Pyaar ki Takrar

Chapter 25: Family Ties and Tangled Hearts

The morning sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow on Twinkle and Kunj’s faces. Twinkle stirred first, her eyelids fluttering open as she found herself nestled in Kunj's arms. The closeness from the night before still lingered in the air like an unspoken promise, and for a moment, Twinkle allowed herself to simply exist in the peaceful quiet.

But the peace was short-lived.

Bang bang bang!

Someone was knocking furiously on their bedroom door, pulling them out of their bubble. Kunj groaned, his arm still draped over Twinkle as he buried his face into the pillow.

"Who’s knocking so early in the morning?" Kunj mumbled, his voice raspy from sleep.

Twinkle sat up, adjusting her nightdress and tying her hair into a messy bun. She was about to respond when the door flew open.

"Good morning, my lovely newlyweds!" Bebe’s voice rang out with enthusiasm as she barged into the room, followed closely by Usha and Kunj's dad, Manohar.

Twinkle froze, eyes wide. Bohot badi mushkil mein padh gayi hoon. She and Kunj were still in bed together, and the situation couldn’t have been more awkward.

Kunj sat up abruptly, his hair sticking out in all directions. "Mom? Bebe?" he exclaimed, wide-eyed.

Usha looked at them, her smile unwavering. "Kya tum dono so rahe the? Aaj toh party hai! Jaldi se tayar ho jao!"

Kunj and Twinkle exchanged panicked glances, and she quickly wrapped the blanket around herself, attempting to create some distance.

"Bebe, thoda privacy chahiye na," Kunj protested, trying to hide his embarrassment.

But Bebe only chuckled, waving her hand dismissively. "Privacy? Tum dono toh ab shaadi shuda ho gaye ho! Ab toh party mein milke sabko yeh batana hai!"

With that, they left, leaving Twinkle and Kunj in a daze.

"Well, that was… something," Kunj said, rubbing the back of his neck, clearly still trying to process what had just happened.

Twinkle laughed nervously. "Do we really have to go? I mean, right now? We barely just woke up."

Kunj shrugged, a playful glint in his eyes. "I guess we have no choice. Besides, a little chaos can be fun, right?"

They both got up and hurriedly got dressed. As they prepared, Twinkle felt a mix of excitement and dread. This was their first family gathering since their wedding, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that it was going to be anything but ordinary.

---

Later That Morning

The living room was already buzzing with activity when they came downstairs. Kunj's family had gone all out—decorations, food, and an atmosphere full of laughter. It felt overwhelming yet oddly comforting.

“Twinkle! Kunj! Come here!” Usha called, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “We have so much planned for today!”

They joined her and Bebe, who were arranging a table laden with sweets and snacks.

“Wow, this looks amazing!” Twinkle exclaimed, genuinely impressed.

“Abhi toh party shuru hui hai!” Bebe declared, her eyes twinkling with mischief. “Kyunki tum dono ab shaadi shuda ho, hum tumhein kuch special karna chahte hain.”

Twinkle exchanged a wary glance with Kunj. "Special?"

"Yes! A small game to celebrate your love," Usha said, clapping her hands together. "Sab family members ke liye kuch fun games hone wale hain!"

Twinkle felt her heart race. Yeh toh bahut interesting hoga. But as she glanced around, she realized that everyone seemed to be in on the fun except for them.

"Are you ready for this?" Kunj whispered, a teasing grin on his face.

“Absolutely,” Twinkle replied, her heart pounding with a mix of anticipation and nerves.

Just then, Kunj’s younger brother, Yash, bounded over with a huge grin. “Bhai, bhabhi! Are you ready to be the stars of today’s show?”

“Show?” Twinkle echoed, eyes wide.

“Just some fun games, don’t worry! We’ll start with a couple’s quiz,” Yash announced.

Kunj chuckled, clearly amused. “Looks like we have to show off our compatibility now.”

As the family gathered around, Yash explained the rules. Each couple would answer questions about each other, and the ones who got the most right would win a prize.

“Alright, let’s see how well you two know each other!” Yash grinned, handing Kunj and Twinkle a buzzer.

The first question was simple: “What’s Twinkle’s favorite color?”

Kunj hit the buzzer instantly. “Pink!”

Twinkle blinked in surprise. “You remembered?”

“Of course, I did. How could I forget?” he replied, a playful glint in his eyes.

As the game progressed, the questions became more personal, leading to laughter and playful banter. But things took a surprising turn when one of the questions asked them to share their most embarrassing moments.

Kunj smirked, clearly enjoying the spotlight. “Twinkle once tripped over her own feet at a wedding and landed right in a plate of biryani!”

Twinkle's cheeks flushed a bright red. “Kunj! I thought we weren’t going to talk about that!”

The room erupted with laughter, and Twinkle couldn’t help but join in, even though she wanted to sink into the ground.

Then it was Twinkle’s turn. “Okay, okay, Kunj… let’s see… I think Kunj’s most embarrassing moment was when he tried to impress me by cooking, and he accidentally burnt the food!”

Kunj pretended to be offended. “Hey, it was one time! And you still ate it!”

Their banter continued, filled with laughter and playful teasing, until Usha finally declared, “Looks like you two are the winners!”

Kunj and Twinkle exchanged victorious glances, both relieved and excited.

“Congratulations, you lovebirds!” Bebe cheered, clapping her hands. “Now, for your prize…”

Just then, the front door swung open, and in walked Twinkle’s parents, surprised to find a lively party in full swing.

"Surprise!" Twinkle’s father exclaimed, looking at the scene with wide eyes.

Twinkle’s heart sank. She hadn’t expected them to come. Her parents had been cautious about their marriage, and she knew they would have questions—especially after everything that had happened with Neil.

“Oh no,” Twinkle whispered, her heart racing.

Kunj sensed her unease and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “We’ll handle it together,” he whispered.

As her parents approached, Usha welcomed them with open arms. “You’re just in time! We’re celebrating Kunj and Twinkle’s new beginning!”

Twinkle’s parents exchanged glances, their expressions unreadable. “Is that so?” her mother replied, folding her arms.

“Yup! We were just getting to know how well they know each other!” Yash chimed in, trying to lighten the mood.

“Are you enjoying the party?” Kunj asked, trying to keep things light.

But Twinkle’s mother wasn’t buying it. “Twinkle, we need to talk.”

Twinkle’s heart sank. This was it. The conversation she had been dreading.

Kunj squeezed her shoulder gently, giving her the strength she needed. “Let’s go outside,” he said softly, leading her to the patio.