Saumya's head was going to split up in anger. How could he? How could he do this?

She angrily sat on the bench crossing her arms and ignoring him. And he kept looking at her in amusement. For some reason, Mrityunjay always found Saumya's anger funny. For the past one and a half years of knowing him, she had never seen him getting irritated or angry at her or anyone else for the fact.

Yes, he talked less and observed more. But he was never the angry yelling type. The best words to describe him would be calm, calculated and reserved. Still, everyone around him seemed to treat him like a freaking time bomb who could explode and destroy everything in the blink of an eye. Except Saumya of course. It was true that his family and associates knew him for longer, but Saumya knew him better or so she believed. And he had been nothing but a complete sweetheart to her since the time they met.

"I'm still not talking."

Saumya said as he had not tried to break the silence and only kept staring.

Come on! How could someone stay silent for an entire day?! They had spent this whole day together without exchanging a single word. Either be it at the mall, during lunch, at the theater or strolling through the park, not even once had Saumya talked to him.

"I'm aware." He replied with a smile.

"And it doesn't bother you at all. You're not even trying to pacify me!" Saumya said in frustration.

"Should I?" He asked with an arched brow.

"Of course! How dare you not tell me that you've been transferred and will leave tomorrow?"

"I did tell you."

"Only this morning!"

"Your exams were going on. I didn't want to disturb you."

"I don't care!"

"I do. They're the reason you're keeping me waiting."

Saumya huffed a frustrated breath. He was so annoying when he was right. Saumya didn't want to get married before finishing her studies and officially becoming a surgeon. It was her dream. When she explained that to him, he did not say anything and left. Saumya thought it was over and decided to move on from whatever fascination she had grown for him. But she found herself engaged to him just a few days later. Apparently he had convinced not only his family, but her's too for an early engagement involving only family members. The marriage itself would take place after her studies were complete and she was ready to become Mrs. Roy.

"You won't be here for Smita Ma'am's wedding."

Dr. Smita was his cousin sister though Mrityunjay considered her as his own sister only. That woman was damn mean and Saumya had no idea why she didn't like her. In front of Mrityunjay, she was civil and smiley. But at his back, she made it very clear that Saumya should not be with him.

As Saumya did not want to cause any trouble between the siblings, she ignored Smita as much as she could. Without Mrityunjay, she had no intention of attending her wedding at all.

"I can't. But you need to be there. Dadi (grandma) wants to meet you. She'll be here for the wedding."

Saumya nodded with a displeased pout that made him laugh.

"I'll miss you."

***

"Jay?"

Smita was surprised to find her brother sitting on the couch of her living room. She had come home after a long tiring day at work. A few days later she was going to get married, so she wanted to keep her schedule clear.

"As you know, I won't be able to attend your wedding, so I thought to give you an early wedding gift."

Mrityunjay replied forwarding a wrapped gift box to her. He stood lazily with one hand in the pocket of his trouser and holding the gift with the other.

"Thank you." Smita said, taking it cautiously.

"When I am not here, I believe you will keep an eye on her on my behalf, won't you?"

Mrityunjay said again. His tone was light and carried a bit of humor. But Smita stiffened as she understood what he was referring to. He knew. Knew that Smita was trying to push Saumya away from him.

She slowly kept the box on the table and gulped in nervousness.

"Jay, I know you like her, but--"
Smita started to say but trailed off being unsure of how to complete that thought. She just didn't like her with Mrityunjay. And she feared about where this would lead.
"Saumya is a nice girl with a bright future ahead."

"Indeed. And I intend to support her at every single step."
He replied with a heart warming smile, but it only raised Smita's nervousness.

"Can you not leave her Mrityunjay?" Smita asked cautiously. As she watched him closely, her eyes pleaded with him to agree.

If Saumya herself was a normal, innocent one, Smita would have backed off thinking she would calm him.

But that girl was nothing but the trigger needed to explode the freaking time bomb!

Mrityunjay's expression remained the same as he came nearer. Smita held her breath inside so as not to startle him.

"I can." He said smilingly, but the next second his smile dropped as he added,

"But I won't."

***

Present time...

Rudra froze as his eyes found Saumya in the room. Earlier she had a large hoodie on which covered her mostly. But now, she stood there only in her sports bra and yoga pants. Moreover, she was drinking water and some of it fell on her chest and slipped past the curve of her bosom. Unintentionally, Rudra's eyes travelled the trails of the water droplets for a few seconds before he diverted his eyes elsewhere.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Rudra asked angrily grabbing Saumya's attention. She gasped and looked at him in surprise.

"You're sneaky! Anyways, the shower in my bathroom isn't working. So, I am going to use yours." She answered and tried to move past Rudra, but he blocked her way.

"Do my bathroom have a 'public toilet' sign on?"

"Eww! I wouldn't be here if there was."

"Exactly. There's not one here. Which means, you're not going in there."

"Okay. I will ask Mira aunty if hers is occupied or not." Saumya replied with a shrug and turned to leave the room.

"Wait!" Rudra stopped her by holding her hand though. "You can use mine." He relented not wanting to face any drama. And one thing he had understood in these few days were, there was no one better in staging a drama than his wife.

Saumya smiled charmingly in response as she passed him on her way.

Just as she closed the door of the bathroom, Rudra's phone started to ring. It was Mehek again. Rudra ignored the call though. He had no idea what to say to her anymore. He definitely shouldn't have let her stay at his studio the other day. No! This couldn't go on any longer. He had to stop seeing her. With that thought in mind, Rudra blocked Mehek from his phone and all social media platform.

Now, he would just need to figure out a way to block her from his heart too. Rudra didn't realize when his mind got tangled on different thoughts and he lost the track of time. As Saumya came out of the bathroom, she found him sitting there motionlessly lost in thoughts.

Saumya rolled her eyes in annoyance as she was drying her hair with a towel. But then something occurred to her. She looked at Rudra and then at the towel. With a smirk in face, Saumya went to stand near Rudra and deliberately flipped her hair as such so water droplets from her hair landed straight at his face.

Rudra scowled as his reverie was broken and he saw Saumya standing there. He glared at her as she ignored him and kept drying her hair. For reason unknown, he felt irritated beyond control at watching her using his towel. He loudly banged the drawer of his dressing table and found what he needed. Standing before Saumya, he turned on the hairdryer to its maximum capacity and started blow drying her hair.

Saumya was caught off guard at his sudden actions. Her eyes went to the hairdryer and she froze. Memories of the past hit her before she could block them.

"Saumya mine...."

"No! You can't do this!"

"I'm just going to dry the hair."

"No! Please. She's your sister, Mrityunjay!"

"That's why I care. I don't want her to catch a cold."

Saumya realized she had stopped breathing as she was getting swarmed by the memories. Her vision blurred as she tried to take a breath in. Her ears were ringing. She heard or acknowledged nothing of the present as the past came haunting.

"He'll keep breathing as long as I remain occupied.

So, if you want to see him alive, you need to keep me busy, Saumya."

Saumya's brain reminded her to breath again. She opened her mouth to gulp some much needed air. But the hot airflow of the blower made it difficult for her.

"It's our child Mrityunjay! Your own blood!

Please don't do this."

"Sometimes, children need to sacrifice themselves for parents too, Saumya.

This is his sacrifice for us."

"Saumya?" Rudra frowned as he saw Saumya struggling to breathe. The dryer fell from his hand as he caught her just before her body could hit the floor.

"I have been patient with you enough!

But snap out of it now!

If I don't find you in my bed tonight, you'll be only responsible for the consequences."

"Saumya!" Rudra's panicked voice reached her ears from far. Saumya saw his face hovering over hers through her blurry vision.

"I'll kill myself if you try to leave me, Mrityunjay!

You can't leave me!"

"Idiot! Have it your way!

But don't blame me for not giving you the choice again!"

Medicines! Saumya needed her medicines. She tried to open her mouth to say something. But no sound came out of her dried throat.

"Not even death can separate you from me Saumya.

Remember, even if I lie down on a fire pyre, I will do it with you in my arms.

Your breaths will never listen to you anymore,

because I own them.

You know it, Saumya mine....

Vision! Another vision played before her eyes, dragging her into the depths of the dark abyss.

It was his smiling face looking at her as she created air bubbles and played with them.

"Is it a sin?

Have I become a sinner?"

"Even if it is, Saumya mine,

You're sinfully loved."

***

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