IshRa OS-||Coalesced Into One||

A piercing chant of Ishu made him banche from the laptop screen that he was unpurposefully staring at and undoubtedly it instantly flared his insides.

With measured steps that wouldnt harm his weak stomach, he made his way out, ocassionaly doing a i-am-going-to-die as his heavy steps on the stairs made his stomach knot in the most excruciating ways.

The rasam, my own wife, hell my own damn stomach everything is conspiring against me. All because of that shani.

Like a wounded soldier he somehow made his way below stairs, in direct earshot of Ishita and Mani.

Mani in lungi, in Ishita's appas lungi? How dare he wear my father-in-law's lungi? Might as well I puke all this rasam on him. Wait a second Am I getting possessive of my father-in-law?

With great difficulty he managed to get a sneak peak of Ishita...in a purple kurti and black leggings and he was sure his heart did a flip flop. Adorable was the word. For a moment he almost forget his churning stomach. Almost. Because the next moment from the same adorable mouth came an equally high pitched "Maniii".

"Ishu remember those days when you used to pay for me in the canteen."

"And how you never paid back".

Bachpan se hi nihayati chor hai saala.

"And now that you are a billionare, I am soaking it all back by having heavy and costly dinners with you."

"Oh so thats the reason ki madam itni jaldi dinner ke liye mann jaati hai."

Ye konsa tarika hai paiso ka hisab rakhne ka. Ya khuda accha hua ye madrasan business woman nahi bani, warna logon ke saath dinner kar kar ke udhaar wapas leti.

"Tum bhi na Mani. But Subbu ke aane ke baad I agree we didnt get much time to spend together. So consider that I am making up for it."

"Oh please dont remind me that. At first, when I was invited I was not interested in those group study sessions you both had and then weirdly these sessions increased and one fine day when I finally asked you if I could come, Subbu's face was worth looking. Tum dono padhte hi the na? Cause I remember Vandu Akka saying "Pata nahi bandh kamre mein dono kya karte hai". Kyu Ishu?"

If it was possible to kill a rasam-poisoned-man with double bullets then this was it.

Group study sessions? Really? Bandh kamre mein? Ishita and Subbu. In all my life I havent felt this extent of self-pity that I am feeling now.

The way she braided her hair before coming down. Had Subbu seen it?

The way she squealed while reading a novel. Had he seen that too?

Had he seen her stiching? Not to mention her blouse.

Had he seen her in a bathrobe?

Relax Raman. It was group study. Stiching and bathing would have been last things on her mind.

Mani and Subbu. What wouldnt he trade to get these two out of his life. Or rather his wife's. Lost in his own thoughts Raman forgot what he had actually came for. With a shake of his head he set his ears back to their conversation.

"Nahi Mani, possible nahi hai. He still loves Shagun."

Was he hallucinating?

In the name of those devi-dolls did she just say that I still loved Shagun? She claims that I dont understand her and here she is, reciting the most unimaginable thing that could ever happen.

His groaning stomach brought him out of his reverie and like a bolt of lightning he dashed towards his bathroom.

Somehow he had to know the truth;what she really felt about him. Is that why she was asking him about second chances? Did she want one with them? Today his feminine eavesdropping had helped him, it wouldnt always work. And yes he was hell bent jealous even of her best friend, of all those people with whom she shared.

Soch Raman soch. Kya karega aisa jisse ye madrasan tujhse apni baatein share kare.

"Aap soye nahi?"

"Nahi kuch soch raha tha. Tumse baat karni thi."

"Kaho"

He patted the bed beside him. With elegant ease she perched beside him and comfortably pulled the duvet on her. He wouldnt be dissapointed if this became everyday norm.

"Dont you think that we never got the time to know each other? I mean i was suddenly husband-ed and you were wife-ed that is strangers se directly husband-wife. Tumhe nahi lagta we should become friends first?"

"Aap par rasam ka bura asar hua hai. Sleep Raman."

"C'mmon Ishita. Waise bhi rasam saara nikal chuka hai."

"Cheee"

"Kido waala ishq kaisa hota hai I wonder"

"Kido waala?"

"Haan ab tum aur Subbu toh kitabi kide the na. So kido wala love. Mujhe bhi sunni hai 98.5% ki love story."

"Kuch nahi Raman. Hum bas saath padhte the then just one day Subbu proposed me. Thats it."

"Mujhe toh Shagun se dekhte hi pyaar ho gaya tha."

The quiver that ran on her face was unmistakable. He could see it was affecting her and yes he didnt like those stressed lines on her face but then he would do anything to see her possessiveness for him.

"Shagun as you know is or better say was the most beautiful woman I ever saw.Couldnt keep my eyes off her. What about Subbu? What did your dream boy look like? After all I have never seen him."

Two motives:He wanted her to claim him, be angry with him for bringing up Shagun and also for referring Subbu as her dream boy. But instead..

"Subbu ke baare mein toh jitna bataun utna kam hai. He was just perfect."

This is known as khud ke pairo pe kuladhi maarna. But he didnt miss the was in her tone.

She turned towards him and shifted a bit in his direction. Her messy hair and slightly displaced kurti playing with his self control. But he wouldnt give away so easily.

"So was Shagun." He said directly looking into her eyes.

"So she was truly your dream girl?", she asked with evident hurt in her eyes.

"My dream girl? Maybe or maybe not...Her plump figure, straight long jet black hair, her carpets and bedsheets in which she managed to look equally ravishing..i can just go on..what about your dream man?"

They didnt know they had shifted yet closer to each other, almost in each other's arms.

"His light stubble, his way of never letting his ego down, his cute jealously...you know sometimes I am overpowered by the sensation to put a full stop to his never stopping taunts with a liplock."

So lost that they didnt realise that they were talking about each other. It was Ishita first who realised that she was the plump figure in carpets and bedsheets looking equally ravishing.

"Wait a second werent you talking about Shagun? "

"I think I was talking about my dream girl. And who dreams an egoistic person to be their dream man? Tumhe toh bachpan se hi daure-"

Her delicate lips engulfed his cheeks in a soft kiss. Her hands travelled in his hair while he rested his on her waist. She snuggled up close to him not wanting to let go. Gently she caressed his tummy, a concerned look on her face.

They stayed there for who knows how long because next day Papaji had to say to Simmi,

"Oye puttar aaj ki puja tu sambhal le, wo dekh Ishita aur Raman kaise baccho ki tarah soye hue hai, rajai ke andar chipak ke. Unhe thodi der aur sone dete hai."