Twinj: Meant to be: Episode 23

Greetings everyone!! Thank you so much for all your love and affection for the story! I’m really grateful to each one of you for every little small and big contribution you’ve had towards the story! This is going to be a major episode, so without much delay, let’s go! Happy reading!!

Twinj: Meant to be: Episode 23

A quick recap: Yuvi and Aditi try to put some sense into Twinkle and Kunj respectively when the latter two oppose the idea of getting married to each other. Kunj then turns up at Twinkle’s café, and proceeds to lay bare his intention of marrying her.

Twinkle gasped at Kunj’s proposal, searching his eyes for any hint of humour, but he seemed absolutely serious about it. She pushed him away, stepping back herself, as she tried to understand the sudden turn of events. Kunj reached out and held her hand when she crashed into the table behind her, but she shook his hand off, looking incredibly hurt. “Twinkle! Hear me out, please” Kunj called out. If only she would listen, he wanted to tell her that this wasn’t just because of Yuvi’s out of the blue popping of the idea the previous evening, that he actually loved her.

She shook her head, tears beginning to flow down her cheeks again. Why was he making this harder for her? She was already having a hard time having to go with what was right rather than just listening to her heart calling out to him. She wasn’t sure if she was more hurt by the idea that this was probably a cruel prank, or the fact that his words had made it seem like he wanted to support her for he didn’t believe enough in her independence, in her ability to make it on her own in the cruel world out there. Of course, he hadn’t meant any of that, he had only said that he would like to walk by her and support her in each one of her battles, but her mind had gone haywire now, and she could hardly think straight enough to realize that.

“This isn’t some sort of a joke, Kunj! What made you think this could even be a possibility?” She asked, sounding confused and hurt. “Because it is, Twinkle! What made you think it wasn’t a possibility?” He shot back, stepping towards her slowly. “Everything.” She said, now sounding angry. She didn’t understand how he could be asking that question when she already knew how Usha Sarna was and how she was going to react to even the thought of this, and then there was Tanisha whom Kunj was going to marry, and then all of her problems too. He didn’t know about them yet, so that wasn’t his fault, but that didn’t mean he could overlook all of the issues he was going to cause, did it?

Twinkle didn’t know when Kunj had closed the distance between them completely, trapping her between himself and the table. He didn’t hold her in his arms like he had before, she observed, and that meant she didn’t feel that many butterflies in her tummy this time. “I can’t let you do this, Kunj! I can’t!” She sobbed, lowering her head, making it bump into his chest. She straightened immediately, looking guilty now. He held her hands in his, giving them a gentle squeeze. He inhaled deeply before speaking, “Twinkle, I really like you, respect you and want you to be happy. If there’s even the slightest possibility that you could be happier with me, I think we should definitely do this. Only if you think you could find peace with me by your side.” He thought it wasn’t the right time to confess his love for her. He didn’t want to scare her away after all.

Right then, they heard the door open, and found Maya walk in casually until she spotted them standing so close to each other. “Sorry! I didn’t mean to interrupt!” She said immediately, only then making them realize how comfortable they had been with their proximity. Twinkle, who had been watching Kunj so hopefully up until then, looked away from him immediately, freeing her hands and heading for Maya. “You didn’t interrupt anything, Maya. Thank you for coming early today. I was hoping we could sketch out the list of special dishes for this month.” She informed Maya, who was still watching her and Kunj, boggled. “Definitely. I’ll just put my bag in the kitchen and get the stuff we’ll need.” Maya said, glad that she had found a way to give the two a few more minutes of privacy.

Kunj strode to Twinkle’s side the instant that Maya left them alone. “Twinkle,” He began, but the look she had on when she looked up at him left him speechless. For the first time in weeks, he couldn’t decipher her thoughts even a little. “Would you think about it, at least?” He asked hopefully, and she wanted to, she should have, said ‘No, Kunj! I’m not going to think about it anymore, and neither should you! We’re better off as we are right now, let’s not make this worse or harder on either of us, please!’ But she didn’t. She couldn’t, not when he was looking at her like that. Like a lot depended on a single nod of hers. ‘Or, that could just be your wishful thinking!’ Her mind taunted, but she nodded nevertheless. He smiled kindly at her, spreading a sense of warmth within her. She forced on a smile herself, waving back at him as he headed out.

**********************

“You did what?” Yuvi asked Kunj yet again, looking disappointed and blown away at the same time, Kunj thought. If that was possible. “Yuvi, do you have to be so loud this early in the morning?” Aditi whined as she stepped out of their room into the mezzanine right across from their door. “Sorry!” Yuvi said, pulling her into a hug. “Good morning!” He said, dropping a peck on her forehead, giggling as she snuggled some more into him, mumbling something about it being too early to be up on a day off. Kunj beamed at how adorable they were, and was just about to walk off so that he wouldn’t disturb them, but Aditi stopped him.

“You did what?” She echoed Yuvi’s question, making Kunj roll his eyes. “Alright, I get it that you two are very compatible with each other, and I’m really happy for both of you, but do you have to corner me like that?” He said, crossing his arms in front of him. “Kunj! You didn’t even give her time to think about it!” Aditi pointed out, and Kunj gave her a sheepish smile. “I know, but last night I stormed off when Yuvi put forward the idea and then she spent the rest of the evening actively avoiding me, so I had to make sure I had made my stand clear before she took a decision.” He said, looking at Yuvi for approval. Yuvi appeared thoughtful, evidently weighing the idea, before nodding at Kunj.

Aditi still seemed unsure though. “I don’t know her well enough to be saying this, I agree. But did either of you consider the chances of her seeing this as an attempt to force her? Don’t you think you should have been a little clearer about the whole thing at least, Kunj?” She said, making Kunj wonder if at all Twinkle had even understood all that he had been meaning to tell her. “What’s done is done, Kunj. But I think you should let me speak to her next, and give her as much time as she needs.” Yuvi said, making gestures at him to see him elsewhere in a few minutes.

When Yuvi walked into Kunj’s room later, he saw Kunj hastily fiddle with the laptop keys, making him laugh. “I was only finalising the pictures that are to go in your wedding album.” Kunj said quickly, but Yuvi knew him better than that. He hummed in agreement, distracting Kunj in a flash and switching over to the picture the latter had been admiring. Yuvi grinned teasingly as the picture of Twinkle and Kunj appeared on the screen. They had to have been laughing at one of Kunj’s jokes, he mused, for their eyes glistened with tears even though they had on bright smiles. “I haven’t seen her smile like that ever since ‘the incident’, Yuvi!” Kunj complained, standing up and heading for his balcony. Yuvi sighed, knowing that there was no denying that fact. So he quietly followed Kunj into the cool breeze.

Kunj let a good couple of minutes pass in absolute silence before timidly asking, “Do you think things will ever go back to normal?” Yuvi looked optimistic as he placed an assuring hand on Kunj’s shoulder. “If you say so.” Kunj said back, his eyes returning to their chosen spot on the distant horizon. Yuvi though, had an entirely different train of thoughts bothering him. He had always thought it wasn’t in his place to be even hinting at this, but then Kunj had gone ahead and done the unexpected that morning, so it now seemed like an urgency. Something had to be done before it was too late. Before things had gone too far.

“You can now tell me whatever is bothering you, Yuvi.” Kunj said suddenly, and Yuvi nodded. Although Kunj hadn’t been looking at him, the boys were close enough to read each other’s silences as well. “I need you to listen to me through and through before you jump to conclusions, and with rapt attention please.” Yuvi demanded, crossing his arms and waiting for Kunj to turn to him. “I don’t want you to take this for a doubt on your affections, Kunj. It’s just that things like this are sensitive and people react differently to it. We wouldn’t want you to feel betrayed or let down eventually.” Yuvi began, feeling more nervous than he had in months. Kunj was now looking confused and worried too.

Yuvi mentally apologized to Twinkle for the code of friendship that he was about to violate. “Twinkle isn’t like any other girl whom you could impress just by your charm. She’s been through a lot, and is still dealing with a number of things all at once. She doesn’t trust people easily, and she isn’t wrong either. She has a haunting past behind her. She –” Yuvi stopped abruptly, giving up. There was no way he could do this to Twinkle, even to prevent Kunj from enduring a major shock later. “– is Leela Taneja and RT’s daughter, and left home over two years ago. Was left with no other go but to leave.” Kunj finished for Yuvi, shocking him beyond his wits. “You knew?” Yuvi gasped. “Did Twinkle tell you all that herself?” He asked, not knowing what to make of the situation. “No, she didn’t. She doesn’t trust me as much as she trusts her best friend.” Kunj replied, his lips curving up, albeit sadly. But he didn’t let Yuvi cut in.

“Bebe was so sure that she had seen Twinkle before, and that got me thinking too. It was when I was going through all those old files in Papa’s office that I came across some information about the Tanejas. They have been our rivals for too long now, I know. And then I mistakenly overheard Twinkle’s phone conversation with a certain Mrs. Taneja. It didn’t take me too long to join the dots from there, with the clues that were dropped right in front of me. I didn’t intend to do any spying, I just found out.” Kunj explained, and Yuvi couldn’t but admire Kunj some more, for keeping it all to himself, and never letting it impact his equations with Twinkle.

“And that doesn’t change your feelings for her?” Yuvi asked nonetheless. He had to be sure right at this juncture. “I’m saddened you thought I was like that.” Kunj said pointedly, and Yuvi regretted it immediately. “Of course not, Kunj! You did take me in back when my parents left me all alone too after all! You were in London back then, but didn’t care one bit for all the hurtful allegations against the Luthras. You welcomed me wholeheartedly. You wouldn’t let this bother you either, especially when we both know Twinkle and we know that she wasn’t wrong, but I had to make sure you knew what you were headed for, Kunj!” Yuvi gushed, and Kunj pulled his friend-turned-brother in for a bear hug. “It’s just your concern for us speaking, I know.” Kunj reassured him, not wanting him to overthink his own hurtful days.

Yuvi pulled back a long time later, and exclaimed, “I could never thank you enough for everything, Kunj! You became my family, my everything when I needed it the most, and never gave up on me! I could also never thank you enough for being so amazing to my best friend, and for loving her unconditionally.” Kunj smiled widely at that, adding “And I could never thank you enough for trusting me all along. With everything!” Right when the moment got too sentimental for both boys, Kunj quipped in, “Also for introducing your best friend to me” with a wink, earning a playful smack from Yuvi.

That’s it for now, you all. Hope you had a great read, and that you got jealous of Yuvi and Kunj’s bond. *sniffles* These boys make me emotional. Also, that’s one lesser obstacle for Twinkle and Kunj, yay! Let’s see where this takes us. Until next time, lots of love!!