His Scarred Butterfly ✅

36 - THE REUNION

முகம் மறைத்த மேகங்கள் விலகி
முழுமதி வெளியே வந்தாச்சு.
(The clouds that hided the moon
had drifted away.
The moon emerged out!)

"Diya... Don't run. Listen to me. Eat a little at least. It's going to be 9. You didn't eat your breakfast till now," Paayal chased Diya for feeding her breakfast. She was wearing a pink coloured kurti with gray coloured patiala pants, her hair being messy with a bun, her hands carrying a plate of carrot rice.

"No... No food. No food," Diya squealed in protest while running.

Meanwhile, Krishna arrived at Paayal's home, a bungalow with a vast garden, provided security with a watchman.

Krishna approached the watchman with a mix of excitement and anticipation. "Dada, is this Paayal's home?" He inquired.

"Yes ji," He responded.

"Can I go and meet her?"

"Yes ji. But tell me your details and why you want to meet her. Let me call and inform her of your arrival." He replied.

Feeling disappointed, Krishna made an innocent face. "No Dada, I want to surprise her. We are friends. In Fact, her brother Pranav only provided me with this address. If you don't believe me, call Pranav Dada to confirm. But, Don't inform Paayal," He requested. Watchman thought for a moment and called Pranav to ensure, because it was their father Deependra's order not to allow anyone in without proper inquiry. Because, After filing the case against that pervert who molested Paayal, the court hearing revealed a shocking truth - The molestation was a planned one by their business enemy who was pervert minded. He did it deliberately, to shudder their family, to divert her father from winning over again and again. Though Paayal reverted the shudder to him by punishing him with capital punishment, the pain she had gone through was indescribable. Their father didn't want to be careless anymore. The affluence and business enemies they had demanded to ensure the safety, and their father tried his best to ensure.

Once the security cross checked with Pranav, he let Krishna in. Krishna ran in with excitement, his heart racing. When he rushed inside the hall, Paayal who was running to feed, collided against Krishna. The duo lost their balance in the bombardment, and they tumbled to the floor. Krishna held her safely in a swift, and they found themselves in an unexpected embrace. He was on the floor with his backpack, wrapping his arms around Paayal and she was on him partially. The stainless steel plate which Paayal was holding fell on the floor, creating a cacophony in the air. Diya stopped running, turning back to her mom.

Amidst all this chaos, "Hey idio...." Paayal was about to yell and get up, but stopped her words as her eyes laid on Krishna, her heart skipping a beat. Caught in a cocoon of disbelief, she wondered whether it was real or a dream, her words striking in her throat. "K... Kri..."

Meanwhile, Diya jumped, clapping her hands in delight, as the food was spilled and her mother was lying on a person comfortably. She assumed that the person was her long awaited father, as her mother was having no repulsive reaction. She declared with jumps and claps, "Yaay, Papa came, Papa came."

But Krishna and Paayal remained unaffected by Diya's laughing, clapping and shouting. They were lost in their own emotions. The world seemed to be non-existent.

"K... K..Kri... " Paayal stammered, her words striking in her mouth.

Having his Paayal in front of his eyes which he was longing for years made Krishna get caught in the whirlwind of emotions. His heart thumped as if it was screaming to let out his emotions. Unable to keep his emotions hidden anymore, he weaved all his emotions in those three words, locking her eyes with his eyes, and confessed, "I love you, my butterfly."