of Ranbir's phone broke the trance and freed Prachi from its captivating hold. Blushing furiously, she ducked out of his hold and was about to run away when strong fingers closed around her dainty wrist.

"You forgot the file, Prachi." Ranbir smiled devilishly at her.

Taking the file from him, Prachi hurried out of the room as soon as she could without actually breaking into a run.

"I got all the confirmation I needed Prachi. Be ready to accept your love for me because I won't take evasion for an answer." Ranbir laughed softly and fall back on his bed, lost in the thoughts of his lady love.

Notes -

Volition - Will, Intrinsic - Inherent, Benevolence - Kindness, Endearing - cause to be loved or liked, Sauntered - Walk in a relaxed manner, Beamed - Smiled, Glumly - Gloomily, Entreaty - Request, Bemused - Confused, Fleeting - Passing, Flitted - pass quickly, Frisson - A sudden strong feeling, Gusto - Enthusiasm or enjoyment, Languor - Inactivity, Concede - Accept, Swat - Hit with a flat object, Dainty - Delicate, Evasion - Avoidance. 

P.S -

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