Man Mohini | {ON HOLD}

Chapter 4

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Author’s POV

It was well past midnight when Mohini stirred awake. Sleep refused to return, her mind still restless after the arguments that had occurred earlier that morning on her very birthday. The silence of the hut pressed down on her, but the weight in her chest was heavier still.

Quietly, she slipped out from her bedding, careful not to disturb anyone. Her bare feet moved with practiced stealth as she left the hut and made her way outside. She walked with determined familiarity toward the place that always seemed to soothe her troubled heart the lake. She never truly understood why she felt such a deep connection to that spot, only that the waters seemed to listen when no one else did.

Meanwhile, Bheem tossed and turned in his sleep. For reasons unknown to him, rest evaded him as well. Frustrated, he sat up and looked around the hut. It was then that he noticed Mohini’s absence. His heart skipped. A wave of worry rose in his chest. Without a second thought, he rose and stepped outside to search for her.

He wandered through the forest paths, guided by instinct, until he reached the lake. And there she was just as he suspected. If Mohini was not inside the hut, she would undoubtedly be here.

He exhaled a soft breath of relief.

‘I should talk to her,’ he thought. ‘I should apologize for shouting earlier… especially on her birthday.’

Slowly, he approached her. She sat on a rock near the water’s edge, lost in thought. He lowered himself onto the stone beside her. Mohini flinched at his sudden presence but turned her gaze back toward the shimmering lake without a word.

“Sorry,” Bheem murmured, his voice low and heavy with guilt. He stared at the ground, unable to meet her eyes.

Mohini glanced at him briefly, her expression unreadable.

“I shouldn’t have raised my voice at you, least of all on your birthday,” he continued, his tone laden with regret. “I really am-”

“I’m sorry too…” Mohini interrupted softly.

Bheem’s head lifted in surprise. The apology had been unexpected, but as his eyes landed on her, time seemed to halt.

The moonlight bathed her in silver radiance, her long hair cascading like a dark river down to her waist. She looked breathtaking enchanting without even trying. His breath caught.

“Bheem…?” Mohini called gently, noticing the intensity in his gaze.

Her heart skipped when she realized how handsome he looked in that moment his strong features softened by the glow of the moon, his dark eyes focused entirely on her.

They became lost in each other’s eyes, the world fading around them. Slowly, Bheem leaned closer, and Mohini’s lashes fluttered shut as their foreheads brushed, their breaths mingling, their lips hovering a mere breath apart.

And then

A rustle came from the bushes. Both instantly stiffend. Their heads whipped around, alert.

Out hopped a small rabbit.

The spell shattered.

Annoyance flickered across their faces; the magic of the moment had been cruelly stolen by a creature so small.

Their eyes met again, and this time both flushed deeply, realizing just how close they had been. What would have happened if the rabbit hadn’t interrupted?

Bheem, without hesitation, reached for her hand. Mohini’s fingers instinctively curled into his, and she grasped it firmly.

“Let’s go back,” he said softly.