Shraman: Tales Of Love || Completed

3. ||A Love Like Ours||

The night had fallen, the moon shining in its full glory outside the window. Shravan stood by the window pane, resting his fragile body with its support. His heart was heavy, and so was his mind. Hence, like always, when he had none to talk to, about the thousand thoughts that messed him to the verge of insanity, he looked forward to the moon, who he believed that smiled at him from the distance, and listened every complain he had, wiped every tear he wanted to shed, held fondly every piece he felt was torn from his heart. But this evening, the moon's joy could not calm his stressed mind and dejected heart. And why not?

Suman, his suman was going to get married, to Aditya.

The thought gave rise to a tornado inside him again, his peripheral vision could still see the broken glass bottles that lay behind him beside his bed, the proof of his anger and jeolousy. His own hand was bruised with the punches he had hurled at the punching bag, his room looked messed with files and books kissing the floor, along with that one book he had preserved since standard twelfth, the book that had kept his secret all these years. Tears stinged at the back of his eyes, he wanted to cry and let it all out, but the drops refused to roll down. Nothing seemed to relive him today. The pain of losing her forever was too much.

Aaoge jab, tum o sajna,
Angna phul khilenge!
Barsega sawan, barsega sawan
Jhoom jhoom k,
Do dil aise milenge!

The door creaked open and Suman peeked inside, her gaze stopping at the tall figure who stood beside the window. His face was shining under the moon light, but she could see the traces of pain that was etched on his hansome face, like a beautiful sunset sprawled on a white canvas. He was unaware of her presence, like always, because she has not knocked before entering, like always. He looked crestfallen, and she knew that reason behind all his despair was she herself. She took small steps towards him, sometimes stumbling at the files and at times at the broken bottles. But nothing could stop her today, the letter she took out from the book she recognized only enhanced her ordeal. Shravan was standing completely unaware of her moves or the way his life was going to change in a few minutes, the moon kept smiling at him teasingly though.

Naina tere kajrare hai,
Naino pe hum dil hare hai.
Anjane hi tere naino ne,
Waade kiye kai sare hai!

Suman reached him and stood beside him, her left palm gripping the hem of her lehanga tightly. After all she had directly come from the venue of Pushkar and preeti's marriage ceremony. Her right hand raised and slightly cupped his right cheek, which broke his reverie. He looked at her, not believing her presence and his eyes dilated when she leaned into his touch too when he tried to cup her cheek.

Saanso ki lay, madhyam chale,
Tose kahe, barsega sawan, barsgea sawan,
Jhoom jhoom k,
Do dil aise milenge!

" Shravan!", Her voice was tear strained, he noticed, like her eyes that seemed too red for her.

" Why are you here suman!", His voice was tired than he expected it to be.

" To give you a reply which was long awaited", Suman's voice trembled as she took in the look of hopelessness in his eyes, the same pair which she was used to see twinkling always.

" There is nothing left to reply Suman. Please leave", Shravan still had not noticed the letter in her hand, and continued to gaze at the moon.

Chanda ko taku raaton me,
Hai zindagi tere haatho me,
Palko me jhilmil taare hai,
Aana bhari barsaato mein.

"You have asked me if it was love then", she spoke as she inched closer to him and her one sentence grabbed all his attention.

"Yes it was love Shravan. It is love. What we share today standing here is love. There is no other defination of love", Suman had completely turned him towards her and now he stood facing her. The moonlight now fell equally on both their faces.

Sapno ka jahan, hoga khila khila,
Barsega sawan, barsgea sawan,
Jhoom jhoom k
Do dil aise milenge.

Shravan went still, with her confession. He didn't move, didn't reply, didn't even acknowledge her. How the hell did she have the letter he had so painstakingly hidden? And love? She loved him? Suddenly he could see it all in her eyes too, the words she was speaking reflected in her orbs too. How blind he had been earlier, he thought once he saw it her eyes.

Suman didn't give him another chance to doubt. Mustering all her courage, she stood on her tippy toes and placed her petals on his forehead. He closed his eyes in acceptance. No fights, no struggle. His heart had been barren for so long that he accepted whatever dew drops fate gave him. Suman saw the surrender in his body language and jerked him towards herself, keeping his hands on her waist on either sides. She then continued to shower feather kisses on his eyes, cheeks, jaw and chin. It was when she placed an open mouth kiss on his Adam's apple that he opened his eyes and looked at her wet cheeks.

"I love you Shravan, I love only you", Suman's voice broke as her strength seeped out of her eyes.

"I don't want to marry Aditya, or anyone for that sake. All I want, all I need is you!", She broke down in his embrace and he tightened the hold on her.

" One more time please", his voice was still vulnerable.

"I love you Shravan!", Suman confessed again.

" Again!", His whisper broke her heart again.

"I love you, I love you, I love you!", She kissed him madly over all his face again, like a lady possessed.

"I thought I would never hear this. I thought I would die alone, in this sea of pain and loneliness", a tear rolled down his cheek again and she wiped it off with her thumb.

" I know there is still a lot to talk about and a thousand threads to untangle, but I love you, Shravan, please remember that!", Suman looked in his eyes as he nodded and hugged her again.

Everything else could wait, but the two hearts on the door of death had come alive again, together and that was all that mattered.

Mil jate ha dil jo bane,
Ek duje k vaste!

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Happy second anniversary guys. I love this show so much that I can think of thousand different scenarios with Shravan and Suman, just like this one.
So I have changed this book into short story and Os collections of shraman.
Hope you like this one.
Life could have been so easier if for once Suman would have confessed it to him!
Happy holi btw.
Thanku.