Seventh Update!! Second last chapter!!

“This is a mistake” Mandy whispered

“It’s not a mistake; you told the artist the name that was in your heart” Harleen said

The mehendi artist had drawn the Hindi syllable of ‘Ji’, instead of the English alphabet ‘G’

“How was I supposed to know that she didn’t know English?” Mandy said, referring to the artist

“You knew full well that she didn’t know English; or at least your sunconscious did, because it is not a coincidence honey” Harleen said

“It so is a coincidence; and you are turning something very little into something very big” Mandy said

“Then you would also say that you weren’t looking for him when you were standing near the bonfire” Niya said

“Yes, I was looking for him, but that was only because I wanted to talk to him”

“About?”

“I don’t remember now” Mandy said

Niya and Harleen shared knowing glances and knew that Mandy would need some heavy convincing before her mind accepted what her heart already knew.

“Ok, so tell us why you are always so sweet to him?” Harleen asked “I’ve seen you with other guys, but you are always very edgy when you are around them. But with Ji Hoo, you are always so relaxed.”

“And why did you let him take some of your decisions for you?” Niya further asked

“I’m sweet to him because he is such a sweet person himself; and I’m relaxed around him because I’m comfortable with him, he’s always so warm, so caring, that you cannot be anything but sweet to him. And I let him take my decisions because I trust him, I think even more than I trust myself. He is like an angel to me; I know this in my heart that he would never hurt me deliberately.” Mandy had now turned around and was looking into space but then turned back around towards Niya and Harleen.

“What?” Mandy asked when she saw that Niya and Harleen had misty eyes.

“Did you just listen to yourself?” Niya asked “You sounded like someone under a spell; a spell of love.

“What nonsense are you talking about?” Mandy said

“Why can’t you accept that you love him?” Harleen said

“You have to accept it one day or another” Niya added

“Because then I won’t be able to handle the truth that he doesn’t love me back!” Mandy shouted and turned her head away “I didn’t want to acknowledge it, thinking that if I didn’t say it out loud it would not become true”

“But he does love you” Niya said

“What?!” Mandy shouted and turned towards her

“You know the saying is so true that ‘When a girl likes a boy, nobody knows except her and when a boy likes a girl, everybody knows except her’” Harleen laughed out

“But how can he love me?” Mandy demanded

“What’s there not to love?” Harleen smiled

“But how can you be so sure?” Mandy asked Niya

“He just sang a song for you expressing his love” Niya said

“But that was the part of a game”

“No, it wasn’t; that song was not part of the song slips that I put in the bowl” Harleen said

“And now he’s leaving by the 11’o clock flight; I heard him confirm it with someone on the phone” someone said from the door way

“Mom?” Mandy was surprised

“Are you just going to stand here, or are you gonna go after him?” Mandy’s mother asked

“You knew?” Mandy asked

“I’m your mother, just because you think that I don’t care about my own children doesn’t make it true”

“But…”

“You don’t have to explain anything; I know what you think of me”

“But how?”

“Who do you think convinced your dad to let you go to the States for studies when you wanted to, and then transfer to Korea. And live on your own, hanging out with who knows whom. Do you know what a big control freak he is?”

“No way” Mandy muttered

“You two were always so busy with yourselves that there was no space for me” she addressed her two daughters “But even if the time I’ve spent with you has been minimal, but I know each and every thing about you. I know that purple is your favourite color; I know that Manolo Blahnik is your favourite shoe designer and you lied to me when I gave you Jimmy Choo; I know that you don’t like eating chillies and go mad over jalebi and icecream.” She smiled at the last bit

“And I know that you love that boy and I also know that you didn’t want to acknowledge your feelings for him because of mine and your father’s views on love marriage. But now I’m telling you to go after him, because I know that he will take care of you; and I also know that if you don’t, you will spend the rest of your life in regret.”

“But what will everyone else say?”

“Everyone else is not going to bend over backwards to keep you happy, but that boy will”

“But what about dad?”

“I’ll take care of him, now go” and Mandy’s mother pushed her daughter towards the gate.

Mandy hugged her mom, sister and best friend and then ran towards the door, but stopped midway and turned back with a sullen expression.

“What is it?” Niya demanded

“I can’t do this to him” Mandy said

“Who are you talking about?” Harleen asked

“Gagan; I can’t do this to him. I can’t let him be embarrassed in front of everyone like this”

“But you can bury your feelings and spend the the rest of your life with a person you don’t love and over that make him feel guilty for keeping you away from your love” Gagan said from behind her

“What is this? A drama movie? Why is everyone entering so dramatically?” Mandy was on the verge of crying

“No, it’s an intervention”

“So you all planned all this?” Mandy asked

“Duh!” they all said together and laughed

“But, you asked me to marry you” Mandy said to Gagan weakly

“I did, and that was with honest intentions. But now that I know that he loves you and you love him, I can’t marry you. You are my first crush, but before that you are my friend, and I can’t let my friend take a decision which she would regret all her life.”

Mandy burst out crying and hugged Gagan saying “Since when did you become so sweet?”

“I was always this sweet, you never noticed” he said dramatically

“And I didn’t know you could be this jealous” she

“My competition was a tough one” he smiled weakly

“But, will you be okay?” Mandy asked concernedly

“Of course, you know a lot of girls would feel bad for me when I tell them this story, would earn me a lot of cookie points with women” he grinned

“Thank you” Mandy sniffed and smiled at them, but then suddenly panicked when she looked at the wall clock.

“What is it?” Niya asked when she saw her expression

“It’s already too late, I would not be able to reach on time”

“Not when I’m here” Jun Pyo announced

“You are in on this too?” Mandy asked

“No, I eavesdropped” he said with no shame. “So, do you want to go or not?” he demanded

“Yes” Mandy smiled to herself and ran towards the door, and Jun Pyo followed.

Mandy came out of the room and saw F3 and Jan Di and Ga Eul standing there, smiling at her.

“Eavesdropping?” Mandy inquired and everyone nodded

“Let’s go then” Jun Pyo said

“Ok” and Mandy started to run. Jun Pyo followed her and they hopped into the first sedan and Jun Pyo was driving.

“I should probably drive you know” Mandy said

“What do you mean?” Jun Pyo asked

“It’s a right hand drive” Mandy gestured

“I’ll be fine” Jun Pyo smirked and he revved up the engine and drove on.

At the Jaipur International Airport, Sanganer

Ji Hoo had just arrived at the airport in the cab. He paid the fare and took out the carry bag that had his essentials like passport and wallet and such. He went over to the check in desk and handed over the ticket he had been faxed by the tour and travels’ guy.

“Mr. Yoon, your flight to Seoul is exactly on time; we hope you had a nice stay in India and would come back soon” the desk girl smiled at him.

He then started to walk towards the check in area.

In the car

“Will you slow down a little? I want to reach there alive” Mandy scolded Jun Pyo, who was driving the normal car in sports car mode

“I have to make you reach there on time, no matter what” he muttered and pressed the gas pedal even further.

The car screeched to a halt in front of the entrance gate of the airport and Mandy, still dressed in her rose pink lehenga, stepped out of the car and ran inside.

She scoured the whole area, but couldn’t see Ji hoo anywhere. She started to roam around the whole premises and went over to the eateries. She snooped into every shop and shouted Ji Hoo’s name but couldn’t find him anywhere. She had started to cry and had misty eyes because of that, that’s why she didn’t see the luggage cart that was coming her way, with its owner running after it. She was just at a few metres distance from the cart when Jun Pyo pulled her out of the way.

“Are you okay?” he shook her

“He’s gone” Mandy wailed and fell into his arms. He escorted Mandy to the nearest seat; “I’ll be right back” he said and went to bring some water for her.

Mandy just sat at the bench and tears just couldn’t stop flowing from her eyes. A little girl and her mother sat in the seats adjascent to her’s.

“Oh, mumma, this is the same girl” the little girl said

Mandy’s ears pricked up and she looked at the little girl.

“I’m so sorry; I think my daughter has you confused for someone else” the mother said politely

“No, she is the girl who was on that uncle’s ipad” the little girl insisted “Your name is Mandeep right?” she asked Mandy

“How do you know?”

“You are her; you are doctor uncle’s girlfriend” the little girl smiled

At first Mandy couldn’t register what was going on, but then she looked at the little girl with a smile

“Where did you meet him?” Mandy asked

“At the coffee shop” the mother answered “I think he is still there” she added

“No, his flight would have already taken off”

“That can’t be, he is on the same flight as us.” The mother said

After that Mandy ran towards the first coffee shop she could see. She entered and stopped when she saw that Ji Hoo was not there. She felt defeated, she was about to go back to the bench when she heard something drop behind and someone gasp too. she turned around and there he was, standing in the middle of the area, with the ipad on the floor.

Mandy moved towards him and picked up the ipad which had fallen to the ground.

“Is this the way to treat a gift, huh? Thank god I bought you protective covers with it” Mandy smiled at him

“Y-you, you” Ji Hoo stuttered as Mandy handed him the ipad

“Where do you think you are going?” she demanded

“I uh, I…”

“I thought you promised me you’d elope with me” Mandy said with a pout

“Elope?” Ji Hoo asked, confused

“I broke off my marriage” she said dramatically

“Huh, why?”

“It was not gonna work between me and him” she sighed

“But why?”

“Turns out I’m in love with someone else”

“Who?”

“You” Mandy said and looked at him straight in the eyes

“But, I thought he was you first love”

“Correction, he was my first crush, a lot of difference between that”

“But what about your parents?”

“My mom agreed, and she told me she is gonna convince my dad”

“And Gagan?”

“He actually teamed up with Niya, didi and mom and made me realize that I am in love with you”

“Will you just say that once more” he said breathlessly

“I love you Yoon Ji Hoo” she said and Ji Hoo scooped her up from the ground and spun her around.

“You love me” he shouted in joy

“Yes, what about you?” Mandy smirked at him

“How about I show you” he smirked at her and dragged her to a quite corner.

“Why are we here?” Mandy asked

“I’m not going to share our first kiss with the world” he said

“Oh Good, coz it’s like also not allowed around here to kiss in public areas and I don’t want to get in trouble for such a thing and…”

“Mandy?”

“Hmmn”

“Shut Up” he said and moved in for their first kiss.

“You know, I could still transfer the tickets in your name”

“What tickets?” Ji Hoo asked

“You know, my honeymoon tickets”

“Hmmn, we’ll talk about that, but first I need to do this” and he moved in for the kill the second time.

One more Chapter to goooo