Yet another one of the nights, the two were sitting side by side. This time, Karan spoke about something funny that happened at his office. Monami was too quiet that day.

Karan looked at her and frowned.

“Hey? You okay? Monami? Kya hua hai?”

(What happened?)

He asked lifting her face by holding her chin and she smiled.

“Kuch nhi. Thak gyi bas aaj. Tiring day.”

(Nothing. I am just too tired today.)

She tried to wave it off but Karan wasn’t letting it go.

“I’m not taking that as an answer. Kya baat hui hai? Office mai kuch hua hai? Kisi se koi baat hui? Someone said something? Kisi ne kuch galat kia?”

(What has happened? Did something happen in office? Did something happen with someone? Someone said something? Did someone do something wrong?)

His eyes and voice held concern and she smiled genuinely this time.

“Nhi. Aisa kuch bhi nhi hai. Everything is fine. Kisi ne kuch nhi kaha aur kuch galat nhi kia. Thik hu mai. I just…”

(No. Nothing like that. Everything is fine. Nobody said or did anything wrong. I am fine. I just…)

She trailed off not knowing how to say it without looking like a baby.

“Miss home?”

He completed and she looked at him surprised.

“How did you-”

“I know the feeling. I’ve been feeling the same recently.”

He shrugged and smiled.

“Lekin tum abhi abhi ghar se dur aaye ho. Mujhe 3 saal ho gye Karan. And I still feel like this sometimes. That’s so childish.”

(But you came away just recently. I am here since 3 years.)

He held her chin and made her look into his eyes.

“Feeling homesick or missing your family can never be childish. Ok?”

She nodded and he kissed her forehead holding her close.

The two have gotten close emotionally and mentally. If one of them didn’t come to the rooftop on someday, the other felt that their day was incomplete. Monami, the girl who had always loved her own company, had started loving Karan’s company more than her solitude.

The thought and the feeling scared her sometimes, but then he would confess to missing her too and she would be fine knowing that the feeling wasn’t one sided. She still wasn’t sure if he meant everything as a friend or whether the flirting meant something. 

And she didn’t have the courage to ask him directly. What if she was assuming things and he’d laugh at her for being so stupid. 

It was a Sunday and she was home. She had no special plans for the day and was just going to spend it at home until she received his call.

“Hey.”

“Hi.”

“You home today? Koi plans hai kya aaj?”

(Do you have any plans today?)

He asked and she frowned. Why was he asking this suddenly.

“No special plans. Ghar pr hi hu. Why?

(I am home.)

“Would you like to join me?”

He asked and she smiled.

“Join you where?”

“Ghar pr.”

(At home.)

And that made her still. Home? At his home? 

“Ghar…. Pr? Tumhare ghar pr?”

(At…home? Your home?)

She might have sounded nervous and given away her dirty thoughts because the next second, he clarified quickly.

“Not like that, I mean bhaiya bhabhi and Misha are coming home today. And Misha has been wanting to meet you since I have told her about you. Tum thodi der ke liye aa jaaogi toh usse bhut achha lagega.”

(She will be very happy if you come to see her for some time.)

‘Aur mujhe bhi.’

(And me too.)

He wanted to add but restrained himself. Monami smiled at the thought of finally meeting the little princess he had been talking about since they met.

"Of course I’ll be there. Mai khud itni excited hu usse milne ke liye. When are they coming?”

(I too, am really excited to meet her.)

“They’ll be here in about two hours or so.”

“Ohh! Ok! I’ll see you then.”

She said and disconnected the call. She then got up and rushed to her room to select a good outfit. Then, she realised that she was meeting them for the first time and that she should get something for them.

So, she took her wallet and went towards Karan’s apartment. She rang the doorbell and waited for him to open. And when he did, her mouth ran dry because holy moly! He was in sweatpants. Grey sweatpants at that. 

Now she understood all those girls crying about their men wearing grey sweatpants weren’t lying after all. They do look incredibly sexy in those.

“I thought you were going to come after some time. Missed me so much?”

He teased, leaning against the doorframe and she remembered why she came there at the first instance. 

“Aap free ho abhi? Or are you preparing for their arrival?”

(Are you free?)

“Nah! Preparation kya krni hai? It’s just bhai and bhabhi.”

(What is there to prepare?)

He dismissed it with a wave.

“And what about food? Do you need some help with that?”

“We’ll order in. Tum batao. How may I help?”

(You tell me.)

She smiled wide and said.

“Mere saath market chalo and help me select gifts for them.”

(Come with me to the market and help me select gifts for them.)

“Monami! Iski koi zarurat nhi hai.”

(There is no need for this.)

“Zarurat hai. I’m meeting them for the first time. Aise khaali haath thodi na milungi.”

(There is….I cannot meet them empty handed.)

He sighed and shook his head.

“Trust me. They would say the same thing. Ki iski zarurat nhi hai. You don’t have to be formal with them.”

(That it was not needed.)

“Karan! Aap chal rhe ho?”

(Are you joining me?)

She gave him a stern look which said that she wasn’t backing out and wasn’t going to listen to him. He sighed, giving up and went inside to fetch his wallet.

“Aise hi?”

(Like this only?)

She asked referring to his sweatpants. He didn’t look bad. In fact he looked too good.

“Ummhmm. Market hi toh jaana hai.”

(It’s just market.)

“Mall jaayenge.”

(We’ll go to the mall.)

“Arre yaar! Give me 2 minutes.”

He quickly rushed in and in the next two minutes they were in the lift with him now wearing a jeans under the same t-shirt he was wearing.

“Kya pasand hai sabko? Misha ke liye kya le lu? Kis cheez ka shauk hai usse?”

(What does everyone like? What should I get for Misha? What does she like?)

She asked as they drove towards the mall. Karan hummed and thought about it as he reversed the car. The way he effortlessly turned the car made her stomach flip. Why were all of his actions so smooth and hot?

“She likes clips. Hair clips. Wo fancy wali hoti hai. Cartoon types wali.”

(Those fancy types. Cartoon types.)

“Aur bhabhi ko?”

(And Bhabhi?)

He thought again and then said.

“She likes a lot of things but I guess you can get her earrings. Wo bade bade gol wale jo hote hai na, what do you call them? Arre uspe gaana bhi hai yaar, kya naam tha?”

(Those big round ones, what do you call them? There is even a song on them, what was it?)

He asked, clicking his tongue, trying to remember.

“Chaand baaliyan?”

She provided and he snapped his finger in confirmation.

“Yes! Those! She loves those.”

Monami smiled and then asked about his brother.