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‘You remember days via newspapers?’
‘By the newspaper’s photos, actually. The week I came here, this photo came out that weekend.’
‘I can’t remember days by newspapers. Despite the fact that newspapers have dates on them.’
‘You read them no, that’s why. Anyway, I was thinking what’s the point of looking for a PG. I can stay here permanently. We can stay together. I don’t gel well with girls anyway.’
‘Live-in, you mean?’
‘Don’t make it sound cheap by calling it live-in.’
‘Arré, what else would you call live-in but that?’
‘Yeah, that’s all right, it just sounds a tad cheap. Do you know why I decided to live with you?’
‘Why?’
‘Because you don’t write “okay” as “k” while chatting.’
‘That’s it?’
‘What else! Don’t know how much time people save by writing k instead of ok!’
‘You must have noticed something else too?’
‘What else should I notice? You’re saying all this as if I have to get married to you and I should check everything in advance.’
‘Who knows if this “live-in” might escalate into marriage?’
‘Guys immediately start thinking about marriage, don’t they?’
‘I don’t know about other guys. I can only talk about myself.’
‘What do you know?’
‘That I can marry you.’
‘I’ll marry you only when you’ll prove to me that you can become Devdas for your girlfriend. Get a little bit crazy for her and then I’ll think about it. That’s when it will seem like the guy has been committed before. Right now, it hasn’t been even six months since your breakup. Also, I don’t want to get into this shaadi-waadi ka trap. I am telling you at the very outset.’
‘Why?’
‘Just like that. Do I have to tell you everything?’
‘Yes, it is. After all, we are going to start living together, so it is absolutely important to know.’
‘It’s easier to find a PG rather than tell you everything. Let’s do one thing, let’s go look for a PG.’
‘Really?’
‘Yes, what else? I thought we could cook some really tasty chow mein between us, but you’re not ready at all.’
‘I am ready; you’re the one who’s not ready to tell me anything.’
‘Relationships with no secrets never last long.’
‘Then which ones do?’
‘The ones which still have the mystery factor going for them.’
