A Secret Gift: Flowers in His Hair
The teasing had not stopped. If anything, it had grown worse.
Every morning, Arun woke up expecting to see fresh jasmine waiting for him—but there was none. Every evening, when he sat with the family, they would drop hints, giggle, and exchange knowing glances.
But the worst part was himself.
He couldn’t deny it anymore. He missed the flowers. The sweet fragrance, the way the soft petals brushed against his neck, the gentle sway of the garland in his hair—without them, he felt incomplete.
But asking for them? No. He would not give them the satisfaction.
So, he suffered in silence.
Until one evening, when someone decided to test him in a different way.
The Moment of Truth
Arun had dozed off in the courtyard, exhausted from the day’s chores. His long hair, now a natural part of his appearance, rested in a loose braid over his shoulder.
Meena, unable to resist, exchanged a mischievous glance with Lakshmi.
“Shall we?” she whispered.
Lakshmi chuckled. “Let’s see how deep his love for jasmine really goes.”
With practiced hands, Meena carefully wove a fresh garland of jasmine into Arun’s braid. The flowers nestled perfectly against his dark hair, their fragrance surrounding him like a comforting embrace.
Then they waited.
A few minutes later, Arun stirred. He blinked, stretched slightly, and then—instinctively—his fingers reached up to his hair.
The moment he felt the soft petals, his body relaxed. His fingers gently ran over the garland, pressing the flowers closer, as if savoring their presence. A small, contented sigh escaped his lips.
The women watching stifled their giggles.
Then, as realization dawned, Arun’s eyes snapped open. He sat up abruptly, his heart pounding.
What just happened?
His fingers were still tangled in the jasmine. He had accepted them. Worse—he had enjoyed them.
The room erupted into laughter.
“Aha! See?” Meena clapped her hands. “She didn’t even notice at first! It was so natural for her!”
Arun’s face burned. “T-This is a trick! Who did this?”
Lakshmi, smiling warmly, cupped his cheek. “Kanna, you can keep pretending all you want. But the truth is, jasmine belongs in your hair now. And you know it.”
Arun swallowed hard. He wanted to protest. To deny everything.
But the soft fragrance surrounded him, soothing him in a way he could no longer resist.
And for the first time, he didn’t immediately take the flowers off.
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