Chapter 1

Mrinalini

@minakrish

Bagging Trouble

Writer: minakrish | Graphicer: WildestDreams | Theme: Bag

Another of my OS entry in the Mixed Bag of Celebrations, the beautiful cover made by my friend Parm aka Wildy.

Khushi Kumari Gupta sat impatiently in the airport terminal, tapping her foot on the polished floor. She glanced over at her fiancé, Arnav Singh Raizada, who was sitting across from her, engrossed in his phone. The bustling crowd around them only added to her restlessness.

"Laad Governor," she muttered under her breath, rolling her eyes at the thought of her fiancé. Even now, after months of being engaged, Arnav still found ways to frustrate her. But there was no denying the warmth that crept into her heart every time she thought of him—how he had proposed in his own gruff, awkward way, how his eyes softened whenever they were alone.

“How long are we going to be stuck here?” she sighed dramatically.

Arnav glanced up, smirking. “Khushi, it’s only been fifteen minutes.”

“Well, fifteen minutes feels like forever when there’s nothing to do!” She huffed, glancing around the terminal again, hoping something—anything—would catch her attention.

They were returning from a quick trip to Lucknow for some last-minute wedding shopping, but the wait at the airport had stretched longer than Khushi’s patience. Being engaged to Arnav hadn’t magically changed how easily he could get under her skin.

She tapped her fingers on the armrest of the chair, her mind racing. The engagement had been a whirlwind, much like everything with Arnav. One minute they were at each other’s throats, the next they were planning a wedding. Khushi still couldn’t believe how quickly their relationship had progressed, though her heart swelled with happiness at the thought of spending the rest of her life with him. Still, in moments like this—sitting idly, waiting—her thoughts wandered, and her impatience grew.

And then, her eyes locked on it. A black and white floral print, unattended bag lying next to the charging station. Her heart skipped a beat.

“Arnavji, wahan dekhiye!” she whispered, nudging him. “Uss bag ko. No one’s picked it up in ages!”

Arnav raised an eyebrow, following her gaze. “So?”

“So? It could be suspicious!” Khushi leaned in, lowering her voice. “Aapne yahan ke announcements nahi sune kya? Unattended bags can be dangerous!”

Arnav smirked, leaning back in his seat. “You think someone left a bomb in the middle of a busy airport?”

Khushi gasped, slapping his arm. “Don’t say that out loud!”

He chuckled, clearly amused by her dramatic reaction. “Relax, Khushi. It’s probably just someone’s misplaced luggage.”

But Khushi’s eyes narrowed. “We can’t be sure. We should report it.”

Arnav put his phone away, leaning toward her with an amused expression. “You’re serious?”

“Of course I am!” Khushi’s voice dropped to a whisper. “This could be a matter of life or death! Don’t you watch the news?”

Before she could say more, Arnav stood up. “Fine. Let’s check it out.”

“Arnavji, nahi!” Khushi grabbed his arm, pulling him back. “Agar sach mein kuch khatarnaak hua to? We should call security!”

Arnav sighed, giving her a playful yet exasperated look. “Khushi, it’s just a bag.”

But Khushi wasn’t convinced. Her mind raced with possibilities—what if it really was dangerous? What if it exploded the second they got too close? Her stomach twisted at the thought. She glanced at the nearby security guards, debating whether she should just go over and report it herself.

A flight attendant passed by, eyeing the bag but walking away without taking any action. Khushi’s anxiety spiked. Why was no one else reacting? Were they all oblivious to the danger? She chewed her lip nervously.

As Arnav took a step toward the bag, the loudspeaker blared overhead, announcing another flight delay. Khushi’s nerves frayed further, her eyes darting back to the bag. Had it shifted slightly, or was it her imagination?

Her heart pounded. “Arnavji, please, kisiko bata dete hain. Mujhe kuch sahi nahi lag raha.”

But before she could make a move, Arnav had already started walking toward the bag, shaking his head. “Tum itni tension mat lo, Khushi.”

Khushi followed him, her heart pounding as they approached the bag. She glanced around nervously—why wasn’t anyone else bothered by it? How could everyone just go on with their business when there was clearly an unattended bag sitting in plain sight?

Just then, a security officer appeared at the far end of the terminal, making his rounds. Khushi’s heart leapt with hope. Maybe he’d notice the bag, and they could leave the situation in the hands of professionals. She tugged on Arnav’s sleeve, motioning toward the officer.

“Arnavji, security desk wahan hai. Unko bata dete hain.”

But Arnav ignored her plea slid open the zipper. Khushi felt a rush of panic, her pulse quickening as she imagined all sorts of terrible scenarios. What if it really was a bomb? What if they were too close when it went off? What if—

Arnav pulled out a red scarf, holding it up in mock triumph. “Dangerous, isn’t it?”

Khushi blinked, staring at the scarf in disbelief. “A scarf?”

“Looks like someone’s going to be cold tonight,” Arnav quipped, standing up.

Before Khushi could retort, a flustered woman came rushing over, her eyes wide. “That’s mine!” she exclaimed, snatching the scarf from Arnav’s hand. “Thank you, I thought I’d lost it!”

Khushi let out a relieved breath, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment. She wanted to sink into the ground, feeling foolish for jumping to conclusions.

As the woman hurried away, Arnav turned to Khushi with a smug expression. “So, no bomb, no drama. Just a missing scarf. Ab khush?”

Khushi folded her arms, trying to maintain her dignity. “Humein kaise pata hota? Better safe than sorry!”

Arnav stepped closer, his voice softening. “You always think the worst is going to happen, Khushi.”

She rolled her eyes. “Because it usually does around you.”

He chuckled, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “Good thing I’m here to handle it.”

Khushi’s heart fluttered as she gazed up at him, momentarily distracted by the warmth in his eyes. “What would you do without me worrying about everything?”

“Live a quiet, peaceful life,” Arnav teased, before leaning in closer. “But I’d miss this.”

Khushi smiled despite herself, her heart warming at his playful tone. His hand lingered on her waist as they stood in the middle of the bustling terminal, the chaos around them fading away.

“Fine, you win this one,” Khushi muttered, trying to regain her composure. “But next time, listen to me.”

“Deal,” Arnav said, pulling her into a brief hug. He pressed a light kiss on her temple, making her blush in the crowded airport.

Just then, the boarding announcement for their flight echoed through the terminal. Khushi glanced up, surprised to see the lines forming at the gate.

“Finally!” she said, grabbing her bag. “I was starting to think we’d never get out of here.”

Arnav smirked, draping an arm over her shoulders as they headed toward the gate. “At least you won’t be bored anymore. But try not to save the world on the flight, alright?”

Khushi frowned and her eyes lingered on the sea of bags scattered across the terminal. She frowned, noticing another bag, a slightly larger one this time.

“Arnavji, look!” she tugged on his arm again. “There’s another bag! What if—what if I was right all along, and that scarf was just a distraction?”

Arnav looked over, his brow furrowing slightly as he spotted the bag. “Khushi, you’re overthinking again.”

“I’m not! Look at it—no one’s claiming that one either!” Khushi’s voice was urgent. “It’s too much of a coincidence, don’t you think? Two unattended bags in the same terminal?”

Arnav sighed, rubbing his temple. “Khushi, not every bag is a ticking time bomb. And no, I don’t think it’s a conspiracy.”

“But what if it’s part of a bigger plot?” she pressed, her eyes wide. “We should at least ask someone!”

Arnav couldn’t help but chuckle. “Fine, fine,” he said, holding up his hands in mock surrender. “Let’s ask. But if it turns out to be another lost scarf, you owe me dinner.”

Khushi bit her lip, her mind racing with the possibilities. They made their way toward the security counter, where a young officer stood by, scanning the crowd.

“Excuse me,” Khushi said, stepping forward. “There’s an unattended bag over there—it’s been sitting there for a while.”

The officer glanced at the bag and then back at her, his expression calm. “Thank you for letting us know, ma’am. We’ll take care of it.”

Relieved but still on edge, Khushi glanced back at Arnav. “See? I wasn’t overreacting.”

Arnav laughed and she glared at him. “You’ll see. One day, I’ll save the day, and you’ll be thankful.”

Arnav smiled, wrapping an arm around her. “I already am.”

As they approached the gate, Khushi felt a surge of pride. Perhaps she was a bit dramatic, but that was part of her charm. With Arnav by her side, she was ready to tackle anything—unattended bags and all.

-x-x-x-