Kartik's parents had already left for the orphanage. 
Everyone was joyous after meeting Khushi and seeing her laugh after all those days. They were going to surprise her with a new bicycle.
Aashna still believed that Drishti was involved in questionable endeavours, but introducing Khushi to the bicycle and letting her decide whether to keep it was important. If Khushi denied the acceptance of the bicycle, Aashna would go to lengths to keep the bicycle and Drishti, away from everyone. She had made a firm decision on it. 
On their way, Abeer noticed a difference in Girisha. She wore a simple kurti and dupatta combo, very unusual from what she would usually wear. The outfit gave Girisha a girly, pretty-ish look with a natural blush enhancing her face. A tiny black bindi made from eyeliner and grey, oxidised jhumke elevated her look.
As dolled up as she was for the day, it was itching Abeer to ask her, "Hey, Girisha."
"Haan?" Girisha's tone was extra lovely since morning.
"Why that girlfriend outfit?"
Girisha choked on her own saliva. "H— Haa?"
"You look like a fresh–outta-date girlfriend right now." Abeer chuckled. 
"Girlfriends wear this?" She tried composing herself. "Hmm. Anyway. How would I know..." She said in her usual, dominating tone and looked out of the window of the car. 
Aashna was furtively smiling throughout the conversation. The moment Girisha turned away her attention, Aashna tugged on Abeer's sleeve and pulled him closer, making him lean his head to listen to her. 
"She couldn't but... You had mentioned about Gauri di coming with us, remember?" Aashna whispered in his ear. 
With the leaned-in head, he tilted his neck to get a better view of Aashna's expression. She only smiled leaving to him the responsibility of reading between the lines.
Seeing the doe eyes and mischievous smile, Abeer pressed his lips in an attempt to suppress his upcoming hysterical laugh. 
"Giiiiirishaaaaaa~~" He sang with his eyes still locked with Aashna's. 
Hearing his notorious call to Girisha, Aashna quickly let go of her tug on his sleeve and looked away with widened eyes, her push making him turn to Girisha.
Girisha turned to him.
"You look very pretty, hehe." He gave her an ear-to-ear smile with the most genuine compliment to ever exist.
Kartik looked over to notice Khushi in her dreamland, resting her head on the side window. He had always admired her sleeping face and now that he would be having a sister, his admiration had increased a hundred-fold.
- X - X - X - X - X -
Back at the neighbourhood, the driver stealthily entered the cafe, and surprisingly found it empty. He assumed it was because they would be bringing their employee after her hospital stay.
The same employee he had mercilessly driven over, that night. The same employee whom he was paid to almost kill. An employee of the cafe that belonged to a new friend of his ex-employer's son, Mr Abhimanyu Rajput. 
This was his third time being endowed with a dangerous task.
The first time, he was ordered to leave a drunk Abhimanyu at the restaurant. A couple was appointed for some further maltreatment in his weak state but turned out that a girl had popped up from somewhere and changed the course of the driver's planned events. 
The second time was on the day of Abhimanyu's college round of the competition. After dropping Abhimanyu at his home, his target shifted to Aashna.
He followed Aashna to her internship workplace and then back home, always looking for the right opportunity to get rid of her, but failed. She had entered a different building than hers, confusing him.