Festivals were truly a way to forget all the bad things happening in your life and just celebrate for the better good that was about to come.

The whole house was lit up by wonderful lightning and lamps. Sakshi couldn't stop adoring her sweet home. She herself had helped her sister-in-law in designing all the decoration. They both had even made a big Rangoli on the entrance for the welcome.

"You look gorgeous," came the voice and Sakshi gasped in happiness.

"Oh my God! You look amazing." She hugged Meera and pulled away only to awe at Nihaar who was dressed in a little Sherwani. Meera herself had wore a beautiful red saree.

"Where's your husband?"

Meera sighed lazily. "Roaming around with your brother like the best buddies they are. I am sure, they are still planning to burst crackers."

Sakshi opened her mouth in disbelief, "My brother is so stubborn. Tai ji has clearly warned not to do it."

Meera chuckled lightly, "Boys are boys." She looked downwards. "Even the little ones."

Sakshi laughed out at seeing a surprised Nihaar staring at the chocolates and sweets on the tables outside. She couldn't resist picking him up.

"You enjoy. Bhabhi is out there at the lawn taking care of the things." She muttered to Meera while walking up to the table and settling Nihaar on the chair.

The little chipmunk was completely the copy of his father but he loved his mother so much. It was clearly visible by his wanting eyes for her. Sakshi could never feel depressed when she had him and Riaan to lit her days.

Truly, kids are miracles. Their magic brings new hope and charisma in the home.

She pulled his swollen cheeks in adoration, chuckling to herself when he started whimpering.

But all of a sudden, a familiar voice interrupted her.

"Pink is truly your color."

She turned her head to only widen her eyes and stood up, staring at Mihir who had worn a dark blue kurta matching it with white bottoms. "Mihir?"

"Yes, me. It's completely amazing seeing you at your home." He exclaimed while smirking at her. But his eyes narrowed when he saw her looking around in search for someone else.

His lips quirked in utter excitement. "He is with your brother."

Sakshi gasped, "What?"

"Yes, the admirer has reached here and is mixing up with your family. I was only here to call you to come and greet them."

She shook her head and stared at him sternly. "If I tell my brother what your cousin has done with me that day, he is so going to make your Diwali the best."

Mihir chuckled while scratching his forehead, "What will you tell him? That you were ready for the blind date in the first place."

She glared at him and turned around to pick Nihaar who was eating his chocolate carefully. "Glad to know that both of you are here to spoil my festival too," she said while walking away with Nihaar in her arms.

Mihir groaned at her. "C'mon. It will be fun seeing your face. Aren't you excited to see him? Even curious."

Sakshi stopped and glared at him. "I don't give a damn to how your cousin looks and who he is. Because he is a loser."

"The loser can be your fiance anytime soon, Sakshi." Mihir smiled while seeing her eyes getting narrowed.

"That is not going to happen," she confirmed.

Mihir shuffled Nihaar's hair while walking away but not before telling her.

"We'll see."

______

Pihu looked around and sighed in relief. Everything was fine. The sweets, the crackers. The whole worshipping of Gods had went fine too. Now all that was left, was a proper dinner for the guests.

But suddenly, she heard a loud explosion. She gasped out loud and whimpered at seeing her stubborn husband bursting crackers with Nakul.

"They aren't going to listen. Ever." She whispered to herself. How could they be not worried about little kids and animals, most importantly the air we all breathe. She sighed in defeat and decided to stay angry at husband who didn't care that he was making her upset more.

She had still not talked to him properly since last night. In the morning, Sakshi surprised them with her arrival. She didn't even call Raghav to pick her up and had hired a cab for the home.

Sakshi had changed for sure in these years, in a good way. Her charisma had enhanced but Pihu still cared about her emotions. If anyhow, Shrey was still buried in her heart, then she needed to move on soon before she hears some bad news considering his case going on in Delhi.

She didn't want to force her into a burden. Why would she even think about it when she herself had faced those situations? But there was a difference.

Pihu was a middle class girl and Sakshi was not. Wherever she would go after marriage, that home would take care of her status, her family and the reputation. They won't dare burden her with family responsibilities and bringing grandchildren.

But still it was fact that Raghav was being unfair. She knew that he was guilty about it years ago. But at least, he must admit that he won't repeat the same mistake. He just showed that he was partial because it was about her sister not of someone else's.

Pihu shook her head and was about to walk away when she bumped into a hard chest. She stepped back in shock and stared at the handsome man who was immediately turning red and apologizing to her.

"I wasn't watching. I am sorry," he said nervously while adjusting his glasses.

Pihu was amazed at the familiar color of eyes. They were as same as of her father. A clear brown shade that was full of warmth. She herself had brown, a bit lighter. But this man had a mixture of amber in his gaze.

"You?"

The man chuckled softly and stepped back. "Mrs. Bhatia. I am her nephew."

Pihu widened her eyes. "Mihir's cousin. Oh, right." She gulped, observing him now more keenly. His fair skin and blushed lips. "Um, Kabir?"

He let out a sincere chuckle. "Yes, Kabir. Happy Diwali."

Pihu smiled widely and replied politely, "Ah! Well! Same to you. Have you taken sweets or anything? Shall I bring some-"

"Oh! No! Please. I am here to enjoy. I have had many inside after the aarti." He told her in his smooth tone, making her smile sweetly. "Excuse me. . ."

She kept smiling and watched him retreating towards the table that held dinner for the guests and kids were dancing on the music on the DJ at the side.

"You can't stop smiling at seeing another man, now?"

She bit her inner cheek and started walking away from Raghav, completely avoiding making a scene in front of the guests. Because this time, she wasn't going to give in to his excuses.

He was partial and it was wrong when they were just normally pointing out opinions. Now, when her mother-in-law was keen on waiting for Mrs. Bhatia to introduce her nephew to Sakshi, she won't interfere. It would be totally on Raghav.

"Pihu," he warned her from behind and had almost caught her hand when she turned around and stepped back, not letting him bump into her.

Crossing her hands, she glared at him. "Don't you know that we are surrounded by guests?"

Raghav narrowed his eyes and smiled naughtily. He walked closer to her, pushing her curly flick away from her cheek, breathing slowly. "You look beautiful," he murmured huskily.

Pihu gulped and looked away, observing that no one had paid attention to them till now. But they could if this would go for longer. "Leave me, Raghav."

"This color is making you stand apart. No one's as mesmerising as you," he whispered in her ear, making her control her smile. "But you know what my favorite color is for you."

Pihu groaned lowly while he held her waist. "Red," he murmured. "Tonight, I want to see it."

She looked up at him, swallowing when Raghav kept his chin up and still staring at her with that sizzling purpose in his eyes. Pihu breathed heavily. His unwavering gaze would make her forget that they had a kid and a big family to take care of.

This was his magic. He could make her forget the surroundings, leaving nothing but pink all around. Only he could make her forget that she was upset with him. But Pihu knew that whenever they had a fight, Raghav would always try to dominate her.

Instead of convincing her, making it up to her, her husband knew just to control her around as if even getting upset wasn't allowed in their relationship. But she knew that this all was because he couldn't stay calm with her silent treatment to him. This irked him and that was why, he was doing these cheeky things.

"All the guests will stay until late." She didn't want to talk to him, but how could she not when this was him standing in front of her. For all she knew, he would manhandle her and would keep holding her until she talk to him properly. "We-We can't. . ."

She lowered her eyes, swallowing at still feeling it unfair from his side. How everything was fine with her involving in all family responsibilities and not Sakshi when they had find a perfect boy for her.

"We will," Raghav told her. "I can't stay apart for this long. What you did last night has already formed many punishments in my mind for you."

Pihu flared her nostrils, looking up at him angrily. "What I did! That means you still didn't realize how partial you were last night. Leave it! You still are." She shook her head and started walking away when Raghav held her wrist.

He looked in her eyes nervously, his face clearly showing that he wasn't happy with their arguments. "You know that Sakshi is not that mature. Mihir or Kabir, it's not decided. Both are good but if Sakshi is not ready, then how can I just finalize my sister to them? You know how bad that sounds," he gritted his teeth.

Pihu sighed tiredly. "Then, don't talk about it. But what if something happens to her like what happened to me. What if someone like Rishabh comes after her? Then, you will worriedly rush about it. What if she finds someone else for her? Will you be able to allow her to marry the one she loves?"

It wasn't just a question for Raghav, it was a test for him to show that he wasn't a hypocrite. He loved Pihu and he married her. She fell for him and now, his world was more beautiful than he could ever imagine.

Same could happen to Sakshi too. If she would find someone in whom she could see her life partner, Raghav would have no problem.

He nodded at Pihu, making her lips part in surprise.

"As long as she is happy and will be ahead in future. I won't care if it's the love or an arrangement," he promised.

He smiled at seeing his wife breathing in disbelief. Smirking proudly, he held her hand, bringing it to his lips, kissing it softly while looking in her eyes.

"Also, I don't want you to worry over our second. . ." He observed her lowering her eyes. ". . . If you don't want it to happen now, I won't talk about it anymore," he whispered while Pihu looked up at him with a sudden guilt forming in her eyes.

"There is so much time to bring these happinesses. Right now, we will take care of our Riaan and Sakshi. We have to," he told her while squeezing her hand.

Pihu couldn't help but smile softly at him, feeling lighter than ever. He had removed all the burden with his soft words. She couldn't be angry at him anymore. But suddenly she remembered something.

Narrowing her eyes, she said, "But you dared bursting crackers out there. If the elder one is going to break the rules, how will it influence the kids. You also know that Mr. Krishnan is a heart patient-"

Raghav rolled his eyes, now started loosening his hands from around her and getting away. "C'mon, stop lecturing me now. I have bought many and there is no Diwali without crackers."

Pihu gasped, "Oh my God, Raghav." She started following him, "Don't be so mean. . ."

Sakshi laughed out loud as she watched Pihu following her brother. She looked at Nakul who was now observing the pics he had clicked through his camera.

"Show me, show me." She swiped hurriedly and giggled while exclaiming, "This looks awesome. They are so going to shy out later."

"But this is your time to be all shy and sober. Look who's approaching us," said Meera while Sakshi watched as her tai ji walking towards them with her arm clinging to Mihir and his parents coming aside.

Her eyes quickly wandered around again in search of that cousin who still wasn't daring to show up. She twitched her lips in anger and now, really felt curiosity rising in her heart.

"Sakshi, have you met Mrs. Bhatia?" asked her tai ji in all her bubbly voice and Sakshi couldn't be more irritated already. She totally was guessing the very purpose of this introduction.

"Hello aunty!" She smiled forcefully, biting her cheek when her eyes met with Mihir who gave her a smug smile.

"Oh! You have become so beautiful, Sakshi," said the lady while Sakshi frowned.

What did she even mean that she wasn't beautiful before? Still she gave her a fake smile when her Tai ji spoke up, "You already know, Mihir. He is in your college. Your senior, Right?"

Sakshi nodded while Nakul raised his eyebrows. "Where's the cousin? He must be Sakshi's senior too."

The question was for Mihir who immediately smirked at Sakshi. For once, she even doubted that it was himself. But it made her all nauseated because her equation with Mihir could never take form that of as lovers. He was completely different.

But just as he shook his head at Nakul, a temporary relief settled in her heart which was replaced by curiosity very soon when he mentioned, "He is not a senior. But he-"

"He is not in my class."

Mihir sighed, "Yeah. Because he is your professor."

Everyone watched in amazement as Sakshi's eyes widened in disbelief. All her professors from the first year of graduation, were flashing in her mind. All of them were married except for one in her current semester. . .

Her whole face heated as the sudden realization hit her mind. She could feel her heart pounding recklessly when she saw the knowing glint in Mihir's eyes. Still she couldn't just give in to this unbelievable truth. It seemed so impossible.

"Who?" She dared to ask hesitantly that brought out a chuckle from Mihir.

"He is right behind you."

Sakshi held her breaths and felt goosebumps rising on her arms. She didn't want to see what she actually was thinking. She was completely frightened of it happening for real because she wasn't ready for such disaster. There could nothing be bad than this.

But when she couldn't believe her ears, she could at least believe her eyes. With this thought, she slowly turned around. Biting her lips and even squeezing her eyes shut only to check that face from under lashes and gasp out loud.

She could very well hear the people behind laughing at her reaction and even see this man smirking in an unknown victory. Now, she believed her eyes when those familiar specs came in sight. Her all surprise went from a shock to an insufferable current.

But now, she could even believe her ears when her stomach churned at the sound of his husky voice just like the day he had bumped into her in that corridor at the University.

"Happy Diwali, Miss Rathore."

_______

"What do you think?"

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