Kartik woke up the next day. For a moment his mind was blank. Suddenly all the memories of previous night came. And with them came his guilt. He didn't know what to do. He was feeling ashamed of himself. Suddenly someone knocked on his door.

Dadi :- Kittu. Beta jaldi taiyyar ho. College ke liye late ho raha hai.

Kartik :- ji dadi.

His throat was dry. He looked around to see the bottle of whiskey lying down. He quickly kept it in the cupboard. He took a shower and came out. He didn't even realise that he had done all this as he was constantly thinking about naira. He came out of his room.

Dadi :- chalo jaldi se ab nashta kar lo. Phir nikalte hai.

Kartik ate a little. But not too much. He wasn't that Hungry. He and dadi had come to the parking area of the society when he realised that he had forgotten his phone. Dadi sat in the car while he went back and collected his phone. He was waiting for the elevator when kritika came.

Kritika :- hello. Kittu two.

Kartik just nodded. She had a steel box. She opened it and showed it to kartik.

Kritika :- ye dekho didi ne mere liye kachori banayi hai aaj subah. Aap loge.

Kartik was frozen. He received a flashback of naira making kachori for him. For a moment he wanted to snatch that box and eat all of them. He just nodded and took one.

Kartik :- ye lift aane mein time lag raha hai. Mein stairs se niche chala jaata hoon.

He went to the stairs and stopped between them. He looked at the kachori in his hand. He quickly, greedily ate it. The taste, the texture was still the same. He hadn't called her in two years but that didn't mean that he hadn't missed her. He had missed her everyday, every moment. His love for her hadn't lessened. It was very painful to be alone that's why he had started drinking. The only way he could go to sleep was with the help of alcohol.

Tears came again into his eyes with the guilt. He cried again as he slowly came to the parking. He wiped his tears and sat in the car and went to the college.

He was in the hallway when he saw naira going to her class. She was limping slightly. What was she doing here? Till now he was thinking that she was at home taking rest. But she was here. Couldn't she take rest for just one day ?

He quickly went to his cabin. He just sat there. He didn't know what to do. His mind was telling him something but he was not understanding it. He knew he had to say something to naira but he wasn't realising what.

In the break time he was in the hallway when he heard Kunal and his friends talking.

Kunal :- yaar vaise mein soch raha tha ki naira ko date ke liye poocho.

Friend 1 :- vo manegi.

Friend 2 :- aur vo toh married hai na.

Kunal :- manegi ya nahi ye toh pata nahi par pooch toh sakta hoon na. Aur jahan tak marriage ki baat hai toh usne khud hi toh kaha tha ki uski shaadi ab khatam ho chuki hai.

They left from there. But kartik was seething with rage. Even the thought of naira being with someone other than him left a very ugly feeling in his chest. How dare Kunal.

He was going up the stairs when he froze at seeing naira coming down. She too froze seeing him. For some time they just stared at each other not knowing what to say. Eventually kartik spoke first.

Kartik :- vo.. tumhara pair kaisa hai ab?

Naira :- vo thik hai abhi.

Kartik went quiet after that. Naira was about to leave.

Kartik :- naira vo..vo.. kuch.

Naira :- kya hua kartik ?

Kartik was desperate. He wanted to say something. He wanted to talk to her. To hear her voice. At that moment it took all his will power to not to take her in his arms.

Naira was immediately worried. She saw how he was hesitating, how his voice was shaking. For two years they were apart from each other. Didn't talk. Didn't meet each other. But that didn't mean she hated him. She still loved him with all her heart. Ever since kartik had come to Mumbai. She hadn't seen him like this. He was fidgeting, nervous, a bit scared. His voice shaking, shivering. She immediately knew something was wrong.

Kartik :- naira. Vo mein... Mein...

Naira's concern increased.

Naira :- kya hua kartik ?

Kartik :- naira. Vo mughe.... tumhe kuch... batana hai. Kuch kehna hai.

Naira :- haa bolo. Kya hua kartik ? Kya batana hai ?

She was getting more and more worried. She hadn't seen him behaving like this. Even yesterday also he was fine. Then what happened in such a short time ?

Naira :- bolo na kartik.

Kartik :- naira. Mein ye kehna chahta tha ki....

Kartik froze. What was he supposed to say to her. He himself hadn't realised that. He automatically took steps backwards.

Naira was intensely worried by his behaviour. She moved forward but then the bell rang. Suddenly someone called her. It was Tanvi. She was standing on top of the stairs. She came down and grabbed her arm.

Tanvi :- chal jaldi kar. Nahi toh late ho jaenge class ke liye.

She pulled naira with such a hurry that she didn't even realise kartik was standing there. Kartik was left alone. He was restless.

Kartik to himself :- ye kya ho raha hai mughe. Kyun mein itna bechain hoon. Krishna ji aap bhi help nahi kar rahe na meri. Please bata do mughe. Kya kehna chahta hoon mein usse, kya batana chahta hoon. Kyun shabd nahi mil rahe hain mughe. Kya ho gaya hai mughe ? Kyun mein itna pareshaan hoon.

Kartik returned back to the cabin. He saw dadi sitting there. She saw him.

Dadi :- kya hua Kittu. Hum kal raat se dekh rahe hai ki tum kuch pareshan se lag rahe ho. Aaj subah bhi. Kya hua ?

Kartik :- nahi. Kuch nahi. Bas aise hi.

Dadi wanted to ask further but didn't press the matter.

It was late in the evening. Kartik was confused, restless. For the entire day he had been wondering about what he had wanted to say to naira m What was his mind telling him ?

He was in the living room when dadi turned on the tv on a radha krishna play. He got up and was about to leave when suddenly krishna asked for forgiveness from radha. He froze. He looked at the tv. As krishna spoke, he realised what he had done, he had insulted his love. Krishna asked for forgiveness and even claimed that he was ready to accept any punishment. When radha said that he didn't love her. Krishna told her to claim anything but that.

Tear fell from Kartik's eye. He knew now what his mind was telling him. He knew what he had to do now. He knew what needed to be done. He wasn't going to delay it any longer. For two years they both had suffered a lot. He knew that he needed to do this. He was not going to prolong the pain and suffering any more. Any other thing in the world didn't matter right now. Naira deserved an apology and he owed it to her.

He went downstairs to naira's flat. He was about to knock when he froze. Was it too early ? Did they need to talk some more before he apologizes ? Will she even forgive him ? And what about maa ? She still blamed naira. Although he knows now that it wasn't naira's fault but will maa accept her back. All these thoughts came in his mind. But then he remembered keerti's words. And all these thoughts stopped.

How could he even forget all the things naira had done for him and his family. Reuniting him with his parents. With his brother. And after everything she had done for him. What did he do ? Hurt her, accused her.

No, she deserved an apology. And it had to be done now. He will convince swarna and will show her the truth. Deep down he was scared. Scared of what would happen if she decided to finally break all ties with him. If she didn't forgive him. He was scared of losing her. And what if she asked for divo-. No. Even the thought of that pierced his heart. He wouldn't be able to take it. Not after knowing the entire truth. Kartik took a deep breath. He finally knocked on the door.

Naira opened the door. She was shocked to see kartik. Kartik also just stared at her.

Naira :- kartik. Tum yaha.

Kartik didn't say anything. He just kept looking at her.

Naira :- aao. Andar aao.

Kartik came inside in the living room. Naira shut the door but didn't move from her position. She turned back and just stared at him. Kartik turned around. The memories of previous night were shouting at him. He quietly came in front of her. His eyes were filled with emotion. He gently grabbed both of her hands.

Naira was stunned by his action. She didn't know what was happening. What happened that made kartik behave like this? Kartik took her hand made her slap him. Naira was shocked. Befor she could get over it kartik made her slap him again. The third time naira stopped him.

Naira :- kartik. Kya hai ye ? Tum ye kya kar rahe ho ? Aur kyun ?

Kartik :- nahi naira. Aaj mat roko. Mein yahi deserve karta hoon.

He again raised her hand but naira stopped him.

Kartik :- kyun rok rahi hoo tum. Mugh jaise insaan ko yahi milna chahiye.

Naira :- nahi kartik. Tum ye kya keh rahe ho? Aur tum nahi deserve kar sakte ye sab.

Kartik :- kyun naira ? Aaj jo tumhari halat hai uska zimmedar aur koi nahi sirf mein hoon. Meri wajah se tum dance nahi kar sakti.

Naira was shocked.

Kartik :- mera wait kar rahi thi na tum jab tum giri.

Naira was stunned. How did he know ? She had never told him. Then how ?

Kartik gently pulled her and made her sit on the sofa. He went down on his knees. Tears started flowing from his eyes. He didn't try to control them.

Meanwhile naira was stunned. Kartik was crying. She had never seen him cry this badly ever before.

Kartik :- I am sorry naira.

Naira froze.

Kartik :- 2 saal lag gaye mughe samagh aane mein. Kabhi jaan hi nahi paya ki mere andar hi ye bechaini hai vo hai kya. Dard samaghta tha issey. Kabhi gussa, kabhi dukh par ye realise hi nahi kiya ki ye guilt hai. Ye guilt tha naira. Gussa tha mughe par thoda sa bas upar upar se lekin ye guilt kab mere maan mein itna gehra baith gaya mughe samagh hi nahi aaya. Isliye jab tum yahan milli toh pehle din se mera gussa pighalne laga.
In 2 saalo mein kuch tha mere andar Jo mughe andar hi andar khatta rehta har waqt.Pareshan raha mein bahut par kyun nahi jaanta tha. Ye Mera ego tha naira, jisne mughe kabhi sach jaan ne ki koshish bhi nahi karne di.
Isliye kal jab mughe dr. Batra milley aur unhone mughe Shubham ke treatment ka sach bataya toh vo ego ek dum khatam ho gaya aur phir Tumhara accident jiske baare mein mughe keerti ne bataya. Usne jhinjor ke rakh diya, pagal kar diya, aakhein khol di meri. Kuch samagh mein nahi aa raha tha. Pagal ho raha tha mein kal se. Kahoon toh kya kahoon, kaise kahoon, kya kahoon jab mughe khud ko koi clarity nahi thi. Pray kar raha tha krishna ji ki kisi tarah samghaye varna pagal ho jaoonga mein.
Vaise pagal toh mein hamesha se hi tha na naira. Ye tumse behtar aur kon samagh sakta hai. Pehle tumhare pyaar mein pagal. Phir gusse mein pagal aur phir poora pagal. Tumhe toh pata hai. Tumhi ne toh sudhara mughe. Kabhi papa ki taraf dekhta bhi nahi tha, kabhi maa ko unko darza nahi diya. Unke dukh ko dekh kar bhi undekha kar deta tha jab tak tumne ehsaas nahi dilaya. Tumse pyaar hua toh rishte samaghne laga. Pyaar samaghne laga aur phir ussi pyaar ko thukra diya maine. Itne saal tumhne apne aap se sur rakha, Ye jaante hue bhi ki tumhare bina kitna adhura hoo mein.
Tum kehti rahi mein sun ne se inkaar karta raha, tum samaghti rahi mein maan ne se inkaar karta raha. Apni bewakoofi ko narazgi ka naam dekar tumhe aur apne aap ko saza deta raha. Vo bhi kisliye, jo chiz hamare haath mein hi nahi thi. Shubham ki maut aur uski zindagi hamare haath mein hi nahi thi. Hum sab utne hi kasoorvar hai aur hum sab utne hi bekasoor. Par shayad tumhe blame karke mein apne aap ko bacha raha tha. Itna selfish ho gaya tha na mein. Ye bhi nahi socha ki jo baat Shubham ne tumhe batayi vo mughe ya kisi aur ko kyun nahi batayi. Jitna trust vo tum pe karta tha utna mugh pe kyun nahi. Mera ego tha ye Jo mughe ye baat accept karne hi nahi de raha tha. Par kab tak.
Sach ka aaina kabhi na kabhi aapke saamne aa hi jaata hai aur sach ye hai naira ki mein tumhara gunehgar hoon.

Kartik sobbed as he laid his head on her lap as he held her hands tightly.

Kartik :- tumse tumhara pyaar, khushiyan, ghar sab kuch cheen liya maine. Tumhe ilzaam, dukh, takleef dene wala naira mein kartik tumhara gunehgar hoon. Mughe maaf kar do naira. Please mughe maaf kar do.

Kartik removed his head from her lap as he looked up at her.

Kartik :- maaf karna ya na karna tumhara faisla hoga. Lekin maafi maange ka ye akhri haq mein khud se le raha hoo. I am sorry naira, I am sorry ki maine tum pe trust nahi kiya, I am sorry mein tumhe samagh nahi paya, I am sorry meine tumhare pyaar ki respect nahi ki. I am sorry naira tumse vo saari umeed rakhe ke liye jin par mein khus poora nahi utar paya.

Kartik laid his head again on her lap as he cried more. He clutched her clothes tightly.

Kartik :- tumse keh diya tum chali jao aur socha ki tum samagh jaogi lekin jab tumne kaha ki tum intezaar karogi toh mein khud hi nahi samagh paya. Tum wait karti rahi aur mein nahi aaya. Tum umeed karti rahi aur mein uske kabhi poora nahi utar paya. Tum pyaar nibhati rahi aur mein nafrat karta raha.

Kartik cried harder.

Kartik :- tumhe bata nahi sakta naira ki mein kitna sharminda hoon. Mein tumse nazar nahi mila sakta. Phir bhi ek aakhri koshish kar raha hoon tumse maafi maang ne ki apni galti sudharne ki.

He got his face up from her lap.

Kartik :- kya tum mughe maaf kar paogi naira?

With unshed tears in her eyes and her crying expression on her face naira just looked at kartik.