'I knew your brother. He was a real fighter but after seeing you I can claim he was not as good as you. Beta. Is system me rah kar isis system seladna koi maamuli baat nahi he. People break or they are consumed by this same system. Jab maine tumhe us din HQ me dekha..I could not believe my eyes. Naveen ke liye hi tum yaha ho. I understood. Lekin beta....Samhal kar raho. These people are very cruel.'

Col Mehta offers her tea which she denies. She is not a tea person. She is coffee addict.

She has come to meet him unofficially. After duty hours its something personal she has to deal with.

'I know. Sir. But I have to collect proofs.aise khali bhi to nahi baith sakti.'

'My son was his friend. Both chaps used to have so much fun here in my backyard. Ruining all the plants I keep dear to me.' His eyes moist.

'Sorry to probe but..where is your son? Sir.'

He wipes his eyes.

'Captain Naren Mehta. Died in blast two years back.'

She does a double check. He is the same Naren Mehta whose case was handed over to Naveen. Damn!

'But sir. Bhaiya said it was..planted already by someone itself in army. I...I remember him telling me minute details over our chats.'

He nods.

'Yes.my child. Naren was killed. He might have given the tag of martyr but he was murdered. I dont agree with this justice. I dont agree.' He breaks in sobs. Naina consoles him.

Holy shit! She has hit bull' eye in dark. Now it is bit more easy for her to go and resume her probe. Naren. Yes.naren' case is her beginning.

She chats with col. Mehta for one more hour. Sympathizing with him and in the process getting information out of him. Thats what Army training has taught her. When she leaves, she is happy. extremly happy for finding her way back. After almost four months she has a point to begin. A head start.

She goes back to HQ. This time her focus shifts on N for Naren. Naveen comes later.

She goes back to her zombie mode but happily for this time she has something. Yes.something.

***********

One week has passed by but the feeling has not washed off. Whenever he spots Kashish or something related to her but hold on... Everything reminds him of her. So basically whenever he opens his eyes he goes through a trauma. A feeling that sinks in cutting his inner..

He had Sex With Naina. And He still Loves Kashish.

He has not been able to see Kashish in eyes. Fearing if she catches his lie what her reaction will be..

So he too stops going home. Sleeps in his office. Lives his days there only. The so called bedroom lays empty. Sometimes it sheds tears for being so useful but not in use.

Next day

His assistant tells him that. Mrs Grewal wants to meet him. He wonders why his mom is here.perhaps she might be tensed about his absence. His continuous hiding from that mansion because he is scared to face someone....In deed mom wont be having a thought about it. But surely she will be tensed. The Kashish fiasco was no less. Now his absence must have made her more scared about his state...He prepares himself for making her understand.

To his horror Naina walks in.

He stands up abruptly.

'Why are you here?'

Naina gives him dirty look.

'I am not in mood of playing twenty question. I need you to accompany me. I am meeting with someone in ministry and they know we are married. And....they...They want to meet you. It....I could not deny. Please...'

Naina scares him. He has not accepted but she does. In most trivial way. She is juat like him and watching a person consumed up like him in flesh and blood scares him.

'I...I have meeting.' He lies.

'I am an army officer.  I can read lies. I haven't studied behind walls of IMA. I do know that you have no meeting. With no one. Ohh yes! If kashish counts she isnt coming here today. She and Piyush has left for some site seeing today.'

'Who told you?'

'Your so called Vasu aunty. Lectured me in morning when she caught me mixing beer in orange juice.'

Sujal almost falls from his chair. No he is not that insane. He is not. He sighs. He has no way out today. He has to accompany her. But her company...its strange. Its so difficult. She makes him remember the things he doesn't want to. She is complex enigma. She is unusual. But having no other option He goes with her.

And this whole meeting takes his rest of evening. The people from ministry were some thirsty lewds who wanted to invest in some of his companies. More like a way of money laundering. So much of black money that they could not keep hold of it. So what they need is a way back in but looped.

He looks at Naina. She seems at peace. He tries to sneak a peek of her neck. Her shirt is closed till her neck. Almost choking her. He wonders how thse hickeys of him would have turned out. The pent up frustration they vented out that night how the aftermaths are. She and he...both were completely at loss that night. The way he is crazy similarly she is lunatic. Not less.

Damn! Thats why he wants to run away from her. She tells him that he is a gone case. Whole two months he ran after Kashish but nothing seemed wrong. One night he slept with Naina and boom. He feels strange. He feels like he is wasting himself the way she is doing. After her brother. He is dead for good. Yes. He understands her reasons but her ways....

Who would in her sane mind marry a complete stranger! Avoid Arrange marriage and fictions. She married him. She faced his family, their pointing fingers but she never complained. Only for her mad chase behind that autopsy report. What will happen when this chase ends! How she will live!

The same way he will not be able to live if Kashish in front of him takes a turn and never looks back. In past months she talked with him, gave him ideas about her having second thought no matter how much she chided him but she returned to him. She met him in nights..She tried to console him.

Kashish can be living with Piyush but she had given Sujal a hope. Even if its false he loves to stick to it. A dream even if it is lie he is loving to living it. A complete fantasy he is seeking...but his heart is happy.

But somewhere in his mind there are glimpses of that night. His inner screaming at him and then at once mildly asking him why he let Naina do what she had wanted. Why that preposterous night roams in front of his eyes. And the tint of righteous it is bathed in silence. No question about right or wrong. That pleasuring and long night of passion....Fuck! It is vivid always..

But again...He stops at Kashish..with his heart broken and in pieces.

And somewhere......

The question remains..

What after Kashish....

Same as what after Naveen....