Chapter 101

Malini was under utter shock on hearing Yuvraj’s words. She looked at anything but him and struggled to form a word to talk to him. On seeing her Yuvraj held her hand and Malini gulped to his touch.

Malini: Senior..

Yuvraj: I m still your senior and you don’t have to feel embarrassed to tease and pull my leg as usual but before you start with that let me complete.

Malini: Oh yeah, please go ahead.. ofcourse I m listening..yeah

Yuvraj: Do you remember that I wasn’t in Chennai for atleast 6 months before Aadhi and I were kidnapped ?

Malini: Yeah, you were on some official trip. You bought us chocolates too.

Yuvraj: Yeah, I bought chocolates because you love them but now the discussion is the reason behind the trip. I spoke to Aadhi about what I felt for you. I wanted to be sure about my feelings for you so I sought her help because you know she is best friend to the both of us. She didn’t want me to rush in my feelings since she was worried about you so I asked if I should take a six months break just like she wanted Rishi bro to do to realize his love for her.

Malini looked at him with wide eyes and Yuvraj bobed his head.

Yuvraj: She said it would be the best and I accepted the new project. I tried my best to stay out of contact with you and thats is when I realized my love for you is true. I started following you discretely and when I spoke to my sister and brother in law it was another test for me. They sent me away once again to test my love and trust me that was the most terrible period of my life. I couldn’t stay away from you Malu. I love you. I will give you every chance to make you fall in love with me. I will be the partner you always wanted in your life.

Malini: Did you look at us ? I mean .. Senior you are so handsome but I m a chubby girl and no man would want me in his life. The reason I run away from marriage is I love my friends and food more than anything in this world.

Yuvraj: You are the most beautiful girl Malu and I love chubby girl.. I mean only you Malu and coming to your point, I m your best friend too so I would be always on your team with friends and I have started loving foods so I would be your food buddy.

Malini: Food buddy ?

Yuvraj: Yeah food buddy, we shall taste all the food together, I have started to learn cooking too.

Malini: Seems like you are so desperate to marry me.

Yuvraj: What if someone else propose you ? I m already late and I don’t want to try my luck. You need not fall in love with me now and we shall get married like arranged marriage. We shall get to understand each other just like couples do after an arranged marriage.

Malini: What if I reject you just like how I rejected all the proposals ?

Yuvraj: I would be happy that I have lot of time to make you fall in love and we shall have a love marraige. Now if you are ready for an arranged marriage go on a date with me tonight.

Malini: what if I don’t ?

Yuvraj: Still I want you to go on a date with me and I will give you all the reasons to go on many more dates with me.

Malini: Lets get back home and I will let you know by evening about my decision.

Yuvraj: Sure, my chubby doll.

Flasback Ends

Malini: Mrs. Adhira Rishikesh stop your act and now speak.

Aadhi: Hey he did come to me for help and I was worried about you so I didn’t reveal anything until he was sure about his feelings for you. But trust me, he wanted to reveal this to you by himself and that is the reason I kept this a secret only from you, our dear friend and my sister in law is well aware of this.

Chaitra: Traitor..

Malini: You too brutus..

Aadhi / Chaitra:  shut up idiot.

Aadhi: Yuvraj really love you and you have run enough from being scared of commitments. Are you still scared after seein me and Chaitra enjoying our life ?

Chaitra: Your life will be different from us Malu. He already loves you and you don’t have to be scared of a loveless marriage. Stop being a coward and give a chance to your life. He is your friend and you know him well.

Aadhi: If you think that you will be his second love then don’t be because he never loved me, it was just an attraction and that is the reason he was able to get over so quickly but he couldn’t do that in your case. You are his first love Malu.

Malini: Nonsense, I never thought such things. Its just you know…I m not just chubby but fat.. too fat for a handsome man like him. What if he hate me in the future, I m not slim with curves

Aadhi: Malu, are you serious ? I never thought you would be having such serious inferiority complex. You are the most beautiful girl Malu, we woman should be proud of how and what we are. We don’t change for anyone and don’t you see Rishi has accepted me for who I am with all my flaws and same goes to Chaitu. Now Yuvraj loves you for what and how you are. For once trust his love and give a chance and go on date with him.

Chaitra: Didn’t you say that we shouldn’t shut the door when love knocks on it ? Now I repeat the same to you.

Malu: Alright then, choose me an outfit now.

Malini turned her mobile to her wardrobe and they started choosing outift for Malini’s first date with Yuvraj.

Aadhi cut the call and saw Rishi and Ridha sleeping on the carepted floor. Rishi had his head on her lap and Ridha was nestled in his arms against his chest.

She caressed their hair with a smile and Rishi woke up kissing her palm.

Rishi: What happened love ?

Aadhi explained everything and Rishi felt happy for Malini and Yuvraj. Their moment was disturbed when Sudhir entered their home. Aadhi carried Ridha in her arms and Rishi sat on the couch with Aadhi beside him.

Rishi: What a surprise Sudhir ? Is everything ok ?

Sudhir passed an invitation to Rishi who felt happy and immediately hugged Sudhir giving a pat to his back.

Rishi: Finally you are getting married. Today has been very good and we are receving back to back good news.

Aadhi: Congrats Sudhir bro, tell us about the girl.

Sudhir: She is my high school love and we were in a long distance relationship since her family shifted to her father’s native place. There was a lot of problem and finally Rishi sir spoke to her parents and got our marriage fixed. Thank you so much sir.

Rishi: Shut up man, I m happy for you.

Aadhi: Sudhir bro, its too bad that you never shared about your love to me.

Sudhir: There were lot of problems and I waited for everything to be settled. I want you both to attend the wedding without fail.

Aadhi: Come on bro, its our family wedding and we would be there for sure.

Sudhir gave the toys for Ridha and left from there. Rishi and Aadhi entered their bedroom and Aadhi laid Ridha in the middle of the bed before the couple cuddled on the couch.

Rishi: Aadhi, I have thought of appointing Sudhir as the CEO, what do you say ?

Aadhi: Are you serious Rishu ? Are you planning on starting on your own business ?

Rishi: You know me better than anyone else Aadhu. Ofcourse I want to focus on starting our own business so it would better to let Sudhir handle the business since he had been doing that already. His soon to be inlaws would be happy that their son is a CEO of a company. We shall appoint a PA for him and we shall focus on our plans.

Aadhi: I m so happy and proud of you Rishu. Sure Sudhir bro is the best choice and this would be the best gift for his wedding. But what shall we gift him .. I mean the actual wedding gift ?

Rishi: I initially thought of gifting him with a new home but he already got one lets give him a car and a tickets for honeymoon. I will take care of business until he will be back to take charge.

Aadhi: Awww, thats so sweet of you Rishu. That man deserves a lot for everything he has done for us and stood by us in all our times.

Rishi bobed his head and they watched Ridha sleeping peacefully.

In the late evening Aadhi adjusted Malini’s hair and looked at her and showed a super sign and kissed her cheeks.

Aadhi: You look stunning Malu, don’t ever do the stupidity of letting insecurity creep your heart.

They heard Malu’s mother calling them and together they stepped out of the room. Ridha was playing in Rishi’s arms who was busy talking to Yuvraj. Aadhi gasped on seeing him and Malini twinning by coincidence.

Yuvraj looked at Malini who took away his breathe dressed up in a black salwar, her shawl was flowing from her shoulder, her hair was straightened and she chose simple pearl accessories to match her outfit.

Malini looked at Yuvraj who was also dressed in a back shirt, beige pant, the first button of his shirt was undone and he looked handsome to her eyes. Malini’s mother hugged Malini and watched her walk out with Yuvraj who opened the door for her before he got in the driver seat. He picked the roses from the back seat and passed it to her and she smiled widely on seeing the apples stuck between the flowers.

Yuvraj: I know you love apples so got you roses with apples. Now shall we my lady ?

Malini hummed with a smile and he drove to the destinaion he has planned for them.

Rishi and Aadhi took their leave once Malini left with Yuvraj. Aadhi was praying for Malini all the way home.

Yuvraj stopped the car by an apartment. Malini looked at him bewildered but Yuvraj parked the car and opened the door for her.

Yuvraj: I m not kidnapping you so don’t worry. As you this is a residential apartment, you will be safe.

Malini: I m not scared senior, I m just puzzled why are we here when you wanted me to go on a date with you.

Yuvraj: you will for yourself Junior.

They entered the lift and Yuvraj looked at her through the mirror. Feeling his gaze Mirror gulped and moved a strand of har behind her ear revealing her pink cheeks to him.

Yuvraj: I see you are blushing already junior.

Malini: Seniorrrr

Yuvraj raised his hands in surrender and as soon as the door opened he guided her to a flat and opened it. They entered inside and Malini saw it was all decorated with her favourite orchids and lillies. There was a mattress spread in the hall and lot of casseroles placed on it.

Yuvraj: This is my home and it would be our home in future if you accept my proposal.

Malini: Oh, its nice but you never said the reason why we are here.

Yuvraj: I wanted our first date to be a very memorable one forever so I thought this would be the best place rather than some restaurant. I have cooked your favourite food and we shall watch your favourite movie and have dinner. Later we shall sit in the balcony and have a coffee while we talk about us.

Yuvraj sat on the mattress and pat the space next to him. Malini sat at a distance and Yuvraj opened the casseroles and served her dinner. He passed a remote to her and they had dinner while watching a romantic movie Malini chose.

Yuvraj: do you like the food ?

Malini: Not bad, you need to learn a lot senior.

Yuvraj: This won’t be a one time to just impress you Malu, we shall have movie nights on all weekends and I would happily cook for you since I would be busy with work on week days.

Malini: Will you avoid me if I deny marrying you ? Will you hate me if I wanted us to be only friends forever ?

Yuvraj: Only if you let me stay unmarried and be your friend forever. I can’t imagine anyone other than you junior.

They finished of the dinner and moved to the balcony which was also decorated with candles and flowers.

Malini: I know there must be many girls living in this apartment so how many girls have you looked from here ?

Yuvraj: I won’t lie that I haven’t seen anyone. Infact I tried to look at other girls to test if my love was real for you and you won’t believe, I literally felt nothing when I looked all those girls.

Malini: What do you feel when you look at me ?

Yuvraj: I feel everything for you junior, I feel a lot of butterflies in my heart, I feel the whole world turning invisible to me and you are all I see. I feel the rush in my hormones, I wanted to look at you in the most sinful way, I feel all those desires that doesn’t let me sleep at night. I feel all these things because I love you  junior.

Malini: Senior…

Malini’s voice was just a mere whisper on hearing his confession.

Yuvraj: Will you go on a second date with me Malu ?

Malini: yes.. but is it ok we have our second date after the wedding ?

Yuvraj froze on hearing her words and without a word he leaned closer and kissed her forehead.

Yuvraj: Thank you Malu, I love you. I promise, that you will never regret giving me this chance.

Malini blushed feeling his lips that was still lingering on her forehead. She placed her palm on his chest and tried to push him but Yuvraj placed his palm over her hand and closed his eyes letting her palm to calm his heart.