Match Made in Heaven

the answer

t h e
ANSWER

chapter six — ❛ what do you say? ❜
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AZHAR HAS SEEN MANSIONS BEFORE but he will always have a special place for Kyda's grandma's traditional Indian-style bungalow. The sun had set already but the sky still has amber hues and the lights from the manor were enough to illuminate the whole place. The exterior was beautiful, it was a very open place—every brown parent's dream. From the huge towering pillars, the immense amount of nature in the interior was beyond what he'd remembered seeing during prior visits. It was meticulously classy, and it left him in awe every time he visited without a fail.

Everyone is busy congratulating Kyda's sister for the birth of her second daughter, and the kids fought to get a glimpse of the newborn. But Azhar wasn't interested, his eyes naturally seek for Kyda but she is nowhere to be seen.

Smelling mangos, he follows the direction from where the scent is coming from and that led him to the kitchen where Kyda's mum and his own are. They both smile and giggle at their conversation as they pour the creamy beverage into each glass but suddenly stop when noticing his presence.

"Azhar, beta, did you need anything?" Aunt Pranavi asks.

He shakes his head and as he is about to answer, but his gaze flicker towards the open arch from the kitchen where he could clearly see the woman he has been searching for this whole time.

Kyda's crimson lips are tugged into a bright smile as she braids her niece's hair. She is in the courtyard, surrounded by the vast freshly cut plants but not alone though. A few girls surrounding her, all at her feet, waiting for their turn; a couple of feet away Kyda's aunts and his own too, sat in the outdoor chairs, talking whilst drinking the fresh mango lassi.

Kyda's attire unconsciously brought a smile onto his face, her long verdant skirt made her skin appear tanner than usual, adding a healthy glow. Her toned stomach is on display as she is wearing a matching blouse that has a sweetheart neckline. Azhar seems to prefer seeing her in traditional clothing because he truly believes it accentuates her beauty further.

Her luscious hair was tied into a sleek low ponytail, two dainty jhumkas swaying back and forth at each laugh, making her face the centre of attention. Kyda's dark eyes suddenly met his own, almost as if she felt his intense stare, and her cheeks automatically expand into a beaming smile—greeting him.

"You like her don't you?" Azhar breaks their eye content upon hearing his mother's remark. Slightly wide-eyed before he slowly nods, silently answering the obvious question that he's been avoiding in his own brain. No point of lying anymore.

"Am I that obvious?" He definitely is.

"Beta, the look on your face says it all for us." Kyda's mother chimes in with a gleaming grin, clearly passing it on to her daughter as they look uncannily similar.

Up until now he never dared to think of her as his friend, let alone a potential partner, but imagining Kyda getting into a relationship or possibly married to someone who isn't himself, didn't sit well for Azhar. "If I ask, would she say yes?"

The two women send each other a knowing look, telepathically communicating with each other only to laugh. "We can't answer that for you but you have our blessing."

In all honesty, that's all he needed.

"What are you guys talking about so passionately?"

And right then, Kyda's voice echoes as she enters the kitchen, Azhar's eyes never leaving hers when she walks around the counter to embrace their mothers in a soft hug.

"Your hand in marriage." Azhar blurts out apathetically.

If he thought he had seen her shocked from his bluntness, then this was nothing compared to that. Her eyes are wide open in pure astonishment, mouth parting as she sucks in a puff of air. Stepping away from the embrace she crosses her arms over her chest, tilting her head as a sign of retaliation, "Really? And this is how you ask?"

They have an audience, two pair of eyes watching their interaction, but right now that's the least of his concern. "It's not ideal, I know but I need to know if you're on board before I make a grand proposal. Don't you agree?"

Kyda snickers, shaking her head in disbelief.

"So? What do you say? Am I good enough to be your husband?" He pries, quirking an eyebrow upwards, waiting for her final answer. A confirmation—anything at this point.

Locking her gaze with his, she drags her teeth across her lower lip, as she carefully coasts her catlike eyes over his features, examining whether he is being genuine; whether he's serious about his future—their future. His hold against the corner of the counter tightens in anticipation but the moment her lips curl upward into her signature smile, he knows.

"What do you think?"