Choti Si Duniya - ArShi FF

141. Precious moments & Jashn

Here's a big fat chapter to bid a warm goodbye to 2025 and a pleasant welcome to 2026. Also, we recently completed 10 years of "Ek Jashn" (IPKKND- extension released on Hotstar in 2015, and this book is its continuation), a sweet coincidence I found out after choosing that teaser-title.❤️

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There were still more than 2 weeks left for the official New Year's Eve, but Khushi and her kids were gearing up for it in full swing! Luckily, their exams (the periodic tests) got over this week, and Khushi's own work too was lighter after the Diwali rush so now they could focus on the upcoming celebrations for the rest of the month!

Typically, Arnav and Khushi always chose to spend their New Year's Eve only with each other and their kids. Before the birth of their first child, their celebrations mostly included some 'adult' stuff, but after their babies blessed their lives, they would be holding their beloved kids in their arms along with each other as the clock stuck midnight 12, indicating start of new year.

But now as Chiku and twins were growing up, 9 and 5 respectively, they had a new tradition. They called it "sharing the blanket" which basically meant the sweet couple and their adorable kids wrapping themselves in a shared warm blanket and watching one of their favorite holiday movies together on Arnav and Khushi's big master bed.

Obviously, it reminded Arnav of the 31st December, in 2011, when he shared a blanket(!) with his Khushi. That night, he had accidentally ended up on her bed, thanks to Buaji, and a few months later, it became their every night thing.

But their kids didn't, obviously, know about it.

And still, Chiku, Aru and Pari had come up with this idea, that surprised Arnav so much. Sometimes he wondered if they also passed on their memories along with their DNA to their kids when he and khushi were making them...

Anyhow.

So, they still had more than 2 weeks for that 'ArShi and kids' blanket sharing night, but there were other parties planned in the interim.

Like the party at Nisha and Jatin's house. They were Kavish's friend Rucha's parents, and Jatin was also Arnav's friend from his Harvard days (or as close to a friend as he could have had, given his introverted nature). Over the years, Nisha had become a good friend of Khushi's as well.

Since most of the other families had big plans, some traveling out of Delhi, some going abroad, and others staying back but spending time with their extended families, Jatin and Nisha decided to host a New Year's party in advance at their house.

The party was on Saturday.

And today was Friday. So Khushi had planned to sort through her kids' clothes and set aside at least a few potential outfit options.

Because, of course, Arnavji's kids had their choices as naayab(rare/unique) as their dad.

Albeit none of them were interested in helping her sort out their own clothes!

Summoning her patience as she looked at the 2 giant, messed-up almirahs of Chiku and his sisters, she was barely starting her task when she heard a commotion from the poolside.

Frowning, she stepped out of the kids' room and walked towards the poolside.

The scene there astounded her. Her husband and kids had (perhaps for the first time), formed 2 teams and were standing opposite each other.

Chiku and Aru were on one side, and Arnav and Pari on the other, while their dog Teddy ran from one side to other, in utter confusion.

Khushi watched as Aru stood with her arms spread wide in front of the pots, protectively and looked at Arnav in irritation, "NO! Stay away from here, dada."