Flashback continued-
Kartik stopped his car in a place as the lady asked him to. She got down off the car along with him.
K "Aunty yeh hai apka ghar? It's quite beautiful." He complimented.
"Thank you beta, Lekin mera nahi meri beti ka sasural hai." She answered smiling.
K "Oh toh aap unse milne aayi hai. I think yaha koi function hai." He said seeing all decorations around the house.
"Haan, Ek choti si function hai."
K "Acha aab main chalta hoon. Please take care."
"Arey aise kaise? Andar toh aao. Tumne meri itni help ki."
K "Koi baat nahi Aunty. Aap apna dyaan rakhna. Sorry I can't come." He replied with a small smile.
"Dekho maine tumhari baat sunne ke mann gayi. Aab tumhe bhi manni padegi."
And he couldn't refuse her anymore. But it was really awkward to walk in a unknown place.
Kartik walked inside when he got amazed seeing someone there.
K "Naksh!"
Naksh "Kartik? What a surprise!" They both exclaimed in shock and hugged each-other happily.
K "Tum yaha?" He asked as Naksh's family gathered around them. Kartik greeted everyone politely before he asked that question.
Naksh "Yeh toh mujhe puchna chahiye tum mere ghar pe meri Nani ke saath kya kar rahe ho?" He asked.
K "What? Yeh tumhari Nani hai?" He asked looking at her and she nodded.
"Actually kya hua.." He described the whole scene and his family understood the situation.
"Acha tumlog batao tumdono kaise jante ho ek dusre ko?" Akshara, Naksh's mother asked.
Naksh "Nani, Main Manali trip pe gaya tha tab uske sath meri dosti hogayi. Waha se aane ke baad phir kabhi milna nahi hua. Aur dusri baat ye hai ki ye Keerti ka Bhai hai." He replied and everyone gaped in surprise.
Keerti and Naksh are in a relationship but only their family members knew this.
Naksh "Aap usse nahi jante kyuki yeh janab US se 2 din pehle hi aaya hai. Main bhi kaha mil paya tha. Baas jane se pehle ekbaar mila tha aur humari mulaqat hogayi phirse."
"Keerti ne bataya tha Tumare bare mein..
Chalo aaj dekh bhi liya." Naitik, Naksh's father said smiling.
K "Nice meeting you all. Actually main apni personal issues leke busy tha. Keerti ne kitni baar kaha milne ke liye but I could not. Aab toh roz milna hoga. Main chalta hoon Aunty."
"Tum mujhe Nani bula sakte ho..Main Naksh ki nani hoon. Toh tumhari bhi hui nah." Kartik just grinned at her sweet gesture.
K "Okay Nani, vaise aapko pata hai aap bohot sweet hai."
"And you miss sweety, kya naam hai apka?" He asked when he felt a pretty girl around age 6 was staring at him.
"Mishti."
K "Such a pretty name." He said pulling her cheeks.
"Aap bhi bohot cute ho."
K "Thank you pretty lady. Okay main chalta hoon."
Naksh "Come, let's go." Kartik nodded.
Strange is someone was not there. Not yet.
Day passed and Kartik used to visit Singhania sadan most of the time. Eventually he had a great bond with them, especially with Nani.
A fine day, Kartik visited Singhania with Keerti. It was Naksh and Keerti's engagement after a day. Everyone was very excited and happy.
The happiness was double as Naksh's sister, Naira was also coming after completing her education from cape town.
Naksh "Main toh bohot excited hoon usse milne ke liye. Usse Keerti ko dekhna tha but maine nahi dikhaya. Pehle yaha ajaye phir." He said shrugging his shoulder and everyone chuckled at his action.
"Main kudh lene jaunga apni princess ko." His father said excitedly.
"Aap kyu? Main chalungi saath." His mother said in same excitement
Kartik smiled seeing her happiness on her arrival. They love her so much maybe. Obviously they do.
K "Naira Singhania!"
This is the first time he took her name and his heart felt something. No he never saw her not even in picture. He didn't know why but he too was excited to meet her.
___
Kartik was lying on his bed. He was turning, tossing on his bed, not able to sleep.
K "Neend kyu nahi aarahi?" He wondered but the reason is very weird. He was thinking of a person whom he never met.
"I can't believe main us insaan ke bare mein soch raha hoon jisse maine kabhi dekha hi nahi. Kya horaha hai yeh? Kya karu main tumhara Naira!" He said to himself hugging his pillow.
With that he slept and woke up when the rays of sun hit his face. He yawned as he didn't want to wake this soon. But he felt a hand caressing his hair.
"Kartik" A whisper rang into his ears to which he smiled in sleep. He was so in love with the sweet voice.
Realizing something, he got up with a jerk within a second but found no one.
K "Was it a dream?" He ruffled his hairs confused.
"Jo bhi tha kitni pyaari awaz thi uski. Kahi main Naira ke bare mein toh? Wait! kya soch raha hai. It's impossible. You didn't even see her. Oh God! Main pagal hojaunga." He finally thought to put on a break on his thoughts.
"Jaldi se fresh hojata hoon. Naksh se milna bhi hai. At least Mera mind toh divert hojayega." He sighed and went to washroom.
Singhania family and Goenka family were meeting today for the grant ceremony, on the occasion of their engagement. It was in the evening yet they had some kind of ritual to fulfill they thought to do it in the morning itself.
Naksh "Papa, abhi office se phone aaya tha. Waha kisi client ke sath problem hogayi hai someone have to go there."
Naitik "But abhi toh Naira ko lene airport jana hai nah. Aur tumhara yaha rehna zaruri hai Naksh. It's your ritual. Akshara bhi nahi jaa sakti. Yaha pe uska hona zaruri hai."
They were tensed what to do now! Kartik was observing all this and he got an idea.
K "Uncle, aap kyu tension le rahe hai? I can go pick Naira." He said surprising everyone.
K "Kya hua? Main nahi jaa sakta kya?" He asked as everyone was staring at him weirdly.
Naitik "Beta, tumne toh usse dekha bhi nahi."
K "Big deal! Aap mujhe uski picture send kar dijiye. Main usse le aaunga. problem solved." He answered very casually unaware what trouble was coming in his way.
Naitik "Thank you so much Kartik. Toh hum nikalte hai. Naksh tum usse Naira ke picture bhej dena. I need to leave."
Kartik also left before Naksh sent the picture. He was on his way to airport.
K "Jisse dur bhag raha tha ab usiko lene jaa raha hoon. Wow! What a beautiful incident!" He blabbered to himself and in no time reached his destination.
K "Naksh toh picture bhejne wali tha. Let me call." He took out his phone only to see it was switched off. He facepalmed himself. Now the trouble occurred!
"Uski flight toh land bhi ho chuki hogi. What to do now Kartik? Main usse kaise pehchanunga?" He sighed and thought of a way.
Meanwhile a beautiful girl came out from the airport counter, wearing a pretty outfit. Her hairs were messy and a bracelet was adoring her hand. She looked perfect.
Taking her bags, she turned to other side where he was standing. But his face was not clear. While Kartik noticed the girl from back.
K "Kahi yeh toh nahi? But.." He saw her in totally different clothes.
"Nani ne toh kaha tha bohot sanskari hai but this girl looks quite modern. She can't be Naira." He judged pretty quickly.
They both didn't see each-other still. That beautiful girl was just turning her face to his side when an unknown lady bumped into a guy along with her and her passport fell down.
"Sorry beta, tumhara passport." The lady said.
"Aap dekhke nahi chal sakte kya? gira diya sabkuch. Yaha kisi ko lag jati toh." That girl said in a little loud voice.
The whole focus shifted on her. Kartik also noticed. She was surely scolding that stupid guy but he thought she was bursting on that lady.
Kartik got angry at the scene misunderstanding the situation. He came from nowhere and started to lecture her.
K "Do you have any manners Miss? Aap itni si baat k liye une daant rahi hai? Woh apse badi hai thoda respect toh kar leti." As he was still not facing her and was scolding her coming from behind.
N "Excuse me?" She turned towards him finally.
And that one look! His heart skipped a beat seeing her beautiful face. Maybe his heart fell for her already.
K "Why are you being so rude?" He asked again. She remained silent and ignoring his presence she said to that guy for whom this blunder happened.
N "Be careful when you walk. Aapki wajah se unhe chot lag jati. Say sorry to her." She said to the guy ignoring him totally.
"Sorry Ma'am. I didn't realize." The guy said and left from there while Kartik got the whole matter.
"Beta, I am sorry. Bina wajah isne tumhe daant diya." The lady said looking towards Kartik who was embarrassed by then.
"Tumhara passport.." That was on the floor and the lady was going to take it.
"No..no.. Aunty. I will do it. It's okay. Aap jaiye." She said in her very sweet voice enough to melt anyone.
"Kitni pyaari bachi hai." The lady blessed her and she too left.
*Kartik ka toh popat hogya.* Hehe
K "I am sorr...." He tried to apologise but she left making faces.
"Yeh kia kardiya Kartik? bechari ko aise hi daant diya. Hayee! She is so beautiful. And her voice! Jaise maine sapne mein suna tha. Kahi yeh Naira toh nahi? Sanskari ka matlab yeh toh nahi ki aise kapde nahi pehen sakti. Tu bhi nah Kartik. Let me call her." He was hesitating very much after that incident.
"Agar woh Naira hua toh okay let me just call her. Phir jo hoga dekha jayega." He took a deep breathe before calling her name.
"Naira?" She turned immediately with his call.
K "She is beautiful." His heart said it again.
Kartik you are flirting. Behave yourself!
I hope yeh Naira ho." He wished and kept his fingers crossed. She was coming in his way taking slow steps.
How was the first meet? Did you like the chapter? If yes then do vote and comment. Take care~J 💮