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Aditya's Pov

"That's not fair Sali Sahiba." The sound of Rishabh's sizzle echoed. "You did not just make your only brother-in-law eat red chili laddoos." Rishabh exhaled sharply at the onslaught of the burning sensation whizzing in his mouth.

"Uh-oh." The mellifluous voice tsked, "You shouldn't have trusted your Sali Sahiba then." This woman needs to keep her mouth shut. Her voice is messing with my sanity here.

"Moreover, a few teaspoons of chili would do no harm. Consider it as your punishment for taking our girl away from us." The corners of my mouth lifted as her laughter resonated once again, thus intensifying my urge to catch a glimpse of her.

Unable to suppress my growing curiosity to sneak a glance at her, I maneuvered my way through the dancing mass of baaratis.

My lips tipped downward when the vigorous hooting faded, signaling that the ribbon-cutting ceremony had been concluded. The motion ahead of me forced me to join everyone on the stage for the Milni ceremony.

Shaking my head in disappointment, I pushed the woman's thoughts away and sauntered towards my brother.

My steps came to an immediate halt when I heard the same voice.

"Bhaiya one more sooji golgappa. Also, please make it a little spicier this time."

My neck mechanically angled in the direction of the voice, settling on the back of a woman wearing a navy blue lehenga.

A chuckle erupted in my throat as I caught her side-profile, galloping golgappas as if her life depended on it.

"One more." Her words came out muffled, her cheeks protruded.

"Paagal." I murmured, amazed by her love for something as simple as this.

Shaking my head at her unceasing demand for the flaky bursts of flavour, I reached the stage which was fully decorated with peachy drapes, flowy floral blooms, and foliage accents. The brass sofa and the opulent chandelier emphasized the whole setup and added the ideal touch of royalty.

My gait slowed and I flexed my neck in the expectation of catching one last glimpse of her only to receive disappointment in return.

Maybe some other time.

************

The ever-famous Din Shagna Da announced the bride's entry, compelling everyone's attention towards the front where Purva could be seen walking under the exquisite flower canopy held over her head by her brothers.

My eyes gleamed with contentment witnessing the sight of my brother who had his love-filled gaze fixated on his would-be wife. Complimenting his attire, she gracefully carried the red-maroon bridal lehenga, with jingling kaleeres that had her and Rishabh's name inscribed.

I shifted to the side for a better line of vision when my eyes flicked to the same navy blue lehenga stepping next to Purva.

Ethereal.

The woman who had me ensnared by her presence since the beginning of the evening finally caught my attention, coaxing an ineffable gulp in my throat.

Draped in azures, embraced by the hue of a tranquil midnight sky, she glided gracefully through the crowd. The sapphire tint complemented her brown skin lending a regal aura to her presence. A sheer navy blue net dupatta tumbled over her shoulders like a waterfall of stardust, swaying with every movement.

Her subtle countenance glowed under the moonlight. Her kohl-filled eyes illuminated with a myriad of emotions and her soft smile added a touch of radiance to her entire ensemble. Above all, a tiny dot resided gracefully between her brows, accentuating her visage.

Indeed, a sight to behold.

With an average height, golden-honeyed skin tone, and medium-length kohl black hair plunged over her shoulders with a few tresses coming over the side of her face, she had nothing particularly unique about her.

Her chocolate brown eyes squinted and her cute little button nose scrunched every time Purva faced difficulty in taking a step ahead.

Her smile, soft and warm snared me at her each progressive movement. It was a breath of fresh air in the otherwise monotonous life.

I wonder if she had the slightest idea how magnetic her smile was, and how effortlessly she can captivate anyone with the mere sight of it.

Reality dawned upon me when she moved closer to the stage. Chastizing myself for slipping up for a woman like a buffoon, I blew air out of my mouth to shake away the raging sensations.

But before I could act upon my thought, my instincts kicked and my gaze descended on her once again, settling on the tiny mole on the right corner of her upper lip.

Beautiful. I smiled.

Despite ordinary features, there was something in her aura, that simultaneously exuded warmth and contentment, innocence and confidence.

"Ahem." A gravelly cough sliced through the air, smashing my trance. As I craned my neck to witness the intervenor, Kunal's sly smirk mirrored back at me.

Fabricating indifference over my face, I grumbled,

"Kya hai?"

An amused smile lit up on his lips and he draped his arm over my shoulder. As if unfolding a secret, he whispered, "I should ask you that."

"Kyu?" I let my age dominate him, eyeing him threateningly.

He let out a hushed chuckle, "Your eyes. Settled on that woman. The last five minutes. A bashful smile. A futile attempt to fabricate indifference. So aap batao, ho kya raha hai, Adi Bhai?" He worded in segments, his gaze tumbling over the woman whose eyes were now beaming with happiness as Rishabh helped Purva ascend the stairs.

Baffled at his observation, I opened and closed my mouth a few times only to have nothing worthwhile coming out of it.

"Uhm, I was not gawking at anyone." My confidence faltered, "I was just looking at Purva Bhabhi. See, how beautiful she is looking." I doffed his arm off my shoulder when his grin widened.

"Acha?" He feigned a thought, "You smile looking at you Bhabhi? That too a dreamy smile Adi Bhai?" He gasped in disbelief.

Moron.

"That-that was because of how happy Rishabh and Purva looked. Nothing else." I diverted my attention, groaning when my gaze fell on her again.

Kunal squinted his eyes in suspicion, certainly not buying my lie, "Sure, sure."

His mouth did stop but not the frisky looks he was directing towards me, hence I decided to saunter towards the food stalls to satiate my empty stomach.

The moment I moved a step away, he interjected, "Vaise bhai, kya pta single ho? Purva Bhabhi se baat karu?" I stood there dumbfounded, astounded by his guts to splutter such gibberish.

"Shut up." I chastized only to have him laugh at my expense.

She might be unmarried but can be committed. Right?

My eyes traveled to her once again, contemplating if I should actuate my dormant confidence and make an effort to elicit a conversation with her.

Sidelining the thought, I immediately shook my head and decided otherwise, ensuing towards the counter of aloo-tikki.

Being an extrovert, I never had any trouble striking up a conversation with anyone. But in her case, I was not inclined to cause any discomfort to her by approaching her for a baseless discussion. Neither, I was rooting to offend her in case she came out to be committed or disinterested.

So brushing all such perturbing thoughts, I focussed on my brother's wedding for the rest of the night, trying to keep a certain mystery woman off my mind. Because if it's meant to be, it will be.

************

Riya's Pov

The emitting blaze of the holy fire trailed a series of goosebumps over my skin. A whirlwind of emotions engulfed me as I watched Rishabh and Purva walk around the holy fire, their eyes blazing with both happiness and sanguinity.

Throughout, I sat there with a heavy lump in my throat, suppressing my tears when the thoughts of Purva's vidaai.

I don't know if it was just me or everyone but each time I witnessed something as pure as this, a strange feeling crawled into my heart, evoking a string of unnerving sensations that were too overwhelming to define.

It is unfathomable how the wedding of someone close can drive infinite inexplicable emotions within you, contradicting one another, all at the same time. From the budding excitement to the overflowing contentment gradually leading to faint sadness and eventually settling on the unending wave of nostalgia.

My eyes closed shut and I whispered a silent prayer to the almighty above to grace them with a harmony filled with an abundance of joy, unwavering peace, and unsurmountable love.

In the wee hours of the morning, the reality sank in. Purva along with her now-husband Rishabh finally left our nest to build her own little life of marital bliss and responsibilities, surrounded by new faces in the hope and anticipation of serene memories and newfound experiences.

After bidding adieus to all the guests we reached back to the hotel to compensate for our much-needed sleep, which we had been deprived of due to all the festivities and ceremonies.

***********

Heya Dear Ones!

Your author is genuinely awaiting your views on the chapter. Do share your opinions with me. It will make my day.

Sometimes, you don't need fair skin, sharp features, and a model-like body to justify your feelings for someone. Feelings come from your inner self, and it is not necessary to find a reason what, why and how you feel about them in a certain way. Isn't it?

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