Entering his room Sujal reaches in front of the dressing table. Picking up the cream container placed on the dressing table, he brings out a little of it. Closing the cap of the cream he looks into the mirror in order to apply the cream, that suddenly he finds Kashish already staring him.

By the look of her, he could say that she is secretly admiring him. But the only thing he doesn't understand is why would she admire him now? Now, when it's more than two years since they met for the first time? Now when they are married? Isn't it way too late for admiring your lover, your husband? But what he fails to understand is, it isn't necessary that we fall in love with a person only once! Hell, he himself falls in love with Kashish almost everday, afresh! But then how can we forget that whom we are talking about here is no one else but Sujal! Sujal, who has this misconception that he doesn't deserve to be loved! He doesn't have anything in him for someone to love him! Can he just stop thinking so low about himself for once?

Kashish enjoys her time staring at her beloved husband. She knows exactly how shy her Sujal is! Even though he could admire Kashish, could praise her for the whole day long, but when it comes to listening to admiration, he could turn out to be the world's greatest shy person! He could beat all the women of the world in feeling shy! But still when it comes to admiring Kashish, when Kashish shies away on listening to his heart warming admirations for her, he has the guts to ask her,

'Iss mein itni sharmane ki kya baat hai Kashish? You deserve world's all compliments!'

Can someone make him understand that he deserves no less?

Unable to resist any longer he asks her at last, looking at her in the mirror,

"Aise kya dekh rahi ho?",

and busies himself in rubbing the cream slowly in his hands. Withdrawing his eyes from her.

Kashish, her heart filled with so much love for Sujal, replies to his query, looking towards him, sitting on the bed,

"Tum humesha mujhey dekhte ho... aaj main tumhe dekh rahi hun!"

Now that reply indeed succeeds in skipping his heartbeat! Is this his Kashish talking? How can she sound so seductive? Does she have no shame, flirting with her husband? Where has that sanskari patni gone? Thinking all that, thoroughly impressed with this new change in her; on witnessing his bold Kashish, Sujal raises his brows and in admiration says,

"Hmm... hmm..!! Kya baat hai!"

Kashish giggles on listening to his admiration. Knowing that on not receiving a proper reply from her is making him feel irritated. Kashish does enjoy seeing him in that state. She enjoys how nicely he is shielding his irritation by plastering that sweet smile on his face. This smile is not out of happiness but out of irritation, she knows it very well!

Accepting this new change in Kashish, he asks, eager to know from her, never ending the eye contact, rubbing his hands softly, slowly,

"Kya main puch sakta hun ki, aisi kya khaas baat hai jo tum mujhey itne pyar se dekh rhi ho?"

Turning a little serious, Kashish tells him,

"Jante ho Sujal...",

getting up she walks towards the left leisurely, looking away from Sujal. Her voice, her demeanour reflect her honesty. They tell how each and every word she is uttering right now, comes straight from her heart! Her whole concentration is on him, the Sujal she knows like no one else does! As she begins to pour her heart out, her eyes glow in excitement; her heart flutters inside! It's not for him to know, but also for her to realize that how much she understands her Sujal! She feels proud of herself, that the man in front of her who is such a shy creature; who doesn't let anyone to get close to him, in a fear that they would know how broken and vulnerable he is from inside, she knows him so well! May be more than how much he knows himself! How Sujal from inside is totally in contrast with the Sujal whom the world knows, the arrogant Mr. Garewal! She feels extremely proud that she knows him in and out, perfectly!

"Hum dono ko miley, do (2) saal se zada ho gaye hain...",

as Kashish says this, Sujal halts and thinks about it. He focuses his attention on to her. With in moments he gets eager to know what is that she want to convey? Why would she begin with this topic? Her merely uttering these words make Sujal to realize the depth of her feelings for him. This doesn't fail to touch his heart! Instead it affects him way too much, seeing how Kashish is sounding like him today. Normally it is always Sujal talking in this tone, showing the depth of his feelings for her. It is a rare occasion indeed when Kashish bestows on him, her feelings for him! This moment is indeed precious to him.

"Lekin aaj bhi mujhey tum mein, ek naya Sujal nazar aata hai!",

completes Kashish, her line.

Thinking about it, weighing her words, Sujal somehow succeeds in hiding his blush, but fails to hide his amazement on listening to her thoughts. Does she read him this much? Should he stay a little conscious next time in her presence? Whatever it is he would never want her to read how tired and broken he is from inside! She has succeeded in doing something that no one else could do! But is he not enjoying this, knowing the fact that other than his mother there is another soul in this world who knows him so well?

He certainly is, the blush on his face and the way he is trying to hide it explain it all! But careful Sujal, this might turn out to be a problem for you if she starts reading you with this much perfection, with this much ease! But can he control this? Can he control his Kashish? Can he deny her from doing anything unless it is harmful for her? Yeah you got the picture right!

"Tum itna kabse parhne lag gayi, mujhey?",

he asks her, raising his brows. He is indeed intrigued! How could he miss this change in her? Or is it that it was always there in her, she had read him all these times. Wrong or right let's not get into it!! But he was so occupied in dealing with the problems that she planted on his ways, that he didn't have time to notice this new change in her.

And Kashish, the amount of hatred and her madness of taking revenge from him were so much that she didn't want to accept the fact that she could see the true shades of innocent Sujal! Whenever she would begin to see the innocent Sujal, the real Sujal, she would dismiss the idea! For her Sujal could be nothing other than a culprit; the one who took away her Piyush from her! But that didn't mean she was oblivious to his true self. She knew it, deep down she knew that he was innocent, only if her mind would have accepted the fact that her heart had already accepted! Then today would have been a different story. No wonder if we say that today they would have been proud parents of a beautiful and cute daughter or a handsome and sweet son!

Now it's time for Kashish to blush, listening to his question. She looks away, smiling, blushing.

"To theek hai ye bhi bata do ki aaj aap mujh mein aisa kya dekh rhi hain... jo aj se pehle apne kabhi nahi dekha!",

asks Sujal, staring Kashish's reflection on the mirror.

As he reaches the words 'jo aj se pehle apne kabhi nahi dekha!' his eyes turn dark. His look on her turns possessive. His eyes reflect his ulterior motives. They reflect how the naught Sujal is gradually overtaking the innocent Sujal! And Kashish not even for once can fail to read her husband's desires!

And Kashish being Sujal's Kashish plays along with him, this game of love! Smiling, she looks at his reflection on the mirror. Looking intently into his eyes, she says,

"Aaj main aap mein ye dekh rhi hun...",

she takes pleasure in elongating the period of his wait to listen to her thinking.

When she doesn't continue for some moments, Sujal encourages her to continue by saying,

"Hmmm... hmmm..",

never ending the eye contact on the mirror.

"Ki aap...",

as she halts again, Sujal imagines many possible romantic words she would add to these two words and convert it into a beautiful romantic line.

Getting impatient, he nods his head a little, lifting his brows, he encorages her further to continue.

"Cream bhi lagate hain!!!",

Kashish at last takes pity on him and completes the sentence.

She waits for his reaction, controlling her laughter bubbling inside her.

Sujal looks towards his hands having cream in them. Like seriously, she was indicating towards the cream this whole time?

Looking back in the mirror, towards her, he asks, his voice and facial expressions indicating his disappointment on listen to her thoughts.

"Tum cream ki baat kar rahi ho?",

he asks disappointed!

Kashish feels no shame in increasing his disappointment by nodding her head to a 'yes'! She enjoys irritating him, laughing at his innocent expressions.

"Aur main... kamal ho yaar!",

he says, accepting the fact that the romantic moment he was looking forward to just a few moments ago has ended even before it could begin!

Kashish laughs further, completely enjoying the moment.

Nodding his head, trying to hide his blush and embarrassment on having thought about something which she didn't even mean, Sujal says,

"Ye koi fairness cream thodi na hai! Cold cream hai, bahar kitni thand hai!",

he tries to explain himself.

Kashish laughs harder, holding her tummy, walking towards the front of her bed simultaneously.

Turning, Sujal looks towards Kashish, slightly embarrassed on getting accused of using cream. 'Cream' a product normally used by girls and women!

He creases his brows, gets serious, a measure to hide his embarrassment. He not at any cost would let her, a girl, to win from him, a boy. Today it is not an argument between Sujal and Kashish, it is rather between a male and a female!

But it seems to have no effect on Kashish. She continues laughing. Reaching her, with that serious look on his face, and asks her, all serious,

"Iss mein itni hansne ki kya baat hai? Cream kya sirf ladkiyan lagati hain?",

he asks, hurt and disappointment visible in his voice.

Kashish shows off that indeed it is only girls who have the right to use all these products!

"Hum ladke kya sirf aftershave se guzara karein?",

he asks her, creasing his brows, staring her throughout. Inside he enjoys seeing her happy, seeing this Kashish, teasing him. But he masks the irritation on his face very well.

Looking towards him, laughing, Kashish rubs his face a little and feels the cream on her fingers.

"Cream??",

laughs Kashish.

"Haan hanso!",

says Sujal. This is his yet another measure to hide his embarrassment, which kashish understands quite well! She laughs more..

"Aur hanso!",

repeats Sujal, looking at her, furrowing his brows a little. His fake anger makes Kashish to laugh harder.
Then pauses. Sujal's fake encouragement makes her to laugh again.

"Aur hanso..!"

"Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!",

enacts Sujal, tilting his head a little towards his left, staring her throughout.

Maintaining the fake smile on his face, he says,

"Tum janti ho iss samay meri skin se zyada, tumhari skin ko cream ki zarurat hai! Dekho kya haal ho raha hai, dekho!!",

as always Sujal doesn't fail to tease her back. After all why should he be the only one to get teased everytime? They are soulmates, better half for each other, so they should share everything equally! So it's time to give her a demo of what equally really means!

Kashish who is very particular about her skin, her looks, her cosmetics, gets super conscious on listening to Sujal. Touching her face, feeling her skin, she asks in a nervous tone,

"Acha??"

Turning to look towards him, she says

"Lao main cream laga lun!"

Sujal, who is enjoying this sudden turn over in this game of teasing, teases her further,

"Tum itna kasht kyun karogi? Ma..in hi laga deta hun!"

Holding her wrist, he looks intently into her eyes. Showing his ulterior motives in front of her, through his gestures, without any shame, what so ever!

This does attract all of Kashish's attention. She knows when she isn't innocent, then he is not either! Both know each other too well. They can go any extent to tease each other. Raising her brows out of amazement, her pulse increasing out of excitement; her heartbeat exhilarating; her cheeks turning pink to red out of shyness and blush. She goes speechless, as all of these sudden changes take place inside her, make it difficult to utter any word!

But somehow when she manages to speak, she could bring herself to only utter,

"Sujal...",

and with her index finger she indicates him, not to take another step towards her, blushing, laughing throughout.

"Thodi si...",

he says, making expressions that it is indeed not much.

But seeing the quantity of cream in his hand, Kashish exclaims!!!

"Hawww...!!!"

Sujal continues forcing her,

"Thodi si...!"

"Sujal nahi...!",

she tries to stop his descending hand. But of course she can never win over a determined Sujal!

"Tho.... di... si...!",

he repeats, increasing his voice, showing his fake anger, which will bring her protest to an end!

At last Kashish gives up trying.

Sujal, very lovingly applies the cream on her right cheek, then left, and at last he puts a little on the tip of her nose, which makes her to look even more adorable than she already is! Kashish fakes in front of him, crying.
Sujal doesn't fail to understand that she is not exactly crying. Kashish looks towards him, lovingly.

"Ab main cream laga lun?",

he asks, his heart fluttering with joy and love for her, like a small, innocent kid. Kashish lovingly raises her cheek, a gesture of invitation for him, which he accepts without wasting time!

They enjoy the cheek to cheek touch.
Skin to skin feel! Kashish gets away a little and enjoys looking at Sujal's expressions. Sujal, who doesn't want to end this moment yet, enjoys it with his eyes closed and waits for her to return back and let him feel the heat that her cheek is emitting. Loving and enjoying this look of Sujal, Kashish returns back to her prior position and enjoys it again.

Opening his eyes he looks towards Kashish. They both smile, their eyes twinkling with love for each other. Hugging each other they exhales a deep breath.

"Tum mujhse roz cream share karogi na har roz Kashish?",

he asks, still hugging her, controlling his laughter.

His question takes Kashish by surprise.

"Cream?",

she asks, still hugging him, creasing her brows.

"Haan mujhey ye cream bohotttt achi lagi!",

he says in a seductive voice.

Understanding his ulterior motive, Kashish says,

"Hmm... Mumma ko bolna parhega lagta hai!"

"Kya bolna parhega?",

asks Sujal, slightly nervous, thinking, has he committed any mistake? Will she complain his mother about it? If so, he is sure he is going to get good scoldings because he knows his mother always favours Kashish over Sujal!

"Ki agli baar cosmetic ka saaman agar khareede to 3 packs lein!",

smiles Kashish.

"Teen?",

asks Sujal, getting away a little.

Kashish, laughing, shakes her head to a 'yes' and says,

"Ek apne liye, ek mere liye aur..."

Looking towards Sujal, she holds his chin and teases him by saying,

"Ek apni beti ke liye!"

"Beti ke liye?",

he asks, nodding his head in quick succession, understanding her tease. Kashish nods her head too laughing, teasing him.

"Par beti abhi tak ayi kahan hai?",

says Sujal, his voice and expressions indicate that he is being naughty. But Kashish fails to understand what exactly is he talking about?

Looking intently into her eyes Sujal teases Kashish, smiling,

"Uss beti ko laney ke liye iss bete aur iss beti ko zimmedari saunpi gayi hai!",

he gestures towards her and himself.

"Sujal...",

she scolds him lovingly.

"Kashish...",

he says laughing.

"Arey ab jab tumne faisla kar hi lia hai ki cosmetics ke teen (3) packs khareede jayenge to usko use karne ke liye bhi to koi hona chahiye na?",

Sujal teases Kashish.

Looking into his eyes, blushing, Kashish shakes her head and shies away. Laughing, Sujal embraces Kashish into a tight hug.

"I love you Kashish!",

he tells her.

(Slow thodasa pyar hua hai guitar tune begins)

"I love you too Sujal!",

says Kashish, stressing on 'too'!

-THE END-

(1.4.2017)