Pyaar ki Takrar

Chapter 23: Dil Ki Baatein

The next morning, Twinkle woke up with a soft smile on her face. For the first time in a long time, her heart felt light. The events of last night kept playing in her head on a loop—their kisses, their unspoken promises, and the way Kunj had held her so close. It felt surreal.

She turned to her side, expecting to see Kunj still sleeping, but the space next to her was empty. The bedsheet was crumpled, and his pillow still had the imprint of where his head had rested, but Kunj was nowhere in sight.

Where did he go so early?

Twinkle sat up, her fingers running through her messy hair as she looked around the room. Just then, the door creaked open, and Kunj walked in, holding a tray with two cups of coffee.

"Good morning, Mrs. Sarna," he said with a playful smile, walking towards the bed. "I thought you'd appreciate some coffee after last night."

Twinkle felt her cheeks warm at the mention of "last night." She took the cup from his hands, trying to avoid his teasing gaze. "Thank you," she mumbled, taking a small sip of the coffee to hide her embarrassment.

Kunj sat down on the edge of the bed, his eyes fixed on her. "You're blushing," he pointed out, leaning in closer. "Kya main itna impactful hoon?"

Twinkle nearly choked on her coffee. "Shut up, Kunj!" she sputtered, playfully hitting his arm. "Tum itne self-obsessed kyun ho?"

Kunj grinned, clearly enjoying how flustered she was. "Self-obsessed nahi hoon. Just stating facts," he said, leaning back on his elbows. "By the way, if you ever want a reminder of how impactful I can be, you know where to find me."

Twinkle rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t help the smile that tugged at her lips. He’s impossible, she thought, but there was no denying the flutter of excitement in her chest.

As they finished their coffee, the air between them grew more comfortable. Kunj seemed relaxed, as if last night had taken away all the tension that used to hang between them. But Twinkle’s mind was still racing. Where do we go from here?

---

Later That Day

Twinkle and Kunj found themselves in the living room, enjoying a lazy Sunday afternoon. Twinkle was sitting on the couch, flipping through a magazine while Kunj sprawled out next to her, his feet propped up on the coffee table.

"Kunj," Twinkle said absentmindedly, her eyes still on the magazine. "What do you think about—"

Before she could finish her sentence, Kunj grabbed the magazine from her hands and tossed it aside. "Stop reading and talk to me," he said, leaning in closer with a mischievous grin.

Twinkle raised an eyebrow. "Aur tumse baat kar ke kya faida hoga?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

Kunj’s eyes sparkled with mischief as he leaned in even closer, his face just inches away from hers. "Faida toh tumhe abhi pata chalega," he said softly, his voice low and teasing.

Twinkle’s heart skipped a beat as Kunj’s lips brushed against hers, teasing but never quite closing the distance. She could feel his breath against her skin, and the anticipation made her pulse race.

"Kunj," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

But before he could kiss her, the doorbell rang, shattering the moment.

Twinkle jumped back, her heart still racing, while Kunj let out a frustrated sigh. "Whoever it is," he muttered, "they have the worst timing."

Twinkle giggled, quickly getting up from the couch and heading to the door. As she opened it, her smile faltered slightly.

It was Neil.

"Twinkle!" Neil greeted her with his usual charming smile, completely oblivious to the tension that had just filled the room. "Long time no see, huh?"

Twinkle forced a smile, her mind reeling from the sudden interruption. What is Neil doing here? She hadn’t seen him in months—ever since she and Kunj had gotten married.

"Neil! What are you doing here?" Twinkle asked, trying to keep her tone light.

Neil shrugged, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation. "Just thought I'd drop by and catch up. You know, see how my old friend is doing."

Twinkle shot a quick glance at Kunj, who was watching the exchange with a carefully blank expression. She could tell he wasn’t happy about Neil’s sudden appearance.

"Neil," Kunj said, standing up and walking over to them, "nice to see you. But Twinkle and I were in the middle of something."

Neil chuckled, completely missing the tension in Kunj’s voice. "Oh, sorry to interrupt, but it won’t take long. Just wanted to say hi."

Twinkle bit her lip, feeling awkward. She didn’t know how to navigate this situation—Neil was an old friend, but things between her and Kunj were… complicated now.

Kunj, however, wasn’t one to beat around the bush. "Actually, Neil," he said, stepping closer to Twinkle and wrapping an arm around her waist, "Twinkle and I have plans for the day. Maybe you could catch up with her some other time."

The possessive gesture wasn’t lost on Neil, who raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Oh? I didn’t realize you two were so… close now."

Twinkle’s heart pounded in her chest as she looked up at Kunj, who was watching Neil with a cool, unreadable expression.

Neil’s smile faltered slightly, as if he finally sensed the tension in the room. "Well, I’ll just catch up with you later then, Twinkle. I didn’t mean to intrude."

With that, Neil turned and left, leaving Twinkle standing there with her head spinning.

As soon as the door closed behind him, Kunj let out a frustrated breath and turned to face Twinkle. "What was that about?" he asked, his voice laced with irritation.

Twinkle frowned, feeling a little defensive. "He’s just an old friend, Kunj. There’s nothing to worry about."

Kunj’s jaw tightened, and he took a step closer to her, his eyes dark with emotion. "Twinkle, I don’t like him coming around like that."

Twinkle crossed her arms over her chest. "You’re being ridiculous. Neil’s harmless."

"Maybe to you, but to me—" Kunj stopped himself, running a hand through his hair as if trying to calm down. "Look, Twinkle, I just don’t want anything coming between us. Not Neil. Not anyone."

Twinkle’s heart softened at his words. She could see the worry in his eyes, the fear of losing her. Slowly, she stepped closer to him, placing a hand on his chest.

"Kunj," she said softly, "no one is coming between us. Neil is just a friend. You’re the one I’m with."

Kunj searched her eyes for a moment, as if trying to gauge the truth in her words. Then, with a sigh, he pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly.

"I trust you, Twinkle," he murmured against her hair. "But I don’t trust him."

Twinkle smiled, resting her head against his chest. "You don’t have to worry about him, Kunj. I’m yours."

Kunj tightened his hold on her, as if needing the reassurance. "And I’m yours, Twinkle. Always."