NARAAZGI:

"Monami, hum chalenge, na, date par", Karan soothed. "Kal, pakka."

"Karan, tum ek mahine se yeh keh rahe ho", Monami said, crossing her arms. "Ek coffee peene mein kitna time lagta hai? Rehne do tum. Mujhe nahi jaana ab." She scowled, moving past him.

"Monami", he said, clutching her arm. "Ruko, please."

"Kya hai?" She snapped.

"Please, samjho na."

"Kya samjhoon main? Ek mahine mein tumhe mere saath ek coffee peene ka time nahi mila. Nahi interested mujh mein toh bol do, na? Tum toh bas mujhe apne aage peechhe ghumaaye jaa rahe ho."

"Monami, main interested hoon tumhe. Bilkul hoon", he said. He pulled her closer, his arms snaking around her waist.

She frowned, staring up at him. "Tumhaare actions tumhaara interest dikha rahe hain, Karan." She stepped away from him, out of his embrace. "Mujhe nahi jaana ab tumhaare saath. Tum apna kaam hi karo."

"Monami", he called, sighing when she didn't even pause.

---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---

"Monu, Sanju bhi busy hai aaj kal. Some important mission and all, bro. Tu iss baat par usse jhagda kyun kar ke baith gayi hai?" Sid said.

"Bro, problem yeh nahi hai ki wo mere saath date par nahi jaa raha hai. Problem yeh hai ki wo har baar keh deta hai 'Kal, pakka' aur phir agle din use koi kaam magically yaad aa jaata hai. Agar uske paas time nahi hai toh seedha seedha bol de, na, ki 'Monami, I am busy. Mission hai, important hai. I don't know mere paas kab time hoga.' Toh main bhi expect nahi karoongi, na?"

"Tune use yeh pehle bola?"

"Of course bola! Maine usse itni baar puchha ki 'are you sure tum kal free hoge?' And he's always like 'Haan, I am sure. Hum pakka chalenge.' Toh main bhi date arrange karti hoon. Main itna kuchh karti hoon and then, he just cancels. Aur aisa lagta hai ki use farak hi nahi pada."

Monami deflated, looking at Sid. She elbowed him, and he lifted his chin slightly, giving her a questioning look.

"Bro... do you think wo mujh mein interested hi nahi hai ab?" She asked, her shoulders slumped. "Maine kuchh galat kara kya?"

"Monu, aisa kuchh nahi. Idiot", he said, flicking her forehead. "Wo tujhse pyaar karta hai, bro. Of course interested hai tujh mein."

She sighed, nodding. His voice made them both look up, seeing him walk in with Faizi and Sanju. She stared at him in disbelief as he walked past her without even glancing.

'Use farak hi nahi padta', she thought. Tears sprang up in her eyes, and she stood up, pushing her plate away, her appetite gone.

"Monu", Sid called, sighing when she just walked away.

"Aur..." Karan trailed off, tilting his head slightly to watch Monami as she walked out of the mess. He forced his mind back to the mission. "Sanju, tu khud personally har 12 ghante mein security check kar. Make sure ki koi slack off nahi kar raha hai. Sab alert rehne chahiye. Theek hai?"

"Ji, Sir ji", she said. "Sir ji, hum abhi thodi der mein aato hain. Hume Sanket se kuchh kaam hogo."

He nodded, his mind shifting back to his girlfriend. He sighed, and Faizi flicked his eyebrows up. "Kya hua, Janaab?"

"Monami naraaz hai mujhse", he said. "Kuchh help kar, na, manaane ke liye."

"Hume nahi pata, Karan. Hum toh khud Koel ko manaane ki tarkeeb dhoond rahe hain."

"Wo kyun gussa hai?"

"Arey, humne thoda sa mazaak kar diya, use bura lag gaya. Hum chale uske paas", he said, grabbing an apple. "Tum apna khud soch lo."

Karan sighed again, keeping a hand on his face. 'Kaise manaoon ab usko?' He thought. He glanced at Siddharth, an idea lighting up.

"Siddharth", he called, and he glanced back from where he was keeping his plate on the counter.

"Yes, sir?" He said, pausing next to his table.

"Baitho", he said, nodding to the bench opposite him. "Uh... mujhe help chahiye tumhaari."

He tilted his head, a smile on his face. "Monu ko manaane ke liye?"

He sighed. "Bataaya usne? Zyaada hurt hai?"

"Considering wo yeh doubt kar rahi hai ki aap us mein interested ho bhi, I'd say ki haan, wo bahut hurt hai."

He sighed again, keeping a hand on his face.

"Aap ho, na, interested?" Siddharth asked, his eyes narrowed in warning and he looked up in surprise. "Aap uske saath time pass toh nahi kar rahe? Serious ho, na, uske liye?"

"Of course main interested hoon us mein", he snapped. "Main pyaar karta hoon usse, Siddharth."

"Manaane ke liye ek idea hai mere paas", he offered.

---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---

"Overreact kar diya kya maine?" Monami muttered to herself as she walked back to her room after the heavy workout and a long shower that worked her anger off. "Busy hai wo. Duty se upar uske liye kuchh nahi hai. Ek date ke upar chidh rahi hai tu, Monu. Chodh, na." She sighed, shaking her head.

She pushed the door open, frowning at the dark room. She turned, hand reaching for the light switch. A click made her look back, lights igniting. Her eyes widened in surprise, seeing the fairy lights in her room.

Her eyes fell on Karan, who leaned on a table, his arms crossed. He offered her a small smile. "Date par chalogi mere saath?" He asked.

She stared at the lights and decoration. "Yeh... yeh sab tumne kara?"

"I had help", he admitted.

"Faizi?"

"Siddharth", he corrected. Monami glanced at him in surprise.

"Tumne Sid se help li?" She asked, and he shrugged, nodding. She chuckled. "Tumhaare paas... time tha?"

He sighed, snaking his arms around her. She locked her arms behind his neck, staring up at him with a small smile. "Monami... I know maine tumhe hurt kara hai. I am sorry. Aisa nahi hai ki main tum mein interested nahi hoon ya tumhaare liye serious nahi hoon. Par duty ke upar-"

"-kuchh nahi", she completed. "I am sorry too. Ek date par itna nahi chidna chahiye tha mujhe."

"Mujhe commit nahi karna chahiye tha", he acknowledged. He pulled back from her, gesturing to the table. She smiled, sitting down and he took a seat across her.

"Waise... I'll admit", Monami said, half an hour later. "Main iss baat se zyaada khush hoon ki tumne Sid ki help li than this date."

He glanced at her in surprise. "Really?"

"Mere life ke teen sabse important log- Papa, tum aur Sid. Ab Papa aur tumhaari toh shayad kabhi nahi banegi aur uske baare mein hum kuchh nahi kar sakte. Par agar tumhaari aur Sid ki banegi, na, toh mujhse zyaada khush koi nahi hoga."

Karan opened his mouth, a slight smile on his face, pausing when his phone rung. He took it out, accepting the call immediately seeing 'Batra Sir' as caller ID. "Jai Hind, Sir."

"Shergill, my cabin in 10 minutes", he said. "Mujhe kuchh important discuss karna hai tumhaare saath."

"Yes, sir", he said. "Main aata hoon."

He disconnected the call, looking up at Monami. She smiled, nodding. "Jao."

He smiled back at her, standing up and moving to the door. He paused, leaning down and kissing her forehead. "I love you, Monami."

---x---x---x---x---x---x---x---

"Karan Sir", Sid called and he turned around, waiting as he ran up to him. "Aapka aur Monu ka patch up ho gaya, na?"

He nodded. "Thanks for the help, Siddharth."

"Anytime", he said.

Karan turned, intending to leave, frowning when Siddharth darted in front of him.

"Wait", he said. "Maine aapki help kari, aap meri help kar dijiye."

He crossed his arms, staring at him. "Kaisi help?"

He sighed. "Sanju mujhse gussa hai", he explained. "Mujhe usse pitna nahi hai. Thodi help kar dijiye, na? Please?"

Karan raised an eyebrow. "Kya kara tumne?"

"Arey, maine usko violent keh diya, prove karne mein lag gayi", he said. "Baal baal bacha hoon main."

He rolled his eyes. "Chalo, kuchh sochte hain."

Siddharth grinned. "Thanks, bro! Toh main kya soch raha tha..."

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