A Sew Through Time [Banbudh And Budbak]

33: Bhaiya is a cheeky bastard

She took a step back, feeling detestable for vague reasons. The trees rustled gently, the sound of sharp pines brushing against each other under the conspicuous sky. 

Badri continued gazing at her, his fingers twitching at his sides. Something familiar was lingering, not Khushi but something else; a feeling of being where the real world collapsed. The certainty confused him, because the feeling of deja vu was ridiculous in the moment.

Khushi looked at the stained napkin and squeezed it.

His mouth let out a grieving whisper,

"Chuha?"

 A drop of red trickled through the napkin and turned the sleeve brown. Khushi stared at him blankly when a great deal of emotional weight came crashing over,

"Ba...Badri?"

The lower line of his eyes turned red, "Yeah, that's me.." and he sniffed and nodded more, "That's me" 

It was when he felt confused. Khushi never called him by his name.

Her eyes went round and she yelled out,

"Bh..Bhaiya?!" Y-you?! Here?!"

A big weight was lifted off his chest when he heard her finally remember, and he chuckled,

"So you do remember the devastatingly handsome Badrinath. Don't you?"

The napkin was not helping. Gently holding her hand, he elevated it over her chest level.

 Khushi stared on at his face, his presence making her feel safe.

He giggled suddenly.

"Stop laughing!" she yelled.

"Can't. It's a default setting" he looked away.

"Chup!" she silenced him, "Jab dekho sirf haha heehee karta rehta hai! Have some sharam!"

"You legit look like a cherry tomato right now!" he grinned wide enough to cover the facade, "Khushi?"

"What?"

"Tera naam kya hai Khushi?" he said and bit his tongue.

"Battameez!" she pulled her hand away, " You said it just now!"

"Arre re, someone's mad!" the corners of his lips went up slightly, when his voice dropped down,

"Welcome back, Khushi"

"What welcome back?" she paused, "I was always there!"

His eyes widened.

"And... the..." sentences jumbled in her mind when she looked at him,

 "But I guess it wasn't like this"

His smiled faded away, as he watched her turn around with a sense of guilt. Noticing this, he asked,

"Are you-"

"Sorry bhaiya..." her hands rubbed the sides of her arm criss cross, "I'm sorry... that I lied to you... and mumma"

"Haat bey!" he turned her around, " Friends don't say sorry!" he ruffled her hair, "Agar aisi baat hai, just give me your next months' worth of pocket money"

She looked at his feet.

"Or best, momo khila dey" he chuckled and crouched down in front of her,

 "Idhar dekh"

She slowly glanced back at his eyes. 

"No matter what happens to you, or me, or both of us" he kept a hand on her shoulder, "Agar mar bhi jane pare, I'll always keep you safe, samjhi? You're never alone, wherever you go or whoever you meet"