𝑯𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒚 𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈!♡♡

Author's POV

The sky was tinted gold by the time Aishani's college ended.

Aishani sat in the passenger seat, humming softly while scrolling through her phone. Revansh glanced at her from the corner of his eye how could someone be this noisy even in silence?

"Sir" she spoke suddenly.

"What now?" he asked, eyes still on the road.

"Dadi said there's a puja at home today..."

"So?"

"So I have to wear a saree," she sighed dramatically, slumping in her seat.

"But I don't have any! You see, I didn't pack such fancy stuff from my village. Who wears sarees for no reason there?"

Revansh raised a brow. "Then take one from Dadi or my mother."

She gasped. "And drown inside it? No way! I'll look like a walking curtain!"

He chuckled under his breath. "You already talk like one."

She glared. "Very funny."

"Then buy one."

"Buy? From where?"

"Obviously not from your dreams. There's a mall nearby."

Her jaw dropped. "Mall? The fancy ones where even the air smells expensive?"

"Yes. Any problem?"

"Yes-multiple!" she said in a rush. "I don't have that much money, and I don't want to enter a place that costs more than my semester books combined!"

"We're already going there."

"Sir! Nooo!" she protested, clutching her bag dramatically as he turned the car toward the mall.

At the Mall

Aishani stepped inside, eyes wide as saucers. Polished floors, glass displays, mannequins draped in silks the place glittered.

"Are we inside a palace?" she whispered.

"It's a mall, not a palace. Move," he said dryly.

"Whoa.. this place looks like heaven if heaven had AC."

"Stop gaping. People are staring."

"I can't help it! These lights are shinier than your attitude!"

Revansh ignored her and walked into a saree boutique. Aishani followed, still looking around like a lost kitten.

When the shopkeeper greeted them, Aishani waved her hands. "No no! Just looking!"

Revansh turned. "You're buying, not just looking."

Five minutes later, she froze at the first price tag.

"Sir! this saree costs eight thousand rupees! For one cloth piece!?"

"That's silk, not a cloth piece."

"It's too expensive! I can't even wear something this heavy. Let's just go home, please. Or maybe stop at a phuchka stall instead?"

Revansh exhaled slowly. "You were the one excited about buying a saree ten minutes ago. Now you want phuchka?"

She grinned sheepishly. "Because phuchka doesn't make my wallet cry."

"It's for the puja. Dadi will scold me if you don't wear something proper."

"Then tell Dadi to scold me, not you," she said, crossing her arms.

He sighed. "You really like arguing, don't you?"

He looked toward a mannequin draped in a soft red saree - elegant, minimal, just like her.

"That one," he said. "It'll suit you."

"It's beautiful but definitely not for me."

"Why not?"

"Because I'll look like the saree is wearing me," she laughed.

He handed his card to the shopkeeper.

"Sir! I said no! What are you doing!?"

"Saving myself from Dadi's scolding."

"I can't take it.."

"Then consider it a gift. For the puja. Take it."

Her voice softened. "A gift?"

"Thank you so much Sir," she whispered, smiling.

He looked away, but a tiny smirk tugged at his lips.

"Also pack another one in blue," he told the salesman.

"Two sarees?" she blinked.

"For Isha," he replied. "Otherwise she'll start her drama 'Bhai bought a saree for my friend but not for me?'"

Aishani giggled. "Trueee, she'll make a whole TV serial out of it."

"Exactly. Better to avoid it."

"Dealing with two drama queens now, huh?" she teased.

"One's a drama queen," he said calmly, "the other's a kid. A very chaotic one."

Her mouth fell open. "Excuse me!? Kid?"

"Yes," he said, eyes glinting. "I'm calling you directly, Miss Kiddo."

"Wow, a whole medical degree just to bully me professionally?"

"Consider it my side specialization."

"Then you seriously need therapy, Sir!"

"Already have one," he murmured, smirking. "She won't stop talking."

Her cheeks flushed. "You're ugh! Impossible!" she said, stomping ahead while he chuckled quietly.

In the Car

The drive back was quiet. Golden light poured through the windows, soft music played. Aishani kept stealing glances at the shopping bag on her lap the red saree he'd bought.

Halfway through, the car slowed down.

"Wait here," he said, pulling over near a small roadside stall.

"Where are you-"

"Just wait."

He returned a few minutes later, holding something white and fragrant.

"What's this?"

"Gajra."

Her eyes widened. "Gajra!?"

He nodded. "Isha loves them. I saw this shop and thought.maybe you'd like it too."

For a second, she just stared at the jasmine flowers resting in his palm soft as moonlight.

"Thank you Sir."

He looked away. "Don't overthink. It's just a flower."

But when their fingers brushed, both hearts skipped a beat.

She turned to the window, hiding her blush.

He restarted the car, pretending not to notice the smile that lingered on her lips the rest of the ride.

At the Mansion

"Isha!!" Aishani's voice echoed through the hall, frustration dripping from every syllable.

Revansh paused mid step, frowning. "What now..." he muttered, heading toward her room.

She stood in front of the mirror, tangled in pleats-one end half tucked, the other about to fall off her shoulder.

"What happened, Miss Kiddo?" he asked, leaning against the doorframe.

"Why are you shouting like there's a fire?"

"I'm calling Isha, not you!"

"I can hear Miss Chaos just fine. Why are you calling her? Any problem?"

"Yes! Very much problem! I need help. Call Isha."

He disappeared for a moment, then returned.

"She's not in her room. Tell me. I can help."

"You can't!"

"I can."

"You don't even know how to wear a saree!"

"I know enough about anatomy to figure out how a piece of cloth wraps around a person."

"Very funny! Sir, it's not the same thing! I'll manage."

"By the look of it, you won't," he muttered. "Wait. I'll send someone."

Aishani's POV

Oh god. Isha isn't here. I can't call Dadi or Aunty they're busy with the puja rituals. What do I do now?

Should I ask him?

No way! He'll tease me till next century!

Ugh, why does he always have to appear when I'm one step away from chaos?

Fine, I'll manage somehow.

But thankfully, he sent a helper, and soon the saree stopped attacking me.

Revansh's POV

I left her room and asked one of the helpers to assist her but her image refused to leave my head.

She'd stood by the mirror, battling the saree like an enemy. And yet, she looked breathtaking.

The deep red draped around her frame, her open hair falling in soft waves. That faint rose fragrance - just like her - sweet, chaotic, and impossible to ignore.

She had no idea how effortlessly beautiful she looked not because of the saree, but because of her innocence, her warmth, her life.

And when she finally looked at me, cheeks flushed and eyes annoyed..I realized something. Something dangerous.

Later..

"Haww! Again white? Don't you have any colour in your wardrobe, haan?" Aishani gasped.

"In the hospital it's your white coat, at home it's white shirts, and now for puja you're in white punjabi (kurta)! No wonder you're so grumpy..your life's completely colourless!"

Revansh folded his arms. "Maybe I like peace, not chaos."

"Peace? Or boredom?"

"At least my peace doesn't come with a storm named Aishani."

"Excuse me! I bring colour and happiness wherever I go!"

He looked at her for a second longer than intended her red saree shimmering under warm light, bangles tinkling softly, a stubborn strand of hair falling across her face.

Revansh's POV

Colour and happiness, huh? Maybe she's right. In a house full of silence, she brought noise I didn't know I needed.

"What happened, Dr Grumpy? Lost in my beauty?" she teased.

He quickly looked away, adjusting his kurta. "You wish, Miss Chaos. I was just wondering how someone can be this loud without saying a word."

"Wow! Poetry from Dr Ice himself! Should I call the news channel?"

He half-smiled. "Stop overreacting and come downstairs before Dadi starts shouting again."

"Yes yes, coming, Mr. Whitewash."

He froze. "What did you call me?"

"You wear white so much, it suits your new name Mr. Whitewash!"

He muttered, "Unbelievable..."

At the Puja

She looked different today. The red saree she had stubbornly refused to buy now wrapped around her perfectly, and that gajra the one I'd picked up absent mindedly rested in her hair.

The fragrance of jasmine filled the air, mixing with her laughter that somehow always found its way to me.

As everyone gathered, the house glowed with the scent of incense and the rhythm of bells. Dadi smiled proudly, watching her family together. Aishani sat beside her, fumbling with her pallu every two minutes.

I folded my hands, bowed my head but my gaze kept drifting toward her.

The red saree, the gajra, the quiet spark in her hazel eyes... everything about her felt alive.

After the puja, when Aishani helped Dadi serve prasad, she accidentally dropped some on my kurta.

"Oh god! I'm so sorry! See, that's why you shouldn't wear white everywhere!"

"Or maybe I should stop standing anywhere near you," I replied flatly.

"You're blaming me? It's the plate's fault!"

"Miss Chaos strikes again."

Dadi chuckled from behind. "Aishani, tui to amader doctor-ke hasiye dili... er theke boro kotha r kichu hotei pare na!"

(Aishani, you made our doctor laugh nothing could be bigger than that!)

I shook my head, walking away with the faintest hint of a smile.

Author's POV

After the Puja

"Sir, let's click photos together na? It'll be memories."

Aishani's hazel eyes sparkled, asking for his phone.

Revansh gave her a flat look. "No."

"Oh, come on! Live a little, Dr. Grumpy!" she said with a dramatic pout that made Isha giggle from the side.

He sighed, clearly realizing resistance was pointless. "Fine. One photo."

Aishani's face lit up instantly. "Yay!"

She stood beside him, holding the phone up high. "Okay smile, Sir!"

"I am smiling," he said in his usual calm tone.

"That's not smiling, that's... existing!" she burst into laughter, clicking the picture anyway.

They took a few more Aishani's bright grin filling every frame, Revansh standing still like a statue.

And yet, in one of them, when she wasn't looking, his deep brown eyes had softened just a little.

A few minutes later, Isha joined in, pulling both of them closer.

"Now this is a proper picture! Bhai, smile or I'll post this on Instagram with the caption 'Dr. Stone learns emotions!'"

Revansh shot her a warning look, but Aishani and Isha were already laughing, clicking photo after photo some blurry, some perfect, all filled with warmth.

For once, even he didn't stop them.

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