27 | two perfect partners
_________________________________________
After the haunted house disaster, everyone headed toward the biggest ride in the amusement park.
The moment Krish looked up at the giant swinging ride, his soul almost left his body again. "No."
Siya folded her arms. "No what?"
"No ride. No discussion. No force."
"Scared?" Avantika teased.
"I'm not scared. I'm intelligent."
Siya rolled her eyes. "Same thing."
Krish placed a hand dramatically on his chest. "Thank you, Siya ji. Finally someone understands me."
"That wasn't a compliment."
In the end, Avantika and Avyukt went on the ride while Krish stayed behind.
And somehow, Siya stayed too. Definitely not because she was worried about him. At least that's what she kept telling herself.
-------
Meanwhile... Avantika was having the time of her life.
She screamed.
Laughed.
Held onto Avyukt's arm.
And screamed again.
Avyukt barely reacted. The ride that looked terrifying to everyone else felt completely normal to him.
His entire attention remained on Avantika's excited face.
By the time the ride stopped, however...
Avantika looked suspiciously quiet.
"Bachha?"
"Hmm..."
"You okay?"
"Perfectly..."
One step. Two steps. Three-
Avantika suddenly covered her mouth.
Avyukt's eyes widened. "Avantika, wait-"
Too late.
The next second- She threw up.
Directly.
On.
Him.
Silence.
Complete silence.
Avantika froze.
Avyukt froze.
Even nearby strangers looked shocked.
For three whole seconds nobody moved.
Then Avantika slowly looked up. "I can explain."
Avyukt looked at his ruined shirt. Then at his wife. Then at his ruined shirt again. "Can you?"
"No." She looked so guilty that he couldn't even be annoyed.
Instead, he sighed and pulled out tissues. "Are you feeling better?"
Avantika blinked. "You're not angry?"
"You just threw up on me and that's your first question?"
"Yes?"
He shook his head. "Come here."
Before she could protest, he gently wiped her face.
"Forget the shirt."
"But-"
"Forget it."
"Sorry..."
"Are you still dizzy?"
Avantika nodded.
Immediately his attention shifted completely.
The shirt no longer mattered.
His wife did.
----------
A little distance away...
Krish and Siya were sitting beneath a tree.
For once, neither of them was arguing.
Krish kept looking at something in his hand.
Then at Siya.
Then back at the object.
Then at Siya again.
Finally, he gathered courage.
"Siya ji."
"Hmm?"
"I got something for you."
She looked surprised. "For me?"
Krish nodded and carefully handed over a small box. Inside was a beautiful pair of jhumkas.
Siya stared at them.
Genuinely speechless.
"You bought these?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because..."
At this moment Krish looked nervous.
"I thought they'd look nice on you."
Siya blinked.
Then looked at him.
Then at the earrings.
Then back at him.
A small smile appeared on her face.
And suddenly Krish felt like surviving the haunted house had been worth it after all.
________
Avyukt quickly made Avantika sit on a nearby bench. "Stay here. Don't move."
Avantika nodded obediently, still feeling a little dizzy.
Avyukt grabbed a bottle of water and started cleaning his shirt. "I told you that ride was too much."
"You also went on it."
"And I'm not the one who attacked someone's shirt."
Avantika immediately looked away.
"Sorry..."
"Hmm." He tried to look serious, but the corner of his lips twitched.
As he poured water over the stained part of his shirt, the fabric clung slightly to him.
Avantika's dizziness disappeared surprisingly fast. Because now her entire attention was somewhere else.
Specifically...
On Avyukt.
Or more accurately...
On the very unfair way his shirt fit him.
She stared.
Then looked away.
Then stared again.
Unfortunately for her, Avyukt noticed.
Of course he did.
A slow smile appeared on his face. "Feeling better?"
"Yes."
"Good."
"Why?"
"Because you seem very focused now."
Avantika instantly understood what he meant. Her face turned red.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Of course." His smile only widened.
---------
On the other side of the park...
Siya's eyes landed on a cotton candy stall.
She looked at it for barely two seconds before looking away. But Krish had already seen it.
Without saying anything, he walked straight to the stall. A few minutes later, he returned holding a huge cotton candy.
"For you, Siya ji." Siya looked surprised.
"You bought this?"
"Obviously."
They sat beneath a tree while Siya held the cotton candy. Just as she was about to take a bite, a small child walked over.
"Didi, can I have some?"
Without hesitation, Siya handed it over.
"Of course."
The child happily took a piece and ran away.
Krish watched her and smiled. "You're too nice."
"It's just cotton candy."
A moment later, Krish offered his own cotton candy to her. "Take some."
At the exact same moment, Siya extended hers toward him.
Both paused.
Both looked at each other.
Then both laughed.
"You first."
"No, you."
"Siya ji-"
"Krish-"
Neither moved.
Finally, both leaned forward at the same time. And accidentally took a bite from opposite sides of the same cotton candy.
Silence.
Complete silence.
Their eyes met.
Then both immediately pulled back. Krish looked anywhere except at Siya.
Siya suddenly found the grass extremely interesting.
Meanwhile, from a distance, Ruhi had witnessed everything.
"Oh, this is getting good."
-----------
Unfortunately for Krish and Siya...
Ruhi had seen everything. And when Ruhi saw something, the whole world eventually found out.
She quietly took out her phone.
Click.
One photo.
Then another.
Then one more for safety.
Perfect.
Meanwhile, Krish and Siya were still pretending nothing had happened.
"Nice weather." Krish suddenly said.
Siya looked up. "We're in an amusement park."
"Exactly."
"That doesn't explain anything."
"I know."
Before the conversation could become even more awkward, Ruhi appeared out of nowhere. "Aww."
Both immediately turned toward her.
"What?" Siya asked suspiciously.
"Nothing."
"Ruhi."
"Absolutely nothing."
Which obviously meant something had happened.
Krish narrowed his eyes. "Show me your phone."
Ruhi hugged it protectively. "No."
"Ruhi..."
"No."
The more they asked, the bigger her smile became.
---
A little distance away, Avantika was finally feeling better. Avyukt had bought her water, juice, and somehow three different snacks even though she had insisted she was fine.
"I said I'm okay."
"And I said take another sip."
"You're treating me like a child."
"Because you act like one."
Avantika gasped dramatically.
"How rude."
"Bachha, you threw up on me thirty minutes ago."
"Stop bringing that up."
"Never."
She hit his arm.
Avyukt laughed.
The sound immediately made her forget why she was annoyed.
---
Just then, Ruhi came running toward them. "Bhabhi!"
"What happened?"
"Nothing. Just wanted to inform you that your devar is gone."
Avyukt looked up.
"Gone where?"
Ruhi pointed behind her. Everyone turned. Krish was chasing Ruhi across the park.
"DELETE THE PHOTO!"
"NO!"
"RUHI!"
"CATCH ME FIRST!"
Siya stood frozen in embarrassment while nearby people watched the chaos.
Avantika blinked. "What photo?"
Ruhi yelled while running.
"THE COTTON CANDY PHOTO!"
Siya immediately covered her face.
Krish nearly tripped.
Avyukt looked at Siya. Then at Krish.
Then at the photo Ruhi proudly showed him. A slow grin appeared on his face. "Interesting."
"Bhaiya!" Krish groaned.
"Don't worry."
"Really?"
"I'll keep it safe." Krish looked relieved.
Then Avyukt added- "In the family group."
--------
The moment Avyukt said "I'll keep it safe in the family group," Krish's soul left his body for the second time that day.
"Bhaiya" He almost shouted.
Siya's eyes widened too. "No!"
Ruhi was laughing so hard she could barely stand straight. "This is definitely going in the family group."
"Ruhi!" both Krish and Siya said together.
That only made her laugh harder.
Siya immediately turned toward Avyukt. "Jiju..."
Avyukt raised an eyebrow.
Siya clasped her hands together and made the most innocent puppy face she could manage.
"Please think about me. It was just an incident."
Avantika immediately looked away because she was already trying not to laugh.
"Just an incident?" Ruhi repeated dramatically.
"Yes!"
"Then why are you blushing?"
"I'm not blushing."
"You are."
"I'm not."
"You absolutely are."
Siya looked like she wanted the ground to swallow her.
Meanwhile, Krish had stopped caring about his own dignity.
"Bhaiya, please. Delete it."
"No."
"Please?"
"No."
"As your favorite cousin?"
"Still no."
Siya looked at Avyukt again.
"Jiju..."
Avyukt stared at her for a few seconds.
Then sighed.
"Fine."
Siya's face instantly brightened. "Really?"
"On one condition."
"Anything."
Avyukt pointed toward Krish.
"Tell him to stop calling you Siya ji every five seconds."
Silence.
Ruhi burst out laughing.
Avantika nearly choked on her drink.
Krish looked personally attacked.
"What's wrong with Siya ji?"
"Everything," Siya replied immediately.
"See?" Avyukt said.
And now Siya and Avyukt were completely on the same side.
Krish looked betrayed. "This family doesn't support true love."
"Keep dreaming," Ruhi replied.
And just like that, the entire group started laughing while Siya hid her face in embarrassment and Krish wondered how he had become the joke of the day.