"Is it really happening, Krish?" Radhika asked, her hands trembling as she glanced at him.
"I can't believe it either," he replied. "After so many ups and downs..." His fingers intertwined with hers, as she blushed.
"...we're finally getting married."
A small wedding was to be held with Radhika and Krish, with only their close relatives and friends invited. She ran her fingers over the invitation.
"It's beautiful," she whispered. "It's so beautiful that it seems unreal. Are we actually getting married?"
"Why?" He said, in a joking tone. "Do you not want to get married to me?"
She frowned and slapped his arm playfully. "No, Krish. It's just....I've thought about our wedding for so long and...it-it's finally happening. This seems so ethereal...so magical."
He nodded. His hand cupped her cheek as he leaned his forehead against hers. "I know. We'll finally be husband and wife."
She smiled. "I can't wait."
"Neither can I."
{ ~ }
"Radhika, listen," Krish began. "I will smear haldi on your face before anyone else."
"Krish! We aren't supposed to do that, you know," she said pointedly.
"Hmm, then tell me," he said, resting his head on his shoulder. "When have we ever followed the rules?"
She sighed in defeat, knowing that she'll have to agree with what the stubborn Krish Agarwal says. "Theek hai, fine."
When the day of their haldi ceremony came, Krish's bhabhi, Dau's wife, and Radhika's friend Revati stood in front of the wife-to-be sternly.
"Wha-why are you doing this, Revati?" she asked.
Revati placed her hands on her hips then looked at Radhika, the stern look still on her face. "I'm guarding you," she said.
"Why?" Radhika asked. "There's no reason for you to guard me."
"No, no, no, no!" Revati exclaimed. "I know Krish very well. And I know that he'll try to sneak into your room, and attempt to apply haldi on your face. And that won't happen as long as I'm here!"
"He won't sneak inside my room, Revati," Radhika said, her ears turning pink for she knew very well that Krish would do exactly that.
"No, Radhi, I know my brother-in-law's ways of tricking people," Revati insisted. "He'll do anything just to catch a glimpse of his wife."
Radhika blushed. For some reason, she felt jittery, slightly confused and would get flustered if anyone mentioned that she was going to be Krish's wife or that he would be her husband.
Was this how everyone felt before their wedding?
"Accha...Revati?"
"Hmm?"
"When is the haldi ceremony starting?" Radhika asked.
"I don't know," Revati replied. "Maybe in another hour or so."
"I'm hungry. Can you get me something to eat?" Radhika then added, "Please? My stomach is grumbling."
Revati looked at Radhika's wide brown eyes and sighed. "Okay fine, I'll get some food for you. Stay here, okay?"
Radhika nodded, looking as if she would not dare to do anything else. She held her breath as Revati walked out, then quickly picked up her phone and called Krish.
"Where are you? I managed to send Revati away. Come fast, I don't know when she will come back," she said hurriedly.
"Breathe, Radhe, breathe. I'm coming. Theek hai?"
"Theek hai."
She clutched the dupatta of light yellow kurti, tapping her fingers against the edge of her bed, anticipating Krish's arrival.
"Hello, Radha!" he exclaimed, waltzing in with a bowl of haldi behind his back.
"Why are you shouting so much?" She asked, glaring at him. "Do you want the entire world to know that you're here?"
"Yes I do!" He continued, as he knelt before her, his face inches away from hers.
"Because you are my world."
She groaned, as Krish laughed. "Hey bhagwan, I'd rather die than bear the torture of his filmy dialogues!" She said.
"Shanti, shanti, meri Radhika," he said, "I still have to put the haldi on you."
"Haan, haan, make it quick," she mumbled.
Krish dipped his fingers in the bowl of haldi, then smeared it across her face. "You're mine now," he whispered.
Radhika blushed, feeling her heart's pace quicken. "I've always been yours," she whispered under her breath.
"What was that?" He asked.
"I've always been yours," she repeated, a little more louder this time.
"I can't hear youuu!"
She frowned as he snickered, knowing very well that he was annoying her. "I won't tell you!" She said. Then she waved her hand. "Bhag yaha se, Revati can come back at any time."
"I can't leave," he said, pulling her towards him. "I need two things."
"And that is...?"
"You haven't put haldi on me yet," he replied then edged closer to her as she closed her eyes, waiting for his lips to fall on hers. "And a promise!" He said, titling his head away before they could kiss.
Her eyes opened as she pinched him. "Idiot! Dumbass! Asshole!" She cursed him.
"Theek hai, theek hai, you can kiss me," he said.
"No one needs your kiss over here," she said, shaking her head at him.
"Are you sure?" He asked, moving towards her again.
She nodded, far too irritated at him to respond to him with words.
"Are you really sure, Radhe?"
All of her resolve at not speaking to him melted away along with her heart at his Radhe. Radhika's head turned towards him as her lips met his.
When they pulled away, a smile was on her face as she plunged her fingers in the haldi then ran it across his cheek, as his smile mirrored hers.
"What romance is going on here?" Revati asked, causing the couple to jerk away from each other.
Krish blushed profusely as Radhika got up.
"I leave for ten minutes and you both can't keep your hands off each other!" Revati said, shaking her head sternly.
"Nothing of that sort, Revati," Radhika said, getting just as flustered as her soon to be husband.
"There's no need to explain," Revati said, tapping her brother-in-law's shoulder. "Jao, Krish. I think your work here has been done."
Krish smiled nervously and got up. He glanced at Radhika as she couldn't help but blush for what seemed like the millionth time on that day.
"What are you looking at?" Revati spoke up. "Move on, Krish!" She gave a knowing look to both of them.
{ ~ }
That night, after both of their haldi ceremonies were finished, Radhika met Krish at their garden. Her eyes scanned the moon, which scattered its moonlight everywhere. Fluffy and dense clouds lazily drifted across the midnight blue sky that was glittering with stars.
"It's a beautiful night isn't it?" He asked, pulling her out of her trance.
She nodded as she gazed at him.
"What happened?" He asked, a smile laying on his lips.
"We're getting married tomorrow," she said, wrapping her hands around his arm as she rested her head on his shoulder, a soft sigh escaping from her lips.
"I know," he said, lacing his fingers with hers. "Are you excited?"
She nodded. "I'm a little bit nervous too," she replied.
"Why?"
"We're stepping into a new journey in life, Krish," she said. "As husband and wife. We'll go through many things, and we will experience things we've never experienced before. So many things could go wrong."
"You're right," he agreed. He shifted away from her a little bit then kissed her forehead. "But we can get through it."
"We will get through it," she corrected him.
Krish grinned. "So, we will meet tomorrow, Mrs Agarwal?"
Radhika blushed again. "Of course, Mr Agarwal."
{ ~ }
MY BABIES ARE GETTING MARRIEDDD! 😭💘
Yes you are interacting with an emotional author right now. NFVUH THEY'RE GETTING MAAARRRRIEEEEEEDDD!
DEEP BREATH. DEEP BREATH.
I'M FINE. i'M fInE.
I hope y'all enjoyed this bonus chapter, and I'll see you in the next one!
[ alsooo WE'RE HITTING 12K SOOOON! ]