A few days later, in the evening, Rajveer was sitting in a café, repeatedly checking the time on his phone. He had lied to Vairagya and come to meet Karnika, but now he was getting nervous. He kept checking the time again and again. Karnika had told him to meet at 7 PM, and it was already 8—she still hadn't arrived. Rajveer thought of calling her but then stopped and looked back down at his phone.
"Raj…" A few moments later, Karnika's cheerful voice reached him, and Rajveer looked up.
She was standing in front of him, wearing a white top and a red skirt that went below her knees.
"I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long?" Karnika asked.
"Not much, just an hour…" Rajveer said without looking up, still staring into his phone.
"I'm sorry, I couldn't decide what to wear, that's why I got a little late... Tell me, how do I look?" Karnika asked.
"You look nice..." Rajveer replied without lifting his eyes.
"Did you even look, Raj?" Karnika asked in mild annoyance.
Rajveer looked at her and said, "Yes, I saw when you walked in."
Karnika smiled.
"Quick, tell me what you wanted to say... I'm getting late... Vairagya must be waiting for me..." Rajveer hurried her.
Karnika was slightly irritated by his rush and said, "Raj… Before talking, can we at least have a coffee?"
"Sure..." Rajveer didn't show much interest.
Karnika placed the order and started gazing at him.
Rajveer was focused entirely on his phone, drafting some emails.
Once the coffee arrived, Rajveer said, "Now tell me, what did you want to say?"
"Raj… I... I..." Karnika avoided eye contact, struggling to begin.
"Look, Karnika ji, if it's something serious, please tell me quickly. I'll talk to Vairagya if needed..." Rajveer said, looking concerned.
"Why do you keep bringing bhai into this? I came to talk to you, Raj!" Karnika snapped, not liking his constant mention of Vairagya.
Rajveer stared at her for a moment and then said, "Sorry..."
Karnika said nothing, just sat silently.
"Okay, tell me what you were saying..." Rajveer asked again.
"Forget it. I don't want to tell you anymore..." Karnika picked up her purse and phone and began to leave.
"Hey, Karnika ji..." Rajveer tried to stop her.
But Karnika was already out.
"Are all girls this crazy...?" Rajveer muttered under his breath while quickly paying the bill, completely baffled by her behavior.
Karnika was walking briskly on the road. Rajveer ran after her and said, "Karnika ji, what's going on… at least tell me... How can I understand if you won't talk?"
"You can understand everything Shikha says without her even speaking..." Karnika taunted, a hint of pain in her voice.
"Sorry...? I don't get what you mean..." Rajveer said, confused by her sudden anger.
"Leave it... You'll never understand..." Karnika walked away quickly.
"Karnika ji... You..." Rajveer chased after her.
"Look, Karnika ji... I really don't get what's going on… Please just explain it to me..." Rajveer pleaded.
"Can't you see anything in my eyes, Raj...?" Karnika came closer, her eyes filled with a question. Rajveer took two steps back, looked into her eyes, and said, "Kajal…?"
"Stupid...!" Karnika hit him with her purse on the shoulder.
"What...? If I saw kajal, that's what I'll say, right...?" Rajveer rubbed his shoulder, still confused by her frustration.
"Karnika ji..." He followed her again.
Karnika hailed a taxi and got in.
"Karnika ji... If you just wanted to waste my time, you could've told me earlier. I have a lot of work..." He was still talking when Karnika stepped out of the taxi, glaring at him.
"Ohh, you're a big shot now, huh…!" she said angrily.
"Karnika ji..." Rajveer stepped back nervously. He didn't want to get hit by the purse again.
"You idiot! I'm in love with you... damn it! Can't you see that? All you care about is career, money, studies—nothing else!" Karnika yelled, finally blurting out her feelings.
Rajveer pushed her away gently. "Are you even in your senses...? What are you saying...? I'm your brother's brother-in-law... your bhabhi's brother... You..." He held his head, clearly panicked.
"So what, Raj...? Which rule book says a girl can't fall in love or marry her brother's brother-in-law?" Karnika said firmly, her eyes full of love.
"You don't understand... I... I'm younger than you... there's an age difference..." Rajveer tried to explain.
"I know, Raj. I'm two years older than you... but I can't change that even if I want to. And anyway, bhai is six years older than bhabhi, yet they got married, right?" Karnika argued logically.
"Karnika ji... I'm a middle-class boy, and you're the daughter of the Rajvansh family... we don't match at all..." Rajveer shared his biggest worry.
"I don't believe in those things, Raj. I love you—not your money or your status..." Karnika said, looking deep into his eyes.
"Those are just words. When you face reality, you'll realize that hunger is stronger than love. And anyway, I don't have time for silly things like love... My goal is to become a successful man... I need to focus on that, not get distracted by this nonsense called love..." Rajveer replied sharply.
"But Raj..." Karnika tried to stop him.
"Enough... Go home now. I've heard enough. I'll leave Rajvansh House tomorrow itself so this fantasy of yours will go away..." Rajveer said firmly.
"You think my love is a fantasy...? Then whose love do you think is real? Shikha's?" Karnika shouted, drawing the attention of people nearby.
"Don't create a scene, Karnika ji... Everyone's looking at us... And Shikha... I have no relationship with her. She's just my elder sister's friend..." Rajveer said, annoyed.
"Oh, that's why you thought dropping Shikha at the station was more important than meeting me that day...?" Karnika taunted.
"You're mistaken. Keep your misunderstanding to yourself..." Rajveer folded his hands in front of her and began walking away.
"Raj! You can't just reject me like this..." Karnika shouted behind him.
"Karnika ji, I respect you and Vairagya sir a lot... Please don't force me to take this matter to him... Please, go home..." Rajveer opened the taxi door for her.
"You're threatening me now, Raj?" Karnika asked angrily.
"I'm only explaining. Please go..." Raj signaled her to sit in the taxi.
"Raj..." Karnika moved to hug him, but Rajveer pushed her away and said, "Please stay away, Karnika ji..."
Karnika looked at him with teary eyes as Rajveer, frustrated, walked away from there.