The morning after the Teej and Maheshwari visit, Naina was still angry at him and as decided the night before she did not wear the kangans. But Taiji who always had a sixth sense, showed up just before the girls left for college and immediately noticed Naina's bare wrists. Another tedious lecture followed and this time her Chachiji too sided with Taiji on the importance of these things. Both the women sighted themselves as examples of devoted wives who had never for a second left their wrists bare since their weddings. Naina learnt that as far as her family was concerned, the presence of those kangans on her wrists was absolutely non-negotiable.

But this did not deter Naina's determination. She was after all Rakesh Agarwal's daughter, and though she was mostly like the mother she had not known, she had inherited her father's stubbornness to some extent. From that day onward, she got into the habit of removing the kangans and storing them in her bag every time she left for college and put them back on as she reached home. Not only that, she made it a point to flaunt her empty wrists with a haughty lift of her head every time she passed the bike stand. Sameer had expected to feel relief at not encountering this constant reminder of their relationship, but to his surprise found himself seething at the eagerness with which she had removed the kangans!

Naina decided to not dwell on the lack of clarity of her marital relationship, and instead set about living her college life as she had for the past two years. She was still committed to excelling in academics as usual and enjoying the usual college related activities that she had before. At home when the family talked about her Bidai or Sasural, she made the expected responses which were mostly nodding her head in agreement.

One day when one of the lectures was cancelled, Naina was sitting with her friends in the classroom when Swati said "Naina, teen hafte baad meri Bombay wali cousin Nidhi ka birthday aa raha hai. Mujhe uske liye card lena hai, chal abhi time hai to hum Archies jaake leke aate hai." A new huge Archies showroom had recently opened near their college and a visit there was always a fun activity for all the girls. Preeti was busy with some other friends so Naina picked her bag and headed there with Swati.

The rains had finally made an appearance that week. The parched earth had first taken it's fill and now just a little water was left behind in the form of a few scattered puddles. A few new potholes had appeared overnight too. Navigating their way around the puddles and potholes, as they finally approached the shop Swati happily exclaimed "Aur jab tak main Nidhi ke liye card leti hu tu bhi Jijaji ke liya kuch le." Naina confused said "Aare unke liye kyun lena hai? Aur mujhe toh unka birthday kab hai pata bhi nahi..." Swati looked at her strangely "Kya matlab birthday kab hai pata nahi? Ajeeb ladki hai tu... Mangetar hai tera... itna toh pata hona chahiye! Kya baate karte ho tum dono?!"

Seeing Naina's face fall, she added softly and blushing a little "Acha koi baat nahi... main waise bhi birthday card ki nahi... woh special cards ki baat kar rahi thi. Chal ab hum finally uss section mein se cards kharid sakte hai!" The mentioned special section was dedicated to cards with messages of love and longing. None of them had ever had the opportunity to buy from that aisle, and it had always been an area where the girls had cast looks full of curiosity and anticipation. Swati continued excitedly "Aur bahoot saare stickers bhi kharidenge... woh hearts aur kisses wale jo hum kab se karidna chahate thay!" Pouting she continued "Naina, mera turn kab aayega? Mujhe bhi Sagai karni hai!"

As they entered the shop Swati pushed her friend in the direction of the special aisle and headed to the Birthday cards. Naina stood looking at all those cards feeling rather self-conscious. She hesitantly picked one up... it had the image of the globe and read "To the world you may be one person, but to me you are the world" another card with a big read heart read "I can't imagine any greater fear, Than waking up without you here, And though the sun would still shine on, My whole world would all be gone'

Naina blushed a little thinking of sending him something like this, but at the same time she wondered how people found the person who could come to mean so much to them. How does one know? Do you have to just place your faith in God and believe that you will always end up with the person who will mean the world to you and he will reciprocate those feeling too? She looked around the place thinking there were so many lovely cards with filled with messages of endless love, and yet there are so many lonely people in the world all waiting for a little love to touch their lives.

Swati having selected her card, joined Naina "Kya hua? Koi card pasand aaya ke nahi tujhe?" Naina who wasn't really looking to buy said "Nahi... mujhe nahi lagta unhe yeh sab acha lagta hai..." Swati shared her wisdom "Aare, ladke kabhi bolte nahi ke unhe yeh sab acha lagta hai... par actually bahoot acha lagta hai! Woh Neelam Didi wale Jiju kabhi ek bhi card nahi bhejte thay... par shaadi ke baad Didi bata rahi thi ke usne shaadi ke pehele bheje hui saare cards aur letters Jiju ne ekdam sambhal ke rakhe thay. Samjhi? Acha pehela card na kuch I Love You type hona chahiye..."

She started browsing through the cards and handing Naina all the shortlisted one. Finally realising that she had to buy at least one, Naina picked one with an image of a couple sitting atop a hill holding hands and watching the sunrise, it read 'I promise to love you forever, every single day of forever.' Later that night Naina put the card away wrapped in a plastic bag under her folded clothes in the wardrobe that she shared with Preeti. The thought of giving him that card, ever, left her heart racing a little.

Couple of days later, Sameer was sitting in the College Canteen with Munna-Pandit. One of their Professor's was taking time off from work for a couple months to visit her pregnant daughter in America to help with the delivery. She wanted to cover the chapters required for their next exam before she went on leave, and hence had agreed with the college administration to conduct extra lectures for couple of hours in the afternoon two days a week. And so, Sameer and most of his classmates found themselves in the canteen outside their usual hours, refueling before the extra lectures.

After drizzling all morning, the rains had finally stopped, casting that cold lazy halo around, which makes one want to curl up in bed with a cup of hot beverage. Not being able to do quite that, Sameer and his friends tried to make up for it by munching on some samosas and sipping on their steaming hot cups of tea and coffee. Just then, Sameer saw her entering the canteen with some other girls. She was dressed in a white shalwar-kameez with a multicoloured bandhani print dupatta, delicate silver jhumkas adorning her ears, her wrists glaringly bare as they were these days. 

Naina not noticing him, settled in a corner far from him with her back towards him and continued chatting with her friends oblivious to his presence. He tried to focus on the conversation at his table, but his eyes wandered in her direction every now and then. He noticed the muddied bottom edge of her white shalwar and wondered at her thoughtless choice of this outfit for a rainy day.

About ten minutes after she arrived, he saw a boy enter the canteen and approach her. He was sure he had seen her sitting with the same guy on a bench the other day and talking to him quite animatedly. They had some books open in their lap and had been making some notes too, he dismissed it as just a study session but at the same time wondered why she couldn't find a girl to study with. The boy said something to her now and Naina got up to leave with him. As she was leaving, she pointed her bag to Swati, that she was leaving behind under the table.

Another ten-fifteen minutes later the rest of her friends left the canteen too, but without her bag. He expected them to turn around at some point realising that they were forgetting something, but they all just left, too engrossed in their conversations.

Sameer looking worried exclaimed to his friends "Yaar, woh log toh Naina ka bag idhar hi bhool gaye!" Pandit looked at him blankly "Kaun? Kya bhool gaya?" Sameer repeated "Naina ka bag bhool gaye" Munna enquired "Kaunsi Naina ki baat kar raha hai tu?" He elaborated a little self-consciously now "Aare woh Naina hai na... woh teri Swati ki saheli... usski bag." Hearing Swati's name Munna's interest immediately perked up. Sameer suggested that Munna pick the bag and return it to the girls. By the time the bag was collected, and they went looking for the girls, the girls had headed back towards their classroom.

As the boys proceeded in the direction of the building housing the B Com classrooms, Sameer sighted Naina with that same guy from earlier leisurely walking towards her classroom. He thought feeling rather annoyed, Accha toh yeh abhi bhi iss Champu ke sath hi baaton mein hi busyi hai. Aur itna ke bag bhi bhool gayi?!  Munna too seeing her said "Aare, woh dekh Naina, chal usse bag deta hu." Sameer suddenly pulled him back saying "Ruk, dekhte hai madam ko kab pata chalta hai ke bag missing hai aur pata chalta bhi hai ke nahi..." Munna-Pandit who were always up for a prank laughed good-heartedly at this idea and the trio then settled under a tree with a clear view of her classroom door.

They saw her entering the classroom, and then hurrying out a couple of minutes later, followed by Preeti and Swati soon after. The girls headed in the direction of the canteen but exited from there empty handed. Naina kept searching around in the general area and questioning various students in the vicinity of the canteen, obviously enquiring about her bag. As more and more student shook their head conveying their lack of knowledge, she seemed to be getting more and more agitated. After some time, she sat down on some steps looking rather disturbed and in tears, with her friends holding her hand.

Pandit remarked "Chal yaar, bag de dete hai... yeh toh bahoot darr gayi hai. Ajeeb ladki hai... jaise bag mein char kitabe na hui koi khazana ho!" Hearing this Sameer looked at him strangely and reached out for the bag in Munna's hand. As he pulled the bag, he thought he heard something clang. He peeped in the bag and saw just the usual books and pens, but then noticed a small zipped inner pocket and opened it to reveal the Kangans. Her tears now made sense.

Still pondering on something, he pocketed the kangans and called out to a passing boy and asked him to return the bag to Naina saying the boy had found it in the canteen. Munna and Pandit observed this with a growing unease. Munna said "Yaar Sameer, yeh kya kar raha hai? Tune uski chudiya kyun nikal li? Sone ki lagti hai yaar. Issiliye woh itna pareshaan ho rahi hai..." Sameer looking intently in her direction replied "De dunga... bus do minute..."

Naina not finding the bag or anyone who knew anything about the bag was extremely upset. Preeti had made a quick trip to the college office to check if anyone had returned the bag at the Lost and Found counter, without any luck. Preeti and Swati tried to calm her saying it would turn up soon. Swati kept apologising for her carelessness in forgetting it in the canteen.

Just then some guy approached them with the bag saying he had found it in the canteen after they left. The girls were extremely relieved and thanked him profusely. Naina immediately opened the bag, but to her dismay found the inner pocket unzipped and empty.

Now trembling she started "Preeti, iss mein kangan toh nahi hai..." Preeti looked at her bare hands and replied in shock "Shagun ke kangan... Tune bag mein rakhe thay?! Nikale hi kyun thay?? Pagal ho gayi hai kya?"

Naina now almost sobbing "Woh tere Jijaji ko ache nahi lagte..." Preeti confused continued "Ache nahi lagte toh diye hi kyun? Design toh such mooch bahoot purana hai... par itna acha nahi lagta toh naye design ke banwane chahiye thay na... yeh kya baat hui bhala?" Swati asked sounding confused "Aare par woh to Surat mein hai toh unnhe kya farak padta hai ke tu idhar kya pehenti hai?"

Naina now panicking "Preeti, ab kya karenge? Ghar pe kya bolenge? Ghar wale toh meri jaan hi lelenge... Aur unnke Nanaji ko kya batayenge?"

Sameer seeing her getting extremely worked up, walked in her direction saying to his friends "Tum log yehi ruko, main bus yeh deke do minute mein aata hu..." As he approached her, he heard her asking Preeti a number of questions her back to him. Preeti seeing him standing near them uttered "Jijaji!" Naina continued "Ha... unhe bhi kaise batayenge?" Preeti nudged her to look behind saying "Mera matlab hai... Jijaji aaye hai."

Naina turned and tilted her head, to see him standing there wearing a lemon-yellow half sleeved T-shirt with his hands in his jean's pockets looking down at her. Sameer saw the tears flowing down her cheeks and her lower lip tremble a little as the slightly shaky words rushed from her "Sameer... woh kangan kho gaye... (briefly pausing as a sob escaped) Ab kya karenge?" She was looking at him with an apprehensive but expectant look.

Not wanting to further prolong her misery, he drew his right hand out of his pocket and held the kangans out to her. The look of instant relief on her face and that of gratitude-cum-you-are-a-hero in her eyes almost took his breath away. As she extended her right hand to retrieve her lost treasure, he impulsively grabbed her hand with his empty left hand and slipped both the kangans on her extended hand, saying "Agar inhe khone se itna darr lagta hai, toh nikala mat karo." As she nodded her head in agreement, he further added hoping to curb this behaviour for good "Agar such mooch kho gaye hote toh Nanaji ko kaise samjhati ke jo kangan Naniji ne chaalis saal se jyada sambhale thay, tumse chaalis din bhi sambhale nahi gaye." Naina paled even further hearing the reproof in his voice and mumbled "Sorry..."

Preeti spoke for her sister "Jijaji, aap chinta mat kijiye... main isse aisi koi bewakufi phir se karne nahi dungi. Bus aap please gharwalo ko iss baat ke baare mein kuch na bataye. Warna bahoot jyada problem ho jayegi. Woh Naina ne toh bus aapko ache nahi lagte... issiliye kangan utare thay."

Swati who had been witnessing this exchange blurted in surprise "Naina, tu toh keh rahi thi ke tera mangetar Surat mein rehta hai... teri sagai inse hui hai?!" As Naina coloured knowing her lie had been caught, Sameer experienced a flash of anger and disappointment thinking she had not deemed this relationship worthy of sharing even with her childhood best friend. He spat out the words "Sagai nahi... shaadi hui hai."

Swati was stunned to hear this announcement and expecting Naina or Preeti to refute it looked at them. But Naina sat there looking extremely remorseful, while Preeti just shot her a look of helpless apology. Swati mumbled to Sameer "Shaadi kaise ho gayi?" Sameer with a slight shake of his head replied "Woh toh tum apni dost se hi poocho."

Munna and Pandit who had been very surprised by their friend's uncharacteristic behaviour with regards to taking out the kangans from Naina's bag, had followed him a minute later towards the girls. As they approached him, they heard Preeti addressing him as Jijaji and then his words Sagai nahi... shaadi hui hai with a mounting sense of incredulity.

Munna stuttered "Sameer... kya bol raha hai tu yaar? Teri Shaadi? Naina se? Aisa kaise ho sakta hai?" Sameer turned around with a look of horror on his face. In his state of some unclear mixed emotions, he had announced their marital status to Swati wanting to embarrass Naina but had not anticipated that it would backfire so terribly that very instant. He mumbled something incoherent and walked away looking extremely embarrassed himself.

Pandit looked at all the three girls sitting there with very varied expressions and asked Preeti sounding shocked "Such mooch Shaadi ho gayi hai innke?" Preeti snapped "Nahi... mujhe toh pagal kutte ne kata hai... Jo kissi bhi rah chalte aadmi ko Jijaji bulane lagti hu!" Pandit again queried "Par shaadi hui kaise?" Preeti sounding more irritated replied "Waise hi jaise jyada tar shaadiya hoti hai... Dulha-Dulhan... Mantar-Phere... isse jyada details apne dost se hi poonch lena."

Munna and Pandit looked at their friend's retreating form as he headed to the bike stand. They glanced back at their brand-new Bhabhi and muttered something on the lines of see you later and headed towards the bike stand as well. By the time they reached the bike stand, Sameer had already left the college in a rush, the extra lecture understandably forgotten.

Swati uttered to nobody in particular "Yeh sab ho kya raha hai? Mujhe toh kuch bhi samjh nahi aa raha hai! Naina ki shaadi ho gayi??" Naina looked at Preeti saying "Tu hi samjha isse shaadi kaise hui..." Preeti recounted the tale of the accidental marriage, which Swati listened to with an accelerating sense of surprise. Once Preeti stopped, Swati immediately turned to Naina and said in an accusatory tone "Naina, tune mujhse itni baadi baat kaise chupayi? Hum toh ek dusre ko har chotti se chotti baat batate aaye hai itne saal. Phir itni badi baat..." Naina in a pleading voice "Swati.. please mujhe galat mat samajh..." Swati responded "Galat nahi samjhu? Mujhe toh iss waqt teri koi baat samajh nahi aa rahi hai... tune aisa kiya hi kaise? Itni badi baat!" Naina tried to explain "Itni baadi baat hai issiliye nahi bata payi... mujhe toh khud kuch samajh nahi aa raha hai. Please Swati..."

Preeti now stepped in "Swati, woh Tauji and Taiji ne bhi Naina ko yeh baat kissiko batane se mana kiya hai..." Swati looked surprised "Par iss mein chupane wali kya baat hui... chahe jaise bhi ho, ab toh shaadi ho gayi na..." Naina dully replied "Ha par woh log abhi Bidai ki koi baat nahi karna chahate. Kehte hai Sameer ka college khatam hone ke baad dekhenge. Par mujhe lagta hai Taiji shayad darti hai, ke aisa na ho ke Bidai ho hi nahi." Preeti immediately overruled this "O ho... tu toh phir se Taiji par aake atak gayi. Naina tu janti hai unko... unki toh aadat hai har waqt kuch teda hi sochne ki. Bidai kyun nahi hogi bhala?!"

Swati asked "Aur baaki sab log kya sochte hai? Chachaji khush hai iss rishtese?" Preeti smiling said "Papa aur Mummy dono khush hai. Unhe Naina ka sasural bahoot achaa laga hai." She continued excitedly "Tujhe pata hai, Jijaji aur unke Nanaji ne dahej ke liye saaf mana kar diya hai! Papa toh Jijaji ki iss baat se bahoot jyada impressed hai." Turning to Naina she continued "Aur shayad issiliye Taiji ke nak mein mirchi lag rahi hai! Ke unke sare teer bilkul bhi nishane pe nahi lage hain. Ab yeh bekar ke khayal chod de, aur aage se agar kangan utare toh main hi tujhe do thappad lagayungi, samjhi? Bhawgan ka shukar maan ke aaj toh bach gaye..."

Preeti then addressed Swati in a reassuring tone "Bus yehi sab sochke Naina pareshaan hai aur issiliye yeh news share karne se hichkicha rahi thi." Hearing about all these complications, Swati though still a little hurt by her best friend's behaviour, calmed down for now. She pulled Naina in a big warm hug and offered her congratulations and best wishes. They talked some more on this subject till it was time to head home.

Munna and Pandit stood near the bike stand trying to get their heads around this news that was no less than a bomb blast! Their Sameer... a married man?! They both looked at each other shaking their heads in disbelief. Pandit was the first to break the silence "Yaar Munna, shaadi ho gayi apne Sameer ki? Uss Naina Agarwal se?" Munna looking perplexed "Yaar... matlab woh Rakesh sir ki beti ab Naina Maheshwari bun gaye hai... humari Bhabhi?!" Both observed a minute's silence to come to terms with this new association with Rakesh Agarwal, the man who had terrorised them for a large part of their childhood.

Munna then sounding very emotional said "Yaar... Par Sameer ne humme kuch toh batana chahiye tha... itni badi baat ho gayi... usne pakka shaadi hi kaha tha na?" Pandit confirmed "Ha yaar, shaadi hi kaha tha... aur who Preeti bhi toh usse Jijaji-Jijaji pukare ja rahi thi... par yeh shaadi hui kab hogi? Hum toh roz milte hai isse. Aur hui bhi kyun?!" After a thoughtful pause he continued again "Yaar, yeh toh bilkul nahi ho sakta ke inn dono ka koi chakar ho... aisa hota toh humme pakka pata hota, nahi?" Munna responded "Bhai, shaadi hogayi aur humme pata nahi chala... toh shayad chakar ka bhi pata nahi chala hoga..." Pandit dismissed the idea "Nahi yaar... aisa toh 200% ho hi nahi sakta... main puri guarantee ke sath bol sakta hu!"

The two friends spent the next hour or more considering various scenarios and contemplating on all possible reasons for this marriage. The proposed reasons varied from the mundane arranged marriage via some family mediator to some bizarre ideas like Nanaji being in need of a Kidney from Rakesh and he in exchange insisting on Sameer marrying Naina. But, not once did they come close to what had actually triggered this marriage! Finally, Munna announced "Chod yaar, aise toh hum pure pagal ho jayenge... chal usske ghar jaake baat karte hai." Pandit mused "Tujhe lagta hai woh ghar hi gaya hoga?" Munna responded "Biwi toh college mein hai uski abhi bhi... toh, sasural toh nahi gaya hoga!"

Sameer on leaving the college, drove around on his bike aimlessly for a bit before heading home. He had expected to find his two friends impatiently waiting for him and some answers, but found himself alone at home even an hour later. All this time as he waited, he dreaded their reaction at finding out about the shaadi like this. He wondered how he would be able to explain the reason behind his reluctance to share the news of this unplanned unexpected event.

He felt very angry at himself for acting on the impulse to remove the kangans from her bag. Had he not done that, none of the events that followed it would have taken place. What had he been thinking?! He remembered his mother's repeated reprimands about his impulsive nature, his tendency to speak or act first and then think later. He had always dismissed it in the past as just another of her ways of criticizing him, but today he half-heartedly acknowledged the truth behind her words.

The longer he waited, the more his fears grew. What if they had felt deceived and decided to not continue their friendship? In trying to avoid getting tied down in some new relationships, had he also lost the ones that he treasured and had wanted to bask in the warmth of? The thought of reverting back to the lonely days of past left him extremely edgy.

A little while later he heard the familiar sound of a bike entering the gate and let out deep sigh of relief. At least they were here! He now nervously waited for them to come upstairs and confront him.

As Munna and Pandit entered the Maheshwari house, they spied Nanaji sitting in the lounge reading through some paperwork. Instead of heading directly to Sameer's room, Munna approached him "Namaste Nanaji..." He looked up from the papers in his hand and replied smiling "Aagaye Rahu-Ketu! Kya baat hai aaj tumhare uss ullu dost ke sath nahi aaye tum log?" Seeing Munna and Pandit fidgeting and not looking their usual cheerful selves he added sounding worried "Kya hua beta? Sab theek toh hai? Kuch problem hua hai kya?" Munna not wanting to beat around the bush asked "Nanaji woh... Sameer ki such mooch shaadi ho gayi hai kya?" Nanaji visibly relaxed "Toh akhir bata hi diya ussne tumhe... chalo acha hua. Mujhe toh darr lag raha tha pata nahi aur kitne din kheechega iss baat ko..."

Munna sounding upset replied "Ussne bataya nahi... par aaj college mein usse woh Naina-Preeti se baat karte suna toh... " Nanaji tried to explain "Tum dono ka gussa hona bhi sahi hai... par iss waqt usse tumhari bahoot jarurat hai. Maine samhjaya tha usse ke tum dono se khul kar baat kare... par tum apne adiyal dost ko acchi tarah jaante ho..." Pandit not being able to hold in his curiosity asked "Nanaji par shaadi hui kaise? Aur kab?! Aur hum kyun nahi thay shaadi mein?"

Nanaji asked them to sit down and presented the facts around how the wedding happened and where things stood now. Munna and Pandit's feelings as they heard him ranged across disbelief, pity, shock and finally confusion. Pandit remarked "Matlab, Sameer bol raha hai usse yeh shaadi manzoor nahi hai? Toh ab kya karenge?" Nanaji felt relieved to finally have someone to discuss this with, especially someone that he hoped would be able to get sense through to his grandson. He remarked "Abhi toh maine Bidai aage kar di hai. Dekhte hai... hopefully tab tak Sameer ka bartav aur soch badal jayega. Main samajhta hu ke uske sath bhi yeh sab bahoot achanak hua hai. Par mujhe ladki achi lagi hai. Mujhe lagta hai thoda meljol badhega dono mein toh sab theek hi ho jayega. Jao tum log usse baat karo."

Upstairs Sameer was getting very restless. He tried to peek out of his window and confirmed that Munna's bike was parked in the driveway. Then what was taking them so long? Had they stopped by the kitchen to ask Ramdhari to fix them a snack even today?! He paced back and forth in his room, repeatedly looking at the clock on his wall and the watch on his wrist.

He remembered that Nanaji was downstairs and wondered if instead of confronting him they had decided to just leave a message with Nanaji cutting all ties. This thought scared the day lights out of him and he bolted towards the door wanting to stop them before they left. Just then the duo appeared in the doorway. Seeing them there he lunged forward and hugged Munna very tightly and then pulled Pandit into a half-hug too. He started in a very shaky voice "Sorry yaar... please mujhe maaf kardo. Main bilkul bhi tum dono ko hurt nahi karna chahata tha... par main jaanta hu ke maine wahi kiya hai. I am really very sorry."

Munna and Pandit who had understood his confused mindset after their chat with Nanaji a little grudgingly accepted his apology, but Munna responded "Yaar, tune such mooch yeh baat chupake acha nahi kiya... Bata toh sahi kya sochke tune humme batana jaruri nahi samjha." Sameer found it very hard to meet their eyes "Pata nahi yaar... shayad mujhe bus darr lag raha tha ke tum log bhi Nanaji ki tarah mujhe pressure karna chalu kar doge. Ya toh phir bahoot hassi udaoge..."

Pandit unable to control himself quipped "Hassi udane wali baat toh hai hi... Rakesh sir ka damad jo bana hai tu! Bhai par hassi se bhi jyada daya aa rahi hai... agar woh Naina zara bhi unnke jaisi hui toh tujhe toh phir Bhagwan hi bachaye..." Munna looked at him irritated "Abe Ponga tu issi shaadi pe badhai de raha hai ya tasalli?!" Pandit made a pondering face and laughed "Such kahu toh mujhe bhi samajh nahi aa raha hai ke isse kya dena chahiye..."

Munna shaking his head turned to Sameer "Sameer, theek se bata tu kya chahata hai?" Sameer though relieved by his friends understanding stance so far, was now again feeling a bit cornered "Main toh kuch bhi nahi chahata yaar... na shaadi... na koi biwi. Pata nahi sab ko yeh baat samajh kyun nahi aati!" Pandit immediately voiced the question running through both their minds "Aare, toh phir aaj usse itne pyar se Kangan kyun pehenaye college mein?" Sameer replied sounding impatient "Pyar se? Kya matlab? Woh toh bus woh ro rahi thi aur itna darri hui thi... issiliye lautaye. Warna pata nahi aur kitni der aise hi rote hue baithi rehti. Tu bhi toh bol raha tha na ke bahoot darri hai... chal bag lauta dete hai..."

Munna and Pandit exchanged a look and Munna slightly shook his head. Both understood that it wasn't going to be easy to reach any constructive conclusion. They asked him a few questions about the actual wedding ceremony and realised that he didn't have much to offer other than what Nanaji had already shared with them. They asked him about his interactions with Naina so far and though he shared the crux of the limited conversations he had shared with her, they found him unwilling to share any emotions associated with these.

Couple of hours later after the duo bid him goodbye for the day, they ran into Nanaji on their way out. Nanaji immediately questioned "Baat hui usse? Theek hai woh?" Munna replied "Theek hi hai... par kuch samajh nahi aaya ke kya soch raha hai aage ki baaton ko leke." Nanaji nodded having anticipated this already. He then added "Dekho main parso Business ke kaam se Bombay ja raha hu. Ek hafta toh lagega. Tum dono zara dhyan rakhna iss pe. Waise bolne ki jarurat toh nahi hai... par aate jaate raho." Munna and Pandit assured him that they would keep an eye on their friend and that he need not worry.

That night Sameer was able to sleep with a lighter heart for a couple of reasons. One which he happily acknowledged to himself, that he was finally free of the guilt of hiding things from his best friends, a huge load was lifted off his heart. They had been nothing but supportive since this afternoon and he was immensely grateful to them for forgiving him his lapse in judgement. The other reason for his state of calmness, which he did not acknowledge even to himself, was the memory of the kangans being finally back where they should be.

Naina fell asleep that night with her one hand clutching the kangan on the other, thanking God and him again and again for restoring them back to her.