Chapter 47: Actually….
September 16th, 2012: Garage, 8:30 p.m.
*under the car*
Soham beta, aapni kaam pein dhyaan de. You've been here for an extra two hours phir bhi vahan pein hi aatka hua hain.
Kunjal: *walks into the garage slowly*
Soham: *under the car* Kaun hai?
Kunjal: It's me…
Soham: *stops working and comes out from under the car* Aap?
Kunjal: *slowly sits down* Why are you working so late today?
Soham: Pata nahin… I had nothing better to do… Anyways it's not new.
Kunjal: Achcha. Anyways, Archana aunty told me to come down here and bring you your dinner.
Soham: *smiles* Aai bhi na.
Soham sits there and eat the dinner Archana packed for him, while Kunjal stays there and looks around.
Soham: Uh, thank you. Yahan betne ke liye. I could've taken the container home when I was done with my work though.
Kunjal: Koi baat nahin. Actually, I was thinking that if you were almost done, then I could just go home with you. I mean, phirse auto ke liye paise karchne kya kaam hain?
Soham: It'll be half an hour, but I can take you home.
Kunjal: It's nothing. Thank you.
Soham: Voh… uhm… nevermind.
Kunjal: Kya?
Soham: Kuch nahin… bus… I had been thinking about something before you came…
Kunjal: Toh phirse soch na? *confused*
Soham: I kind of can't… that'd be weird.
Kunjal: Because I'm here?
Soham: No… maybe… I don't know… because there's someone here… I mean, I was alone before.
Kunjal: Sometimes, you just don't make any sense.
Soham: Hey, I try.
Kunjal: *smiles* Kya soch rahe the tum?
Soham: Arre maine kaha tha na! Kuch bhi nahin…
Kunjal: Achcha…?
Soham: *nods his head*
*awkward silence* *after a while*
Soham: I was thinking about you… actually.
Kunjal: *looks at him* Mere bare mein?
Soham: *nods his head*
Kunjal: Aur kya soch rahe the tum?
Soham: I don't know… just everything I guess… like how I met you when you came around to surprise Purvi…
Kunjal: And then started annoying the heck out of you?
Soham: Yeah, aur phir uski baad how you helped me, then I helped you and then the annoying stopped… and I got to understand you better… I guess.
Kunjal: Haan, toh…?
Soham: Aur phir aaj kaal… I don't know… it just kind of happened….
Kunjal: *sits down next to him slowly* Kya hua?
Soham: In a way—well—uhm—mein… mein…
Kunjal: Mein mein kya?
Soham: I, uh… got closer to you! And stuff.
Kunjal: *raises one eyebrow* …and stuff?
Soham: *nods* Kunjal… don't freak out but… uh… I—love you.
Kunjal: *looks up at him surprised, and he looks back at her.*
Soham: Aap maan jao ya nahin, lekin aap meri life ki ek hissa hain. I can't help it… actually.
Kunjal: *sits there across from him and slowly reaches up and wipes the grease satins on his face*
Soham: *slowly takes her hand off of his face and hold it in his own*
They continued to sit there staring at each other, but the question is, for how long?
******
September 16th, 2012: Kirloskar Residence, 8:45 p.m.
*on the balcony*
Purvi, you said you hated rain… but it's not… that bad.
Purvi: *continues standing in the rain, enjoying it*
*down below, outside in the parkway*
Arjun: *on the phone* Haan, look I'll call you back. Sure… uh huh… bye. *walks forward… then backs up, and looks at Purvi out on the balcony* *does his little half smile thing*
*back up there*
Purvi: *turns around slowly, then opens her eyes* It's so cold though na… won't you get sick? Oh, who cares… *looks around and sees Arjun now hopelessly staring at her below*
They continued staring at each other, just like that. Out in the open of their home… with Arjun standing below, and Purvi up on the balcony… but then… Arjun just had to sneeze.
Arjun: *sneezes*
Purvi: *jumps and snaps out of it*
*from inside*
Riya: Purvi! Please come here na? I need help with this…
Purvi: Aa rahi hoon! *looks down at Arjun and yells* You should go inside too, before your umbrella blows away! *smiles and walks inside*
Arjun: *shakes his head and walks inside too*
******
September 16th, 2012: Deshmukh Residence, 9:30 p.m.
Trisha: Archana Aai, Kunjal kab vapaas aa rahi hain? Her phone isn't reachable right now.
Archana: Achcha? The battery must've died. Meine abhi Soham ko phone kiya.. voh log aa rahe hain.
Trisha: Theek hain, I needed help with those clothes over there so—
Archana: I can help you—
Trisha: Nahin, koi baat nahin hai. Jab Kunjal aur Teju hain toh phir aap kyun tension le rahi ho?
Archana: *smiles* Achcha, chal.
*door opens*
Archana: There… just as you said it, they came.
Teju: Aai, are you not noticing how close they're standing towards one another?
Trisha: Arre haan…
Manav: What's all the whispering about?
Archana: Dekho na, Soham aur Kunjal ki taraf—
Manav: Everyone can see that…
Sachin: See what… I don't get it.
Trisha: Sachin, you're horrible.
Teju: *tries not to laugh*
Soham: *sneaks up behind Archana* Sab log yahan khade ho kar kya chupa rahe hai?
*Everyone breaks apart*
Archana: Arre, kuch nahin Soham.
Trisha: Aap bhi na? Uh, Kunjal? Can you come here and help me for a sec?
Kunjal: Haan, Trisha! Mein aa rahi hoon.
*everyone walks away from there, leaving behind a confused Sachin and Soham*
Soham: Hua kya?
Sachin: I don't know. Our family is crazy…
Soham: Nayi baat thodi na hai.
*both walk off*
*******
*one week later*
In the duration of the week, the majority of the family had secretly found out about Soham and Kunjal. They didn't make a show of things, nor did they make Soham and Kunjal stress over it. But then again, Archana is, Archana.
September 24th, 2012: Deshmukh Residence, 8:00 a.m.
*doorbell rings*
Kunjal: I got it! *opens door, but then is suddenly shocked* Ma? Papa? Aap dono yahan?
Kunjal's mom: Kyun nahin aa sakte ho?
Kunjal's dad: Haan! Vaise bhi, Archana ji ne humko yahin pein bolaya. *both walk past Kunjal*
Kunjal: *turns around confused* Archana aunty ne...? *follows them inside*
******
Precap: Cliffhanger time! But for starters I'll let you know that the next chapter has three parts…
So , why would Archana call up Kunjal's parents? Hmmm… let's see. 🤔
Thanks for Reading Esha 😃
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