ENCHANTED - BY INNOCENCE (ongoing)

62

This chapter has 3000+ words and ends with a question so make sure you read till the end ❤️

Target for next chapter: 1400 votes and 750 comments

***Yashoda***

"What's for breakfast today?" Dheeru asked as he walked into the kitchen after showering.

"Upma," I said, taking a spoonful in my hand. "Taste and let me know how it is?" I said, putting it in his mouth.

Dheeru ate it and looked at me. He was about to say something but stopped himself.

"Do you want to know the truth or my truth?" he asked.

"What's your truth?" I asked, confused.

"It's the most delicious upma I've ever eaten in my life," he replied.

"And what is the truth?" I asked.

"It needs more salt," he admitted.

"Oh, God" I said, hurriedly adding the salt. "Thank you for telling me. Otherwise, Meenu would have had to suffer."

"Meenu?" he asked, confused.

"Meenakshi," I clarified.

Dheeru nodded and repeated to himself 'Meenu' and a slight happiness appeared in his eyes.

"Great to know you care for my sister," he said after a second. "Sad to know you don't do it for me," he added, feeling jealous.

"I care for both of you," I said, offended. "Which is why—"

"You used me for taste testing," he continued to tease me.

"Because you're knowledgeable, and I trust your opinion," I replied, and I could see a slight smile on his face. A little bit of his self-awareness returned, but he quickly masked it away as if he didn't want it to come back and diverted the topic.

"Where is Meenakshi?" he asked, and I began to stutter.

"She's not awake yet?" he guessed, picking up on my reluctance, and I slowly nodded.

"This girl," he said, frustrated, and was about to go wake her up when I held his hand.

"No, please don't," I begged. "She must be tired. She was up until late last night."

"Why?" he asked, concerned. "Was she sick? Was she crying because we brought her to a new place?"

I remained silent.

"Yashu?" he asked again.

"I... I got her new clothes yesterday," I hesitated. "And she was awake until midnight because every time she tried one on, she refused to take her eyes off herself. She said she was incapable of doing so..."

"Ridiculous," Dheeru muttered, frustrated, and was about to go to her room, but I continued holding his hand.

"A certain well-renowned general of the five kingdoms once said that it's not a crime to stay up late at night," I reminded him, and he glared at me.

"Don't show your claws to me, tiger," he warned. "That won't work, not when I'm in the right." He freed his hand and took a step back.

"Stay calm. Don't flinch," he stated.

"What are you—" I began to ask, but the sound of an empty steel tin hitting the floor startled me. Soon enough, Meenakshi came running out, looking concerned.

"Yashu—" she paused and corrected herself upon noticing the general facing me and not her. But still, his uniform and presence made him recognizable. "Mrs. Yashoda... what happened?"