Part 25

Khushi's heart was pounding in her chest as she stepped out of the car and made a run towards the 'Departure' area. There was obviously an ocean of people, travelers as well as their loved ones, that had come there to bid goodbyes to the ones leaving.

She, however, was here with exactly the opposite purpose. She was here to make him stop.

And she had a very good reason to do so.

Scanning the crowd, she didn't take more than a couple of minutes to spot Arnav in the queue to enter the airport. As the security process in Indian airport goes, an additional document check was needed before you enter the luggage check in area, and Arnav was in that line.

He was about to give his passport to the security for checking, when she took it rather snatched it.

"Khushi?" Arnav asked, astonished to see her here.

"Aap humein aise chod kar nahi jaa sakte (You cannot leave me alone like this)." She said the first thing that came to her mind.

When she woke up today, Khushi noticed Arnav's absence in the house. It was only when Kashish mentioned how she had told Arnav she would stay behind while he wished to return to London that Khushi lost her senses or rather, "regained them", and decided to rush to the airport before it was too late.

Arnav looked around them, confused faces staring at them. The security personnel were giving him a stern glare.

Arnav sighed and taking hold of Khushi's delicate hand, he led them to the side, "Khushi, I am not going away permanently. I will come back, ok?" He said, trying to calm her down.

"But why are you leaving?"

He looked at her with hooded eyes, trying to answer her difficult question. He was leaving because he wanted to give her some space. He was leaving so that she didn't feel burdened to give into some sort of implied pressure to be his wife. He was leaving so that he didn't overwhelm her with his presence. And mainly he was leaving because he didn't trust himself anymore that he could stay in the same house yet stay so far away from her...

Arnav knew she loved him. Arnav had sensed her emotions. After all, she could never hide them from him, her eyes spoke to him even before her lips put it into words! He knew her like the back of his hand. He knew that even though she had always liked him, perhaps desired him, with their marriage revelation, there had been a wall of insecurity that formed between them now. And he couldn't break it until now.

"You are not going anywhere." He heard her say and snatch his passport.

Arnav looked at her helplessly, trying to summon some strength to deny her without hurting her. His going away was for her sake only. So, he tried to gently tell her so, "I have to, khushi. I have some pending work in London. But I will come back soon. Now give me my passport."

"No." she said with finality and to his horror, tore the passport in 2 pieces, "You are not going anywhere."

"Did you just tear my passport?" he asked, aghast at her action.

Khushi's large, doe eyes had started filling by now, her button nose turning red. She was so angry at him for leaving like that and then she was also so frustrated at herself for not being able to tell him that she loved him too. So, both emotions had clashed in her brain and totally made a mess!

But the anger at him was seemingly dominant for now. So, ignoring his shocked reaction at her tearing his passport-no less, she said through her clogged throat, "You lied to me, Arnav. Jhoothe hai aap (You are a liar)."

"Khushi, main (I)-"

"Don't. Don't try to say anything. What had you said? 'Khushi, you can take as much time as you need, I will wait'. But what happened in reality? You couldn't even wait for a few days, could you?"

She was really so annoyed at the moment. Agreed, she didn't remember him, or at least a big part of their past. But what about him? He had his memories intact right? He did have an advantage of knowing, remembering, gauging her reactions. He claimed to love her, he claimed to know her so well like the back of his hand.... Then why didn't he know this much that she didn't want him to leave?

His silence was killing her.

"Boliye ab, chup kyun hai (Speak up, now. Why are you silent)?"

"You asked me to be silent." He mumbled.

She glared at him, indicating it was no time for jokes.

He schooled his expression and said, "Khushi I didn't lie. You have all my time, until my last day on this planet."

"Then why are you leaving?"

"Because the reason for which I had stayed back is done. I extended my stay because Shyam was out of prison. Now that he is no longer a threat to you-"

"What if some other threat comes? What if someone else-"

"No one will do anything to you." He said, clenching his fists and jaw.

"Then stay back and ensure that."

"Khushi..." he closed his eyes in exasperation.

A suppressed, bad, worse, worst memory got triggered when she asked him to stay like that. Repeatedly. With tears in her eyes.

The last time she had begged him to stay like this was 3 years ago, at this same airport and he had not listened. What had followed was his kidnapping, her eventual accident and...

The different was this khushi post-memory loss had become more assertive in her actions, in her way of exercising her right on him....

But before he could tell her his decision that he was going to stay, that he would do whatever she wanted even if it meant torturing himself staying near her yet far from her, that this time, he wouldn't leave her teary-eyed and turn his back to her, that he would figure out their future, he heard her say,

"Arnav, I– I want to say something." Khushi played with her fingers nervously as she averted her eyes at first, "That day when- when Shyam was- I thought I lost you." her teary gaze finally met his, and then held it, "And that fear made me realize what I was struggling to accept all along. What I feel for you isn't just attraction, infatuation or gratefulness, Arnav. You asked me why it matters to me if you got hurt, right?" she asked and he held his breath, barely nodding.

"Aapne pucha tha ki farak kyun padta hai (You asked why does it matter)? Humein farak padta hai kyunki baat aap ki hai (It matters to me because it is about you)! Kyun ki hum aap ke bina nahi reh sakte. Kyunki hum aap se pyar karte hai, Arnav (because I cannot live without you, because I love you, Arnav)."

The world stopped spinning for a second, everything else around them blurred, every other sound muted except the loud dhak-dhak of their hearts.

"I love you, Arnav. Please don't go." Khushi repeated, as if to tell him he didn't imagine those words. The words that he had only heard her say in his dreams, the moment he had waited for an eternity to hear her tell him she loved him, he had stopped giving himself any hopes for it ever happening and now it was happening for real!

That was all the encouragement he needed.

That was EVERYTHING he needed.

The next second she was engulfed in his arms, his hold strong and delicate at the same time! Uncaring of their audience. Safe in his arms where she belonged.

"Main bhi nahi reh sakta, Khushi (I also cannot live without you, Khushi). Don't let me go away from you, ever." He said, tightening his hold around her.

"I won't!" she chuckled through her tears.

"I love you." he whispered, kissing the side of her head, still encased within his arms.

The sound of whistles, cheering and claps around them made them realize they had a huge audience, Indian and international! The women in the crowd sighed dreamily at the romantic display, while the men couldn't help but envy Arnav for winning such a gorgeous lady's heart!

Arnav and Khushi separated, but when Khushi tried to move away, she felt a tug on her hand as Arnav refused to let go.

Khushi looked down at their joined hands, a flash of memory rushing through her, a sense of déjà vu. It was as if they stood here exactly like this before, their hearts beating with the same passion, but that time it was she who had tugged at his hand, not him holding hers... Was it from the same moment in the past, when Arnav had left her without giving in to her requests?

She looked at him, then around at her surroundings. And suddenly, she realized that she no longer felt restless being here at the airport. Whatever fear she'd had about entering the airport seemed to have faded, healed.

--*--

Precap – "Hum aap ko kuch aur bulate the (Did I call you something else)?"

"Depended on your mood of the day actually. But most times it was Arnavji."

"Arnavji" she tasted the word on her tongue.

"Sometimes Laad governor." he continued.

"L- Laad governor? And you let me call you that?"

"You never needed my permission." he shrugged his shoulders, "When you were angry, you called me Rakshas or shaitan and there was one time when you called me Swami."

And she started violently coughing hearing that.

--*--

A/N - Ladies and gentlemen (we have about 7%), please do let me know if you liked the confession, was it up to the mark as it should be for an 'I love you dammit' moment. I added the special precap to make up for the short chapter and mainly for @happyy_me as she's waiting for this moment for long.♥

As I mentioned, the journey from here is only about 'memories'. But do we want a big fat Indian wedding with all rituals- shagun to suhagraat in that order- for our ArShi before that? 🥰