"Bolo Di, Is it a deal this year? Come on Di" Manvi was jumping in joy while waiting for Jeevika to respond. "Kaisa deal Saali Sahiba?" Viren interrupted his wife and his Saali's conversation. "Woh jeeju, I was reconfirming our yearly Holi deal. Haar saal, there will be competition between Di and myself. It is norm that we will put color each other first before anyone else and the competition is who will be the first to color. The loser will have to obey the winner's hukum for a day" Manvi announced the Behna's Holi deal. Viren's smile faded as he heard the deal and Manvi immediately noticed it. " Kya hua Jeeju" Manvi was asked in concern. "Is there any chance for you to compromise your deal this year?" Viren requested. "Kaisa compromise Jeeju?" Manvi quizzed. "Can both of us share the privilege of being the first to apply color on Jeevika tomorrow?" Viren asked. His suggestion left both the sister baffled. "How is that possible" both the sisters asked in unison. "Very simple, let's make a deal Saali Sahiba. I will be the first to color my wife on her left cheek while you will be the first to color your di on her right cheek. Both of our wish will be fulfilled, what say ladies?" Viren presented his case with the best negotiation deal. "Jeeju you are such a genius, it is a pakka deal!" Manvi jumped in joy and left the room. Jeevika couldn't help admiring her lawyer husband who has handled the situation so well without disappointing Manvi and freeing her from her dilemma.
Manvi rose with joy in the morning. She was elated to see extravaganza Holi celebration at the Vandhera mansion. The place was filled with people, music, dance and colors. She has only seen such celebration on movies and today she is part of it. Manvi realized that her mission would be extra difficult this year; firstly she has to locate her Di and reach her before anyone else manages to color her Di or herself for the matter. "Come on Manvi Chowdary, you can do it yaar. Stay focus, stay away from color until you find Di!" Manvi kept on reminding herself while her eye scans for Jeevika in the crowd. "Uff, seems like the whole Chandigarh has flooded the Vandhera house... Di kaha hai tum?" Manvi mumbled to herself. At last, she found Swamini bua introducing her Di to some guest."Didi, here I come" she slyly smiled to herself and went into the crowd while keeping her radar active to avoid any color attack on herself before she accomplish her mission.
Virat's eyes were skimming for his partner, his Bandariya amongst the crowd. He found it disturbing that she was not part of the celebration. He was worried whether she was not well or did anyone forbid her from attending the celebration. Lately she has been apple of the eye for Vandhera clan especially Dadaji and Swamini bua, so it is pretty impossible that someone would have been harsh on her. Suddenly his gaze fell upon a familiar petite figure trying to penetrate thru the crowd. She seems to be very discreet in her act; at the same time it seemed like she was preying on someone. Virat smirked when he saw his Bandariya in action, filled his palms with color and set on his new mission "Mission Bandariya" with the devilish grin on his face. Manvi almost reached her Di when Kadambari chachi whisked Jeevika from the spot to meet some other guest. Manvi was irritated, "If Di needs to meet so many people, then they should just organize a national parade and Di can meet the entire guest at once" she grumbled while looking for hideout to plan her next attempt. Jeevika was also eyeing for Manvi in the midst of entertaining the guest. She has also assigned her husband to spy for his Saali but she was pretty skeptical since he is capable of siding towards his Saali more often. "After all, Manvi didn't earn the name 'Jeeju ki Chamchi' from Virat for no reason" she thought to herself.
Jeevika finally spotted Manvi walking towards the secluded fountain area, she was about go behind her when Vanshika Ma requested Jeevika for an errand. She was unable to decline."Acha toh mere moos yahan chup rahe" she thought to herself and decided to deal with Mannu the moment she is done with her errand. Manvi was sitting at the fountain, planning her next attempt when suddenly she felt presence of an intruder. Before she could strike, she felt her both her cheeks were filled with gulal by a familiar touch. "Aww Di, you won again this year!" she exclaimed and turned with her 500 watts smile and suddenly the smile vanished into shock. The familiar touch, the hand that painted her cheeks with yellow gulal belonged to Virat not her Di. "Virat! Tumne yeh kya kiya!" Manvi gasped in shock. Virat was equally flabbergasted with her reaction; his heart ached the moment her smile faded."Mannu..." Jeevika cried from behind. Manvi's eyes got teary the moment she saw her Di who was standing behind Virat holding the tray of colors. "You broke our tradition Mannu, and you lost again this year" Jeevika joked while pouting her lips pretending to be disappointment. "Di, I'm sorry. Thanks to your Devar, everything is ruined" Manvi replied in low voice. Jeevika sensed the change in Manvi and hugged her, "Arrey Pagal, how can anyone ruin our Holi Mannu. The tradition is not fully broken, my right cheeks is still waiting for you nah" she comforted her. Both the sisters cuddled in their sisterly hug until Viren interrupted. Both the sisters applied color on their cheeks and wished each other again and ended it with their trademark coin flip into the fountain. Then it was the jeeju-saali and bhabhi-devar holi moments before Jeevika and Viren excused themselves. Virat wished Manvi after his bhabhi and bhai left and Manvi replied with curt nod. Her expression didn't match her eyes and for once he was unable to gauge whether she was angry or sad
Virat felt pang of guilt for ruining his Bandariya's Holi. He wanted to apologize to her but she disappeared into the crowd. Virat hurried behind her but he lost her trail. He was about to search for her when Swamini bua requested him to entertain some guest. Despite being physically present, his mind wandered for his Bandariya; he was unsure why he is unable to bear seeing her being sad. Viren salvaged him from the agony, Virat immediately excused himself and left to hunt down his Bandariya and bring back the smile that he snatched. He searched the whole place but she was nowhere to be found, not even in her room. His anxiety was driving him crazy when he found the terrace door open. He mentally smacked his head, "How can I forget the terrace!! This is the place she finds her solace whenever she is happy, down or angry". He slowly tip-toed to the terrace as he didn't want to scare her, he has done enough damage for the day when he heard her conversation with her demised parents.
"Mummy Papa, muhje kya hua? I was supposed to be angry at him for ruining my Holi, breaking our tradition. I was mentally prepared that my Holi will never be the same the day Di got married but this year was an exceptional gift for me. It was like dream come true to continue our tradition which I thought was never possible thanks to Jeeju but yet destiny cheated me in His form. It was Di's right to color my Holi, to color my life not His yet why is this weird feeling overpowering my anger. This is Manvi Chowdary... I was supposed to give him a piece of my mind instead of walking away. Why is my anger crystalizing to tears the moment it meets his gaze? Why am I melting in his smile and why am I crying now when I'm supposed to brewing in fury... Kyu?" she asked her parents.
"Hey partner, can I join you in your private celebration" he asked her. His voice startled her, her body jerked in shock while she turn away to flutter away the tears that was forming in her eyes hoping he has not heard anything. "Tum aur yahan! " she probed him. "Haan mein and was that a Yes or No for my request?" he asked. "It is a free world and this is your house so you can sit wherever you wish" she shrugged. Her felt her sarcasm in her reply and coldness in her tone. Manvi was about to get up when she felt his grip on her wrist, "Thodi dheer ruk jao Manvi. Mera baath suno" he pleaded. "Kya kehna chata hai?" she snapped at him and freed off his grip."Woh actually mein...Woh..." he floundered for words. "Woh Manvi, I'm sorry yaar. I didn't mean to ruin your Holi nor your tradition. Mujhe kuch nahi pata and you didn't bother sharing this with me. Call yourself my partner and never bother sharing this important tradition and plan with me?" he replied. "Waise are you apologizing or blaming me?" she shoots him back. "Acha sunno meri pyari bhabhi ki bhehna, I'm really sorry meri maa" he pleaded by pulling his ears with his trademark smile. "Theek hai beta, your forgiven" she melted in his apologies. "Pakka?" he asked again. "You need a declaration letter?" she mocked at him. "Nah I need your smile to prove it" he smirked and she blushed. Her lips slowly curved into smile fulfilling his wish and he was euphoric.
'Chalo mere partner, we have missed half of the Holi ka mazak. It is time for double masti, let's paint the Vanderas and Chandigarh with colors" he hailed while extending his hand to her. The word "masti" brought back the glee in Manvi's face as she held his hand as they walked out. Suddenly she paused, "Virat ek minute ruko" she cried while running back to the terrace. "Happy Holi partner!" she shouted as she colored his face with raang. "Happy Holi mere Bandariya" he replied her. He was not sure why but he felt so contented to see her smile, her excitement. He wrapped his arms around her shoulder as they walked out to enjoy their Holi.
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