7;💫//Rang barse//💫

Happy holi daisies!!🌼

Yeh, new chapter special on the occasion of holi! Do vote and comment.

~ Happy reading!💖

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The same evening...

The sun had begun to its slow descent, casting an amber glow over the bustling city.

Saanvi let out a small sigh as she stepped out of the hospital, her hands instinctively massaging the tension in her shoulders.

It had been another long day, filled with back-to-back cases, consultations, and a never-ending queue of patients.

Despite her exhaustion, her mind was preoccupied with something-or rather, someone.

She huffed, shaking her head. Nonsense.

Adjusting the strap of her bag, she made her way toward the parking lot where her beloved scooty awaited her.

The ride to home was breezy, but the moment she reached the Oberoi mansion, she felt the fatigue settling in again.

🤍

On the other side of the city, Aniruddh slammed the car door shut, the sleek black Rolls-Royce gliding smoothly into its reserved spot at the Raghuvanshi estate.

His fingers tapped against his thigh as he walked inside, his ever-serious demeanor masking the faint frustration swirling in his chest.

Work had been productive, yet his mind had been annoyingly distracted.

Without another thought, both Saanvi and Aniruddh went straight to their rooms, eager to wash off the day's stress.

The smell of freshly brewed chai wafted through the grand living room, mingling with the warm scent of evening snacks.

Aniruddh sat on the couch, legs crossed, as his family gathered around, discussing the upcoming Holi celebration.

Ekash piped up. "Bhai, this time Holi has to be more fun! Last year, you just stood like a statue the whole time!"

Aadarsh chuckled. "As if this year will be any different. Aniruddh and 'fun' don't go together."

Aniruddh glared at them but didn't bother responding. He had no interest in smearing colors and running around like a fool.

Just then, Geetika's grabbed her phone. The moment she glanced at the screen, her lips curled into a knowing smile.

"Mein na Samarth ko call kar deti hoon," she announced, placing the phone near her ear.

(I will call Samarth,)

The room fell silent as everyone leaned in, curious.

🤍

Saanvi settled onto the couch, her feet tucked under her,

Samarth and Sakshi chatted about the festival.

Siddharth, as usual, was sprawled on the opposite side, looking at his phone but very much part of the conversation.

"Holi pe kuch special banana hai?" Sakshi mused.

(Want to make something special for Holi?)

"Maa! dahi bhalla or gujiya!!," Siddharth grinned.

(Maa! Dahi Bhalla and Gujiya!!)

Saanvi hummed in agreement, already envisioning the delicious treats.

Just as she was about to add something, Samarth's phone rang. He glanced at the screen, his brows lifting slightly.

"Geetika Maa?" he murmured before answering, his tone instantly respectful. "Namaste, Geetika Maa!"

Meanwhile, in the Raghuvanshi mansion, all eyes were on Geetika as she smiled warmly.

"Samarth, Holi pe aa rahe ho na? Jaise har saal aate ho?" she asked, her voice laced with affection.

(Samarth, you are coming for Holi, right? Like you come every year?)

Aadarsh and Ekash immediately exchanged excited glances.

They missed their little princess-Saanvi. Spending time with her was always fun, much to Aniruddh's annoyance.

Back at the Oberois, Sakshi and Siddharth exchanged questioning looks while Saanvi tilted her head in curiosity.

Samarth hesitated for a moment, thinking. Then, with a small smile, he replied, "Haan, Geetika Maa. Hum kal aarahe hai."

(Yes, Geetika Maa. We are coming tomorrow.)

Sakshi and Siddharth nodded in approval while Saanvi simply blinked.

Wait, what? Not again...

She was in no mood to meet him again, after what he did at the table.

But now, nobody denied what Samarth once said. So, Saanvi has no other option other than to go with them tomorrow.

🤍

The next day...

The Oberoi family arrived at the Raghuvanshi mansion, dressed in pristine white, following their long-held tradition.

The men wore crisp white kurtas, while the women donned elegant white salwar suits.

Saanvi's simple yet graceful look turned heads, but one particular pair of eyes followed her a bit too intensely-only to look away the moment she turned.

(This is Saanvi's outfit)

Aniruddh stood stiffly at the entrance, clad in a white kurta that contrasted against his usual dark aura. He greeted everyone except the one person he was most aware of.

(This is Aniruddh's outfit)

Saanvi, on the other hand, wasn't too keen on acknowledging him either.

Just as she stepped forward, she was tackled-almost knocked off her feet-as Aadarsh and Ekash enveloped her in a bear hug.

"Look who is here!" Aadarsh grinned.

Ekash nodded dramatically. "Finally, someone more important than Aniruddh bhaiya!"

Aniruddh scowled. Ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous.

Once the greetings were done, they all stepped outside.

The mansion's courtyard had been transformed into a vibrant Holi setup-tables laden with colors, water balloons stacked in buckets, and a grand tub of water in the center.

Before the celebrations began, Geetika performed the ritual, offering gulaal to Mahadev, as per tradition.

The tradition was the oldest daughter-in-law of the family, will first offer the gulaal to Mahadev, and then others can start playing.

Then, the chaos began.

Colors exploded in the air as the families laughed, chased, and smeared each other in gulaal.

But in one corner, away from all the madness, stood Aniruddh-sunglasses perched on his nose, arms crossed, looking wholly uninterested.

Saanvi, spotting his untouched, spotless state, smirked.

Challenge accepted.

She scooped up two fistfuls of yellow color and, before he could react.

BAM!

Aniruddh blinked, stunned.

Gasps and chuckles echoed around them.

The yellow powder clung to his face, his white kurta now splattered with bright hues. Saanvi, grinning mischievously, took a step back.

For a second, Aniruddh just stared at her. Then, a slow, dangerous smirk stretched across his lips.

"Oh, you're in for it now, doc," he murmured.

Before she could escape, he grabbed a full plate of red gulaal and upturned it over her.

Her white salwar was now a deep crimson.

Their eyes met-everything else faded. The air crackled with something unspoken. Their families watched in amused silence.

Then-

Ye laal isqh, yeh malaal isqh,

Ye aib isqh, Ye bair isqh,

Ye laal isqh, Ye malaal isqh,

Ye aib iqsh, Ye bair isqh...

Ekash had turned on the speaker.

Reality crashed back in. Saanvi recovered first. With a playful glint in her eyes, she scooped more color and flung it at Aniruddh.

That was all the provocation he needed.

With a growl, he chased after her, the once-immaculate Aniruddh now covered in splashes of color.

Saanvi's laughter echoed through the courtyard, while Aniruddh-unbeknownst to himself-smiled.

Finally catching up, he grabbed her wrist, twirling her around before smearing color onto her cheeks.

Victory.

Aniruddh smirked,"Gotcha doc?"

After 2 hours...

As the colors settled and the laughter began to fade, exhaustion crept in.

The vibrant hues of gulaal clung to everyone's clothes, faces, and hair, marking them in a riot of colors.

The once-pristine white kurtas and salwars were now an abstract canvas of reds, yellows, blues, and greens.

Saanvi stood in the middle of the courtyard, catching her breath, her heart still pounding from all the running and laughter.

A bright shade of red smeared across her cheek, courtesy of Aniruddh's victorious attack.

She looked up to find him standing a few steps away, arms crossed, his once-white kurta now a mess of colors, making him look both ridiculous and annoyingly handsome.

His sunglasses had disappeared somewhere in the chaos, revealing his intense gaze fixed on her.

Their eyes met.

For a fleeting moment, the world seemed to pause. The noise faded, the people around them blurred.

The only thing that remained was the lingering heat between them, a silent challenge, a wordless conversation.

Then, as if the spell had broken, Saanvi scoffed, rolling her eyes. "You still look like a grumpy cat."

Aniruddh arched a brow, his lips twitching. "And you look like a walking tomato."

Before she could retort, Aadarsh clapped his hands together, drawing attention. "Accha chalo, Let's clean up before dinner. Sab apne rooms mein jaker change kr skte hai."

(Accha, let's go. Let's clean up before dinner. Everyone can go to their room and change.)

Ekash, still grinning, nudged Aniruddh. "Bhaiya, you have to admit, this was the best Holi in years."

Aniruddh only hummed in response, not bothering to argue.

Geetika, ever the gracious host, turned to Sakshi. "I had a feeling you all would stay for dinner, so I asked the staff to prepare extra clothes for you. You can change upstairs."

Sakshi smiled warmly. "Geetika Maa, you're always a step ahead."

With that, the Oberois headed inside, guided to the guest rooms where fresh clothes awaited them.

🤍

Saanvi stepped into the guest bathroom, sighing as she took in her reflection.

Her salwar was stained beyond repair, and her hair was a tangled mess of color.

She chuckled, running a hand through her strands, watching as red and yellow dusted her fingertips.

After washing up, she changed into a soft, peach-colored salwar suit that Geetika had arranged.

It was simple yet elegant, and as she stepped out, she felt significantly lighter, refreshed.

(This is her outfit)

Downstairs, the dining area had been set up beautifully.

The long, polished table was filled with an array of dishes-hot puris, spicy aloo sabzi, fragrant biryani, crispy pakoras, and, of course, the festival's highlight-gujiyas and thandai.

The atmosphere was warm, filled with easy laughter and conversation.

The elders sat at one end, discussing family matters, while the younger ones occupied the other side, teasing and joking.

Siddharth smirked at Saanvi as she took her seat. "Kya baat hai, Saanu. Lagta hai kisi ne Holi ka asli rang chadha diya."

(What's the matter, Saanu? Looks like someone applied the real colors of Holi.)

Saanvi narrowed her eyes. "Chup, hoja!"

(Shut it!)

Ekash grinned, adding, "Bhaiya ko toh zabardasti kheechna pada. Warna aaj bhi ek kone mein khade rehte."

(We had to forcefully pull Bhaiya. Otherwise, even today, he would have been standing in a corner.)

Aniruddh, who had just taken a seat, shot him a look. "Main yehin hoon."

(I'm here only.)

Aadarsh laughed. "Good. Phir toh accept bhi kar lo ke tumhe maza aaya."

(Good. Then you should also accept that you enjoyed it.)

Aniruddh simply picked up his spoon, ignoring them.

As they ate, the conversation flowed effortlessly.

Stories from past Holis were shared, and moments of childhood mischief revisited.

At some point, Geetika began recounting a tale from when Aniruddh and Aadarsh were young, their rivalry even back then causing chaos.

Saanvi listened, amused, sneaking glances at Aniruddh, who, despite his usual stoic nature, seemed somewhat at ease in this setting.

As the meal came to an end, Geetika insisted everyone have at least one glass of thandai.

The younger ones, however, had their own idea.

"Bhang wali thandai hai kya?" Ekash whispered conspiratorially.

(Is there any bhang thandai?)

Siddharth smirked. "Kya lagta hai?"

(What do you think?)

Saanvi gasped, swatting his arm. "Don't even think about it! Pichhli baar yaad hai kya hua tha?"

(Don't even think about it! Remember what happened last time?)

Ekash snickered. "Bhai ko toh waise bhi control nahi rehta."

(Bhaiya doesn't have any control anyway.)

Aniruddh shot him a glare. "Tu zyada nhi bol raha hai!"

(Aren't you talking too much!)

🤍

With their stomachs full, the group moved to the spacious living area.

The elders settled into their usual discussions about business and family matters, while the youngsters sprawled across the sofas and floor, chatting about anything and everything.

Aadarsh stretched, leaning back into the couch. "So, what's next on the agenda? Koi trip plan karein?"

(Should we plan some trip?)

Siddharth nodded. "Goa? Manali?"

Ekash scoffed. "Bhai humari zindagi utni aazaad nahi hai."

(Bro, we don't have that much freedom in our life.)

Saanvi chuckled. "Koi na Ekash, us bro us!" She nodded towards Aniruddh and Siddharth, both buried in their work schedules.

Aniruddh, who had been silent, finally spoke. "Mujhe kaam hota hai."

(I have work to do.)

Ekash groaned. "Aapki har baat 'kaam' se shuru aur 'kaam' pe khatam hoti hai."

(Everything you say starts with 'work' and ends with 'work'.)

Saanvi, enjoying his irritation, added, "Bohot boring life hai, Inki."

(His life is very boring.)

He arched a brow. "At least mujhe tumhare tarah har chhoti chhoti baat pe chilana nahi padta."

(At least I don't have to shout at every small thing like you.)

Aadarsh popped his head up with a smirk forming in his lips. He was clearly about to tease them again.

Aadarsh smirked. "tum dono ka ek episode shoot karna chahiye. 'Tom and Jerry: Holi Special'."

(We should shoot an episode of you two. 'Tom and Jerry: Holi Special'.)

Laughter filled the room, and despite Aniruddh's usual grumpiness, even he couldn't help the small smirk that tugged at his lips.

As the night deepened, the four of them-Saanvi, Aniruddh, Aadarsh, and Ekash-found themselves in Ekash's room.

It had started with Ekash and Aadarsh dragging Aniruddh in.

"You can't escape this time, bhai." Ekash grinned.

They lounged comfortably, reminiscing about old times, teasing each other, and discussing random things.

The air was light, devoid of the usual tensions.

At one point, Saanvi sighed, stretching her arms. "Aaj toh bahut maza aaya."

(I had a lot of fun today.)

Aadarsh agreed. "Rare moments, Princess."

Aniruddh leaned back, listening quietly, his gaze flickering to Saanvi once in a while.

Somewhere in the middle of their conversation, the clock struck 9 PM.

Samarth's voice echoed from downstairs. "Saanu, Siddharth ghar nhi jaana hai?"

(Saanu, Siddharth, don't you want to go home?)

Saanvi sighed,"Arey, haa...Magar mujhe nhi jaana."

(Ohh yes... but I don't want to go.)

Ekash grinned. "Toh rukja aur, Permanent yahi shift ho jaa."

(So don't go and shift here permanently.)

Samarth's voice called out again, and reluctantly, the siblings got up to leave.

As they stood near the door, exchanging final words, Aadarsh casually ruffled Saanvi's hair. "Agle saal bhi aise hi Holi khelenge."

(We will play Holi in the same way next year too.)

She smiled. "Pakki baat."

(Sure thing.)

With that, they bid their goodbyes and left.

Aniruddh stood at the doorstep, watching their car disappear down the driveway.

He had no idea why, but for some reason, the mansion felt a little quieter than before.

As Aniruddh returned inside, Ekash smirked. "Kya soch rahe ho, bhaiya?"

(What are you thinking, bhaiya?)

Aniruddh scoffed. "Kuch nahi."

(Nothing)

But as he walked up to his room, wiping away a stray bit of gulaal from his wrist, he found himself smirking slightly.

What was it? Was was he behaving like that...

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Guysss!!! So sorry, bola tha Holi mein special update magr Jab Holi khatam ho rahi hai tab update kr rhi hoon...🥲😭

Accha woh sab chodo, Happy holi again!!💖

Love you daisies🌼.

And next update Tuesday ko!🫶🏻

Stay tuned.

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