"Seedha café jaa rahe ho na?"

Yuvraj leaned slightly toward the window, eyes half on the road, half on me. His voice had that lazy Sunday tone, like the world had been allowed to slow down for a few hours and nobody had informed the Army about it.

I kept one hand steady on the steering wheel as Delhi traffic crawled in front of us, and said, "Nahi. Hum picnic pe jaa rahe hain. Phir uske baad ice cream. Rishta toh side attraction hai."

He turned to me properly now. "Dad, aap seriously bol rahe ho ya phir Sarcastically?"

I glanced at him once, then back at the road. "Second one but first one is also tempting though."

Yuvy laughed under his breath, shaking his head. "Okay, so plan confirm hai na? Main good boy rahunga aur aap... woh wala act karoge."

"Woh wala act?" I asked.

"Wahi," he said, stretching the word like he was explaining a military drill. "Thoda rude, thoda uninterested, thoda 'I don't care about marriage' vibe. Full red flag package."

I didn't respond immediately. The signal ahead turned amber, then red, and I slowed down. Delhi morning had that familiar noise horns, chai stalls opening, people arguing over nothing and everything at once.

"Red flag package toh already approved hai HQ se," I finally said.

He smirked,"Dadi ko pata chalega na toh bolengi, 'Siddharth, ladki se milne gaya  tha ya criminal interview karne gaye the?'"

That pulled a short laugh out of me. Maa would definitely say that. And then she would say it again, softer, like disappointment dressed as concern.

Yuvy leaned back into the seat, swinging his legs slightly even though he was too tall for it now. Fifteen, growing fast, still trying to pretend he wasn't,"Third one in three days," he said casually. "You're improving, Dad. Efficiency badh rahi hai."

"Don't encourage me," I said. "Next thing I know, Arjun will start grading my rejections."

At that, he laughed properly.

Arjun.

The thought came with a slight weight, like it always did when I let it sit too long. My younger brother, sitting in IIT Delhi, acting like he was some kind of unofficial HR department for my life.

He had been the one forwarding profiles to Maa, sometimes adding his own commentary like a reviewer.

"Bhai, this one is normal. Minimal drama."

As if "normal" was something I could afford.

Yuvy tapped the dashboard lightly. "So what's today's girl strategy? Same cafe, same table, same vibe sabotage?"

I exhaled slowly. "No sabotage. Just honesty."

He turned his head slowly toward me. "That sounds dangerous."

"Honesty usually is."

There was a pause then, filled with engine hum and distant horns. He looked out of the window again, but I could see his reflection in the glass. Observing. Thinking more than he showed.

After a moment, he said, "You know, I can also help."

"You already are helping."

"I mean properly," he corrected. "Like... I can interrupt if it gets too serious. Ask weird questions. Spill water. Create chaos."

I shook my head slightly. "You are my son, not a distraction unit."

He grinned. "Same thing sometimes."

That made me glance at him again. He said it like a joke, but there was a habit in him I had started noticing over time. The way he tested sentences before saying them fully.

The way he paused, just a fraction, when anything about families came up. Like he was checking where he stood in it. He caught me looking and immediately switched tone.

"Okay fine, plan serious," he said. "I behave like ideal son. Polite, respectful, asks about weather, maybe compliments her career or something. You behave like... whatever version of you makes her run." "That's easy," I said. "All versions of me do that job."

He laughed again. "Perfect."

⋆｡°✩ ⋆˙⟡♡

Two days earlier, same city, same kind of meeting. I still remember sitting across a café table from a girl who kept smiling like she had prepared it in advance. Maa had chosen her words carefully when she called.

"Siddharth, bas mil lo ek baar. Tumhe kuch karna nahi hai. Sirf baat karni hai."

Just talk.

It always starts with that sentence.

Just talk.

As if talk was neutral. As if words didn't build pressure over time.

The girl had been polite. Educated. Soft spoken. The kind of presence families call "adjustable." She asked me what I did, and I told her. Army. Posting Kashmir. Nothing more.

She smiled again, slightly wider.

"You must really love your job," she had said. I remember looking at her then, thinking how people confuse occupation with identity. How easily they assume devotion means satisfaction,"I do it," I had replied.

And that was enough. Not for her, but for me because after a while, I always reached the same point. The point where conversations started to feel like future obligations being drafted in real time.

The point where I began imagining someone stepping into my life and slowly rearranging everything I had already built.

Yuvraj included.

That thought always came first.

Yuvraj sitting alone at a dining table with someone else occupying the space Maa once did when she visited. Someone else deciding routines. Someone else becoming "family" without earning it the way we had.

I usually didn't let the thought finish. I didn't need it to. I would just say something small, controlled, final and the meeting would end politely after that.

𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒

"Dad," Yuvy said now, pulling me back into the present. "You're overthinking again. I can literally see it."

"I am driving," I replied.

"That doesn't stop overthinking. It just gives it better scenery."

I snorted lightly. "When did you become philosopher?"

"Boarding school effect," he said seriously. Then ruined it by smiling.

We turned into a quieter lane near South Delhi. The café wasn't far now. I could already feel that familiar tightening somewhere behind my ribs. Not anxiety exactly. More like repetition.

Yuvy shifted in his seat. "So listen," he said, lowering his voice slightly like he was discussing classified material. "We do this properly today. You start with maximum indifference. Like, don't even ask her name properly at first."

"That sounds rude."

"Exactly," he said. "Then I ask normal questions. School-level polite questions. That balances it. She thinks you are disaster, I look like rescued child."

I glanced at him. "Rescued child?"

He nodded. "Yes. Emotional recovery story."

I almost laughed. "You are enjoying this too much."

He shrugged. "Better than sitting at home and listening to Arjun's IIT stories. He keeps saying, 'bro life is coding and pain'. I said, 'welcome to Army lite version'."

That actually made me laugh properly this time.

"Don't say that in front of him," I said.

"Why? He started it."

We stopped at a red light. The city moved around us like it always did fast even when it looked still. Yuvy leaned his head slightly against the seat. "Dad... serious question."

"Hmm."

"Why do they keep sending rishtas?"

The question was casual. Almost lazy. But it landed in a place he probably didn't intend.

I didn't answer immediately because the real answer wasn't simple enough for him. Or maybe it was too simple.

Maa wanted certainty for me. She just wanted her son to be happy. Stability. A structure that didn't depend on postings, war zones, or sudden silence from the other side of a radio.

And there was something else she never said directly.

Legally, Yuvraj couldn't be fully mine unless I was married. The law had its own logic and paperwork didn't understand intent. Adoption needed a definition I hadn't been willing to give my life.

So every rishta carried that pressure quietly under it. No one said it out loud in the beginning. It always arrived later, disguised as concern.

"Think about Yuvraj," they would say.

As if I didn't.

As if he wasn't already the center of every decision I avoided making.

The light turned green.

I drove forward slowly,"They think it will fix something," I said finally.

Yuvy nodded once, like he understood more than he said. Then he tried to lighten it.

"Okay, so today I'll help you unfix it."

"Don't make it sound like we're breaking furniture."

"Same thing," he said confidently.

⋆｡°✩ ⋆˙⟡♡

Maa's voice from one year ago still sits somewhere in my memory, unchanged. I was on leave then too. Same city. Same pressure. She had called me to her room, sat me down like I was still younger than I am.

"Siddharth," she had said, calm but firm, "tumhe samajhna padega. Yuvraj tumhara responsibility hai, but law apni language mein baat karta hai."

I remember looking at her hands more than her face. She was folding a dupatta slowly while speaking, like she was trying to keep her own emotions from spilling,"You can't stay in this loop forever," she continued. "Har baar reject kar dete ho. Why?"

I didn't answer then either because how do you explain that every time I meet a potential future, I also see everything I already have slowly being questioned?

She had leaned forward slightly.

"Main tumhe force nahi kar rahi," she said. Then after a pause, softer, "Main bas Yuvraj ke liye soch rahi hoon."

That line always came last.

Yuvraj.

The lever.

The reason.

The justification that made everything sound reasonable. I had left her room that day without agreeing to anything. But the pressure didn't leave. It just changed shape and within a week, the next profile arrived.

𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒

"Okay we are here," Yuvy said suddenly.

I slowed the car near the café. Small place, quiet enough to look intentional. People inside looked like they had time. He adjusted his shirt automatically, then looked at me.

"Final check," he said. "Maximum red flag?"

I looked at him for a moment.

"Natural," I said.

He smiled. "Got it." Then, before opening the door, he added casually,

"Dad?"

"Hmm?"

"If she asks about my background... what do I say?"

That question didn't come often.

I didn't turn it into something heavy. Just answered as it was,"You say nothing complicated," I told him. "You just say that was your past."

He nodded once and then, like he always did, he broke the seriousness before it could settle,"Okay," he said. "But if she asks if you are difficult, I am saying yes."

I gave him a look.

He grinned wider. "For balance."

We stepped out of the car together.

And as we walked toward the café door, I could already feel the day taking its familiar shape again two people meeting, talking, testing, deciding what kind of life I was supposed to step into and me, deciding how quickly to step out of it.

The café occupied one corner of

quiet market, tucked between a bookstore and a pharmacy and as we entered we noticed she was already there.

Army brat.

I could tell before anyone introduced her.

Straight back.

Comfortable posture.

No unnecessary fidgeting.

She noticed exits without appearing to look around. Simple pastel kurta, watch on the left wrist, hair tied neatly. She stood as we approached.

"Hello, Major Siddharth?"

I nodded once,"Hello."

"And you must be Yuvraj."

Yuvy smiled politely,"Hi."

"I'm Aditi." She offered her hand. I shook it briefly before all three of us sat down.

For a minute, conversation remained where every arranged meeting began.

Traffic.

Delhi weather.

Whether the café served decent coffee. Whether I had trouble finding parking. It was familiar enough that I could have spoken every line without listening and then she smiled politely.

"I think our parents have already exchanged our entire biographies."

I almost agreed but instead I said, "Looks like it."

She laughed softly,"Aunty has spoken very proudly about you."

I looked at the menu,"I'm sure Maa exaggerated."

"I don't think she did." She folded her hands on the table,"I know you've been posted in Kashmir for quite some time and i've heard about your accomplishments too.."

"Hm."

"And your unit."

"Hm."

"And..." She stopped herself and smiled awkwardly,"I realised halfway through that I'm telling you your own life."

Yuvy looked at me.

I looked at him.

For a fraction of a second, his expression said exactly what mine probably did.

Again.

He lowered his eyes before he accidentally smiled.

I picked up the menu,"It happens."

The waiter arrived. Coffee orders were placed. Yuvy ordered a brownie after looking at me for silent permission and I nodded once.

He looked ridiculously pleased with himself. Once the waiter left, Aditi leaned back slightly,"I've spoken enough." She smiled,"Maybe you should tell me about yourself."

Finally.

The useful part.

I rested both forearms lightly on the table,"My life isn't very interesting."

"I doubt that."

"It is."

She waited.

People usually filled silence.

She didn't.

Interesting.

"My priority is my profession."

She nodded,"I know."

"No," I said evenly. "People hear that sentence differently."

She remained quiet.

So I continued,"I don't mean I work long hours. I mean Army comes first and it always will. If one day there's a choice between home and duty..." I met her eyes,"I won't hesitate."

She listened without interrupting.

"Sometimes I don't even know what date it is."

She folded her fingers together. "Siddharth I understand operational commitments. I don't think anyone fully understands them unless they've lived around them."

She accepted that with a slight nod.

"My phone can remain unreachable for days. Sometimes weeks. If an operation begins, I disappear and i don't like to send explanations. I don't get to say I'll call later so if someone chooses to marry me, that uncertainty becomes theirs too."

She was still listening.

No visible discomfort.

No attempt to reassure me.

Just listening.

I continued,"When I return home, I don't always feel like talking as

sometimes I sleep for fourteen hours and sometimes I sit quietly. I like routine. I like silence and i don't redesign my life around people."

She tilted her head slightly,"Does that include your family?"

My lips curled for a second,"My family understands how I function."

"And someone new?"

"They'll have to understand too."

There was no accusation in my voice.

Just fact.

The coffees arrived.

Yuvy immediately picked up his spoon,"Dad..."

"Hm?"

"Aaj raat ko kya banaoge?"

I looked at him.

His face remained completely innocent.

Right.

Operation.

"Shaam ko."

"Promise?"

"Hm."

Aditi glanced between us,"You cook?"

"Sometimes."

Yuvy answered before I could,"Dad makes very good Maggi. Other things not really.."

I looked at him,"Bas?"

"And omelette."

"Better."

He hid his smile behind the brownie.

I looked back at Aditi,"My routine mostly revolves around him."

She looked towards Yuvy before returning her attention to me.

"I've heard..." She hesitated carefully.

"...that you've been raising him."

"He comes first." There wasn't even a second of hesitation,"If anyone has a problem with him..." I shrugged lightly,"Conversation ends there."

She nodded,"I appreciate that."

I continued calmly,"I wasn't looking for appreciation Miss Aditi. I was just telling you where I stand."

Silence settled for a few seconds. She stirred her coffee absent mindedly.

"Can I ask something?"

"Hm."

"You've spoken a lot about responsibilities."

"You haven't spoken about what you actually want."

"I have."

"I don't think you have."

I watched her.

"What does marriage mean to you?"

I answered without thinking,"A legal and personal commitment."

"And emotionally?"

"I don't have another definition."

She held my gaze,"You don't sound like someone who wants to get married."

"I don't."

The answer came easily. "If that's true..." She asked gently,"...why are you here?"

"Maa asked."

"And?"

"There are legal reasons."

Her expression changed slightly.

I continued,"I've been trying to complete Yuvraj's adoption."

She understood immediately,"I see."

"So marriage solves one problem."

"It solves one legal complication."

She remained thoughtful,"And if that complication didn't exist?"

"I probably wouldn't be sitting here."

For the first time since we'd met, she leaned back and looked at me for several quiet seconds.

There was no offence on her face.

No irritation.

Just thought.

Finally she spoke,"I hope you don't mind if I'm honest."

I crossed my arms,"I'd prefer it."

"I don't think you're a difficult person."

I said nothing.

"I think you're an extremely disciplined person and you're deeply committed to your profession. I think you've accepted a life that demands more from you than it does from most people." She smiled faintly,"I also think you've built walls that make perfect sense to you."

I listened.

"But if I'm being fair to myself..." She paused,"...I'm looking for someone who actually wants to build a marriage. I don't expect constant attention Major i grew up in the Army so i know uncertainty..."

She took a slow sip of coffee,"What worries me isn't your profession but it's that you've already decided where every relationship in your life will stand."

She said it without judgement,"Your work your routine, your family and.."

She looked towards Yuvraj and my eyes followed hers. He looked uncomfortable and that was it i interrupted quietly,"He is family what do you mean by....."

She smiled in a dismissive manner,

"I understand that.. so they all have their place, but what i couldn't understand is.. where your wife would fit."

I looked at the table for a moment.

She continued quietly,"I respect your honesty i genuinely do. A lot of people would have promised things they couldn't deliver and you didn't but I don't think you're emotionally ready to invite someone into your life. I don't think we're looking for the same marriage."

A familiar feeling settled somewhere inside me.

Steady.

Predictable.

Another meeting.

Another conclusion.

No arguments.

No drama.

This was always easier but before I could respond, my phone vibrated against the wooden table.

I glanced at the screen.

Shristi Calling.

Of course.

I closed my eyes for half a second and across from me, Yuvy looked at the display and immediately knew who it was. The little traitor's lips twitched.

I slipped the phone into my hand and stood,"I'm sorry. I need to take this."

Aditi nodded politely,"Please."

Then I walked a little away from the table, towards the glass windows overlooking the parking lot and the phone continued vibrating in my palm. I already had a fair idea why she was calling.

If Shristi Bajwa called me during my leave, there was a very good chance it had something to do with Karan Rathore. The woman had spent years trying to make my best friend admit what everyone else already knew.

Karan, being Karan, would rather charge into enemy fire than confess he loved her. I accepted the call and brought the phone to my ear.

"Hello."

"Siddharth?"

"Haan."

"Where are you?"

I looked through the glass towards the parking lot,"South Delhi."

"Good. CIE aa jao."

I frowned,"CIE ?"

"Haan."

"What happened?"

"Bas tum aa jao."

"Shristi what happened.."

She ignored the warning in my voice.

"Kitni der lagegi?"

"I'm in the middle of something."

"I know."

"I'm serious."

"So am I."

I pinched the bridge of my nose.

"At least batao hua kya hai."

"Phone pe nahi."

"I'm sitting with a girl. You know mom's rishta scheme." There was complete silence for two seconds.

Then she said, perfectly matter of factly, "Toh kya hua ?"

"Toh?"

"Haan toh?"

"I'm in the middle of meeting someone."

"I know."

"So?"

I let out a slow breath,"So I can't just leave. Alright?"

"You can Sid."

"I can't."

"You will."

I almost laughed,"Shristi..."

"Major Siddharth Singh." Whenever she used my full name, it usually meant she had already decided the conversation was over,"What?"

"Seedhi baat bolun?"

"Bolo."

"Waise bhi tum shaadi karne wale toh ho nahi."

I looked back towards the café,"..."

"Reject kar doge ya reject ho jaoge."

"..."

"Toh phir meeting complete karke kya Nobel Prize mil jayega?" Despite myself, the corner of my mouth shifted the slightest bit. She continued before I could answer,"Time waste mat karo. Yahan aa jao."

"What happened?"

"I'll tell you when you come."

"You've been saying that for the last two minutes."

"Haan toh aa jao na."

"Shristi."

"What?"

"You're asking me to drive across Delhi."

"Haan."

"Without telling me why."

"Haan."

"You do realise how ridiculous that sounds?"

"I don't have time for this."

I rubbed my forehead.

"Are you okay?"

"Haan."

"You're sure?"

"Haan."

"Then what's the emergency?"

"Our emergency."

I caught that immediately,"Our?"

"Haan."

"Who else is with you?"

There was another pause and then she answered as if the answer should have been obvious,"Karan."

I blinked,"Karan is there?"

"Haan."

"Then how exactly are you in trouble?"

She made an exasperated sound.

"Because we're in trouble."

"Shristi, that's the least useful explanation anyone has ever given me."

"I know."

"So explain."

"I can't."

"You won't."

"Same thing."

"No, it isn't."

"It is today."

I glanced at my watch,"Put Karan on."

"He can't."

"Why?"

"He just can't."

"He can't? But why? Is he injured?"

"No."

"Is someone else injured?"

"I'm not answering twenty questions."

"Then answer one."

She sighed loudly enough for me to hear it through the speaker,"Sid yaar..."

"Hm?"

"Please."

The word came out quieter than the rest,"Bas aa jao." Before I could respond, she added, "And jaldi."

The call disconnected.

I stared at the screen for a second.

Typical.

Absolutely typical.

I immediately opened my contacts and pressed Karan's name and the phone rang.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

No answer.

I disconnected and called again.

Ring.

Ring.

Ring.

Nothing.

I looked at the screen until it finally switched to missed call. I muttered under my breath,"What are you doing, yaar..." If Karan wasn't answering, something had actually happened. He wasn't careless with calls and especially mine.

I slipped the phone back into my pocket and walked towards the table.

Yuvy was sitting exactly where I'd left him but except now my untouched cold coffee had somehow migrated to his side of the table.

He was drinking it with complete concentration. The chair opposite him was empty. I stopped beside the table.

"Yuvy."

He looked up casually,"Haan?"

"Where did she go?" He pointed towards the entrance with his straw.

"Woh toh chali gayi."

"I can see that."

"Haan toh phir?"

"What happened?"

He swallowed another sip,"She said we're not compatible."

I pulled my chair back,"And?"

"And she paid for her own coffee."

"Good."

"And then she left."

I looked at him for another second.

"Bas?"

"Bas."

He pushed my untouched cup towards himself another inch.

"Waise coffee achhi hai."

I took the glass away from him.

"Enough."

He grinned,"So..." He leaned back.

"Congratulations Dad."

"For?"

"You got rejected."

"Hm."

He looked at me expectantly,"You're supposed to look happier."

"I am."

"You don't look happy."

"I rarely do."

"Fair."

I picked up the car keys from the table,"Mission accomplished." He stood immediately,"I knew this one would also say no." We walked out together and the afternoon heat greeted us the moment the café door opened.

The parking lot shimmered under the Delhi sun. Yuvy settled into the passenger seat while I started the engine. He waited until we had driven out of the market before asking,

"Hum seedha ghar ja rahe hain na?"

"No."

He looked at me,"I'll drop you near home and you'll go home..."

"Near?"

"Haan."

"I have to go somewhere."

"Kahan?"

I changed gears,"Adult work."

He frowned,"Ye koi answer hua?"

"It works."

"It doesn't."

"It does."

"Bilkul nahi."

I kept my eyes on the road,"Kids don't need complete briefings."

He folded his arms,"I'm almost literally almost young adult..."

"Hmm."

"You still didn't answer."

I exhaled quietly,"Shristi called."

"Oh."

He nodded immediately,"Of course."

I glanced sideways,"'Of course' ka kya matlab hai?"

He shrugged,"Whenever she calls, kuch na kuch hota hi hai."

"That's true."

"What happened this time?"

"I don't know."

"You asked?"

"Several times."

"And?"

"She refused to tell me."

He laughed,"Classic."

"Apparently I'm supposed to report to her college."

"CIE?"

"Hm."

He leaned back against the seat,"And Chief is there too?"

"Haan."

"Chief bhi phone nahi utha rahe?"

I shook my head once,"No."

Yuvy looked out of the window for a moment before speaking again,"Haan

... phir toh sach mein kuch hua hoga."

I drove on without answering.

That thought had already settled somewhere in the back of my mind.

Shristi rarely sounded this impatient.

Karan almost never ignored my calls.

Together, those two facts were enough to make me press the accelerator a little more than I had been a minute ago.

The first time my phone vibrated, I let it ring, the second time, I looked at the screen and the third time, I already knew I was going to answer.

Some habits stop feeling like choices after enough years. I had spent most of the morning pretending I wasn't waiting for her call.

The duffel bag sat open on the floor of my room, half packed. One neatly folded combat uniform rested on top, boots polished beside it. Three days of leave remained. After that, mountains again. Patrols again. Radio calls. Cold mornings. Familiar routines.

The house smelled of ginger tea.

Maa placed another hot paratha on my plate before I could protest.

"Ek aur."

"Maa, bas."

"Bas kuch nahi. Chaar din se bol rahe ho bas."

"You realise mom, I have to fit into my uniform too." She gave me the look every Indian mother perfected before their children learned to walk.

"Uniform tumhari adjust ho jayegi. Jab deployment ke waqt kitne dino tak bas breads pe zinda rahoge.."

I laughed quietly.

Across the table,Dad's face filled my phone screen from a video call.

"Toh Kya chal raha hai?"

I took another bite,"Maa is trying to kill me with food."

"Accha hai."

She glared at her husband,"You too?"

"Bilkul."

Maa smiled victoriously,"Dekha?"

Dad leaned closer to the camera.

"Waise Siddharth nahi aaya ? He likes Tara's cooking. Maine socha tha yahin hoga usse bhi baat.."

"Dad.. woh busy hai." I nodded while breaking another piece of paratha.

"Aaj uski meeting thi."

Papa chuckled,"Poor fellow."

I almost snorted,"He'll survive as another girl will reject him. In fact he probably already has a plan."

Maa sighed dramatically,"Tum dono aise hi rehna. Bichari tejas kitni tension mein rehti hai kisiko nahi dikhta.. agar shaadi kar loge toh..."

I looked down at my tea. If she only knew. Rejecting people had never been my problem but wanting only one person had been.

The phone buzzed.

Her name appeared on the screen.

I watched it for a heartbeat longer than I should have. Maa noticed immediately,"Phone kyun nahi utha rahe?"

I hummed,"I will."

"Toh uthao."

I stood up and walked away to a corner and answered but before I could speak,.."So." Her voice arrived carrying enough accusation for three people,"Major sahab ghar aa gaye."

I smiled despite myself but kept my voice form."Kya kaam hai?"

"Wow?" she repeated. "Bas itna? Haan? Kya kaam hai?"

I cleared my throat,"Listen I was going to call you."

"When?"

"This afternoon."

"Oh really? Kitni meherbani."

My lips curved,"I mean it."

"Nahi tum bilkul bhi nahi " mean " karte."

I settled in my chair and leaned back,

"I was busy. Jabse aaya hoon. Family saans bhi nahi lene de rahi hai..."

"And?"

I rubbed my forehead,"Shristi."

"Nahi nahi aur koi excuse ho toh bata do. Aur bolo."

I almost laughed,"Fine."

Silence.

I waited.

"So?" I asked.

"So what?"

"You wanted something."

"I always want something?"

"You usually do."

"Haan toh?"

There it was.

The same conversation.

Different words.

Same rhythm.

Somewhere over the years this had become familiar enough that I could predict where she'd interrupt, when she'd pretend to be angry, when she'd quietly smile into the phone.

I never admitted how much I looked forward to it. I wasn't sure admitting it to myself was any wiser.

She broke the silence,"Tumhe yaad hai aaj kya hai?"

My fingers stopped around the teacup. Of course I remembered.

I had remembered before opening my eyes that morning.

I still remember that morning because everything had already gone wrong before I saw her.

Freshly commissioned.

Freshly posted.

Freshly scolded.

Lt. Col. Bajwa had spent nearly fifteen minutes reminding me that enthusiasm was not a substitute for experience after I'd made an avoidable mistake during an exercise briefing. He wasn't unfair but just demanding. Every officer in the battalion respected him for that.

"Lieutenant Rathore."

"Sir."

"What exactly were you observing during the briefing?"

I stayed silent.

"I asked a question leutinent."

"Sir, I misunderstood the timings."

"You misunderstood the timings?"

Lt. Col. Jaswant Bajwa looked at me over the file in his hand. "You've been in the battalion for barely three weeks. Start listening before you start leading."

"Yes, sir."

His voice stayed calm, which somehow made the scolding worse.

"The patrol has already moved."

"Yes, sir."

"So congratulations." He closed the file. "Today you're on cantonment duties."

A part of me had died right there.

By noon, I had already checked the same entry register more times than I cared to admit. The sentries were changing shifts. Vehicles rolled in and out. Families walked past. Children chased each other with cricket bats.

Life inside the cantonment had its own rhythm. I had expected to be sent out with the patrol but instead, the Adjutant stopped me halfway.

"Lieutenant Rathore."

"Sir."

"Bajwa Sir's daughter has arrived. Escort her from the main gate to the officers' lines." For half a second I wondered if the punishment had simply changed forms,"Yes, Sir."

I turned towards the gate.

The air in Kashmir carried that familiar mountain chill despite the afternoon sun. Soldiers moved with practiced rhythm across the cantonment. A convoy rolled past in the distance. Somewhere nearby, someone laughed before immediately lowering his voice.

I hadn't even reached the gate when I heard her,"Main bas ek photo le rahi thi."

Her voice was light and patient, trying very hard to stay patient. The sentry shook his head,"Ma'am, regulations hain."

"I know regulations Uncle," She nodded politely,"Papa ne hi bachpan se sunayi hain par mountains bhi toh regulations follow nahi karte aap dekho na kitne pretty lag rahe hain."

The sentry looked helpless.

I almost smiled.

Then she continued,"Aur waise bhi photo aapki nahi le rahi. Background ki ab agar background mein aap aa gaye toh usme meri kya galti."

The poor soldier looked ready to surrender. I walked closer,"Sentry."

Both of them turned.

He straightened immediately.

"Jai Hind, Sir."

"Jai Hind." Before I could say anything else, my eyes found her. For one brief moment, everything around us seemed to become quieter i still remember thinking she couldn't have been more than eighteen.

A simple white chikankari kurti paired with a cream cardigan.

Blue jeans. Comfortable shoes already carrying dust from the journey. A camera hung around her neck instead of a purse. Her hair wasn't tied properly anymore. The wind had freed a few strands around her face, and she kept pushing them back absentmindedly while arguing.

She looked...

Young.

Bright.

Curious.

The kind of person who walked into unfamiliar places assuming there would be something beautiful to discover and then she looked at me.

Her eyes paused for a fraction longer than courtesy required. I noticed it and she noticed that I noticed then, very calmly, she smiled,"Oh." The word escaped her before she could stop it.

I frowned slightly,"Oh?"

She recovered immediately,"I mean..."

She looked me up and down once.

"...nothing." There was absolutely no chance it meant nothing.

I turned towards the sentry,"What happened?"

He almost looked relieved,"Sir, ma'am photographs le rahi thi."

She interrupted immediately,"Haan but bas scenery ki. Main cantonment ki security breach nahi kar rahi. For your information i know the rules and I just wanted one nice picture."

I nodded,"I understand ma'am.."

She almost glared at me. I was genuinely confused and then I looked at her camera,"But still you'll have to avoid anything operational."

She smiled,"See? I told him I wasn't irresponsible." The sentry muttered under his breath, "Maine kab bola irresponsible..."

She heard him,"You were thinking.

I saw it on your face."

He looked thoroughly defeated.

I almost laughed but held it back then looked back at her,"Shristi Bajwa?"

She nodded,"Unfortunately."

I blinked,"Unfortunately ma'am?"

She sighed dramatically,"People stop seeing me as a person they just immediately start seeing me as Colonel saab ki beti. It's very inconvenient."

I couldn't help smiling this time then she tilted her head,"So you know him well?"

I nodded respectfully,"I report to him." She gave me a look full of exaggerated sympathy,"Oh I'm so sorry."

I looked at her,"For what?" She lowered her voice conspiratorially.

"Like i know my papa and he scolds a lot. I feel bad for you. You're such an innocent and humble officer and..."

I looked away to hide another smile.

"Sometimes he does..."

"Sometimes?" She laughed,"I've lived with him."

"I know."

I cleared my throat,"I'm Lieutenant Karan Rathore and i've been asked to escort you."

She repeated my name slowly,"Karan Rathore." Then nodded once,"Nice name."

"Thank you."

"And karan..." She smiled sheepishly again,"...nice face too. You're very handsome." I genuinely forgot what I was about to say even the sentry coughed into his fist.

I stared at her.

She blinked innocently,"What?"

I looked away first,"Shall we?"

"Yes." She fell into step beside me without another word. We had barely taken ten steps before she spoke again,"So leutinent Rathore....."

"Hmm?"

"Fresh posting?"

I glanced at her,"How did you know?"

"You still look around." She pointed ahead,"People who've been here longer don't."

I looked at her again.

She simply shrugged,"I observe, i click pictures. It's basically my hobby." We reached the olive green Gypsy waiting near the gate.

I opened the passenger door for her.

She smiled,"Thank you." Once she settled inside, I got behind the wheel.

The engine came alive. For exactly thirty seconds there was silence but then she started again,"So..."

I almost smiled already.

"Lieutenant."

"Yes ma'am."

"Can I ask questions?"

"You already are."

She laughed,"Fair enough so where are you from?"

"Rajasthan ma'am but.. I've grown up in Delhi and Haryana mostly. Never really visited Rajasthan...."

She already interrupted me mid sentence totally excited,"Oh! And I'm from Punjab and my nani used to say Haryana people argue more."

I looked at the road,"She's probably right." She laughed again,"But i like honest people and.."

"And you?"

"What about me?"

"You argue?"

"I negotiate."

I nodded,"I noticed."

She gasped dramatically,"That wasn't arguing leutinent."

"That was diplomacy."

The drive continued. She spoke about finishing her board exams, about finally being free for a few weeks and about wanting to join any college in Delhi, about photography.

About how she'd convinced her father to let her bring the camera.

She talked the way rivers flowed without effort. Without planning every sentence and somewhere between all those conversations, I realised I hadn't thought about the morning's scolding in several minutes.

That surprised me.

We reached the officers' quarters.

I parked. She climbed out before I could walk around and then suddenly lifted the camera. I frowned,"What are you doing ma'am?"

She smiled,"One picture."

I immediately tried to cover my face with one hand, and use another to block her camera,"No." She tried to click a perfect picture,"Please. Smile na.."

I tried my best to snatch her camera, "No ma'am. Stop it. I'll have to report you..."

She didn't back off,"Bas ek."

"I said no."

She looked genuinely disappointed.

"Tumhe lagta hai Itni buri shakal hai tumhari ?"

I almost laughed,"That's not the issue."

"Then?"

"Uniform."

She nodded,"I know but i won't show anything sensitive." I removed my hand from my face to make her understand the sensitivity of the topic but she used this chance to complete her motive and before I could even stop her.. the camera clicked.

The shutter sounded.

I looked straight at her,"Leutinent karan.."She lowered the camera very slowly,"I......may have accidentally pressed it."

I crossed my arms, jaw tightened,"You did not accidentally press it ma'am. Aap please abhi isse delte kijeye..."

She hugged her camera,"No."

I sighed,"Ma'am dekhiye..."

She immediately grinned,"You know you realise you've been calling me ma'am ma'am like i am your school teacher.."

I sighed,"You are my senior officer's daughter and right now you're making my job difficult."

She folded her arms,"I'm keeping this picture."

"You can't."

"Why?"

"It has my uniform."

"So?"

"So you shouldn't."

She looked at the tiny preview screen.

"But it came out really nice."

I stepped closer and tried to snatch the camera calmly ,"Please delete it."

She looked at me and stepped back holding the camera tighter,"No."

"Ma'am please."

"No."

I tried to sound stern,"I'll have to report it."

She smiled mischievously,"Then report I'll tell Papa his new lieutenant is very rude and he tried to snatch my camera."

I closed my eyes for one second.

This girl was impossible but then she suddenly softened,"I won't post it and i can promise it leutinent i just..." She looked at the screen again,"...like this picture."

I didn't know what to say then after a few seconds she looked up,"I'll keep it private. I Will crop your rank and blur your name on uniform? You trust me?"

I searched her face and for reasons I couldn't explain.. why i did. Then i nodded once. She smiled like she'd won something then maybe another thought entered her mind that she smiled, "Oh I'll send it to you."

I straightened up immediately,"No need ma'am."

"I'll WhatsApp."

"I don't think.."

"Can I have your phone number?"

I couldn't believe what I just heard, so I even kept my voice even, "I'm sorry ma'am? What.."

She repeated innocently,"Your number. Leutinent.."

"No."

"Why?"

"It's inappropriate ma'am."

"I just have to send one picture."

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Lieutenant Rathore."

"No."

"Karan?"

"No."

She laughed so loudly that two jawans walking nearby looked towards us.

"You smile less than my father."

"I smile enough."

"You really don't."

I shook my head,"I should leave."

She took two steps backwards, camera still hanging around her neck.

"Theek hai." Then she waved,"Bye, Lieutenant."

I nodded politely,"Take care, Ma'am."

As I turned around, I heard her mutter under her breath,"I'm definitely meeting you again."

I pretended I hadn't heard it.

I walked away.

I didn't look back.

At least that was what I told myself.

The truth was...i looked back exactly once. She was still standing there camera in one hand and watching me leave.

The next few days became strangely familiar. Whenever I reported to Lt. Col. Bajwa's office...a part of me noticed the verandah. The garden and the pathways nearby.

I told myself it was coincidence. Then one afternoon, after another briefing, I stepped outside and almost walked past her,"Lieutenant!!!! Karan!!"

I stopped.

She stood beneath the shade of a chinar tree but the camera was missing today. Instead, she held a small brown envelope,"I have something for you."

I walked over,"What is it?"

She handed it to me,"Open." Inside lay a glossy printed photograph.

I stared.

It was the picture.

I hadn't realised she'd captured me in profile. The afternoon sunlight fell across one side of my face. My beret sat slightly lower than usual. One hand rested near my jaw while I was ready to snatch her camera. The background blurred softly behind me.

For a second...it didn't even look like me. She watched my expression carefully,"I told you it came out nice."

I looked from the photograph to her.

"You printed it?"

She nodded proudly,"One for me and one for you." I still couldn't understand it,"Ma'am.... you actually

.....printed my photograph."

"Obviously Leutinent" She smiled,"I like collecting beautiful memories." Then she tilted her head,"So now can I have your number?"

I looked at her in complete disbelief.

"You haven't given up?"

"No."

"I won't."

I couldn't stop the smile that escaped.

"No."

She sighed dramatically,"One day."

I shook my head,"I should go."

She saluted playfully,"Yes, Go. And stop calling me ma'am. You can call me shristi. I'll really appreciate it."

I walked away with the photograph still in my hand. By the time I entered the barracks, I could already feel warmthcreeping into my ears.

"Abey..." Siddharth looked up from cleaning his rifle and narrowed his eyes immediately,"Karan."

"Hmm?"

"Tu laal kyun ho raha hai?" The memory faded as her voice pulled me back,"So?"

I sighed,"I'm listening."

"You forgot."

"I didn't."

"Then say it."

I looked through the window.

"I remember."

A smile slipped into her voice immediately,"I knew you would."

"I remember everything."

The words escaped before I could soften them.

Silence settled between us.

Warm.

Comfortable.

Dangerous.

She recovered first,"Good." Then she cleared her throat dramatically,"Now stop pretending you're busy."

"I actually am maa aaj mujhe kahin nahi jaane dengi..."

"No."

"I am busy..."

"No."

I sighed,"What happened?"

"I need you karan seriously. Abhi."

Every muscle in my shoulders tightened,"What happened?"

"College mein.. i need you..."

"What about college?"

"Just Come."

"But what happened?"

"I'll tell you when you get here. And trust me i am not joking.."

I gulped,"Shristi."

She ignored me completely,"Jaldi aao okay ? Aur bike pe aana.."

"But at least tell me..."

"Helmet pehenna."

"I always do."

"Good."

"What happened?"

"You ask too many questions."

"You answer too few."

She laughed and then her tone changed just enough for worry to creep in,"Please jaldi aao..."

My heartbeat quickened,"Are you alright?"

"Just come."

"Did someone get hurt?"

"Come."

"Shristi."

"I said come."

The call disconnected.

I stared at the screen.

For three seconds.

Four.

Five.

Something was wrong or she wanted me to believe something was wrong.

Either possibility was enough. I stood so quickly my chair scraped across the floor. Maa looked up from the kitchen,"Kya hua karan ?"

I dragged a hand over my face,"Kuch nahi mom. Bas.. thoda kaam hai bahar jaana hai."

"Abhi?"

"Haan."

She frowned,"Karan main.."

"I'll call." I grabbed my wallet, stepped out of the house and looked toward my own car.

Dust.

Boxes.

Half my luggage still inside.

No chance.

The bike would be faster.

The low boundary wall between our house and the Singhs' had never meant much to either family. I planted one hand on the top of it and swung across in one easy movement.

Arjun looked up from where he was washing Sid's motorcycle,"Oye!"

"Move."

"Kya move?"

"I need the bike."

He smirked,"Ask nicely."

I deadpanned,"I am asking nicely."

"This is nicely?"

I walked straight past him,"Keys de."

He stepped back,"Nahi."

I sighed,"Arjun yaar main mazak ke mood mein nahi hoon.."

He crossed his arms smugly,"Main bhi nahi. Subah se chamka raha hoon..."

I reached inside the verandah, picked the spare key from the hook and jingled it in front of him. His mouth fell open,"Chor!"

I shouted over my shoulder, "I am just borrowing."

"Tu har baar borrowing bolta hai."

"It sounds better."

He threw the wet cloth toward me.

"Phirse kharab mat karke laana. Aur na koi scratches..."

"I won't."

"But agar phir bhi aaya toh?"

"I'll deny everything."

He pointed a finger at me,"I hate you."

"No, you don't." From inside the house, a familiar voice called out,

"Kaun hai, Arjun?"

I fastened the helmet,"Nothing, Maasi!" I shouted. "Bike le ja raha hoon. Emergency hai."

"Emergency? Kya ho gaya.."

I immediately regretted using that word,"Emergency matlab chachi bas late ho gaya. Waise everyone's alright. I'll bring it back before evening!"

I heard something that sounded suspiciously like, "Theek hai, sambhal ke."

Arjun folded his arms,"Dekha? Mere se zyada trust karti hain."

"Valid choice."

He laughed despite himself,"Chal bhaag. Focus on your College not on bikes Engineer sahab.." I started the engine as I rolled out of the lane, Arjun yelled one last time,

"Petrol full!"

I lifted one hand without looking back,"I heard you."

The bike surged forward, and every red light suddenly felt slower than usual.

I checked the time on the bike's console for what had to be the sixth time in ten minutes.

Eight minutes.

If Delhi traffic decided to behave, I'd still make it.

If Delhi traffic behaved.

I almost laughed at my own optimism.

The helmet muffled the city into a constant hum as I rolled to another red light. My fingers tapped once against the clutch before I caught myself doing it.

Today.

Of all days.

Of course she would choose today.

The date had been sitting quietly in the back of my mind since morning.

The day she'd first walked into Kashmir with that camera swinging from her neck, sunlight in her hair, and absolutely no understanding of personal boundaries. I'd spent years learning how to maintain distance from her.

She had spent those same years treating distance as a personal insult.

I already knew she'd planned something.

Whether it was coffee, unnecessary celebration, or simply forcing me to listen to her talk for two hours, I had no doubt she'd remembered.

She remembered everything.

Anniversaries of first meetings.

The first photograph.

The first time I'd accidentally called her by her name instead of "ma'am."

Things I had forgotten until she reminded me.

I sighed inside the helmet,"I should've bought something yesterday."

The words escaped under my breath.

She was finishing her B.Ed. in a few months.

Teacher.

The thought still made me smile.

She had the patience to explain things five different ways to children. She had absolutely none when dealing with me.

A pen.

I'd been thinking about it since last week.

Simple.

Useful.

Something she'd actually carry.

Nothing flashy.

Nothing that looked like I was trying too hard.

Nothing that would make her tease me for the next five years.

The signal turned green.

I moved another few hundred metres before spotting a stationery shop squeezed between a chemist and a mobile repair store.

I braked,"If I don't buy it," I muttered while parking, "she'll complain."

I pulled the helmet off,"If I buy it and reach late..." I already knew that outcome too. She'd complain anyway.

"Brilliant."

I locked the bike and walked inside.

A small bell chimed over the glass door. Rows of notebooks, diaries and pen displays lined the walls. A middle aged shopkeeper looked up,"Haan ji, sir?"

I ran a hand through my hairs and placed my hand on counter,"I need a gift."

"Kis type ka gift sir..?"

"A pen maybe.."

"Pen sir.."

"Aree I mean. Jo aise..gift karte hain.

Like not normal ones.."

He smiled immediately,"Budget?"

I paused,"I honestly don't know."

He nodded as though he'd heard that answer a hundred times,"Office gift?"

I thought for a second,"...Future teacher. Like something.. imported vibe. Very dramatic."

"Acha." He disappeared behind the counter and returned with three small boxes,"Ye dekhiye." He opened the first,"This is a Scrikss rollerball. Around seven hundred."

Elegant.

Simple.

Good weight.

I rolled it between my fingers,"Nice."

He opened another,"This one is a Parker IM. Matte finish. Nine hundred and fifty."

I uncapped it.

Balanced.

Comfortable.

The sort of pen someone could actually use every day,"What about something around twelve hundred?"

He nodded,"I have one more."

From another shelf he carefully brought out a blue presentation box.

"Cross Bailey Light. Imported finish. Around one thousand two hundred."

I stared at it for a moment.

It wasn't extravagant.

Just... thoughtful.

Exactly the sort of thing she'd use during lesson planning or while checking notebooks,"What colour?"

"Blue, black, white."

Black.

She liked black.

She always compliments me in black.

I smiled despite myself,"This one."

"Gift wrap?"

"...Yes." The shopkeeper wrapped it neatly in dark blue paper,"You can write a small message also."

I almost said yes.

Instead I shook my head,"No bas aise hi theek hai.." Because if I started writing, I wouldn't know where to stop. He handed over the packet.

"Twelve hundred, sir." I paid, slipped the small gift carefully into my jacket pocket and turned toward the exit.

The moment I pushed the glass door open a loud metallic crash echoed outside.

My head snapped toward the road.

The motorcycle.

My motorcycle.

Or rather Siddharth's motorcycle.

It lay on its side in the middle of the parking strip. A white hatchback had clipped the handlebar while reversing. For one second I simply stared,"... Fucking hell." I crossed the pavement in three quick strides.

"What the hell..." The clutch lever had scraped across the asphalt. The crash guard had taken most of the impact.

The side mirror hung loose.

A long scratch ran across the tank.

I closed my eyes for exactly half a second,"Wonderful." The driver stepped out, already waving his hands,"Arre bhai saab, bike yahan khadi hi kyun ki thi? Dikhi hi nahi."

I looked at him.

He continued before I could answer.

"Aap log bhi na, kahin bhi laga dete ho. Ab meri bhi gaadi lag gayi."

I inhaled slowly very slowly because the language sitting at the back of my throat belonged entirely to valley.

Most of it stayed there,"Bhai dekh," I said evenly, "Meri bike properly parked thi aur tune..."

He insisted,"Nahi thi."

I stared still holding back the urge to let out my frustration,"Thi."

"Nahi thi."

I looked once at the parking lines painted on the ground. The bike stood exactly where it should have been before it was knocked over. I pointed.

"Woh line dekh rahe ho?"

He glanced at it,"Haan toh?"

"Uske andar thi." He opened his mouth again,"Dekhiye, galti aapki bhi.."

"Bsdk..." I muttered under my breath, rubbing my forehead. "Aankhen ghar bhool aaye the kya? Chala kaise raha tha haan.."

He frowned,"Kya bola be MC?"

I looked up,"I said, reverse karte waqt dekh bhi liya karo. Zyada.."

His tone immediately rose,"Aap tameez se baat kijiye."

A dry laugh escaped me,"Tameez?"

"Haan."

"You hit a stationary motorcycle."

"Woh.."

"And you're explaining physics to me."

He took one step forward,"Aap zyada hero mat baniye."

I simply stared at him. Already counting ways i could fold his body in two but then his eyes drifted past me.

To the rear of the motorcycle.

The small Indian Army sticker.

Below it MAJ.S.SINGH.

His voice stopped.

He looked at the name once and then at me,"...Sir..."

I smiled patiently.

The kind of smile that appeared only when my patience had nearly run out.

"Major."

The colour drained from his face.

For the first time since stepping out of the car, he looked properly at the motorcycle. Then at the scratch then back at me and the argument disappeared from his expression.

"...Sorry, sir." I looked once more at the damaged tank. Siddharth was going to kill me before I ever reached the college and somehow i sighed,"Aage se gaadi dekh kar chalaya karo. Logon ko bacha ke kya fayda jab tum jaise log unhe road pe chalte chalte maar sakte ho.."

He apologized once again and drove away. That had become only the second biggest problem of my morning then by the time I reached the college gate, I had stopped pretending the motorcycle was fine.

The handlebar kept pulling slightly to the left, the mirror refused to stay where it belonged, and every small bump reminded me of the fresh scratch running across Siddharth's fuel tank,"Bas... thoda sa aur."

I eased the bike through the entrance instead of riding it any faster. Students crossed the driveway in groups, a security guard waved someone toward the parking area, and the usual afternoon noise settled over the campus.

The last stretch was impossible.

I switched the engine off.

With one hand on the handlebar, I started dragging the motorcycle beside me. Every few steps the loose mirror wobbled and every few steps I imagined Siddharth's face.

"This is fucked up."

"I know."

"It is my son."

"I know."

The imaginary conversation was painfully accurate.

A tired smile escaped me. I finally reached the side of the academic block where motorcycles were lined against the wall and the stand clicked into place the bike leaned then leaned a little more,"...Arre." I grabbed it before it kissed the ground for the second time that morning,"For God's sake."

After another careful adjustment, it finally settled against the wall.

I stepped back and looked at it then looked again,"Bas. Ab aur drama mat kar. Stay upright." And surprisingly the bike remained upright.

Good enough.

I pulled my phone from my pocket to check the time, then slid it back.

My palm brushed against the small wrapped gift tucked safely inside my jacket.

At least one thing had survived the journey. I took a slow breath and ran a hand over my shirt. Light blue cotton.

The sleeves were folded neatly to my forearms.

Dark jeans.

Brown boots that had seen far too many railway platforms and cantonment roads.

My beard had grown during last deployment in fact i liked it that way. Another benefit of being in Para.

The moustache needed another pass with the trimmer before I returned to the unit. My hair had already surrendered to the helmet. I rubbed it back into place with my fingers.

"Manageable."

That would have to do.

Then I looked up and she stood near the entrance steps with her back toward me. Cream cotton kurti.

Blue dupatta draped carelessly over one shoulder.

Her hair fell almost to her waist today, shifting every time the breeze found it. She was speaking to someone on the phone, one hand moving animatedly through the air as though the person on the other end could somehow see every expression she made.

Months.

It had only been a few months.

The distance always stretched longer than calendars admitted. Something inside my chest eased the moment I saw her, it happened every time.

I had stopped trying to explain it years ago.

In my mind, whenever I thought of her during lonely evenings in the valley, she was always smiling. Quiet. Gentle. Almost impossibly calm.

Reality never matched that picture.

Reality talked with her hands.

Reality interrupted people.

Reality laughed too loudly, argued with complete confidence, collected impossible ideas before breakfast and somehow convinced everyone else to become part of them.

She carried chaos around like it belonged to her.

I watched her for another second.

Beautiful.

There was no point arguing with that fact anymore.

She shifted her weight from one foot to another, frowned at whatever the caller was saying, then rolled her eyes so dramatically that I almost laughed.

Exactly the same.

I reached into my pocket and felt the edge of the wrapped pen once more.

Hopefully she'd like it.

Hopefully she wouldn't ask how much it cost.

Hopefully...

No.

She would definitely ask and then she'd complain I had spent too much.

I shook my head,"I should've just bought a twenty rupee pen." But even I didn't believe that. She deserved better than the things I usually bought for myself.

My steps slowed as I walked toward her. The closer I came, the more details settled into place. The tiny silver jhumkas. The thin bracelet she absent mindedly kept twisting whenever she was impatient.

The familiar expression that usually meant someone somewhere had disappointed her expectations.

Probably me.

Fair enough.

I stopped an arm's length behind her.

She still hadn't noticed.

I cleared my throat softly but nothing made it's way out. She was too busy talking,"...Haan, main dekh lungi. Arre tum tension mat lo, bas.." I reached out and gently tapped her shoulder with two fingers and she turned.

Months.

Months, and this girl who usually started talking before I could even say hello... just stood there looking at me.

She looked exactly the way I'd imagined during every call I hadn't picked. Before I could speak, she quietly said into the phone,"Haan... woh aa gaya main baad mein call karti hoon." She disconnected.

I finally cleared my throat,"Shri.."

She lifted one finger,"Ek second."

I stopped.

She folded her arms across her chest and looked at me from head to toe with exaggerated seriousness. "Hm."

Another slow nod.

"Haan..."

She leaned her head a little,"Bilkul."

I frowned,"Kya?"

"I imagined you exactly like this."

"...What?"

"This shirt." She pointed at my cotton shirt.

"Same." Then at my jeans,"Ye bhi."

My boots,"Ye toh obviously." My beard,"I even imagined beard itni hi badi hogi."

I stared,"Tumhe sapna aaya tha?"

She laughed and it was a proper laugh the one that always reached her eyes.

"No." She took another step,"I just knew."

"Kya knew it ?"

"I knew tum aise hi aaoge." She started circling me slowly, inspecting me as though she had ordered me online and the parcel had finally arrived. My shoulders stiffened.

"Shristi."

"Hmm?"

"Kya kar rahi ho?"

"Inspection." She nodded very seriously,"Itne mahino baad parcel deliver hua hai. Check toh karungi."

I pinched the bridge of my nose.

"Please don't."

She ignored me completely,"Aur suno..." She stopped behind me.

"I counted."

I sighed,"Kya?"

"One hundred and eighteen days."

I closed my eyes.

"..."

"One hundred and eighteen." She came back in front of me,"Do you know kitni baar call kiya maine?"

I stayed quiet.

"Kitni baar message kiya?"

Silence.

"Kitni baar socha ki Major Sahab ko yaad bhi hai ya nahi ki duniya mein ek Shrishti naam ki ladki bhi exist karti hai?"

"Listen to me.."

"Nahi." She cut me off immediately.

"Meri baat khatam hone do."

I nodded.

She put both hands on her waist,"You know what is the funniest part?"

I looked at her.

"Tum na kabhi completely disappear bhi nahi hote."

"What?"

"Har baar koi na koi update mil jaati hai." She started counting on her fingers,"Papa se ya siddharth se ya phir kabhi kisi aur random sentry uncle ke through.." She looked straight into my eyes,"Sabko pata hota hai tum zinda ho. Bas mujhe nahi."

The words settled quietly between us.

I looked away for a second,"I was busy."

"I know."

"I couldn't.."

"I know karan there were operations."

"I know." She smiled faintly,"Tum hamesha bhool jaate ho. Mere papa bhi army mein hi hain and infact mujhe tumhare baare mein toh pata chal hi jaata hai that you're busy..."

"I understand." Her voice softened for exactly one heartbeat but then it vanished,"But understanding doesn't stop someone from missing you."

I swallowed.

She pointed a finger at my chest.

"Aur tum."

"Haan."

"Tum bade smart ban rahe the."

"I wasn't."

"Really?"

She folded her arms again,"Ek baar bhi nahi laga ki 'chalo Shrishti ko bata deta hoon leave pe aa gaya hoon.'"

"I was going to."

"When?"

"I had planned."

"When?"

"Today."

She blinked,"Today."

I nodded,"I already had plans."

She narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

"Sach mein ?"

"Haan."

"Mujhe believe karna chahiye?"

I shrugged,"Karna ho toh kar lo."

She looked at me for another few seconds before exhaling dramatically.

"Theek hai." Then she leaned forward a little,"But pehle..." She pointed at me again,"Sorry bolo."

I almost laughed,"For what?"

She looked genuinely offended,"For existing like this, disappearing and ignoring. For making me stalk half the Indian Army to know tum zinda ho."

"For making me wait." I rubbed a tired hand across my face,"Shrishti..."

She took one step closer,"Say sorry."

I looked at the scratched bike resting against the wall. My shoulders finally dropped as my head was already pounding from the traffic, the argument, the damaged bike.

I exhaled slowly,"I think..." I glanced at the road,"...I should just go back."

The words came out rougher than I intended,"My mood honestly isn't.."

She frowned immediately,"Kya hua?"

I gestured towards the bike.

She followed my hand.

Her eyes widened.

She looked at the bike then back at me then the bike again,"Tumne.....bike thok di?"

I stared at her,"Seriously?"

"Wahi toh lag raha hai."

I let out a tired breath,"Main toh tumhara gi.."

The word stopped halfway.

My own voice betrayed me.

Her eyebrows shot up instantly.

"Mera... gi?" She repeated it slowly.

"Mera kya? Karan.."

I cursed myself internally,"I mean..."

Then cleared my throat,"I had some work toh main wahan gaya tha and Parking mein kisi ne gaadi ghusa di."

She kept looking at me.

Long enough for me to know she had noticed. She simply chose not to push it. Instead she sighed,"Ab?"

I looked at her,"Ab kya?"

"Hum hotel kaise jaayenge?"

I blinked,"...Hotel?"

She looked amused,"Haan phir bhool gaye kya, the anniversary celebration, Mr. Memory."

I just stared.

She smiled wider,"You remembered today's date and i knew you would."

Before I could respond, she slipped her arm through mine. The gesture was so effortless that it felt like breathing to her as it never felt ordinary to me. Every single time she touched me, something inside my chest forgot its rhythm.

I instinctively straightened. She rested her head lightly against my shoulder.

"We met each other today."

Her voice had become softer,"And I am so..." She looked up at me with the brightest smile,"...so proud of you that you remembered." She nudged my arm,"You're my favourite student."

I rolled my eyes,"Abhi se teacher ban gayi?"

She grinned,"Student cute ho toh teacher banna padta hai."

I looked away,"Bas."

"Kya bas?"

"Stop it."

She laughed under her breath,"Theek hai." A few seconds passed and then reality returned. She looked at the bike again,"But seriously..." She sighed,"Ab kaise jayenge?"

I scanned the parking,"Your scooty?"

She looked at me as if I had said something deeply foolish,"Main scooty kyun laati?"

I frowned,"Because normal people use vehicles."

She poked my arm,"Maine socha tha tum aaoge aur main tumhare saath ghoomungi par mujhe kya pata tha tum bike thok doge."

I looked at her flatly,"I told you I didn't." She smiled sheepishly,"Okay, okay Calm down." Then she pointed dra

matically,"Waise bhi tum itna gussa cute lagte ho."

I ignored that completely. "Waise bhi..." I muttered under my breath.

"...Sid ki bike hai and I already know the moment I reach home...."

She froze,"What?"

I immediately regretted saying it aloud. She pointed at the motorcycle.

"Sid ki?"

I nodded once.

Her eyes became even bigger,"Tumne Siddharth ki bike thok di?"

I looked straight at her,"I...DID.. NOT."

She smiled genuinely and touched my arm, as if providing me sympathy,

"It's okay. Ho jaata kabhi.."

My patience finally snapped,"I DID NOT!" The sudden volume echoed across the college gate.

A few students turned.

Two guards looked over.

Someone stopped walking.

Shrishti looked around once before glaring at me,"Dheere bolo..." She lowered her voice,"Mera College hai."

I took a deep breath.

She shook her head,"Acha theek hai. Woh ab jo kuch hoga ghar jaake dekh lena but abhi humein nikalna hai."

She pulled her phone out of her bag.

"I'll do something."

The screen lit up.

One name.

Sid.

My eyes widened.

I immediately reached for the phone.

"Arre usse kyun call kar rahi ho?"

She twisted away effortlessly,"Because he's smarter."

"Shrishti.." She pressed the call button anyway and moved away from me to talk. I rolled my eyes. Ofcourse. And almost twenty minutes later I spotted a black SUV before it even turned fully towards the college gate.

Of course he came himself.

I closed my eyes for half a second.

The SUV rolled to a stop beside us.

The engine died.

The driver's door opened. Siddharth stepped out, sunglasses pushed over his head, one hand still holding the car keys. His eyes found me first then Shrishti and then me again.

I straightened automatically. Years of friendship made it worse bcause this man could read my face before I spoke. Shrishti smiled as though she hadn't created absolute chaos in the last thirty minutes,"Hi. How are you.."

Siddharth nodded once,"Haan i am alright but tum..." Then his eyes settled on me,"Kya hua?" His voice stayed calm,"What was the emergency?" He looked towards Shrishti,"Tum phone pe bas 'jaldi aao' bolke cut kar deti ho." Then back at me,"And you..." He frowned,"...phone kyun nahi utha raha tha?"

I rubbed the back of my neck,"I was busy..."

"You weren't. I tried again and again mujhe laga kuch..."

"I know."

He folded his arms,"Problem kya hai?" Before I could answer Shrishti gently patted his shoulder,"Arre relax."

Her tone was so innocent that i almost laughed. She smiled sweetly,"...dekho Chhote mote losses hote rehte hain."

I bit the inside of my cheek.

Siddharth looked at her then at me and then back at her,"...What?"

She didn't answer.

She simply lifted one finger and then pointed behind him towards the motorcycle.

Siddharth turned. His gaze landed on the bike leaning awkwardly against the wall. There was a long scrape across the side.

Crash guard bent.

Indicator hanging.

Mirror cracked.

He didn't say a word but just kept looking.

I swallowed.

Shrishti clasped her hands behind her back. With the expression of someone delivering the happiest news in the world, she announced,"Karan ne bike thok di."

I inhaled sharply,"MAINE.."

She continued over me,"Ab humein tumhari car chahiye." She smiled brighter,"Tum usse baad mein daant lena. He said he'll pay for it but abhi please keys de do."

"MAINE BIKE NAHI THOKI!" I finally managed to speak,"I did not. I was literally standing in parking aur Ek aadmi ne gaadi reverse maari. I was inside the shop."

Siddharth slowly looked back at me.

One eyebrow lifted.

Nothing else.

Just that eyebrow.

I immediately looked at Shrishti. She blinked at him with the purest expression possible,"Main jhooth bolungi kya?"

I pointed at her,"Dekha?"

"Dekha?"

"That's why I try to keep distance. Hamesha yahi. Start tum karo. Bulao tum. Flirt tum karo. Aur hamesha end mein phasta kon hai? Main. Yahi karti ho tum always.."

She looked offended,"Excuse me. Ab pyaar kiya toh itna toh..."

"Maine nahi.."

"Bike tumhare paas thi na?"

"Haan."

"Damage hui?"

"Haan hui but..."

"Toh technically?"

I shut my eyes,"Hey bhagwan..."

Siddharth finally exhaled and dragged a hand over his face," It's fucked. Subah subah maa aur woh restaurant meeting aur ab..." He looked at the sky briefly,"I don't think i am supposed to relax on these leave days..."

Shrishti grinned,"It's alright Dekho Friendship mein hota rehta hai."

He looked at her,"Haan. But karan never did something like this. Tumse milne ke bad se yeh sab shuru hua hai.."

She pretended to think,"Character development ka naam suna hai ?"

I actually choked on a laugh.

Siddharth shot me one look.

I coughed immediately.

Karan. Control.

I cleared my throat,"Sid, listen."

He raised one hand,"I know you don't ride like an idiot, itna mujhe bhi pata hai." My shoulders relaxed a little.

Then he continued,"Lekin bike kiski thi?"

I looked away,"...Teri."

"Ab ghar le jaunga toh.. tension kisko hogi?"

I sighed,"...Masi ko..."

He crossed his arms,"Exactly. She'll think i got hit or something aur ab.. chuppa raha hoon. She's been assuming ki main koi injury chuppa raha hoon or something aur ab.. "

"..Seedhe mechanic.."

He nodded once,"I will."

Shrishti clapped softly,"It's alright. Aunty ji toh chinta karengi hi na. Aur waise bhi see. Communication works. Tum nahi aate toh karan humari date cancel karke mechanic ke pas.."

I glared,"Tum bilkul chup."

She ignored me completely,"Tum dono baad mein roothna manana kar lena but abhi humein jaana hai."

She looked towards Siddharth,"Karan apne dost se car keys lo na."

I closed my eyes for a second then opened they shifted to Siddharth's hand.

The car keys.

Then to his face then back to the keys.

Siddharth followed my gaze. He slowly looked at the keys himself then at me,"Wow. First..." He lifted one finger,"The bike and ..now the car."

Neither of us spoke.

We simply looked at each other. Years of friendship meant words weren't always necessary. I gave him the smallest nod...

Please.

His jaw tightened.

Don't.

I sighed.

She's impossible.

I know.

I'll explain.

You better.

I'll repair the bike.

Obviously you will.

Please.

He stared another second and then muttered under his breath,"Tell me you're not drunk." He walked forward and pressed the car keys into my palm,"Scratch bhi aayi na..." He leaned closer,"... I'll disown you."

I almost smiled,"Thank you." He snatched the motorcycle key from my hand instead,"Chal. Helmet de."

I handed it over silently. Shrishti was already opening the passenger door.

She settled inside as though the entire exchange had gone exactly according to her master plan and leaned out of the window,"Thank you, Sid. Love you. Bye."

He looked at her,"You owe me."

She smiled,"I know. I'll buy you coffee."

"You'll buy me a new bike."

"Drama." She disappeared inside again. The door shut. For a few seconds, there was only silence between me and Siddharth.

I looked at him.

He looked at the bike then at me again,"I am not worried about the bike you know that.."

I sighed,"I know..."

"Jaise hi mom ko pata chalega this girl also rejected me. Woh phirse..."

"Phirse emotionally blackmail karengi i know but listen main baat karunga.."

Siddharth let out a humourless laugh,

"Haan karna. But just make sure kahin ek shaadi cancel ke chakkar mein do shaadiyon ke preparation shuru na ho jaaye.."

"It will." I almost smiled. He walked around the bike, inspecting the damage,"Crash guard, Indicator, mirror aur Side panel." He clicked his tongue,"Aise..."

"I know. Koi bewakoof tha. For a second i thought ki ache se.. baat karun usse but phir.. i just let him go."

I looked towards the car where Shrishti was humming to herself without a single concern in the world.

"She was waiting for me and i was already late..."

He followed my gaze then looked back at me. His expression softened almost imperceptibly,"You're going on a date? Confess kar raha hai finally?"

I stayed quiet.

He already knew because healways knew after a moment he shook his head,"Ja warna madam phir naya drama shuru kar dengi."

I nodded, "It's not date Exactly but.. it's complicated. Tujhe baad mein bataunga.."

He pointed a finger at me,"...iss baar usse ghar drop karke seedha wapas."

I smirked faintly,"Yeah fine, Major Singh anything else..."

He scoffed,"I don't have energy to argue karan seriously. Just get out of my sight." Before I turned away, he called out once more,"Wait..."

I looked back.

He held my gaze for a second. "...Enjoy the day. Don't think too much about Bajwa..." There wasn't a trace of teasing in his voice.

Only understanding.

I nodded once,"I'll try..." Then I walked towards the driver's side, settled and started the engine then i pulled the car out onto the main road while she was still adjusting the end of her dupatta. For the first couple of minutes, neither of us said anything.

Delhi traffic filled the silence for us.

A bus squeezed into our lane.

An auto cut across without warning.

Someone behind us leaned on the horn as though it could magically dissolve the traffic. She looked out of the window, then glanced at me,"So..."

"So?"

"Tum sach mein mujhe batane waale the ki leave pe aaye ho?"

I kept my eyes on the road,"Haan."

She folded her arms.

"Kab?"

"Today."

"Convenient."

"I had already planned."

She made a face,"Evidence?"

"I don't keep written proof."

"Hmm." She nodded dramatically.

"Suspicious." I couldn't stop the corner of my mouth from lifting.

She noticed,"There."

"There what?"

"You smiled."

"I didn't."

"Tumhare left cheek pe dimple aaya."

"I don't have one."

"Hai."

I shook my head,"Koi dimple nahi hai." She looked pleased with herself.

The signal turned red.

I slowed the car to a stop. She turned sideways in her seat,"Waise ek baat bataun?"

"Hmm."

"I found out by accident."

I looked at her,"Kis baare mein?"

"That you were home."

"I know."

"How?"

She grinned immediately,"Papa."

I sighed.

"Of course."

She straightened in her seat and immediately started mimicking the morning conversation. Her voice changed into a much deeper tone.

"'Haan beta, padhai kaisi chal rahi hai?'" Then she pointed at herself.

"'Bilkul badhiya. Waise... unit mein sab theek?'"

She switched back,"'Haan, sab badhiya.'"

Again.

"'Aur naye officers?'"

"'Sab theek.'"

She laughed,"Papa ko tab bhi doubt nahi hua." I smiled despite myself.

She continued dramatically,"Phir maine bilkul casually poocha..." She even air quoted the word casually.

"'Waise Karan sir bhi theek hain?'"

I looked at her,"'Sir?'"

She rolled her eyes,"Papa ke saamne 'Karan' bolungi toh court martial karwa denge mera."

I chuckled quietly.

She immediately pointed at me.

"Wow!"

"What?"

"Dusri smile."

I ignored her.

She continued the story anyway.

"Papa bole..." Again she copied his calm, commanding voice,"'Haan. Leave pe gaya hua hai. Teen din baad report back karega.'" She clapped once,"Bas I got my answer."

I glanced at her,"So you trapped me."

"I invited you."

"You lied."

"I emotionally persuaded."

"You created a fake emergency."

"It wasn't fake." She looked at me with complete sincerity,"It was an emotional emergency."

I laughed under my breath. She looked victorious,"I knew you'd laugh."

"I wasn't laughing."

"Tisri smile."

I gave up arguing.

She looked out of the windshield for a moment before speaking again,"I genuinely wanted today." Her voice had become quieter,"I know tum dates yaad rakhte ho ya nahi.....but I do. I remember everything,the first day, the first photo, the first coffee, the first argument, birthday gift and even the first time you actually laughed because of me."

She smiled faintly,"I collect days."

Something tightened quietly inside my chest. I slipped one hand into my trouser pocket for a second and my fingers brushed against the small gift box.

The pen.

My thumb rested against the box.

Something she'd actually carry.

My fingers curled around it.

Then another memory surfaced with uncomfortable clarity.

The Officers' Mess. Three winters ago. It was Annual Dining In. The hall had been warm despite the snow outside.

Senior officers stood in small circles with glasses of soup and quiet conversations. I had been passing behind them when I heard Colonel Bajwa laughing,"...meri beti bahut ziddi hai."

Someone laughed with him,"Soch lo, sir main toh kehta hoon koi army officer hi dekh lijiye."

Colonel Bajwa smiled,"Nahi." His answer had come easily almost instantly,"I've seen this life too closely. I know what it asks from families and If I have any choice, I'd rather give her a quieter life."

Another officer smiled,"Your own boys are excellent officers." He had glanced around the hall proudly.

"They're like sons."

Colonel Bajwa had nodded,"They are.

I trust them with my life." Then the sentence that had stayed with me ever since,"I would hand over an operation to them without reading a second file." He smiled again,"But a daughter..." He shook his head gently.

"Uske liye baap ka dil aur tarah sochta hai."

Everyone had understood.

The conversation had moved on.

Mine never had.

The traffic began moving again. I took my hand out of my pocket and placed it back on the steering wheel.

The small box stayed where it was.

She kept talking about college, about lesson plans. About observation classes and about children she had met during practice teaching about one professor who terrified the entire batch,"...aur phir pata hai kya hua?"

She laughed,"Our whole group forgot the attendance register. Sir ne bola, 'Teacher banna hai aur register hi bhool gaye?'"

She laughed again before looking at me.

I smiled,"You'd make a good teacher."

Her face lit up,"Really? You think so?"

I hummed,"Hmm."

"Kyun?"

"Because children won't be scared of you." She gasped theatrically,"Matlab students meri baat nahi maanenge?"

"They'll like coming to class." She looked absurdly pleased by that answer,"I'll take that." By the time we reached the hotel, we had somehow talked through half the city. The meal stretched longer than either of us intended. She stole fries from my plate. Complained about my terrible food choices and made me taste desserts I hadn't ordered.

Asked about postings.

Asked about Dad.

Asked about Ma. Told me stories about college friends whose names I would never remember and for a little while, it felt ordinary and comfortable dangerously comfortable.

Then she looked at me expectantly,

"So?"

"So?"

"My gift."

I looked at her,"You remembered today so there has to be a gift."

My hand instinctively moved towards my pocket. The pen was still there only a few inches away.

I could give it now.

She would smile even probably tease me for buying something expensive.

Probably use it every single day.

My fingers stopped halfway. Colonel Bajwa's voice echoed somewhere far behind my thoughts,"I trust them with my life. But a daughter... uske liye baap ka dil aur tarah sochta hai."

My hand dropped back to my lap.

"I forgot."

The words left my mouth quietly.

She looked at me for a second and then smiled,"I knew it." There wasn't any anger only gentle disappointment wrapped in humour,"I even bought something for you."

I looked up,"You what ?"

She nodded,"I did like i always do."

She nudged my arm lightly,"But Next year mat bhoolna." The small gift remained untouched in my pocket. So did every word I had never allowed myself to say.

After sometime eventually The bill was paid, and somehow she still managed to steal the last bite of dessert from my plate.

"I knew you weren't going to finish it."

"I was."

"Nahi."

"I was literally reaching for it."

"You were thinking about reaching for it."

She smiled victoriously, already walking towards the exit. Outside, the afternoon sun had softened. She stopped near the hotel entrance and pulled out her phone.

"Karan."

"Hmm?"

"Photo."

I sighed.

"We just met after months."

"So?"

"So... photo banti hai." She lifted the phone and i instinctively turned my face away,"Shristi mat karo..."

She frowned,"Kya?"

"No."

"Bas ek."

"No."

She laughed,"Tum CID ke witness ho kya jo face hide kar rahe ho?"

I gulped,"I don't like pictures."

"Jhooth mat bolo apne friends ke saath ko bohot khinchate ho."

"I avoid them." She stepped sideways, trying to get my face into the frame.

I stepped the other way and she followed.

I moved again and then she groaned dramatically,"Hey Bhagwan...ek photo lene mein itni mehnat jab humari shaadi hogi tab kya hoga..."

I paused for a second. My heartbeat increased and then i forced myself to act calm,"You Done?"

She narrowed her eyes,"Fine You win."

"I know." Then, before I could ask what she was doing, she lowered the phone. Instead of aiming it at my face, she stood beside me and quietly slipped her fingers around my wrist.

I looked down.

Our hands.

Her fingers loosely wrapped around mine. She clicked the picture of just our hands. She looked at the screen and smiled to herself,"This one's better." I looked away before she could notice I'd been staring.

We got back into the car. The drive towards her hostel was slower. The city had started filling with office traffic. She played with the AC vent absentmindedly while humming some song I couldn't place.

I kept both hands on the steering wheel then after a few minutes I spoke,"You should start focusing on placements now."

"Hmm?"

"You'll be a teacher in a few months."

"I know."

"You'll get busy."

She nodded,"I hope so."

Silence settled again.

I swallowed. The words came before I could stop them,"You'll make good friends there."

She looked at me,"I already have."

Then i used it,"I mean friends like me i hope..." I searched for safer ground.

"You know...people change, life changes you'll meet new people."

She smiled faintly,"Oh friends like...

You?"

"You should..." I kept my eyes on the road,"...keep your world bigger than just army people."

She continued watching me.

I knew that look.

She had heard what I hadn't said, "So"

Her voice carried that familiar teasing warmth again,"Major Sahab phir se indirect lecture de rahe hain?"

"It's practical advice."

"Haan."

She nodded seriously,"Friend advice?"

I gave a small nod,"Hmm."

She leaned back,"So we're Friends."

Then she turned towards me with a completely straight face,"But i think we're Friends with benefits.."

I almost hit the brakes,"What?"

She burst into laughter,"Oh my God.

You should see your own face."

I rubbed a hand over my forehead.

"Shristi."

"What?"

"Don't say things like that."

"Why?"

"It doesn't sound good."

She tilted her head,"Theek hai." A thoughtful pause,"Then what about husband?"

I closed my eyes for one second.

"Shristi."

"Kya?"

"I am serious."

"So am I."

She smiled,"I just happen to be funny also."

I shook my head,"You exhaust me."

"I know."

"It's one of my talents."

The hostel gates appeared at the end of the road. I slowed the SUV and parked beneath the shade of a gulmohar tree,"There. I'll wait till you go inside."

She didn't move but instead she opened her bag. I frowned,"What?"

"Ek second." She searched for something, pushing notebooks aside before finally pulling out a tiny velvet pouch and my heartbeat slowed.

Then immediately sped up again.

She opened it. A simple silver ring rested on her palm. I stared at it then at her then back at the ring. She smiled as though this was the most ordinary thing in the world,"Tum kabhi ring laate hi nahi."

I didn't answer,"So..."

She held it out towards me,"Main khud le aayi."

I stayed completely still.

"Hurry up." She extended her hand.

"Mujhe Pehna do." My fingers tightened around the steering wheel.

The pen was still inside my pocket.

Only inches away.

She waited,"Karan."

"Hmm?"

She placed her hand on mine,"Pehna do." I forced myself to look ahead through the windshield,"You should go."

She blinked,"Kya?"

"I have to leave late ho raha hai. Aur tumhari hostel timing bhi..."

She laughed softly,"It'll take two minutes."

"Pehna do."

I shook my head,"You wear it."

She stared at me,"Seriously?"

"Haan."

"Karan."

"Khud pehen lo."

She looked at me as though I had said something absurd,"Are you actually kidding me? I bought it and i am giving it to you. You'll make me wear it, it's literally that simple."

My jaw tightened.

She waited for another second and then another. Finally something inside me gave way,"I told you..." My voice came out quieter than I intended,"...I can't." She stopped smiling. I continued before I lost the courage,"Why can't you understand?"

"I've been trying for years, I keep giving you space, i disappear and then i come back and try to keep things... simple. I thought if we stayed friends, you wouldn't keep getting hurt because of my postings, my silences, my life." I laughed bitterly at myself.

"And I failed at that too. I keep trying to push you towards a life that's easier and every single time..."

I looked at her,"...you come closer."

Silence filled the car.

She kept looking at me.

The brightness in her eyes dimmed for a brief moment. That expression hurt far more than anything she could have said. She lowered her hand.

Without another word, she placed the ring on the dashboard. It landed with a soft click, then she nodded once,"So that's it."

I didn't answer.

She picked up her bag. Before opening the door, she looked at me again,

"When you finally grow enough courage to stop hiding behind practical advice..." A faint smile returned to her face,"...tab aa jana."

She opened the door,"And next time, at least have the decency to reject me properly. I deserve better arguments than 'life changes.'" She stepped out.

The door shut.

I watched her walk towards the hostel entrance without looking back.

Halfway there, she suddenly stopped.

Turned around.

Walked back a few steps.

I frowned.

She cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted loud enough for me to hear through the closed window,"Major Rathore!"

Students near the gate looked over.

She ignored every one of them,"Dekho If you're going to keep acting like an cold and confused idiot..." She pointed a finger at me,"...then at least come back alive after your posting." Her voice softened just enough for the last sentence. "I still have to fight with you."

Before I could respond, she spun around and walked inside the hostel gates. I sat there for a long moment.

Then, despite everything sitting heavy inside my chest, the corner of my lips lifted. I quietly rolled the window up before she could turn back and catch me smiling.