Hi guys! This is an experiment at best. This is the third fanfic I have written in my entire life. I’ve only written for characters that were extremely close to my heart, atleast at that time. This is set a couple of months away from the current track, when Anupama has admitted to herself that she loves Anuj but hasn’t told him yet. If you wanna imagine that Malvika is in the picture and that’s why Anu hasn’t confessed yet, then go ahead. I haven’t given a reason for Anu holding back, so you can think whatever you want to. I’ve just tried to craft a beautiful moment between Anuj and Anupama, before Anuj knows she loves him.
Edit: For best effect, play bhaage re mann in the background when the story demands it.
Bhaage Re Mann
The skies clouded over that day, turning them into a dark grey, as Anuj stared out of the window. Sometimes he felt scared of thunderstorms. He loved the rain, a little too much actually, because it felt so romantic. But every time it rained, he was reminded of the lack of the one romance he truly wants in his life. However, today Anuj didn’t feel the sense of melancholy he usually associated with rain. He was living his dream. She might not be with him the way he always wanted, but he never thought he would meet Anupamaa again in his life, never thought he would see her everyday, never thought he would be her best friend, never thought he would confess his love to her and still be in her life. But as hard as it was to believe, it was the reality. Here he was, sitting with her on the coffee table in her house, as they both decided the interiors of their restaurant. “Lagta hai aaj baarish hogi, Anu.”, he commented as he continued to stare out of the window.
“Vaise zara bataiye, aapne itni badi company khadi kaise kari? Aapka dhyaan toh hamesha idhar udhar hi rehta hai”, chuckled Anu. Anuj looked into her eyes, and her heart skipped a beat, as it always did when he looked at her. “Bohot mazaak udaane lagi ho tum mera! Vaise tum bhi kuchh kam nahi ho? Kaam karte karte yeh gaane chalaye hue hain aur keh rahi ho Anuj aapka dhyaan nahi hai”, exclaimed Anuj, with a playful smile on his face. He continued, “Ab ‘yeh raatein yeh mausam yeh nadi ka kinaara’ sunte hue, vo bhi baarish ke mausam mein, main ppt kaise dekhoon batao zara? Mood itna romantic hai-“, Anuj shut his big mouth right there. He thought he had made Anu uncomfortable again, but her face was telling a slightly different story. She was looking here and there, not in awkwardness, but in embarrassment, as if she had been caught red handed watching an adult movie. Lately, this expression had become a frequent visitor on Anupama’s face and it made Anuj very amused. Before he could inquire about this, Anu blurted, “Umm…Main…Aap…Hamare liye jaakar coffee banati hoon.” Anu rushed out of the living room, but she could feel Anuj’s gaze burning holes into her back as she turned around towards the kitchen. She hated the fact that her feelings were becoming so transparent, that he could see through her so easily. And yet, he never seemed to acknowledge her feelings. What was taking him so long? He knew how difficult it was for her to think of love again, then why couldn’t he just say he knows she loves him? How would he, though? You still haven’t gathered the courage to tell him, she thought to herself.
As Anu was busy with these thoughts, Anuj was itching to go and help her in the kitchen. He never liked it when she was in the kitchen alone. It made him think of those 26 years when the kitchen was her home, and she had toiled in there, all alone. As he got up from his chair, he saw that it had started drizzling. Suddenly, he shouted,” Arre Anu kapde bheeg rahe hain!! Suno, Anu!”. But over the music, Anupama couldn’t hear anything so Anuj ran into Anu’s little garden, and started gathering her clothes one by one.
Anupama came back to the living room with the coffees in her hand, and heard the sound of rain. But Anuj wasn’t at the table. She looked out the window, and saw him in the garden. She ran to the covered patio of her yard, and observed him. He was running frantically throughout her yard, trying to pick up 3 clothes at a time, and miserably failing. He had already dropped a couple of sarees on the muddy lawn, and she knew she would have to wash them again. But at this moment, all she wanted to do was stare unabashedly at this man. He has all the riches in the world, and yet he chooses to spend his Saturday evening picking up Anu’s clothes in the rain so that she doesn’t have to.
Anuj came to the covered patio in which Anu was standing, and gasped “Anu, tum aa gayi?” Achaanak se baarish shuru ho gayi toh main yahaan bhaag ke aaya, lekin dekho phir bhi sab kharaab ho gaya. Tum tension mat lo, main saaf kar doonga aur mere ghar ke dryer mein inhe dal denge, to sab jaldi se sookh jayenge.” He kept on rambling as he sorted out the clothes, while Anu looked at the rain slowly getting heavier, felt the wind slowly getting colder. She had always loved the rain, but it scared her too. She loved it a little too much, because it felt so romantic. But she had never been able to enjoy it, alone or even with someone, as she was always busy making pakoras in the kitchen. How she wished that for once, she could dance in the rain. Then she looked at Anuj, and her heart melted. That life of kitchen duties seemed so far away suddenly. In that moment, she felt the most liberated in her life, as if she had just gotten rid of all her burdens, all her anxieties. The speaker started playing the next song “Bhaage Re Mann”. Anupama extended her hand out in the rain, and smiled as she felt the tiny droplets hitting her palms. Something in her propelled her to walk into the rain without thinking.
Anuj interrupted his own rambling and asked, “Anupamaa tum meri baat sun bhi rahi ho-“ but he saw that she was no longer beside him. He looked around and what he saw was the most beautiful sight. Anu was looking at the sky, but her eyes were closed. It seemed like she was feeling the rain for the very first time in her life, as she twirled round and round. She started lightly dancing and swaying to Bhaage re Mann playing in the background. Anuj didn’t want to disturb her, but he got worried as the rain got heavier. “Anupamaa tumhe thand jayegi, vaapas aa jao!”, shouted Anuj. “Thand to bina baarish mein bheege bhi lag jaati hai, to us se achha bheeg hi len”, retorted Anu, as she smiled widely at him.
He wasn’t used to this Anupama. All he could do was watch her in awe. Suddenly, he saw her approaching him, and he thought the show was over. But she clasped his hand, and pulled him into the rain with her. Seeing his shocked expression, she started laughing. Her cheer was so infectious that Anuj couldn’t help but sway to the song like she was. As they danced, Anu slipped on the mud, and he instinctively grabbed her hand to support her. Their eyes met, but she didn’t let go of his hand. Instead, she kept her other hand on his shoulder. He wanted to ask her whether he should keep his hand on her waist, but her eyes gave him permission better than words could. As they gazed into each other’s eyes, their bodies coordinated with each other to the rhythm of the music.
Every day, every single day, Anuj surprised her. How could some one’s eyes alone carry so much care and adulation, she would never understand. Did she deserve — No! She had promised herself that she wouldn’t think on these lines. He was in her life, and she was in his, anybody’s worth here doesn’t matter. Anupama let go of Anuj’s hand and the sadness on his face was palpable. But in the next moment, she wrapped her hands around his neck, and that sadness was replaced by pure and utter shock. “Aaj ho kya gaya hai tumhe, Anu? Yeh tum…”,, expressed Anuj as he smiled at her in disbelief. “Kyun, koi problem hai aapko?”, teased Anu. “Arre nahi please bikul bhi nahi, of course not kya baat kar rahi ho….”, quickly responded Anuj. At this, Anu mused, “Toh bas, yun hi. Jaise aap shayri karte hain, vaise hi, yun hi. Isi baat par kapadia saahab ke liye ek nazm ho jaaye,
Jab bhi aapki aankho mein dekhti hoon, meri aankhein nam si ho jaati hain,
aapki ye parvah aur pyaar ki gufaaein,
main apne lagaav ke aanssooyon se bharna jo chahti hoon”, recited Anu.
Anuj was so taken aback by this indirect declaration. He leaned towards Anu and she leaned in to him. Their foreheads touched, and their eyes shut, as they absorbed each other’s touch. “Kya vo bolegi?”, thought Anuj. “Kya main bol doon?”, thought Anu. But suddenly a voice made them spring apart. “ANU! Dekh main aur samar kya kya khane ko laye hain!”, shouted Devika from inside the house. Anuj and Anupama had come out of their stupor and might’ve moved away from each other, but this time, Anupama didn’t get embarrassed, nor did Anuj apologise. They smiled at each other knowingly, as they both shouted in unison, “Yaaaaaar, kya hai Devika!!”
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