Hello my chocho pies, I am back as I am updating after many days on the chapter. As what happened to me last week needed time to get over it. I even thought about stopping writing the book completely. But a reader DM'd me, she was so sweet and said no matter what happens, the readers are with you. That girl motivated me, and here I am back.
and chocho pies don't forget to follow me on Instagram as the target of 50 Followers. PLEASE PLEASE
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"Sorry! Sorry... Maaf kijiye mujhe-." I said in a rush, brushing my dress and wiping raindrops off my arms, heart hammering more from the fall than the weather.
But when I finally looked upâ
Time. Stopped.
The rain disappeared.
The sound of the street vanished.
My heartbeat?
It raced so loud I could hear it in my ears.
Because it wasn't just anyone standing there.
It was Vihaan Malhotra.
The Head Boy. The same one I'd bumped into hours ago. The one whose name echoed in whispers across the corridor.
And now... I had literally fallen at his feet.
His school shirt clung to his tall frame, damp from the rain. His dark hair was pushed back slightly, water dripping down the side of his face. But it was his eyesâdeep, dark brown, almost unreadableâthat held me still.
I couldn't blink.
I couldn't speak.
I couldn't even feel the pain in my scraped knee anymore.
I was just... looking.
And he was looking back.
Naira's breath caught in her throat.
She didn't feel anymore. The noise, the crowd, even the ground beneath her feetâall of it faded. Her heart stopped beating for a second, and then restarted with a thunderous echo that only she could hear.
She looked into his eyes.
And then it happened.
That song.
Her song.
In her mind.
"Tum Se Hi"... from Jab We Met
Like a whisper in her mind. Soft. Longing. Eternal.
The opening notes drifted through her imagination like rainfall. Her fingers tingled. Her skin felt the memory of raindrops that hadn't even fallen yet.
"Tum se hi din hota hai,
Surmayi shaam aati hai,
Tumse hi..."
Suddenly, in her mind, the world shifted. The sky burst open. Rain came pouring down, warm and wild, like emotions too big to hold in.
She was no longer standing at bus station.
She was outside, under the storm.
And he was with her.
She smiled through the rain as she grabbed his hand, pulling him in.
The water soaked her hair, her clothes clung to her skin.
But she didn't care.
Only one thing mattered.
Him.
"Har ghadi saans aati hai,
Zindagi kehlati hai,
Tumse hi..."
They moved slowly at first. Her arms found his. His hand settled on her waist like it had always belonged there. Their steps fell into rhythm without trying.
Each word of the song played inside her, painting their own love story.
"Tumse hi, tumse hi..."
He laughed â low and surprised â when she twirled beneath his arm. She laughed too, eyes closed, face turned toward the rain. She had never felt so alive.
"Na hai yeh panna, Na khona he hai
Tera na hona jaane kyun hona he hai"
Their foreheads touched.
Their hands intertwined.
They danced like they were made from the same rhythm.
One heartbeat. One breath.
"Ankhon mein aankhen teri, baanhon mein baanhein teri "
She imagined whispering to him: "You don't even know what you do to me."
"Mera na mujh mein kuch raha, hua kya?
raaton mein raatnhein teri raatein saugaatien teri"
With every lyric, her fantasy deepened. Their movements slowed. He tucked her wet hair behind her ear. She rested her head on his chest.
The rain wrapped around them like a blessing.
"kyun tera sab yeh hogaya< hua kya?..."
She looked up again, into his eyes â the same eyes that had made her heart forget how to beat.
"Ab mujhko jaana hai kahaan,
Ke tu hi safar hai aakhiri..."
No one else was there. Just the rain, the music in her soul, and him.
"Tum se hi din hota hai,
Surmayi shaam aati hai,
Tumse hi..."
In her mind, time stood still.
And when the song finally ended, the rain fading with the last note, she opened her eyes...
She was back.
Still at bus station
Still staring into his eyes.
Soaked only by her dream.
But her heart?
Her heart was still dancing.
 Â
and then she came to realityÂ
He reached into his pocket and gently held out a handkerchief.
Naira blinked.
For a second, she just stared at it â then at him â then back at it again, like it was some kind of sacred offering. Her fingers hesitated before taking it, their hands brushing just barely, but enough to send another electric jolt through her already fried nerves.
And just like that...
Her face lit up like Diwali..
Red. Crimson. Ridiculously tomato red.
She covered her face with the handkerchief, trying to hide her smile, her blush â her everything.
But fate wasn't done playing.
"Didi ko aapse pyaar ho gaya!" a small, mischievous voice rang out nearby.
She peeked from behind the cloth. A little boy, maybe seven or eight, grinned up at them like he'd just solved the mystery of the century. "Dekho na, iske gaal laal ho gaye! Aap pagal bhaiya ho... samajh hi nahi rahe!"
Naira almost choked on her own breath.
Her mouth fell open in scandalized shock. What! What did this gremlin just say!?
She looked at the boy. Then at the man. Then at the boy again.
Her mind screamed: Yeh bacha stalker toh nahi hai mera?! Kaise pata chala isse?!
She wanted to disappear. Or rewind time. Or throw the handkerchief in the air and run dramatically into the mountains like a Bollywood heroine.
But the universe had other plans.
Honk!
A loud bus horn blared behind her, snapping everything back into motion.
She spun on her heel like her life depended on it, muttered some nonsense under her breath, and bolted onto the bus like it was a spaceship leaving Earth.
Get in. Sit. Hide. Breathe.
She slid into the window seat, still red, still flustered, still hearing that kid's voice echo in her head.
"Pyaar ho gaya..." she whispered to herself, pressing her head against the glass. "Kya. Hey krishna ji..."
Of course, she thought, he won't get on. He must have somewhere else to be. He probably forgot my existence already. Thank Godâ
The bus dipped slightly as someone stepped in.
She looked up.
It was him.
Of course, it was him.
He scanned the bus quickly, eyes darting past full rows of passengers. And then... his gaze landed on her.
Only one empty seat left.
Next to her.
He smiled â just a little.
And without a word, he sat down.
Right there.
Next to the girl with tomato cheeks and a racing heart.
Her fingers still clutched his handkerchief like it was the only thing tethering her to reality.
She didn't look at him.
But she could feel his presence. Like gravity. Like rain.
The song still played somewhere in the back of her mind.
Tum se hi... tum se hi...Â
Naira's face was still red.
Not pink. Not blush.
Red. Like full-on Shimla tomato.
She could feel the heat crawling up her neck, resting behind her ears. Her fingers toyed nervously with the hem of the handkerchief still in her lap â his handkerchief â while her mind screamed a thousand different conversations and none of them made it to her lips.
Say something, Naira. Say ANYTHING.
She peeked at him from the corner of her eye. He was just sitting there, calm, quiet, looking out the window like he didn't just send her into cardiac arrest.
What if he thinks I'm weird? What if I sound stupid? What ifâ
Her eyes landed on an old uncle sitting across the aisle, sipping tea from a flask and dunking a Parle-G biscuit like it was a national ritual.
And for some reason â some UNGODLY reason â her brain decided that was the moment.
And before her brain could intervene, her mouth betrayed her.
"Aa... aa... aaapke ghar chai patti (tea leaves) kitne ki aati hain?"
He blinked, confused.
She panicked.
the way he look her mind blank like when she opens the the book of MATHS.
"M-m-Mein toh Bournvita peeti hoon... usse body strong hoti hai... aur height bhi badhti hai..." she added quickly, words tumbling out like fallen marbles. "Aapne try kiya hai kabhi?"Â
Dead silence.
She wanted to open the emergency exit and roll out of the moving bus.
Why. WHY. Why did I say that. Why am I like this. Is there a way to reverse time? I need to Google that.
She stared straight ahead, refusing to look at him now, heart thudding against her ribs like it was trying to escape.
But thenâ
He looked at her for a second, amused.
Then, in the calmest, softest voice imaginable, he replied:
"pata nhi maine kabhi check nhi kiya."
A tiny pause.
"orr.. Bournvita...? Woh maine kabhi piya nahi."
That was it.
Naira wanted to sink into the Earth and vanish forever.
Why did I say that?
TEA LEAVES?! Seriously, Naira?
He thinks I'm dumb now. Noâbeyond dumb. Brainless. Head-empty-only-Bournvita dumb. like Bournvita hunger BHUKHI HUN KYA MEIN AHAA
She stared out the bus window dramatically, biting the inside of her cheek.
Aahhaa...kya sotchenge ki mere paas chai or Bournvita ka business hai issliye pucha hoga... mera pehla pyaar
Kya hi impression banaya... yahi seela diya khana ji aapne mere pyaar ka.  she looks at sky
Meanwhile, he was still sitting next to her. Calm. A little smile at the corner of his lips.
And that made her blush harder.
Naira sat stiffly, still burning inside from her "tea leaves and Bournvita" disaster.
Bournvita. The word echoed in her head like a cruel joke.
She stole a glance at Vihaan, who was silently gazing out the window, cool as ever. Meanwhile, her mind was running laps.
"Kya zarurat thi Bournvita ki poori ad campaign sunane ki?! Mein pagal hun gadhi hin (idiot) hoon. Certified."
Just then, the bus began to slow down.
The conductor called out:
"Kis ka ghar aane wala hai, aajao!"
And in the middle of her overthinking spiral, something short-circuited in her brain.
She jumped up and blurted:
"MERA BOURNVITA KA DUDH AA GAYAâ"
The entire bus went silent. Thenâ
Laughter. Loud, full-throated, unstoppable laughter.
Naira's eyes widened in horror.
"AaahâI mean! M-Mera ghar... Mera ghar aa gaya!" she corrected, already halfway tripping over her own bag strap.
Even Vihaan let out a small, surprised laugh. His eyes sparkled with amusement.
Flustered beyond repair, Naira tried to squeeze out of the row.
"Excuse me, sorryâhaath, bag, chappalâsab fas gaya..."
As she finally reached the aisle and took a step down, the bus jolted slightly. She lost her balanceâa small gasp escaped her lipsâ
âbut somehow managed to catch herself last second, hands flailing, heart in her throat.
She straightened up, dramatically brushing imaginary dust off her kurta like nothing happened, and hopped off the bus with the grace of a drowning flamingo.
"Cool. Casual. Totally normal," she muttered under her breath.
Behind her, Vihaan was still watching.
And smiling.
Naira stormed down the lane, cheeks still burning hotter than the afternoon sun. Her steps were fast, like she could outrun the embarrassment chasing her.
"Pagal samjhega mujhe... Pakka. Itna soch soch ke bola aur bola kya?"
"Bournvita."
She slapped her forehead dramatically.
"Hey Krishna ji!" she muttered, eyes skyward.
"Aisa kya kar diya maine? Kya bigaada tha aapka? Ab kya karun... jaake Bournvita ke dabbe mein ghus jaun? Chhoti ho jaaun, powder ban jaun?"
Still ranting to herself, she took a sharp turn toward the parkâher shortcut home. The green trees offered some shade, but not nearly enough to cool her boiling thoughts.
She finally reached the large black gate of her homeâa sprawling white mansion with flowering creepers and manicured lawns.
The guard, Ramesh Bhaiya, looked up from his chair and stood quickly.
"Arre Naira beta, yeh kya hua? Ghutne pe chot kaise lagi?"
Naira blinked, still in her spiral.
"Vo... by chance... bournveta mein gir gyiâ"
She froze.
"I mean.. bus mein chai me gir gayi thi ... vo chai paati... matlab... bus station pe..."
Ramesh Bhaiya raised his eyebrows.
Naira gave a defeated sigh and just walked in, muttering,
"Mujhe kuch mat puchhna, bhaiya. Bas thoda Bournvita zyada ho gaya."
And behind her, the guard chuckled softly, shaking his head.
"Yeh ladki bhi na."
Â
Naira stepped through the garden-lined pathway of her grand houseâroses on one side, jasmine on the other, both in full bloom like they too were gossiping about her Bournvita moment.
She dashed up the three white marble steps and into the grand entrance hall, where the butler and a couple of maids were busy with their usual chores.
One of them greeted her
Without breaking pace, Naira called out,
"Dadi ghar pe hain kya?"
Another maid looked up from dusting a chandelier.
"Nahi vo check-up ke liye hospital gayi hain. Bas thodi der mein aayengi."
"Theek hai, aate hi mujhe batana please please," Naira replied, already halfway up the staircase.
She reached her roomâa dreamy explosion of light pink.
Posters of Disney princesses and Sidharth Malhotra , a row of Barbie dolls, and the pride of her collection: her vintage Bollywood cassette player, sitting beside a stash of old tapes, neatly labeledâDDLJ, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Hum Tum.
She threw her bag on the bed, turned on the TV, and popped in the Hum Tum cassette.
The title track started playing.
âȘ Hum tum, ek kamre mein band ho... aur chaabi kho jaaye... âȘ
Naira paused for two seconds, then slowly reached for her giant teddy bear, affectionately named "Mr. Ladoo."
"Vihaan," she whispered, holding the bear close.
And just like thatâfantasy mode: ON.
She twirled around the room, lip-syncing the lyrics, pretending her teddy was Vihaan in a blazer, holding her waist during the slow parts.
She dipped the bear.
"Uff, Vihaan, tum kitne ache dance karte ho!"
She lifted the teddy's arm like it was twirling her.
"Ab toh mujhe Oscar milna chahiye imagination ke liye," she muttered, laughing to herself mid-spin.
She jumped onto the bed with a dramatic sigh, bear still in her arms.
"Vihaan aap bhi naa aise mtt dekhiye mujhe, heheh"
The music faded out, but her dreamy grin didn't.
 she giggled softly, spinning with the bear in her arms. "Dekha? Main bhi step nahi bhoolti!"
She didn't notice the door creak open.
Didn't hear the soft footsteps.
Didn't see her Dadi standing right thereâeyebrows raised, mouth twitching to hide a smile.
"Naira."
"dadi"
"Naira"
"Dadi"
 she shrieked, dropping the teddy like it was evidence in a courtroom. "Woh... main toh bas... main toh sirf dance kar rahi thi!"
She turned away, fumbling with the TV remote, trying to shut off the song and her embarrassment at the same time.
But Dadi didn't back down. She walked into the room, arms crossed, smirk fully formed now.
"Juthi kahin ki Teddy ke saath romance kar rhi thi or bol rahi thiâ'Vihaan, tu kitna accha dance karta hai!' Ab yeh Vihaan kaun hai?"
Naira's brain shut down. Her soul left her body for a brief moment.
Her voice came out two octaves higher than usual.
"Nhi... vo... main bas... exercise!" Naira stammered, trying to push the teddy away as if it had betrayed her.
Dadi raised one eyebrow.
"Exercise ke naam pe teddy se cheek to cheek ho raha hai?"
Naira's ears were on fire now.
Then Dadi leaned forward, voice suddenly curious, teasingâ
"Waise yeh Vihaan kaun hai?"
Naira's brain short-circuited.
Face = blank.
Mouth = open but no sound.
Time = slowed.
"A-aapko kaise pata?" she finally managed.
Dadi BURST out laughing.
"Arre pagli! Tu abhi toh khud bol rahi thi: 'Vihaan, tum kitne achhe dance karte ho' â woh bhi teddy ke kaan mein. Maine kya spy camera lagaya hai?"
Naira gasped, horrified.
"Mujhe yaad bhi nahi tha maine bola!"
"Toh dil se bola hoga. dil se puchon kyu bola usnehi hota hai," Dadi said with a wink.
Naira's brain blue-screened.
She stumbled: "Vo toh... ek naam tha... mujhe yaad bhi nahi... haan... ek movie character shayad... ya Bournvita ke ad mein tha!"
Dadi raised a single eyebrow.
"Mari Naira ne mujhe promise kiya tha ki kabhi bhi kisi pe bhi crush hoga vo mujhe bataegi pr ab kya kr sakte hai."
Naira groaned, grabbing a pillow and burying her face in it.
"Drama queen! Aap sabse sab kuch nikalwa leti ho... ek din toh mera bank account ka PIN bhi bolwa logi!"
Dadi laughed as she walked to the door.
"Vihaan kaun hai, yeh toh bata ab."
The sharp ringtone of her phone sliced through the soft humming in the room. Naira glanced over at her deskâDr. Kiara flashing on the screen.
She picked up with a smile already forming.
"Hello, Kiara diâ"
Before she could say another word, Dadi ."Tu baat kar le," Dadi said, eyes twinkling. "Main puja ki tayyari karke aati hoon. Jamai ji aa rahe hain aaj."
Naira rolled her eyes, amused, and brought the phone back to her ear.
"Ab batao, kya hua? Kahin gusse mein kisi ko galat injection toh nahi laga diya?" she joked.
On the screen, Kiara laughed, shaking her head.
"Uff, shut up! This time no medical mishaps. I've got news."
Naira narrowed her eyes in mock suspicion. "Aapne shaadi kar li?!"
Kiara burst out laughing. "Nahi, pagal! Shefali aa rahi hai India!"
There was a beat of silence before Naira screamed, jumping up so suddenly that she nearly tripped on her charger cable.
"KYA?!"
She hugged her nearest pillow, grinning like a child on Diwali morning.
"She's flying in tonight," Kiara continued. "So obviouslyâwe're partying. Mere ghar. Aaj raat."
Naira paused, then frowned slightly, tilting her head.
"Ek baat bolun? Main tumhari do saal purani dost hoon, lekin maine kabhi pucha hi nahi... tum rehti kahan ho?"
Kiara smiled like she'd been waiting for the question.
"Mumbai."
Naira blinked. "Main bhi toh yahi rehti hoon!"
Both of them stared at the screen for a second before bursting into laughter.
"Aapne pehle kyun nahi bataya?!" Naira demanded.
Kiara shrugged with a smug grin. "Tu bhi toh kabhi nahi puchhti thi. Always busy with 'I don't believe in pyaar,' 'I don't do drama,' and your teddy therapy nonsense."
Naira covered her face, half-laughing, half-shocked. "This is insane. We've been in the same city for two years, and we didn't even know it?!"
"Karma brought us together," Kiara said dramatically. "Aur ab fate keh raha hai â party time."
Naira smiled wide, feeling a strange kind of excitement buzz through her chest.
Maybe fate was finally done playing hide and seek.
After ending the call with Kiara, Naira stood in her room, still grinning. She couldn't believe itâShefali was coming back to India! And the thought that Kiara had been living in the same city all along... it felt like fate had been playing its own game of hide and seek.
With a soft giggle, she walked over to her closet, already thinking of what to wear for the night. She pulled out a bright yellow top and a pair of cute short dungarees. It was a fun, playful outfit that matched her mood perfectly. She matched her yellow clips to the outfit, placing them in her hair in two neat ponytails. Perfect.
She checked herself in the mirror, a smile spreading across her face as she admired her playful look. This was the vibe she needed to bring to the day: fun, vibrant, and ready to cause some chaos.
With one last look at her reflection, she bounced down the stairs, feeling the lightness in her step. As usual, the house was alive with the hustle of the maids and staff, all moving efficiently through their tasks.
"Rajveer bhaiya kahan hain?" she called out casually, her eyes scanning the scene.
One of the maids, busy dusting the furniture, replied with a respectful nod, "Study mein hain, beta."
Naira gave a small nod and made her way to the study. As she reached the door, she took a deep breath, ready to perform her usual 'drama queen' routine. She knocked lightly on the door before opening it, finding her older brother, Rajveer, buried deep in his work, surrounded by papers and books. His brow furrowed in concentration, completely unaware of her presence.
Time to turn up the charm.
"Bhaiya!" Naira burst into the room with exaggerated enthusiasm, placing a hand on her hip as if she were entering a movie scene. "Aap kitni mehnat karte ho, na? Aap jaisa insaan iss duniya mein koi nahi hai!"
She dramatically fluttered her hands in the air, her voice almost breaking with a mock sense of awe.
Rajveer, ever the calm and composed older sibling, barely looked up from his work, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "What are you doing, Naira?"
But Naira was not one to back down. She walked in front of his desk, blocking his view of the papers and leaned dramatically over the top.
"Bhaiya, you know," she continued, throwing in her best flirtatious smile, "aapko toh har ladki mil sakti hai. But Iâ" she paused for effect, putting a hand over her heart, "âI'm the only one who truly understands you. You should listen to me."
Rajveer raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by her antics. "Oh really? And what do you want?"
She placed both hands on the desk, leaning forward as if revealing a great secret. "Mujhe ek favor chahiye, bas. Mereko friend ke ghar chod do, please."
There it wasâthe ultimate request, delivered with the maximum amount of drama possible.
Rajveer sat back in his chair, crossing his arms. "And why should I do that?"
Naira leaned in even closer, her eyes wide with innocent charm. "Kyunki main aapki duniya ki sabse pyaari behen hoon," she said with a grin, "Aur jab aap jaise bhaiya ki behen apne bhai ko itna pyaar karti hai, toh uski har baat maan lena chahiye. Right?"
Rajveer rolled his eyes.
Naira stood up straight, her hands on her hips, acting as if she'd just won an award. "Toh kya, bhaiya! Jaise aap se kuch nahi milta, waise mujhe bhi kabhi kuch nahi milta. Aapko toh kya farq padta hai?"
Rajveer chuckled, pushing his chair back and standing up. "Fine, fine. Let me finish my work, and I'll drop you off."
"Yay!" Naira jumped up, raising her hands in victory. "You're the best! I knew it! No one can say no to me, not even my Rajveer bhaiya."
As she exited the study, she could still hear Rajveer's muttered complaints. But she didn't care.
Today was going to be great. She had a night with Kiara and Shefali to look forward to, and her charm had worked on Rajveer. Nothing could go wrong.
Except maybe... the actual party she was about to attend. But that's a problem for future Naira to deal with. Right now, she was just glad she had won her small battle.
Rajveer finally shut the last file with a sigh, stretching his arms over his head. The silence in the study was a luxury, but it never lasted long in a house where Naira existed.
Stepping out into the grand hall, he wasn't surprised to see her exactly where he expectedâcurled up on the plush couch, wearing her yellow dungaree, her legs folded under her, a half-finished Bournvita shake in hand, and eyes glued to the TV screen. Cartoons blared across the room, a ridiculous contrast to the rest of the regal house.
He raised an eyebrow, arms folded across his chest.
"Naira," he said in his usual calm-but-done-with-you tone.
She looked up immediately, glass still in hand. "Haan?" she blinked, innocent as a puppy caught chewing on shoes.
"Chalo," he said, jerking his head toward the door.
"Coming!" she chirped, setting the glass down on the side table like a good girl. She jumped to her feet, grabbing her phone and skipping over to him.
Without waiting for another word, she shoved the phone into his hand. "Yeh location hai. Yahan le chalo mujhe, bas. No questions."
Rajveer took the phone, glanced at the screen, and frowned. "This is... the posh side of town."
 Naira proudly, flipping her ponytail.
He narrowed his eyes. "Yeh tumhare friend ka ghar hai?"
"Ji haan," she replied sweetly. "Friend bhi, surprise bhi. Sab kuch hai. Bas le chalo mujhe."
He studied her for a moment longer, suspicious but too tired to argue with her drama today.
"Fine. But if I hear music blasting and drunk teenagersâ"
She gasped, hand on her chest. "Bhaiya! I'm an innocent bacha. ."
Rajveer shook his head and walked toward the door. "Get in the car before I change my mind."
"Already on it!" she sang and followed him out with a bounce in her step.
Tonight was going to be fun.
Or chaotic.
Which, to Naira, was the same thing.
As Rajveer's car rolled to a stop outside Kiara's house
She turned to Rajveer with her signature grin. "Bye Bhaiya! Time pe pick kar lena!"
Rajveer shook his head, amused. "Time pe call karna. Bye, cartoon."
Naira stuck her tongue out playfully and made her way in, her yellow dungarees bouncing as she walked with a spring in her step.
The pathway from the garden led to an elegant wooden entrance. She stepped inside, the coolness of the marble floors a relief from the summer heat. The hallway was bustling with warm laughter and distant musicâclearly, the get-together had already begun.
Just as she was looking around, soaking in the grandeur, a voice from the side caught her attention.
"Maine tumhe kahin dekha hai..."
She turned, puzzled, to find a guy standing there with a slight frown of recognition. Tall, lean, with an easy smile that didn't quite match his curious eyesâVikram.
Naira blinked. "Kya? Mujhe toh nahi lagta. Aap kaun ho? Chor ho kya?"
Vikram was taken aback. "Kya?! Chor?!"
Before he could respond further, Kiara's voice rang out from behind, filled with mock annoyance.
"Apne dost ke paas jaa, tu meri dost ke peeche kyun pad gaya?" she scolded playfully, smacking Vikram lightly on the arm.
Naira laughed and stepped away. Kiara looped an arm around her shoulder.
"Chal meri jaan, mummy se milvaati hoon tujhe," she said, leading Naira through the corridor.
They passed by a grand living room, where a few guests chatted with drinks in hand, and then turned into a modern, airy kitchen where NandaniâKiara's momâstood arranging a tray of snacks.
"Maa," Kiara chirped, "yeh hai meri Naira"
Nandani looked up with a warm smile. "Ohh, finally! Tumhare baare mein toh Kaafi suna hai maine."
Naira folded her hands shyly. "Namaste Aunty."
"Arey, itna formal mat ho. Tum bhi Kiara ki tarah lagti ho," Nandani teased.
All three burst into laughter, unaware that someone upstairsâwho had just come homeâwas also walking down toward the same kitchen... Vihaan.
"Tu upar mere kamre mein jaa Naira, Mishti bhi wahin hogi," Kiara said while chopping coriander in the kitchen. "Main ek kaam niptaake bas do minute mein aati hoon."
Naira nodded. "Okay!" she said cheerfully and turned toward the grand staircase.
As she reached the upper floor, her eyes widened. "Yeh ghar kam aur museum zyada lagta hai," she muttered, gazing at the ornate chandelier above, the antique vases lining the walls, and the corridor with five identical doors.
She started with the first one. Locked.
Secondâjust a prayer room.
"Teesra lucky lag raha hai," she mumbled, turning the knob and walking inside.
The room was large and neat, sunlight spilling across the bed, soft breeze coming through the slightly open window. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the trophies lined up on the wall-mounted shelf. She stepped closer and read one:
"National Debate Champion â Malhotra"
"Ohh... Shayd dr.Kiara debate karti thi?" she whispered, surprised.
Her gaze wandered around. There was a cricket bat in the corner.
She giggled. "Dr. Kiara ko cricket bhi pasand hai? Wah bhai... Dr. by profession, cricketer by passion."
As she looked near the bed, something shiny caught her eyeâa photo frame.
Curiosity tugged her steps closer. She picked it up slowly, turning it toward her.
And froze.
It was a pictureâDr. Kiara... with Vihaan.Â
Her eyes widened.
Her brain was racing, trying to rearrange all the facts.
Her mouth opened slightly, shocked. Her heartbeat picked up for no reason she could explain.
"Areh... yeh Star Plus ka serial thodi hai jo yeh Vihaan ka ghar ho," she said to herself in a hushed voice, trying to comfort her own flustered self, the color rising in her cheeks.
And just thenâ
The bathroom door creaked open.
Naira turned instinctivelyâand her eyes widened.
Vihaan stepped out, towel wrapped around his waist, water dripping from his damp hair, a calm expression on his face that turned confused the second he saw her.
"Oh my Krishna ji!" Naira yelped, throwing the photo frame onto the bed as she stumbled backward in panic.
Vihaan's brows shot up, more surprised by the scream than anything else.
She took a step back, flusteredâbut her foot caught on the edge of the carpet. Losing balance, she began to fallâarms flailingâjust as Vihaan instinctively lunged forward to catch her.
Instead, they both lost footing.
Her balance faltered as she tried to look away, and before she knew it, she was stumbling. In a flash, Vihaan caught her, his large hand gripping her waist and pulling her toward him, preventing her from falling. They both ended up tumbling onto the bed, Naira landing on top of him with a soft thud.
Both of them lost their balance and fellâstraight onto the bed, tangled and breathless, eyes locked in stunned silence.
No one said a word.
The air around them was stillâexcept for Naira's racing heartbeat and Vihaan's confused blinking.
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so chocho pies tell me your fav scene that you love the mostđž?
any guess what will happen nextđ?
do votes and comment if you like and please follow on insta as target of 50 followers.
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