Tere Liye | ✔

Chapter Twenty-Eight - Concealed Love

"NK?"

The softly spoken whisper pierced through his thoughts, bringing his mind back to reside in the present and he smiled, turning to Neha who strode to him merrily.

"Your coffee."

"Thanks." He murmured and took the mug she forwarded to him. His fingers clasped the warmth and he exhaled, deeply, staring at the serene fountain situated in the middle of the lawn.

"Where is Nannav?" He asked after a brief silence whilst taking the first sip of his drink. 

Neha chuckled.  "Your Nannav is with Khushi, having a great time narrating her the blissful condition of Sheetalji."  She said, exaggerating her words in mirth. 

NK shook his head at her hilarity, smiling himself. 

"Your Nannav?" He pointed, raising an amused brow at her. 

Neha shrugged, the humor never leaving her eyes. "You're so protective for him, you both are practically inseparable. In that sense yes, your Nannav." 

NK laughed harder this time and Neha watched as his chuckle slowly faded into the faintest smile which seemed distant. 

"Yeah, I guess that's weird. The protectiveness, I don't know from where it came." He shrugged, gesturing through his posture that he indeed had no clue what happened. 

"It just came to me when I saw how they were forced into misery. Nannav and Khushi, both are really special to me, you know. I have always look up to them, to the love they have for each other. It is my inspiration and so I guess the protectiveness just crops up whenever that love is threatened." Nk finished, momentarily surprised by his own words and how serious they were. 

Neha's lips curved as she nodded in agreement. 

"Their love is truly out of this world." 

"Oh trust me when I say it indeed is." NK chuckled, the tale of his brother's strange love tickling his funny bones to no end. Indeed their love was out of this world - a love akin to which no other love ever existed before and could never exist even after them. 

"By the way." Neha adjusted herself on the bench so she would sitting facing him. "You're talking so much about love. Are you in love with someone?" 

NK chortle at her question, then frowned when he saw her serious eyes boring into his. 

"You're really asking that?" 

"Yeah. Why? Is the info too personal?" A wind blew Neha's hair across her face and she smiled, removing the barrier that blocked her view of NK. "In that case you don't have to answer it." 

"Erm, no. No." NK shook his head, chuckling lightly as he stared down at the steam that was coming from the coffee.

"I don't love anyone. To be honest with you, I don't even think I've met the girl of my dreams yet." He said, his tone pensive as he reflected over the matter. 

"And what is the girl of your dreams like?" Neha probed. She rested her elbow on the backrest and her head against her palm, as she awaited his answer. 

 And after a minute of contemplation, NK at last spoke up. 

"I truly don't know." His shoulders rose and fell as he shrugged, smiling nervously. 

"I have listed a bunch of cliché things one expects from his significant other but I don't know what I'm specifically searching for. I just have this feeling, that when she'll come, I'll know for sure that she's the one." He rolled and arched his head in her direction, flashing her a goofy grin.