Pyaar ki Takrar

Chapter 32: Karwa Chauth Ka Hungama

It was early morning, and the festive air of Karwa Chauth filled the house. Twinkle sat in front of the mirror, carefully applying her sindoor while admiring the vibrant red saree she had chosen for the day. This was her first Karwa Chauth with Kunj, and despite the recent drama, she was determined to make the day special.

Kunj, on the other hand, had no idea what he was in for. He strolled into the room, yawning and rubbing his eyes. "Yeh sab subah subah ka hungama kya hai?" he grumbled.

Twinkle smirked, throwing a teasing glance at him. "Aaj Karwa Chauth hai, mister. Main aaj tumhare liye vrat rakh rahi hoon."

Kunj raised an eyebrow. "Vrat? Tum? Aur mere liye? Hadh hai!" He burst into laughter, clearly not taking it seriously.

Twinkle’s eyes narrowed as she stood up, walking over to him with mock anger. "Haan haan, has lo tum. Tumhe toh idea bhi nahi hai, Kunj Sarna, ki aaj tumhe meri seva karni padegi poore din."

Kunj stopped laughing and looked at her with wide eyes. "Kya? Poora din?!"

Twinkle nodded with a playful grin, enjoying his panic. "Haan. Pati ke liye vrat rakha hai, toh pati ki zimmedaari hoti hai biwi ka dhyaan rakhna." She pointed towards the kitchen. "Sabse pehle, meri chai banao!"

Kunj’s face fell. "Twinkle, yeh koi mazak nahi hai."

Twinkle crossed her arms, giving him a challenging look. "Mujhe mazak lag raha hai?"

Kunj sighed in defeat. "Theek hai, theek hai, madam. Chai bana ke aata hoon."

As he shuffled off to the kitchen, Twinkle giggled to herself. It was going to be a long day for him, and she was going to make sure of it.

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Later That Afternoon

Twinkle had been teasing Kunj all day, making him run around with her endless demands. At one point, she even made him apply nail polish on her toes, all while she sat on the couch like a queen.

"Kunj, thoda aur ache se lagao na!" Twinkle whined, trying to keep a straight face while he struggled with the tiny nail polish brush.

Kunj’s patience was hanging by a thread. "Twinkle, tumhare liye vrat rakh raha hoon ya tum mere liye?"

Twinkle laughed, enjoying every second of his misery. "Aaj ka din toh mera hai. Ab chup chap kaam karo."

But amidst all the playful banter, there was an undeniable sweetness between them. Kunj couldn’t help but admire Twinkle’s dedication to the fast, despite her usual carefree attitude.

"Waise," Kunj said, finally finishing her nails, "tum kitne serious ho aaj."

Twinkle blushed a little, her teasing demeanor softening. "It’s my first Karwa Chauth, Kunj. Thoda special toh banana padega na."

Kunj smiled, his heart warming at her sincerity. "Aur tum meri patni ho, jo itna kuch kar rahi hai mere liye… I’m impressed."

Twinkle raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really? Toh ab tak impress nahi the kya?"

Kunj leaned in close, smirking. "Shaadi ke baad impress hone ka time kaha mila, madam?"

Twinkle gasped, playfully smacking his arm. "Badmaash!"

Just then, Bebe and Usha entered the room, their hands filled with trays of mehndi and sweets. "Arre, Twinkle puttar! Mehndi lagane ka time ho gaya. Chal, chal," Bebe said, grabbing Twinkle’s hand.

Twinkle smiled, but as she looked at Kunj, her mischievous grin returned. "Kunj, tum bhi toh mere liye itni mehndi lagwaoge na?" she teased.

Kunj rolled his eyes. "Main kaun sa vrat rakha hai tumhare liye?"

Twinkle winked. "Aaj toh sab kuch mere liye hai, Samjhe?"

Kunj was about to retort when Usha interrupted. "Kunj, zara jaake rasoi mein mithai le aao. Twinkle ka vrat hai, kuch meetha khilaenge jab chaand niklega."

Kunj shot Twinkle a look, mouthing, "Mujhe toh poora din daudana hai!" before reluctantly heading to the kitchen.

Twinkle giggled, watching him leave. Today was truly going to be unforgettable.

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Evening: The Moonrise

As the evening settled in, the entire family gathered on the terrace, waiting for the moon to make its appearance. Twinkle, along with other married women, held their puja thalis, excitement buzzing in the air.

Kunj stood by, watching her with an amused smile. "Tum sach mein yeh sab kar rahi ho, Twinkle?"

Twinkle rolled her eyes. "Kunj, kitni baar poochoge? Yeh meri shaadi ka pehla Karwa Chauth hai. Kuch toh tumhare liye bhi kar rahi hoon."

Kunj smirked, leaning in closer. "Waise toh tum har din mere liye kuch karti ho, lekin yeh extra effort wala pyaar hai."

Twinkle blushed at his words, unable to hide the smile creeping up her face. "Tum na… bohot tease karte ho."

Before Kunj could say anything, the moon finally appeared in the sky, casting a silver glow over the terrace. Twinkle’s heart raced as she held up her sieve, looking through it at the moon and then at Kunj’s face. His eyes locked with hers, and for a moment, everything else faded away.

There was something magical about this ritual—something that made Twinkle feel closer to Kunj in a way she hadn’t expected. She completed the puja, silently thanking the universe for bringing Kunj into her life, despite all the nok-jhok they shared.

As she finished, Kunj took the glass of water from the thali and held it up to her lips. "Ab toh tumhe kuch peena padega, Mrs. Sarna," he said softly.

Twinkle’s heart fluttered as she drank the water, her eyes never leaving his. There was a softness in Kunj’s gaze that made her feel… cherished.

But before the moment could get too intense, Bebe piped up. "Arre, Kunj puttar! Apni Twinkle ko kuch meetha khilao ab!"

Kunj chuckled and picked up a piece of mithai from the plate. He held it up to Twinkle’s lips, but just as she leaned in to take a bite, he pulled it away with a teasing grin. "Pehle ek promise karo."

Twinkle gave him a skeptical look. "Promise? Ab kya?"

Kunj leaned in closer, his voice low and mischievous. "Promise karo ke aaj ke baad mujhe itna daudane wali nahi ho."

Twinkle burst into laughter. "Theek hai, theek hai! Promise."

Satisfied with her answer, Kunj finally fed her the mithai, the sweetness of the moment lingering long after the sugar had dissolved.

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End of Chapter 32