Friday morning..

Arnav woke up early to drop Khushi and Ayan at college and school, respectively, and then he came back to take his family to the airport. He took a day off office today as  he personally wanted to accompany his family to the airport.

Arnav sat beside his mother on a bench as they waited for their flight announcement.  He side hugged her and dropped an affectionate kiss on her forehead, "Take care of yourself there, Ma. I know you will be busy with the wedding, but don't miss my calls, okay?"

"Okay," Ratna nodded, smiling at him. She just can't believe the same little boy who needed his mother to accompany him till the gate of his school is now a grown-up man accompanying his mother to the airport and taking care of her as if he's her father and she's his little kid. Time flies. She thought.

"And you -"

"I know. You don't have to worry about Ayan and Khushi. I'll look after them," he blinking his eyes assuringly.

"Hello hi bye bye.. sirf Ayan and Khushi imphortant to you, Arnav bitwa? Kya about mera beta?" Mami looked at him with hurt, accusing eyes.

"Do I really have to look after my older brother, Mami?" Arnav asked in a sarcastic annoyed tone. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes at her question out of respect for her being older to him.

Mama immediately chided his wife, warning her not to create a scene at the airport now. Mami unwillingly shut her mouth and looked away angrily.

Ratna also patted Arnav's thigh, gesturing him through her eyes to let it go and not start an argument with his mami. Arnav frowned slightly, shaking his head as he shifted his attention back to her, ignoring everyone else.

"So you and Khushi decided to be friends now?" Ratna asked in a whisper secret tone as she tried to divert her son's mind.

Arnav nodded his head, "Yes."

"Are you completely sure about this? Or you're just doing this because of what I said to you? Are you giving up because of me?" Ratna asked. She was divided in her emotions ever since she got to know her son's feelings for Khushi. Knowing the strict and reserved family that Khushi was born in, a part of her was relieved if Arnav doesn't end up in a relationship with Khushi as it would be difficult for him to deal with a family like Khushi's and convince them of their love for each other in future. But another part of her was drowning in guilt. She thought she was too blamed for breaking Arnav's spirit to fight for his first love by projecting her fear and insecurities of her failed relationship on him. It's true that she gave her heart and soul to her relationship with his father, and her heart was broken in the end. But she can never be 100% sure of Arnav's fate if he actually decides to embark on a love journey with Khushi. From what she had been noticing about Khushi, it is that despite being caged with restrictions by her family, Khushi goes out of her way to reach her son always. She didn't even break their friendship when he confessed his past feelings to her, which is a huge sign for Ratna that Khushi would fight to be with Arnav in future, just like she fought to be here in Delhi to complete her studies.

"It's best this way," he curtly replied to his mother.

"I think you're confused now.. but time will clear your doubts and answer your questions. If anything changes during this time, then don't hesitate to come to your mother. I'm always here by your side," Ratna said, caressing his cheek.

Arnav held the hand with which she was caressing his cheek, and he dropped a soft filled with gratitude kiss on the back of her hand. Ratna smiled, then remembered something, "Aur haan.. if you do anything or say anything wrong, like you did with Khushi last time, then this same hand won't hesitate to twist your ear hard and teach you a lesson."

Arnav nodded his head obediently, his eyes filled with guilt and hurt, "If you ever see me doing something wrong to Khushi or any other woman, then don't hesitate to punish me, Ma."

"You've learned your lesson from what happened, right? Now move on and don't repeat this again," Ratna said, noticing his gloomy look. She didn't want to go to Lucknow, leaving her son like this. But there were times like this when she needed to be strict with Arnav and Ayan to ensure they don't become like their father. She wanted her two sons to grow up and become men of good and courteous conduct, especially with women. The way he questioned Khushi about her limits was disrespectful to her. That's why she couldn't be lenient with him with this matter. She couldn't take his side because she's his mother and asked him to apologise to Khushi and things would be okay. She wanted him not only to apologise for his misbehaviour with Khushi but also realise what he did was wrong. 

"I won't repeat it again," Arnav nodded, his eyes downcast in shame.

"Good," Ratna said in curt serious tone. In this matter, she will always be strict with him and Ayan. They needed to fear their mother whenever they tried to misbehave any woman.

"Can you make a video call to Khushi, Akash, and Ayan? I want to see their faces before I leave," Ratna asked.

Arnav fished his phone out of his pocket as he said, "Let me try." He messaged the three to ask if they're free for video call. Khushi and Ayan accepted, but Akash was busy with his patients in the hospital. Then Arnav did a group video call with Khushi and Ayan. They talked for a while, and Ratna bid goodbye to them.

"Khushi bitiya, don't feel scared of anything ok. Chote is there to take care of you and Ayan. And enjoy your trip to Nainital without worrying about family and my mother (Nani). I'll handle them," Ratna winked at Khushi, assuring her that she would handle her strict family and Nani.

The motherly love and warmth Khushi receives from Ratna always make her speechless and overwhelmed.  Khushi couldn't bring words to her mouth, so she just nodded her head with a faint smile on her lips.

While Arnav rested his head on his mother's shoulder intentionally to tease Ayan, who was far from her now and couldn't be with them at the airport because of his school classes.

"Ma see what Bhai is doing.. he's teasing me because I'm not there with you," Ayan whined. Arnav and Khushi chuckled, hearing Ayan while Ratna shook her head at their non-stop bickering.

"I'm leaving you two to take care of each other, not to fight like Tom and Jerry every time. When I come back, Khushi will report to me if you two behave like good boys or not," Ratna said in a fake, scolding tone.

Arnav and Ratna could see Khushi smiling  widely through his phone screen. Arnav gulped. He could feel his heart beat loud enough for him to hear his own heartbeats when she flashed that beautiful smile of hers. He didn't know if it was the domesticity of this moment - him resting his head on his mother's shoulder while his mother talked to her over the video call, giving her the responsibility to watch over him and Ayan while she was away - that made him feel this way, it might sound filmy to others, but he did feel something within him when he saw her smile.

"Ma, I'm your good boy only. You should warn your Tom (Arnav) not to tease me," Ayan pouted.

Ratna chuckled, "Theek hai, my Jerry. Bye-bye.. and remember what I said to the three of you?"

"Eat and sleep on time!" Arnav, Khushi, and Ayan said in unison like good obedient kids. The three giggled, making Ratna smile at them. She sent flying kisses to Khushi and Ayan, to which they reciprocated, bidding goodbye to them once again and hanging up the call.

"Happy now?" Arnav asked her. Ratna nodded, "Only Akash is left now."

"He call you once he's free," Arnav assured her.

Sometime later, Arnav was playing games on his phone while they waited for a flight call when suddenly he felt someone touched his thigh. He looked down to see a small hand rested on his thigh, and a wide smile appeared on his lips as he raised his eyes to see the owner of those tiny, cute, delicate hands, "Amu.. meri jaan!" Keeping his phone aside, he lifted his three years old niece and made her sit on his lap, hugging her tighty and showering non-stop kisses all over face. Amaya giggled, feeling ticklish because of her Mamu's stubble. But then she was quick to pretend anger and sadness as the corners of her mouth turned downwards, "I'm upset with you, Mamu."

"Kyun meri jaan?" Arnav asked, kissing her chubby cheeks again and again. While his undivided attention was on Amaya, Ratna got up and rushed to her daughter and her son in law who had just arrived at the airport.

"You don't come to visit me. I miss you!" Amaya pouted. "I miss you a lot too, my baby. I'm so sorry," he kissed her cute button nose. "It's okay.. but promise to me you will come home and play with me, ok?" The little kid smiled again, circling her arms around his neck and resting her head on the crook of his neck, snuggling into him.

"OK. Promise. Today we are going to Nainital together, na.. we are going to play a lot there too. Mamu will stay with his Amu the whole time,” he smiled, lifting her into his arms as he stood up and walked over to his sister and brother-in-law to greet them. Mami, Mama, and Nani were already talking to them.

Ratna took her granddaughter from Arnav's arms, showering her little princess with love filled kisses. Arnav hugged his elder sister with a smile on his face, "Yaar Di.. it feels like I'm seeing you again after ages."

"Haina (right)," Ratna agreed.

Shyam raised his hand with 'It's not my fault' look, "Don't put the blame on me, Sasuma and Sale Sahab. She's always busy with her work, Amu, and my family. Sometimes, even I feel it's been ages since I saw my own wife."

Arnav and Ratna chuckled. Anjali pouted whining, "Shyam ji aap bhi na," she poked Arnav's chest accusingly, "And you.. if you miss your sister very much, then come home and visit me. Nobody stopped you. And mom, it's not fair to always complain that I'm busy and don't come to visit you all. You also don’t come to my sasural to meet me.”

"Hum bhi busy hai bhai! (Even we're busy)," Arnav teased her. Shyam and Ratna laughed at Anjali, who started hitting  Arnav's on his chest playfully.

"Khushi k saath busy ho na! (You're busy with Khushi, right?)," Anjali whispered, teasing him, messing with his hair now.

Since she mentioned Khushi's name, Arnav didn't even mind her messing with his hair as he glanced back at his mother as he expressed his disbelief to her in a low tone, "Ma!! I can't believe you told Di about Khushi."

"She's your sister," Ratna justified with a sheepish smile.

Anjali rested her elbow on his shoulder, smirking at him, "Oyee. Ma and I don't keep secrets from each other. And you shouldn't hide anything from your elder sister too."

"There's nothing between us. We're just friends," Arnav clarified, glaring at Anjali, "And don't speak too loud otherwise you might create problems for both of us."

"Even I said same thing when my family was getting suspicious about my feelings for your Di," Shyam cleared his throat, teasing Arnav.

"Jiju aap bhi (even you)," Arnav looked at him in disbelief.

"Arey.. I'm just kidding with my Sale Sahab," Shyam approached him and pulled him into a hug. Anjali jaws dropped as Shyam abruptly snatched her elbow resting place, her brother's shoulder. She caught her elbow hanging in the air and rubbed it, pouting at her husband, who didn't even realise what he did.

As they finally heard the call for flight, Ratna, Mama, Mami, and Nani quickly bid goodbye to Arnav, Anjali, Shyam, and Amaya as they started to leave to board flight, when Ratna came rushing back to her son.

She cupped his face, staring right into his eyes, "You're not angry with me, na? She's your elder sister, she has the right to know about this too. It's not fair that you shared with Ayan and not with your elder sister about Khushi. We're one family, na!"

Arnav shook his head, smiling, "I'm not angry with you, Ma! Please go tension free!"

"Pakka na?" Ratna looked at him, trying to read him through his expressive eyes. Arnav nodded, cupping her face. He kissed her forehead, "Pakka!" 

Ratna smiled, relieved as she kissed his forehead too before leaving.

"Your favourite son, ahn! Our house Bigg boss is also biased," Anjali shouted for her mother to hear in a taunting tone. Ratna turned to her, shaking her head smiling and then rushed to catch up with Mama, Mami, and Nani.

Arnav smirked at his sister, "Of course, I'm her favourite son only. I'm the one who's always with her."

Anjali slapped his shoulder lightly.

"Mumma, don't hit Mamu! It's wrong.. bad!" Amaya, who was in her father's arms, interfered to defend her Mamu.

"Oye Mamu ki bacchi.. your Mamu used me as his punching bag when he was your age, now its my time to use his big biceps as my punching bag," Anjali said, pinching her daughter's button nose.

"What are biceps?" Amaya asked clueless.

Anjali raised Arnav's hand upwards to flex his bicep and show it to her daughter, "Ye dekho Mamu biceps."

"Popeye!" Amaya exclaimed with wide eyes staring at her Mamu's big arm.

Arnav, Anjali, and Shyam chuckled softly at her cute reaction.

Arnav took Amaya in his arms to buy chips for her while Anjali and Shyam left the airport and waited for them in their car parked outside.

*****************************************

Khushi's college..

Khushi was having lunch with NK and Lavanya. Lavanya was complaining to them, "Yaar.. I don't think I can continue this course anymore. These professors keep giving us assignments after assignments. Don't they think we have a life outside of college? I give up.. I think I will choose a career as a YouTuber. They earn a lot of money, and they have the option to lead the lifestyle they want. If I spend 4 years in this college, then I will start losing my hair for sure.. I'll attend my graduation ceremony bald that day."

"Don't give up so easily.. we're still on our first semester, and you're already complaining," NK chided her.

"You're talking like this because you joined later. Ask me and Khushi, who have been bearing these boring lectures from first day only," Lavanya pouted.

"Boring toh nahi hai! (It's not boring)," Khushi intervened.

"You're saying this because you're in love with your studies," Lavanya said, "When you fall in love with someone, then you will start to find these lectures boring too," Lavanya smiled teasingly, nudging Khushi.

"Nothing of that sort will happen," Khushi chided.

"Accha theek hai.. I'm just kidding. Don't take me seriously. But the day you start dating someone, I won't stop teasing you till I make you blush like a tomato," Lavanya giggled, sipping her cold drink.

"Speaking about dating, what kind of partner do you want for yourself in the future, Khushi?" NK asked curiously as he never heard Khushi talking about this topic. She's so shy and quiet and doesn't like someone who's interested in having a relationship till yet as she mostly avoids any kind of interaction with their male classmates keeping it limited to monosyllabic answer or conveying her messages through Lavanya, that's why it made him curious to know what kind of life partner she envisioned for herself.

"I don't know," Khushi replied, trying to escape from this topic.

"Khushi won't tell you anything.. even one day, I was asking her about her crush.. she only admitted after I insisted her to name, at least a celebrity.. that's when she replied to RRR movie hero, which I doubt if it's true, or she just said it to shut me up," Lavanya said, squinting her eyes suspiciously at Khushi 

"She's so innocent," NK smiled, surprised.

For Khushi's relief, she received a call from Arnav, and she quickly excused herself and walked out of the canteen, walking through the corridor to a silent corner to attend his phone call. When she picked up the call, she was surprised to hear a baby's voice saying "Hello" repeatedly to her.

"Hello," she replied with a confused smile on her face.

"HELLO! WHO'S TALKING? AMAYA IS SPEAKING!"

Khushi heard the baby girl shouting, and her smile widened, realising it's Arnav's niece who's talking to her.

"Hello Amaya! I'm Khushi," Khushi replied.

*****************************************

"Khushi.. Hello Khushi. Nice to meet you. How are you?" Amaya asked, curling her hair with her finger, acting like an adult woman like her mother who's speaking on the phone.

Arnav walked out of the bathroom of his room and saw her on his bed, playing with his phone, "What are you doing, Amu?" he asked, sitting with her on the bed.

"Shhh!! I'm talking with Khushi, Mamu.. don't distup (disturb) Amaya!" Amaya frowned cutely and pointed to his phone on her ear, then placed her index finger on her lips, gesturing him to keep quiet.

Arnav was shocked to realise that she was indeed called Khushi. He thought that she was pretending to talk with someone over the phone. He immediately snatched the phone from her hand, making Amaya pout at him as she crossed her arms, not liking the way her Mamu snatched her toy, aka his phone from her.

Arnav held the phone to his ear to talk with Khushi, "Khushi! I'm sorry.. it's my niece Amaya, who called you when I was in the bathroom. She may have unknowingly called your number as it's on my recent call history. I hope she didn't put you in trouble and disturbed you while having lectures."

*****************************************

Khushi smiled, shaking her head while hearing him, "No. She didn't disturb me. I'm not in the classroom now. We're on lunch break."

"Oh, okay. Thank God," she heard him sigh in relief and whisper to Amaya, "You naughty girl."

"Arnav ji don't scold her. Bacchi hai, she doesn't know what she was doing.. she was just playing with your phone and accidentally called me. And we didn't even finish our conversation. You interrupted us," Khushi pleaded to him. She couldn't wait to reach home to meet Amaya personally. Her voice sounded so cute.

*****************************************

"Oh really? I was the one who disturbed you two talking on the phone," Arnav raised his brows smiling. He heard her saying "Yes" and chuckled lightly, "Okay.. I'm video calling you on WhatsApp so you can talk and see your new little friend."

He called Amaya to come near while he opened his WhatsApp and video called Khushi.

Amaya stood on his bed, circling her arms around Arnav's neck, hugging him from behind. When she saw Khushi on her Mamu's phone screen, she stuck her tongue out, feeling shy and waving her hand at Khushi, "Hi!" 

"Don't just say Hi Amu.. Namaste Khushi mami bolo," Arnav taught her.

"Namaste Khushi mami," Amaya repeated, then hid her face on the crook of Arnav's neck.

"Namaste. How are you, Amaya?" Khushi asked.

Arnav looked at Amaya, who was hiding from Khushi, a new face to her, feeling shy. He patted her Amaya's arms circled around his neck, "Mami is asking you something.. reply to her Amu."

Amaya looked up to peek Khushi, "I'm fine."

"Won't you ask her how she is now?" Arnav asked, "Come here," Arnav made her sit on his lap so she wouldn't hide from Khushi behind him. He pointed to his phone, convincing Amaya to look in that direction, "Now, ask her.. how are you, Khushi Mami?"

Amaya repeated his work, fidgeting her fingers shyly, "How are you, Khushi mami?"

"I'm fine too," Khushi replied, "I see you're feeling shy to talk with me."

"Don't get fooled by this innocent cute face, Khushi. Once she gets comfortable with you, then she won't leave you even for one minute in peace," Arnav said in a warning light-hearted tone.

Amaya pouted, fidgeting her fingers, "Mamu is lying!!"

"Yes. I know your Mamu is lying.. you're a sweet, innocent, and loving girl, haina?" Khushi asked in a sweet, loving tone.

Amaya nodded her head, smiling, "Yes!! Mumma calls me her little angel."

Arnav let the conversation flow between Amaya and Khushi. He didn't intervene as he kept watching them silently, holding the phone for Amaya.

"Khushi mami, come here.. I want to play with you," Amaya called Khushi with her hands as if she would magically come out of the phone and appear in front of her.

"I'll come to you later.. promise, just wait for some time, okay?" Khushi's heart melted with Amaya's cute way of calling her. If it wasn't for her classes, she would have to rush to meet this baby girl personally.

Amaya nodded her head like a good girl, and then she threw another question to Khushi curiously, "Are you going to Ninital too (Nainital)?"

"Yes, Khushi mami is coming with us too. You'll get plenty of time to spend with her and play games with her too. Happy?" Arnav intervened to reply on Khushi's behalf.

Amaya grinned happily, "Yes!!"

Khushi needed to hang up now as her lunch break was over, and she needed to get back to her classes. She bid goodbye to Arnav and Amaya and hung up the call. She walked back to the canteen to take her belongings, but the good friends she made were already coming towards her with her bag and unfinished cold drink as they walked together to their classroom.

*****************************************

In the classroom, since the professor didn't reach yet, Khushi was scribbling on the last blank page of her notebook while thinking about NK's question regarding her future life partner. 

She never thought or even dreamed about the type of partner she wanted in her life, as she grew up knowing that the man she would marry would be decided by her family, her choice would not even be taken into consideration.

But now that there's hope that in the future, she might fight against her father's decision, she could dare a little bit to think of the life partner she wanted for herself. The only answer that came into her mind is that she wanted a man who had the same qualities as Arnav in her life. He's loving and caring towards his family and friends. He is kind and helpful. He doesn't have any shame to admit his mistakes and apologise for them. He treats Ayan and Amaya like his own kids. And she doesn't feel scared to talk to him.

He's everything her father isn't. Her father doesn't even look properly at her mother. He's not caring and loving towards her. She grew up seeing her mother take care of her father, cook for him, wait for him till he came back home to serve his food, choose his clothes for him, and what not. But she rarely saw any gesture of love and care  from his side to her. It's always her mother who apologised and pacified him whenever they fought. He rarely admitted his mistakes. Even after being married to him for years now, her mother still feels scared and hesitates to talk with him. The little kids are afraid of the grumpy uncle of their neighbourhood.

She didn't want her future life partner to be like her father. No matter how much she loves him, she feels scared of him. And she doesn't want to live in this fear all her life by getting married to a man like him in future. It sent shivers down her spine to even think of a future with a cold, ruthless, strict, and conservative man like her father.

She wished to get married to a man like Arnav.. or Arnav himself..

Khushi gasped silently as she stopped scribbling, putting an end as well to the thought running in a flow in her mind as she kept on scribbling mindlessly. She hit her forehead with her pen while mentally chiding herself, "What are you thinking, Khushi? Don't bring these thoughts to your mind and stop relating everything to Arnav. Focus on your studies!"

She again started scribbling down something on her paper and again the kind of thoughts, that she always brushed off her mind as she feared to even have these conversations with herself or admit these things to herself, made their way again to her mind.

"He looks so handsome today.. he looks good in casual clothes.. when I was talking with Ratna Aunty in video call and he rested his head on her shoulder, he looked cute.."

Khushi felt her heart beat loudly. No matter how much she tried, she couldn't stop thinking about Arnav today. She shut her eyes tightly momentarily to get rid of these thoughts.. but flashes of his handsome face kept coming into her mind.

"It's okay, Khushi.. no one can hear you nor read your mind.. you can admit it to yourself only.. that.. you... have.. a.... crush on.. him. Arnav ji is my crush!" she felt butterflies on her stomach, her heart beating loudy and cheeks turning red like a tomato as she finally had the courage to admit to herself that she had a crush on Arnav.

kya haal ho gaya hai ye mera
aankhein meri har jagah
DhoonDhein tujhe bewajah
ye main hoon ya koi aur hai meri tarah

what a condition I am in now!
My eyes look for you everywhere
for no reason.
is this me, or someone else instead of me?

kaise hua, kaise hua
tu itna zaroori kaise hua

how did it happen?
how did you become so important to me?