Priya's face fell as Ram walked away.
"Priya, don't worry. This is like one of his bad jokes," Kunal said, smiling. "You must be familiar with his antics."
She nodded, giving him a faint smile.
"What's up?" Brinda asked as she arrived at them with Aditya.
"Nothing much. Just discussing Ram's odd and outsized behavior," Vikrant laughed and continued speaking in to divert Priya's attention. "Calling everyone Tarun, taking antacids but not giving up on unhealthy meals, adding sugar to curries, changing clothes in the car while eating ice cream, agreeing to marry you for—" he stopped blabbering at once, realizing what he uttered last.
"Sorry, I didn't mean that," he began immediately. "Galti se.."
She bobbed her head sideways with a weak smile.
"My Jaan is a gem of a person," Brinda joined in. "Good or bad, whatever he does, it's always for his loved ones. He lives for them and can go to any extent to see them smiling."
"Absolutely," Aditya agreed. "Pata hain, he even went to the restroom for my baby. That's a different story; she wasn't there," he paused for a second, then continued in admiration, "but he actually went to the women's restroom to console her."
Priya's stomach twisted in knots.
"When?" Brinda questioned him as three of the friends turned to Adi in disbelief.
"The day you set him up on a blind date, Shivina aur Sid ke engagement ke baad. As usual, he ordered a lot of food," he replied.
Adi started narrating while the knots got tighter in Priya's stomach.
'... Paneer tikke toh bante hain. I absolutely love what you make, man! And uske saath woh, um, mutton ke kebab kar dena. Saath mein hari chutney aur thodasa nimbu, correct?'
'Butter carbs, yes! Just make it spicy. I love it... Do that. Dal makhani dal dena and sprinkle it with boondi and butter garlic cheese naan and dessert mein Rabdi and Gulab Jamun and thodasa Tiramisu bhi le aana...'
Adi continued, "His date didn't have anything except water—warm water with lemon. She seemed like a fitness freak."
'Woh dekho, 36 se 40 saal ka aadmi, 23-24 saal ke ladki ke saath..'
"I teased baby regarding her food habits; sorry, baby," he inserted, "and she stormed off. When I told Ram this, he rushed to the washroom. I was following him but got a notification that the car was unlocked, so I hurried to the parking lot. You had already left." He turned to his wife. "Later, I called him, but till then, he kept talking to someone else."
'Jaan, hey..'
It. Was. Him.
The realization hit hard. How did she miss this? Mr. Kapoor and Brinda have addressed each other as Jaan several times.
Maybe because Neeraj too called her Jaan and still continues to address it to her sister Maitri. Every time she hears the word, she zones out, recalling the broken promises Neeraj made until that night.
It was one of the lowest moments of her life, and she was on the verge of a breakdown. She isolated herself from the world, occupied a corner in the restroom, and cried uncontrollably when a stranger comforted her.
Thereafter, whenever she heard Jaan, it was the stranger's voice that occupied her mind instead of her ex's. Neeraj's Jaan and those hurtful memories faded on its own wirh this new memory.
"Priya!" Brinda clicked her fingers in front of her eyes, snapping her out of her thoughts. "Where are you lost?"
"Nothing," she stuttered, and after a few seconds, she said, "Excuse me..."
She began walking, though she was unsure of her way. She had an urge to see him, while the stranger's, correction, Mr. Kapoor's voice echoed her mind.
'Tu toh mera sher hain na, huh? Mera Rockstar!'
'Tere aur zamane ke beech khada ho jaunga main!'
She recalled how he protected her first from rain and later from Sir, and a soft smile making it's way on her tearful face.
He fulfilled a promise he made as a stranger.
'Bas, bas, bas, bas... utne rehne do. Bade acche lagte hain...'
The following moment, her smile vanished and her chest swelled with guilt, releasing the fact that he was there to comfort her when others hurt her, whereas she pushed him away due to others.
"Bhabhi, wait." Shivina popped on her way and pulled her left hand, adding, "I guess now I can officially call you that."
Priya, with her other hand, tightened the grip on the platter, which Sandy handed her, and ran away upon spotting Ram approaching.
Shivina was baffled upon seeing her empty ring finger and realized her folly. "Sorry," she cried. "I saw you two chatting a while ago and assumed. Stupid of me to think he proposed here in the crowd," she muttered.
Priya heard it. Her heart raced miles per second, like previous night when she guessed the brother-sister's plans.
Shivina made her irresistible puppy eyes and requested, "Di, please, when he proposes, act surprised. Okay?" she asked, confirming.
She ignored the tingling sensation in her stomach and, giving a weak nod, left.
A fleeting moment. A sudden alliance. A conflict. An overheard conversation. A revelation. Too much to deal with in 24 hours.
Every event pushes her to the opposite side of whatever she decides. She felt like one of the balls of the pendulum in the experiment of conservation of momentum, which wouldn't stop until an external intervention.
First, it was Nandini's request snd Meera's assumption that she gave in despite her apprehensions, and then it was Shubham's opinion that she stepped back.
Where was he in all this?
The refusal was for him.
If so, why was she searching for him now when she had made a choice for them?
She didn't know why she had an urge to find him, where to find him, or what to say upon meeting him, yet she kept walking.
There was no argument that Mr. Kapoor was the best partner anyone could have ever asked for; the revelation was the cherry on the cake.
The real issue was her.
She didn't think she was worthy of him. It solidified after overhearing Shubham, and she decided to stop fighting for herself.
But after finding out it was him who comforted her, knowing everything he has done for her and releasing what he is for her, she didn't feel letting go was the answer.
This time, she knew she must fight with herself. For him.
Priya blinked at Tarun and mumbled a thank you, smiling as he pointed to the room.
She stood at the doorway and scanned the room, but Mr. Kapoor was nowhere to be found. She was about to leave when she heard the water from the bathroom. She went in and paused at the dressing table, unsure of what to do next.
Love gives strength and courage, but it also brings fear and insecurities, which weaken you.
She had let weakness take over several times. Today, for the first time, she dared to follow her heart.
"Mr. Kapoor"
Pri... Priya!? Yaha?
"Ek... ek second!" he shouted, going thoughtless after hearing her cracked-up voice. Instead of washing his face, he dabbed the napkin on his face to wipe the tears and rushed to the door.
He had just opened the door and stepped out when he heard, "Shaadi karenge mujhse?"