"Hmph! As if you don't know what you have done. Let me remind you then," saying this, she freed herself from my hold and went to grab her bag which was tossed on one of the chairs.

After grabbing her bag, she took out a tissue from it and left the bag there itself. Then she came towards me, holding a tissue in her hand, and stood facing me

She waved that tissue before my face and wiped the place of her hand where I had held her earlier.

After that, she gave me a look and started gaping at that tissue while scrunching her nose as if she was most disgusted by the sight of it.

All the while, not understanding anything, I just stood there, watching her as if she was doing some circus. At last, I couldn't control myself and asked her.

"I didn't understand anything at all. Why are you doing all this?" I asked while shrugging my shoulders.

"It means you really don’t remember anything at all. God! Didn't you do the same thing at the airport just because I touched you accidentally? " she asked me in exasperation, repeating the same action of wiping her hand again.

Suddenly, my eyes widened in realization and I understood where she was coming from. Now everything dawned upon me as to why she was throwing daggers at me at the airport.

"This girl had completely mistaken my actions," I thought in my mind with a sigh.

"I did that because when you bumped into me, your hot chocolate got spilled over my hand. So, I wiped it. I clearly don't understand what was there to be misunderstood about?" I explained my stance and she turned her face to another side, embarrassed. Still, she looked like she didn’t want to back down yet.

"Then how do you explain about the dumping of your suit jacket that day?" She asked me in a challenging tone. I bit back my smile while listening to her.

"I won't tell you. Instead, I will show you," saying this, I again held her wrist and pulled her towards me.

With a jerk, she landed on me. By placing a hand on the back of her head, I pressed her more into me.

While she remained wide-eyed at my actions. I could her furious heartbeats as if it were running a marathon. Even my condition was not any better.

I just wanted to tease her to see her reaction, but I didn't expect that my one mischief would evoke strange feelings in me. By holding her so close to my heart, I felt so content as if that place was just made only for her.

I was shocked at my own thoughts and immediately released my hold on her.

She might not realize that I already released my hold on her as she was still staying in the same position with a flustered face, clutching either side of my shirt with her hands as if her life depended on it.

Even though I became self-conscious, seeing her like that, I couldn't help from teasing her a bit.

"Not willing to let go of me? Do you like to stay in that position that much?" I asked her with a teasing smile playing on my face.

If anyone of my friends saw me behaving like that, they would get the shock of their lifetime. Why wouldn’t they when I, myself, was shocked after witnessing this new avatar of mine?

After hearing what I had said, she came back to her senses and released her hold on me immediately as if she had touched the fire, realizing that I had released my hold.

Her flustered look was a sight to watch. Only she knew whether the redness was due to anger or due to embarrassment. After composing herself, she started shouting by pointing her finger at me angrily.

“You...stinky hooligan. What were you doing by pulling m.." she faltered after seeing something which had appeared brightly on my white shirt.

"I think you got your answer now," I said, seeing her looking at my shirt.

She looked at me with an embarrassed face and was looking like she was about burst out into tears. She started muttering something incoherent to herself while I was quite enjoying her plight.

"I didn't know my single action had affected you this much. Don't tell me you were cursing me all this time. If yes, then you owe me a big apology, " I asked her while cocking my eyebrows at her, crossing my hands over my chest.

After hearing my words, she appeared to me even more embarrassed and tried to reason out.

"Why should I apologize to you when I didn't even know the reason behind your actions?" She retorted back, not showing any willingness to apologize to me.

"That's exactly what I am saying; you didn't know the reason, yet you assumed everything and misunderstood me. You must have been cursing me to death since then. So you clearly owe me an apology. Do you know when you realize that you have misunderstood someone completely and cursed them in your heart, then you have to apologize to them? In your words, that's a basic courtesy," I replied with a taunting smile on my face, using this chance to get even with her for riling me up earlier.

"What a petty man,” she muttered audibly which I chose to ignore.

" I am sorry," she said while gritting her teeth.

"Say it again with a smile," I asked, making her even more riled up.

"I am sorry," she said in a sickly-sweet voice with a fake smile, making my body cringe in disgust. After saying, she shouted "Go to hell!" at me while stomping her foot.

Suddenly we heard full-blown laughter from mom's room, making us rushed into the room only to see that mom had woken up and was laughing to herself. I immediately went to her and asked when she had woken up.

"When you guys started your banter," she replied, making us somewhat embarrassed and she looked at both of us or to say precisely at my shirt and Daksha's lips thoughtfully.

I immediately scolded myself mentally for this slip-up. Now I am sure, she will definitely cook up her own version of the story, and after I know what's going to come in my way

After a while of looking at us, she started smiling to herself as if she had won a lottery and I know what's going to come in my way.

"Maa, how are you feeling? Are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere? " I inquired. Though I was trying to divert her attention, I was genuinely concerned about her health.

"Don't worry Ajju. I am completely fine," She said using my nickname in front of Daksha, making me embarrassed.

"Maa. Stop calling me that. When can she get discharged?" I protested and asked Daksha, still thinking that my mom should at least give me some face to maintain my image.

"She can get discharged by this evening," she replied.

"No, I won't. I want to stay here for two more days. Just keep me under observation. What if something happens to me when I am home," mom refused immediately upon hearing Daksha's words. I looked at her with a frown and I know she is up to something. Whatever, as long as I won't be the one to be at the receiving end, she is allowed to do whatever she wants to do.

"Aunty, you don't need to worry. Your condition is stable now. You can go home happily," Daksha assured her, thinking that mom was worried about her condition and that was why she was refusing to get discharged. I sighed inwardly and shifted my gaze to mom when I saw her looking at me pleadingly.

"Let her be. She will get a discharge whenever she feels like," I said as I couldn't say "No" after seeing her pleading gaze.

Though Daksha seemed to be reluctant, nonetheless she agreed to it.

I went to call my assistant to get me some spare clothes and ordered him to cancel all my appointments for the next three days as I intended to accompany my mom.

When I saw Daksha, leaving the room, I went inside. My mom has yet realized my presence and is grinning herself while muttering, "Maybe this illness is a blessing in disguise,"

Seeing her behavior, I seriously don't know what is up to.