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Aayat's POV

I had almost reached the staircase.

Almost.

One more step, and I could have disappeared upstairs.

Back into my room.

Back into the version of myself that knew how to handle everything alone.

"Aayat."

I stopped.

There was something about the way Zyraan said my name.

Not demanding.

Not stopping me.

Just...

asking.

Slowly, I turned around.

He was still standing near the living room.

The same place where he had been a moment ago.

But now the teasing ease was gone.

The smile.

The confidence.

All of it had faded into something quieter.

"Stay."

The word was simple.

Almost too simple.

I looked at him.

"Tomorrow?"

He nodded.

"Yes."

I waited.

For the explanation.

For the reason.

For the speech I was sure would come.

It didn't.

Zyraan just looked at me.

Like that was enough.

Like he didn't need to convince me.

"I can't."

The answer came automatically.

His expression didn't change.

"Okay."

That almost annoyed me more.

Because people usually argued.

They told me why I was wrong.

They told me what I needed.

They tried to pull me back.

Zyraan didn't.

He just accepted the wall I had put up.

"I have work."

"I know."

The way he said it made me look at him.

Not because of the words.

Because he wasn't questioning it.

He already knew.

I looked away.

"You don't understand."

A pause.

Maybe he didn't.

Maybe nobody did.

But Zyraan only said,

"Maybe."

My eyes returned to him.

"Maybe I don't."

Silence.

"But stay anyway."

Something inside me went quiet.

Because he didn't say it like a demand.

He said it like a request.

A small one.

A simple one.

One I didn't know how to refuse.

I looked down at the stairs.

At the distance between where I stood and where I wanted to go.

"Zyraan..."

"I know."

Again.

That same quiet answer.

I hated that he knew when to stop.

I hated that he didn't make this harder.

He looked at me for a moment.

Then said,

"Just stay."

Nothing else.

No explanations.

Just two words.

I swallowed.

Because somehow those two words carried more weight than everything else he could have said.

For years, I had been leaving.

From conversations.

From celebrations.

From anything that reminded me of what I lost.

And now someone was standing in front of me asking me not to.

Not asking me to be okay.

Just asking me to be there.

I didn't answer.

Zyraan didn't wait for one.

Maybe he knew I wouldn't give it.

Maybe he knew I needed time.

He gave a small nod.

"Goodnight, Aayat."

Then he turned toward the door.

And I watched him walk away.

I didn't call him back.

I didn't say yes.

I didn't say no.

I just stood there.

Because for the first time in years...

the hardest thing wasn't remembering.

It was the possibility of staying.

The door closed softly behind him.

And somehow...

that sound felt louder than it should have.

I stayed where I was.

Still standing on the staircase.

Still holding my bag.

Still pretending I was only there because I hadn't decided where to go next.

But the truth was...

I wasn't moving.

The house was quiet again.

The kind of quiet I had always preferred.

The kind that didn't ask questions.

Didn't expect anything.

Didn't look at me like it knew I was avoiding something.

But tonight...

it didn't feel peaceful.

It felt empty.

I hated that I noticed.

For years, I had made sure this day was just another day.

Another date on the calendar.

Another morning where I buried myself in meetings and deadlines.

No calls.

No rituals.

No reminders.

No space for memories.

Because memories were dangerous.

They came back without permission.

A laugh.

A voice.

A person who was supposed to still be here.

I had convinced myself that not celebrating meant I had moved on.

That if I didn't look back, it meant it hurt less.

But Zyraan hadn't asked me to remember.

He had only asked me to stay.

And somehow that was harder.

My phone buzzed.

I looked down.

A work notification.

For a second, relief came.

Something familiar.

Something easy.

I could open it.

Reply.

Disappear into work.

Like always.

My thumb hovered over the screen.

Then stopped.

Because for the first time, I realized something.

I wasn't tired of remembering him.

I was tired of running from the fact that I still did.

A small breath left me.

Annoyed.

At myself.

At Zyraan.

At the fact that one simple request had unsettled years of control.

I walked upstairs.

Slowly.

Not because I was leaving.

Because I needed time.

room was exactly how I had left it.

Organized.

Quiet.

Controlled.

Everything in its place.

Everything except me.

I placed my bag down.

Then sat on the edge of the bed.

My eyes landed on the calendar on the desk.

Tomorrow's date circled.

I stared at it longer than I wanted to.

Arush.

Even after all these years...

his name still felt like something I wasn't allowed to say too loudly.

My brother.

The thought came quietly.

And immediately, my chest tightened.

I closed my eyes.

Just for a second.

And a memory came.

Not a big one.

Not some dramatic moment.

Just him laughing.

That was the cruelest part.

How the smallest things survived.

I opened my eyes quickly.

Enough.

I stood up.

Walked toward the closet.

Reached for my work files.

Then stopped.

Because underneath them...

was a small box.

I hadn't opened it in years.

Not because I forgot about it.

Because I hadn't.

I touched the lid.

And immediately pulled my hand back.

The door downstairs opened.

Then closed.

Mihir.

I knew it without asking.

A few seconds later, footsteps moved through the hallway.

Usually, I wouldn't notice.

Usually, I would ignore.

But tonight everything felt slightly different.

There was a knock on my door.

Not loud.

Just once.

"Mihir?"

A pause.

"No."

His voice came from outside.

"It's me."

Zyraan.

I frowned.

I walked to the door and opened it.

He was standing there.

No teasing expression.

No usual confidence.

Just him.

"Didn't you leave?"

"I did."

I looked at him.

"Then?"

A small pause.

"I forgot something."

My brows furrowed.

"What?"

His eyes moved briefly past me.

Toward the room.

Then back to me.

"Your answer."

I went still.

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

Then I looked away.

"Zyraan."

"I know."

A faint sigh escaped me.

"You really don't give up."

"No."

That almost made me smile.

Almost.

He leaned slightly against the doorway.

"Are you staying?"

The question was simple.

No pressure.

No expectation.

Just a question.

I looked at him.

Then past him.

At the empty hallway.

At the house that had always felt too quiet.

And finally...

I answered.

"I don't know."

Zyraan nodded.

Like that was enough.

"Okay."

I frowned.

"That's it?"

"What?"

"You're not going to convince me?"

He shook his head.

"No."

"Why?"

His answer came immediately.

"Because if you stay, I want it to be because you chose to."

The words stayed with me.

Because that was the difference.

Everyone else had always decided things for me.

What I should feel.

What I should do.

What I should let go of.

Zyraan didn't.

He just waited.

I looked down.

And quietly said,

"I'll think about it."

He nodded.

"That's enough."

Then he stepped back.

"Goodnight, Aayat."

This time...

when he walked away.

I didn't feel like he was leaving me alone.

I felt like he was leaving me a choice.

And somehow...

that was harder to ignore.

I didn't realize how late it had gotten.

Not until the room started feeling colder.

I was still sitting at my desk, going through files I had already read twice.

A habit.

A distraction.

Anything to avoid looking at the date on the calendar.

A knock came.

Before I could answer, the door opened slightly.

Mihir.

He looked at me.

Then at the laptop.

Then at the untouched cup of coffee beside me.

His expression changed.

Just slightly.

"You've been sitting here for three hours."

I looked back at the screen.

"I was working."

"You were staring."

I paused.

Because unfortunately...

he was right.

I closed the file.

"You came here to criticize my work?"

"No."

He walked in and placed something on the table.

A fresh cup of coffee.

I looked at it.

Then at him.

A silence passed.

Interesting.

Mihir noticed.

"What?"

I picked up the cup.

"Nothing."

His eyes narrowed slightly.

I smiled faintly.

"No, actually..."

A pause.

"This is new."

"What is?"

"You."

His brows furrowed.

"Me?"

I nodded toward the coffee.

"You bringing me coffee."

A beat.

"You telling me to eat."

Another.

"You noticing when I haven't slept."

I leaned back slightly.

"So..."

I looked at him.

"The contract is making progress?"

For a second, he just stared at me.

Completely blank.

Like the idea had never occurred to him.

Then...

"No."

I raised an eyebrow.

"No?"

"No."

His answer was immediate.

I tried not to smile.

"And what exactly is it then?"

He looked away briefly.

Like he was genuinely searching for an answer.

Then,

"You looked tired."

Simple.

Practical.

Very Mihir.

I watched him.

"That's it?"

"Yes."

"No hidden meaning?"

"No."

"No husband duties?"

His expression changed slightly at that.

Not much.

But enough.

"Aayat."

I smiled.

There it was.

The warning tone.

"What?"

"Don't make it something it isn't."

I tilted my head.

"And what is it?"

A pause.

He didn't answer immediately.

Because maybe he didn't know.

Maybe he wasn't used to things changing without a reason.

Finally, he just said,

"You're tired."

Another simple answer.

I looked at him for a moment.

Then down at the coffee.

And somehow...

that was more convincing than anything else.

Because Mihir wasn't someone who said things.

He did them.

Quietly.

Without asking for credit.

I took a sip.

"Thank you."

He nodded once.

Like it was nothing.

Then he turned toward the door.

But before leaving, he stopped.

"Eat something."

I looked at him.

"You're ordering me again?"

"Yes."

A small smile escaped me.

"You know, for someone who claims this is nothing..."

I lifted the cup slightly.

"You're behaving suspiciously."

He looked back.

Calm.

Unbothered.

"It isn't."

I smiled.

"Sure."

And for once...

he didn't argue.

Morning came quietly.

Too quietly.

The first thing I noticed was the empty space beside me.

For a few seconds, I didn't move.

Still half asleep.

Still caught between dreams and reality.

Then my eyes opened fully.

Mihir wasn't there.

I stared at the other side of the bed.

The pillow was slightly disturbed.

The blanket had been folded back.

But he was gone.

I don't know why I noticed.

I shouldn't have.

We weren't that kind of marriage.

Not yet.

Not completely.

But somewhere between all the silence and small gestures...

his presence had started becoming something I expected.

I sat up slowly.

The clock on the bedside table showed 8:00 AM.

I frowned slightly.

Usually, Mihir was already awake.

Already working.

Already somewhere ahead of everyone else.

I looked toward the bathroom.

Empty.

A small strange feeling settled in my chest.

Not worry.

Not exactly.

Just...

a question.

Where did he go?

I got out of bed.

The house was unusually quiet.

I walked downstairs slowly.

And then I saw him.

Mihir was standing in the kitchen.

Not on a call.

Not with files.

Not being the man everyone else knew.

Just...

making tea.

I stopped on the last step.

Because somehow that looked more surprising than anything else.

He noticed me immediately.

Of course he did.

"You woke up."

I blinked.

"Clearly."

A pause.

His eyes moved over me.

"You slept late."

I looked at him.

"Are you keeping track now?"

"No."

A beat.

"Just noticed."

There it was again.

That word.

Noticed.

I walked closer.

"What are you doing?"

"Tea."

"I can see that."

He glanced at me.

"Then why ask?"

I almost smiled.

Almost.

Instead, I looked away.

My eyes landed on the small tray on the counter.

Two cups.

I looked back at him.

"You made mine too?"

A pause.

Mihir looked almost confused by the question.

"Yes."

Like it was obvious.

And maybe to him...

it was.

I leaned against the counter.

"Interesting."

He looked at me.

"What?"

I picked up the cup.

"The contract is making progress."

I don't know why I said it again. I'd promised myself yesterday that I wouldn't, that I'd keep quiet, that I wouldn't make this conversation any more uncomfortable for either of us. But every time I see him do something like that, the words slip past my resolve before I can stop them. It's as if my mouth refuses to honor the promises my heart so carefully makes.

For a second, he just stared.

Then his expression flattened.

"Nothing like that."

I smiled slightly.

"Of course."

"It isn't."

"I didn't say anything."

"You implied."

"I observed."

A small silence.

And somehow...

it felt easier than before.

I took a sip.

The warmth settled.

Then my eyes moved toward the window.

The date.

The reminder.

Today's celebration.

The reason Zyraan had asked me to stay.

The reason I had spent years leaving.

My fingers tightened slightly around the cup.

Mihir noticed.

He always did.

But this time, he didn't ask.

He just stood there.

Giving me the choice.

And somehow that was harder.

Because now the question wasn't whether I could run.

It was whether I wanted to.

Stay.

Or leave.

For years, leaving had been the easier option.

But this morning...

with a cup of tea in my hand and Mihir standing quietly beside me...

I wasn't sure anymore.

The tea was warm in my hands.

The house was quiet.

Too quiet for a morning that was supposed to mean something.

I looked toward the window.

Outside, everything looked normal.

People moving.

The city waking up.

Life continuing.

Like it always did.

And yet...

today wasn't just another day.

I looked down at the cup.

"I think I should leave."

The words came out before I could stop them.

Mihir looked at me.

Not surprised.

Not upset.

Just watching.

I continued before he could say anything.

"It would be better."

A pause.

"I can tell Zyraan that the meeting was important."

The excuse sounded convincing.

Almost.

Almost.

But then that small voice inside my head answered immediately.

Lie.

The meeting wasn't important.

It wasn't even today.

It had been done three days ago.

I knew that.

I had known that when I said it.

I looked away.

Mihir didn't call me out.

Of course he didn't.

He never forced anything.

Which somehow made it harder.

A few seconds passed.

Then I looked at him.

"Are you happy today?"

The question caught him slightly off guard.

His eyes moved to me.

"Today?"

I nodded.

"Because it's Rakshabandhan."

For a moment, his expression changed.

Not sadness.

Something older.

A memory.

Then he answered quietly.

"Yes."

I waited.

Because I knew there was more.

And after a pause...

there was.

"Twenty years ago, if you asked me this..."

He looked down at his cup.

"I would've said no."

The honesty of it made me stay quiet.

"Because I didn't have Naina and Advit back then."

His voice was calm.

But I could hear everything underneath it.

"The people I thought I lost."

A pause.

"I didn't have my siblings."

The word sounded different when he said it.

Not like a title.

Like something he had missed.

Then he looked at me.

"But today..."

A small breath.

"Today I have them."

His eyes softened slightly.

"Naina."

A pause.

"Advit."

Another.

"My siblings."

Silence settled.

And for some reason, that answer stayed with me.

Because Mihir wasn't talking about the festival.

Not really.

He was talking about getting something back.

Something he thought was gone forever.

I looked down at my hands.

"You're happy."

He nodded.

"Yes."

A pause.

"After a long time."

The words were simple.

But they carried years.

I looked toward the stairs.

Toward the room

Then back at him.

And suddenly my excuse felt smaller.

The meeting.

The work.

The reasons.

All of them.

Just excuses.

Mihir picked up his keys from the counter.

"Zyraan will be waiting."

I looked at him.

"You knew?"

A faint shrug.

"He came here for a reason."

I stayed quiet.

Then he added,

"But you decide."

Not stay.

Not go.

Just decide.

And somehow...

that was the hardest part.

Because for the first time...

leaving didn't feel like the obvious choice.

I didn't know how long I stood in front of the mirror.

The blue saree was already on.

Still, I kept adjusting it.

As if fixing a fold could fix the noise in my head.

The fabric was soft against my skin, unfamiliar in a way that made me pause every few seconds just to make sure I was still in control.

Still here.

Still myself.

My hair was left loose, then tied, then loose again.

I finally stopped trying.

Because the truth was simple.

I was delaying.

Not the outfit.

Not the staircase.

The moment downstairs.

A soft knock came.

"Aayat?"

Mihir's voice.

I glanced at the door.

"I'm coming."

A pause.

Then...

"Okay."

No pressure.

No impatience.

Just that same quiet acceptance that had been following me since yesterday.

I exhaled slowly.

And finally stepped out of the room.

Each step down the stairs felt heavier than it should have.

Not because of the house.

Because of what was waiting in it.

Voices reached me before I reached the bottom.

Laughter.

Familiar.

Warm.

I stopped on the last step.

Just for a second.

And then I saw them.

Naina was sitting on the couch, bright and effortless in a way that made the room feel lighter just by existing in it.

Advit was sitting opposite her, pretending to look annoyed.

And Mihir...

Mihir was standing slightly to the side, as if he didn't quite know where to place himself in something like this.

And then I saw her hands.

Naina was tying a rakhi around Advit's wrist.

He was complaining.

Of course he was.

"This is unnecessary."

"It's tradition," Naina said simply, tightening the thread.

"I don't need protection."

"That's exactly why you do," she replied without looking up.

Advit scoffed.

But he didn't pull his hand away.

That alone made me pause.

Then my eyes moved.

Naina turned slightly.

And I saw it.

She was tying another rakhi.

This time on Mihir's wrist.

That made me stop completely.

Mihir noticed me first.

His eyes met mine for a fraction of a second.

Then he looked away again.

But I saw it.

The faintest shift in his expression.

Something unreadable.

Naina finished tying it, then looked up at him.

"Don't overthink it," she said lightly.

Mihir didn't respond.

He just nodded once.

And that was it.

No ceremony.

No drama.

Just something quietly meaningful that didn't ask to be explained.

Then my gaze moved again.

And I saw him.

Zyraan.

He was standing near the doorway, hands in his pockets, watching everything with that same calm awareness he always had.

But when his eyes met mine...

he didn't smile.

He just held my gaze for a second.

Like he was checking.

Not if I had come down.

But if I had decided.

I swallowed slightly.

Then slowly walked down the last step.

The moment I reached the bottom, Naina noticed me.

Her face brightened instantly.

"There she is."

Advit looked up too.

"Finally."

Mihir glanced at me briefly.

Nothing more.

Zyraan didn't move.

I stood there for a moment, unsure where to place myself.

Then Naina stood up.

Walked straight toward me.

Before I could even react, she gently grabbed my wrist.

"Oh no," I said instinctively. "Don't start—"

"I'm not starting," she cut in softly.

Her fingers were already moving.

A rakhi.

Blue thread.

Simple.

She tied it around my wrist carefully.

Not too tight.

Not rushed.

Just... steady.

Like it belonged there.

I looked down at it.

Then at her.

"Naina—"

"It's not a debate," she said lightly.

Behind her, Advit muttered, "She doesn't listen to anyone anyway."

Mihir gave him a look.

Advit immediately stopped talking.

That made me exhale something that almost sounded like a laugh.

Almost.

Then I felt it.

A shift in the room.

Zyraan had moved.

He was closer now.

Not interrupting.

Just present.

Naina stepped back slightly, satisfied with her work.

"There," she said. "Now it's complete."

I looked at the thread on my wrist.

Strangely...

I didn't know what to say.

Because it wasn't just about tradition.

Or ritual.

It felt like something else.

Something quieter.

Something that didn't demand I run upstairs and disappear.

My fingers brushed the rakhi lightly.

Then I looked up.

And for the first time that morning...

I didn't immediately think about leaving.

Not fully.

Not entirely.

Zyraan spoke first.

"Good that you came down."

Simple.

Not relieved.

Not surprised.

Just... acknowledging.

I looked at him.

"I didn't decide yet," I said quietly.

He nodded once.

"I know."

A pause.

Then he added,

"You still have time."

And somehow...

that didn't feel like pressure.

It felt like space.

Behind us, Naina was already arguing with Advit again.

Mihir had walked toward the counter, pouring himself tea like nothing had happened at all.

Like everything had happened exactly as it should.

And I stood there in the middle of it.

With a blue saree.

A rakhi on my wrist.

And a choice I hadn't made yet...

but suddenly didn't feel as trapped inside as before.

I was still standing there, adjusting the edge of my saree, when the door opened again.

Mihir walked in first.

Calm. Composed. Like always.

But his eyes immediately scanned the room, briefly, sharply, before settling on Zyraan.

He didn't say anything at first.

Just observed.

Then his gaze shifted.

Naina.

Advit.

Me.

And finally...

the rakhi on my wrist.

Something unreadable passed over his face. Not displeasure. Not surprise.

Just... acceptance.

Like he had expected this outcome and still found it slightly inconvenient in the way only he would care to admit.

Zyraan, on the other hand, looked far too comfortable.

Leaning slightly back, hands in his pockets, like he owned the air he was standing in.

Mihir finally spoke.

"You're still here."

Zyraan didn't even blink.

"I noticed too."

Advit snorted under his breath.

Naina elbowed him immediately.

Mihir ignored both of them and turned slightly toward Zyraan.

"Go."

Zyraan raised a brow.

"Where?"

Mihir nodded toward Naina.

"Rakhi."

For a second, there was silence.

Then Zyraan looked at Naina.

Then at Mihir.

Then back at Naina again like he was seriously considering his life choices.

And then...

"No."

The refusal was immediate.

Naina blinked.

Mihir frowned slightly.

Zyraan straightened a little.

"I'm not getting tied into Rakhi duties with her," he said, pointing casually toward Naina.

Naina gasped.

"What do you mean 'her'?"

Zyraan continued, completely unbothered.

"I mean...I like peace."

Advit let out a laugh he immediately tried to hide.

Naina turned sharply toward him.

"Don't encourage him."

Zyraan ignored all of it and added, even more casually,

"If anything gets tied, it should be something more meaningful."

There was a pause.

A very specific pause.

Naina narrowed her eyes.

Mihir's expression changed instantly.

"Zyraan."

But Zyraan wasn't done.

"I'm just saying," he continued, smirking slightly, "I don't want a rakhi. That feels a bit... restrictive."

He tilted his head.

"I'd prefer something tied with love instead."

The room went quiet for half a second.

Then...

Mihir walked forward and lightly punched his thigh.

Not hard.

Not aggressive.

Just enough to shut him up.

"Enough," Mihir said flatly.

Zyraan immediately bent slightly, holding his leg.

"Violence? On a festive day?"

"You started it," Mihir replied without emotion.

Advit was now openly laughing.

Naina looked scandalized and amused at the same time.

"And you're supposed to be the responsible one?" she asked Mihir.

Mihir didn't respond.

Zyraan straightened again, still smiling like nothing had happened.

"Worth it," he muttered.

Mihir gave him a look that could've stopped a moving train.

Zyraan only smiled wider.

"I stand by what I said."

Mihir exhaled slowly, like he was rethinking every life decision that led him here.

And I...

I just stood there.

Watching them.

Listening.

Absorbing something I didn't know I had been missing.

Not the noise.

Not the teasing.

But the ease.

The way they existed around each other like this wasn't forced.

Like none of them were pretending.

Zyraan's eyes briefly flicked toward me.

Just for a second.

But it was enough.

Because suddenly...

something clicked in my mind.

The way he had asked me to stay.

The way he didn't push.

The way he didn't demand answers.

The way he simply stayed present.

I understood it differently now.

It wasn't about control.

It wasn't about convincing.

It was about... this.

This chaos.

This familiarity.

This strange kind of comfort he was trying to pull me into without forcing me at all.

And I realized...

he hadn't been asking me to stay in the house.

He had been asking me to stay in the moment.

To stay in life.

Not behind walls.

Not behind silence.

Here.

With them.

My fingers slowly brushed the rakhi on my wrist again.

And for the first time...

I didn't feel like I was outside watching them.

I felt like I was already in it.

The laughter was still lingering in the room when Mihir spoke again.

His tone was flat, but there was a hint of finality in it.

"Zyraan. Go."

Zyraan didn't even look at him immediately.

He was still rubbing his thigh slightly, as if remembering the earlier "negotiation" Mihir had conducted physically.

"Is that your official order?" Zyraan asked lazily.

Mihir gave him a look.

"It is your survival suggestion."

That made Advit laugh again.

Naina immediately pointed at him. "Stop enjoying this too much."

Zyraan sighed dramatically, like the world was asking too much of him.

Then he looked at Naina.

Really looked at her this time.

Naina raised her brows.

"What?"

Zyraan tilted his head slightly.

"You're enjoying this way too much."

"I am not," she said too quickly.

"That sounded like a lie," he replied.

Mihir crossed his arms. "Go."

Zyraan exhaled.

"Fine."

But he didn't move immediately.

Instead, he walked slowly toward Naina, stopping just in front of her.

The room quieted a little without even trying.

Advit leaned slightly forward. "This is going to be dramatic."

Naina shot him a warning glance.

Zyraan looked at her wrist.

Then at the rakhi thread she was already holding.

"You sure about this?" he asked lightly.

Naina nodded once.

"Yes."

A pause.

Zyraan smirked faintly.

"Alright then."

And just like that, the teasing faded, just slightly.

Naina carefully tied the rakhi around his wrist.

Her movements were steady.

Focused.

Zyraan didn't interrupt this time.

Didn't joke.

Didn't distract her.

When she finished, she looked up.

For a second, neither of them spoke.

Then Zyraan lifted his wrist slightly, looking at it.

"Hmm," he said softly.

Naina frowned. "What?"

He smiled.

"Nothing. Just... didn't expect this to feel so official."

Naina rolled her eyes. "Don't start again."

Zyraan chuckled.

Then his expression shifted.

Not fully serious.

But something warmer settled underneath the humor.

He looked at her properly now.

"Alright," he said.

"I'll make a promise then."

The room quieted again.

Even Advit stopped talking.

Zyraan's voice softened just a fraction.

"From now on... you don't have one brothers."

He glanced toward Mihir and Advit.

"Not even two."

Naina blinked. "What?"

Zyraan's smile returned, but there was something steady in it now.

"You've three brothers."

A pause.

"And unfortunately for everyone else..."

He tilted his head slightly.

"I'm the most dangerous one."

That broke the silence immediately.

Advit choked on a laugh. "Excuse me?"

Naina looked scandalized. "That is not how this works."

Mihir exhaled sharply through his nose, already tired of him.

Zyraan shrugged.

"What? I'm just stating facts."

Mihir walked forward again, stopping beside him.

"You're delusional."

"Confident," Zyraan corrected.

Mihir gave him a warning look.

Zyraan lifted his hands slightly in surrender.

"Fine, fine."

But when he looked at Naina again, the teasing softened.

"I meant it though," he said more quietly.

"If you ever need anything... I'm there."

Naina's expression shifted slightly, less defensive now.

"Okay," she said softly.

That was enough.

Mihir turned away, already done with the emotional part of the conversation.

Advit muttered, "This family is getting louder by the day."

And I...

I stood there.

Watching Zyraan stand with the rakhi on his wrist.

Watching how easily he had stepped into something that wasn't originally his place.

And something inside me tightened quietly.

Because I understood it now.

He didn't ask me to stay because he wanted control.

He asked me to stay because this was what staying looked like.

People who tease.

People who argue.

People who return.

People who choose each other without making it complicated.

Zyraan's eyes briefly met mine again.

Just for a second.

And this time...

I didn't look away immediately.

Advit didn't clap or overreact.

He just exhaled softly, slipping his phone out of his pocket with quiet familiarity.

"Picture," he said simply.

No announcement. No drama.

Naina glanced at him and nodded immediately, already adjusting her dupatta without a word.

Mihir moved first, naturally, like he always ended up where things made sense without needing direction.

Zyraan stayed where he was for a moment longer, watching them arrange themselves like it was mildly amusing.

"You people are very serious about a photo," he said under his breath.

Advit shot him a look. "Just stand."

That was it.

Not sharp. Not loud. Just... final.

Zyraan smirked faintly, but he stepped in anyway.

The four of them formed quickly.

Not messy.

Not chaotic.

Just... aligned.

Like it happened more often than it actually did.

Advit held the phone up.

"Ready," he said.

Naina glanced once at the screen. "Wait, Mihir, move slightly in."

Mihir adjusted without argument.

Zyraan leaned a little closer, then muttered, "If this looks bad, I'm blaming all of you equally."

Advit didn't even look at him. "Noted."

Click.

A pause.

Advit lowered the phone slightly, checking it with a calm eye.

"Again," he said simply.

Naina frowned. "Why?"

"You're not centered."

"That's not true."

"It is."

That was the entire argument.

No raised voices.

No theatrics.

Just quiet correction.

They repositioned.

Subtle shifts.

Closer this time.

More natural.

Click.

Advit looked again.

This time he nodded once. "Okay."

Naina leaned slightly forward. "Let me see."

Mihir didn't move.

Zyraan glanced at the screen, then away.

Advit handed the phone to Naina without fuss.

And then...

Naina looked up.

"Aayat," she said gently, "come in one."

I shook my head immediately. "No."

No hesitation.

No softness.

Just refusal.

"It's siblings," I added quietly.

That made the room pause slightly.

Not dramatic.

Just a small shift in air.

Naina opened her mouth.

Then closed it again.

Advit understood first.

He didn't argue.

Just nodded once like he'd already accepted the answer before it was spoken.

"Alright," he said simply.

Zyraan looked at me for a second.

Longer than necessary.

But said nothing.

Mihir didn't push either.

He just held my gaze briefly, like he was registering it, not challenging it.

Naina hesitated.

"You're sure?"

I gave a small smile.

"Yes."

Then I stepped back slightly, lifting the phone again.

"I'll take it."

Zyraan tilted his head a little.

"You always do that," he said quietly.

I didn't answer.

Just looked through the screen.

Four of them.

Standing together.

Not missing anything.

At least that's what it looked like.

Click.

And for a moment...

I told myself that was enough.

I was still holding the phone, adjusting the last picture, when I noticed movement from the corner of my eye.

Zyraan.

Walking toward me.

Slowly.

Like he had all the time in the world.

I frowned slightly.

Why is he coming here?

The others were still behind him, Naina talking softly to Mihir, Advit scrolling through the photos, but Zyraan was already closing the distance between us.

He stopped right in front of me.

Close enough that I had to tilt my head slightly to meet his eyes.

"Everything okay?" I asked, unsure.

He didn't answer immediately.

Instead, his gaze dropped for a second.

To my wrist.

The rakhi.

Then back to my face.

A faint smirk appeared.

And then he said, very casually...

"Rakhi nahi bandhogi apne bhai ko?"

I froze.

For a second, I genuinely didn't process it.

Then it hit me.

Tie rakhi to your brother.

My mouth opened slightly.

Then closed.

Nothing came out.

Not even a word.

Behind him, I heard Naina pause mid-sentence.

Advit went quiet.

Mihir... I could feel his attention shift instantly.

But I couldn't look away from Zyraan.

Because he was just standing there like he hadn't dropped something completely unexpected into my entire nervous system.

Like it was the most normal thing in the world.

My fingers tightened slightly around the phone.

"I..." I started.

Then stopped again.

Nothing.

No sentence formed properly.

Zyraan tilted his head a little, watching my reaction like he already knew exactly what he had done.

"What?" he asked lightly. "Speechless?"

That made it worse.

Because yes.

I was.

Completely.

I swallowed.

And for once, I didn't have control over my words.

"I... didn't..."

Again, nothing came.

My mind wasn't cooperating.

My usual calm answers.

My usual distance.

All gone.

Zyraan's smirk softened just slightly, like he was no longer teasing for the sake of it...but still not letting me escape it either.

"Come on," he said quietly. "It's Rakhi day."

A pause.

Then, softer...

"Bandh do na."

And I stood there.

Completely still.

Not because I didn't understand.

But because I didn't know how to respond to something that simple.

Something that wasn't pressure.

Not an order.

Just... a request I hadn't prepared for.

I still couldn't find my voice.

My fingers tightened around the phone again, like it could somehow steady me.

Zyraan was still standing in front of me.

Not rushing me.

Not smiling now.

Just... there.

Close enough that I couldn't pretend this was casual anymore.

Then he spoke again.

And this time, his tone had changed.

Still calm.

But heavier.

"I've heard you saying you don't have family."

My breath caught slightly.

He didn't stop.

"Aayat Raghuvanshi..."

My name sounded different when he said it like that.

Not soft.

Not teasing.

Certain.

"You've got me."

A pause.

His gaze held mine without wavering.

"Your brother."

"Zyraan Malhotra."

Then, a slight tilt of his head...like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"The Aayat."

That made something in my chest tighten in a way I couldn't explain.

Around us, the room felt quieter without anyone even moving.

Naina didn't interrupt.

Advit didn't joke.

Mihir didn't step in.

They were all just... watching.

Zyraan took a small step closer.

Not invading.

Just closing the space enough that I couldn't escape the moment.

"Your family," he said softly, "understood?"

My throat went dry.

I tried to speak.

Nothing came out again.

Because this wasn't like before.

This wasn't teasing.

This wasn't chaos.

This was intentional.

Heavy.

Clear.

And then he said it again, firmer this time—

"Now tie the rakhi."

Silence dropped completely.

My hand shook slightly around the phone before I even realized it.

I looked down at my wrist.

The rakhi Naina had tied earlier.

Then back at him.

My mind wanted to argue.

To step back.

To say this was unnecessary.

That he didn't have to do this.

That I didn't...

But nothing formed properly.

Because something inside me had already cracked quietly at his first sentence.

"You've got me."

It didn't feel like a statement anymore.

It felt like something I didn't know how to refuse.

My lips parted slightly.

Still nothing came.

Zyraan didn't push further.

He just held his hand out.

Calm.

Open.

Waiting.

And for the first time that day...

I wasn't thinking about leaving.

I was thinking about what it meant if I stayed still and actually did it.

Tie it.

A brother.

My hand moved before my thoughts caught up.

Slow.

Uncertain.

And I didn't even realize when my fingers finally reached his wrist...

only that everything around me had gone completely quiet.

The rakhi was still in my fingers when I hesitated.

Zyraan's wrist was right there.

Offered.

Patient.

But my thoughts weren't.

Then he spoke again.

And this time... the teasing was gone.

Completely.

"You know," he said quietly, "people keep thinking I'm around because of Mihir."

A faint pause.

His eyes stayed on me.

"But that's not why I said yes."

My fingers paused.

Zyraan looked at the rakhi in my hand before glancing back at me.

"I know this is probably strange."

A small, awkward smile crossed his face.

"We're not siblings."

I let out a quiet breath but said nothing.

"And I'm not going to pretend we've known each other forever."

His tone stayed light, honest.

"But we've spent enough time around the same people."

A pause.

"We've celebrated things together. Fought over stupid things. Survived Mihir's terrible jokes."

A tiny laugh escaped both of us.

"So... somewhere along the way, you stopped feeling like just Mihir's wife."

His smile softened.

"You became Aayat."

The room behind us blurred again.

He shifted his weight.

"If tying a rakhi to me makes you happy..."

He looked at the thread in my hands.

"...then that's enough reason for me."

His hand came forward.

No expectations.

No pressure.

Just an offer.

"You don't have to overthink it."

I looked at him for a long moment.

Then I reached out.

Slowly, I wrapped the thread around his wrist and tied the knot.

When I finished, Zyraan looked down at it for a second.

Then back at me.

A quiet smile settled on his face.

"I'll try not to embarrass you as your honorary rakhi brother."

Despite myself, I smiled.

"But just so we're clear..."

He leaned back slightly, teasing coming back in just a trace.

"I'm still the most annoying person you know."

That broke the tension just enough.

Behind him, Mihir finally spoke.

"Undeniable."

Advit added calmly, "Unfortunately true."

Naina nodded once. "No argument there."

Zyraan turned his head slightly.

"...Traitors."

And for the first time in a while...

I smiled.

Just a little.

Because he hadn't replaced anyone.

He had just made space without asking permission.

The moment I finished tying the rakhi, Naina tilted her head with sudden curiosity.

"So..." she said, glancing between me and Zyraan, "what's Bhabhi's rakhi gift?"

I frowned slightly. "Naina, it's not..."

But she ignored me completely, already looking at Zyraan expectantly.

Even Mihir's gaze shifted faintly, like he was mildly interested despite pretending he wasn't.

Advit, as usual, stayed quiet...just observing.

Zyraan, however, looked almost offended.

"Excuse me," he said slowly, "you think I came empty-handed to a setup like this?"

Naina blinked. "Did you bring something?"

Zyraan exhaled like she had personally insulted him.

Then he reached into his pocket.

And pulled out a small box.

My brows furrowed slightly.

That wasn't expected.

He didn't say anything dramatic this time.

Just stepped forward and placed it into my hand.

"Open it," he said simply.

I hesitated.

Then slowly lifted the lid.

Inside was a diamond bracelet.

Simple.

Elegant

Quietly expensive in a way that didn't feel loud...but still impossible to ignore.

For a second, I didn't react.

Just stared.

Naina immediately leaned in. "Oh wow."

Advit raised a brow. "Subtle."

Mihir didn't say anything, but I felt his gaze shift toward Zyraan...measuring, assessing, as always.

Zyraan, however, was watching me.

Not the reactions around me.

Just me.

"It's not a big deal," he said lightly.

Then added, almost casually...

"Don't start overthinking it."

That almost made me smile.

Almost.

My fingers touched the bracelet lightly.

"It's... not necessary," I said softly.

Zyraan shrugged.

"Didn't ask what was necessary."

A pause.

Then he looked slightly over my shoulder.

At Mihir.

The atmosphere shifted...just a fraction.

Zyraan's tone changed.

Still calm.

But sharper underneath.

"If anything ever happens where she feels unsafe here," he said evenly, "I don't care who I'm talking to."

A beat.

His eyes didn't waver.

"Best friend. Chief Minister. Husband."

The words landed heavier than the silence that followed.

Even Advit stopped moving.

Naina went still.

Mihir's expression didn't change immediately...but his eyes narrowed slightly, reading him carefully.

Zyraan continued, voice steady.

"I'll deal with it first. Think later."

A pause.

Then, softer...but no less firm...

"She's not something you lose because you were busy."

Silence.

The kind that didn't feel uncomfortable...but real.

My grip on the bracelet tightened slightly.

"Zyraan," Mihir said finally, calm but warning in tone.

But Zyraan didn't look intimidated.

He just shrugged slightly.

"Just saying."

Another beat.

Then he glanced back at me, and the intensity softened immediately.

Like switching a switch.

And added lightly,

"Also... I'm not repeating myself. So remember it."

That should've felt overwhelming.

But instead...

something strange happened inside me.

A small laugh escaped before I could stop it.

Soft.

Unplanned.

Surprising even me.

Naina's eyes widened slightly. "Oh my god, she laughed."

Advit looked at me like he had just witnessed something rare.

Mihir didn't react outwardly, but his gaze lingered on me a second longer than usual.

Zyraan, on the other hand, just smiled faintly.

Like that was enough.

And somehow...

it was.

For a moment after I laughed, the room didn't move.

Like everyone was processing it in their own way.

Even me.

Because I wasn't used to it.

That lightness slipping out without permission.

Naina was the first to recover.

"Well," she said, pointing slightly at me like she had just discovered something important, "that was new."

I immediately looked away, clearing my throat. "It wasn't anything."

"It was," Advit said calmly.

Not teasing.

Just stating it like a fact he had noted and filed away.

Mihir didn't speak, but I felt his eyes still on me, steady, observant, like he always looked at things he didn't comment on immediately.

Zyraan, meanwhile, looked entirely too satisfied with himself.

"See?" he said casually, adjusting his sleeve. "I'm good for health."

Naina rolled her eyes. "That's not what just happened."

"What happened then?"

"You scared her husband and made her laugh in the same minute."

Zyraan nodded thoughtfully. "Efficient."

Mihir finally spoke, flatly. "You didn't scare me."

Zyraan turned slightly. "You didn't look impressed either."

"I wasn't supposed to be."

"That's what people say when they are."

Advit exhaled through his nose, amused but not interfering.

Naina looked between them like she was watching a slow argument unfold that she didn't want to interrupt.

I looked down at the bracelet still in my hand.

It felt real.

Too real.

Heavy in a different way than expected.

I should've said something.

Thank you.

Or don't do this.

Or anything normal.

But my mind was still catching up to the fact that he had spoken to Mihir like that.

And Mihir... had allowed it.

Not stopped him.

Not dismissed him.

Just listened.

Zyraan's voice softened slightly when he spoke again.

"Relax," he said, glancing at me. "It's not a warning to you."

A pause.

"It's just how I talk."

That made something inside me settle a little.

But not fully.

Because I realized something then.

Zyraan didn't speak like someone trying to impress.

Or prove.

He spoke like someone who had already decided where people stood in his life.

And acted accordingly.

Naina suddenly clapped once, breaking the tension again.

"Okay, enough serious energy," she declared. "We're ruining Rakhi."

Advit nodded slightly. "Agreed."

Mihir turned away first, like he had mentally closed that conversation already.

Zyraan, however, leaned slightly closer to me again—but not enough to overwhelm.

Just enough to be heard properly.

"You still didn't answer properly," he said quietly.

I looked up. "What?"

He nodded at the bracelet.

"About that."

A pause.

I hesitated.

Then said softly, "It's... beautiful."

That seemed to satisfy him more than anything else.

He nodded once.

"Good."

Then, like it was nothing important at all, he added...

"Wear it."

Not a request.

Not a command.

Just a certainty.

I didn't respond immediately.

But my fingers tightened slightly around the box.

And for some reason...

I didn't want to put it away.

I was still holding the box when the moment shifted again.

Zyraan didn't say anything this time.

He just stepped forward.

No teasing.

No buildup.

No warning.

And then his arms wrapped around me in a simple, steady hug.

Not tight in a way that overwhelmed.

Not distant either.

Just... there.

Firm enough to mean it.

Gentle enough not to demand anything back.

I froze for a second.

My hands were still slightly raised, caught between holding the box and not knowing what to do with myself.

Then slowly... they lowered.

I didn't hug back immediately.

Not because I didn't understand.

Because I did.

And that was the problem.

Around us, everything felt quieter again.

Naina didn't speak.

Advit didn't joke.

Even Mihir didn't interrupt.

Zyraan's voice came low, close enough that only I could hear properly.

"Stop standing outside everything," he said softly.

A pause.

"You're allowed to be in it too."

My throat tightened slightly.

I didn't respond.

Because I couldn't.

Not with words.

Not yet.

And Zyraan didn't force anything.

He just stayed there for a second longer.

Like he knew I needed proof more than explanation.

Then he gently let go.

Stepping back just enough to look at me.

His expression was calm again.

But not distant.

"Good," he said lightly, like nothing heavy had just happened.

Then, with that familiar trace of teasing returning—

"Don't make me hug you every time you get confused."

That made something in me loosen.

A small breath escaped me before I could stop it.

Almost a laugh again.

Naina immediately pointed. "There it is again."

Advit nodded slightly. "She's reacting to him now."

I looked away instantly. "No, I'm not."

Zyraan smirked faintly. "Denial. Noted."

Mihir finally spoke from behind us, dry as ever.

"Try not to make it a habit."

Zyraan turned his head slightly. "Too late."

That earned a very tired look from Mihir.

But none of it felt sharp.

Not really.

Because under all of it...

something had shifted.

And I could still feel the warmth of that hug lingering like it had quietly made space where there wasn't any before.

The rest of the evening slipped by in laughter, food, and far too many photographs that Naina insisted everyone would "thank her for later."

Eventually, the decorations came down.

The conversations grew quieter.

One by one, everyone drifted toward their rooms.

By the time Mihir and I closed the door behind us, the house had settled into that familiar late-night silence.

I sat on the edge of the bed, absentmindedly taking off the bangles from my wrist.

Mihir was unbuttoning the cuffs of his kurta when I looked up.

"...You knew?"

He glanced over.

"About what?"

I hesitated.

"About Zyraan."

"The rakhi. The hug. Everything."

He was quiet for a second before shaking his head.

"No."

I frowned.

"No?"

"Not fully."

He leaned against the dresser, folding his sleeves.

"He told me a few days ago that he wanted to come over for Raksha Bandhan."

"That's it?"

Mihir nodded.

"Pretty much."

"He asked if I'd mind."

"And?"

"I told him it wasn't my decision."

His eyes met mine.

"If you wanted to tie him a rakhi, you would."

"If you didn't..."

He gave a small shrug.

"That would've been the end of it."

I looked down at my hands.

"So you didn't know he was going to say all...that?"

A quiet smile appeared on Mihir's face.

"No."

"I definitely didn't know he was going to hug you."

A tiny laugh escaped me before I could stop it.

Mihir caught it immediately.

"There it is."

I looked away.

"Don't."

"I'm just saying."

He walked over and sat beside me.

"For someone who spent half the evening insisting she wasn't affected..."

He tilted his head slightly.

"...you've smiled about it more than once."

I nudged his arm.

"You're impossible."

"So I've been told."

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

Then I asked quietly,

"You really weren't involved?"

He shook his head once.

"No, Aayat."

"That was all Zyraan."

Another silence settled between us.

This one lighter than before.

I looked down at the faint traces of kumkum still on my fingertips.

Somehow...

knowing none of it had been planned made it feel even more real.

Mihir sat at his desk, engrossed in one of his work files.

Before I realized it, a thought slipped into my mind.

He's... easy to trust.

The realization caught me off guard.

I stared at him for another heartbeat.

When did I start thinking that?

A knot formed in my chest.

No.

I looked away immediately.

Don't.

I knew where thoughts like that could lead.

And I couldn't afford to let them.

It's a contract, Aayat.

The words echoed in my own head.

Four months.

Just four months.

Then the papers would mean nothing.

He would go back to being Mihir.

I would go back to being... me.

Separate lives.

Separate futures.

That had always been the plan.

So why was I noticing the way he stayed calm when everyone else rushed?

Why was I beginning to find comfort in simply having him nearby?

I shut the thoughts down before they could grow.

Don't confuse gratitude with attachment.

Don't mistake kindness for something it isn't.

Four months.

That was all this was ever supposed to be.

My phone buzzed on the bedside table.

The sharp vibration cut through the silence.

I reached for it instinctively.

Project Update.

My stomach dropped.

Right.

Tomorrow.

I stared at the notification for a long second before opening it.

The flight details.

The hotel confirmation.

The final itinerary.

Manhattan.

Reporting time: 5:30 p.m.

I closed my eyes briefly.

I'd almost forgotten.

No.

Not forgotten.

I'd simply been so caught up in today that my mind had pushed it aside.

A week in Manhattan.

The new project I'd agreed to months ago.

The one I'd spent weeks preparing for.

The one I should have been excited about.

Instead...

I felt oddly reluctant.

I frowned at myself.

Seriously?

This was exactly what I'd wanted.

A chance to lead something bigger.

To prove myself.

So why did the thought of leaving suddenly feel... heavier than it should?

I locked my phone and placed it back on the table.

Mihir glanced at me.

"What happened?"

I looked at him for a moment before answering.

"I leave tomorrow."

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

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