"No. It's really happening." she answered. "No way. It's my dream. You are convincing me in my dream as this is reality." he said stubbornly swinging her sideways a little. "I told you ,it's not a dream" she said gently. "Even if it is a dream, I want to be here in your arms forever. I don't want to wake up" he said as he closed his arms towards himself almost choking Krishna in his hold.... Krishna "this is real. Should I pinch you?" asked innocently. "I'm sure it won't hurt. Feel free to do so" he said confidently. Krishna let out a smirk, gradually loosened her hold on him, brought her right wrist to his left waist, she pinched it as hard as she could leaving a bruise. "Aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh" he screamed so loud. Krishna let out a loud laugh. He continued laughing with her with a hand still holding her while the other is busy rubbing the area she just pinched. "Does it hurt a lot? I told you it's not a dream." she said with a sad face feeling guilty for pinching him hard. Karunakar lifted her chin making her look straight into his eyes, stroking her cheek with other hand "no no. I'm really glad it's not a dream. I really am." As he put their foreheads together. Krishna put her hand around his waist. "Priya... how did you tell your father?" he asked curiously. "He saw me fidgeting around him so father asked me if I want something, then I answered your name, father said okay." she said with such a calm expression that made him doubt if it was real. But she can't lie. So he believed her. "That's it....! Is it over? So simple?" he asked her to reconfirm. She nodded ,"firstly I was confused just like you. But I clearly remember him saying he'll give you to me and morning too, when I went to ask for permission to meet you, before I could talk completely he said that I can go" she explained a little clearly. He cupped her face looking at her intently thought to himself "I can marry you now. I just have tell this at my home." he kissed her forehead, "we can get married. I'm really happy" told as he planted another kiss on her tip of the nose. She held onto his shirt with her fingers, tightened the grip as she moved himself towards her, lifted her head gently ,tilting her head a little, placed a kiss on his right side of the neck. His eyes closed shut from the touch of her soft moist lips on him. "I'm happy too. Really happy." she said leaning on to his chest.
They sat under the mango tree Karunakar leaning against the tree and Krishna with her knees drawn to her. Her shy self returned unable to look at him properly, looked at her toes as she played with those. "Priya, do you think it will be received in the same way as your father in my home?"he asked cautiously. Krishna looked like she can't answer but "I can't say for sure how it turns out to be but I'll be happy if they agree" clasped her hands tightly around her knees as she said those. "What if they don't agree?" Karunakar asked measuring the minute changes in her face that is half buried in her knees. "We can ask them till they agree. Right ?" she told sternly. His lips showed a smug at her confidence. "Haa, did you hear about Aparna's marriage proposal? " he asked. She nodded, "she mentioned it to me when she came to our house two days before. She told me she didn't give an answer. I know till that. Why?" she replied as she lifted her head still arms over her knees. " is that so? Then she'll be coming to your house to tell about the remaining story. I better not tell anything" he stopped that there.
"Priya..." he called. She nodded. "Why don't you answer instead of nodding?" he sulked. "Tell me" she replied. "It's really like a dream. I never thought you would like me. I never thought I could tell about my feelings. I never thought I could marry you. I'm really living my dream if I marry you. I don't think I want anything in this lifetime, but for the seven life's to come, I still want to love you ,adore you, marry you. Can I? " he almost choked on his tears. "I will marry you, no matter how many times. This will not change, not just for seven lifetimes but many more that are waiting for us."her eyes moistened as she told these. He placed his hand over her knee soon she placed her hand over his strokingit gently before holdingit. They both are at the verge of tears overflowing with joy. Krishna leaned on to him and fell asleep in no time as she couldn't sleep properly the last night. Now that the excitement turned to comfort, she fell asleep. He didn't wake her up instead took her appearance into his mind.
She opened her eyes after a long time and was startled when she felt a weight over her head. He fell asleep as he watched her. Startling made him awaken "you woke up?" he asked. "Hmm. Why did you just let me sleep. You should have woken me up." she asked as she straightened herself from him and fixing her hair strands. "Who would be cruel enough to wake you up when you're sleeping like a three months old baby.?"he replied. Her eyes and mouth wide opened from his comparison. He took into her arms quickly at her shoulders, "so innocent and pure who can't even lie. Really like a baby." placed a kiss on her temple with a pop sound swaying her around. She held on to his arms and let herself move along with the swing with a grin from ear to ear. .... they lost the track of time.
Krishna arrived home late when sun is at 50⁰ angle to the earth surface. She was thoroughly interrogated by Kasthuri about her reason for late arrival. Krishna explained her about the incident with father and told her meeting with Karunakar.
Kasthuri was happy for her as she knew about her feelings. But Kasthuri won't let their reputation tarnish.....