"Amit, where are we going?" Harman asked, her voice laced with curiosity.
"Just a few more minutes, Harman," Amit replied, focused on the road ahead as he drove.
"Iâm taking this blindfold off," Harman said, irritated, as she reached up to remove it.
"No, no, no!" Amit quickly grabbed her wrist with one hand, still steering the car with the other. "Just a few more minutes, Harman. We're almost there," he assured her.
"How long is this going to take? It feels like hours, and what's with this blindfold?" Harman questioned, her patience wearing thin.
"I told you, it's a surprise," Amit said, a smile tugging at his lips. "Just a few more minutes. I think we're almost there."
"Youâve been saying that for the past half hour!" Harman said, her irritation clear.
"Yeah, it's just... I'm a bit confused about the way. According to the map, we're in the right location, but nothingâs showing up," Amit confessed, glancing around.
"What, Amit? You don't even know the way?" Harman asked, shocked. "Take this off right now."
"I know the way, it's just... I think a lot of renovations have happened here," he said, looking around as if searching for something familiar.
"I'm taking this off," Harman said in a serious tone, her hand already moving toward the blindfold.
"Oh wait, I think I found it! Just one more minute," Amit said, and the car sped up slightly.
"Amit," Harman called out, clearly frustrated.
"We're here! Just let me park," Amit said, relief in his voice as he pulled the car into a spot.
He quickly got out, noticing Harman struggling with the blindfold. "Stop, Harman! Why are you spoiling my surprise?" Amit said, rushing to her side.
"But weâve reached, so I can take it off now, right?" Harman asked, her hand pausing.
"I'll do it myself," he said as he opened the car door for her. He gently took her hand, guiding her out of the car.
"Just a second," he said, closing the door behind her. "Let's go," he added, placing his hands on her shoulders and steering her forward.
They walked a short distance before coming to a halt. "Are you ready?" Amit asked, his excitement palpable.
"Not ready, desperate," Harman replied, her tone a mix of anticipation and impatience.
"Okay," Amit said, standing behind her. "Now, 1..." he began untying the blindfold. "2..." he continued, and with a flourish, "3!" he said, finally removing the blindfold.
Harman slowly opened her eyes, her breath catching as she took in the sight before her.
"What do you think? Was it worth the wait?" Amit asked, his excitement bubbling over.
Harman looked at him, then back at the scene in front of her. She was speechless.
"Donât you like it?" Amit asked, his voice tinged with concern at her silence.
"You still remember this place?" Harman finally asked, her voice soft.
"How could I forget it? I know itâs your favorite place," Amit said, his eyes warm with affection.
Before them was a bustling market filled with jewelry, clothes, food stalls, and artists displaying their work. It was a lively fairground, a place Harman had adored as a child when she lived nearby. Since moving to the city, she rarely had the chance to visit.
"Do you like my surprise?" Amit asked, eager for her reaction.
"How could I not?" Harman said, smiling widely as she threw her arms around him.
"Iâm so glad," Amit whispered into her hair, hugging her back.
"But why all of a sudden?" Harman asked, pulling back to look at him.
"Thatâs a surprise too," Amit said with a playful grin.
"More surprises?" Harman asked, her eyes widening in excitement.
"A lot more," Amit replied, offering her his hand. "Letâs go."
"Sure," she said, taking his hand as they walked into the fair, soaking in the vibrant atmosphere.
Harman was having the time of her life, admiring the colorful bangles displayed at one of the stalls. She was about to ask Amit which ones he thought she should buy when she realized he wasnât beside her.
"Where did he go?" Harman muttered to herself, scanning the crowd for any sign of him.
-----
He was driving toward the office, but as always, he got stuck in traffic.
"I was even quick today. This traffic is becoming a huge problem day by day," Rudra muttered to himself, frustration evident in his voice.
"I think it's time to spend some quality time with you again," he said with a sudden spark of excitement, reaching into the carâs drawer to pull out a book.
He opened the first page and instinctively crossed out the name written thereâher name.
He glanced outside the window, his mind drifting back to the first time he saw her. "Where are you, Harman?" he whispered to himself, the memory of that day still vivid.
---
Flashback:
Rudra's POV::
I was on my way to the office, cursing the relentless traffic, when my eyes landed on her. She was sitting on a park bench under the shade of a flowering tree. A gentle breeze blew, causing the flowers to fall around her like delicate snowflakes. She was absorbed in a book, her headphones in, completely lost in her world. A single rose lay beside her on the bench, adding to the serene beauty of the scene.
I had never seen a girl as beautiful as her. She was beyond perfection. Her innocence only added to her charm. She wore a white dress that perfectly complemented her fair skin, making her look ethereal.
Her long hair swayed gently in the breeze, playing with the strands. The whole scene felt like a dream. She had a perfect figure, neither too slim nor too curvy, and though she wasnât very tall, the way she carried herself made her appear statuesque. She was so engrossed in her book and music that she seemed completely unaware of the world around her.
"Innocent, soft, elegant, lost," these were the only words that came to my mind after seeing her. But then she suddenly dropped her phone.
"Clumsy," I thought, a smile creeping onto my face.
"Is that so?" I said to myself, almost amused by my thoughts.
"Am I interested in her?" I asked myself.
"Kind ofâ" I started, but then quickly shut my mouth.
"Who is she smiling at?" I wondered aloud.
And then I saw a guy approaching her. As soon as she saw him, her face lit up with excitement. She stood up so quickly that she didnât notice the items on her lap, and once again, everything fellâher bag, her book, her phone, everything.
"Oops," she mouthed, shrugging her shoulders with a sheepish grin.
"Cute," I thought, another smile tugging at my lips.
She started picking up her things, and he helped her. He was holding a bouquet of roses behind his back, clearly intending to surprise her.
"Who is he?" I asked myself, a tinge of desperation in my voice. "Her boyfriend?" I guessed.
They placed their belongings back on the bench and stood facing each other. I couldnât hear them, but I could see everything clearly.
She raised her eyebrows, silently asking him how she looked.
"Ask meâperfect," I answered in my mind.
That guy then brought his hand near his neck and made a throat-cut gesture with his thumb.
"Did he just call her a killer?" I said, my eyebrows raised.
He then placed his hand on his heart, closed his eyes, and pretended to die while falling backward. He nearly lost his balance, but she caught his arm just in time, pulling him back.
"Childish," I thought, but I felt a pang of jealousy.
She noticed that he was hiding something behind his back. She tried to peek, but he hid it even more. She raised her eyebrows again, asking what it was.
"Can she not speak?" I commented.
"What rubbish, Rudra!" I scolded myself for thinking that way.
"Why are they talking with their hands and eyebrows?" I wondered aloud.
"Thatâs called love language. In love, people understand each other without speaking. They donât need words; their eyes and bodies do the talking," Siri suddenly chimed in, startling me.
"You and your philosophy," I muttered.
She kept trying to see what he was hiding, but he wouldnât give in. She made a sad face, pouting and crossing her arms as if she were hurt.
I leaned against the window, resting my hand under my chin. A smile crept across my face as I watched her. "Adorable," I thought, amused by her antics.
"Ahem, isnât it inappropriate to stare at someone elseâs girlfriend?" Siri interrupted.
"Shut up, Siri," I snapped.
Seeing her upset, he moved closer to her. A bright smile lit up her face when he finally revealed the bouquet of red roses he had been hiding. She quickly took them, inhaled their fragrance, and then, mimicking him, pretended to die and fall backward. He caught her just as she had caught him earlier.
"Arenât they so dramatic?" I said, shaking my head.
"Just made for each other," Siri replied.
"I told you to be silent, Siri," I said, quickly shutting it down.
I turned my gaze back to them. She gently pulled away from his arms and placed his bouquet on the bench. She then picked up the rose that had been lying beside her and moved toward him. Though he had already seen it, she hid it behind her back as soon as it was in her hand. He noticed her intent and played along, pretending to look around so she could surprise him, just as he had surprised her.
She got closer, and he put his hands behind his back, just watching her with a smile. She smiled back, raising her eyebrows as if to say, "What?" He did the same. He tried to peek behind her, and she mimicked him, hiding the rose further. He kept trying to grab it playfully, but she held it tight, laughing as he pretended to struggle to get it from her. Finally, she brought the rose out from behind her back and offered it to him.
"I want it," I said, extending my hand out of the car window as if trying to grab the rose from afar.
But that guy took the rose, inhaled its fragrance, and smiled. He then took her hand and inhaled the scent of her skin.
"What is he doing?" I asked, feeling a strange mix of emotions.
As he breathed in her scent, he pretended to die again. She laughed, clearly enjoying their little game.
"That was cheesy. Are they teenagers? Why are they acting like this?" I said, rolling my eyes.
"Why donât you just admit youâre jealous because you donât have someone to try stuff like this with?" Siri teased.
"Iâm not even interested," I said, but my heart told a different story as I kept my eyes on her.
"Oh, theyâre leaving," I said, feeling a bit disappointed.
He took her hand, and they started to walk away.
"They left," I said softly, sadness creeping into my voice. I wanted to see more of her.
I got out of the car and headed toward the park bench where she had been sitting.
I noticed a book lying on the bench, probably left behind in their haste. I picked it up and opened it, reading the name on the first page.
"Harmanâjust as beautiful as her name," I thought, a smile forming on my face.
But then I snapped out of it. "What am I doing, smiling and all? This isnât like me," I asked myself, shaking my head.
The traffic had cleared, so I got back into the car and drove away, taking the book with me.
End of Flashback::
End of Rudra's POV
---
That day and today, heâs still stuck on her.
"Itâs been two months already. I curse this traffic, saying it makes me late, but in reality, I like it because it gives me time to think about you," he said, staring at her name on the book.
"What if I found you sitting here just like that day? Just the thought of seeing you again brings a smile to my face. Where did you go?" he asked, looking wistfully at her name on the page.
......
âDid you see where the guy went who was with me?â Harman asked the shopkeeper.
He shook his head.
She was confused about where he suddenly disappeared. She started looking around for him, her heart beginning to race.
"Excuse me, did you see a man in his 20s, around 6 feet tall, handsome, clean-shaven, muscular, and wearing a formal suit?" she asked a girl nearby, who seemed to be in her 20s.
"Yeah," the girl replied.
"Where?" Harman asked eagerly, thinking she had found him.
"In books," the girl said, winking at Harman.
"What?" Harman asked, confused.
"Where else, baby? A man like that only exists in books, nowhere else," the girl teased.
Tears welled up in Harman's eyes.
"Hey, hey, why are you crying?" the girl asked, concerned.
Without replying, Harman left. This was no laughing matter. She continued her search for him, but he was nowhere to be found. She asked a few more people but couldn't describe him well enough, and everyone kept saying they hadn't seen him. Her phone was also in Amit's pocket, leaving her feeling even more helpless.
"Excuse me, can I make a call?" she asked a lady in her 40s.
"Sure," the lady said, offering her phone.
"Thank you, thank you very much," Harman said, grateful.
She dialed Amitâs number.
"The number you are calling is switched off," the automated voice announced. Her heart sank.
"Is it off?" the lady asked, hearing the message.
"Wait a second," Harman said, dialing her own number, knowing her phone was with Amit.
"Are you alright?" the lady asked, noticing Harmanâs distress.
Harman shook her head, tears streaming down her face as she heard the dreaded message, "The person is not answering the call. Please try again later."
"Try again," the lady encouraged.
Harman dialed again but received the same response. Defeated, she handed the phone back to the lady and walked away, still desperately searching for Amit. It felt like he had abandoned her. Overcome with emotion, she stopped, placed her hands over her face, and cried uncontrollably.
People around her started noticing.
"Are you alright?" someone asked, concern in their voice.
She just nodded, though she clearly wasnât.
A few more people approached her, worried.
"Hâ" someone started to ask, but Harman cut them off.
"I told you, I'm alright!" she burst out, her voice tinged with anger and irritation.
"Harman!" she suddenly heard Amit's voice.
She turned around, her eyes red and swollen from crying.
"Why are you crying?" he asked, rushing over to her.
"Where the hell did you go?" she said, slapping his chest in frustration.
"I went to buy a gift for you," he said excitedly. "Are you excited to see it?"
"Do I look excited?" Harman snapped, her voice still shaky from crying.
She couldnât hold back her tears.
"Hey, hey, hey, why are you crying?" he asked, pulling her into a hug.
"I thought you abandoned me," Harman sobbed, her voice muffled against his chest.
"Abandoned? What are you talking about, Harman?" Amit asked, confused.
"Then where did you go?" she demanded, pulling back slightly to look at him.
"First, stop crying," he said gently, wiping her tears with his thumb.
"Tell me now," she insisted, her voice calmer but still shaky.
"To buy this," he said, revealing the gajra bangles he had been hiding behind his back.
Harman looked at the bangles, then at him. Her eyes softened, but she turned away.
"What? Why? You liked them a lot, right? You always mentioned how much you wanted to wear them," Amit said, following her, concerned by her reaction.
"Harman," he called her name softly, stopping her by holding her wrist.
He moved infront of her, his eyes pleading. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize I would be gone so long that it would make you feel like I abandoned you."
"You couldâve taken me with you," Harman said, her voice still tinged with hurt.
"I couldnât, actually," Amit said.
"And why not?" Harman asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Because they are mannat bangles," he replied with a small smile.
"What do you mean?" Harman asked, confused.
"Did you forget?" Amit asked, a playful glint in his eyes.
"Donât tell me you actually did that," Harman said, her tone a mix of disbelief and concern.
Amit remained silent.
"How could you? Did you really walk 500 steps just to buy these bangles?" she asked, her voice softening as she realized the effort he had put in.
"Because I love you enough," he said simply, taking her hand and starting to put the bangles on her wrist.
"How can a business-minded guy like you believe in stuff like this? What if itâs all a lie? What if there are no mannat bangles? What if itâs just a strategy to sell them?" Harman asked, still skeptical.
"Even if itâs just a strategy, Iâd still buy them, because I know how much you wanted them," Amit said, his voice sincere.
"Itâs been years since they started this strategyâwalk 500 steps and buy these bangles for your loved one, and youâll get married to them for sure. How can people still believe in that?" Harman asked, shaking her head.
"Maybe they donât, but they want to believe, just because theyâre desperate to marry their love, just like I am," Amit said, his eyes locking with hers.
"Iâm madly in love with you, Harman," he confessed, his voice full of emotion.
"Iâ" Harman started to reply, but before she could finish, a lady nearby interrupted.
"Why donât we check his love, girl?" the lady said, her voice full of mischief.
They both turned to look at her.
The woman, who appeared to be in her early 50s, was sitting at a small stall, a mehndi artist by the looks of it.
"What do you mean?" Amit asked, confused.
"Why not see how much he loves you by applying mehndi of his name on your hands?" the lady suggested.
"What rubbish," Amit muttered, dismissing the idea.
"What do you say, girl?" the lady asked Harman, ignoring Amitâs protest.
Harman hesitated but then walked over and sat in front of the mehndi artist.
"Are you in?" the lady asked, her eyes twinkling with excitement.
"I know itâs your strategy to manipulate customers, but Iâm still in," Harman said, smiling softly. "Not because I want to checkâI already know he loves me, and this mehndi will just confirm it today."
"Letâs see," the lady said, smiling as she began preparing to apply the mehndi.
Harman offered her hand, and the lady started applying intricate designs.
"Just wait and watch how bright itâll come out," Amit said, trying to lighten the mood.
As time passed, Harman admired the designs taking shape on her hands.
"Youâre pretty good," Harman said, impressed by the intricate work.
"Do you want me to add any initials to your mehndi?" the lady asked, glancing up.
"Yeah," Harman said, leaning in close. "Keep it hidden. I want him to struggle finding it," she whispered, her excitement evident.
The lady smiled at Harman's enthusiasm and continued her work.
"So, heâs your boyfriend?" the lady asked conversationally.
"No, weâre getting married," Harman replied, a shy smile playing on her lips.
"Oh, nice," the lady said, nodding.
"Thank yâ" Harman began to say, but she was interrupted by another voice.
"You are not," said a lady sitting nearby. She was at an astrology stall, observing them with a serious expression.
"What do you mean?" Harman asked, her smile fading.
"Youâre not going to marry him, but someone else whoâ" the astrologer started, but Amit cut her off angrily.
"How dare you say that?" Amit snapped, taking a step toward her, but Harman held him .
"And can I ask why youâre saying this?" Harman asked, her voice calm but curious.
"Iâm an astrologer; I can read the signs," the woman said, her voice steady.
"You donât even know us. Donât they predict with zodiac signs or something?" Harman said, trying to understand.
"Iâm a psychic, darling. I read the energy, and I can see it clearlyâyouâre not going to marry him," she said with unsettling certainty.
"You wonât marry him," the astrologer repeated, her voice filled with a sense of finality. "Your story is already written, my dear. You canât change it, canât interrupt what fate has already decided."
"Shut up with your nonsense!" Amit shouted, his anger boiling over.
But Harman surprised everyone by laughing. "Youâre laughing?" the astrologer asked, puzzled.
Instead of getting angry like Amit, Harman responded calmly, "Yes, because I love him enough that God could change the storyline just for us," her voice steady and full of conviction. "I believe in the power of our love. If my story is written, then itâs written with him by my side." She turned to the astrologer, a confident smile playing on her lips. "So no matter what, we will get married, and weâll be sure to visit you after our wedding," Harman added, her tone resolute.
The astrologer just stared at her, saying nothing, her expression unreadable.
"All done," the mehndi artist announced, drawing Harmanâs attention back to her hands.
"Thank you," Harman said with a smile as she admired the intricate designs. "Itâs beautifuâ" she began, but her words caught in her throat as she noticed something off.
"What happened?" the mehndi artist asked, sensing Harmanâs hesitation.
"You wrote the wrong initial," Harman said, her voice tinged with confusion and disappointment.
"What?" Amit asked, quickly moving closer to look at her hands. His eyes widened in surprise.
"R?" Amit repeated.
Author's Note: Sorry I'm 15 minutes late from the time I promised. Actually, it was a challenge for me too. When I posted about releasing this chapter tonight at 11 PM, I hadn't written a single word yet. I had the overall idea but hadn't written anything down. I hope you don't mind the delay and that you enjoy the chapter.
Sorry, it was a long chapter. Don't worry; I'll try to keep the upcoming chapters shorter is this how you wanted it? you noticed, I tried to cut the first part. I wanted to explain more about how they had fun at the fair, showing them expressing love to each other and enjoying clumsy moments, but it already got too long, so I skipped that part. You might have also read the part with Rudra in the "What Is Love?" section of this story. Was it boring to re-read? Let me know. I'm not saying I'll cut it, but I'll make it shorter so you donât get bored reading the same content again. don't forget to share your views on how you liked it and vote if you enjoyed it!
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