Ummeed (Raichand Siblings Saga-Book 1)

Bonus Chapter| The Valentine's Day Fiasco

I was working on a particularly confrontational scene between Rishi-Meher for Umang and my muse convinced me to complete this first! So here you go.

Gimme a good response on this and I might consider giving y'all more such bonus chapters.

This is set somewhere between Chap 47 and Chap 48 of the book.

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"Today is Valentine's Day." 12 year-old Meher said with a pout.

"So?" Rishi asked in confusion, "What has you all pouty?"

"Bhaiya and Bhabhi are being all lovey-dovey!" she complained.

He chuckled- "They are always lovey-dovey. There's no big deal."

"But but... But, but... I caught Bhaiya putting flowers in Bhabhi's hair in the kitchen! They looked so cringe!" she said with mock disgust.

Rishi rolled his eyes- "Relationships are cringe."

"But I still want a valentine!" she expressed without any remorse.

Rishi nearly choked on plain fresh oxygen at that.

"What!?" he asked shocked, trying his best to outlive the shock. Just where did his innocent baby sister got such an idea from!

"I mean...I also wanna celebrate Valentine's Day. It's unfair that I can't have fun today."

He calmed down his nerve and made her stand between his knees, getly holding her smaller hands in his.

"Let's draw a line there, Missy. You are not supposed to have a boyfriend till you are at least 30."

"But...that's like forever!" she protested.

"Work a bit more on your mathematical prowess, little madam. That's just 18 years from now!" he teased as she gently flicked her forehead.

"That's a stupid rule!" she said, completely ignoring the taunt.

"It's not and if you know what's best for you then you better not cross me on this!" he said, a bit firmly. He was being serious!

She pouted angrily, slightly puffing her cheeks. Rishi couldn't help but laugh at her expressions. She looked adorable!

"Don't be mad, missy. We can go out for ice-cream." he offerend.

Meher's expressions changed at that- "Really?"

"Yup! Let's go." he said. It was too easy to distract her!

But Meher's excitement plummeted and she looked down.

"But isn't it supposed to be a couple thing?"

"Kya ek hi jagah sui atka ke rakhi hai? Hum humesha nahi jaate ice-cream khane?" Alright, maybe not that easy.

"But today's valentine's day!!!" she whined.

"You are annoying me now, missy! Chal uth. We'll go and have ice-cream."

"Or...I have an even better idea!" she said with a hesitant smile.

"And what is that?" he asked, bracing himself for her next words.

She stood up and went down on her one knee- "Will you be my valentine, bhaiyu?"

Rishi had to bite his lips to stop himself from laughing out loud. He made her stand up and pulled her closer to himself.

"What, according to you, is a valentine, Ms. Missy?" he asked her the question he had never imagined himself asking.

"Someone we love and they love us back. Most importantly, they're ready to spend the entire Valentine's Day with us!"

Rishi smiled at her naive definition but couldn't find anything wrong with it.

"So that is what you meant when you said that you wanted a valentine?" he asked her. At her nod, he felt like a fool for getting all hyper about it. His little missy was very innocent.

"Will you!!?" she pestered him.

"Yes, lil madam. I'll be honored to be your valentine. Let's start our day with an ice-cream!" Oh what he would give to keep that innocence intact. 

"Yayyy!"

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Vansh and Riddhi were sitting in the ice-cream parlor, enjoying their third round of ice-cream in a comfortable silence. Both of them were too shy to initiate the conversation. 

When Vansh had invited her out for ice cream, he had been certain it was just a casual outing, nothing more than a friendly treat on a normal Sunday. After all, there was nothing wrong with enjoying a sweet delight with a friend. Yet, as he glanced at Riddhi, her cheeks slightly flushed and her eyes sparkling with an unknown emotion, he couldn't help but feel a flutter of nerves, precisely put, butterflies in his stomach.