Dil ko mere tu jaan se bhi pyara lagta hai,
Har pal tere bina ab adhoora sa lagta hai,
Jab bhi tu paas ho, sab kuch theek sa lagta hai,
Tere hone se hi meri saansein chalti hain,
Tere jaane se hi zindagi ruk si jaati hai,
Kya mujhe pyaar hai⦠yeh dil baar baar puchta hai,
Aur har dafa tera hi naam jawab ban jaata hai.
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"Bhai sa aap hame bhabhi dilane ka accha karam kab karenge." Lakshay Bhai sa teased Veer Bhai sa and the rest all laughed while sitting in the garden having breakfast.
(Bhai sa when are you going to get us a bhabhi?)
Veer Bhai glared at him as all the brothers had asked him this question for the nth time since dad showed Bhai sa a picture of a girl for a marriage.
"Veer beta ab aapki umar ho gayi hai, aur aapko shaadi kar leni chahiye." Baba sa softly said to Veer Bhai sa and he looked at him giving him betrayed glances.
(Veer beta it's your age for marriage and you should really consider it.)
Then he looked at me as I was playing with the food on my plate as my thoughts were totally messed up from last night.
"Aaru aap bataiye, aapka kya kehna hai?" Veer Bhai sa asked me bringing me out of my thoughts as I looked at him totally confused. "Ji, kya?"
(Aaru You tell us, what's your point of view?)..... (What?)
"Kya hua baccha sab theek hai na?" He asked me while looking at me softly before continuing "You are looking quite lost since yesterday."
(What happened everything is okay, right?)
"Ji bhai sa sab theek hai, bas ham soch rahe the ki woh..." I said absentmindedly and stopped short of words as I realized what I was just going to speak.
(Yes Bhai sa, I was just thinking that...)
"Bataiye?" He asked me and I took a deep breath defeated as I decided to speak my heart out.
(Speak?)
"Bhai sa woh Kunwar sa" I spoke lowly, my voice barely a whisper as I continued "woh kehte hai ki woh hamse pyaar karte hai, par hame samaj nahi aa raha. Matlab woh bahut jyaada acche hai. Aur..."Β I stopped completely out of more words and sighed.
(Bhai sa, Kunwar sa).... (He says that he loves me and I am just not able to understand anything. I mean he is really nice. And...)
Bhai sa gently patted my head and spoke his voice soft and strangely it felt as if he has reduced my confusions to shreds. "Aaru You don't need to think so much. Do as your heart says, give yourself a moment to think and spend time with him it will help you understand your confusions. As of him, he is a really nice guy and you guys even have a really awesome history together that you'll feel the sparks sooner or later. As your memories come back to place you'll be able to solve all your questions and confusions."
I nodded making it firm in my mind that I am now going to tease him as he does and atleast try to mend things back.
The rest of the breakfast passed in a blur as we all chatted with each other cheerfully, back to teasing Veer bhai sa about marrying and getting us a bhabhi.
As I was tired from the recent case I solved and the event last night. So, I decided to stay at home and read the twisted series for the hundredth time because the men in those stories had indeed captured me enchanted.
I was drooling over them with some coffee when I heard the doorbell ring.
Instead of asking anyone else to open the door I myself went and opened the door revealing the most unexpected person right now.
Kunwar sa.
"Oh helloo my little fox. So, Is Lakshay in the palace?" He questioned tenderly and I felt warmth rushing towards my face as the nickname and its derivation hits me.
I shook my head slightly "Nahi kunwar sa, Lakshay Bhai sa thodi der pehle hi kuch kaam se bahar gaye hai."
He nodded walking inside beside me towards the couch, "So would I be honoured to have a coffee with the princess." He murmured against my ear, his warm breath falling making me turn even redder.
"Is it a date?" I playfully teased going along with his conversation and he chuckled softly, making my heart flutter.
"Of course" He said and I rolled my eyes in faux irritation clearly enjoying his playful antics which were absolutely contrasting to his reputation I had heard of.
"Well my type in men is a bit different. I am sorry to disappoint you kunwar sa." I said while teasing him playfully trying to get a worthy reaction out of him.
He mocked a exaggerated sad expression as he looked at him "And what's you ideal type then princess?" He asked and for a moment I felt that I had hurt him for real but then I noticed the playful glint in his eyes and decided to play along.
I looked around and picked up the four books of the twisted series I was reading earlier and handed it to him. "Read these and you will find out." He looked serious suddenly, his expression changing in milliseconds as he nodded getting up with the books.
"Ok then Anya I'll read them and tell you." I smiled softly and added playfully "Don't forget to return them Mr. Prince."
He laughed lowly as he left and I was smiling like a fool at his antics.
β’Β°β’Β°β’Β°β’Β°β’Β°β’Β°β’Β°β’Β°β’Β°β’Β°β’Β°β’Β°β’Β°β’Β°β’Β°β’Β°β’Β°β’Β°β’Β°β’Β°β’Β°β’Β°β’Β°β’Β°β’Β°β’Β°β’Β°
Yuvraj was pacing around the room holding the fourth book, hoping that it would be a soft romance book as soon as he thought about that the page turns and....
Voila, he is met with another smut scene. This is just much wilder.
He closed his eyes in embarrassment, thinking that his Anya reads all this stuff that too, while blushing.
But a stupid thought, a bit dirty one strikes his mind and from his embarrassment peeking above is a sly smile.
He closed the book and took out a paper from his cabinet, scribbling a note for her before giving the books to a servant to return them to Aaranya.
He went downstairs for dinner and sat down on his chair. His parents and grandparents followed up soon, meanwhile, Aryan, Rudra, and Shivika were walking side by side and grinning ear to ear.
"Maa" Shivika said cheerfully as she wrapped her arms around Priyanka. She gently caressed her cheeks, raising her eyebrows as if silently asking 'What happened.' Aryan and Rudra were standing beside her their smiles still intact and focus straight on Yuvraj.
"Badi maa, you know we caught someone doing something today." Aryan said playfully while enacting his statements theatrical exaggeration.
The elders looked at each other trying to figure out who that 'someone' is doing 'something' and what is that thing.
Yuvraj caught their gaze on him and glanced at them with confused etched all over his face.
"Beta what happened?" Anamika asked almost too eagerly as she was unable to contain her excitement to know the new gossip and the others were also dying out suspense and curiosity, So they also nodded like children getting to know details about their first crush.
"Soooo" Rudra dragged the world dramatically while looking at everyone making them even crazier with the suspense as Shivika picked up the flow and continued "We saw Yuvi bhai sa..." She stopped with the dramatic pause her eyes clouded with mysterious mischievousness.
"What did Yuvraj do?"
"What was he doing?"
"Yuvraj!"
"Who? Our Yuvraj?"
All the elders spoke almost at the same time as the first mystery that 'someone' was revealed.
They all looked at the younger clan with utmost held excitement and Yuvraj was drowned in his own thoughts, his whole life flashing in front of his eyes as he tried to remember what had he done.
"Bhai was reading a romance novel" Shivika said while stressing on the word 'romance' and then Aryan topped it with "That too DARK ROMANCE" He said with wide eyes as if he was himself shocked.
All this added up as a teasing cake topped with extra sprinkles as it was served to the elders.
All of the older clan was staring at Yuvraj with wide shocked eyes.
He tried to ignore the further embarrassment as he tried to look down hiding the little flush that had crept up to his ears.
He murmured in a low voice "Not that it's something illegal or what. I am twenty-nine." He sighed and went straight to his room without looking into the eyes of anyone.
Meanwhile they were dying of the laughter as they chuckled.
.
.
.
In Alwar
Aaranya and Aaliya were sitting in Aaranya's room laughing over something random that happened three years in college.
"Gosh Aarya you know then he came and was like 'Hey I like you' and I was like 'jeez thanks... glad you like me.' You know that guy looked so frustrated as she stomped out of the class." Aaliya said in faux exaggeration, standing up and performing each move with more dramatics.
Aaranya was rolling on the floor with laughter as she was reminded of all those things.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
They both stopped laughing gasping for breath as they heard soft knocking on the door.
Aaranya got of the bed with a lazy Huff and opened the door.
A guard was standing with a bag in his hands.
"Rajkumari sa, yeh aapke liye Udaipur ke Kunwar sa ne bheja hai." He said with a slight bow in respect and handed her the bag carefully.
(Princess, Prince of Udaipur has sent this for you.)
Aaranya closed the door behind her smiling absentmindedly just by the mention of his name.
She placed the bag on the table while Aaliya walked up to her "I see... Your prince charming has been sending you gifts." She said teasingly with a playful nudge.
Aaranya's face flushed with blush as she murmured in a whisper to defend herself. "Maybe this is just the books I gave him."
She turned around and gently opened the bag as if it's made out of glass. An exotic chocolate box was on the top with fresh roses.
Aaranya's heart swelled with adoration as she saw his thoughtfulness and kept both the items aside.
Next up were the books she had given him, all the four books still crisp not even a single fold.
She exhaled not even realizing that she was holding a breath since God knows how long.
She thought that maybe the books would have been folded from the corners of some pages but the books were in perfect condition.
[A/n: The key to impress any reader.]
As she was closing the bag her gaze fell on a note in between the books like a bookmark.
She opened the opened the note and read it.
'Tharki Aurat'
She looked at it for a good whole minute wondering if she had read it right. Then another minute.
But it seemed like the letters were stuck there staring back at her and then she burst out laughing. Aaliya who was enjoying the scene laughed along.
She took out her phone and dialled Yuvraj.
The screen flashed 'Kunwar sa' as the call was connected.
Him
'Ji Anya kahiye?'
(Yes Anya?)
Her
'Gosh did you really read the books.'
Him
'Of course I did. You told me to, how could I not. And to add on your taste in books is quite.... exotic and maybe unexpected.'
Her
'Hahhaha! Really maybe that's why you called me 'Tharki Aurat'
Him
'No offense Anya I didn't mean it.'
Her
'What if I am offended?'
Him
'Please don't be mad. I love you please. Forgive me.'
Aaranya's heart skipped a beat as he said the golden words 'I love you'. A smile instantly made it way to her face along with warmth creeping up. But she laughed it off to avoid the conversation to steer awkwardly
Her
'Oh come on I was joking. No offense taken.'
Him
'Thank god. Well I go for now. Good night little fox.'
Her
'Good night Raj'
Him
'What did you just say?'
Yuvraj was suddenly jerked up, frozen as he heard her utter her name just as she used to ten years back with the same warmth and the same love.
His heart swelled with joy meanwhile Aaranya was conflicted with thoughts that maybe she had said something wrong.
Her
'I am sorry Kunwar sa. I won't say that again. I know you don't like when someone calls you Raj. I heard you all talking that day in the event.
Him
'No...No Anya you are taking it the wrong way. It was you who called me Raj years back and that nickname is just reserved for you so I don't like anyone else saying that.'
Her
'Ohkk Good night then Raj'
Him
'Good night Anya'
Aarnaya disconnected the call and saw that Aaliya had already left as it was quite late.
She was just rolling on the bed because sleep was far from her eyes as she kept thinking about 'her Raj'
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SPOILERS AND UPDATES FOR THIS CHAPTER AND THE NEXT CHAPTER ARE ALREADY ON MY INSTAGRAM HANDLE 'KHUSHIIWRTS'.
This chapter is also uploaded on Wattpad and Scrollstack.
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