"Did we hit someone?" Radhika said containinguncertainty in her voice, which made Arjun shocked.

"I am not going to take any responsibility for you, if anything happened." She further added while hopping off hurriedly making Arjun follow her animatedly.

Both ran toward few stepswhere a bicycle fell down, from its look it seemed like a kid's. Few daily used groceries scattered on road. They both gasped in shock.

"What I did?" Arjun whispered almost in desolation.He was looking here and there to find the person whom he might hit. They were so desperate to know what actually happened, right then they heard someone calling from behind.

"Didi...Didi..." A ten to twelve year kid came running anddirectly hugged Radhika once he reached near them.

Arjun looked at him with wide eyes. His eyes got wider seeing Radhika reciprocate the boy'shug with a big pleasant smile like she used to do. She never did same with him.

Well! Youdidn't give any reason to get that affection. His mind retorted. He shrugged off and parted the kid forcefully from Radhika, jealous much that he couldn't get such.

"Who are you? What do you think you are doing just a second before?"Arjun asked the kid narrowing his eyes. He never did imagine he would feel such covetousness of a kid.

"The right thing to do when you meet your beloved after few years." Radhika replied instead of the kid.

"Beloved?" Arjun asked raising his left brow.

"Uncle, you forgot me? I remember you, how you come with urgency in search of didi, two years back." Kid said enthusiastically.

"Two years back?" Arjun asked.

"on the way to Lonavala, when you left me lonely on road in midnight. He is that kid whose father gave me shelter that night." Radhika said in conniption though she was not loud, with an ambiance laugh. Arjun turned his face away hearing her, feeling guilty.

He really did many bad things with her, directly and indirectly. He regretted it a lot too, but sometimes situations were out of hand. Right then he only wanted if only he had the power to wipe out that phase of his past. Alas! That's not possible.

"But, how are you here chotu? This is not Lonavala way?" Radhika asked holding the kid with pure affection.

"My father had no work to do there. So we shifted here."The kid replied but looking behind her. Radhika followed his stare to find one kulfi ice-cream vendor other side of road.

"Do you want that?" Radhika was patting his cheeks.

"yes. A lot of." The kid answered enthusiastically by nodding his head and spreading his hands, showing how much he wanted, really.

"Just wait." Radhika smiled and went to buy Kulfi. Arjun started to follow her, but stopped when the kid pulled him. He asked him what happened?

"Uncle, do you follow didialways?"

"why you are asking?"

"Because she is my didi. Only I will follow her when I come to my age. You stay away from her." The kid said keeping his hands on his hip like some threat.

Arjun first got shock and speechless seeing kid's attitude , later he was laughing like maniac as if he heard the best joke of the world while the kid was glaring him with a perplexed mind.

"Calm down champ. Now I understand why you are so much possessive about someone whom you just met once." He took a sigh and bent down the level of kid, " Radhika is so nice that nobody can resist to adore her. I was the only foolish one."

"Uncle, You have changed for better than last time I saw you." The kid said with a big smile which warmed up Arjun's heart immediately.

"You sure?"

"More than ever."

"Thank you." Although Arjun knew he was changed from before but somewhere in his heart he was losing his confidence seeing Priya and Radhika's immobile responses. Though from a kid, that was a much needed assurance to him.

Arjun was ruffling kid's hair his eyes fell on a bike coming like zigzag as if the rider was drunk. His eyes suddenly fell on Radhika who was crossing road with handful of kulfis, her whole concentration was on ice-cream so she didn't give much think to look her side which was empty when she started. The previous Lonavala accident flashed in Arjun's eyes, which led a sudden shiver in him out of fear. In the blink of moment, he rushed to her in just two steps, more speed than Olympic athletes did in long jumpand pulled her in the edge of time.

Radhika was so in daze to comprehen what just happened. She could only feel she was in tight embrace. She tried to part them after few moments to calm down Arjun who was blabbering something on his own. He did let her free but still cupped her face, " Are you alright? Nothing happened to you? Do you get any scratch? Show me?"

Radhika was shocked in disbelief seeing his concern and almost scared face. That was rare. Why he was so worried about her?

" Relax, Mr. Mehera. I am fine. See, nothing happened to me." She pointed herself with a serenity getting the seriousness of situation.

Anything, but hearing Mr. Mehera from her , Arjun just got back his momentum.

"Don't you have eyes? Can't you see your left right while crossing road? What do you think yourself? If anything happened to you, then what about me?" This time he shouted.

Radhika just looked at him stupefied. What he was? A second before he was afraid as if his life was on edge of sword and now screaming at her. Huh! She was no less too.

"Listen, Mr. Mehera I am grateful that you saved me. But that doesn't mean you can vent your anger on me. If anything happened to me, then what about you? What? Why that matter to you?" She replied with equal rage too.

"First stop this damn, Mr. Mehera chime. I really hate it when you so formally talk with me. Call me Arjun. And about why you mattered to me, I will tell you very soon." He said vehemently.

"Arjun. Huh!" she shrugged , " why would I call you on your first name. Are you my sibling or cousin?"

"what? No way, I am not your brother." If he was shouting before then he was yelling loudest.Might be imagined the scenario of Radhika being his sister.

"Uncle , do you want my ear to bleed?" The kid intervened. "Didi, Are you fine?"

"Yes, sweetheart." She ensured coming to the level of kid, " but unfortunately your ice-cream gotmartyrized."

The kid chuckled on her words, " No worries didi. It's good that you are safe." He pecked on Radhika cheek. Arjun was more irked now.

"We are getting late." Arjun said sternly.

"I didn't force you to take me with." Immediate reply came. " if you wish you can go on your way from here, me on mine." That immediately calmed down Arjun.

" But our destination is one." He said smoothly.

" Glad for your realisation."

"Stop fighting like Tom and Jerry." The kid said, "I am going didi, it's late. My mother must be worried by now. My house is near by. Will you come with me?" He asked hopefully.

"Some other time, dear." Radhika said and took out little money to give the kid. He was adamant to accept money, but She told him to have his ice-cream, chocolate with those and that was a gift from her. After a hard persuasion, kid accepted it and went away. But before going away he whispered in Arjun's ear, " Take care of didi and yourself too."

That simple sentence made him smile. They waved bye to kid and went toward car. Just when they got on seat, Arjun whisper yelled in pain holding his stomach.

" What happened?" Radhika asked concerned.

"Nothing." He replied calmly trying to fetch a smile on his face.

" Your pale face doesn't support your lie. Tell me the truth." She demanded that time.

"Nothing much. It's just a cramp due to inflammation. I should have acquainted to this now." He replied more like to him.

" Do you skip your meal often?"

"Food wasn't an interesting matter when you weren't around." Arjun said in flow, but immediately corrected, " let's move, we are getting late."

Before start engine, Again Arjun held his stomach, this time more firmly and he was careful not to make any sound. However, Radhika got he was in pain. She remembered she saw a dispensary few metres before.

"Sit here and don't move. I will be back in few minutes." She ordered like a mother with care and concern in her voice and went out.

"Wait." Before Arjun could say more, she was out of his sight. Arjun was clueless where she ran like marathons.

Exactly after 5 minutes, Radhika came back panting heavily due to run. She gulped half litre of water at once then took a deep breath to calm herself. Arjun eyes were almost come out of socket when she handed him a strip of tablet and anti-inflammatory syrup. His heart welled up with joy and excitement. She ran to took medicine for him, almost half kilometre. Nevertheless, she still had her warm aura, soft heart hidden behind shell. He could die out of happiness then.

"Did You..?" he was going to ask but cut off by her.

"It's something called humanity which I will never forget. Don't talk too much and take the tablet now." She instructed and pushed him to passenger seat. He couldn't decipherer what to think about her, she was caring and chaffing at same time.

"Do you know how to drive?" He asked doubtfully seeing her adjusting seatbelt on driver seat, remembering he never saw her driving before. She didn't say anything but gave a glare him.

"Just take your tablet and tie your seat belt tightly." She said saliently and smirked to herself.

'Mr Mehera just watch me what I am going to do, for making fun of me.' She thought inwardly wait for Arjun to complete what she told.

As she saw, Arjun tighten the seat belt she started to drive at speed as if she was in F1 racing competition. At first Arjun was scared thinking if she will cause accident but later seeing her accurate driving he sighed in relief. She learned so many things. But none from him!!

"I would love to sit on this side and stare you non as much as I wish when you drive like that." He stated in honey-coated voice laced with sweet teasing.

She frowned and threw daggers at him, to which he smiled wide, " don't look at me, look forward, I know I am handsome. But you can stare me as much you want once we reached." He told in mischief.

"Did I get him wrong medication?" Radhika mumbled to herself, which Arjun heard as he was leaning toward her more by each passing moment.

"No sweetheart." She suddenly put brake and looked at him unbelievably.

"Don't use that endearment to me." She said firmly after getting her composure.

"why not? If Rajiv could , then...." His sentence cut in mid.

"Never compare yourself to him. He can say anything to me, he can do anything with me and for me; you know why? He earned those rights over me, but not you." She said like some declaration.

She further added, " I don't understand why you are so good now. You don't need to act in front of me. After all, I know you better. So be yourself, Arrogant, self centred and manipulative the great Mr. Arjun Mehera. Of course, I am thankful, you saved me from possible accident; but that was not any great doing of yours. It's your pay back for once I saved your life too."

She was well aware what she said would hurt Arjun, but still she said. She had patience on threads to lift those burdens on her heart anymore. She needed to vent it out, and then she could be move on.

"I didn't know I hurt you this extent. Although sorry is not enough, but still I am extremely sorry for whatever happened in past." He uttered in those stupefaction state not knowing what else to say.

She started engine without saying a word. Silence prevailed in them. Both are merged in their own thoughts. Sometimes silence was best remedy to avoid any causality. It was a long way and they have to be patient with each other. Still their past came in between.

Mala was on her heels since she got news that her children were coming back. She was going to meet her choti after a quite long time.

" Bahu, did you prepare sweets or not?" Dadaji asked more for him than Radhika. He drooled over watching the preparations of sweets thanking his stars and his little granddaughter.

" yes, Babuji. You are free to eat anything for two days only." Mala replied with a smile knowing her father-in-law.

"You should keep your promise, Bahu." Dadaji said remembering his grand children's restrictions.

"yes, Babauji." Mala said while looking at doorstep every now and then.

Suddenly doorbell buzzed, Mala ran to open door and shocked to see Neil, Samaira and Manya. All are looking each other awkwardly.