Mohabbat (2)

 – – – 

At the same time. Lijie walked out of the  immigration office doors dragging he's suitcase and walked straight to where he's car and chauffeur where standing.

And immediately Bahai put up a smile  and walked to open the door for him, "Good morning sir," he said and grabbed the suitcase out of Lijie's hands.

" What is good about the morning? Beijing makes me sick." He replied and pulled the passenger's seat-door open and got in.He switched on he's phone and then typed a message to Akarui 'Good morning Bro. I was asking if you can rehearse with Cadeau even today?  it's just that I've arrived and I feel very tired though I'll see her at the venue later in the afternoon. Ohh and please don't tell her I've arrived.' He added a pleading emoji clicked the send button. He waited for a delivery report and then switched it back off. 

"Head to the office" he told Bahai.

"okay sir, but just a reminder on your schedule, I was told you are to rehearse with Miss Cadeau this afternoon at the dance season building," 

"Am in no mood for that" Lijie replied, " it is she who needs to practice, I already know the dance, and plus from the beginning she was dancing with Akarui- so today is no exception," He looked out the window and added, "besides, I never wanted to attend those •mohabbat rehearsals nowonder I lied about my trip to New York"

"what!" Bohai's jaw dropped with a sway of the car "you mean..? No, you're joking right? " 

"I wish I was, but no. I find nothing interesting in dancing moreover, I can't be dancing for a whole week like am a cheerleader or something, that's rubbish" 

Bohai held he's breath but he couldn't resist to prob on. "Sir, you mean for a week you let your fiancee do the mohabbat dance rehearsal with your bestfriend and you felt nothing?" 

"yes! Whats wrong with that?" Lijie nearly shouted.

"No, no sir, it's nothing" he said firmly. 

"Good! Now focus and drive" He commanded.

– – –

Making it the same time in Chaoyang park area....

Akarui was in his bedroom with his solicitor, maid, and his favourite designer who came all the way from Moscow with he's assistant.

He was trying on his Royal blue •Sherwani suit so he's designer could make the final alterations to see if it was perfect according to what he Wanted. The suit itself was originally made in India by he's same designer who had personally gone there for inspiration on Akarui's request.

Cadeau's wedding was the following evening and more than anyone Akarui wanted to look the best. This was he's brother's wedding, Akarui and lijie had practically grown up together- their families were the best two the whole city, they had attended the same schools, studied the same things, done the same things and of course had the same choice when it came to women!

" I need to look good tomorrow," Akarui retaliated,

He had said it over and over that day that Lijie and Cadeau's wedding was not like these cheap weddings he could attend even when he was drunk and so he's presence was to be felt.

" Two of my most important people are getting married, I need to look magnificent, infact I need to glow..." Akarui went on and on while everyone was watching and giggling in silence to how ridiculous he sounded compared to how serious he was,

 "..now you guys need to tell me how he looks and which areas need to be readjusted, okay? and be sincere please. So how's it? " he turned Akarui to face  everyone

 

" wow..!" to me he looks Amazing.." Akarui's maid was the first to speak, 

" he's glowing as he wanted" Ying Yong told him, " it's perfect to me." 

"I agree with them, you look good. But ummh..maybe just the wrists need a bit of adjustment," he's assistant said looking at Akarui's arms. "I agree to that, I think the rest is superficial," the two of them were looking at the shoulders,

"thank you for being honest, that's what I wanted"

Akarui turned to him and said " I know a designer doesn't complement his own work, but now I ask as a friend, how do I look ?"

"To be honest, It looks good. Even I didn't expect it to look this perfect, Plus, this was my first time designing an Indian suit given am a China based designer. Though I must admit it was hectic," he smiled straightening the color, "but since you insisted we go to India for inspiration, I think that worked and now we're here," he's assistant also added "but we enjoyed our trip, so thank you so much and  we've also decided that our next collection will include cultural clothes to"  

"that's good, I knew you could find yourselves in a different place no wonder I insisted you try. But it's all thanks to you for pulling out this Amazing outfit, so thank you, " he patted he's designers back as if to say I couldn't have made it had it not been for you,

"Alright," he took out his measuring tape " now take it off so I measure your wrist and work on the suit as quick as possible before it costs us hours,"

Akarui was out of the suit in no time and handed it back, " wait, I need to take the computation of your wrist first" he said and measured Akarui's wrist "All good, Now I'll ask if we can use your dinning table for our alteration sawing?"  

" yeah, sure, my maid will lead you," he smiled at her as she stood to usher them out, "this way please," she said and the three of them left the room  just as Akarui's phone vibrated.

He got the phone and clicked the button to read, he was beaming with joy, another day with Cadeau was like a piece of heaven but he didn't know how she was going to feel cause she had been looking forward to practice with her soon to be husband.

He stood up to reply but then thought of calling, it went straight to voicemail, 'typical Lijie' he said out loud

"what is it? " he's solicitor asked

"Lijie isn't coming" he sat back down, "but you know what Ying?" Akarui pointed, "Lijie is very lucky to have Cadeau as his bride, she's one of a kind, so unique and sophisticated. I swear she's a different bracket,"  he glanced at he's phone and breathed out, "but who knows, maybe that is why I fell in love with her- but I hate to admit it cause loving someone else's wife is a sin."  He was slowly getting centimental and he cursed himself for that, he looked around and whispered " but you better keep your mouth shut cause other than you or my mum no one else knows that l Love Cadeau."

He had told he's mum about Cadeau back when he was in highschool, he had shown her pictures, and when he discovered that she's the girl he's bestfriend was bethrothed to he lied saying she had rejected him," 

He suddenly remembered something and laughed, "you know what happened before? back in highschool mom had asked me what I wanted to become when I grew up, and after I showed her Cadeau's picture do you know what I told her, " he held he's mouth to hold back the laughter, 

"what did you tell her?" Ying persisted

"I told her that I wanted to become Cadeau's husband, I told her my only ambition and dream was to marry Cadeau,"  

"what!" Ying bursted out "that's insane man, I bet she hit you for that?"

"She did, but after that she said something like 'what is recalcitrant with man is possible with the almighty."

Akarui stood up to force a smile. He loved Lijie with all he's heart and he wanted to see him happy- with Cadeau.

He quickly wiped a tear and looked at he's friend, " I swear by then I didn't know she was engaged to Lijie, it was never my intention to..." 

"I know Akarui," Ying rubbed he's back, "it will be hard, but you'll be fine. And even though you've always blamed yourself and felt guilty, I want you to know that I believe you, and that you couldn't have done more than not interfering with their relationship," Ying knew Akarui wasn't buying it, but he also knew the load he had been carrying.

Akarui wasn't upset or jealous that Cadeau was getting married to Lijie, he was actually happy knowing that she found happiness in Lijie, someone he  knew and could trust.

But he was disappointed in himself and he's heart for being in love with her all these years even after knowing that a day like that would come when he would be seated preparing for her wedding.

"Akarui are you okay,?"  Ying broke the silence realizing the tension growing,

"yes, am fine. please, everyone enjoy the food," he woke up to where he was. He barely touched he's food and it seems the designer with he's assistant were also afraid to eat, "am sorry, I was texting Cadeau to let her know about Lijie's late coming," he took a spoon but was still not hungry it seemed the appetite left before it came,

"and now you look so impatient," Ying teased him, he didn't responde,

"we know You Akarui" he laughed but Akarui was not paying attention he kept looking at his phone and waiting for Cadeau's reply, he looked at Ying and got back, "if you knew me then you would have known that am in your head Ying, " everyone murmured at the table and Akarui shot him a blink.

• jiéhūn yānhuí –Traditional Chinese wedding 

• Mohabbat – means love in Hindi (it's a love- romantic dance usually performed by couples at parties or ceremonies).