In the evening.

As night fell the blue haze of day lifted to reveal the stars. Karan and Preeta return to their hotel, tired.

Karan: Bohot thak gayi??

Preeta nods cutely. He smiles and entangles their fingers. She too smiles. He takes her to the restaurant and makes her sit on a table.

Karan: Yahi baithi raho, mein khaana le kar aata hu...

Preeta: Arre par...

Karan (interrupts): Meine kaha na!! Yahi par baithi raho...okay??

Preeta (smiles): Okay...

Karan brings the food for her and himself. He feeds her with his own hands. She too feeds him.

Preeta: Karan, baki sab??

Karan: Sab ne dinner kar liya hai aur sone chale gaye hai...

They finish their dinner and go to their rooms.

Girl's room.

Preeta lies on the bed and closes her eyes. Karan's tattoo flashes before her eyes. She immediately opens her eyes. She gets up and goes near the window. She smiles thinking about how Karan had made her day so special. She opens the window and looks at the moon, smiling. Bathed in the light of the sun, the moon was more beautiful than even the stars around. Stars lit the sky like snow-flakes in the night, yet appearing still, like an old photograph. Preeta closed her eyes, smiling, feeling the wind blow her hair into a tousled mane. Were she out there in space, riding the limits of the known universe, they would be a choreographed blizzard. How the stars would move, the galaxies tumble and dart. But for now, with her arms around herself and her head leaning gently on the window pane, the starlight kept its familiar pattern. The constellations, who'd witnessed centuries and millennia just the same, watched over this tiny moment. She crept back onto the bed and fell asleep.

Next day.

The spring day opened with the same gentle pace as the new blooms. The warm sun rays kissed her skin lightly, warming her from the inside out. Spreading sunrise, pinkish glow, clouds tinted, colours spread across the sky announcing the new day, oranges and reds painted across the clouds as if by a celestial hand. Twilight melted away, majestic sunrise, red orange glow seeping over the horizon as if the light itself was being poured from a molten sun. Powerful rays flood over the landscape lighting every blade of grass, shining from each leaf. Preeta walks out of her room, only to find Karan waiting for her. She smiles and heads over to him.

Preeta (smiling): Good morning!!

Karan (smiles): Good morning, babydoll!! Chale??

Preeta nods and they leave. Karan brings Preeta to a beautiful palace, where a feast was being held. 'Fantasea' it read.

Preeta: Yeh konsi jagah hai, Karan??

Karan: Chalke dekho!!

She pouts cutely and he laughs silently. They go inside and Preeta is mesmerized seeing the decorations.

Karan: Kaisa laga??

Preeta (amazed): Bohot achcha hai, Karan!!

Karan smiles and they go inside. They spend some time together. The music starts and Karan gets up from his seat. Just like a perfect gentleman, he bows down and extends his right hand towards her. Preeta gets surprised and blushes.

Karan: May I have a dance with you, pretty lady?

Preeta (blushing): Sure...

She gives her hand in his and he gets up, taking her to the dance floor. He entangles their hands and keeps his other hand on her waist. Preeta closes her eyes feeling his touch. She suddenly felt 1000 volts go down her spine. It was a tinkling of several enthralling sensations. He gently sways her and they dance to the rhythm of their heart that was then beating only for each other.

Later.

Karan: Toh kaisa chal raha hai tumhara love ka experience?

Preeta: Karan, kya tum mujhse pyaar karte ho?

Karan gets shocked hearing this.

Karan: Me...mein...woh...

Preeta: Nahi, tum jaise puch rahe ho usse koi bhi yahi samjhega, bajarbattu!!

She playfully hits him and leaves, laughing. Karan smiles faintly.

Karan: Kaash tum bhi samajh pati...

Preeta (from afar): Karan, kaha reh gaye?? Jaldi chalo!!

Karan (shouting): Haan, aaya...

He leaves.

In the evening.

Karan brings Preeta near a river. Under blue and sunlit skies, the view was wondrous to behold, for the river teemed with life. To the chorus of birdsong from the surrounding green bushes, and the sound of carp sucking amongst the flowering lily-pads. Preeta looked in awe at the beautiful place.

Preeta: Karan, yeh jagah kitni khoobsurat hai...

Karan (looking at her): Beyhadh khoobsurat...

She goes ahead and takes in the fresh air, smiling. Karan, with his hand inside his pocket, smiles seeing her.

Karan: Tumhare liye ek chota sa surprise hai, babydoll...

Preeta opens her eyes and looks at him.

Preeta: Surprise? (excited) Kaisa surprise?

Karan: Ek second...

He goes somewhere.

Preeta (confused): Karan...tum kaha...

But, by then, he had already left. Her heart started to beat faster. She felt scared. Before she could think of anything else, he came back. She felt relieved.

Preeta: Kaha chale gaye the tum!!??

Karan (smiling): Tumhe chodke kahi nahi jaunga...

She smiles hearing this. She was lost in her thoughts when a bubble bursts on the tip of her nose, bringing her back to reality. She looks back and sees Karan blowing bubbles for her. She looks around herself and sees bubbles all around her. She smiles widely and starts poking the bubbles. She twirls happily. Suddenly she sees that there are no more bubbles. She looks back at Karan, with a cute pout on her face. She realises that Karan is lost in her. She chuckles softly and goes upto him. She takes the bubble bottle out of his hand and blows them. A bubble bursts in front of Karan and he comes back to his senses. Preeta starts laughing while he blushes and rubs his hand in the back of his hair. She gives the bottle back to him. He smiles and continues his job of making her happy. Preeta closes her eyes, feeling full.

Preeta (in mind): Karan, tumne bohot koshish ki mujhe khush karne ki...ab meri baari... mein tumhe khush hokar dikhaungi...I promise I won't look back, unless you are behind me...

Karan (breaking her out of her stance): Preeta!!

Preeta (shocked): Haan??

Karan: Chale??

Preeta: Ab kaha??

Karan: Bas yahi paas mein...

He forwards his hand and she gladly accepts it. He takes her to a bridge, which was over the river. They reach the center of the bridge and see hundreds of locks on it.

Preeta (confused): Karan, yeh locks...

Karan (smiling): Babydoll, these locks are a symbol of love...jo bhi ek dusre se pyaar karte hai, woh yaha lock lagaate hai aur chaabi paani mein phek dete hai...it symbolizes that there love will be forever until the lock opens...

Preeta gets amused, listening to Karan.

Preeta: Kya aisa sach mein hota hai?

Karan: Pata nahi...lock laga kar dekhte hai...

He removes a lock and a key from his pocket. Preeta smiles and takes the lock. She puts it around the edge of the bridge and Karan locks it.

Preeta/Karan: Together...

They close their eyes, smiling, and together they throw the key into the river. While Karan is enjoying this moment, something strikes Preeta. She immediately opens her eyes.

Preeta (in mind): Yaha toh...pyaar karne wale aate hai na...phir meine yeh lock Karan ke saath kyun lagaya? (trying to explain herself) Meine yeh lock isliye lagaya kyunki Karan ne kaha!! (confused) Par meine uski baat kyun maani...kya mein yeh dekhna chahti thi ki mera aur Karan ka pyaar humesha rahega...kya mein Karan se...

She looks at Karan, whose eyes were still closed and he was smiling. She smiles seeing him.

Preeta (in mind): Kyun tumhari smile mujhe duniya ki sabse khoobsurat smile lagti hai? Kyun tumhe sukoon mein dekh mujhe sukoon milta hai...kyun!!??

Karan opens his eyes. Preeta immediately looks away and closes her eyes. Karan looks at her and smiles.

Karan (in mind): Yeh sab isliye kyunki mein tumse bohot pyaar karta hu, babydoll...I love you...

Preeta opens her eyes and looks at Karan. They get lost in each others eyes, in the depths of the questions she had in her eyes and the answers he held in his eyes. Preeta moves towards Karan. Karan too takes a step towards her. They come so close to each other that there isn't space for even the tiniest molecule to pass. Karan wraps one of his hand around her waist and caresses her hair with the other. She could feel his soft, uneven breath on her bare neck and closes her eyes. She felt her skin burn. He too closes his eyes, and they, unknown to the surroundings, start inching closer to each other. Karan kisses her forehead and she just leans on him. He then kisses her cheek and then her earlobe. Preeta doesn't back away. She clutches his shirt in her fist and hugs him tightly. He caresses her bare back, tracing his name on her back.

Karan (unknowingly): Babydoll...I...

Preeta comes back to her senses hearing him and slightly pushes him away. He too comes back to his senses. Preeta hurriedly leaves from there and Karan follows her.

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Precap:-

Preeta's realization of love.