6. Rishta Pakka

Me: No, dad. Please, just once, please...Jk: Anshika...Me: Please, I beg you...Jk: Anshika!I sat.Jk: Did you have a nightmare?I cried and hugged.Me: They will not accept us, Jk. I am so scared.Jk: Shh... I said you, na? Think positive. Tumhe bura sapna isiliye aaya kyunki tum bura soch rahi thi. Just Stop thinking about it, okay?Me: I can't. I just can't.Jk: It's midnight, Anshika. Tomorrow is our flight. Please sleep, hm?Me: O- Okay.

Next Day...Me: Who is this with you in that photo?His sister-in-law: He is my Son. Me: Where is he now?His sister-in-law: Boarding school.Me: His age?His sister-in-law: Eight years.Me: I hope I can meet him next time.His sister-in-law: He'll be at your wedding.Me: [Chuckle] Yeah-Jk: Anshika, come fast we are getting late!!Me: Ne! Eonni. Now, I'll leave.His sister-in-law: Eo- Eonni?Me: Did I say something wrong?His sister-in-law: Ani, it reminds me of my little sister.Me: From now onwards, I'm your little sister. Hm?

His sister-in-law: Hm, now go otherwise you'll get late.

Me & Jk: Anneyongi geseyo, Ghamsahamnida!Jung-Hyun: Bye! Have a good flight!!

We boarded the flight.Me: If my parents will not agree, we will never see each other.

Jk: Fine...

We landed in Delhi after 6 ½ hours. We arrived there in the evening according to IST.

At home...

I rang Bell with my shaky hand.

??: Pari zara dekhiyo darwaze pe kaun hai!??: Haan!Pari: Ji kau- Didi?!Utkarsh: Hain?! Ye phir sapne dekh rahi hai? Mummy: Aashi?Pari: Mummy, dekho kaun aaya hai!!She took my hands and pulled me inside, but she saw Jk at that time, and by mistake she said something that stopped mom and Utkarsh to walk towards us.Pari: Jiju? AAP?!Me: Kitni baar bola hai ki mat kaha kar. Ab zara apne peeche walo ka reaction dekh.She turned around and saw them frozen.Mummy: Ye kau-Me: Um... Mummy baaki baatein andar chalkar kare?

She nodded and welcomed us with a forced smile. She served some coffee and snacks and sat in front of us.

Mummy: Toh, kya kehna hai?Jk: Namaste, Aunty. Mai Jungkook.Mummy: Hain?! Kya? Itni pagal nahin hoon mai ki ye kisi bhi korean ko le aayegi, wo bolega ki mai Jungkook hu, aur mai maan lungi.Jk: Toh mai aisa kya karu ki aap maan jaye?Pari: Mummy, ye Jungkook hi hai.Mummy: Tu to chup reh, sab pata tha par humein kuchh nahi bataya.Utkarsh: Mai kuchh keh sakta hoon? Agar ijazat ho to?Mummy: Bol bol, tu bhi bol.Utkarsh: Mano ya mano, yehi Jungkook hai.He showed the Google page of him and now mom was shocked.Me: Hum- wo-Jk: Hum relationship mei hain. We Love each other aur mere mom dad ne haan kar diya hai ab bas aapki permission chahiye.Mummy: Mujhe iss baare mei kuch nahi pata, kal iske papa aayenge, unse baat karna, aur abhi ke liye upar wale room mei shift ho sakte ho. Jab bulaya jaye tab khana khane ke liye neeche aa jana.Jk: Ji, aunty. Let's go Anshu.Utkarsh already took our bags to that room. I changed and we went in our room and started setting up our clothes in my cupboard

Jk: Was this your room?

Me: Hm.Jk: That's why there are posters of our group.I turned back and saw them. It reminded me of when I used to get merch and all those things from my friends and I used to decorate my room with it but sometimes mom used to throw the posters away.Jk: You have more posters of mine than anyone else. I can smell the love.Me: Just shut up [Chuckle].He turned me around and pulled me close by my waist.Jk: Honeymoon ke liye kaha kaha jaana hai, ye to humne socha hi nahi.Me: Pehle shaadi ho jaye? [Door knock]Pari: Sorry, mai aapka romantic moment bhang nahi karna chahti thi but khana ready hai. Neeche aa jaiye.We both nodded and went downstairs.We ate and slept.

Next Day...Papa: Toh... Aap hain Jungkook?Jk [confidently]: Yes, uncle.Papa: Mere beti ki age chhabees hai. Tumhari?Jk: Thirty-six.Papa: Tumhe lagta ham haan bolenge?Jk: Na bolne ki wajah bataiye.I looked at him and looked away.Papa: Aashi?Me: Haan, papa?Papa: Baat karni hai.

On terrace...

Me: Papa, usme kami kya hai?Papa: Kami nahi hai, aur zyada hai.Me: Kya?Papa: Age!Me: Toh kya, papa? Aap mei aur mummy mei kitna gap hai, wo nahi dikhta aapko?!Papa: Humari majboori thi. It was an arrange marriage, beta. Par teri koi majboori nahin hai phir aisi choice kyun?Me: Kyunki pyaar karte hain ek doosre se, bahut zyada. Itna ki aap soch bhi nahi sakte!Papa: Wapis chale jao.Me: Papa-Papa: I said go back.Me: Fine. We both went Korea again but then never met. Now me, Khushi and Nishita were living like before. Nishu was disappointed and so was I.

One month later...O.T.P.~ Papa: India wapis aa.Me: Mujhe kaam hai, sorry.Papa: Teri mummy ki tabiyat kharab hai.Me: Mai ka- kal tak aa jaungi. [Call Hung up]

No matter how they behave with me but like whoever they are, they are my parents. Just the day after tomorrow I reached there but saw that everything and everyone was fine.

Me: Mummy toh theek hain, phir? Papa: Tujhe kisi se milne ko bulaya hai.Me: Par kaun?Papa: Hai koi. Kal aayega. Itne upar jaake soja, aur saamaan Utkarsh rakh dega.I went without saying anything and Utkarsh came with my baggage.Utkarsh: Maine papa ko phone pe baat karte hue sun liya tha. Kal aapko koi dekhne aa raha hai.Me: What?! You mean rishta lekar?Utkarsh: [Nod] Mujhe jo batana tha maine bata diya. Mai chalta hoon.He left and Pari came in.Pari: Didi, kal aapko-Me: Pata hai. Utkarsh ne bata diya.Pari: What about Jiju?Me: KAHA THA NA TUJHE, MAT BULAYA KAR USEY JIJU! Kabhi-Kabhi apne rishton ko apni hi nazar lag jati hai.Pari: Toh kya ab aap unse baat-Me: -Nahin karti. Now go.She left.

Next Day...Papa: Nahi-Nahi, ladki rehti South Korea mei hai par shaadi to yehi hogi na.An Uncle: Accha. Toh hai kahan aapki beti?Me: Namaste, Uncle. Namaste, Aunty. Hello.

Aunty: Namaste, beta.We talked about our backgrounds and I already told Nishu and Khushi about this at night.Me: Sorry, aunty, but can I talk to your son for a while?Aunty: Sure, dear.I took him to the balcony.Me: So Mr. ... ??: Aahan. Aahan Oberoi. Me: Nice to meet you Mr. Oberoi but I gotta tell ya something. Something much important. It's so important to tell 'cause our relation will depend on it.Aahan: What is it?Me: About my ex-boyfriend.Aahan: What? You have an ex-boyfriend?Me: Yeah I do have, but we don't talk to each other 'cause my parents denied our marriage 'cause of the age gap we have.Aahan: How much it is? Me: It's approximately 10 years.Aahan: That's okay, but do you still love each other?Me: Yes, we do. Only I know how I passed this month. It's not what I expected from my fate. I was scared of what would be their reaction and it was really so bad.Aahan: So are you saying no to us ?

Me: No, it's not like that. I just wanted to tell you this. I thought maybe you'd be uncomfortable so that's why I decided to tell you. You know misunderstandings take place sometimes just because you don't tell something to your partner.

Aahan: Yeah, I understand. So, is it a yes?Me: Of course, it is. Let's go and tell them our decision clearly.

Aahan: Yeah, let's go.

Papa: So, kya decision hai?

Me: It's a yes from both of the sides.

Papa: The auspicious timing for engagement is just after one week. I think we should start the preparations.

I was shocked, like just after one week? How the fuck?

Meanwhile...Pari took my Phone and dialed Nishita's number. She told her everything was happening there and also told her to tell this to Khushi.

After one day...Nishita came but Khushi didn't. Why?

Flashback~

Nishu: Wo aise ladke se shaadi karne wali hai, jisey na wo jaanti hai, na pehchanti hai. She just met him today and she is gonna marry him? How?Khushi: You go. I will complete a work here, and then I will come.Nishita: What kinda work?Khushi: Convincing Jk to come India.Nishita: What?!Khushi: My best friend marrying a guy whom she doesn't even know well? No, dear. I won't let that happen. ~Flashback finished

Nishita: He is coming.Me: No way!

Nishu: Tere maan'ne ya na maan'ne se kya hota hai? Wo aa raha hai to aa raha hai.Me: No, it couldn't happen. Itni mushkil se sab theek hone ki kagar pe hai, aur phir se-Nishu: Wo aayega to sab theek hone ki kagar pe nahi hoga, theek ho jayega. Just wait and watch.Pari: Didi? Mummy mehndi lagwane ki keh rahi hain..Me: Mujhe nahi lagwani.Nishita: Shagun ki mehndi hai. Lagwani to padegi, haina? Waise naam kiska likhwayegi tu? Wo naam jo dil pe likha hai ya wo jo shaadi ke card-Me: Nishita? Please, stop this.Nishita: Kyu? Kuchh galat toh nahi poocha maine. Haina, Pari?Pari: ...Didi, aapko mummy bula rahi hain.She left. I stared at Nishu for a while and then left.

After a while...I came into my room and sat on the bed while trying to remove my hair from my face and suddenly it reminded me of something.

Flashback~Me: Jk! Dekho na ye itna patla ban gaya. Mere haathon mei hi chipak gya. Mujhse nahin hote ye kitchen ke kaam!Jk: Babe? You didn't have to pour this much water.Me: Wow! Thanks for this mind-boggling, world-changing information. Mujhe to pata hi nahin tha. Idiot! It was a mistake. Maine kya jaan-boojh ke daala hai?Jk: Accha. sorry na. Par ab kya kare iska?Me: Sabse pehle to ye Baal! God! I'll cut them short, I swear. Jk: Don't even think to do so ever again. I love your hair so much.Me: More than me?Jk: Umm... Lemme me think- Ow!I punched him.Me: How did you dare to even think?Jk: Sorry! [Chuckle]Me: Tum na haslo pehle. [Irritated]Jk smiled while we had eye contact and he tucked my hair strands at the back of my ear.Jk: Eomma loves the girls who are good at cooking. Me: Thanks to your eomma, I'm having cooking classes now.Jk: [Laughed]~Flashback finished.

I became teary and went near the window and stared at the full moon and again it reminded me of something.

Flashback~Jk [while back hugging me]: I love you!!Me: I too love you!!Jk: I hope we'll be together forever just like um- just like this night and this moon.Me: Hmm... You are my beautiful moon.Jk: Uh-oh! You misunderstood. You're my moon. You were the light in my dark nights, okay?Me: Oh my filmy guy. You're just too much. Everyone knows that you are prettier than me and-Jk: But you're the prettiest in my sight.Me: ...Jk, whenever I'll miss you. I'll look at the moon and will talk to it, pretending like it's you.Jk: No. If you'll miss me, you'll straight up call me.Me: You're not even a little old school for me.Jk: Accha. Okay, baba. I'll also do the same. Haan?Me: Good.Me and Jk: [Laughed]~Flashback finished.

Me[teary]: [Giggled] Everything reminds me of you, of us and of our relation. [Sobbed] I miss you...

Meanwhile...

Jk [While looking at the moon]: Bogoshipoyo, jagi... Bogoshiposoyo..Khushi: Jungkook! Jk: Khushi?Khushi: Kya kar raha hai?Jk [Wiped his tears]: Kuchh nahin.Khushi: O Devdas?! Tere aansu chhupaaye nahin chhupenge. Teri poori life ki baat hai. Arey, jiske bina tera ek din guzaarna mushkil hota hai uske bina tu zindagi guzaarne ki soch raha hai? Tera dimag theek hai?!Jk: Ye uska decision tha, mera nahi. She is doing all this for her parents' respect and I am supporting her.Khushi: Chaar din ho chuke hain tujhe samjhate-samjhate. Ab agar aur time leti na to waqt nikal jata to inhe le aayi. Tu dekhega nahi mai apne saath kise layi hu?Jk: Huh?!??: Jungkook-ah.Jk: Eomma!? Appa!? Hyung!?His mom: Omo!He started crying and hugged his mom.His mom: I know how much you love her. It's time to show it. God has given this opportunity so take it. Show it to the world how much you love Anshika.His dad: Let's go!

And they flew from SK to IND with the other BTS members too.

At a Palace...

It was the day of engagement. I was getting ready, and Nishu and Pari were standing behind me. I saw her through mirror. Pari: Saare relatives wait kar rahe hain. Neeche chalo,  didi.Me: Tu to bahut keh rahi thi ki wo aane wala hai. I knew it wo nahi aayega.Nishu: He will come. Mark my words. I stood up and went downstairs with both of them behind me.

After some rituals...Priest: Ab dono ek doosre ko anguthi pehna sakte ho. I raised my hand up for him to insert the ring in my finger and he was about to insert the ring.

??: ANSHIKA!!!Everyone turned in the direction and so Aahan and I did. It was Jungkook. As I turned and saw him. I saw Khushi and his family behind him. He ran towards me and hugged me while crying. I was shocked. I was just standing there with no expression on my face. My chachu is the most strict person in our whole family and a retired Army officer and he knew that I was having a Korean boyfriend before and when he saw Jungkook, he immediately understood that it was him. He took his revolver and targeted on the forehead of Jungkook but I saw it from behind and came in front of him. I knew that he would not shoot but still I came. I was thinking that what if by mistake he does.Me: Aap ko jo karna hai kijiye, par isko nahi.Jk's Dad: Excuse me, Mister, but this isn't the way you treat your guests. Chachu: I don't care who you are. I just know that the person behind my brother's daughter is the person who wanted to destroy our reputation.Aahan's Dad: Who the fuck is the person behind Anshika?!Me: My boyfriend! The guy whom I love and who loves me!

Jungkook was shocked by my words 'cause before I used to be scared and used to stutter but now I was saying it proudly and confidently.

Aahan's Mom: Thank you, god. You saved our child. Let's go. honey. Nothing is left now.

Aahan and his family left. We ordered the media also to go, all the relatives, and far ones. Now there were, me and my family and friends and jungkook and his family and friends.

Papa: Why the heck did you come here again? You spoilt our reputation. Jk: I didn't. I want the world to know how much I love her, I need her, I want her.Me: And so do I. I was scared till now just thinking about how y'all will react but now I ain't anymore. I proudly say that I love him and he is the one for me.Jk [to my dad]: Uncle, we really love each other. I just don't know why can't you understand.Me: Please, papa. I will die without him.Papa: Haan-Haan, isi ke saath jaa.Khushi: Uncle, aapki wajah se na ye-

Khushi was about to say something but I stopped her by holding her wrist back. All started arguing and I was stepping back and Jk saw me.

Jk: Could we please talk tomorrow?

And signaled towards all to look at me who was looking down and at that time everyone understood. We came to our room, we all decided to live in that palace for sometime as there were many people.

Jk came after taking a shower and was rubbing his wet hair from the towel and I was removing my accessories. I saw him through the mirror but was having no expression. He came near me from behind and hugged me but still I had no expression on my face. Jk: I know it's-Me: I said to you that we won't ever meet if they didn't agree. Jk: But, baby-Me: I gotta go.Jk: I know you're mad at me but just listen onc-

I slammed the bathroom's door and came after changing.

Jk: Jagi, it is-Me: Good night.Jk: [Sigh]

At around 2 a.m...Jungkook moved his hand towards the direction of the bed I was sleeping but when he couldn't feel anything he opened his eyes but saw that I wasn't there. He stood up and started finding me all over the palace. Finally after fifteen minutes of search he found me in the kitchen lying on the floor lifeless. He saw an open bottle of poison in my left hand. He screamed my name so loudly that everyone in the whole palace woke up and came to the direction from where the voice came. He took me in his hands and ran towards the exit of the palace. He made me sit in the car and drove to the nearest hospital while the other people followed the car.

At Hospital...

Jk: It's an emergency. Please, save my Anshika! Please!A nurse: Leave it on us, sir, but what happened?Jk: Sh- She took poison.Doctor: Oh, gosh! Staff! Take her to the ICU! Immediately!

They made me lay on a moving stretcher and took me to the ICU.

Jk was standing outside the room while other people also came.Papa: Kya kiya tumne usko?Chachu: Agar meri laado ko kuch bhi ho gya na TOH MAI CHHODHUGA NAHI TUJHE!!! SAMJHA?!

Jk just ignored their words and was just trying to see through the glass of the door but because of the curtain, it wasn't visible. But still he was listening to their wordings.Papa: Ye sab iski wajah se hua hai! Yehi zimmedaar hai is sab ka-Suddenly Jk's vision got blurry and he fainted when Jung-Hyun saved him from falling.Jung-Hyun: Jungkook!? JUNGKOOK?!Mummy: Ye sab na-Khushi: Aap to kuch boliye hi mat, aunty!Nishita: Khushi?Khushi: Nahin, Nishu aaj mujhe mat rok. Aaj tak inn logo ke saamne sirf is wajah se chup rahi kyuki ye Anshika ke mummy-papa hain. Humse bade hain isliye respect karti rahi inki but ab nahi. Arey, sharam kijiye aap dono! Aaj aapki wajah se aapki bacchi ICU mei hai aur aap log ab bhi usi ki choice ko suna rahe hain?! Arey ab to chup ho jaiye! Uss bechari ne apni poori zindgi aapka sapna poora karne mei laga di! Ab to usey jeene dijiye! Sab toh chheen liya aapne uska, ab aur kya irada hai?! Isliye ab na ye pyaar ka natak mat hi kariye to behtar hoga...

Nishita: Khushi, stop it!

Khushi: Nahi rey, itni jaldi nahi! Arey, is ladke pe nazar mariye zara! Uski chinta karte-karte ye behosh ho gya lekin kya aapki nazron se ek aansu nikla?! Huh?! Ek aansu? Nahin! Aur aunty? Ye pehli baar nahin hai jab isne suicide attempt kiya ho, it's for the fucking fourth time!! Teen baar tab jab ye sirf barah saal ki thi aur fir ab jab ye chhabis ki hai, aur pata hai dono hi times mei kya similarity hai? Huh? Guess karo. Mai batati hoon. Tab bhi isne parents ki pressure ki wajah se ye sab karne ki koshish ki thi aur aaj bhi unhi ki wajah se. Arey, ussey uski teenage chheente hue sharm nahi aayi, jo ab usse uska pyaar chheen rahe ho?! Jis ladke se uski shaadi hogi na, uske saath Anshika ko hi life bitani hai, aapko nahi jo aap ladke choose karenge! Ab aap SAMJHE?! Bhagwaan ke liye bas kijiye ab, please. Saalon Pehle uska aim IAS se IFS, BTS ki wajah se change nahi hu tha. She just wanted ki kuch bhi ho, bas aap logo se door chali jaye aur apni life apne tareeke se jiye. Jo yaadein wo school life mei banana chahti thi wo usne ab banai lekin kuch bhi karlo, uncle, school ki kami to mehsoos hogi na kyunki uss cheez ki baat hi kuchh aur hoti hai. Hum sab itne maze kar rahe the, memories ban rahi thi but you know what? Wo ek kamre mei baith ke padh rahi thi. She had no memories toh usne wo ab create ki aur jin logo ki wajah se wo aaj tak zinda hai aapne unhi logo ko uski life se nikalne ki koshish ki. Unhi logo ko uski life se fekne ki koshish ki jinke bina wo apni life imagine bhi nahi kar sakti! Pehle BTS, phir mai aur Nishita aur ab Jungkook, kyu? Why the fuck? Why?

Nishita: Calm down, Khushi!

Khushi: Arey, aise kaise calm down?! Saala inka jo mann karta hai ye uske saath karte hain. Kathputli hai wo inke haathon ki? Ya khilauna hai? Plastic ki gudiya hai kya? Hai kya wo?!?! Aur, uncle-aunty, agar aapka age gap nau saal ka ho sakta hai to uska aur uske boyfriend ka 10 saal ka age gap kyu nahi ho sakta?! Bas ye jo usne aaj kiya hai na ye hum sabko ek sign hai ki wo aur tolerate nahi kar sakti. Not anymore!

With that she left in anger.Nishita: I'm sorry, everyone. Iski taraf se mai maafi maangti hoon. Please...- KHUSHI!!

Nishita followed her.

Papa and Chachu looked at each other and then looked away.

In the morning...Jk: An- Anshika...Jung-Hyun: She is okay now.Jk [he got up]: Sh- She is okay ?Jung-Hyun: Hmm... You can meet her.Jk: Room? Jung-Hyun: 209.

He ran towards the room and opened the door and saw me sitting on the bed.

He came to me and hugged me and cried.Jk: Why the hell did you do it?! You know how scared I was?Me: I know you fainted.Jk: Then?Me: Then take me home. After all, I wanna make you wear a beautiful ring.Jk:  But this sudden- Me: You were unconscious the whole night but I wasn't. Khushi told me, everyone agreed.Jk: WHAT?!I nodded and as always he lifted me up 'cause of happiness.Jk: But kal raat to tamasha hua tha, yahan hospital mei bhi phir ab ek dam se, kaise?Me: Khushi and Pari told me everything. Hua yun ki...

Flashback~ Papa: Wo ladki sabke saamne humare baare mei itna kuch kaise bol sakti hain?! Mujhe pata tha sahi nahi hai wo!Chachu: Bhaiya, bas kijiye.Papa: Matlab?!Chachu: Aapne ye to dekh liya ki uski bolne ki tone kya thi par ye nahi dekha ki wo bol kya rahi thi. Apni bhadas nikal kar chali gayi, aur hum kyu kuch nahi keh paye? Kyu? Batiye. Kyunki wo jo bhi keh rahi thi sahi keh rahi thi. Jispe beet'ti hai sirf wahi jaanta hai. Ye Aashi ki zindgi ka sawal hai, bhaiya. Maan jaate hain na.Papa: Tu satiya gya hai? Agar phir kuch gya to? Chachu: Divorce to hoga nahin. Pyaar karte hain wo. Papa: Love marriages mei bhi divorce ho jata hai. Pari & Utkarsh: Par yaha nahi hoga!!Pari: Sorry, hum ek dum se aapke beech mei aa gye. Utkarsh: Par uska divorce nahin hoga.Pari: Haan, unn dono ko ek saath do saal ho gye hain. Ek saal friends ki tarah aur doosra saal relationship mei. Unka do baar break-up bhi hua. But see, it's destiny ki wo aaj bhi saath hai.Utkarsh: And this is the sign ki chahe kuch bhi ho jaye, wo dono humesha saath hi rahenge.Pari & Utkarsh: Please ,unki shaadi kar dijiye. Please?!Chachu and papa looked at each other and then looked away.Papa: Par humne to ye decide Kiya hai ki-Utkarsh: DEKHA! Mujhe pata tha ki ye nahi manenge. Aa gayi kehne, [Mimicked] "Chal na yaar manante hain"-Papa: Arey, par pehle sagai to ho jaane do!Pari & Utkarsh: Huh?! ༼;'༎ຶ ۝ ༎ຶ༽Chachu: Chalo-Chalo, bahut kaam hai..Papa: Haan-Haan, chalo aur Aashi ko damad ji lekar aa hi jayenge.Pari: Damad Ji?!Papa: Haan-Haan, ab chale? Baaki sab ja chuke hain. Sabko ek bahut important cheez bhi batani hai. Chalo!All: Haan-Haan-Haan, Chalo. ~Flashback finished

Jk: Hey bhagwan, mujhe jaisi saali sahiba mili hain, ek nahin, wo bhi teen-teen, kisi ko na mile.Me: Kyun?Jk: Mujhe mil gayi na. Kaafi hai, baakiyo ka Mujhe kya?We both laughed and I got discharged from the hospital and we went to the Palace.

Tae: Congratulations bhai !Jk: You too.Tae: Hm?Jk: Didn't Nishita tell you till now?Tae: What?Jk told him everything.Tae: What the actual fuck?! Nishu?!He ran towards their room.Me: What did you do?Jk: I told him everything.Me: What everything?!Jk: About that, you told me, um... Yours and Nishita's talk.Me: What the fuck-I ran to their room.Tae: This much happened behind my back and you didn't even found important to tell me? Wae?!