KAYAMATH

Chapter 21

"Panchi.... Panchi," Kanika calls out to Panchi, who is busy working at her desk.

"Leave some work for tomorrow as well," Kanika insists, attempting to pull Panchi away from her seat.

"Alright, alright, just let me finish this quickly," Panchi says, hurrying to wrap up her work and tidy her desk.

"Gosh! How much work will you do? Don't you ever plan on going home? You do the work of ten people and get paid as if you're just one," Kanika complains, venting her frustrations.

"Who's waiting for me at home, anyway?" Panchi retorts with a hint of sadness, intertwining her fingers with Kanika as they head towards the elevator.

"I've been suggesting for ages that we should move in together as roommates. I'm so fed up with babysitting Kenny. Honestly, if he wasn't my brother, I would have poisoned his food long ago," Kanika says, concocting a plan in her mind on how to escape from Kenny's demands.

" Hmm.. that's a good idea. We can stay together. But will your brother agree?" Panchi asks.

"How can he not agree? I'll convince him. Don't worry. If you had agreed earlier, we would have been living together by now. So, pack your bags and tell the Shergill family, 'Mai chali mai chali , koi roke na mujhe mai chali mai chali..... Kanika says dramatically.

Meanwhile, Neev and Kenny overhear their conversation, following them from behind. Upon hearing Kanika's
suggestion about moving in together, Neev glances angrily at Kenny, silently warning him that if anything like that happens, Kenny will be in trouble. He never wants Panchi to be far away from him.

Kenny starts to nervously wipe his forehead with his handkerchief.

"What are you saying, Kanika?"

Suddenly, a voice from behind startles Panchi and Kanika. Panchi loses her balance, almost falling, but Neev steps forward and catches her.

Neev grabs hold of Panchi's slender waist with his large and heavy hand, steadying her. Panchi's heart starts racing at his touch. For the first time, they stand so close to each other that they can count each other's eyelashes. They look into each other's eyes, their breaths quickening. Panchi starts blushing as Neev regains his senses and helps her stand upright.

"In all these lights, among all these people, you both got scared just by hearing a voice and started talking about being alone?" Neev says mockingly, slightly annoyed.

He couldn't bear the thought of being away from Panchi, which is why he didn't want her to leave. But he couldn't explain this to himself. Neev's slight anger reflects his possessiveness towards Panchi, but he doesn't know how to express it properly.

The thought of Panchi leaving creates a stir in Neev's heart, without thinking anything he holds Panchi's hand and takes her with him. Panchi gets shocked to see Neev suddenly behaving like this. Due to the fast waking, panchi stumbles once or twice. Seeing that she was staggering, New reduces his speed and starts walking slowly. Both of them reach Neev's car in the parking lot.

Panchi narrows its eyebrows and looks towards neev. Then panchi softly says to neev , You don't need to take me with you, I'll go by cab? He will be arriving shortly.

He will not come, you come with me,
Panchi becomes even more confused and wonders how Neev knows whether uncle will come or not. Maybe he was just saying it.

"I know he will come, he comes at this time every day.

I said that he will not come today". Perhaps today he might have found another ride.