Raghav had slept on the bench outside the ICU.
As he woke up in the morning,he saw Aanchal standing in front of him.
Her red eyes silently conveyed the pain they both were enduring.
As she sat next to him, she handed him a cup of tea.
"Chai"
"Arre thanks, aap kyun pareshan hui...yahan mil jaati"
"Nahi koi problem nahi"
"Kuch bataya doctors ne? Hosh nahi aaya abhi tak?"
She asked rather tearfully.
"Raat ko dekha tha ek baar...tab tak anesthesia wear out nahi hua tha.."Raghav too was tearful.
Inside the ICU, Arjun opened his eyes only to find himself in the hospital. He tried to get up but had severe pain.
The doctor informed Raghav and he immediately rushed to see him.
Raghav was tearful and sobbing seeing him in such condition!
"Saale tu jaan le le meri...kya haal hua hai mera kal se, kuch pata bhi hai!"
Arjun sighed and let out a deep breath "kal...cafe...phir ek gaadi...aur yaad nahi...."
He managed to speak somehow..
"Tu aaram kar abhi...mat pareshan ho...sab theek hai"
The doctor signaled Raghav to move out!
"Baad me aata hoon..hmm"
He kissed Arjun on his forehead and just as he turned to leave
"Pi..Pihu"
"Woh theek hai...abhi aaram kar please"
Raghav came out and found Aanchal waiting in anticipation.
"Theek hai woh, baat ki thodi usne"
"Main ek baar dekh sakti hoon?" Aanchal was weeping
They both asked the doctor who only allowed her for 2 min.
"Unse zyada baat nahi karni hai, abhi unhe room me shift karne me 2 din lagenge"
Aanchal nodded and rushed inside.
She saw him bandaged heavily, Had stitches on his forehead, injuries on his chest...and it was her heart that bled!
She wanted to touch him but refrained, she wasn't supposed to disturb him!
As she came out, she was distraught!
"Ye sab meri wajah se hua hai, sabki zimmedar main hoon"
"Woh mujhe chhod kar isiliye gaye the, main bahut buri hoon "
Aanchal was completely broken.
Raghav found himself miserable, as if the wounds on Arjun's body weren't paining him enough, Aanchal's tears were hurting him equally bad.
He wanted to console her but was unable to even speak a word!
"Sab theek ho jayega Beta, mat chinta kar" Kaku and Hemant came up to provide some respite.
Aanchal was however inconsolable, she kept on crying and cursing herself!
Kaku held her and hugged her tightly.
And even though Aanchal composed herself in some time, she couldn't stop sobbing.
In the next 2 days, Arjun gradually got much better and his health improved, but unfortunately whenever Aanchal came upto see him they couldn't strike a conversion as both of them would get overwhelmed.
"Aanchal, Raghav bol raha hoon"
"Ji kahiye...sab theek hai?" It was 9.30 p.m., Aanchal got worried
"Sab theek hai, wahi batane ke liye phone kiya...Ajju ko abhi room me shift kar diya hai..aadhe ghante pehle. 3rd floor, room no.312.
He is ok now. Aap subah aaram se aaiye..jaldi na kare"
"Ji theek hai, thank you "
"Goodnight "
"Goodnight "
Aanchal came in the morning to see him,Arjun tried getting up but couldn't manage. She immediately rushed to be by his side.
She made him lie down and held his hand..
She was getting too overwhelmed to speak, very tearful but still caressed his hair. Arjun too was extremely emotional and a few tears did ran down his eyes.
She wiped them off and consoled him in a broken voice..
"Jaldi theek ho jayenge aap"
And Arjun closed his eyes...more than his wounds, the fact that she still chose to call him "aap" and not "bhaiya" pained him!
He only nodded and looked around for Raghav who was busy on phone regarding their work.
For the next couple of days, Aanchal only came in the mornings, on the 3rd day as she came she heard Raghav over the phone
"Yes sir, I know sir I understand...Sir mere ghar pe ek medical emergency aa gayi thi....ji ...ji..I will send the programs by tomorrow Sir ....please...give me till tomorrow...this work is equally important for us as well...please...just till tomorrow...thank you!!
Raghav put down the phone and looked extremely tensed
"Aap pareshan hai??"
"Nahi...nahi...kuch nahi"
They both went inside the room
"Kya hua Raghu? Kiska phone tha?" Arjun asked as soon as he saw Raghav
"Kuch nahi..kuch khaas nahi"
"Arre bolna.. kya Hua?"
"Woh Precision wale ka phone tha...usko CAD ke programs bhejne the"
"Arre Haan.. " Hearing this even Arjun's expression changed.
"Aapko kuch kaam ho toh kar lijiye, office jaana ho toh, main hoon yahan par" Aanchal spoke softly to Raghav
"Nahi...theek hai...main manage kar loonga" Raghav replied, he won't be able to finish the work in a couple of hours anyways,Raghav's tense expression told a different story!
"Mere exams khatam ho gaye kal, college band ho gaya hai! Main ruk sakti hoon shaam tak, yahan main dekh loongi...aap sach me please...office jaana ho toh chale jaiye"
"Aap ruk sakti hai yahaan???3-4 baje tak?" Raghav literally held his breath...if he could get this much time,he will be able to finish off their work commitments!
"5-5.30 bhi chalega, yahan se Cafe hi jaaongi, 5 min hi door hai...aap please apna office dekh lijiye "
Hearing this the boys were nothing less than delighted!
"Fine then...main nikalta hoon..thanks so much!" Raghav thanked her,hugged Arjun and rushed to Office!
It was such a big help to him...he could really concentrate on his work without worrying about Arjun.
Arjun's joy on the other hand knew no bounds! His Pihu will be with him for the whole day...he couldn't stop smiling!
Arjun during the day tried small talk to which Aanchal answered briefly...she literally didn't try striking a conversation, she didn't want to know anything about him nor wanted to expose him to her dark past.
Arjun was disappointed as his efforts were in vain but still he was happy to have her around.
She fed him lunch and he loved every bite of it...he actually thanked his stars for the accident now! This pain was so worth it!
Aanchal however was extremely wary of the food
"Itni paani jaisi daal, roti bhi kachhi hai...aisa khana khake toh log beemar ho jaye" She thought
"Do din se aisa khana kha rahe hai.. Ye khana itna kaise pasand aa raha hai inhe?"
She did frown looking at the food.
Later the evening as she left Arjun and Raghav were all smiles
"Precision ka poora kaam nipta diya, Ajju..if this works...Damn...it will be so good!" Raghav was beaming
"Zyada baat nahi ki usne, par khana apne haath se khilaya...I can't tell you Raghu...how I felt...mann kar raha tha...use zor se gale laga loon" Arjun too was delighted
"Soon...it will be soon...himmat rakh...dekhna sab theek ho jayega!"
The boys hugged each other and prayed for brighter tomorrows!
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