Prologue

"Arey Vrinda! Such a pleasant surprise, come in!"

Sucheta Agarwal moved aside to allow her sons' best friend to walk inside. Vrinda's wide grin brought upon an affectionate one on her lips. Vrinda enveloped Sucheta into a bear hug, which the elder woman reciprocated by wrapping her arms with her smile widening.

"Good evening, Aunty! How are you? Why didn't you come for the party last week? I missed you dearly!"

Sucheta pulled her to the modest couch in the living room as she took the seat beside her.

"I had to go to Kolkata for a presentation, Vrinda. That's why I could not attend. I hope my sons could make up for my absence!"

"Bhai had tried his best to give me company in that boring party but your other son, Aunty, he was busy talking to every girl in the party and enjoying their attention," said Vrinda, a slight frown marring her soft features as she reminisced the happenings of the extravagant evening.

Before Sucheta could reply, her elder son, Daksh Agarwal, walked into the room.

"Hey Vrinda! What brings you here today?"

His playful smirk relayed warning signals to her. Vrinda was certain that he was trying to find an opportunity to tease her, as always, but she would not give the reaction he expected of her.

"Vivaan and I are partners for our last project for the year, so I thought I will discuss with him," she said.

Daksh arched his eyebrow in question. "Oh! Looks like your college is giving way too many projects nowadays! Weren't you working on some project a week ago as well?" asked Daksh, much to her annoyance as she could feel a warm crimson shade colour her flushing cheeks.

But Vrinda Chaturvedi was not the one to back down. She knew where to hit to ensure the triumphant lad chickened out.

"Yeah! They love annoying us! Anyway! Aunty, I think you should plan for a trip to Karnataka sometime. There are such amazing architecture wonders, hill stations and what not. Also, there's River Kaveri, which Bhai might like a lot," said Vrinda.

She cocked an eyebrow at Daksh, whose eyes turned into saucers at Vrinda's open teasing. Sucheta could barely conceal her smile at the way Daksh squirmed in his seat in obvious discomfort.

"Don't you think you are getting late to work on your project?" asked Daksh, trying to distance his mother from his friend before she spills every secret of his in the name of revenge.

Vrinda gave him a lopsided grin and turned to Sucheta. "He's right, Aunty. I'll go work on the project now."

Sucheta nodded with a smile. Vrinda stood up to make her way towards the destination that had brought her to the humble abode.

"Let me escort you!" said Daksh, standing up.

Vrinda almost snorted. "Escort me? It is hardly the first time I have come here."

Daksh shushed her and gave a nervous smile to his mother before ushering her towards Vivaan's room. Sucheta sniggered at the exchange.

"How many times do I tell you to not tease me in front of Maa, Vrinda?" complained Daksh in a soft voice.

"You were the one who started it, Bhai, so I thought why should you have all the fun?"

It was Vrinda's turn to offer him a triumphant smirk. She pushed open the door separating the two lovers and walked in, with a new jump in her stride.

"Enjoy your time! I know you will hardly work upon anything," said Daksh. With his mother away, he did not want to lose an opportunity to pull her leg.

"AUNTY!"

Daksh was stupefied, momentarily listening to her. He held his ears in a gesture of seeking an apology from her. "Shh! Sorry! I won't tease you!"

"Yes, Beta?"

"Can I have some Peda you served last time? I loved it!" said Vrinda, her lips pulling themselves to a side as they formed a victorious smirk.

"Sure, Beta. DAKSH!"

With the smirk still playing on her lips, Vrinda showed her hand towards the living room. Daksh playfully hit her head after ruffling her hair affectionately, much to her annoyance, and staged a walkout.

Vrinda turned around and walked into the room belonging to the one to whom her heart belonged, only to find it empty. She eyed towards the balcony as she placed her bag on the bed, to find it locked from inside. She turned towards the washroom to hear any signs of his presence in it.

"Searching for someone?"

His whisper made a shiver ran across her spine and a coy smile adorned her lips as she turned around to face him.

She wrapped her arms around his neck as his hands went around her waist, quickly pulling her into an all-consuming embrace. "Yes. I was searching for someone who never leaves a chance of teasing me and annoying me. Yet, I cannot help but enjoy the same."

They had enjoyed the solace of each others' arms thousands of times since their childhood, but they could never get enough of the bliss it continues to shower and its magic over them. It made them wait for their next embrace, the very minute they part, and it filled their souls like the ambrosia of the Heavens, erasing every pain and angst of theirs.

"If I don't tease you, whom else can I tease? Every time I talk to a girl, you terrorize her by telling things like I am going to make her do my projects and I am going to flirt with every girl in front of her. I am left with no choice but you," complained Vivaan, pulling out of the embrace, despite his heart protesting against it and his soul yearning for more of her essence.

"So you are telling me I am your last choice?" asked Vrinda, with a pout which almost made Vivaan's facade fall apart.

Vivaan let out a warm chuckle in response, to which Vrinda folded her arms to her chest and turned around. Her eyes travelled towards their photo together hanging on the wall opposite his bed, so that he could see their wonderful moments when he opens his eyes in the morning.

Vivaan wrapped his arms around her as he pulled her to himself, with her back resting on his chest and his chin resting on her shoulder.

"I think it's only fair that you occupy every bit of my wish-list - be it the first position or the last - when you occupy the whole of my heart, Vrinda. So yes, you are my last choice, first one and the only choice. Forever."

Streaks of love resonated in his husky tone, making an adorable blush dance over her cheeks.

"You think I took your words seriously, Mr. Agarwal? I was just giving momentary pleasure by allowing you to think that you succeeded in that lame idea of yours to make me jealous," she said, wrapping her arms over his as she rested her head backwards over his shoulders.

"Oh, really? You are so considerate of my pleasure, sweetheart, so I think you must know which other pleasure I might be interested in. Especially concerning you," he said, drawing lazy circles on her waist as he nuzzled her nape.

"Before this discussion on pleasure proceeds any further..."

Daksh walked in with a plate of pleasantries and the Peda, and shook his head at the couple. Vrinda and Vivaan jumped apart but continued to hold hands, as Daksh forwarded the plate with a smirk twisting his mouth to a side.

"Just a request, I would like to become Jeth to Vrinda before becoming Tauji! Enjoy!"

Daksh closing the door behind him, laughing at his brother and Vrinda, as the pair in question could not help but feel embarrassed for being caught in an intimate position.

"Let's get started with the project, or we will never finish it! The submission is hardly two days away!" said Vrinda, picking her bag up and zipping it open to use the contents for the project.

"Your wish is my command, Madam!"