"Sometimes I wonder why I fell in love with you in the first place and continue to love you even after all the pain. And then you smile at me and I realise why; Without you I cant breathe"~ humour vine.

~'~

India, Kashmir:

"Agnes?," Jason whispered. "Will you go on five mini dates with me?"

"We had two dates yesterday," Akane and Takumi laughed, holding two black dates in front of Agnes. She laughed.

"Mini dates?"

"Yes," Jason replied. "Will you, adventure girl?"

She grinned. "Why not?"

~'~

"So, our first date will be on a raft, in a river," Jason said, fixing Agnes' life jacket.

"Yeah, we'll be river rafting," Akane smirked.

"Great. I don't like cheesy romantic dates anyway," Agnes laughed.

"I know," Jason replied. "That's why I planned this"

"I hope the four of you know that river rafting can be really fatal. In case you stop rowing, it won't take the river a second to drag you down to death. So please, remember to never stop rowing. Most of all, remember the team work," the guide warned.

The four of them nodded as a slight shiver ran down their backs. They seated themselves on the red raft, fixing each other with belts, helmets and life jackets.

"All the best!," the guide said as he pushed them into the violent white river. The screamed as they rowed upstream, the river being downstream.

The water splashed on them with such force that they had to prevent themselves from falling.

"Woah.. This is a scary date," Akane screamed.

"No! I think it's great!," Agnes grinned.

"Yeah, after all we all will die together if nothing else," Takumi rolled his eyes as his hands pained because of all the rowing. Jason laughed.

The river behaved like a violent goddess who was growing impatient for sacrifice. The water came with such force and velocity that they felt themselves drowning even if they were rowing.

"Row row row the boat.. dilelg dieleii top...," Akane and Takumi sang.

"Those are not the right words," Jason laughed.

"I know! But do you think we are in a position to sing here?," Agnes screamed.

"Hey! Look at that!," Takumi pointed towards the waterfall at a distance. "What is that?"

The rocks which were present above the waterfall seemed to shine. Candles. They had candles on top.

"It's a date after all," Jason whispered to Agnes. She narrowed her eyes to see what it exactly was.

The candles on the rocks started to burn with an immense speed and then, all of a sudden, a blue flame burst above the fall.

To  the dark chocolate girl, Cherry. I love you.

Then, the flames vanished. Thinking it was over, Agnes smiled and whispered to him. "Thank you"

He shook his head. "Look"

Akane and Takumi gasped. The scene was beautiful. The candles, which were now a swollen mass of wax, turned into different colours and the gas filled the air. The gases which were of different colours filled the air and much to their surprise it formed a hazy world. Then, the white gas formed a plane and roamed around the world, stopping on top. Four people appeared to be sitting on the hazy world- two boys and two girls. Agnes, Jason, Akane and Takumi.

Agnes smiled. It was magical.

Slowly, the four people seated on the world vanished and the gas too. They stopped. It was over.

"Wow," Akane, Takumi and Agnes said in unison as they got out of the raft. "How did you do it?"

He laughed. "It was an illusion. I won't tell you though"

Agnes smiled. "Thank you. Thank you so much"

As they walked away, Akane and Takumi whispered to each other. "We definitely cannot miss this couple's wedding."

~'~

Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden, Srinagar, Kashmir:

"So here's your second date," Jason smiled.

The four of them looked around the garden. It was beautiful beyond comprehension. This Tulip Garden in Srinagar, the capital city of Kashmir was the largest tulip garden in Asia, spread over an area of about twelve hectares. It housed over 2 million plants of more than 70 species.

"This is so pretty," Akane smiled, touching the tulips which grew in abundance there.

The tulips in the garden were of unimaginable colours- red, white, blue, yellow, orange, pink, white with a shade of pink, red with a shade of white. Everything. The place, with it's beauty and sweet aroma of tulips was, in short, a part of heaven itself.

"Cherry?," Jason said, extending his hand. "May I?"

She looked at him, amused. "Sure," she said, holding his hand. He swirled her around in the garden.

"What is he doing?,"Akane asked.

"Oh," Takumi replied. "He's lost it. It is called.. love syndrome."

Akane laughed. "I have something for you"

"Yeah? Gimme"

And what Akane gave him, made him scream on the top of his lungs.

"AKANE YOU KNOW I HATE CATERPILLARS!"

Akane gawffed in laughter as she slid the caterpillar into his shirt, making him scream to death.

Agnes and Jason stopped dancing as they looked at him. "What's wrong?"

Akane laughed loudly. "It's called... caterpillar syndrome!"

After everything was settled, Jason swirled Agnes around again and finally stopped when they reached his desired place. "Look at that"

Agnes looked at the place where Jason was pointing. Oh my, I don't believe this.

There were millions of different coloured tulips there which were placed and grown in such a way that it formed Agnes' face itself. It was perfect.

"WOW!," Akane and Takumi shouted. "Splendid!"

Agnes embraced Jason. "I don't know how to thank you for this"

He smiled as he patted her hair gently. "You don't have to, you know"

~'~

Daal Lake, Srinagar, Kashmir:

It was evening now and Agnes and Jason were sitting on a houseboat which floated lightly on the Daal Lake, one of the most famous and magnificent lakes of Kashmir. It was encompassed by Mughal era gardens, parks and hotels. Behind it, in the distance, one could see the huge mountains standing majestically above all. The flowers, the lightly lapsing water, the cold weather and the orange yellow sky- everything offered a gorgeous view.

"Now for the third date," Jason said as they looked at the food in front of them. Steaming gravy rice, lentils, hot Kashmiri tea.

"Agnes?"

"Yes?"

"Have you told Mr.Fotaine about us?"

"Yes. He said he was very happy. He said he had liked you from the very beginning. Did you tell Fidel?"

Jason shook his head. "No. She'll tease me to death"

Agnes laughed. "I know you have"

He smiled. "Well, you know me. And," he said, holding her hand gently. "I want you to be with me."

"Love comes with responsibilities, Jason. It's easy to fall in love. But to keep it alive? That's the challenge."

"I know.," he sighed. "But, I know we will do it. Because I've fallen in love with a woman who is so strong and brave. Who is beyond comparison."

"Yeah.. I'm a dragon"

"Yes, yes you are," he laughed.

"You made the food, didn't you?"

"Yeah"

"I knew it. I can taste your love"

"You're insane"

"Yes I am. For you. For you a million times."

And as Cherry looked at her smiling Mr. Lecturer, she realised that in this cold weather of Kashmir she had found her invincible summer.

~'~

Yeah, two more dates are left :D That'll be the next chapter. 31.The fireworks of light. Will update soon. Lots of love.

~'~