Rose day

Kartik is standing at a florist shop. He is confused what to buy. He really doesn't know Naira, he has just met her yesterday, they have had a fight and now he wonders what she will think of him if he gave her a dozen red roses!

With a nervous attitude, he rings the doorbell of Mansi's home. Naira is already home in the morning.

Mansi: Bhaiyya..aap yahan? Office nahi gaye? Kartik has come for a week in this city because of a meeting. He is staying in a hotel.

Kartik: meri meeting toh lunch ke baad hi hai. socha tumse milke jaoon. Shaam ko late ho jaayega aur phir tumhari 'auntyy' mujhe tumse milne se manaa kar degi.

Mansi: ohh haan. Aayiye naa. Main abhi college ke liye nikalne waali thi.

Kartik: Main tab tak Naira ko ek baar dekh leta hoon. kahin koi bill bachaa ho toh bhar doon. He says apologetically.

Naira (looking up from bed): Ji nahi. Aapka kal waala ehsaan kaafi hai mere liye. No Thanks..

Kartik (sitting on a chair next to her): I am really sorry. Sach me. Mujhe nahi pata tha yeh sab ho jaayega. Main jaanta hoon students ke liye aise sudden kharche kitne mushkil hai. I seriously do not mind. Main aapke saare bills bhar doonga. Its my pleasure. He flashes a smile.

Naira: It's okay Mr Kartik. Papa mujhe paise bhej denge. You don't have to worry. It was just an accident.

Kartik (getting up): Okay. Main chalta hoon. It was nice meeting you. Chal Mansi main tujhe college chodd deta hoon.

Mansi: haan Bhaiyya chalo

Kartik (remembering): ek minute. Main toh bhool gaya. He takes out a bunch of yellow flowers from his bag and gives them to Naira.

Mansi (surprise): Flowers! Oh Godddd.. Bhaiyya aaj Rose day hai. agar kisi ladki ko phool dena hi hai toh red roses laate. Yeh kya peele phool.

Naira (irritated): yeh koi rose day ka tohfa nahi hai. yeh toh bass har patient ko dete hai naa woh 'get well soon' flowers hai. hmffff..she keeps them on side table and crosses her hands.

Kartik (smile): hmm sahi kaha. yeh Rose day ka gift nahi hai. by the way this is for you. tum ghar me aise bore ho jaoogi naa. socha yeh tumhe doon. He hands a gift wrapped packet.

Naira unwraps the packet and gasps to see a book – A Rose for a Rose – Collection of poems.

Mansi (whisper): wow! ab yeh huyi naa Rose day waali baat..she nudges her brother.

Naira (excited): Oh wow! Poems..I love reading poems..and yeh toh mera favorite poet hai. she flips the pages, her eyes twinkle.

Kartik (smile): Really. That's great. Mujhe bhi poems pasand hai. aur yeh mere bhi favorite poet hai.

Mansi : Bhaiyya likhte bhi acha hai...hai naa. Bhaiyaa kahan hai aapki poems waali diary? Kartik glares at her.

Naira (excited): Really? Wowww. Aap laaye hai aapki diary? Aapke bag me hai kya? She eyes his bag.

Kartik : nahi iss bag me nahi hai. hotel room me hai. aur waise bhi yeh Mansi yuhi chidha rahi hai mujhe. main kuch itna acha nahi likhta..

Mansi : Kyun jhooth bol rahe ho bhaiyya. Maine padhi hai aapki diary. She bites her tongue the next moment.

Kartik (surprise): Tune kya kaha? meri diary? Kab padhi tune? idhar aaa..she runs out saying bye to both Naira and Kartik. Kartik smiles and turns to see Naira engrossed in the book already.

Kartik: toh main chaloon..she glances up from the book.

Naira: haan..i think aapki meeting hai naa...

Kartik: Yeah..ahh..jaane se pehle tumhe tumhe kuch chahiye? Paani? Coffee? Anything..

Naira: No I am fine. Who thodi der me aunty aajayegi khaana bol diya hai unhe.

Kartik: okay.. he smiles. Once again I am really really sorry.

Naira (smile): Its okay really. Aap already maafi maang chuke hai.

Kartik: okay then.. bye..main..main kal phir aata hoon. agar kuch chahiye toh mujhe mera matlab Mansi ko bol dena. Main aate waqt saath le aaoonga.

Naira: Sure. That's sweet of you. Bye. She waves her hand.

Kartik picks his laptop bag and starts walking.

Naira: Mr Kartik..ek minute..

Kartik (turns): haan..

Naira: kal kya..mera matlab.. main aapse kuch maangoo? agar aapko takleef na ho toh. I mean only if you are comfortable.

Kartik (scared): Tum aisa kya maangne waali ho?

Naira (embarrassed): Oh no no..Main...main toh bass yeh bol rahi thi. kya aap kal apni poems waali diary laayenge? Kya main padh sakti hoon?

Kartik : Mere poems mere liye personal hai.

Naira (face fall): ohhh..I..I understand Mr Kartik..Iam sorry agar aapko bura laga toh. I didn't mean it actually that way.

Kartik (smile): ek shart pe main aapke saath meri poems share kar sakta hoon..

Naira: woh kya?

Kartik: Call me just Kartik. Don't be so formal.

Naira (smile): Okay. Kartikk..she stresses on his name..Bye. Have a good day.

Naira flips the pages of the book and reads the note Kartik has written for her on the first page.

Dear Naira

Hum bas ittefaq se kal mile aur aaj main tumhe yeh kitaab de raha hoon. mujhe galat mat samajhna. Mera iraada sirf tumhare udaas chehre pe ek muskurahat lane ka hai.

Kartik

Naira glides her fingers over his handwritten note. She turns the page to read and is surprised to see a bookmark – shaped like a red rose. She reads what's written on it

One rose says more than a dozen

Happy Rose day..

She feels tingly. She feels as if she has been gifted a dozen roses and the room is fragrant with rose essence emanating from the bookmark.

Naira (smile, thinking): wow..Happy Rose day. Aaj tak kisine aisa Rose day nahi manaaya hoga.

Evening

Mansi comes along with 2-3 classmates. They have come to see Naira.

Girl1: tch tch tch..bechaari Naira. Kya haal ho gaya tera yaar. Exams bhi nahi de sakti. College bhi nahi aa sakti.

Girl2: haan. Kitna mazaa aaya aaj college me. Yeh dekh 5 ladko ne mujhe rose diya. 4 red roses aur ek baby pink.

Girl3: haan mujhe bhi 3 roses mile. Pata hai apne class ke Sanya ko uss Commerce class ke Robin ne itna bada bouquet diya..

Mansi (realizing Naira may get hurt): arre tum log kya kuch bhi bole jaa rahi ho. itna bhi bada nahi tha okay..aur kuch mazaa nahi aaya. Kal se exams hai. jaoo padhaai karo sab.

Girl 1: arre hum toh bass Naira ko bata rahe hai usne kya miss kiya. Its okay Naira . Next year bhi Rose day aayega. Tab dekhna koi tumhe ek dozen phool zaroor dega. She giggles..

Naira: agar kisi ladki ko sach me khush karna ho toh One Rose says more than a dozen. Yeh jo tum logon ke haath me roses hai yeh toh 1-2 din me sukh ke paper ban jaayenge. Phir tum khud hi inhe kachre ke dibbe me phek dogi. Rose toh woh hona chahiye jo hamesha ke liye rahe. Uss special day ki yaad dilaaye. Hamesha ke hugs the book to her chest and is smiling thinking about something or 'someone'.

Girl 1 (to Mansi): fracture per pe hua ya iske dimaag me? Yeh aisi baaten kyun kar rahi hai?

Mansi (giggling): pata nahi.. tum log jaoo. Padhaai nahi karni?..The girls leave

Naira: Mansi....Kartik ka phone aaya? Woh theekh hai na? aaj unhone time pe khaana khaya?

Mansi (surprised): Mr Kartik nahi bulaoogi? Seedha Kartik. Tum kya apne bade bhai ko naam se bulaati ho?

Naira: toh Kartik mera bhai thodii hai.... woh tere bhai hai... aur main toh aise hi puch rahi thi. courtesy you know.

Mansi: kal yeh courtesy kahan gayi? Tab toh bada barss rahi thi unpe. Aaj toh koi doosra gaana gaa rahi ho..maajra kya hai?

Naira (stammer): haan toh..kal kaam bhi aisa kiya na. aaj toh maafi maang li na. chal chodd. Tujhse toh baat karna hi bekaar hai. she goes back to reading the book. Mansi smiles at her.

Night

Naira (sighs, thinking): Aaj ka din bhi nikal gaya. She opens the book and takes out the Bookmark – Happy Rose day, she smiles. Hmmmm, mera toh Rose day acha raha. Ab kal...she gasps!

Propose day!

Kartik (removing his shoes): oh goddd..aaj toh bahut thakk gaya. He lies down on the bed. He remembers the conversation with Kartik. A rose for a rose...chalo Nairaaji aapka Rose day toh celebrate ho gaya. Ab kal kya hai? he checks his mobile phone and gasps Propose day... Yeh main kaise kar sakta hoon. nahi nahi...rose, chocolate tak toh theekh propose! Sirf do din hi toh huye hai hume milke. Nahi nahi..he sighs. Sorry Naira.. yeh main tumhare liye nahi kar sakta..never..

He changes his clothes and sleeps. In between his sleep, he wakes up and sits on his desk. He thinks for few minutes and then writes something in his diary with a sweet smile. He goes back to sleep.

He whispers in his sleep - Happy Propose day!and smiles as his dreams continue.

KaIra just celebrated their Rose day. How will they celebrate their Propose day? Will Kartik propose Naira?

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