Nayani's pov
The evenings were the time most of the people went to market making it crowded.
I tapped on jungkook's shoulder slightly taking his attention.
He looks at me. And bends to my level to hear me better.
"I think we should hold eachother's hands. There is too much crowd" i say loudly for him to hear. It was very loud making it impossible for him to hear me.
I didn't brought anyone with me as hriday nagari was considered one of the safest regions of Bharat. The count of crimes was almost zero so i was mostly free to not take any guards.
I am not allowed to go out but when i said that i was with jungkook they agreed. It surprised me too but not much when they said i had to take Pratap Bhaiya with me.
My mind worked at its maximum and i finally decided to take anushka with me to distract Pratap Bhaiya. I wanted to spend time alone with him. So, i had to do it.
Intertwining our hands we started walking towards the shops. The markets were decorated beautifully.
I tried not to feel anything about our hands intertwined together. But the feeling in my stomach said something else.
I blame it on never getting to interact with boys since childhood. But still I wondered if he also felt something.
I saw him glancing at our hands a few times but i don't know why he was doing it. Was he uncomfortable?
I again tapped on his shoulder to ask if he was okay with us holding hands.
He looked at me and then came closer to me.
"Uh..If you are not okay with us holding hands it's okay. We can just walk while keeping an eye on eachother" he turned his face towards me in a snap and my heart stopped.
His ears were right infront of my lips when he bent to listen to me better. So, when he turned to face me his lips came in contact with mine. They weren't touching much. Just the tips. Just a mere contact.
His eyes travelled down to our lips and then to my eyes. Our eyes locked and we didn't move. Not even a little. We stayed there staring into eachother's soul and caressing eachother's lips.
I don't know what it was but it felt beautiful.
I was supposed to freak out at the thought of us kissing but i strangely didn't. Reason..his eyes. They made me calm. I was able to stare at my reflection in his eyes.
I read that 'if you are able to see your reflection in someone's eyes then they are a pure soul' . I am well aware that you can see reflection in anyone's eyes. But....he indeed was a pure soul.
Before we could process anything and back off someone walked past us slightly bumping into us making us move. When our lips came in contact completely our eyes widen and we stepped back.
I knew my cheeks were heated and red right now and my rose tint didn't help it either.
I looked at him to see him staring at anything but me.
"I....." I trailed off
"LELO LELO GAJRE LELO" the vendor shouted.
(Take it! Take the garlands)
A smile made its way to my face seeing my favourite thing being sell. I wanted to buy the gajra and i also wanted to escape this awkward situation. So i held his hands and dragged him with me.
"Where are we going?" He shouted from behind me.
"To buy gajra!"
"Huh? What?"
"I will show you come with me first"
We reached the vendor. He had a basket in which he kept all the gajras. I buyed one from him
"Uncle yeh kitne me diye?" I asked the vendor
(How much is this uncle?)
"20 rupay beta" i buyed it. He was packing it for me but i thought that it will take time to reach the Mahal. So i asked him to give it like that.
"Will you help me wear it?"
He looked at me and says
"But i don't know how to wear it"
"Just attach it with the hair pin in my hairs"
"Uh okay i will try"
After some struggle he was finally able to make me wear the gajra.
"You look gorgeous " he whispered.
There was no way i should've heard it. Not when it was impossible. Not when there was so much noise. Not when he was looking at me that way. But i did.
I looked down feeling shy.
"Thankyou" i replied.
"Lets go ?" He asked. I nodded and there we were again walking with hands in hand.
He looked at all the pottery's. He buyed some for his eomma. Something for his brother and some for his mother. He said his father didn't liked gifts. But where was his?
He never buyed anything for himself.
We reached a shop where they were selling Indian hand carved daggers. I saw his eyes shine as soon as he saw one of the daggers kept in the front to attract customers.
I looked in the direction he was looking to see the one dagger which shined brighter than the others.
"Lets go" he said after moving forward.
He didn't buyed it. He never buys himself anything. I can tell this. It's been a few days i am with him and it is obvious now. He thinks about everyone but never for himself.
"Uncle how much is this?"
"2500rs beta. It's one of the sharpest and fastest daggers made. It's craving is done by the best workers and there is only one of this design. Each dagger made was made of different designs" i nodded. And finally buyed the dagger.
"Pratap Bhaiya?"
"Yes rajkumari?"
"Can you keep this with you for sometime? I will take it back afterwards" i asked him.
When anushka popped her head in between.
"Look at this girl buying gifts! Ohoo!" She knows nothing but teasing me.
"Shut up and bhaiya please?" He nodded and held the dagger. I looked at him admiring it. I decided to buy one for him later. Right now i needed to catchup on jungkook.
"JUNGKOOK WAIT!" He had walked ahead and i was left behind buying this for him.
As soon as he realised we were supposed to be together and he was supposed to be holding my hands he looks here and there and finally turns back.
His eyes searching for me.
I ran towards him.
"You are in such a hurry!"
"Where were you?" Came the first question.
"Uh...i liked the jewellery at other shop so i stopped to look at it." I lied.
"Oh..so if you want we can go back and buy it for you"
"No no no! I am okay...i have buyed enough jewellery before "
He looks at me for sometime and then nods finally.
I sigh in relief.
After sometime we were done roaming around the market so we decided to walk to the palace.
I told him I knew a shortcut. And we ended up going to the backside of the Mahal. It was empty with noone around. People rarely came here.
He was tired so he sat for a while.
"You get tired so easily" i teased.
"I don't get tired easily! You are one hell of an energetic person" i laughed.
"I can't help it. Once i step in market i don't think i am conscious. It is like i am hypnotized"
"I saw that!" He tried to sound annoyed but i knew he enjoyed it.
"Princess, prince? The stuffs you've buyed are kept in your rooms" one maid informed us.
Jungkook looked at the maid and said
"Leave the golden packet and give the other packets to queen Jeon. And ask her to distribute it among themselves "
"As you say, prince" she bowed and then left.
"Why don't you give them the gifts yourself?"
"I-i just thought they can be busy..."
I took his hand in mine.
"Jungkook? Do you consider me your friend?"
His eyes meet mine. He sits straight as he was leaning on the pillar before.
"Huh? Ofcourse i do why?"
"Then as a friend you should know that you can share anything with me. And i won't judge you ever!" He smiles at me and then says
"Yeah...thanks"
"Why thanks?"
"For thinking about me"
I frowned at him confused.
"Why are you so distant with your parents? I don't want to invade your private space. You can say no if you don't want to continue". He looked at me and then took a deep breath before speaking.
"My parents aren't the best parents to me. But if you will ask the same question to my brother he will say they are the best parents of this world. You know why?"
I slowly shake my head. I don't want to interrupt.
"Because for him they are! And he is their son. Me? I am not a son i am a disappointment." A sad chuckle escapes his lips.
"Ever since i was a child I've been neglected. Because i was the second one and also because i was unwanted. You might consider it weird but it's the truth. A those years i grew up without knowing what parents love felt like. But i had one person."
His eomma....
"She was the one who basically raised me. She often says that she is not my mother but i am her son. I love her more than anyone in this world. She loves me like my own mother never loved me."
He looks at the sky. It was almost dark and the moon was there again....to witness our loneliness
"I stopped feeling anything for others long ago. Now all i felt was admiration for my eomma and happiness when she was happy. My only source of survival."
He looks at me and i saw something flash in his eyes.
"And you know nayani....i felt the same happiness with you. You are the reason i am happy even right now."
A tear slipped from my eyes before i could even realise that i was crying
"Don't cry...shh." he hugged me and slowly patted my back while i sobbed in his chest.
He was the one needed to be comforted and yet here he was comforting me.
I pulled myself together and looked at him.
"You know what...forget it and don't think about it from now on okay?" He nods like a kid and i chuckle.
"I have something for you" i tell him. His eyes widens and he looks at me.
"For me?" I nod.
I slowly take the gift out for him. The dagger i bought back in the market.
His eyes shine with happiness. The look on his face i had never seen before.
"You saw me looking at it and you b-buyed it?" He looks at me still not believing it.
"Yess i knew you liked it. I don't know what stopped you. But i buyed it for you" i smiled at him.
And now it was him. His eyes filled with tears.
He looked at the dagger slowly tracing its design.
"Thankyou so much nayani i don't know what to say"
"You don't have to say anything!"
He looks at me and laughs. And then i laugh.
The moon looks at us and smiles in admiration.
This chapter was little emotional for me to write. As i felt every word i wrote.
Hope you like the little moment between nayani and jungkook.
Please vote and comment if you like the story.
~sofia.