"Itna uchal kyu rahi ho tum?" Arnav asked, narrowing his gaze, acting to be angry at a smiling Khushi who was jumping in happiness at receiving two silver coins on Dhanteras —That he gifted, unknown to her!

(Why are you jumping so much?)

Khushi stops jumping and stood properly adjusting her Dupatta, looking down after peeking at a glaring Arnav.

Lavanya who was excited for her friend steps forwards telling him the reason behind her friend's happiness, "ASR, vo kya hai na, Chamkili ko iss Dhanteras ke din two silver coins mile hai. Detergent packets me!"

(ASR, the thing is, Chamkili got two silvers on Dhanteras. In the detergent packet!)

Anjali nods at him smiling, agreeing with whatever Lavanya had said. While Khushi is lost in her thoughts realizing, "Aajkal vigyapan kitne galat likhte hai. Usme toh likha tha ki aik chandi ka sikka aur yaha do chandi ka sikke mile hai hume."

(These advertisements are how wrong these days. It was written that we get one silver coin but I got two.)

Arnav rolls his eyes in apprehension at her words. Before he could think more, he heard Khushi's words.

"Anjali-ji, hume lagta hai dukandari se koi galti hogai. Hum jaake aik vaapis deke aate hai," Khushi turns to Anjali saying that.

(Anjali-ji, I think the shopkeeper made a mistake. I'll go and return him.)

"Ab ye jayegi kya? Kiase rokhu?" he glances down at the floor.

(Will she go now? How do I stop?)

He doesn't get to think more as he screams in reflex, "Nahi!"

(No!)

His scream formed a confused expression on Khushi's face and Anjali and Lavanya looks at him curiously. He covers his slip with his usual Laadgoverner behavior, "I mean tumhe kya lagta hai? Ki tumhara jab dil chahe tab chtti le sakti ho? Kahi nahi jaaoge tum, varna salary kaat dunga tumhara."

(I mean what do you think? That you will take leaves whenever you want? I'll cut your salary.)

Khushi widened her eyes a little muttering under her breath, "Laad governor!"

Arnav walks away with fake anger on his face which looked real, except that his eyes gave away which were not at all burning in fury. It's just that people didn't get to notice his eyes, except Khushi from whom he walked away leaving her in confusion.

Anjali then consoles Khushi to keep it when she got it and should consider herself lucky to get two coins on Dhanteras to which Khushi shrugs away and smiles, admiring the two silver coins.

But still, there was this determination of returning one coin in the corner of her mind.

And that made her ask Om Prakash about the details of the shop after calming her heartbeats down, which beat like she was running on a marathon as Arnav helped her disentangle from the fairy lights she oh-so-helpfully tangled herself in while decorating the poolside.

"Om Prakash-ji, aapne ye packets kaha se liya?"

(Om Prakash-ji, where did you buy those packets?)

Om Prakash, who was in the kitchen working, replied wondering, "Kyun, Khushi-ji?"

(Why Khushi-ji?)

"Hume jaan na zaruari hai. Boleyi na, Om Prakash ji," she insists. She has to return one silver coin to the shopkeeper.

(I need to know. Tell me, Om Prakash-ji!)

"Vo Chandni chowk ke Sharma Kirana wala dukan me," Om Prakash replied, telling her the name from where he bought them.

(From Sharma Kirana's shop in Chandni Chowk)

"Achha. Dhanyavaad!" she had to search for the shop after getting home and return that one coin.

(Oh. Thank You!)

Arnav who had fortunately heard the last part of the conversation had followed her behind and stopped her as she walked towards the door.

"Tum Chandni Chowk nahi jaaogi!" he doesn't let her cross the way to open the door.

(You won't go to Chandni Chowk!)

"Kya?" she looked at him in confusion.

(What?)

"I mean tum kaise jaa sakti ho, ghar me itna sara kaam pada hai," Arnav had no other excuse to give yet he had to stop her somehow from going to Chandni Chowk.

(I mean how can you go, there's so much work in the house.)

"Konsa kaam? Sab toh hamne kardiya hai. Aur ab ye hamara ghar jane ka vakt bhi hai," she replied, looking at him as if he had grown two horns on his head. Didn't she complete all the work for today?

This laadgoverner must have lost his memory! She could only think. If she'd said it aloud, he'd eat her alive, just with his intensely chocolate eyes. 

"Ha, toh? Tum phir bhi nahi jaa sakti ho," he comes up with words soon not knowing what he is saying, only to realize what he had uttered after he was done delivering the not-so-sour words.

(Yeah, so? You can't go even then!)

"Kya?" It became a signature line for Khushi today. Arnav is confusing her with his words.

He surely lost his mind, laadgoverner! She thinks in her head, narrowing her gaze at him.

(What?)

"Matlab ab toh dukaan band bhi hua hoga, time dekha nahi tumhe. Itna irresponsible kaise ho sakti ho?" he tried to divert her into a fight, rile her up, and take more time in delaying her. So the shop gets closed and she doesn't get to visit the shop. It's already 8 at the night.

(I mean the shop must be closed now, didn't you see the time? How can you be so irresponsible?)

Ye ladki pagal hai! He mutters in his head, looking at bewildered and furious Khushi who had her eyes wide and mouth a little open in shock at his retort and she retorts him back.

(This girl is crazy!)

"Haaw? Hum irresponsible hai? Aap apne aapko kya samajte hai, laadgo-" she stops herself from completing the sentence and shuts her mouth with both her hands, closing her eyes a little.

(Haw? I'm irresponsible? What do you think of yourself, laadg-)

"Tumne mujhe laadgoverner kaha?" Arnav grits his teeth in anger.

(You called me laadgoverner?)

"Nahi," she denies. She's right though. She didn't completely call him laadgoverner.

(No)

"Tumne kaha," he grinds his jaws together.

(You did!)

"Hum kehne vaale the," she defends herself.

(I was about to)

"Kya hi farak padta hai," he mutters, glaring at her audacity. Completely forgetting that he started it to rile her up and he is getting riled up, more than her.

(What's the difference?)

"Yahi ki aap galata hai, Arnav Singh Raizada galat nikla, thoda hi sahi, galat toh hai. Humne nahi bola aapko laad governer muh pe," she takes that as a chance to point the great ASR could be wrong.

(That you're wrong, Arnav Singh Raziada is wrong, even if it's a little, but still wrong. I didn't call you laadgoverner to your face.)

"Pagal ho gaye ho tum?" he points to her head, glaring at her.

(Have you become mad?)

"Ye kya bak rahi hai, Khushi?" she slaps her forehead realizing the words she uttered in defiance and her gaze falls on the time.

(What are you saying, Khushi?)

She had to widen her eyes releasing it was 8:20 already and they'd been fighting for over 20 minutes, "Haaw! It's late. Ye sab aapke wajah se hua."

Khushi points at him, putting the whole blame on him. Well, yes he could be blamed, for, he riled her up and his intention was just the same.

(Haaw! It's late. All of this happened because of you.)

"Meri wajah se? If you're forgetting, tum ne mujhe laad governor bulaya tha," he isn't ready to take the blame on him. Although he agrees he started it to rile her up, he won't take the blame and let her win. Never!

(Because of me? If you're forgetting, you called me laadgoverner)

"Harkat hi laadgoverner waalon vaali karenge toh hum aur kya bulaye," she mutters under under her breath. Unfortunately, her voice was too loud for Arnav, and the silence at Shantivan's entrance.

(If you behave like Laadgoverner, how else would I call you.)

"You-" his angry tone was cut off by Khushi.

"Achha. Bye. Hum jaa rahe hai, hume sikke bhi vaapis karni hai," she walks out ignoring Arnav.

(Ok. Bye. I'm going, I need to return one coin too)

"You can't go, dammit!" he sighs, and screams at her back walking behind.

This crazy girl didn't forget about the coins yet!

"Kyu? Hum kyu na jaye?" she turns behind and straightly bumps into Arnav who doesn't let her trip. And now she's in his arms staring at him.

(Why? Why shouldn't I?)

"Kyunki kal Diwali hai. Aaj dukaan jaldi band kaya hoga, kaise return karogi sikke ko," he could only come up with the other reason he was able to form in a few seconds, completely forgetting Diwali is three days away.

(Because tomorrow is Diwali. The shop will close early. How will you return the coin?)

"Haw! Aapko Diwali kab hai ye bhi nahi pata?" she squirms in his arms and Arnav releases her as share glares at him for missing the festival date.

(Haw! You don't even know when is Diwali?)

"Mujhe pata hai, okay?" he tries to cover up, cursing his folly in his mind. Even if he's wrong, he won't let her win.

(I know, okay?)

"Haan, jisne kaha kal Diwali hai, vo toh aap nahi hai na. Aap ka bhoot hoga, hai na?" she had again forgotten the time, too worked up to remember anything, and indulges herself in her favorite work — fight with Arnav Singh Raizada.

(Right, the one whole told tomorrow is Diwali is not you, isn't it? It might have been your ghost, isn't it?)

"Don't-" he was about to warn her not to rile him up more when he heard a voice, interrupting his words.

"Hello, Mr. Raizada," a man was in Shantivan with a few more young boys with some boxes in their hands.

"Mr. Lal, you?" Arnav was surprised to find the jeweler at this time.

"Yes, Anjali-ji had called me in the evening with jewelry and I got late. We'll not take more time. It's just to deliver these boxes and show some if they like," he explains and at Arnav's nod, the boys go in.

"Waise, aapko silver coins ke do sikke pasand aaye toh hum aur de?" he thought to ask ASR, not knowing ng he brought trouble to himself.

(If you liked the two silver coins you bought, should I show you some more?)

Looking at Arnav's glare he walks away dropping his smile off. Arnav in his mind has already killed Lal over ten times in ten seconds. He had to make sure the damned Lal doesn't open his mouth in front of his family.

"Tum kyu khade ho? Ghar nahi jaana?" he asks looking at Khushi who stood there lost in thoughts.

(Why are you standing? Don't want to go home?)

"Silver coins ke do sikke? Vo aapne li thi? Hamare liye?" Khushi guesses and says it aloud.

(Two silver coins? Did you buy them? For me?)

"Tumhare liye? Tumhare liye me kyu lunga? Vo toh mene Di ke liye liya hai," he snorts, lying and looking away.

(For you? Why will I buy it for you? I bought them for Di.)

"Achha! Hum Anjali-ji se puchte-" she guessed he was lying and thought to lay bait.

(Okay. I'll ask Anjali-ji)

"No. Tum abhi ghar nahi jaaogi toh salary khat dunga tumhari," he screams wanting to ward her off from his home. If she goes to his Di, his lie will be out. He couldn't afford that.

(No. If you don't start for your home, I'll cut your salary.)

Khushi was about to retort when he grabs her hand and drags her out.

He is again throwing her out of the house? She gulps, looking at his back in hurt.

Only to realize and mutter a hey devimayya when he makes her seat in the front side and drives her to her home.

He didn't even go away until he was sure she was in her house busy with her family.

What had happened to this Laadgoverner? Khushi could only wonder as she slept that night.

The next day,

After an unintentionally romantic fall with Arnav on Rangoli which successfully destroyed the beautiful art she made, she was busy making decorative pieces with colorful papers to decorate poolside. She needed a fevicol to give final work to them.

"Om Prakash-ji, fevicol kaha hai?" she asked the first person she came across while going towards another corner of the hall. She didn't found fevicol yet.

(Om Prakash-ji, where is feviquick?)

"Fevicol? Vo toh Arnav Bhaiyya ne kal Miss Chamko detergent packet ko chipkane ke baad pata nahi kaha rakdiya," he didn't realize what he said, completely forgetting his Arnav Bhaiya's instructions.

(Fevicol? I don't know where Arnav Bhiaya had kept the feviquick after pasting Miss. Chamko Detergent packet)

"Kya?" her scream was loud enough to fly away the birds if they were here. Alas! Shantivan is too closed for them and they're roaming outside, without any fear of ASR.

(What?)

OP jumps back at her scream and realizes what he told her, lost in his worked-up thoughts about the work he had on his shoulders for today.

Arnav Bhaiye tujhe kaccha kha jayega, Om Prakash. Dekh lena! OP thought praying for his life in his head.

(Arnav Bhaiya will eat you alive, Om Prakash. Just see!)

"Kuch nahi, Khushi-ji. Hume bahut kaam hai. Chalte hai," he escapes leaving an open-mouthed Khushi behind.

(Nothing, Khushi-ji. I've so much work. I'll have to go)

Iska matlab Arnav-ji ne jhoot bhola? Vo do sikke hamare liye the? She wonders why had Arnab bought two coins for her and decides to confront the man in question. She can never understand him and his actions. 

Aah! He's so unpredictable!

(Does that mean Arnav-ji lied? Two coins were for me?)

She walks towards Arnav's room, goes upstairs, and just when she was about to knock on his door, he comes out and looks at her surprised. He had changed his clothes and put his t-shirt away in the cupboard safely, without putting it for a wash.

He doesn't why he did that, just like how he wasn't able to throw her pearls, the piece of dupatta, and anklets away, he wasn't able to put his t-shirt for the wash.

"Aap hi ne hamare liye vo do sikke kareeda and phir Miss Chamko detergent me daal di, hai na?" she doesn't wait to get her question out, shocking Arnav.

(You've only bought silver coins and put them in Miss Chamko Detergent, isn't it?)

"Tume sapne dekhne lage ho," he dismisses her words, trying to walk away.

(You're dreaming!)

"Nahi. Om Prakash ji jhoot kyu bolenge? Aapne detergent packets ke saath ched chaad kiya hai na," she blocks him from walking out on her and asks him again.

This man is hell-bent on giving mixed signals to her.

(No. Why will Om Prakash ji lie? You've messed up with Detergent packets, didn't you?)

Arnav glares at her cursing Om Prakash in his mind. Didn't he warn him not to open his mouth? He should fire him for not obeying him.

"Vo do sikke hamare liye tha na?" she ignores his furious and asks him. She needs to desperately know why he did what he did.

(Those two coins were for me, aren't they?)

"Haan toh!" he folds his hands, raising his eyebrows at her. He's ready to hurt her with his words in his next reply.

(Yes, so!)

"Toh? Aapne humare liye kyun khareed-" she was cut off by Arnav.

(So? Why did you buy it for me?)

"Tumhe ghar me aur koi kaam nahi hai kya? Jaao jaake kaam karo, varna salary kaat dunga tumahara," he somehow couldn't hurt her with his words as her teary face came into mind, tears in her eyes were his weakness and he realized way before. So, he walks into his room and closes the door on her face.

(Don't you have any other work at home? Go and get some work done, or else I'll cut your salary)

"Laad governor ne humare liye sikke liye hai? Kyu?" she murmurs standing in the same place, biting her small nails, not able to understand the Confused Singh Raizada — who himself is confused right at the moment!

(Why did this Laad governor buy coins for me? Why?)

And so, she follows him around, running behind him and asking for the reason behind him giving her two silver coins, not leaving him in peace for half of the day.

"I told you, didn't I? Don't run behind me. Mene waise hi dediya, understood?" he was frustrated and snapped off at Khushi, throwing his newspaper which went flying, and currently busy swimming in the poolside of his bedroom.

(I told you, didn't I? Don't run behind me. I gave them just like that, understood?)

"Aisa hi kaise de sakte hai aap? Hame nahi chahiye ye, aap hi rakhiye. Hum kal vaapis kardenge," she isn't ready to take something he gave her just like that without any reason. Her self-respect is too big for it!

(How can you give just like that? I don't want them, you keep them. I'll return them to you tomorrow)

"Mujhe gussa mat dilao, Khushi," he narrows his gaze at her, fisting his palms. He was hurt when she said she would return the coins he bought for. Although he didn't know why it hurt. But it hurt and when it hurts him, he could only get angry and shower the same on others.

(Don't make me angry, Khushi!)

"Vo koi nayi baat toh nahi na!" Khushi mutters under her breath, glancing at him breathing fire.

(Nothing new for you, though!)

"Kya kaha tumne?" he was sharp.

(What did you say?)

"Vahi jo aapne suna," she retorts, equally frustrated.

(The same what you heard)

"Pagal ladki," he grumbles, huffing smoke.

(Crazy girl)

"Laad governor kahika!" she wasn't less in giving him back as she walks away.

(Laadgoverner!)

And the next day she returned him two silver coins only to get four silver coins packed in her jhola bag this time.

"Ye kya hai, Mr. Raizada?" Khushi was fuming as she barged into his room disturbing him who was busy preparing presentation.

(What is this, Mr. Raizada?)

"Tum jitna return karogi, usse double tumhe milega. Toh pagal mat banke acche se jo diya hai vo rakhna, samjhe tum?" he whispers, thumping four silver coins into her hand.

(Whatever you return, it will come back to you doubled. So, don't be mad and take care of what I've given you, understood?)

"Nahi samjhe hum, humne samjhayiye!" she mumbles, outraged with little tears in her eyes. Why is eh doing this with her? Leaving her with a lot of questions and in some way, hurting her and her self-respect with his actions.

(I din't understand, make me understand!)

"Khushi, don't cr..cry," he melted, watching her tears. Her tears are his weakness, no matter how much his mind denies the fact, his heart knows the truth and it hurts sensing her tears.

"Toh batayiye hume humko sikke kyu diye hai aapne?" she wipes tears as fresh tears roll down her eyes.

(Tell me why did you give me silver coins then?)

"Khushi," he mumbles not able to come up with anything. He knew he wanted to see a smile on her face but why? He doesn't know that and when he'd reply, he knows the next question would be why, so he stayed silent.

"Aapko nahi batana na? toh hame humare haal pe chodiye," she sniffs giving away the hope of getting an answer from the stubborn man. He only knows how to hurt and maybe that's why he gave them to her considering her a charity case.

(You didn't want to say? Leave me alone,)

"Khushi-" he gulps, taking out her name but was cut off by Khushi.

"Aapko do sikke dene se koi farak nahi padta shayad, par humko padta hai," she sniffs again and keeps the four coins in his hand. They don't belong to her and she doesn't want charity or sympathy.

(It might not matter to you if you give away silver coins, but it matters to me.)

"Mujhe bhi farak padta hai daamit!" he thrusts them back into her hand, too blazed at the situation he was put in.

(It matters to me too, dammit!)

"Toh aapne diya hi kyu?" she pushes them again in his palms and Arnav burns more.

(Why did you give then?)

"Kyunki, I..I wanted to see a smile on your face! Don't ask me why," he walks away, shoving the coins in her hands again, leaving her in shock.

(Because, I..I wanted to see a smile on your face! I don't know why!)

He hoped she'd not run behind him anymore! 

*The End*

Let me know what you think about the update.

Don't find logic in the update. In fact, in this book, don't ever try to find the logic. I'm recreating the scenes and sometimes, they could be out of character, although I did try my best to connect them to real ones!

hayuhi7

Hope you liked it! I tried the best I could.

P. S. If anyone has any more scenes in their minds, just drop a comment or DM me, and I'll work on them and post them. 

The photo edit for this one will be edited later. Don't have much time!

Happy Christmas Eve!

Regards,

polymath_land

24/12/2022