Munna was out of breath when he reached his office.

The moment he entered, he shot the first question, 'Pakde gaye kya?'

Seated in the visitor's chair, Sameer swung towards him, smiling, 'Tu ek perfect actor se keh raha hai uski acting mein koi kami reh gayi? Bilkul nahi. Makhan ki tarah gaya sab. Maine kisi ko shak bhi nahi hone diya.'

Muna drew in a long breath and walked in tiredly, 'Toh bataya kyon nahi raat ko phone karke? Main aur Pandit aise hi hanuman chalisa padh rahe the tere liye?'

That made Sameer wonder why he did not think of calling them last night. After dropping Naina, he was so engrossed in thinking about the evening and running each incident through his mind several times that it did not occur to him even once to let his friends know the outcome of the meeting.

Heavily plonking on his chair, Munna wiped his brow, 'Achha yeh bata Naina ke saath koi panga toh nahi kiya tune?'

Sameer gave him a hard look, 'Main karta hun panga? Tujhe uski galtiyan nahi nazar aati? Jab dekho kuch na kuch sunati rehti hai. Koi insaan kab tak us behenji ka lecture sunega.'

That was when Pandit entered the office, after receiving Munna's message that Sameer was here.

Hearing Sameer's remark, he exclaimed, 'Tu apna Naina puran band kar aur shuru kar de kal ka repeat telecast. Gyarah baje ki meeting pe jaane se pehle poori report chahiye.'

Sameer also needed to reach his office before Dadaji so he quickly gave them the complete account of how the evening went. Only when he came to that part did it strike him to question Munna, 'Ek baat bata, tu mera dost hai ki uska? Use toh saare tips de diye, mujhe kuch nahi bataya. Pata hai Naina maharani ne kaisi situation mein phansa diya tha mujhe? Woh toh maine smartly paneer bol diya kyonki paneer sabhi ko pasand hota hai warna usne meri band bajane ki taiyari kar li thi.'

Without giving them a chance to ask, he told about the incident of favourite dishes.

Munna's eyes widened, 'Achhaaa. Toh isliye Naina kal lunch time pe tere baare mei yeh sab puch rahi thi. Sahi hai yaar. Badhiya foresight hai uski.'

Pandit nodded in understanding, 'Ladki kaafi smart hai.'

'Oversmart hai.' Sameer scoffed, 'Sabko pataa liya ghar pe. Aaj subah se gharwale usi ka gungaan kar rahe hain. Dadaji toh aaj hi milne bula rahe the. Maine keh diya Naina ko aaj shaadi mein jaana hai. Toh bole kal le aana. Itna toh main bhi nahi milta apni family se jitna wo Naina ko bulane pe tule hain.'

Munna shrugged, 'Yeh toh achhi baat hai. Iska matlab Naina ne unhe convince kar diya aur unhe teri girlfriend pasand aa gayi.'

After taking a quick look at the door, Sameer dragged his chair closer to the table and said in a low voice, 'Wohi toh. Ek meeting mein kaise pasand aa sakti hai... woh bhi Naina jaisi ladki. Tum maante nahi ho par uske paas koi jaadu tona hai. Pata nahi khila deti hai ya sungha deti hai. Jise dekho usse impress ho jaata hai.'

Pandit poked his forehead, 'Kabhi tere dimag ne yeh nahi kaha ki sab isliye impress hote hain kyonki woh hai hi itni achhi. Baaki log teri tarah andhe nahi hai na.'

Sameer let out a disbelieving grunt, 'Uski achhai tum logon ko nazar aati hai lekin uska behaviour nahi. Kitni rude hai pata hai? Aaj maine uski help karne ki koshish ki par woh fir se mujhi pe chadh gayi. Aaj toh genuinely main apne aap gaya tha usse bachane ke liye.'

'Aaj?' Munna was surprised, 'Already mil liya tu usse? Aur yeh bachane ka kya kissa hai?'

Sameer narrated the incident of coffee shop and his heroic effort to save her from someone who wanted to harass her.

After he told them about her cold and insulting response, he added, 'Mujhe toh laga khush hogi lekin usne aise behave kiya jaise woh chahti thi ki ladka use chede aur maine beech mein aake uska plan barbaad kar diya.'

'Bakwaas mat kar Sameer.' Munna snapped, 'Samajh bhi aa raha hai kya bol raha hai?'

Sameer twisted his mouth, "Galat kya bola? Jab tune restaurant mei uski help ki thi tab tujhe thank you bola aur mujhe suna ke chali gayi. Jaise main uski help karne wala nahi koi gunda mawali hun.'

Pandit pressed his forehead, 'Bhai tune apni akal kisi galat investment plan mein daal di thi kya? Bilkul hi nadarad hai.'

Perplexed, Sameer looked from Munna to Pandit when the former also glared at him angrily.

Finally, Munna let out an exasperated breath, 'Tujhe yaad hai maine uski madad karte waqt kya kiya tha?' Without waiting for an answer, he continued, 'Help ki thi lekin limit cross nahi ki.'

Sameer frowned, 'Maine konsi limit cross ki?'

Munna patiently explained, 'Tune aaj jo kiya woh galat tha. Is tarah uske saath baithna, use touch karna, boyfriend ki tarah kareeb aana... yeh sab harassement ki category mein aata hai Sameer.'

Pandit was even more annoyed, 'Main toh ye soch raha hun Naina ne tujhe thappad kaise nahi maara. Main uski jagah hota toh kas ke lagata. Matlab, kamar se pakadna, baalon mein ungliya, aankhon mein aankhen... tu kya khud ko sach mein Shahrukh Khan samajhne laga hai?'

Before Sameer could react, Munna added, 'Yeh sab karne se pehle Naina se pucha? Tujhe itna toh pata hoga consent kya hota hai. Aise kaise bina puche kisi ladki ke close jaa sakta hai yaar? Yeh tune bada indecent kaam kiya hai.'

Sameer wasn't prepared for this whiplash. Okay fine, maybe he shouldn't have touched her that way but then, he had no bad intention. And his friends, of all the people, should know this.

His voice turned stern when he answered, 'Mujhe Naina ke saath koi romeogiri karne ka shouk nahi chadha tha. Woh ladka kuch indecent na kare isliye Naina ke paas jaakar aisa pretend kar raha tha jaise boyfriend hun. Isme galat kya hai? Yeh natak toh hum log kar hi rahe hain.'

Pandit shook his head, 'Natak sirf teri family ke liye hai. Iska matlab yeh nahi...'

Munna cut him short and said impatiently, 'Natak mein bhi apni limit yaad rakhni hai. Tune Naina ke baare mein pata nahi kya kya kaha, uske peeche se aur uske saamne bhi. Fir bhi woh teri help kar rahi hai. Natak ke chakkar mein koi line mat cross karna.'

'Tum log toh peeche hi pad gaye. Itni si baat ko serious bana rahe ho.' Sameer was frustrated now.

Sighing at his ignorance, Pandit said in a steady voice, 'Khud soch ke dekh, agar Naina ki jagah Anu hoti aur koi anjaan ladka aise karta... uski help karne ke liye.'

As the scenario formed in Sameer's mind, his face turned dark. Imagining some random guy touching his sister would have ensured a death wish for him. That is when the realisation hit him.

His voice turned unsteady, 'Maine... maine itna nahi socha.'

Glad that he could see his mistake, Munna cautioned him, 'Aage se khyal rakhna. Kuch kehne ya karne se pehle ek baar sochna ki agar Naina teri behen hoti toh kya...'

Sameer interrupted him instantly, his voice stiff, 'Naina ko behen kyon maanu? Woh meri behen nahi ho sakti.'

Pandit rolled his eyes, 'Sochne ko hi kaha hai bhai, rakhi bandhne ko nahi.'

Munna looked at him, 'Rakhi ladkiyan bandhti hai... bhai ko.'

"Lekin raksha toh Naina kar rahi hai iski, natak karke,' Pandit pointed out.

Sameer ran a hand through his hair, leaning back on the seat and hummed, 'Mujhe kuch samajh nahi aata Naina ka. Kya woh sach mein sab kuch sahi karti hai? Kaise har kisi ko apni side kar leti hai? Aaj coffee shop mei counter wala ladka bhi use jaanta tha aur usse impressed hai kyonki yeh Madam Teresa uski help karti hai. Main toh lift mein bhi uska fan club expect kar raha tha. Pehli jagah dekhi jahan chaar log the lekin kisi ne Naina Devi ke charan nahi dhoonde. Koi itna achha nahi ho sakta yaar. Yeh ladki fake hai.'

Pandit knocked on Sameer's forehead with his knuckles, making him wince in pain, and reminded, 'Ladki fake nahi hai girlfriend fake hai. Yaad rakhna. Dubara bhavnaon mein mat beh jaana.'

He then checked his watch and got up hurriedly, 'Baaki baatein shaam ko. Abhi mujhe jaana hai warna papa meeting mein late aane ke liye staff ke saamne hi mera left right left kar denge.'

Waving at his friends, he rushed out. Munna ordered for coffee and was about to continue when his intercom rang.

After speaking to someone, he told Sameer, 'Tu do minute baith main bas abhi aaya.'

It had just been a minute when Sameer heard the door open again. He turned with a wide smile... and froze.

Naina entered the room with few papers in hand, her indifferent eyes glancing at him for just a fleeting moment before she looked at Munna's vacant chair. She went around to stand across Sameer and started to place the papers next to each other on the table. After she had put all of them, she took a step back and checked them, scrunched her nose, then arranged them in different order till the lines on her forehead eased out. With a satisfied smile, she again took a step back to see her handiwork. Sameer craned his neck to see what she was admiring with such a pleased expression. All he could see was mixture of colours on each paper. It was like a palette was created, and copied several times.

'Yeh kya hai?' Sameer asked aloud.

Naina quirked up a brow, her eyes finally moving to him, 'Tumhe nahi pata?'

Sameer looked again. It didn't make any sense to him. He just shrugged, lifting his eyes to her.

A look of genuine concern appeared on her face, 'Actually Mr Maheshwari, inhe colours kehte hain. Product ho ya life, ye colours hi unhe khoobsurat banate hain. Lekin tumhe kaise pata hoga. Kyonki tumhe toh sirf black and white pata hai, woh bhi alag alag nahi, mix karke. Jaise tumhare thoughts grey hain, waisi hi tumhari life. Life se yaad aaya, saara time apne dost ko disturb karne ke alava tum kuch aur bhi karte ho? Ya tumhare shares ki value dusron ko criticise karne se hi badh jaati hai?'

Sameer frowned, 'What do you mean? Maine tumse ek normal sawal pucha aur tum mujhe insult kar rahi ho. Har koi tumhare jaisa calculative nahi hota. Mere dost mere aane se disturb nahi khush hote hain. Tum apni baat karo.'

Letting out a derisive laugh, Naina exclaimed, 'Believe me, main bilkul khush nahi hoti tumhe yaha dekh ke.'

Sameer gritted his teeth at her wrong interpretation, 'Main keh raha hun tumhare aane se dusron ko kitni khushi hoti hai uspe concentrate karo. Tum itni bhi likeable nahi ho jitna khud ko samajhti ho.'

Fluttering her eyes, Naina asked with mock surprise, 'Oh really? Mujhe toh laga kal tumhari family mein sab mujhe kaafi like kar rahe the.'

Entering the room, Munna replied before Sameer could say something 'Sahi pehchana Naina. Sameer ki family ko tum bohot achhi lagi. Balki Dadaji ne toh aaj hi milne bulaya hai fir se.'

'Kya?' Naina was shocked for real, 'Fir se? Kyon?'

Sameer glared at Munna, then stated, 'Maine keh diya aaj tum free nahi ho. Par kal chalna padega. Woh kuch baat karna chahte hain tumse.'

'Main kal free nahi hun.' Naina declared in defiance.

Sameer looked at her with impatience, 'Contract kiya hai toh do chaar baar milna padega. Aise kaise manaa kar sakti ho.'

Crossing her arms, Naina replied bluntly, 'Manaa kar sakti hun kyonki parson mere bachhon ka exam hai aur kal unhe padhana zaruri hai.'

Sameer's mouth fell open, 'Tumhare bachhe?'

Munna quickly clarified before Sameer started another series of misunderstanding, 'Tuition wale bachhe. Jinhe Naina tuition padhati hai. Unka exam hai.'

'Oh!' Sameer looked away, wondering why she cannot be more clear in her communication.

When he seemed to have forgotten about the meeting with his grandfather, Naina cleared her throat to get his attention, and offered, 'Main aaj free hun, uske baad sirf Saturday ko chal sakti hun kyonki yeh exam days hain. Alag alag batches ke exams ke liye meri classes hain.'

Sameer chewed his lip, giving a confused look to Munna, 'Lekin aaj ke liye toh maine kaha tha...'

With a sheepish smile, Munna explained, 'Actually Sameer ko laga tum aaj fir se shayad na jaana chaho isliye usne... usne keh diya aaj tumhe kisi dost ki shaadi mein jaana hai.'

"Toh keh do shaadi aaj nahi agle hafte hai. Keh dena tum bhool gaye.' Naina shrugged, offering the solution, then added, 'Ya fir Saturday tak wait karne ko bolo Dadaji ko.'

Saturday was four days from now. Sameer was aware that not just Dadaji but everyone at home would drive him nuts by asking him about Naina everytime they saw him if he waited that long. It was better to take her home today and tick off this matter from his list. Then he would tell them clearly that it was not comfortable for him and Naina to spend time at home like this regularly. After all, they were just in a relationship, not married to each other.

'Suits me.' He looked at Naina, 'Aaj shaam ko main tumhe pick karne aa jaunga.'

'Uski zarurat nahi hai.' Naina said with finality, 'Main metro se aa jaungi. Station tumhare ghar se zyada dur nahi hai.'

Sameer rolled his eyes at her stubbornness, then stated, 'Mujhe bhi tumhara driver nahi banna. Lekin tumhe ghar mere saath hi chalna padega warna mummy fir se shuru ho jayengi.'

He mumbled the last few words in a lower voice then rest of the sentence.

"Fine.' Naina agreed, 'Main time message kar dungi. Mujhe metro station ke gate se pick kar lena.'

Without waiting for his expert comments, Naina moved closer to Munna and started to talk about the papers she had placed on the table. Sameer was flustered at the way she completely ignored him but he remained quiet. The papers, he gathered, were to decide a colour scheme for their upcoming launch of some new product, and she had placed them in order of her preference. After talking for five minutes, she left, without a word, or even a glance at him.

Sameer glanced at the closed door, then fumed, 'Attitude dekha iska? For se mujhe sunake gayi. Aur order aise de rahi thi jaise... jaise...'

He fumbled for the right word, but couldn't think of anything. Finally, he gave up and pushed his chair back, 'Main chalta hun. Aaj shaam toh fir se Dadaji ne duty pe lagaya hai, kal milte hain hum log.'

After he was gone, Munna smiled 'Tujhe line pe lane ke liye Naina perfect hai.'

In the evening, Sameer had been waiting at the metro station for more than ten minutes when Naina walked out.

'Kitni der laga di tumne. Pata hai kabse yahan khada hun.' He spat the moment she sat in the car.

'Metro khareedi nahi hai maine ab tak, toh driver mere kehne se nahi chalta. Tum contract ke paise badha do toh main ek do metro bhi le lungi. Tumhare paanch minute bach jayenge jinmein tum do chaar logon ko taane maar sakte the aur ek do se jhagda kar sakte the.' Naina retorted in a cold tone.

'Tumse toh baat karna hi apna time waste karna hai.' Sameer muttered, starting the car and honking loudly to move the auto rickshaws that had surrounded his parked vehicle.

'Jaise tumhari company mein mera time toh bohot achha guzarta hai.' She mumbled back, her face towards the window.

Like the previous trips, they reached home in silence. But once inside, Naina was engulfed in the same warmth she had experienced the previous day. Anaya was not home but Ambika and Girish, along with Dadaji, talked to her as if they had known her for a long time. Sameer wished his friends were here to see how Naina had weaved her charm, which had to be something potent yet no one was able to see the truth behind her facade.

After a cup of tea, Dadaji summoned her to the Study. Naina was a bit apprehensive, but quietly followed the old man when Ambika smilingly gestured at her to go.

The study was a large room that smelled of wood and leather, like a chamber of lawyer. A large desk was placed on one side, with one heavily cushioned chair behind it and two in front. Other side of the room had seating for at least ten people, with a low, broad table in the center. But the arrangement was more informal than business like. The shelves behind were filled with books . Naina did not pay much attention to the titles, because she was sure they would be related to business.

Dadaji took one seat around the low table and asked her to sit in front.

His voice was quite gentle when he asked, 'Kya tumhare gharwalon ko tumhare aur Sameer ke rishte ke baare mein pata hai?'

'Jee?' Naina was taken aback as she hadn't expected such a question.

Dadaji smiled warmly, 'Daro nahi beta, main bas itna janna chahta hun ki tumhare bhai bhabhi ko malum hai ki tum aur Sameer ek dusre se pyar karte ho?'

Naina quickly nodded, 'Pata hai. Sabko... sabko pata hai.'

'Unhe Sameer pasand hai? Matlab unhe tum dono ke rishte se koi aitraaz toh nahi hai?' Dadaji was looking at her intently.

Naina felt the knot of nervousness tightening in her stomach. On surface, she shook her head.

With a smile, Dadaji dropped another bomb, 'Meri baat karao apne bhai se. Phone karo use.'

'Phone?' Naina stared at him, flabbergasted.

'Haan beta, rishte ki baat karne ke liye humein unse milna padega. Ya toh unhe Delhi aana hoga ya hum log Ahmedabad chale jayenge.' Dadaji said with ease, as if it was just a shopping trip he was talking about.

Naina's head started to spin. They were not supposed to discuss any such thing.

Dadaji tapped on her hand that was holding her cellphone, and reminded, 'Call karo. Mujhe baat karni hai tumhare bhai se.'

'Woh... woh so rahe honge abhi.' Naina uttered whatever came to her mind.

Dadaji looked at his watch, 'Is waqt? Is waqt kaun sota hai?'

Naina gulped. She had to think fast. Remembering a conversation she had with Natasha once, she blurted, 'Australia mein hain woh. Time difference hai. Unki raat ho gayi hai.'

'Oh!' Dadaji narrowed his eyes, 'Australia kab gaye? Abhi toh tum Ahmedabad mein milkar aayi thi.'

"Agle din.' Naina smiled, carrying her lie forward with conviction, 'Australia se kuch din ke liye aaye the. Navratri ke agle din woh dono Australia chale gaye aur main yahan aa gayi. Woh kuch saalon se Australia mein hi rehte hain. Yahan bohot kam aana hota hai.'

'Achha!' Dadaji nodded, 'Matlab wahan job karte hain.'

'Jee.' Naina's smile grew wider.

Dadaji thought for a while, then looked at her, 'Toh unse kab baat ho sakti hai?'

'Main... main unhe keh dungi aapko call karne ko.' Naina wasn't sure this was the right thing to say but she couldn't think of anything better.

Dadaji leaned back, relieved, 'Haan yeh theek rahega. Lekin ek do din mein hi baat karne ko keh dena. Agar Sunday ki sagai rakhni hai toh unse baat karni zaruri hai.'

'Sagai?' Naina processed the word in her mind, and screamed internally.

Next update on Sunday