Chapter Ten
After a little reluctance, Bade Papa gave in and agreed to let Kunal see Mishti. Kunal did seem to be genuine this time, and it would help to have the hatchet between the kids be buried, at least. After all, despite what had happened, Kunal was still Kuhu's husband, and Mishti's brother - in - law.
Kunal grinned in excitement, waiting for Mishti in the garden. He'd requested to see her in private, and somehow, Bade Papa had even agreed to that. Kunal couldn't believe his luck. Things were really looking up. Bhai had been so happy since yesterday, and Kunal couldn't help but bask in that happiness and warmth. The constant warmth that seemed to surround his elder brother had been decidedly missing in the past two months since he'd broken up with Mishti, but now that they were back together, Kunal could see that that warmth was back as well. Mishti really was the reason for so much happiness in Bhai's life. He'd been a fool to question it, to question his happiness and try his hardest to take it away from him. He cursed himself for being so judgemental and harsh and conniving. If only he'd paused to see just how happy Mishti made his Bhai, he might've backed off sooner. But he'd been too blinded by his hurt ego to do that. He wouldn't do it anymore though.
"Hey, Kunal," Mishti greeted, coming outside and taking a seat beside him.
"Hey," Kunal replied awkwardly. He'd come here on Bhai's insistence with stuff that Bhai said Mishti needed to have. Imperatively. That had been his very important task for Kunal, and while Kunal was extremely happy to help, it was definitely not how he wanted to spend his morning. Things with Mishti were so rocky, and he'd been feeling really ashamed of how he'd treated her in the past.
Seeing as Kunal would definitely not be initiating conversation, Mishti took it upon herself to do so. "So, how've you been?" She asked.
"Good," Kunal replied monotonously.
"Great!" Mishti enthused. "Aaj… Itni subah subah? Is… Is everything okay?" She asked after a minute of silence. "Kuhu? Ketu? Nanu? Parul Masi? Everyone's fine, right?"
"They're all good," Kunal answered. "Actually… Bhai sent me."
"Abir?" Mishti questioned, surprised. "Kyu?"
"Woh… Unhe tumhe kuch saamaan dena tha," Kunal told her. "Ab… Woh toh obviously aa nahi sakte… Toh he asked me, and here I am."
"Oh, okay," Mishti replied. "Ummm… So… You know?"
"Yes," Kunal answered. "I hope that's okay. And… Bhai ne mujhe nahi bataya… Woh actually… Kal Bhai ghar se bohot worried nikle the… Toh main unke peeche peeche gaya tha… To make sure he was okay… Aur maine… I saw you both at the lakeside."
"Oh!" Mishti exclaimed lowly. "Aur… Tumhe… I mean… You're okay with it? Tumhe koi problem nahi hai ki main Abir ki life mein waapas aa gayi hoon?"
"Jiss cheez ke liye main pichle do mahine se pray kar raha tha… Woh finally ho gayi hai… toh mujhe koi problem kyu hogi?" Kunal asked rhetorically.
"Pray?" Mishti questioned, surprised.
Kunal nodded. "Main… Main yeh uss din se chaahta tha jiss din break up hua tha… You know Mishti? Main… Main Bhai ko bohot achche se jaanta hoon… Isliye main yeh bhi jaanta hoon ki woh sach mein tumhe chodna nahi chaahte the. Kuch… Kuch hua tha uss din… Kuch aisa jiski wajah se Bhai ko laga ki tumhe chodna sahi decision hai. But… But mujhe pata hai woh kabhi iss decision se khush nahi the.
Tum jaanti ho? Pichle do mahino se… Bhai har waqt aviators pehenke ghoomte hain… Almost saara waqt kaam mein nikaal dete hain… Koi unse poochta ki sab theek haina, toh ek bohot fake smile deke, jhoothe enthusiasm se kehte hain that everything is awesome.
Shayad baaki gharwalon ko Bhai ka jhooth, unka dukh, unki takleef nahi dikhti hogi. But… But mujhe dikhti hai, Mishti. Maine dekha hai… Kaise tumse alag hoke Bhai ne har pal roke guzaara hai, kaise woh sabse chupke rehte hain, kisi se sach nahi kehte. Tumhe pata hai… Bhai ne toh apne room mein lights on karna bhi chod diya hai. Inn do mahino mein toh woh bas andhere mein saansein le rahe the… Lekin kal? Kal maine unhe pehli baar jeete hue dekha.
Kal jab unhone kaha everything is awesome toh woh jhooth nahi bol rahe the. Kal jab unhone mujhe dekhke smile kiya… Toh woh smile fake nahi thi. Kal jab unhone mujhe hug kiya… Toh woh isliye nahi tha kyuki woh support chaahte the, woh isliye tha kyuki woh apni khushi baantna chaahte the. Yeh sab… Yeh sab tumhaari wajah se hua hai, Mishti. Bhai ki zindagi mein phir se khushiyaan sirf tumhaari wajah se aayi hain.
Toh… Toh phir… Main? Main iss rishtey ke against kaise ho sakta hoon? Mujhe bas Bhai ki khushi chahiye, aur kuch nahi. Aur… Aur unki khushi… Unki khushi sirf tumhaare saath hai, yeh mujhe ab samajh aa gaya hai. So… No. Mujhe tumhaare aur Bhai ke relationship se koi problem nahi hai."
Silent tears had started making their way out of Mishti's eyes half-way through Kunal's speech. She of course knew that the separation had hurt Abir… But hearing it from Kunal's mouth made it so much more real. Sometimes Mishti felt that the last two months had been nothing but a nightmare, but when Kunal said things like this, she was forced to acknowledge that they were her reality.
"I'm sorry!" Kunal exclaimed. "I didn't mean to make you cry, I swear!" He fished out a handkerchief from his pocket and gave it to her, gesturing for her to wipe her tears.
Mishti chuckled at his actions. She was reminded of the time in that green room in Kutch, when Abir had given her his handkerchief to wipe her tears. He'd been nothing but a stranger to her back then, but he'd still given her strength.
It suddenly hit her, how similar Kunal was to Abir. Of course, he was completely different from Abir, but yet, so similar. The way only siblings can be. Because that's who Abir & Kunal were. They were siblings. And nothing could change that. She wouldn't let it.
"Thank you," she murmured, taking the kerchief and wiping her tears.
Kunal smiled and placed the paper bag he'd been carrying on the table. "Bhai sent this for you," he told her.
Mishti grinned and eagerly opened it. Inside was a new phone along with a letter, and a diary. On closer inspection, she realized it was the diary she'd given him the day she was supposed to get engaged to Kunal, asking him to write his thoughts in it, so she could know more about what he was feeling.
"Wow, Bhai really is making me deliver his love letters now," Kunal chuckled. "I knew he'd hold me to that promise."
"Promise?" Mishti asked.
Kunal nodded. "Jab hum bas teenagers the na… Bhai & I used to joke… Ki jab Bhai will fall in love… Toh main unki girlfriend ko chup chupke unke love letters deliver karunga. Maine Bhai se promise kiya tha ki I'll do it. I guess… He's holding me accountable."
"Thank you," Mishti replied. "For doing this for him. And for me. I don't think main words mein explain bhi kar sakti hoon how much it means to me."
Mishti eyed the balloons curiously and finally asked, "Yeh balloons kiske liye hain?"
Kunal chuckled. "I knew it. You've been dying to ask na?" He joked.
"So sue me," Mishti muttered.
"Nah," Kunal replied. "I'll let it slide. Waise… obviously… Tumhaare liye hain."
"Mere liye?" Mishti asked, surprised. "But Abir hamesha red balloons laata hai."
"I know," Kunal responded. "Yeh Bhai ki taraf se nahi hai," he told her, giving them to her. "Yeh yellow balloons… Meri taraf se… Tumhaare liye."
"Tumhaari taraf se?" Mishti questioned, accepting them. "Kyu?"
"Well… Inhe apology samajh lo… Ya phir a present that I thought I should give you… If I want to ask you to be my friend," Kunal said.
"Main samjhi nahi," Mishti told him.
"Mishti… Come on! Don't you think I should apologize to you for the way I've treated you in the past?" Kunal snarked.
"Of course. But kya tumhe yeh lagta hai that you should apologize? Look… I know tum mujhe pasand nahi karte… but you're accepting me for Abir's happiness. I appreciate and respect that, Kunal. But… Tumhe yeh sab karne ki zaroorat nahi, unless you feel like doing it. Sirf isliye ki tumhe lagta hai inn sabse Abir khush hoga… Yeh sab mat karna. Please," Mishti explained.
"I guess I deserve that," Kunal replied. "But Mishti… I am genuinely sorry. Pichle do mahino mein maine iss situation ke baare mein bohot socha. And you know what?
I finally realized ki baat sach mein mere ego ki hi thi. I wasn't able to handle the fact that you'd rejected me. Typical Indian male chauvinist pig, I guess. Ladki reject karde yeh humse handle nahi hota.
But… mujhe yeh bhi samajh aa gaya hai ki jo tumne kiya tha… It was absolutely right. Tum aur main… We're not meant to be life partners. Agar pressure mein aake hum dono ne shaadi kar bhi leti ho… It would've led to divorce… Or a very unhappy life together. So, I'm glad that you did it. Bas… Mujhe samajhne mein waqt laga.
And… Uski wajah se jo kuch bhi maine uss time mein kiya… Tumhaari itni insult ki, maa ke saath milke tumhaare against plot kiya… In fact, Kuhu ko bhi bohot hurt kiya. And… I'm really, really, really sorry about everything, Mishti. It was all my fault. Mujhe tumhaara perspective bhi samajhna chahiye tha… But main apne hurt ego ke aage kuch dekh hi nahi paaya… Bhai ne mujhe itna samjhaya, tab bhi nahi.
Iss sab mein maine bina wajah Bhai ko bhi bohot hurt kiya hai… Shayad sabse zyada. Woh bas yehi chaahte the ki duniya mein unke sabse favourite do log dost ban jaaye… aur main unhe woh bhi nahi de paaya… But ab main dena chaahta hoon. Aur… Sirf isliye nahi kyuki tum mere bade bhai ki girlfriend ho, ya meri wife ki behen. Main genuinely chaahta hoon ki hum friends bane.
Tumhe… Tumhe yaad hai jab hum pehli baar yahaan aaye the? Mera rishta Kuhu ke liye lekar? Jab maine tumse baat ki thi… I'd felt like… Shayad mujhe iss ghar mein life partner mile ya na mile… Magar ek dost toh mil hi jaayega… Tum mein. But… Main woh hi bhool gaya. I'm sorry."
"Wow," Mishti replied, wiping tears yet again. "Tum aaj decide karke aaye ho kya… Ki mujhe rulana hai?"
"I'm sorry!" He exclaimed. "I swear… Mera yeh motive bilkul nahi tha."
Mishti laughed. "I know. And I guess… I guess we can give it a try. I'd really like that."
"Thank you!" He told her. "So, friends?" He asked, extending a hand.
"Friends," Mishti confirmed, taking it.
"Okay… I guess ab mujhe chalna chahiye. It's getting late and I have a very important meeting today!" Kunal told her. "Ek bohot important investor aa raha hai. Agar yeh deal crack ho gayi… It'll be very beneficial for the company."
"All the best!" Mishti told him. "Chalo. Let me walk you to your car."
"You know… Life has come a full circle," Kunal told her as they walked to his car. "Ek waqt tha… Jab Bhai meri taraf se tumhe presents dete the… Aur aaj… Main tumhe Bhai ki taraf se presents de raha hoon."
"I like this version better," Mishti told him.
"Me too," Kunal agreed.
"All the best once again!! I'm sure you'll crack the deal, Mr. Rajvansh," Mishti told him.
"Thank you, Mrs. Rajvansh - to - be," Kunal joked. "Wait. That sounded wrong. Aisa laga as if tum meri fiance ho. No, no. Abhi ke liye Mishti hi theek hai."
Mishti chuckled. "Yes, please," she told him.
"Mishti," Kunal added seriously. "Thank you. For everything. Bhai ki life mein waapas aane… mujhe maaf karne… Mujhe aur ek mauka dena… Thank you for everything. Really."
In an uncharacteristic move, Mishti stepped forward and hugged Kunal. Kunal was surprised, but hugged her back, nonetheless. "You don't have to thank me for this, Kunal. After all, ab hum dost hain. Aur kisi bohot intelligent insaan ne kaha hai… dosti mein sorry, no thank you."
"Ah! I'd forgotten ki tum bhi Bhai ki tarah complete Bollywood buff ho. Why are we friends again?" He asked.
"Because you love me!" Mishti answered.
"I really don't," he told her.
"Don't worry. You will. Soon," she told him.
"Okay. As much as I like this banter, mujhe sach mein bohot late ho raha hai. Bye!"
"Bye!!" Mishti replied.
One more quick hug and Kunal was driving away. As he looked back to see Mishti waving at him, he decided that this had been, perhaps, the best way to start his morning.
___________
My MishNal rise! I felt like today was the perfect day to upload this chapter!
Sorry for the lack of MishBir in this, but well, I really want to show a lot of relationships in this one, so there will be chapters without them, though I'll try to keep that to a minimum.
I hope y'all enjoyed this! Please vote and comment to let me know!
Love, Prags <3
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