Chapter 11

Part 11 - ‘Tum se hi’

Virat, still in a joyous mood, comes down to the living area and takes Ashirwad from everyone. He is also continuously eyeing Sai and wants to tease her about sleeping on the bed. During Pooja, he makes sure to sit next to her cross legged on the floor and tickles her feet when everyone is busy praying. Sai opens her eyes and gives him an angry look which further encourages him. He leans near her and gently whispers “Kaisi neend aai aaj subah?” Sai mock glares at him wishing he would stop troubling her and attempts to hide the blush rising in her cheeks.

Later, after the pooja is over and everyone is ambling about, Virat is standing near the dining area slightly away from everyone's eyes. He hints at Sai to come near him. When she does, he asks her for another laddoo. Sai, exasperated with his attempts at troubling her, thinks this would keep him occupied for some time and promptly brings the box to him. As she takes one laddoo in her hand, Virat quickly holds her wrist and eats it directly from her hand, touching his lips to her hand. Sai gasps at the touch and he winks again “Tumhare haath se laddoo aaj bhi bahot meetha lagta hai'' and runs away taking the box. Sai, stunned to the core is left standing there, clutching her hand and reliving the sensations it created. 

Mohit and Shivani are noticing the change in Virat's behaviour and decide to tease him. 

“Kyun Dada, ek hi mandap main do shaadi karva de?”

“Hainnn… dusri kiski?” asks Virat, unable to comprehend.

“Aapki aur kiski?... kaho to ladki dekh le?”

Virat seriously blushes at the idea and says “Dekh to li hai.. Puchna baki hai”. All three of them look at Sai at this, whereas she who is busy talking to Samrat suddenly notices this and questions with raised eyebrows. Samrat too, notices the happiness on Virat’s face and decides that maybe he needs to talk to his brother - heart to heart.

Later at night, Samrat knocks on Virat’s door. Virat, who is lost in Sai’s thoughts, sees Samrat and his face falls.

Samrat - “Jaanta hun Shiva, tu mujhe expect nahi kar raha tha.. Par mujhe kuch baat karni hai”

Virat - “Nahi aisa nahi hai… bolo na”

Samrat - “Shayad tu mujh se naraz hai aur main shayad uski vajah bhi jaanta hun”

Virat - “Kya Sai ne kuch kaha?”

Samrat - “Nahi, vo kyun kahegi? Tera bhai hun.. Bachpan se saath rahe hai.. Itna to jaanta hun na tujhe”

Virat suddenly feeling bad about how he is treating his brother, goes near him and says “Mera vo matlab nahi tha, par Sai ne kuch aisi hi baat kahi thi mujhse isliye mujhe laga”

Samrat - “Dekh Shiva, main jaanta hun ki tu mujhse naraz hai aur vajah bhi jayaz hai.. Par ab vo sab badal gaya hai.. And I know tu chahta hai ki tu aur Sai phirse nayi shuruvat kare.. I don't want to stop that. I know she makes you happy. She completes you. Aur main apne bhai ki khushi main kaise aade aa sakta hun… I am with you and Sai…and whatever you decide I will support you both”

“Aur rahi baat Patralekha ki, vo badal gai hai, lekin main phir bhi teri khatir uspe nazar rakhunga… I will make sure she does not create any problems”

Virat, overwhelmed at how well his brother understands him, goes and tightly hugs him.

“Sorry Jeeva… maine tujhe galat samjha…I missed you yaar”

After Samrat leaves, Virat video calls Sai and thanks her for making him talk the other day and unburdening himself and sends her another song.

Na hai yeh pana, Na khona hi hai

Tera na hona jaane, Kyun hona hi hai

Tum se hi din hota hai, Surmai shaam aati hai

Tum se hi, tum se hi

Har ghadi saans aati hai, Zindagi kehlati hai

Tum se hi, tum se hi

Wedding week

A few days to go for the wedding, Sai has taken leave from the hospital and Shivani has asked her to stay at Chavan Niwas until the wedding. Virat is more than happy at this development and so is the ‘SaiRat’ gang. They are still creating scenarios where Sai and Virat get to spend more and more time together with each other. 

Virat’s room has become the command centre for everything related to wedding and so Sai is busy preparing some lists and packing stuff while sitting in the room. She is engrossed in her work and  doesn't notice Virat standing there and admiring her. She stands up to get something, too focused on the notebook in her hand and bumps into Virat. He quickly steadies her by putting his hand around her waist. Her shocked expression makes him smile and he says “Koi film ke poster jaise lag rahe hai hum”. 

Sai, with flushed cheeks struggles to leave his embrace and moves towards the cupboard. It is then she notices her nemesis and screams loudly, turning around and hiding her face in Virat’s chest. 

“Kya hua??? Kyun chillai?"

Without looking up and mumbling “chhhhppplll”

“Kya…thik se batao?”

Sai looks up and points towards the item of her distress…

“Oh… ye to meri Chippu hai” chuckles Virat.

“Aapko majak sujh raha hai… bhagaiye use”

“Bilkul nahi bhagaunga… uski vajah se to tum itne paas aati ho”

Hearing this, Sai suddenly is aware how close she is. She can feel his breath on her skin and her hands are feeling his faster heartbeat. She looks up at him and his eyes hold such command over hers that she cannot look away even if she wants to. There's a tenderness yet passion seeping through and a question lurking somewhere. Sai feels her own heart rate rising and she bites her lip. Virat feels her conceding and he leans towards her. He gulps, his eyes moving back and forth between her eyes and her lips and seeing her acceptance kisses her. 

Sai too accepts it willingly and the tenderness of the first touch gives way to a passionate encounter. It's as if all the chains have been broken and the pent up emotions of the past are bursting through this kiss. This one moment of love, care and attachment. 

They break after a few moments and both are shocked on realising how much they both wanted this since long and are happy that finally they have crossed this barrier. They are engaged in an eyelock and a range of emotions can be seen in their eyes. The kiss has substantiated that they belong together and it would be worthless to fight it and that it is only a matter of time before they truly would be one. 

A blushing Sai finally moves to go away from the room only to be called by Virat who says, 

"Suno… aaj se Chipkali mera favourite animal hai"

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I dont know what I wrote. I have no words for myself and the second part of this story . Eagerly waiting for comments. Song is ‘Tum se hi’ from Jab we Met.