03

Chapter 1

Ananya's pov

At Sharma house, Ananya wakes up at 9 AM, freshens up to go to the hospital. She gets ready and goes downstairs to the hall. After wishing, “Good morning Mummy, good morning Papa,” Ananya tells her mother, “Hasn't Shahzada woken up yet? It's his first day of college after vacation, does he want to be late on the very first day?” Then Pallavi wakes up Ritvik. Ritvik freshens up and comes to the hall, wishing good morning. That's when Ananya says, “Oh, the Kumbhakarna is awake!” Ritvik replies, “Yes, Miss Grumpy, I'm awake. By the way, why are you still at home? You're usually at the hospital by now, so why are you here?” Ananya says, “It's your first day of college after vacation, right? So I thought I'd drop you off at college first, and then go directly to the hospital from there.” Ritvik replies, “Oh, okay, fine.” Ananya then says, “Hurry up and have breakfast, then we'll leave.” After they both finish breakfast, they get in the car, and Ananya drops Ritvik off at college before heading to the hospital.

Yuvan's POV

The scene shifts to the Singhania house. Yuvan comes downstairs after freshening up and wishes everyone good morning in the hall area. He then asks Ritika, “Why are you in such a hurry today? Eat your breakfast peacefully.” Ritika replies, “Bhai, my college is starting today. Did you forget?” Yuvan says, “No, I didn't forget, I remember. But why are you eating breakfast in such a rush?” Ritika responds, “Bhai, I'll be late on the very first day, that's why I'm in a bit of a hurry today. Anyway, you have your breakfast; I'm leaving for college.” Yuvan calls out from behind her, “If you face any trouble or if anyone bothers you, let me know.” Ritika replies, “Yes, my protective big brother. Now I'm leaving, I'm getting late.” Then, Ritika leaves, and after finishing his breakfast, Yuvan also leaves for his office.

Ananya's pov

After all the lectures at college were over, Dhruv and Ritvik were talking in the parking area when Diya and Ritika arrived. Dhruv then said, “See you both tomorrow, bye!” Diya replied, “Bye Dhruv, bye Ritvik.” Ritvik then said, “Bye Diya.” After that, Ritika said, “Bye Dhruv.” Hearing this, Ritvik said, “Come on, Dhruv, it's getting late, hurry up!” Dhruv responded, “Yeah, okay, let's go, bye guys!” After saying this, they both left to go home. Then Ritika said, “Okay, let's go too. See you tomorrow, Diya, bye, take care!” Diya replied, “Yeah, okay, bye, you take care too!” Then both of them also left to go home.

After completing her appointments, Ananya heads home. As soon as she arrives, her mother, Pallavi Sharma, calls out from behind, “Ananya beta, get ready quickly, they must be arriving soon.” Ananya replies, “Okay, Mumma, I'll get ready in a bit.” Then Ananya asks, “Mumma, hasn't Ritvik come home from college yet?” Just then, Ritvik walks in, saying, “Were you talking about me?” Ananya responds, “Yes.” Ritvik then asks, “By the way, Di and Mumma, who's coming? When I was arriving, I heard you telling Di to get ready, that's why.” Pallavi replies, “Oh, your father's best friend is coming over for dinner with his family today.” Ritvik says, “Oh, okay.” Then his mother tells them, “Now go, both of you get ready.” After saying this, Pallavi goes to the kitchen to continue her work, and Ritvik goes to his room to get ready, as does Ananya.

After getting ready at Sharma's house, Ananya takes a selfie and sends one to Siya. Siya immediately texts back after seeing the selfie, “Today, Yuvan Jija ji is going to be completely smitten looking at this!” Ananya instantly calls Siya, “What's with this 'Jija ji' business? You know very well there's nothing like that! And anyway, whether he's smitten by me or not, I don't care, okay? I'm going crazy just thinking about how I'm going to face him, he's always in an angry bird mood.” Siya replies, “Chill, everything will be fine, don't stress so much. And about calling him 'Jija ji,' doesn't it sound weird to just say Yuvan?” Ananya retorts, “Oh, you weirdo, just let me see you, I'll show you then!”

Just then, Pallavi calls out, “Are you two ready or not?” Ananya tells Siya, “Okay, I have to go now, Mom's calling me. Alright, bye!” Siya says, “Bye!” After that, Ananya calls out, “Coming, Mom!” and goes downstairs to the hall. Then Arun comes in and asks, “Is everyone ready? They must be arriving any minute. Where's Ritvik?” Ritvik then walks in and says, “I'm here, Dad, I'm ready. Your daughter was taking forever.” Ananya immediately says, “Oh, I was taking forever? Everyone knows who just arrived, understand? Here comes the big talker!” Pallavi interjects, “That's enough, Ananya, go to the kitchen and bring the sweets first.” Ananya says, “Okay, Mom,” and goes to the kitchen. Pallavi tells Ritvik, “Ritvik, you just sit quietly here.”

A little while later, the Singhianias arrive. Ajay says, “Namaste Bhabhi ji.” Pallavi replies, “Namaste Bhai saab.” Then Ajay asks Arun, “How are you, friend? Meeting after so many years, and we'll have dinner together too!” Arun says, “I'm just great, what about you? And you're right, we'll have dinner together after so many years. And Namaste Bhabhi ji.” Sheetal says, “Namaste Bhaisaab and Namaste Pallavi ji.” Pallavi says, “Namaste Sheetal ji, please come and sit here.” Ajay and Sheetal sit down. Ritvik gets up from the sofa and touches their feet, and Ajay and Sheetal bless him. Ritvik then sits back in his place. Arun asks, “Aren't the kids here?” Sheetal says, “Yuvan is on his way, and Ritika is outside, she got a call, so she must be coming any minute.” Ritvik thinks to himself, Could this be the Ritika I'm thinking of? Then he tells himself, What nonsense are you thinking.

Just then, Ritika arrives and says, “Namaste Uncle, Namaste Aunty.” She touches their feet, and Pallavi and Arun bless her. Then Ritika's gaze falls on Ritvik, and she says, “You?” Hearing this, Ritvik looks at her and says, “You?” Pallavi asks, “Do you two know each other?” Ritika says, “Yes, Aunty, we're in the same college, that's why.” Ritvik also says, “Yes, that's why.” Ajay says, “Well, that's good then.” He then asks, “Bhabhi, where's Ananya? I don't see her.” Pallavi replies, “She's in the kitchen, she'll be here soon.” Ananya then comes with sweets in her hands and places them on the dining table. After greeting her uncle and aunty with namaste, she touches their feet. The uncle says, “Beta, we don't touch feet here, just be happy.” After saying this, they bless her and say, “Arun, Ananya has grown up so much!” Arun says, “Yes, she has, and she's become a doctor too.” Ananya then sits down.

Yuvan's POV

Just then, Yuvan arrives and greets Pallavi and Arun with namaste. After touching their feet, Pallavi and Arun bless him. Pallavi says, “Okay, since everyone is here, let's have dinner.” After saying this, everyone starts sitting at the dining table. After Pallavi and Ananya serve everyone food, they both also sit down in their chairs to eat. Arun asks, “Beta Ritika, did you meet in college or here?” Ritika says, “Yes, Uncle.” Arun says, “Well, that's good.” After everyone finishes dinner, Ananya tells Pallavi, “Mom, you go with them, I'll clean the dining table and put the food away.” Pallavi says, “Beta, but you'll be alone.” Before Pallavi could say more, Ananya says, “Mom, you go, I'll manage.” After finishing all the work, Ananya comes to the hall. Arun says, “Come on, Ajay, let's talk in the garden area, in the open air. Bhabhi, you come too.” Ajay says, “Okay, you come too. And kids, if you want to stay here, stay here, or if you want to come, you can.” Ritika and Yuvan both say, “No, Dad, it's fine, you guys talk, we're good here.” After saying this, they go to the garden. Then Ritvik tells Ananya, “Di, I'm going to my room. I need to send notes to Dhruv, I'll come down after that.” Ananya says, “Okay, go.” After that, he leaves.

A little while later, Ritika asks Ananya, “Didi, where's the washroom here?” Ananya shows her and then comes back to the hall. Yuvan is looking at his phone when he suddenly starts hiccupping. Ananya says, “Wait, I'll get some water.” After saying this, Ananya goes to the kitchen, gets water, and comes back to the hall. She offers Yuvan water. When Yuvan takes the water from Ananya's hand, their hands slightly touch. While Yuvan was drinking water, his attention went to the phone kept on the sofa, where there was a text notification on the lock screen: "What's up, Angry Bird? Still in an angry mood today?" Yuvan had seen this text. It wasn't someone else's phone, it was Ananya's. After that, Ananya had been looking for her phone for a while. Her gaze then went to the sofa. Ananya picks up her phone from the sofa and thinks to herself, I hope he didn't read that text. Just then, Yuvan stands up to put the glass down. Ananya says, “You don't have to, I'll put it away.” Ananya stands up to take the glass from his hand. As Yuvan gives her the glass, he says, “It was nice to know the name 'Angry Bird'.” Ananya took the glass without saying anything and went to the kitchen to put it away.

After putting the glass in the kitchen, Ananya thinks to herself, Ugh, I'll deal with Siya later, but how am I going to face Yuvan right now? Nothing happened, Ananya, calm down. She reassures herself and goes back to the hall, sitting on the sofa. Yuvan is engrossed in his phone. There's just silence between them. Later, Ritika walks from the washroom towards the hall area when she bumps into Ritvik. Ritika then says, “Have you decided to bump into me always or what?” After hearing this much, Ritvik comes into the hall without saying anything and sits on the sofa. Then Ritika thinks to herself, What a strange person. This morning when he bumped into me, he made such a fuss, and now he didn't say anything at all. Afterwards, Ritika also comes into the hall and sits on the sofa.

In the garden area, Ajay says to Arun, “It was really nice meeting you and your whole family after such a long time today.” Arun replies, “I'm glad you all came too, and the kids.” Then Ajay says, “Arun, I was thinking about something. What if we turn this friendship into a family relation? I mean, I'd like to propose my son Yuvan's marriage to your daughter Ananya, if you and Bhabhi (sister-in-law) have no objection, and of course, if Ananya agrees.”

Arun then says, “That's a good thought, Ajay. I have no objection, but I'll talk to Ananya once and let you know.” Sheetal adds, “Yes, Bhaiya (brother-in-law), we'll also talk to Yuvan and let you know. And honestly, Ananya is so sweet, and you, Bhaiya, and Bhabhi, should talk to her once and then tell us what she thinks.” Pallavi then says, “Alright, Sheetal Ji and Bhaiya, we'll let you know Ananya's answer.”

Ajay then says, “So it's settled that tomorrow evening, Arun, I'll call you and let you know Yuvan's answer. And if possible, you also let me know by evening.” Arun replies, “Okay, I'll call you and let you know too.”

Then Sheetal says, “We should go inside now. The kids must be waiting for us, and Bhaiya, we should really leave now. It's quite late, and Ritika has college tomorrow.” Ajay says, “Yes, Arun and Bhabhi, we should leave now.” Pallavi says, “Yes, but you all please go inside to the hall first.” Sheetal agrees. “Yes, that's true.”

Then everyone comes into the hall from the garden area. Ajay says, “Okay, Bhabhi and Arun, we're leaving now. It was nice coming here after a long time.” Arun replies, “I was glad you came with your whole family.” After saying this much, they both hug, and then the Singhania family leaves for their home.

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