Apulki Chapter 17 - Starstruck Hearts and Sleepy Souls
- Hansa
- Apr 14
- 5 min read
Updated: Apr 25
Recap Chapter 16: Yamini finally meets Sunil Waghmare on set and lands an unexpected moment in his film, thanks to Akash. Back home, she’s starstruck, while Isha receives an interview call that clashes with Mrs. Banerjee’s birthday plans.
First Show, First Lie
Bean There Spilled That. The four friends' favourite haunt.
Yamini drummed her fingers on the table and yawned, clearly unimpressed with the situation.
Neerav glanced at his watch. “Must have fallen asleep on the way.”
Right on cue, Akash arrived at the coffee shop looking half-asleep.
“Sorry I’m late,” he said, dropping into the chair next to Yamini.
“Where were you yesterday?" asked Yamini. "I kept calling you. Even left a message.”
Akash leaned back with a faint smile. “I was watching Sunil Waghmare’s Ishq, Pyaar aur Mohabbat… first night, first show.”
He shot a quick wink at Neerav.
That was all Yamini needed.
“You scoundrel! You cheat!” she exploded, launching herself at him. “How could you? You know how badly I wanted to see it!”
She curled her hands into fists and would have hit him, if Neerav hadn't stopped her.
“I hate you!”
“Chill, okay, chill!” Akash raised his hands in surrender. “I was kidding. Here...”
He pulled out two tickets and held them up.
“For tonight’s show.”
Yamini froze mid-attack.
“So you haven’t seen it?”
“Of course I haven’t.”
“Yaaayyy!”
Before he could react, she planted a loud, unapologetically happy kiss on his cheek.
At that exact moment, Isha walked into the coffee shop.
Yamini spotted her instantly and bounced off towards her, still glowing.
Akash turned to Neerav, with a smug smile. “See what I meant? Sprinkling of happiness? I was the one who got the kiss, not Sunil Waghmare.”
Neerav gave him a mock bow. “Boss, you’re an ace player.”
A Film, A Snore and a Swift Exit
That night, in their bedroom, Isha stood ironing her clothes with the focus of someone who had already planned the next day down to the minute.
Yamini lay sprawled on the bed, glued to her phone.
“Yammu,” Isha said, not looking up, “please text Akash. Tell him I can’t pick him up tomorrow. I have to go directly to a client.”
“Tell him yourself,” Yamini replied promptly. “I’m not talking to him.”
Isha paused. “You’re still mad at him?”
Yamini sat up, scandalised. “He fell asleep in the cinema. At a Sunil Waghmare movie! Imagine how Sunny must have felt! He was snoring so loudly, people were staring at us. We were thrown out. Because of his snoring.”
Isha burst out laughing, clutching her stomach.
“But see,” she managed between laughs, “he hates Bollywood movies, yet he went with you.”
“Yeah, he went to see that item girl bouncing on the big screen, not because of me.”
That did it. Isha laughed so hard she burned the top she was ironing.
When Everyone’s Busy
The next day, Isha found herself sitting on a charpoy at a roadside dhaba, balancing her phone on one knee as trucks thundered past in the background.
She dialled Neerav.
At that very moment, Neerav was at a hospital with his parents, waiting for Ma to be called in.
His phone rang.
“Neer, please book my tickets for Delhi,” Isha said quickly. “I need to be there on Friday for the interview.”
“I can’t,” he said at once. “I’m stuck in this bloody hospital. Why can’t you book them yourself?”
“I’m on the highway. This client lives in a bloody village.”
“I might be stuck here all day.”
Isha exhaled. “Okay, no worries. Your check up is more important.”
She ended the call.
Before Neerav could even lower his phone, Mr. Banerjee smacked him on the head.
“You’re totally useless. Why couldn’t you book her tickets?”
Neerav blinked.
“You stay here with your mum. I’ll go and book them.”
And just like that, he marched off.
A nurse called out, “Mrs. Banerjee.”
Mrs. Banerjee raised her hand and followed her, Neerav trailing behind.
Back at the dhaba, Isha dialled another number.
Mr. Sharma picked up.
“Hello, dad? Can you book my tickets for the interview? It’s day after tomorrow.”
Her father sounded mildly harassed. “Beta, your mum has been on a shopping spree for your wedding. She bought so much stuff, the credit card company thought the card had been stolen and blocked it. No idea when it will be activated again.”
Isha pressed her lips together. “Don’t worry, dad. I’ll ask someone else.”
She disconnected and immediately dialled again.
At the Right On Time Couriers office, Akash was fast asleep at his desk.
His phone rang.
He fumbled blindly and answered.
“Huh?”
“Akash, can you book my flight tickets for Delhi? Friday morning?”
“Hmmm.”
“Akash?”
No response.
Isha stared at her phone in disbelief, then disconnected the call. She looked around at the dhaba and sighed.
“Totally useless, all of them.”
She glanced at her phone again.
“Let’s see what excuse Yammu has.”
She dialled again.
Of Photos, Fury and a Sudden Plan
Next day, Akash was fast asleep at the girls’ apartment.
Yamini stormed in, took one look at him, and flung a glass of water straight at his face.
He jolted upright.
“Why did you post such a horrible picture of mine on Facebook?” she demanded.
“What horrible?” he said, still half-asleep.
She shoved her phone in his face.
He squinted at it.
“Ahh. But the sun setting behind you… isn’t it gorgeous?”
Yamini hit him.
“Okay, okay, chill,” he said, raising his hands. “Let’s go out.”
His phone rang.
He answered it, listened, then hung up.
“I need to see Dragonosaurus for a few minutes,” he said. “We’ll go for dinner from there.”
The Dragon Appears
Akash’s boss stood at the reception desk, speaking to the receptionist, when the glass door slid open and Akash walked in with Yamini.
She didn’t turn immediately. She didn’t need to.
Tall, sharp-featured, and radiating the kind of authority that made people instinctively stand straighter, she had a presence that could silence a room without raising her voice. Her eyes, when she finally looked up, were cold and assessing.
This was not a woman you argued with.
This was not even a woman you explained things to.
This was... Dragonosaurus.
“There you are,” she said, her voice clipped. “Has the Goldmine & Co. letter been dispatched?”
“Yes ma’am… oh no. Damn… actually, no ma’am.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Is it a yes or a no?”
Akash swallowed. “Ma’am, I was about to get it dispatched when their secretary called and said there were some more papers to be sent. I told her I’ll collect them on my way home and…”
“And?”
“I forgot.”
Her gaze flicked briefly to Yamini, then back to him. “And you thought if you tagged your girlfriend along, I wouldn’t scold you?”
Yamini stiffened, offended, ready to jump in.
“She has nothing to do with it,” Akash said quickly.
“Mr. Akash Damle,” Dragonosaurus continued, each word landing like a verdict, “how could you be so careless? You jolly well know how important Goldmine and Co. are for us.”
“Sorry ma’am.”
“Consider this a final warning. If this happens ever again, you will be fired immediately.” She paused, then added, “Now get lost.”
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Chapter 10 - https://www.hansawriter.com/post/apulki-chapter-10
Chapter 11 - https://www.hansawriter.com/post/apulki-chapter-11
Chapter 12 - https://www.hansawriter.com/post/apulki-chapter-12
Chapter 13 - https://www.hansawriter.com/post/apulki-chapter-13
Chapter 14 - https://www.hansawriter.com/post/apulki-chapter-14
Chapter 15 - https://www.hansawriter.com/post/apulki-chapter-15
Chapter 16 - https://www.hansawriter.com/post/apulki-chapter-16
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Akash kitna soyega re tu … 😁🤪😅 Ishu was like real bechari.. struggling for someone to help her out 😟 koi toh ek ticket book kardo … 🙏🏻Loved the Dragonosaurus 😁😁👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻 eagerly waiting for the next chapter
I liked how yammu was filled with glee and was jumping when she saw ticket, ishu and yammu convo is like diff genre i love this slice of life vibe. Argh poor ishu , none could book her tickets but chalo Mr bannerjee will, i love how goodwill and friendly vibe this soon-to-be family has. Dragonosaurus weeehee yes i was expecting little less fierce but chalo i hope she has a light side too. Also ishu's half commitment to her marriage is making me worried, i have a bad feeling about this. I hope neer's report is allright!
Ps: i was gonna ask about isha's reason to not book tickets herself too 🤣
Yo what a hilarious chapter .
Aakash is really kumbhkaran falling asleep anywhere anytime.
Watching movie falls asleep and snore 😂😂😂😂
Ok now I really need to go back and see when was this dragon mentioned.
And yaaa why Ishu could book her tkts herself instead of calling everyone .
Wait Neerav reports had heart related issues. So what happened to that
Waiting for next chapter.
Nice chapter
So the dragon finally makes an appearance nice
Uhh why can't they book tickets online? Weird
Waiting for the next chapter