"Nope not her" Vihaan refused as he walked back with his plate to the kitchen.

"But why? This is legit the 20th prospective girlfriend you have rejected. You give me those big-big philosophies of love but refuse to believe in even one. There's only a certain limit up to which I can agree to you hypocrisy" Aarchi argued placing her dishes in the sink after Vihaan.

"And why are there no workers here for heaven's sake?" She asked looking around and realizing that since the moment she was here there was not a sign of life other than Vihaan and her.

"Because I wanted to take advantage of you" Vihaan joked washing his and her plates.

"Oh really? Touch me and kiss your ass goodbye for forever" Aarchi said walking to sink near the dining hall to wash her hands.

"You could wash them here darling" Vihaan said teasing her further. Aarchi took a deep breathe and walked to him and stood extremely close to him until she was head to head with him.

"Don't darling me ever or I will pull your tongue out. Its not an empty threat so don't believe it to be one" She said glaring at him.

"Off this anger. Lower it down lioness, we don't to start hell fire in the kitchen, my father won't be very pleased if he finds his dear cutlery missing" He said surrendering to her. Aarchi pushed him away slightly and washed her hands under the tap and wiped them using the kitchen serviette and threw the serviettes in the dustbin.

"I gave the workers an off. They all deserve it and since it was going to be just me for the night, I didn't need a panel of workers at my back and forth to ensure that I am breathing or I need someone else to do that for" He said placing the washed dishes on the rack and wiping his hands on the kitchen towel.

"If it were any other girl, they would have suggested to wash the dishes you know" He said throwing the kitchen towel at her.

"Sad for you that I'm not them. I can't really insult my father who's ensured I've never had to wash a single dish in my life wash at someone else's house" Aarchi threw it back which obviously hit his head.

"You are such a spoilt brat, so opposite to Avi and Arya" Vihaan said looking at her with amusement. 

"I am so? I am papa ki pari and I don't take it as an insult because I like being my father's princess" She said with a proud smile.

"So Princess Ranawat if your Mr. Gautam would have still been your present, wouldn't you have done all this?" Vihaan asked hanging the kitchen towel back in its place.

"I would have... I would have molded myself in anyway he'd want me to mold into" She said with a sad smile and turning away from him. She walked to the kitchen garden and stood there. Vihaan followed her and stood by her silently. Both remained silent as the cold wind of the night calmed their nerves.

"I would have washed the dishes but I have a tendency of breaking any glass cutlery within my reach. I picked the plate from the dining hall to kitchen with so much care that if I was in contact with it for any longer, I would break them intentionally. Mumma removes the glass cutlery only for guests or else at home we eat using gold/silver plates" She looked up at him hoping her eyes portrayed her feelings to him.

"I was teasing you. Everyone knows your habit of breaking glass items, Ranawat Palace is like my second home you know?" He bent his down to her side still looking at the star filled night.

"You haven't been home after you returned, except the other time but you know like the way you used to be when bhaiyus were there" She said crossing her arms at her chest and looking ahead.

"Its not the same without your idiotic brothers" He said chuckling remembering that indeed it was long since he was at her place.

"Why do you call them 'bhaiyu' instead of 'bhai' or 'bhaiya'?" Vihaan asked smiling at how cute it sounded and how he asked his parents to return Arush to where they got him from and get him a sister who'd call him like how Aarchi called her brothers.

"It is what I have been calling them ever since I started talking and with time it kind of got stuck with me, plus it sounds more personal, like I have a right on them, they are mine, they are my people" Aarchi said with a wide smile, missing the warmth of her brothers.

"You miss them?" He asked turning towards her.

"Of course, I do but they have their lives so ehh you just need to get used to it. They have their stuff to do while I have my shit to handle so even if they were to return, it wouldn't be the same" She said turning around to look at him.

"Is that what you and Arush bonded over? We all left together, and you and Arush were the ones who were left behind" Vihaan asked wanting to know more from her.

"Probably, I don't know. I was never the one to make friends, if given an option, I'd lock myself in a room as long as there's constant supply of food and wifi, 0 contact with any human being, best life" She said asking him to follow her inside as they walked to the living room.

"You and bhaiyus weren't really welcoming when you guys were together, so we had to sort of just become friends to avoid boredom. You all were downright mean and you all resembled those brothers of Kevin from Home Alone, I hated them" She continued the conversation as he listened to her patiently.

"We weren't trying to be mean to you both but you guys weren't ready for what we were doing, it was all sorts of stuff that could get everyone punished by their parents" Vihaan said chuckling reminiscing how he'd return home and complain to Veer and Ridhima about Arush tagging him everywhere.

"We were curious beings okay. We wanted to be a part of you especially after you all just looked down at us, we wanted to prove we were old enough to do whatever you all were doing. Its just a younger siblings thing you won't understand" She argued back trying hard to not smile but it either way formed its way on her lips.

"Do you think Arush hates me?" Vihaan asked suddenly making her look at him surprised.

"Why do you think that?" She counter asked.

"He... He hasn't talked much to me since I've returned" Vihaan replied running a hand over his face.

"Incase he hasn't tried much but have you tried? You go and talk to him, probably he is waiting for you to make the first move" She said dropping in some hints for him to catch onto after her and Arush's conversation before Vihaan came.

"How are you so good at this? Everything just looks doable when you say it like that" Vihaan asked wondering how she could say something so deep like it was just a few words put together.

"You are just exaggerating it. Saying it and doing it are two different things, and haven't you heard 'Easier said than been done'. Its called external motivation where you look for that tick mark on your checklist from someone else" She said stretching her neck and standing up.

"I'll leave now, its quite late. Take a look over the pictures I've messaged you and please keep an open mind when considering them" She said reaching out for her purse and turning to bid him farewell.

"A driver will drop you, don't go alone" Vihaan said placing his hands inside his jeans pockets.

"I can drive, its just a 15 minute drive" She said shaking her head.

"Then let me drive you" He offered but seeing her glare he backed off.

"Text me as soon as you reach home" He said in a non-negotiable tone. She showed him her thumbs agreeing to his conditions. 

"See ya" Vihaan said as they reached the entrance. Aarchi smiled and waved back at him as a valet brought her car and opened the door for her.

"Thanks for having me" She said before closing the door.

"Anytime" He replied.

'Don't forget to text" He reminded her.

"Fine mum" She replied laughing at his sternness.

______________

Aarchi reached the Ranawat palace and rushed inside to find Rishav on Kaira's lap as they watched a movie. She texted Vihaan that she reached home once she was in front of her home gate. He replied to her text with a thumb's up.

"Bho" She screamed as both Kaira and Rishav looked up at her with a smile.

"Why does no one get scared?" She made a face and sat beside Kaira, placing her head on her shoulder.

"Because we aren't kids anymore and we know your 'bho' so we aren't scared of it" Kaira replied smiling and patting her cheek. Aarchi pulled her legs up and relaxed as they watched the movie.

"Papa..." Aarchi pocked Rishav's cheek when she saw his eyes closed.

"He's sleeping already" Aarchi said to Kaira in shock at how her father managed to fall asleep within moments of a movie starting.

"Bring work to him and then play a movie then he won't sleep but when it comes to watching a movie with me, yeah, he falls asleep at the speed of light" Kaira said hitting Rishav's sleeping head softly. Aarchi glared at Kaira for hitting her father and placed her hands on Rishav's face protecting him.

"Such a daddy's girl you are" Kaira teased her.

"But I am your girl too"  Aarchi said wrapping her arms around Kaira.

"Maa" Aarchi called Kaira as she laid her head on her shoulder.

"Hmm" Kaira hummed as she watched the movie.

"I didn't even think about Gautam once today. Earlier I was busy at work so didn't have time for anything other than that and later at the Malhotra Mansion, I... I didn't think of him even once. Is it okay?" Aarchi asked in a soft voice.

"He never moved on from that girl but remained in a relation with you. You didn't deserve to be played so if he's not on your priority list, it doesn't matter because he doesn't deserve one your thought even" Kaira held Aarchi's hand and placed her head on top of hers and explained.

"Do what makes your heart happy. You don't need to punish your heart by remaining sad by remembering his memories" Kaira rubbed Aarchi's hand passing her warmth to her.

"I love you" Aarchi kissed Kaira's cheek and hugged her tightly until she also fell asleep on her shoulder and Kaira was squeezed between two big kids, one bigger than the other one for obvious reasons.

"Rish..." She tapped Rishav's shoulder to wake him up but instead he held her hand and snuggled to that. 

"Our kids are grown but this one refuses to grow at all" She said chuckling and finding a way to escape both the father-daughter. Once out of the captive, she looked at them and smiled. She took her phone and clicked their picture and posted it on their family group before turning to Rishav.

She knelt down and kissed his forehead and whispered his name, making him open his sleepy eyes and look at her with a smile.

"Let's go to the room" She said indicating him to go to the room. Rishav nodded his head and stood up to find Aarchi sleeping peacefully on the couch, comfortable where she was.

"Let me carry her to her room" Rishav said walking closer to Aarchi.

"She's sleeping, I'll go get a blanket and cover her with it. Don't disturb my princess's sleep" Kaira said swatting away Rishav's hands.

"I can carry her up" Rishav said with a pout.

"And wake her up, no thank you, I'll skip the idea" She said walking to the nearest guest room and getting a plush blanket and covering Aarchi in it as Rishav placed a pillow behind her head.

"She still looks the same as the day we brought her home" Rishav said pushing away the hair falling on Aarchi's hair.

"All three of them do when they are sleeping" Kaira said with a smile.

"Let's go" Rishav kissed Aarchi's forehead and held out his hand for Kaira who slid her hand in his.

Without saying anything Rishav carried Kaira bridal style and walked to their room. Kaira tried to protest but he silenced her with a peck.

"I need my good night kiss" He said dropping her onto the bed and closing the bedroom door.

"You are too old for that" She giggled and settled onto her side of the bed to sleep.

"Let me show you how old I am" He pushed the blankets away and looked at her dangerously, causing Kaira to giggle loudly at the anticipation of what was next.