That night Dushyant sat on his bed, sleepless and extremely stressed. He couldn't believe he'd hear stuff like that from his mother one day. He was disheartened, it was worse than a nightmare.

He wanted someone to talk to, to share whatever was going through his mind. Usually the very first name in his mind in such situations would've been Kavin. Not today though. Dushyant knew that Kavin was tired, very tired. He desperately needed some sleep, so Dushyant chose to let him be.

At three of midnight, a vulnerable Dushyant roamed back and forth in his bedroom, totally deprived of sleep. The question being, whether to call her or not? After Kavin, it was always Meera. The girl understood Dushyant better than anyone else.

After contempleting for another fifteen minutes, he finally ringed her.

" Hello Dushyant?"

Dushyant felt an instant gush of relief run through his insides as soon as he heard her voice.

" Meera.." He suddenly felt his voice get heavy.

" Dushyant, kya hua? Tum pareshaan kyu ho? Ghar pe sab theek toh hai na?"

Dushyant felt overwhelmed, his emotions getting better of him. Meera was such a well friend of her boyfriend's heart, she knew his every emotion to the T.

" Ghar pe sab theek hai. Tum soyi nahi?" Dushyant asked.

" Nahi woh, neend nahi aa rahi thi." She told him, honestly.

" Kyu? Tumhari tabiyat toh theek hai na? Neend kyu nahi aa rahi thi?" Dushyant asked, worried.

" Jab tum pareshaani ke maare jaag rahe ho toh bhala mujhe neend kaise aayegi?" Meera smiled faintly from the other side.

Dushyant chuckled.

" Na jaane kyu tum chupane ki koshish bhi karte ho. Tumhe pata hai, tumhare dil ki har ek dhadkan main padh sakti hu."

Dushyant smiled as he sat near the window pane.

" Chalo ab bata bhi do. Kya baat hai? Kyu pareshaan ho?" She asked, softly.

" Maa naraz hai mujhse." The boyfriend came straight to the point.

" Kyu?" His girlfriend asked.

" Unka kehna hai ke kaafi wakt se main apne family ke sath time nahi spend kar raha hu. Unko lagta hai ke main unse aur Papa se dur ho raha hu. Unhone toh mujhe yeh tak bol diya ke main Kavin ko unn se dur na karu, kyuki ab unhe Kavin se hi umeed hai."

Meera could clearly feel the pain her man's voice.

" Dushyant, main jaanti hu ke tum apni family se kitna pyaar karte ho." She told him.

" Haan lekin yeh baat maa ko toh nahi pata na. Maa aur Papa na jane mere baare mein kya soch rahe honge. Agar aisa hi chalta raha toh jald hi Kavin ko bhi-"

" Nahi hoga. Tum Kavin ko jaante ho, Dushyant. Woh kabhi tumhare baare mein kuch bhi galat soch nahi sakta. Tum yeh saare khayal apne mann se nikal do."

Meera told Dushyant as soon as she sensed where he was getting at.

" Khayal nikal dene se problem toh solve nahi ho jayenge na?" Dushyant was a little stern this time.

It took Meera little aback since Dushyant never spoke to her like that. Truly as they say, when you're disturbed or bothered by something, your most cruel enemy is your own mind. Your mind has the power to produce thoughts, good and bad both included. He's not in his mind right now, She thought, hence she did the best thing she could do at that time.

" Dushyant, hum iss ke baare mein kal baat karte hai. Filhaal bohot late ho gaya hai aur tum thake hue ho. Abhi ke liye sab bhul jao aur so jao."

She was so soft and calm with her tone. Is she serious? She thinks this is just a petty issue? Dushyant's mind produced the foul thought.

" Main pareshaan hu aur tum mujhe sulana chahti ho? Meera, kya tumhe baat ki seriousness samajh nahi aa rahi?" Dushyant interrogated.

" Aisi baat nahi hai, Dushy-"

" Let it be, Meera. Yeh meri problem hai, main nipat lunga."

" Dushyant?"

After a brief silence for a moment, Dushyant ran a hand through his already disheaveled hair.

" I'm sorry." He apologised.

" It's okay." She forgave.

Both of them let another minute pass in silence before she spoke,

" I love you."

Now that took him by surprise, Meera wasn't the one to say the three words oftenly. Niether was he. The fact that she just spilled the three words to him out of blue made him ponder.

" I love you too. Par yun achanak?" Dushyant questioned.

" Do minute pehle mujhe tumhari pareshaani samajh nahi aa rahi hai yeh kehte wakt shayad tum yeh bhul gaye the. Isiliye socha yaad dila du, that I love you."

Regret, was the very first thing Dushyant felt upon hearing his girlfriend.

" Main sach mein maafi chahta hu, Meera. Woh pareshaani mein nikal gaya muh se, I didn't mean it at all." His apology came right from the heart.

" Jaanti hu. Tumhari problem ka solution hai mere paas." She told him.

" Kya?" He asked, curiously.

" Woh tumhe khud pata chal jayega. Filhaal jo hua woh side mein rakh ke, so jao. Tumhe kal duty hai, theek se aram nahi karoge toh kaam pe dhyan nahi de paaoge."

She was so warm with her words, Dushyant could only smile at her treating him like a child.

" Theek hai. Tum bhi so jao." He agreed.

" Hmm. Good night." She replied.

" Good night. Aur suno?" Dushyant decided to voice his thoughts.

" Haan?" She waited.

" I love you." He confessed, smiling geniunely.

" Hmm, ab convincing lag rahe ho." Meera chuckled, before disconnecting the call.

Next day, Dushyant actually thanked Meera for putting him to sleep. The case in hand was complicated and demanded vigorous investigation. Dushyant and his team which included Purvi, Ishita, Freddie and Pankaj had to visit a couple of companies.

Meanwhile Kavin along with Daya, Abhijeet and other juniors stood in forensic lab, hearing more details about the murder from Salunkhe.

" Agar iss Komal ke kapdo pe se ink mili hai toh zarur yeh kisi aisi jagah gayi hogi jaha ink ka kaam hota ho." Daya glanced at his fellow cops.

" Ek kaam karte hai, Main aur Abhijeet uss area mein acche se puchtach karte hai. Kavin, tum aur Sachin Komal ke bhai ke baare mein pata karo. Dekho woh kuch batata hai ki nahi."

Tasks were assigned and the cops got moving before Meera called,

" Kavin?"

Kavin turned along with Sachin and rest of his juniors.

" Jee?" He asked, politely.

" Woh mujhe tum se kuch bohot important baat karni thi, akele. Kya tumhare paas do minute hai?" She asked.

Kavin looked at Sachin who understandingly moved ahead with rest of the officers. Kavin gestured Meera to step out of the lab, so she did.

" Kahiye, kya baat hai?" Kavin asked.

" Mujhe aunty ji se milna hai."

Kavin was surprised after hearing his brother's girlfriend. It took a moment for him to register the statement.

" Didi, kya baat hai? Aap Maa se kyu milna chahti hai?" He asked, concerned.

" Dushyant ke liye." She was quick to answer.

" Bhai ke liye? Matlab? Main samjha nahi."

" Dar asal baat yeh hai ki aunty ji Dushyant se naraz hai."

Kavin's eyes only grew wider as Meera narrated the whole incident to him. He was actually stuck at one particular point, why didn't his brother enlighten him about all of this?

" Toh yeh sab hua." Meera finished.

" Itna sab ho gaya aur mujhe iss sab ki jara bhi bhanak nahi." Kavin mumbled to himself.

" Woh isiliye kyuki tum pehle hi bohot thak gaye the kal. Dushyant ko tumhe pareshaan nahi karna tha. Tum please koyi aur khayal mann mein matt lao." Meera sincerely explained him.

Kavin nodded in agreement.

" Aur Kavin, dekha jaye toh tumhari Maa galat bhi nahi hai. Jab se main aur Dushyant sath hue hai, hum apni hi duniya mein busy hai. Mujhe lagta hai iss mein hum ne kahi na kahi tumhe aur Purvi ko bhi waise hi treat kiya hai."

" Arey nahi, didi. Aap kaisi baatein kar rahi hai. Aisa kuch nahi hai." Kavin tried to make her feel otherwise.

" Humare na manane se baat toh badal nahi jaati na, Kavin. Jo hua usmein Dushyant ke sath sath meri bhi galati hai. Mujhe isiliye aunty ji se milna hai aur baat kar ke yeh problem solve karni hai." Meera voiced her thoughts.

" Agar aap yeh hi chahti hai toh yeh hi sahi. Main Maa se baat karu?" Kavin asked.

" Haan. Dushyant ne ek baar kaha tha ki woh roj shaam ko tumhare ghar ke pas wale park mein walk lene jaati thi. Main unn se wahin milne chali jaungi."

" Lekin Maa ne evening walk karna toh kab ka chod diya." Kavin told her.

" Exactly. Tumhe unko waha lana hoga, bas unko yeh matt kehna ki main unn se milna chahti hu. Mera naam sun ke shayad woh na aye." Meera's voice felt a little low over the last part.

" Aap chinta matt kijiye. Main unn ko le kar aa jaunga. Lekin Meera didi, aap aur Maa aaj se pehle kabhi nahi mile. Maa ko sirf aap ka naam pata hai, are you sure you'll be able to talk to her?" Kavin asked, worried about her.

" I'll have to. Dushyant bohot pareshaan hai iss baat se, aur main Dushyant ko pareshaan nahi dekh sakti. Isiliye ho sake toh aaj shaam hi hum yeh kaam kar dete hai." Meera answered, swiftly.

" Bilkul. Ab main chalta hu. Aap ko call karta hu."

Kavin took a step ahead before Meera stopped him.

" Aur Kavin suno?"

" Haan?" He turned around.

" Hamare iss plan ke baare mein apne bade bhai ko kuch matt batana." She warned him.

" Aap ka hukum sar aankho par, Bhabhi." Kavin chuckled playfully before walking away.

Meera shook her head, smiling as Kavin's last word replayed in her mind over and over again. Bhabhi.

Around two in the afternoon, Dushyant and Purvi walked into cafetaria where everybody was having lunch. Engrossed in their talks, Meera and Kavin didn't acknowledge the laters' presence.

" Dekha Dushyant sir, aap ki girlfriend ko koyi farak hi nahi padta aap ke aane ka ya na aane ka. Abhi se parties change ho rahi hai, main bata deti hu."

Purvi commented grabbing Kavin and Meera's attention as they took seat next to their sibilings.

" Oye nautanki, Tum log late ho gaye toh woh tumhari galti hai. Bhala main aur Kavin kyu bhuke rahe?" Meera shrugged.

" Matlab Purvi ki baat sahi hai bilkul. Tum dono abhi se ek side ho chuke ho, kyu Meera?" Dushyant glanced at his girlfriend.

" Kyu? Aap ko jalan ho rahi hai, Bhai?" Kavin raised an eye brow at his brother.

" Bilkul nahi. Agar tu aur Meera ek side hai toh main aur Purvi bhi ek side hai, Kyu Purvi?" Dushyant looked at Purvi.

" Yeh bhi koyi puchne wali baat hai? Of course. Waise bhi aap apne bhai se toh bohot bohot alag ho." Purvi slipped in a taunt directed to Kavin.

" Excuse me? Yeh achanak se main kaha beech aya?" Kavin asked her.

" Mazak kar rahi thi baba. Dekha, aap baat baat pe serious ho jaate ho." Purvi shrugged.

" Lagta hai tum hamari kal ki hui baat bhul gayi." Kavin looked at Purvi.

" Nahi nahi. Mujhe acche se yaad hai."

" Kaunsi baat?" Dushyant enquired.

" Hum ne soch liya hai ki ab se no jhagada. Hum dono ek dusre se acche se baat karenge." Purvi explained.

" Mushkil hai." Meera joked, making Dushyant laugh as well.

Once the lunch was over, Kavin asked Purvi to come along with him for further investigation. Since there was only two of them, Kavin decided to pick his bike for the ride.

" Aap ke paas bike bhi hai!?" Purvi enquired enthusiastically.

" Haan. Kyu? Nahi ho sakti?" Kavin asked as they waited for his bike to arrive from home.

" Nahi mera matlab tha ki aap ko bike chalani pasand hai?" Purvi asked.

" Bohot. I actually prefer bike over car. Tumhe?" He looked at Purvi.

" Mujhe bike pe baithna bohot pasand hai." The junior confessed.

" Aisa iss duniya mein kya hai jo tumhe pasand nahi hai, Purvi?" Kavin made a sarcastic question.

" Hai na. Papaya. Mujhe papaya bilkul nahi pasand." She answered.

" Tumhare paas har baat ka jawab hota hai na?" Kavin smiled.

" Haan mostly hota hi hai." Purvi shrugged.

Both of them stood in silence for a moment, before Purvi glanced at her senior who scrolled through his phone.

First time, she internally accepted the fact that Ishita wasn't wrong that day when she said that Kavin looked handsome. Well, he was quite a sight to watch.

" Sir, ek baat bolu?" Purvi asked.

" Na kahunga toh chup rahogi kya? Bol do phir." He answered, not taking his eyes off the phone.

Purvi took a deep breath before finally voicing her thought.

" Aap kaafi handsome ho."

Kavin's eyes shot in less then a second at Purvi. Purvi smiled faintly at him.

" Kya?" Kavin asked, dumbfounded.

" Aap kaafi handsome ho." Purvi repeated with a glint of mischief in her eyes.

Kavin stretched his hand out and touched Purvi's forehead with the back of his palm.

" Tumhari tabiyat toh theek hai? Doctor ke paas jaye pehle?" He asked, suspiciously.

Purvi only laughed.

" Kya sirf ladke hi ladkiyo ko compliment de sakte hai? Ladkiya bhi ladko ko compliment de sakti hai. Aur aap sach mein handsome ho toh keh diya usmein kaunsi badi baat ho gayi."

Purvi explained pretty casually as she stood in front of him, smiling. For the first time in ages, Kavin was flattered.

" Uh, thanks." He shyly thanked before turning the other way. .

" How cute." Purvi mumbled barely above then a whisper.

" Kuch kaha tum ne?" Kavin turned his head to Purvi.

" Nahi toh." She denied.

The bike arrived in less than a minute, Kavin buckled his helmet as he took the seat.

" Baitho." He told her as he checked the petrol and everything.

Purvi got behind him and adjusted herself in the back seat. She placed both of her hands on his shoulder to make sure that she didn't fall even by chance.

Kavin chuckled.

" Waise Purvi, bike ke peeche jo holder hota hai ussey pakad leti toh bhi nahi girti tum." He told her.

Purvi's cheeks heated up in embarrassment as she noticed the holder. God, how could she be so stupid? She thought to herself.

" Sorry, sir." She apologised.

" It's okay. Ab jab pakad hi liya hai toh theek se pakadna. Kahi na gir na jao." Kavin told her before egniting the bike.

She nodded, holding him firmly. Turns out she was actually fine holding him like that. As the ride began, she felt as free as her hair that were rebelling to fly free along with the wind. She smiled looking around, showing off her dimples. Kavin had a glance at her from the mirror and a small smile appeared on his own lips.

" Kavin sir?" Purvi spoke.

" Hmm?" He replied, his eyes glued to the road.

" Thoda aur smile kar denge toh tax nahi lagega. Aap smile karte hue aur bhi handsome lagte ho."

What was up with this girl? Did she really need a doctor? Was the only thing that ran through Kavin's mind from there.

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A/N : So here I am on another sunday! I think for Gentleman's Promise I'll set a Sunday to Sunday update routine. Anyway, how was it? Let me know!

Guest on 15th Nov : I'm sorry couldn't thank you before! Your reviews were visible after the day I updated. Thank you so much! Love ya :)

Misha : Mishu! I hope you're okay with me calling you that, well you read the chapter thrice and gave me three times more joy! Guess what, maine last update Sunday ko hi kiya tha aur yeh time bhi sunday ko kar rahi hu. About Citylights, look we already have Citylights on board. Did you read it? Let me know! Lots of love :)

Mitali : Your review was more adorable! Thanks and love you :)

Guest on 17th Nov : I'm glad you loved it! Love :)

Kavya and Suhani : Your names are so beautiful! Thank you so much for reading guys! I'm so glad. Lots of love :)

Guest on 18th Nov : Thank you so much! I love you :)

Uswa : Thank you so much dear! Love :)

Fancy Pari : Pari! I'm glad you liked the chapter. Also, No, Dushyant can't discourage Kavin from falling in love when he's in love himself. Hehe! Love you and thank you :)

Subhi Singh : Subhi, thank you so much for reading! Love you, bruh! :)

Ananya Bhardwaj : I hope I'm not late :p Thank you so much! Love :)

Nancy : Hey Nan, thank you so much! Love :)

Esha : Hahaha! I know right? Koyi nahi, shaadi bhi kar lenge! Thank you so much, and welcome! Lots of love :)

Guest on 21st Nov : Hehe! Your reaction was so cute. I know Kavin is adorable. Aagey aagey dekho hota hai kya! Thank you so much and love you :)

Guest on 22nd Nov : Lol, tareef phir bhi kar di aap ne. Thanks! And Love you :)

Guest on 22nd Nov : Thanks for calling me Di! Thanks for reading and love you! :)

Last Guest on 22nd Nov : I swear jis din mujhe pata chalega na yeh reviews ka jhol, sab se pehle tumhe bataungi yaar. I honestly don't know at all. Anyway, Thanks a lot! Lots of love :)

CITYLIGHTS UPDATE COMING!

ALSO, I HAVE A SHIP NAME FOR MEERA AND DUSHYANT, MeeShyant! How does this sound?

Thank you.

- Divyaa26 :)