28.7.2022

Sujal hears the knock at the door of his cabin.

"Come in!",

he orders, whilst trying to apply medicine on his elbow, sitting at his seat. But the sharp pain becomes an obstacle each time he tries to fold his arm to reach the elbow properly. The door opens and Sujal looks up to see who it is, such that his forehead gets creased. To his surprise, he finds Kashish standing at the door with a first-aid box in her hands.

'Morey jiya main kya tere bin...'

"Kya main ander aa sakti hun?",

she asks hesitantly. Sujal nods his head in affirmative slowly, staring her throughout.

'Morey jiya tu mera palchin!'

Kashish walks into his cabin. Sujal pays attention to her each move. Kashish looks at him, discovering him staring her makes her heart to skip a beat and she cascades her eyes quickly.

She reaches in front of his seat, walking across the table she stands in front of him which makes Sujal to turn to look towards her, never taking his eyes away from her. Sujal keeps staring her, mesmerized by her beauty. In her suit of a combination of white and red she looks even more beautiful than she usually does. Placing the first aid kit at his desk, Kashish brings out cotton and pours the medicine in it after taking away the cotton he had in his hand prior to her entering the cabin.

This behavior of hers succeeds in bringing a smile on his face. His heart flutters witnessing authoritative Kashish. This is new! Despite not being in talking terms; despite their endless arguments everyday over petty things, deep down they care for each other; she cares for him as much as he cares for her, this thought; this feeling, touch the deepest core of his heart and increase his affection; his love for her manifolds!

"Haath agey kijiye...",

she orders him. Her bossiness makes Sujal to smile. He obeys her like an obedient child.

Kashish applies the ointment on his wound quietly. At the first contact of the ointment and the wound, Sujal hisses in pain. Pausing, Kashish stares him, her eyes reflecting her anger and disappointment in him, but of course it is all fake.

"Chont khayi hai to ab dard to sehna parhega!",

Kashish scolds him mildly.                                     
Sujal smiles and blushes witnessing bossy Kashish in front of himself as he realizes how her words mirror his words which he once said to Piyush when he met with a mild accident and Sujal was applying medicine on his wound, sitting in his cabin.

"I am glad to know Miss Sinha ki aap meri baaton ko itne dhyan se sunti hain",

smiles Sujal, teasing her, letting her know indirectly that if she remembers his words then he remembers too! And not only his words but a lot more!

Kashish blushes profusely hearing that out of awkwardness, though she does not smile. She was not present there with them in the cabin that day, but she heard Sujal saying it to Piyush, standing outside the cabin, behind the closed door. What surprises her is the fact that he remembers!

Kashish slowly looks towards Sujal. Her face expression seems like she has been caught red handed! Sujal smiles wide witnessing her reaction.

'Likhun main tere naam sari umar,

main chahun tujhko hi aathon pahar,

basaun teri galiyon mein apna ghar,

jiya re...'

Taking a deep breath, clearing her mind, Kashish stares him, her face expression changes, as if scolding him, asking him to stop being funny when she is actually pissed off at him for being so careless.

They keep staring each other, drinking in each-other's divine beauty. Sujal's eyes twinkle with love and admiration for her.

Kashish focuses her attention back on his wound and applies the medicine.

'Jiya re basa hai tera roop ankhon mein'

Sujal keeps staring her, a little smile playing on his lips. He remembers all the moments that they have spent in each other's company. All the moments when he showed his dominance, yet Kashish didn't complain.

'Jiya re sochun main tujhey chand raaton mein'

How even after returning back to his home, his mind remains occupied with thoughts of Kashish and their conversations whether brief or detailed, that they had throughout the day. The thought brings a smile on his face.

Kashish gets up to get closer to him and apply medicine on a particular wound near his lips. Sujal's eyes follow her each move.

'Jiya re khoya main rahun teri baaton mein'

Getting closer to him, Kashish looks deep into his eyes. Sujal's breath hitches as he feels the closeness! Had it been any other circumstance then Sujal for sure would have seen hesitation in Kashish's eyes. But today the person he is witnessing in front of himself isn't that hesitant Miss Sinha, it is rather the confident Kashish, who right now is pissed off because of Sujal Garewal, because of the childish behavior that became a reason for him to endure pain and get marked with a wound that apparently would last for at least a week. That brings a satisfactory smile on his face.

'Jiya re... jiya re... jiya re... jiya re.. jiya re... jiya re...

Tu hi mera wajud hai, tu hi meri talash hai'

His stare on her turning dark with each passing moment. His cheeks emit heat which is the affect of her closeness. Her proximity creates havoc. It becomes difficult for him to differentiate between what is right and what is wrong! What he should do and what not! But at the same time, he agrees silently, that he finds solace in her! When she is around him, alone, during those moments he forgets all the sorrows of life, all the hurdles that life has planted on his path. Sujal realizes just now that Kashish is the one he had been searching for unconsciously throughout his life!

Kashish isn't oblivious to what is going inside his heart. She succeeds in understanding his emotions completely. She understands that his emotions are mirroring hers! But now that Kashish knows Sujal well, better than anyone else in the office, she decides to guard her emotions and keep the topic untouched for now.

'Tu hai to shaamein khushnuma,

tu hai to lab ki pyas hai'

Sujal doesn't understand when his mind starts lurking around the restricted territories! His eyes rest on Kashish's trembling lips. He turns his hands into fists. Disappointment and anger visible in his eyes, only if she would have noticed! Only if she would have thought about something else other than the discomfort she is feeling on being so close to him!

Is she uncomfortable being so close to him? Why? Isn't this the place where she belongs, around him?; close to him?; with him?

At this moment he wants to break all the barriers of hesitation between them and let her know how she is the last one he thinks of before drifting to sleep; how she is the first person he thinks of after waking up each morning. How he becomes desperate to have a glance of her each morning as he enters the office.

'Likhun main tere naam sari umar,

main chahun tujhko hi aathon pahar,

basaun teri galiyon mein apna ghar,

jiya re...'

Kashish slowly and carefully places her finger with the medicine on it, on his wound. The mere skin to skin touch sends shivers to run down Sujal's body, something he is enjoying for the first time in his life! Of course his mother on several occasions has nursed him, but of course this is different what is happening today! Being touched by Kashish, is different!

On the other hand, Kashish doesn't fail to notice that instead of hissing in pain, he shivers when she touches him. She shuts her mind, when it asks her the reason! The thought does magical things to her insides, something she is getting accustomed to gradually, thanks to Sujal's intimate and silent stares that he gives her time to time, knowing that she understands his deepest affection for her.

'Jiya re basa hai tera roop ankhon mein,

Jiya re sochun main tujhey chand raaton mein.

Jiya re khoya main rahun teri baaton mein,

Jiya re... jiya re... jiya re...jiya re.. jiya re... jiya re...'

Slowly, after applying the medicine on his wound, Kashish lowers her eyes and starts to get away from him. And as if his heart and mind aren't ready to accept her withdrawal, Sujal holds her by her wrist, putting more pressure than was required on it. Kashish's heart skips a beat as it comes as a surprise for her, the sudden bold step of Sujal, comes as a surprise for her.

"Chont kafi gehri lag rahi hai.",

says Kashish, concerned, staring his wound, her eyes soft out of concern.

"Haan kaafi!",

taunts Sujal, staring Kashish.

Kashish realizes the taunt and looks towards him, knitting her brows.

"Apko apna dhyan rakhna chahiye.",

says Kashish, politely, staring Sujal.

Smirking, showing his careless attitude, taking away his hand, Sujal says, looking away from Kashish,

"Kya fark parhta hai Miss Kashish? Ye to chhota sa zakhm hai, jald hi theek ho jayega. Mujhe to unn ghaon ki chinta hai jo dikhte to nahi par humare apne humein de jaate hain.",

he utters 'par humare apne humein de jaate hain', looking into Kashish's eyes.

Kashish understands the taunt. Unable to bear it, she stands up straight, getting out of his hold and demands,

"Kis ghaon ki baat kar rahe hain aap? Kya kiya hai maine?"

Still sitting, Sujal looks towards Kashish, his eyes filled with anger towards Kashish.

"Main uss ghaon ki baat kar raha hoon Kashish jo tum mujhe har roz; har pal deti ho!",

Sujal scolds her, his voice deep.

Kashish knits his brows and exclaims,

"Main deti hoon?!",

unable to understand what is he talking about.

"Kab diya maine?",

she demands, her eyes welled up.

"Piyush ke saath tumhari nazdeekiyan...",

S

ujal trails off and looks away.

That shocks her! Did he really say that? Piyush and her - is he really thinking about them?

"Piyush ke saath?!!",

she gets shocked hearing him.

"Aap... aap aisa sochte hain?!!",

she asks.

"Sochta hoon? Jo dikhta hai main wohi bol raha hoon Kashish!",

says Sujal, looking towards Kashish.

"Jahan kuch nahi hai wahan aap na jaane kya dekh rahe hain....",

she continues,

"Aur... aur jahan sub kuch hai... wahan aapko kuch nazar nahi aa raha Sir?",

she asks, hurt.

Sujal's knit brows relax a little.

"Office aakar humesha aapko dhundhti hoon. Aap aye ke nahi. Nahi aye to kyun nahi aye?! Tabiyat theek hai aapki? Aur agar aye hain to aapki ek jhalak ke liye taras jaati hoon. Bahane dhundhti hoon aapse milne ke. Kabhi koi file dene ke bahane; kabhi kuch kehne ke bahane aapke cabin mein aati hoon. Aapko apne ird-gird paana; aapke hone ko mehsoos karne ka mann karta hai. Kya ye sub nahi dikhta?",

asks Kashish, crying.

Sujal doesn't understand how to react to this.

"Agar aap meri ankahi baaton ko nahi samjh paye; to aapko bhi koi haq nahi banta Sir mujhse ye umeed rakhne ka ke main aapko samjh paungi!",

states Kashish, determined.

Sujal feels guilty.

"Kashish...",

he tries to mend the situation.

"Nahi Sir, ab aur kuch nahi sunna.",

says Kashish, crying and turns to leave.

"Nahi bardasht kar sakta Kashish tumhari durri."

His words arrest Kashish at her place.

"Nahi bardasht kar sakta kisi aur ka tumhare kareeb ana."

Kashish knits her brows tighter.

"Tumhara mujh par kitna haq hai ye main aur tum dono hi ache se jaante hain.",

Her breath hitches.

"Magar mera tum par kitna haq hai aaj mujhe tumse ye janna hai!",

says Sujal.

Silence stretches between them. Where on one hand Sujal gives her time to think and reply; there on the other hand Kashish takes her to time to understand how to put her feelings into words.

"Batao Kashish!",

he demands.

Kashish holds her emotions until it suffocates her. Unable to resist anymore, she turns and confesses,

"Mujh par sirf aapka... bus aapka haq hai Sujal. Wo haq jo na aaj se pehle maine kabhi kisi ko diya; na aapke baad kabhi kisika mujh par hoga!"

Sujal and Kashish smile looking at each other, their eyes brimming with tears of joy and love.

No confession is made from either of them, still a lot has been confessed silently!

Getting up Sujal opens his arms wide for Kashish, inviting her to embrace him now and forever! Smiling and with a throbbing heart Kashish runs to Sujal and hugs him tight. Sujal reciprocates the gesture. With their eyes kept closed, they feel each other and the warmth of their love for each other that from this point onwards will only grow each and every moment!

-THE END-