Meera's Pov-

We reached Madurai the next morning. We traveled to the village by car and it took us another hour and a half. The village was more developed than most of the villages in India are. On reaching we were welcomed by Rishi uncle and his family. Everybody introduced one another. Krsh also introduced me to him and his family.

Rishi uncle lives in the village with his wife Lata and a son Raj who is one year older than Krsh and daughter Rishika. Raj is married to girl Simran and they have a son Ayaan around two years of age. Rishika is a teacher in a government school situated here. Raj does up down as he works in a company in Madurai.

They were very warm and welcoming to us. He has the biggest house of all in the village. That is why everybody has their own room. Everybody was tired since we traveled the whole night and day, so we decided to take a rest for a few hours.

My room was on the first floor and above it was the terrace and the room was just beside the Krsh room. I was going to stay with Sakshi. Our bags were already kept in our rooms before we arrived.

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It was afternoon when everybody was together sitting outside the house in the open. Everybody was seated on cots kept outside drinking tea and talking. All the young ones on one side and the elders on the other.

I was helping Simran bhabhi (sister-in-law) in the kitchen helping her make some snacks. She was asking about me and how this all happened. I was telling her happily.

"You know Krsh has always been this boy who is very eager to marry but doesn't show that often. Because he was waiting for his special one and everytime when someone asks him to get married, he always says that there may be someone waiting for him and he doesn't wanna break her heart. He is so filmy and dramatic sometimes, though this is only limited to his family members."

I was shocked to hear that and then she continued, "Don't look so surprised. He has always been like this. One of the reasons may be the relation taiji and tauji share. They are an ideal couple for anyone. And also their relation with Krsh. They are so open-minded and give their children the freedom they require. Krsh is very lucky to have them."

I can see the underlying sadness when she spoke about them being great parents to Krsh. but I didn't want to seem like a girl who is curious to know every detail so I ignored and focused on making fritters. Before we could talk much Ayaan came and started pulling the saree of Simran bhabhi and making a sign from his hands to pick him up. She picked him up and he nuzzled his head in her neck looking at me with side eyes.

"Mumma, who thee?" (Mumma, who is she) he asked while playing with the chain she was wearing in her neck.

"She is your chachi, Ayaan. Say hello to her." Simran bhabhi said and I looked towards him forwarding my hands towards him as a sign to take him in my hold. Surprisingly he also forwarded his hands. I took him in my hold.

"This is the first time I have seen him going to someone else with his own will." simran bhabhi said shockingly.

"I guess he likes his chachi more than his chacha." We both turned around to hear the owner of the voice and it was none other, yes you guessed it right, it was Krsh. when he tried to take Ayaan he turned his head and nuzzled my neck. I felt a little ticklish since I was very sensitive to it. I chuckled a little. Krsh made a pout when he denied it and we all laughed at their interaction.

Suddenly his eyes met mine like he was reading my soul. We have to break eye contact as Simran bhabhi told us to come along. Since I was holding Ayaan, Krsh decided to hold the tray of snacks, as Simran bhabhi already took away one tray with us.

We reached the porch area and as we were entering together, Krsh placed the tray on the table kept at center so that everyone can take it from it and then came beside me to stand. Ayaan already slept in my arms as I was patting him gently and also bhabhi told me he sleeps very quickly.

Everybody loved the fritters and the other snacks. They wanted more but as all the elders had to take care of their health, Raj bhaiya said no more to anyone.

Revathi bua all of a sudden said, taking attention from everyone, "Meera, you have not even got engaged and Krsh has to do your part of the work. I wonder if this is the condition now, what will happen after marriage. You should know this much that if you are in your in-laws house then the least you can do is help in the chores the other daughter-in-laws are doing. Am I not correct?"

My head bowed down listening to her. How can I be so careless? I should have been aware of what to do and not to do when you are going to your in-laws' house. I can see from my corner of the eyes, Divya smirking at me, like she is making fun of me. Great, now she also got the chance to make fun of me. Why am I so stupid? Now what will Krsh ji think, that I don't know to even serve. I was going to apologize to her but before I could say anything, I saw the man beside me going to say something to her. But before he could do it, I put my hands around his arms and he looked at me, I gave him a sign to not say anything by shaking my head. I can see the hurt in his eyes which he masked soon.

"Buaji, I am sorry. It is my fault to be distracted. I will make sure to not make such mistakes in future and keep in mind what you have said." I can feel my eyes getting wet, but before anyone can see I bowed my head down again. I can feel Krsh going inside, but I can't go right now, it will not look good. She nodded at me and then went to sit back at her place. So I decided to help bhabhi after making sure that Ayaan sleeps peacefully.

After a few minutes of talking, everybody decided to go to the most famous temple of the village, Shri lakshmi narayan temple, situated at the center of the village. Since it was very big and we will not be able to go to other places since it is far and it is already going to be evening soon, we decided this.

I made my way to my room to get ready, but on my way I was thinking, what must have Krsh felt when I stopped him to speak in my favor. I know he was hurt but to what extent I don't know. He has not come out of his room since he went. Though Rohan has gone to inform him about today's plan. I spotted Rohan coming out and I quickly went to him. He looked at me and then slightly shook his head indicating he was not coming. I felt sad that he is so upset that he doesn't want to even be involved in things where I am.

I looked at him and said to go get ready and I decided to go to his room. As I reached his door which was not locked, so after knocking I waited, but no answer came. I furrowed my brows and after making another knock, I made my way inside even though I knew it was inappropriate. I saw him standing on the balcony with his hands spread on the railing. The view was making a claiming sense since there is no pollution, no tall buildings, only greenery as far as we can see.

I was standing at the threshold of the door which was separating his room from the balcony, his back facing me. I know that he is aware of my presence with the way his shoulders got relaxed which were tense and stiff before. He didn't say anything, so thinking of this as my chance I decided to justify my actions.

"I am sorry, Krsh ji. I know it was wrong and stupid of me to make you do the work which was supposed to be done by me. How can I be so unaware? I know you are upset by me and angry at me so much that you don't even want to see my face. I....."

Before I could continue to justify myself and say anything he took two long strides to complete the distance between us and stared at me looking for answers to the question I was not aware of. I was looking at him with confusion written on my face and didn't get the time to actually sense what happened.

One second he was standing so close to me and another second he took me in his embrace which was as warm as the blankets feel in winter. I was shocked to say the least. I can feel my eyes getting wide, I can feel his heart beating like a drum, his chest is so well-built and feels so soft at the same time. This hug feels so much like home, like the place I was finding throughout my life is this hug. Now I know why they describe so much about hugs in books and there is so much hype about it, it feels like a person reaching his destination.

Before I could savor this hug and engraved it in my mind, body, soul and before the realization set that this is our first hug, he broke it and again stared at looking for what seemed like uncomfortableness to me. He left a sigh and I can see his lift lifting up to form the most beautiful smiles I have ever seen when he saw none in my eyes.

"First of all Meera, you don't have to apologize for the mistake which you have not even done." He stated, and when he saw me, he again sighed and holding my hands he made way to his bedroom making me sit on it and himself sitting on his knees, looking up at me. It was the same when I first went to his room. I was embarrassed and shy about my thoughts and looked at the person who caused it.

"I need to make sure that you have your own place Meera, here, in my family and I will not tolerate anyone speaking ill of you even if it is a family member. They are not allowed to speak like that to you. So what if you didn't serve them? You were holding a baby. And Meera I am Raj Singhania's son. I have grown up to see him helping his wife even in small things. You know when I and Shanaya were young and mom used to have a fever and we went to school, dad would not go to his office until she was fine and all healthy. He used to make her food, get us ready and did not even let her foot touch the ground. So you should also not expect anything less from his son. I was not angry at you, I was angry at myself because I have not given you enough respect as anyone is speaking ill of you." He was explaining to me like a parent explaining his child and I blushed at my thoughts.

"Okay let's forget all this and what is this you calling me Krsh ji, Krsh ji. My name is Krsh and I prefer you calling me that. This ji makes me sound like an oldy which right now I am far from being like that." He said with a pout on his face.

"So call me Krsh." He demanded.

I looked at him, shock visible on my face, "Right now?" I asked him to make sure if I heard correctly that he wants me to call by his name. He nodded his head and encouraged me.

"K-k-kr-Krsh?" I said with lots of difficulty as it was my first time calling him that.

And he was grinning like he won the world showing his pearl-like teeth on display.

"Now you go and get ready, we have to go to the temple."

I slightly nodded my head and my way to go. As I was just opening the door, I stopped listening to him, "And Meera, don't you ever think that I don't like to see your face because if it was in my hands, you would not be able to go outside from this room till our stay. Because you are like the classic remnant kept in a museum forbidden to see and I would trade my life to get a peek of it."

He came close to my ear saying in his hoarse voice, sending chills down my spine and opening the cage of butterflies in my stomach.

I opened the door in a hurry and literally ran straight to my room, closed the door and leaned to it keeping my hands on my racing heart. I breathed like I ran miles trying to calm my breath and still trying to figure out the duality of this man. One time he acts so soft and cutesy and another moment he changes to a devil like man, like those mafia men who are blinded by love for their girls and I read about them. But none of them could change as fast as him.

Sakshi was not here as she was already ready and I was very thankful for it.

After I calmed down, I went to the cupboard and took out the first suit I saw and made my way to the bathroom. I was wearing a pastel pink kurta with flared pants and a dupatta of the same color. The dupatta was having heavy work on it with its broad border. I decided to style it with a bracelet on my left hand and bangles on my right with small pearl earrings.

Now I was ready to go and made my way to go.