Yuhn Hota Toh Kya Hota- Rikara FF

Chapter 38

Omkara drove for over an hour. He had retuned from the party late last night and fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. His dreams were all about dupattas of various colors his artistic mind could conjure, flying in all directions. As his alarm rang, breaking him out from the maze of dupattas, Omkara realized today was the day. The day when he would find out what happened to him and Prinku, or at least find a clue towards that direction. 

He saw Chulbul drinking in the sights as they steadily moved out of Mumbai, into the highway, and the scenery got better as they gained altitude. 

"Omkaraji gaadi rokiye! (Omkaraji stop the car!)" Chulbul said excitedly. 

"What's wrong? What happened?" said Omkara, as he hit the break.

"Just wait here." said Chulbul.

"What?" asked Omkara confused, as he saw Chulbul quickly climbing out of his car. What he saw next, made his eyes almost pop out. 

There was a row of large estates lined by the side of the road, as there was more space outside the city to spread out. Chulbul sneakily climbed over the wall of one such estate, scaling the gate, and then dropped inside. After a while, Omkara saw him climbing a mango tree stealthily and plucking mangoes. 

Chulbul proceeded to fill his bag with mangoes, till he was satisfied, then climbed down the tree carefully. Unfortunately, at this point, the owner of the estate stepped out, still wearing his dressing gown, and saw Chulbul. Once he realized what Chulbul was doing, he gave the chase, but Chulbul was quick on his feet. He dodged the newspaper the owner threw at him, and scaled down the gate back outside.

"Omkaraji chaliye!! (Omkaraji, lets go!)" squealed Chulbul, as he ran and got into the car. Omkara, out of reflex, followed his directions, and pressed his foot on the accelerator. 

"Hoof, Shankarji!" said Chulbul as he laid his head back on the car seat. 

Omkara stopped the car, after they covered a considerable distance from the estate. 

"What the hell, Chulbul? What did you just do? You stole mangoes from that estate?" exclaimed Omkara.

"Omkaraji humne aam tode, churaaye nahi". (Omkaraji, I just plucked the mangoes I didn't steal them) said Chulbul. 

"Chulbul, its the same thing. If you wanted mangoes, I could have bought you some at our next stop, why did you have to steal?" asked Omkara, still angry.

"Omkaraji, first of all these are only mangoes, not that man's kidneys. Secondly, these are just-ripened mangoes, how could I resist such tasty mangoes? And lastly, yes, you could have bought us mangoes, but the pleasure of eating mangoes from someone else's garden is something else. Me and my group of friends used to climb tress in our zila all the time, to pluck mangoes and jamun (black plum). The joy that we experienced in our childhood from these small naughty acts, it is irreplaceable." said Gauri, thinking back to the good old days she spent in her city, the city that she could never enter again now. 

Omkara was struck by the innocence of Chulbul's face, as he narrated his childhood memories. Omkara's childhood memories were clouded by his parents fighting, or his aunt jeering his father's extra-marital affairs, or Shivaay and him trying to shield Rudy and Prinku from the discord in the mansion, or him escaping into the world of lifeless paintings....

Omkara didn't realize that he was absentmindedly staring at Chulbul, who was now biting into the juicy mango.

"Aise ka dekh rahe hai? Fikar mat kariye humne aapke liye bhi aam liye hain. Itne laalach se humaare aam ko ghoor rahe, hamaare aam ko nazar mat lagayein. Hamaara pet kharaab ho jaayega." (What are you looking at? Don't worry, I've got mangoes for you too. Don't look at my mangoes with such greed, don't jinx them. Otherwise, I'll get a stomachache) said Chulbul, seriously.

The full impact of Chulbul's statement hit Omkara. A low-rumbling sound, started from somewhere near his stomach. Before he knew it, he was shaking with laughter. The stunned expression on Chulbul's face, further added to his laughter. Chulbul's comment about mangoes and jinxes, was so unexpected, that Omkara couldn't keep it in. 

"Paagal chirota." (Mad boy) said Chulbul, shaking his head.

Omkara calmed down after a while, and accepted the mangoes Chulbul offered him. While sucking the mangoes it dawned on him, that this was the first time he had laughed whole-heartedly since his mother's scary suicide attempt. 

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Soumya and Rudy had their breakfast normally, like they did back in the Oberoi mansion. It was a long while after which they had sat down to a table together to have breakfast like this. 

"So, what is bothering you Rudra?" Soumya asked again, after they finished eating.

"Well, Soumya you know I apologized for humiliating you about your weight, and taking out my anger on you that day, when you were not responsible for it all. But what I didn't add was that I shouldn't have brought up the wedding. We both mutually decided that the wedding didn't mean anything, that it was an accident. Me, pinning it on you, like that, was stupid. Somehow I feel responsible for what happened, like I did something wrong. Sumo, please tell me you are still not mad at me?" asked Rudy.

Soumya realized that there was this unease between them ever since their fight. Though they had sort of made up, and were even studying together, the earlier levity and cheerfulness of their relation was missing. Post-their drunken wedding, both had mutually decided to forget it, and they did too for a while, but it looks like neither of them forgot it completely, and that disastrous failed engagement just brought up that issue again. 

"Rudra, I don't hold you responsible for it. Not at all. Neither of us are. The wedding does not occupy my mind at all. But lets decide, once and for all to look at it as a mistake, and move past it. We did manage it last time, but I think somewhere in the back of our minds, the thought of that wedding still haunted us. Lets not think about it anymore. Promise?" asked Soumya

"Only if you promise to forgive me completely, and we become friends again like we used to, with no bitterness." countered Rudra.

"Okay done." said Soumya

"Done." said Rudra and they clasped their hands like they used to, as before. 

"So, what's our agenda for today?" asked Rudy.

"Agenda?" asked Soumya.

"Agenda, as in what subject are we going to tackle today?" said Rudy

"You are really into studies now. Weekends too. Fine, lets start." said Soumya, resignedly. "But in return I want ice cream soda treat." 

Rudy chucked.