Outfits^^
Next day – Sunday
"Sumanji ko toh lagta hain Karan sirji aur Monami uspe jaa rahe hain, kya kehte ho tum log.... !?", Sumanji said sitting with all the recruits in the mess.
"#CoupleDate", Chitra replied.
All the cadets had heard Karan talking with Faizi about waiting for Monami outside the academy gate and were now trying to guess where were the two going.
"Haan vahi...", Sumanji said seriously as if telling a huge secret.
"Mere serial 'Maa Ke Poot' episode no. 567 mein bhi deshpremi premika ko bahar le gaya tha ratribhoj par...", Premji began narrating his 'famous' show.
"Voh sab bas ek naatak nikla, dushman ko pakadne ke liye !!", Sumanji interrupted him, as always, and completed the story.
"Matlab Karan bhaiji doctor madam ko bahar bas kisi dushman ke liye le jaa rahe hain !?", Bala asked as everyone's eyes widened.
"Shut up guys !! Don't be stupid... Voh bas ek show tha aur yeh real life hain. Karan sir trap ke liye Monami ko kyu le jayenge ?? Even if he had to take someone, voh Sanjana ma'am ko le jayenge, seeing that she is a trained commando.", Koel said reasonably.
"Huh, nakchidi !!", Sumanji said.
"Kya kaha aapne ??", Koel asked furiously.
"Behri hain kya !? Sumanji ne kaha tu nakchidi hain !!", Sumanji retorted.
"Really !? Then you're a witch !!", Koel said glaring daggers at her.
"Haw !! Tune Sumanji ko kya kaha !?", Sumanji said getting up from her seat.
"Kaan kharab hai ?? Maine kaha you're a bloody witch !!", Koel too got up from her seat.
"#Oh no !! #Fight between #Sumanji and #Koel !! #We have to stop it !!", Chitra said but before anyone could stop them, the fight had already begun.
"Abey parkati !!", Sumanji said furiously
"Oi Suman, apni had mein reh !! You-", Koel started but was interrupted by Sumanji asking, "Kaun Suman ??".
While everyone facepalmed, Koel said gritting her teeth, "SUMANJI !! OKAY NOW !? Be in your limits..." she furiously pointed her index finger at her. Sumanji too glared at her and said, "Achha ab tu Sumanji ko unki had sikhayegi !? Mai abhi tujhe Sumanji ki had dikhati hun !!"
"Ab aap dono ladne mat shuru kar dijiyega !!", Bala said trying to solve the fight but no one heard him as at that moment Sumanji and Koel had lunged at each other and were furiously pulling the other women's hair.
"Mere serial 'Maa Ke Poot' ke episode no.234 mein bhi nayika ki 2 saheliyan ladne lagi thi aur ladte hue-" Premji started but was as usual got interrupted by Sumanji saying ,between fighting, "ek dusre ko maar daala, jiska ilzaam nayika pe chala gaya tha. Bilkul vaise hi jaise Sumanji aaj iss Nakchidi ko maar daalengi !!"
"No #violence, Sumanji. #We all should #try to fix this #issue with #peace.", Chitra said coming between them to separate them but instead got an accidental slap from Koel which pushed her towards the mess gate and she collided with someone. That 'someone' was none other than Sanjana.
"KE HO RAHO HAIN YAHA ??", Sanjana's loud voice broke Koel and Sumanji's fight and everyone stood straight seeing her.
"Je ek academy hain, chidiya ghar naa ho, jaha tum dono billiyon ke lane ladna shuru kar dogo !!", she scolded them.
Seeing Sanjana so pissed off, all the cadets quickly muttered a quick 'sorry ma'am' and were about to go when Sanjana stopped them by saying, "Koel, Faizi sirji Nikhil sang tero intezaar kar raho hogo, parking mein. Yahi batane aayo the." Saying so, she left from there, towards the academy gate.
As soon as Koel heard her sentence, quickly left to the parking lot with a happy smile on her face while everyone continued looking at her with knowing expressions.
Meanwhile,
"Uff kya din aa gaye hain !! Special Agent Major Karan Shergill ek ladki ke liye wait kar raha hain !! Yeh sab uss Faizi ki wajah se hua hain, Kisi din use chhodunga nahin main !!", Karan muttered to himself as he stood waiting for Monami outside the academy gate. She had told him that she will first go to the temple with Sid and after returning till 8:00, will go to his house with him. But it had been 8:10 and till now they hadn't returned.
Just as he was about to call Monami, he heard the sound of Sid's jeep and looked up.
He was about to berate them for getting late when he saw Monami and he could swear, his heart had skipped a bit seeing her. She was in a simple blue kurti with red highlights which was making his brain go fuzzy.
Tumko paya hai to jaise khoya hoon
Kehna chaahun bhi to tumse kya kahoon
Kisi zabaan mein bhi woh lafz hi nahin
Ke jinmein tum ho kya tumhein bata sakoon
Monami looked at Karan confused while Sid just smirked knowingly. They both had expected Karan to scold them for getting 10 minutes late as they had stopped in middle to buy chocolates for baby but here he was just standing looking transfixed.
Monami went and snapped her fingers which broke his trance. "Karan, are you okay !?", she asked worried. He quickly realized what he was doing and immediately went back to his usual mode and said, "Do Baatein"
Monami quickly raised her two fingers and Karan tried hard to control his smile.
"Pehli,", he said closing her second finger, "Just because main aapko Rani Sahiba bulata hua, iska yeh matlab nahi aap sach mein apne-aap ko kisi riyaasat ki maharani samajhke late aate rahe."
Monami was about to roll her eyes but thought against it and said instead, "Aur dusri baat !?"
"Doosri,", he said raising her second finger and completely ignoring Sid who was standing just beside them, looking at them with an 'aww' look, "You are looking..."
Karan hesitated at that, not knowing what to say next, he could just not find the right word. 'Beautiful, gorgeous, amazing, fabulous, angelic, appealing, bewitching, captivating, charming, classy, elegant' – all these words were roaming in his mind but none were enough to describe her.
It wasn't like she was wearing anything extravagant, but just seeing her in Indian attires used to evoke feelings inside him which he hadn't even realised, existed.
Main agar kahoon tumsa haseen
Qaynaat mein nahi hai kahin
Tareef yeh bhi to sach hai kuchh bhi nahin
Tumko paya hai to jaise khoya hoon
Karan realized what he was doing by seeing Monami and Sid's expectant look.
"Not bad...", he finally said, turning his face the other side to hide his smirk seeing the duo with that kicked puppy look. He didn't say anything else and just went to his jeep.
"Not bad ?? Seriously !?", Monami asked dejected. It was not like she had deliberately dressed in an Indian outfit for Karan but can't he even compliment her properly !?
"Uff don't worry Monu bro !! Voh jald hi 'Not Bad' se 'Good' aur phir 'Best' pe update ho jayega !!", Sid said patting her shoulder.
"Hope so, bro !! Anyways, udhar dekh... Teri waali aa gayi !!", Monami said pointing at the direction from which Sanjana was coming.
Sid turned around quickly and smiled at Sanjana but his smile turned into a shocked expression when she too smiled back.
"Monu bro... pinch me !! Kahi main sapna toh nahi dekh raha !? Sanju and smiling... that too at me ??", Sid whispered in disbelief.
"Bro, you are not dreaming !! Sanju sach mein tujhe smile de rahi hain...", Monami whispered back, happy for her bro.
Before Sid could reply anything Sanju came to them and said, "Chal Siddharth, tane baahar na jano hain !?'
Monami and Sid looked at each other in shock while Sanjana looked at them amused.
"Wow !! Chirkut se seedha Siddharth !? How ??", Sid asked happily.
"Chirkut wali harkat karta tha, toh chirkut bulato the, par ab, cheezein badal gayo hain, aakhir kaar, chirkut ki jagah je Siddharth se milo hain ham, toh...", she explained smiling which made Sid smile too.
Seeing that they wanted some privacy, Monami said, "Umm, main chalti hun... Karan wait kar raha hain, Bye Sanju !! Bye bro.. vaise toh Sanjana hain toh kehne ki jarurat nahi hain, but still take care !!"
After bidding them a bye, she went towards the jeep and was about to sit on the back seat, when Karan interrupted her and said, "Main kya aapko aapka driver lagta hun !?"
Seeing Monami's confused questioning look, he elaborated curtly, "Aage baitho !!", and ignited the jeep.
Monami rolled her eyes and sat in the passenger seat, and started thinking while looking at him, 'Aage hi baithne ko bolna tha, toh thoda pyaar se bol deta !! Huh... Khadoos Shergill !! Sach mein... dil jaisa kuchh hoga, dil toh bilkul nahin hain iss pahaad jaise sharir mein !! Pata nahi maine kya dekh kar isse pyaar kar liya !!" As soon as the words crossed her mind, her heart started playing flashbacks as if it was dying to give the justification for its love.
She remembered how he gave her his coat when the strings of her dress had opened, even when they were at odds, how he had helped her climb the rope, how he had saved her in the hospital by coming right on time, how seeing him there and holding his hand, had made her feel safe, how he had almost took a bullet for her, how he had appreciated her in the picnic and boosted her confidence, how he had fought with her father for her, how he had taken care of her when she had been shot, how he had entrusted her to go with him to Koel's house, and how just seeing his face gave her inexplicable strength...
"Hmm... reasons toh bahut hain !!", she by mistake said it out loud.
"Huh !?', Karan said hearing her.
"Uhh umm kuchh nahi !! Main radio on karu ??", she asked trying to cover up.
"Hmm...', he said and seeing that it was the most she was going to get, she turned on the radio. Some old man was talking about his constipation problem, so she switched the channel. On the next channel, some politicians were fighting for god knows what reason, so she again switched the channel. There, some old songs were playing and while she did loved old songs, she didn't recognize any that was playing, so after waiting for some time, she again changed the channel. On the next channel some rubbish cartoon was going on, seeing which she again changed the channel. This went on for 2-3 more channels when finally Karan got irritated and said, "Kya kar rahi ho tab se ??"
"Arey main kya karu !? Koi achha gaana hi nahi aa raha !!", she replied innocently.
"Koi channel lage rehne dogi, tab aayega naa koi gaana !! Ab chup-chaap jo de raha hain, vahi rehne do, khabardaar jo change kiya !!", he warned in his usual Khadoos mode.
She just huffed and crossed her arms while the radio jockey said, "Ab agla gaana, unn saare pyaare bhai-behno ke liye jo saath mein iss Sunday ghumne nikle hain !! Pune se Vinay Mishra ki khwaish par-
Phoolon ka taron ka sabka kehna hai
Ek hazaron mein meri behna hai
Saari umar humein sang rehna hai..."
Karan went wide-eyed and quickly changed the song, while Monami chuckled and said, " Vaise toh kisi ne mujhe warn kiya tha channel change karne se, but ab jab log khud apni hi baat nahi mante, toh kya kar sakte hain !?"
Karan just rolled his eyes and focused on driving while the next song started playing,
"Sardi Ki Raaton Mein...
Hum Soye Rahe Ek Chaadar Mein
Hum Dono Tanha Ho...
Na Koi Bhi Rahe Is Ghar Mein...
Zara Zara Behekta Hain... Mehekta Hain
Aaj To Mera Tan Badan... Main Pyaasi Hoon
Mujhe Bhar Le... Apni Baahon Mein..."
Monami choked on her saliva and blushing, quickly changed the channel. "Sorry, bas ek last baar change kiya... ab nahi karungi !!", she turned to Karan and said. He just nodded, looking straight ahead but she could see a hint of red hue on his cheeks which made her blush more and she started looking out from the window to hide her face.
The radio jockey on this channel said-
"Haaye, agla gaana unn aashiqo ke liye jo inn gulaabi sardiyon mein apni Mehbooba ke khyaalo se bahar hi nahi aa paa rahe hain !!
Shokhiyon mein doobi yeh adaayein
Chehre se jhalki huyi hain
Zulf ki ghani-ghani ghataayein
Shaan se dhalki huyi hain"
Karan looked at his Rani Sahiba who was currently looking out of the window, with her eyes closed, enjoying the charm of old music and the wind that was caressing her face. Seeing her smiling, a smile formed on his face too, she indeed was beautiful !! Even the song was matching what he was feeling...
"Lehrata aanchal hai jaise baadal
Baahon mein bhari hai jaise chandni
Roop ki chandni..."
He again turned his face to focus his attention on the road but her face was flashing continuously in front of his eyes, causing a constant smile to form on his face.
Monami looked at his smiling face and she smiled to herself. 'Haste huye toh aur bhi handsome lagte ho... hamesha smile karte huye kyu nahi reh sakte tum !? Khadoos banna zaruri hain kya ??', she thought while looking at him dreamily when her trance broke due to a sudden jerk.
"Lo pahuch gaye..." Karan said, getting down from the jeep.
Monami too opened the door, and tried to get down but her dress came beneath her heel and she was about to fall. She closed her eyes fearing the fall but before she can touch the ground, she felt two strong arms getting wrapped around her waist and saving her. She opened her eyes slowly only to meet her savior's dark brown orbs which were already staring at her with an unknown emotion.
Karan slowly made her stand properly without breaking the eye contact. He would have happily stood there all day, just gazing at her beautiful chocolate brown eyes, if only his dear niece wouldn't have interrupted.
"Chachuuuuu !!! Doctor Girlllllll !! Uff aap log bhi naa !! Kahi bhi shuru ho jaate ho... kam se kam meri masumiyat ka toh lihaaz karo !!", Saumya aka Baby said playfully.
Karan and Monami quickly separated and turned towards baby.
"Lagta hain aaj-kal aap Faizi ke saath bahut rehne lage ho !!", Karan said, flushed.
"Ab aap apni girlfriend ke saath rehne lage ho toh mujhe toh Faizi chachu ke saath hi rehna padega naa !?", Saumya retorted.
"Uhh..umm... chalo an-andar chale !?", Monami asked trying to hide her blush.
"Yes !! Follow me agents !!!", Saumya said and ran inside followed by Karan and Monami.
"Monami, Karan, kaise ho tum dono ??", Barkha said, hugging both of them one-by-one as they entered inside.
"Ham theek hain..aap kaisi hain ??", Monami asked smiling.
"Main bhi bilkul theek hun !! Aao baitho naa..", she said as everyone settled on the sofas.
"So doctor girl, aap pehli baar yaha aayi ho aur voh bhi mere chachu ki girlfriend and meri potential would-be chachi banke, so mujhe aapka ek interview toh lena hi hoga !!", Saumya said pretending to be serious.
Monami's eyes widened as she shared a look with Karan. 'Ohh no !! Interview !? Agar baby ne koi aesa question puchh liya jaise ki ham kabse date kar rahe hain yaa unhe bataya kyu nahi toh !? Kya answer dungi ?? Par agar interview nahi diya aur inhe shak ho gaya toh Khadoos Shergill chhodega nahi !! Uff Monu kaha phas gayi !?' Monami thought.
"Baby, interview !? Kya bol rahe ho aap ?? Iski kya jarurat ??", Karan said nervously. He knew Monami-Tsunami couldn't even tell one lie without fumbling.
"Jarurat hain !! Mujhe check karna hain if doctor girl is right for you or not !!", Saumya insisted stubbornly, "So, doctor girl, tell me, aap ready ho !?"
At any other time, Karan would have appreciated baby's concern for him but certainly not right now !!
"Umm okay !!", Seeing no other option Monami agreed.
"So, first question, aap chachu ko kabse jaante ho ??", Saumya started.
"4 months !!", Monami answered easily.
"And pyaar kab hua ??", Saumya asked next.
"Umm yahi kuchh 2-3 mahine pehle...", Monami answered after thinking for a min.
"Oooo wow !! Milne ke 1-2 months mein hi love bhi ho gaya ?? It seems like a perfect fairy tale !!", Saumya said smiling.
"Baby, maine aapko pehle bhi kaha haina !? Perfect fairy tales don't exist...", Karan said thinking about his life.
Monami kept her hand on his as a silent support as she understood what he was thinking about. Karan looked at her.
That single touch was enough to send a tinge of sparks down his spine. He continued staring at her, wondering how this girl could make him feel the emotions he never had known even existed.
Main agar kahoon yeh dilkashi
Hai nahin kaheen, na hogi kabhi...
"But aapki aur chachi ki toh huyi naa !?", Saumya said innocently, breaking his trance.
"Kya ??", he asked.
"Uff perfect fairy tale !! Doctor girl ko aapse bilkul kisi fairy tale jaise connection feel hone laga, haina !?", she said.
'Uff ab ise kaise batau ki Monami ko mere liye aesa kuchh feel nahi hota !? Main uske liye bas ek normal friend hun !!' Karan thought to himself, though this thought made his heart heavier for some unknown reason.
"Haina !? Doctor girl aap chachu se pyaar karte hona ??", Saumya pressed seeing him not replying anything.
"Haan haan of course !! Main aapke chachu se bahut pyaar karti hun !! Khud se bhi jyada..." Monami answered smiling.
She looked at Karan after saying this with a loving smile on her face. Karan returned a faint smile to her, trying to show as if her statement hadn't affected him while in reality, his heart was beating so fast, he feared everyone would be able to hear it.
Tareef yeh bhi to sach hai kuchh bhi nahin
Tumko paya hai to jaise khoya hoon...
Her statement sounded too genuine to be fake to Karan. But before he can ponder about it, baby said, "Aww so cute doctor girl !! So now tell me, chachu ne aapko propse kaise kiya ?"
Monami, hearing this, started laughing while Baby, Karan and Bhabhi looked at her questioningly.
"Aa-aapke chachu aur propose !? Ne-never... it's impossible !!", she managed to say in between her chuckles, making Baby laugh too as Karan looked at both of them annoyed.
"Kyu !? Main propose kyu nahi kar sakta !?", Karan asked irritated.
Monami looked at him incredulously and asked, "Toh tumne kiya tha mujhe ??"
He quickly shook his head in no, fearing if Baby would ask him how had he done it in detail, then he would be a gone case.
"Toh !?", Monami asked raising an eyebrow while Karan just huffed, not having any further arguments.
Baby, who was enjoying their banter said, "Wow chachi, toh aapne Chachu ko propose kiya tha !? Kaise ?? Bilkul romantic rose petals and balloons ke saath knees pe jaake?"
Monami and Karan looked at her shocked.
Monami was the first to recover from her shock and said, "Saumya, aapne yeh sab kaha se dekha ??"
"TV se", she answered simply.
"Aapka TV dekhna band karwana padega !!", Karan said sternly.
"Toh main mobile se dekh lungi...", she said shrugging nonchalantly.
Bhabhi chuckled and said, "Tumhari hi bhateeji hain Karan !!"
Baby flipped her hair proudly and said, "Enough talk agents, next question... When did you knew you loved Chachu??"
Monami looked at her in disbelief and said, "Saumya, ab toh mujhe poora yakeen hain ki aap real mein 7 years ke nahi ho !!"
"Doctor girl, don't change the topic !! Tell me, aapko kab pata chala ki aap Chachu se love karti ho ??", Baby asked stubbornly.
Monami smiled as if remembering a pleasant memory and said, "When I was already head over heels for him !! Kab, kaise, yeh toh pata nahi... par itna pata hain ki apne aap hi mujhe pyaar hota chala gaya and then realisation hit me like a cyclone, hard and sudden, nearly knocking me out by its intensity, but voh cyclone of realisation mere heart mein ek pyaar ki rainfall le aaya... and use replenish kar diya love se !!"
She looked towards Karan after saying it with a smile as, even if he didn't knew, each and every word she had spoken was true. Karan too looked at her after listening what she had said. His heart fluttered seeing that she was also looking at him with so much love in her eyes, that he couldn't help but smile back.
Tum huye meharbaan
To hai yeh dastaan...
"Awwwwwwwwww !!", Baby and Bhabhi exclaimed together, breaking their eye lock.
"Okay so Chachi, last question !!", Baby said and Monami nodded quickly, happy to end this lying session, even though most of her answers weren't lies.
"Human body mein kitni muscles hoti hain !?", Baby asked seriously.
Hearing this question, Karan, who was drinking water, spit it out and started coughing. That question was unnervingly similar to the one Monami had asked him, the first day they met, in Col Batra's cabin.
"Kya hua Karan ?? Theek toh ho !?", Bhabhi asked worriedly as she and Baby looked at him concerned at his sudden reaction.
Monami rubbed his back to calm his coughs while thinking, 'Ohh god !! I know baby ka question, uss question se similar tha jo maine Karan se pehle din puchha tha but itna bada reaction dene ki kya jarurat thi !? Huh, commando hain phir bhi harkatein dekho janaab ki !! Klutzy Shergill !!'
"Uhh yes... I am okay, bas mujhe laga gale mein kuchh phas gaya hain, but kuchh tha hi nahi...", Karan said awkwardly.
Monami looked at him incredulously. 'Yeh banda toh mujhse bhi jyada ganda jhoot bolta hain !! Kabhi tablet mili nahi toh laga khaali, kabhi laga gale mein kuchh phas gaya but kuchh nahi tha... How the hell does he even lies in missions !?', she asked herself.
Baby and Barkha looked at him weirdly but shrugged it off, fortunately.
"Hmm, so doctor girl, aapne bataya nahi... human body mein kitni muscles hoti hain !?", Baby asked turning to Monami.
"But yeh aap puchh kyu- Ohh !! yeh question aapke interview mein nahi homework mein hain, right !?", Monami said smiling.
Baby smiled sheepishly and said, "Maybe or maybe not... aap answer do naa !!"
"But aapko apna homework khud karna chahiye... aapke book mein answer hoga !!", Monami said like a strict class monitor.
Baby pouted and crossed her arms angrily, saying, "Cadet Dr. Monami Mahajan, you can't talk to your senior like this !! You have to answer your senior without objections !!"
"Achha okay sorry Special Agent Saumya !! There are more than 650 muscles in human body. Happy now !?" Monami said, finally giving up on her demands.
"No !! I am angry from you...", Baby said crossing her arms in fake anger.
"Oops sorry baby !! Don't be angry... See, main toh aapke liye chocolates bhi laayi hun !!", Monami said in order to pacify the little angry bird by showing her chocolates while Barkha and Karan enjoyed their drama.
Baby smiled at the chocolates but quickly hid her smile and said, "Haw !! Cadet Monami Mahajan, you are bribing your senior ??"
"Nahi nahi !! Mai aur bribe ?? Kabhi nahi... Main toh aapke liye bas gift laayi thi, but ab aapko nahi chahiye toh it's ok !! Mai aur aapki mamma hi ise kha lenge, kyu Bhabhi ?" Monami said teasingly as she got up and sat beside Barkha, giving her one dairy milk and opening one herself.
"Haan haan of course !! Ab gift ko mana thodi karte hain...", Barkha said as she too joined Monami's game and opened her dairy milk.
Baby looked at both of them and quickly went to sit between the two. She then took both the chocolates from them and nibbled their ends a little. "Ab toh maine yeh kha liya, ab aap log ise nahi kha sakte... sorry !!", she said with a wide, playful smile.
Monami, Barkha and baby started laughing at this while Karan adored their bond. He was amazed at how quickly Monami had warmed up to all of them. 'She is like this only !! So sweet and cute...', his heart said like a lovesick teen while his brain, ever so rational, said, 'Oh really !? Then why doesn't she gets along with Karan ?? Why hasn't she warmed up to him'. Apparently, his heart got offended at this as it replied back savagely, 'Because he only fights with her all the time, and that too because he listens to you, stupid !! If he'll listen to me then he'll also get along very well with her... he listened to me once and see, he is her friend, duh !! Also, who said she hasn't warmed up to him ?? You and me both know she occupies the whole of me and is running in you almost all the time too !!' This realisation suddenly hit Karan that Monami had made her place in his heart unknowingly but he couldn't make her suffer like that. She deserved everything in the world, but he couldn't provide her anything other than the darkness he was filled with.
'No, she doesn't has any place in my heart other than that of a friend and nor can she have in future !!', he thought adamantly. 'You can't do anything now, Karan, she already has made her place and you know how stubborn she is.' , his heart said slyly.
"NOOOOOO !! ", he shouted in order to silence his idiot heart.
All looked at him worried at his sudden outburst at no apparent reason as Monami asked, "Karan, what happened ??"
"Ku-kuchh nahi, kuchh bhi toh nahi hua...", he replied back stuttering.
"Agent Shera, don't lie !!", Baby said suspiciously.
"I am not lying, Baby. Aap yeh sab chhodo naa !! Ham log lunch ke baad chale jayenge, toh aapko jo bhi baatein karni hain apni Dr. Girl aur apne chachu se jaldi karlo...", Karan said trying to divert her & it worked as Baby said, "Okay, so Special agents, follow me..."
They both followed Baby to her room and started playing with her in the blanket fort made by her. They say, 'You become a kid yourself with kids...' and indeed it was true, for it was not just their laughter that had reverberated in that room, but also, the notes of a piece of music that signified the fun they had for a few hours without the burden of all the sorrows and all the worries of world.
After having an intense pillow fight session with Monami-Baby in one team and Karan in another, all three were lying on the bed, exhausted, when Baby suddenly got up.
"So, Agent Monami, code name – Agent Queen, aapne apni pehli posting mein hi itni achhi fight ki dushmano ke saath isliye aapko ek reward toh milna hi chahiye.", saying so, Baby went and brought a soft toy turtle and handed over it to Monami who took it with a questioning face.
"Iska code name hai – Piku, Iska mission hai ki yeh academy mein, chachu ki absence mein, aapko akela feel nahi hona dega !!", Baby explained cutely.
Karan adored the bond they had formed in hardly 2 meetings as Monami replied while hugging both Piku and baby, "Aww yeh toh bahut cute hai !! Thankyou so much for this, Agent Saumya. Vaise aapko yeh aapka pyara Piku kisne diya ?? Aapke chachu ne ??"
"Nahi, yeh toh mujhe mere papa ne diya hai !! Aapko pata hai, voh naa mujhe har mahine gifts bhejte hai !! And I am sure, mere iss birthday par toh voh khud mujhe gift dene ke liye jarur aayenge !!", Baby replied innocently, unaware of the tears that were secretly glistening in Monami and Karan's eyes.
"Haina chachu !? Voh aayenge naa ??", she asked, turning to Karan.
"Of course, baby !! Voh jarur aayenge.", Karan answered composing himself and side-hugging her while Monami gazed at him. She could see the pain in his eyes and that pinched her heart.
Monami hugged Saumya from the other side. Karan looked at her and she just squeezed his hand lightly as if to say, 'I understand' and she really did, after all, she too had lost her mother. He gave her a sad smile while she blinked her eyes at him in silent support.
Ab tumhara mera ek hai karwan
Tum jahaan main wahaan...
This exchange, even though went unnoticed by baby, who was busy playing with her other soft toys, was noticed by another pair of eyes who was standing at the door. Bhabhi had come there to call them for lunch but stopped at the door after listening her late husband's mention and was watching the whole scene. She smiled to herself before breaking their trance, "Karan, Monami, baby !! Chalo aa jao, lunch ready hai..."
The trio nodded and quickly went to the dining table.
"Btw to-be chachi, mai aapko chachi bula sakti hu naa ??", Baby asked to Monami after everyone had settled for lunch and were serving themselves.
Monami and Karan looked at each other at her question and quickly averted their gaze, seeing the other one looking at them too. "Of course, bachcha !!", Monami answered Baby, while hiding her blush. Karan too blushed, looking at her blushing face and scolded himself mentally, "What happens with me suddenly whenever I am near Monami !?" he pondered.
Tumko paya hai to jaise khoya hoon
Kehna chaahun bhi to tumse kya kahoon
The lunch was a joyous affair with everyone laughing and chatting on different topics. Soon, came the time for Monami & Karan to go back to the academy.
Baby hugged Karan as a good bye and told him, "Aap agli baar bhi Dr. Girl, oops sorry, chachi ko apne saath laana, okay !!" Karan just nodded at her with a smile and she went to Monami while Bhabhi came to Karan and smiled.
Karan touched her feet and bid her bye while Bhabhi said, "Agli baar aao, toh Monami ko apni ASLI girlfriend jaisa laana" Karan looked at her shocked while she just chuckled and continued, "Tumhe kya laga mujhe pata nahi chalega !? Waise Monami achhi ladki hai, aur maine tum dono ki aankhon mein ek-dusre ke liye pyaar dekha hai !! Der hone se pehle use apni dil ki baat bata dena." And with that, she went to Monami, leaving Karan lost in his thoughts.
Their ride back to academy was spent in a comfortable silence with romantic melodies playing in the radio. Monami was busy thinking about her day with the love of her life and his family whereas Karan too was lost in his thoughts about what Bhabhi had said.
This day was one of the best days of his life and the main reason was Monami's presence. But why ? What was happening to him !? He turned to look at Monami and automatically smiled. He still didn't know what was happening, but was happy with this sudden, new change in him.
Mai agar kahoon tumsa haseen
Qaynaat mein nahi hai kahin,
Tareef yeh bhi toh sach hai kuchh bhi nahin
~The End
(Author's Note - This is the last part of this story. Hope you liked it. All types of reviews and suggestions are welcome. I am also open to ideas for more OS/TS/FS/SS. Thankyou for reading !!)