I was sitting on my bed, half-packed suitcases lying open beside me, as I flipped through my novel.

Mokshi had demanded that I stay at her place today since it was her reception and, of course, I was her emotional support human.

I had packed three outfits, four bags of snacks, and two unnecessary things that I was never going to use but felt important at the moment. Priorities.

Just as I reached the cliffhanger of my novel, my phone buzzed.

Yug.

I frowned. Why is this overgrown potato calling me this early?

I picked up the video call and—Oh. Oh no. Oh damn.

The screen opened to Yug, at the gym, doing side squats. His biceps flexed, his jaw was clenched, and the way his lips moved in sync as he breathed heavily— I gulped.

He was sweating.

He was glistening.

He was shirtless— WAIT NOT YET, BUT WAIT—

Before my brain could process this unnecessary Greek God moment, I saw him casually grab the hem of his T-shirt and pull it off.

I CHOKED ON MY OWN SALIVA.

Nahi yaar! Aaj subah subah hi sharirik shuddhikaran shuru kar diya?!

Not that this was new for me—I mean, I had seen this shameless idiot like this before. But after the kiss. After the saree incident. After my brain betrayed me with its stupid feelings—

Blush.

BLUSH?!

BAND KAR IS SHARAM KO, RUSHI!

Trying to act unfazed, I huffed and rolled my eyes. "Tujhe yehi time mila call karne ka?! bola Jaa nahi raha, aur upar se buddho ki tarah haaf raha hai!"

Yug paused mid-squat and looked at me like I had insulted his entire existence. "Main BUDDHA?! Main?!"

I raised an eyebrow. "Aur nahi toh kya?! Gym mein itna haaf raha hai jaise kisi ne oxygen cylinder chura liya ho!"

He scoffed dramatically, running a hand through his damp hair. "Tu buddhi amma hogi! Roz novel padh padh ke aankhon ke neeche dark circles bana liye hain! Ab toh buddhi amma jese chashme bhi lag jayenge!"

I gasped. "Excuse me?! Tere baal gir rahe hain! Sir dikh raha hai tera! Ganju banne wala hai tu! ekdum agneepath movie ke sanjay dutt jesa"

He smirked, flexing his biceps. "Mere baal gaye toh bhi main smart dikhoonga, par tu— tu toh shayari wali buddhi lagegi! 'Beta, pehle jamane mein, jab hum jawan the...'"

I grabbed my pillow and threw it at the screen. "OYE BAND KAR APNA BAKWAAS!"

Yug laughed, wiping sweat off his forehead with a towel. "Arey waise call karne ka kaaran bhi sun lo, Amma ji. Reception ke liye mere kapde nikal de na. Office mein mahaul gambhir ho raha hai."

I rolled my eyes, trying to ignore how easily his body language distracted me. "Mujhe tere naukar samjha hai kya?"

Yug gave me his signature innocent face. "Ek chhoti si request hai yaar! Main abhi advertising department ki meeting ke liye bhaag raha hoon. Tu mere suit nikal de na, please."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Main tujhe dekh lungi!"

He grinned. "Arre, kabhi pyaar se bhi dekh liya kar."

My brain short-circuited. My cheeks betrayed me again.

"CHUP! Ekdum CHUP! Main kuch nahi kar rahi! Tujhe khud apne kapde dhundhne de!"

He sighed dramatically. "Mujhe pehle se pata tha. Is buddhi se ummeed rakhna bekar hai."

I squinted at him. "Tujhse milke main bhagwan se ek hi dua maangti hoon—Teri zabaan mein KIRAAYE ka meter lag jaye!"

Yug burst out laughing. "Aur main bhagwan se yahi maang raha hoon ki tu buddhi banke bina daanto wali Amma ban jaaye!"

"TERI TOH—"

Before I could complete my threat, he winked and cut the call.

I stared at my screen, my heartbeat slightly faster than necessary.

Then I exhaled, picking up a pillow and whacking it against my face.

Ugh! This ladka!

After mentally murdering Yug at least thrice, I finally zipped up my bag and left my house.

No matter how much we fight, no matter how much he annoys me, one thing was clear—we care for each other a lot. And since I knew this nalayak wouldn't get time to pack his stuff, I had to do it for him.

"Naak me dum kar rakha hai!" I muttered, hailing an auto to Yug's house.

I rang the bell, and within seconds, Yug's mom, Aditi Aunty, opened the door with a warm smile.

"Arre Rushi beta! Aao aao!" she said, welcoming me inside.

I stepped in, and that's when I saw HER.

The Kaleshi Bua Ji.

Yug's Puja Bua Ji, a woman whose sole purpose in life seemed to be analyzing, criticizing, and dramatizing every single thing. She sat on the sofa with an expression so serious that even a Supreme Court judge would look less judgmental.

I forced a sweet smile and greeted her, "Namaste, Bua Ji."

She eyed me from head to toe, then smiled. A dangerous, investigative smile.

Before she could start her third-degree interrogation, I turned to Aunty. "Woh, Yug ka suit pack karna tha. Reception ke liye."

Aunty nodded, "Haan beta, jao. Warna woh pagal kal mujhse ladne lagega ki maine uska lucky perfume rakhna bhool diya."

Haye re, kahan phas gayi hoon!

As expected, Yug's room was a certified warzone.

Papers, files, a half-drunk coffee mug, a towel thrown over the chair, and a belt hanging from the fan like a crime scene.

"Is aadmi ko koi tameez sikhao yaar!" I muttered, shaking my head.

I went to the closet, picked out a navy blue suit, white shirt, and of course, his so-called lucky perfume.

I turned around and sighed. "Ek din toh saaf rakh le kamre ko, nalayak!"

I neatly folded his clothes, picked them up, and headed downstairs.

As I was about to step out, I unintentionally overheard a conversation between Bua Ji and Aunty.

Bua Ji, in her nosy detective mode, asked, "Yeh Rushi aur Yug ke beech kya chal raha hai?"

Aunty, with her usual calmness, smiled and said, "Arre Bua Ji, bas bachpan ke dost hain. Ek dusre ka khayal rakhte hain."

I sighed in relief and was about to walk past them, but then—

Bua Ji turned to me with her Sherlock Holmes expression and asked, "Beta, tum Yug se shaadi kab kar rahi ho?"

I froze mid-step.

Kya?! Yeh sawaal aaya kahan se?!

I blinked at her in pure shock. "Kya? Bua Ji, hum toh bas ache dost hain."

She smirked knowingly. "Beta, yeh baal dhoop mein safed nahi kiye hain maine."
(I haven't turned old just like that, I understand everything.)

I gulped. Oh god, yeh topic kahaan ja raha hai?

"Itne bade ho gaye ho phir bhi raat raat ko ghumne jaate ho saath mein, aur saath mein rehte bhi ho. Hume sab samajh aata hai!"

Excuse me?! Yeh kya nonsense hai?!

Before I could even process this sudden courtroom drama, she dropped the ultimate bomb—

"Ab toh hume lagta hai, Yug ka baccha hone ke baad hi uski baarat dikhegi!"

WHAT?!?!!?

"Kya?!?" My jaw dropped. My blood boiled.

Aunty immediately tried to control the situation, "Bua Ji, aap yeh kya keh rahi hain? Yeh bachpan se dost hain, aap aise mat bolo."

But Bua Ji was in full-on Kaleshi mode.

"Arre main toh bas keh rahi hoon, ladki-ladke ki dosti sirf dosti thodi rehti hai!"

That was it.

Enough.

I turned to her, kept my calm, and said in the most respectful yet savage tone—

"Bua Ji, hum bhi is ghar ke sanskaar jaante hain aur apni bhi. Hum bhi yeh jaante hain ki hum kabhi koi aisa kadam nahi uthayenge jo hamare gharwalo ka sar jhukaye. Aur rahi baat shaadi ki, toh jab bhi hogi, izzat aur maryada ke saath hogi, kisi random assumption ya phir faltu ke comments pe nahi."

Aunty nodded proudly, but Bua Ji just sat there, blinking.

I gave her a sweet but firm smile, turned around, and marched out of the house.

My hands were shaking with anger, but inside, I felt lighter.

This was Yug's family, and I respected them, but that didn't mean I would let anyone question my character.

And this Bua Ji?

She better buckle up because Rushi ki zabaan uski taang se tez chalti hai

Finally!

After an entire morning of office chaos, back-to-back meetings, and dealing with dumb clients, I was officially free.

"Sukoon naam ki bhi koi cheez hoti hai yaar!" I muttered, running a hand through my hair as I sat in my car.

It was already afternoon, and I was heading straight to Sahil's house for the reception. But before that, Rushi ka pata lagana zaroori tha—because let's be honest, if she forgot to bring my suit, toh reception pe main lungi pehenke nahi jaa sakta tha!

I pulled out my phone and dialed Mom.

The call connected, and Mom's warm voice greeted me, "Haan beta?"

"Maa, Rushi ne kapde le liye na mere?" I asked, adjusting my watch as I turned the steering wheel.

There was a short pause.

Weird.

Then she hesitantly replied, "Haan beta, le liye..."

Something felt off.

"Maa, sab theek hai?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.

Mom sighed, "Beta, ek baat bataani thi... bas gussa mat hona."

Gussa? Mujhe?

Now I was 100% sure kuch gadbad hai.

"Maa, seedha batao baat kya hai?" I said, my voice turning sharp.

Mom hesitated again before finally saying, "Bua ji ne Rushi se kuch... ajeeb baatein keh di."

Mere dimaag ka fuse ek second me udd gaya.

"Kya?! Kya bola usne?" I demanded, gripping the steering wheel so tight that my knuckles turned white.

Mom sighed again, "Woh pooch rahi thi ki tum dono ki shaadi kab ho rahi hai... Phir usne bola ki tum dono raat raat bhar ghoomte ho saath mein... aur phir..."

She trailed off.

My patience was hanging by a thread.

"Aur phir KYA, Maa?" I snapped.

Mom's voice dropped to a whisper, as if even saying it out loud was embarrassing.

"Usne bola ki hume lagta hai ki Yug ka baccha hone ke baad hi iski baarat dikhegi."

Mere dimag ka dahi ban gaya.

WHAT THE ACTUAL F—?!

I slammed the brakes, making my car jolt.

My heart was pounding, my breath came out in sharp bursts, and my blood was BOILING.

Bua Ji said THAT to Rushi?!

RUSHI?!?

Meri Rushi... jo har baat pe ladne ko tayar rehti hai... usse bhi kisi ne aise baat bol di?!

Meri body tense ho gayi. I swear, agar main wahan hota na, toh Bua ji ke saare sanskaar ek second me nikal deta!

"Yug... beta...?" Mom's soft voice brought me back to reality.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down.

But my hands were still shaking with anger.

"Maa, Rushi ne kuch bola?" My voice was dead serious now.

Mom hesitated, then said, "Haan... usne Bua ji ko respectfully jawab diya... Bahut achhe se samjhaya ki woh dono sirf dost hain, aur kabhi bhi kuch aisa nahi karenge jo hume sharminda kare."

Bas.

Itna sunna tha ki mujhe aur gussa aa gaya.

Rushi ko safai deni padi? Kyun?! Kis haq se kisi ne usse yeh bol diya?!

I took another deep breath, started the car, and said, "Maa, main baad me baat karta hoon."

Mom softly said, "Beta, please gussa mat hona... Rushi theek hai..."

I didn't respond.

I just cut the call, hit the accelerator, and raced toward Sahil's house.

Because right now, I had only one thing on my mind.

Rushi.

And I needed to see her.

***************************************So, how was the chapter gucchipucchies, kisika pachka krna ho to rushi best hai by god . Vese to yug aur rushi adult hai pr ladai to eses krte hai ki 5 saal ke bacche ho. comment krke batao aapke ghar mein bhi esi kaleshi bua hai kya. saabke ghar mein hi hoti hai vese to but jaab bhi. by the way exams chal rhe the isliye chapter late ho gya but abh nhi hoga.by god...ab vote aur comment bhi krdo iss baat pe.