*3 weeks later*

*During the middle of the night*

[It was around 1 AM, and Gauri was tossing and turning in her bed, unable to fall asleep. She tried hard, but couldn't fall asleep. Annoyed, she decided to go and walk outside for a bit and then head back to bed. As she was about to step out, she noticed that the lights in Om's room were on and he was awake. She walked towards his room, to find out why he wasn't asleep yet.]

*In Om's room*

Gauri: (Knocking on the door) Hum hain

Om: Aa jao

Gauri: (Walking inside the room) Aap abhi tak soye nahin? 1 baj gaya hai, kal kaam hai na?

Om: (Yawning) Haan, woh kaam mein busy tha. Tum soyi nahi?

Gauri: (Sitting on the chair) Nahi, humko neend nahi aa rahi thi toh socha kuch der ke liye baahar chale jaate hai

Om: Oh okay, Tumhe kuch chahiye tha Kya?

Gauri: Nahi nahi, hum bas aise hi aa gaye, lekin aap kaam mein busy hai toh koi baat nahi, hum baahar chale jaate---

Om: Isme Kya hai, hum phir bhi baat kar sakte hai. Bolo, Kya hua?

Gauri: Kuch nahi, hum bas aise hi aa gaye

Om: Ek baat kahun? Bura mat maanna

Gauri: Kahiye, Ka hua?

Om: Tum bahut chup ho gayi ho, zyaada bolti nahi ho aur--

Gauri: Aapko humaari bak-bak bahut, Kya kehte Hai angreji main? Haan, 'irritating' lagti thi na!

Om: Haan lekin itni khaamoshi, woh bhi tumse, ajeeb lagta hai.

Gauri: Chotu ki maut ne mujhe toot diya hai, Omkara ji. Meri Hansi-mazaak Sab kuch uske maut ke baad gaayab ho gaya hai, aur issi mein meri bhalai hai

Om: Gauri, Tumhe aage badna hoga. Chotu Tumhe iss haal mein dekhkar bilkul khush nahi hoga

Gauri: Hum aage badh gaye hai, lekin ab, hum kitni bhi koshish karein, pichli baar ki tarah mazaak nahi kar sakte, khul kar has nahi sakte

Om: Tumhe khush hone ka haq hai, Gauri. You're being too hard on yourself. Waise bhi, Uday Thakur ki gang police ki giraft mein Hai, Bas Uday Thakur mil jaaye toh---

Gauri: Pata nahi, Omkara ji.

Om: Tum mandir mein kaam shuru nahi karna chahti?

Gauri: Agar wahaan chale gaye, toh chotu ki yaad aayegi, aur Uday Thakur ke log bhi wahaan par honge, woh log toh--

Om: Shivaay bhaiyya ne Mandir aur orphanage ko security di Hai, wahaan kuch bhi nahi ho sakta.

Gauri: Mujhe darr lagta Hai, Omkara ji. Bahut darr lagta hai

Om: Bareilly ki Gauri Kumari Sharma gundo se darrti hai?

Gauri: (Smiling) Agar maamooli gunde hote toh hum nahi darrte, lekin Uday Thakur--

Om: Tumhe kuch nahi hoga wahaan par, itni Jaldi Haar nahi maan sakti

Gauri: Log sochenge ki hume chotu ki maut ka afsos hi nahi hai, aise aazaad panchi ki tarah ghum rahe hai

Om: Log Kya sochenge, Isse Kya farak padta hai? Tumhaari khushi mandir aur orphanage ke kaam mein Hai, and that's all that matters!

Gauri: Yeh Sab kehna aasaan hai, lekin hai bahut mushkil

Om: Mushkil lagta hai, par hai nahi. Try to kar lo, ek din ke liye. I'm sure Chotu bhi yehi chahta hai?

Gauri: (Nervous) Shaayad...H-hum kal kosish karenge.

Om: Good. I'm sure theek hoga.

Gauri: (Getting up) Hum chalte Hai, aap Jaldi so jaayega

Om: (Yawning) Haan, Good Night

Gauri: (Turning around) Aap ke liye chai bana Le?

Om: Nahi nahi, main bana loonga ya kissi naukar se keh doonga, tum jaao

Gauri: Bechaare naukaro ko iss waqt mat uthaana, hum bana lete hai, Rukiye.

[As Gauri walked downstairs to the kitchen, her mind couldn't help but replay the conversation she had with Om. She had never felt so comfortable sharing her worries and problems with someone. She had also slowly realized how incredibly understanding Om was, and sometimes the stuff he speaks did make sense. She had to move on and learn to laugh and smile again. She felt secured when she spoke to him, like she had someone who would stand by her side.

Gauri poured the tea into a cup and walked towards Om's room.]

*In Om's room*

Gauri: (Placing the cup on the table) Yeh lijiye, thanda hone se pehle pee lijiye ga

Om: (Sipping the tea) Thank you, wow!

Gauri: Ka hua?

Om: Zindagi mein Pehli baar kisi ne mere chai mein perfect sugar daala hai, tumhe kaise pata?

Gauri: Humne aise hi daal diya tha, Accha hum chalte hai.

Om: Good Night

*The next morning*

[Gauri dressed herself up in a bright yellow suit, ready to head to the temple. Her heart was pounding. She was terrified to visit the temple again, it would remind her of Chotu and his horrible death, something she still had trouble facing. As she headed downstairs for breakfast, her eyes met Om's. In a second, he understood the fear in her eyes and nodded his head to console her.]

Dadi: Arre Gauri, bahut pyaari lag rahi ho! Kahaan ja rahi ho?

Gauri: (Nervous) D-Dadi, w-w-woh hum m-mandir jaa rahe the

Jhanvi: Yeh bahut accha hai Gauri, Tumhe aage badhna chahiye!

Gauri: J-ji, Hum chalte h-hai Maaji

Shivaay: (Putting his hand on her cheek) Kuch nahi hoga tumhe Gauri, you're absolutely safe. Theek hai?

Gauri: Ji Bhaiyya, hum chalte hai

[As Gauri and Om headed towards the car, Gauri stopped in her track, and suddenly began breathing heavily, almost as she was about to cry. Om turned around and rushed to her side to console her.]

Om: Gauri, mujhe pata hai ki yeh tumhaare liye mushkil, but you have to get out of this.

Gauri: Aap sahi keh rahe Hai, Chaliye!

[The car ride was understandably silent, but Gauri had goosebumps all over her body. Images of Chotu kept flashing in her mind like a signal for something awful, but she held on.]

Within some time, the car stopped in front of the temple. The same temple where Gauri saw Chotu's bloodied and deceased corpse. Gauri nervously stepped out of the car and stood still, hoping she would gain the courage to take a step and face her fear.

Just then, she felt a grip on her right hand. She turned and saw Om standing beside her, holding her hand.]

Om:(While holding her hand) Chalo

[Om's hand in hers had given her a sort of shield, a sort of protection. She began to feel that if Om stood by her side, she could overcome anything.

As they walked, Gauri's gaze was fixed on Om. This was the first man she didn't feel afraid of, and the first man that made her believe that all men aren't bad human beings.

It had been almost 2 months since their marriage, but he never exercised any power or right over her. Despite their relationship not having any meaning, he decided to stay by her side, protecting and supporting her.

Subconsciously, Gauri was beginning to understand the kind of man Om was, and deep down, she began admiring and respecting him.

Whether they admitted it or not, Om and Gauri knew, deep down, that their relationship would slowly develop a meaning.]

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New update!!! I hope y'all like it ❤️

Also, I'm really sorry if you think their love story is progressing very slowly. I firmly don't believe in 'love at first sight' and I think it's very very important for two people to first have a really nice friendship and understanding, before the 'love-shuv' begins. I want to first properly establish that kind of relationship between the two, before anything else. I hope it makes sense!!

Thank you for reading my loves! Please vote if you liked it!!