MN - The Fragile Magic ** Epilogue - Pg 140. - Page 59

Nupur was trying to comprehend what she was reading in mayank's eyes but mayank made her turn in his arms, and with their bodies pressing together, senses had almost stopped working.

Mayank brushed his hand over nupur's wet face, covered with water droplets and his touch was leaving burning sensations on her skin. With emotions running too fast, she again closed her eyes, and closed them tighter when she felt his thumb brushing over her lower lip. His fingers had started dipping deep in her waist skin, through her wet attire, and with every passing second, she was feeling mayank's breath more warm.

Mayank was moving on an undefinable attraction, cupping her cheek firmly with his hand, he moved dangerously close, where their breaths started mingling and heart beats doubled, and following the same impulse and shutting every rational thought in his mind, he placed his lips over her lips.

It was a just for a second, where they both just stood motionless, with lips pressed together without any response from either side and feelings arousing in their heart with no name and meaning, and just then the whole past came rushing back and nupur pushed him away gasping, "mayank!!", she took a step back and mayank was also shaken out of the trance.

Nupur was looking at him dumfounded and even in the rain, it was evident that tears had damped her face even more then raindrops.

Mayank took a deep breath and closed his eyes, he had gone too far following his attraction. On opening them he found that nupur was sitting on in the corner of the terrace, hugging her knees. Something pricked his heart and he rushed towards her, and slowly placed his hand over her head, "nupur",

His voice was steady, nothing showing regret or guilt. Nupur turned her neck to see him, with the rain still very heavy, his face was blurred through the raindrops.

"it's okay, I shouldn't have gone so far", he whispered and cupped her face, "chalo ander chalen", he smiled and nupur just stared him blankly, and understanding her dilemma, he held her hand and once she stood up, he slipped his hand across her waist and they both entered the room.

Once they did, mayank closed the terrace door and pulled the blinds over the glass door and on turning he found that nupur was again by the window.

He sighed and walked to her, "nupur", he said and getting no response, he said with authority, "nupur we need to talk, please ..",

She turned towards him, and he cupped her face, "I hope we both won't behave like teenagers , I know what happened was sudden, and I am sorry, but please nupur, I don't want to spoil our relation with any awkwardness and hesitation, I hope u understand .. nupur .. ", but before he could complete his statement, nupur removed his hands from her face and again turned towards the window, and mayank felt his heart sinking.

"Nupur please, I said sorry .. main .."

'you know I would have flowed in the moment if it wouldn't have been raining ..", she said with her eyes blankly looking at the raindrops falling. Mayank wanted to hug her due to her weak voice, but decided not to, instead just wanted to listen.

"but I cannot share my rains with anyone mayank .. ye bus meri aur nitesh ki hain ..', she was speaking in the same tone, but mayank felt as if the last part of her sentence was screamed in his ears.

"hum pehli baar barish main hi miley they, nitesh ne barish main confess kiya, barish main propose kiya .. aur hamari shaadi pe bhi bairsh hoyi thi .." , she was speaking with a glint of zeal in her voice and mayank saw the sparkle in her eyes which was never before, and neither was this smile ever before.

"nitesh import export ka business karte they and he had to stay out of station most of the time, but unhon ne mujh se promise kiya tha k jab bhi barish hogi wo zaroor wapis a jayen gey, aur ataey bhi they", with this she turned towards mayank in excitement and mayank swollaed a lump in his throat and smiled,

"her baar wapis atey they, her barish main .. pata nahi unhain kaise pata chal jata tha", she smiled fondly and gradually the emotion of care for nupur in mayank's heart, started to take over the jealousy and he moved more close,

"per phir unhon ne promise torr diya, us din bhi barish ho rahi thi, main baar baar phone kar rahi thi per wo aye hi nahi, aur jab bairsh kahatm hoyi tu aye, aur is tarah k main naraz bhi nahi ho sakti thi, he came back motionless and still ..", , her voice became heavy and he pulled her in a hug,

'he came back dead..", she said in between her sobs and unable to say anything, Mayank just rubbed her back and held her tight.

"I wait for him in every rain, .. I am sorry mayank .. I know you have every right but I ..

"ssshh", he placed her finger over her lips and held her even more tight, "chup ho jao .. I .. I understand", and with this statement he felt that she snuggled even more to him.

For a while both of them stood their quiet in each other's embrace, when the sound of falling water stopped and glancing outside the window, he saw that the rain had stopped. Nupur was still unaware of the surroundings, totally lost in the warm hold.

"Nupur..",

He rubbed her back but she just snuggled more, "change kar lo nupur, u'll again catch cold", he said, tucking hair behind her ear,"nupur ..", he said again

"mujhe kahin nahi jana hai", she insisted in a low yet determined voice and mayank hugged her tight, "zid nahi karo nupur, phir bimar ho jao gi .. please ..', he kissed her head and separated her, "2 minute lagey gey bus, chalo jao jaldi karo", he smiled and she narrowed her eyes frowning, "mujhe nahi jana hai", and hugged him again.

"Nupur!!", he said in an authoritative tone and she raised her head, frowned and then went away quietly.

Once she locked the door of the washroom, mayank took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He never thought this would be so difficult. Moreover he never thought he will have to go through all this, he never thought he will have to face such a situation ever in his life.

He went to nupur's cupboard and slowly searching, he took out nistesh's picture. He looked at for a while and there was nothing as jealousy. He felt that he was just like him ' unfortunate.

He re-called what nupur told him about the promises nitesh had made to nupur, he could understand what helplessness he must have felt at his dying moment, the pain that he will leave his love alone in this world, the same helplessness mayank himself felt seeing Kanchi's heart beat sinking on the cardiogram.

Just then he heard the lock open and he quickly placed the picture back and closed the cupboard and before he could turn, nupur hugged him from back, crawling her hands from beanath his shoulders, mayank smiled and held her hands and pulled her in front while she frowned again, "ab kiya? , ab tu main ne change kar liya hai . ", she pouted and mayank kissed her cheek, "madam ap ko thek se hug karne laga hon", and smiling he pulled her in a tight hug.

Again they kept on standing for a while when nupur grabbed his shirt in her fists, she was silent but her silence was talking to mayank, he raised her face and kissed her head and then he kissed her eyes, and cheeks, and trialling his lips close to her lips, he stopped, but then on an impulse , he slightly pecked her lips and was about to move away but couldn't .. because in the same instant.. he was kissed back by nupur.

Chapter 15 - Page 94