Raghav and Maithili have been college sweethearts. They had a liking for each other since the beginning of their first semester but couldn't confess in fear of losing their friendship too until Raghav gained courage and guts to confess his feelings.

Maithili was surprised but had blushed and accepted his feelings while confessing hers and that's how they started dating from the third semester onwards.

Being together since so long, they knew each other in and out and it was Maithili who proposed marriage to Raghav.

Raghav had achieved a big feat on his job and she had planned a surprise for him where she proposed to him. He had actually cried while accepting her proposal and the couple was married a few months later.

Seems like a fairytale right? Well, it was. Until the first year of their marriage atleast. 

Then, things slowly started to go downhill. At first, it felt like normal wear and tear of a married life but slowly things escalated so much that Maithili uttered the words that neither she herself nor Raghav had ever imagined her uttering.

“You know what! Thak gyi hu mai inn roz roz ke taano aur ladaiyo se. I can't do this anymore. I want a divorce Raghav!”

The moment she had said that everything froze. Raghav knew things were tough but he never thought she was thinking about parting ways from him. He was so hurt when she said those words that he simply nodded.

“Whatever you wish for. I'll get in touch with a lawyer soon.”

With that he had left the room and they spent another night away from each other. Both of them had cried that night thinking about how they were falling apart.

Before she could get herself sorted out and apologize for her words, he told her that he had talked to a lawyer and was getting the divorce papers ready.

Even though all she wanted to do was hug him and apologize, she did not. Words got stuck in her throat and she just accepted whatever was happening.

Maithili and Raghav stand on opposite sides of the courtroom, avoiding each other's gaze. They’re both represented by their respective lawyers. 

The Judge, a wise and compassionate woman in her early sixties, studied their case files and looks at the two of them. She is a woman of experience and has dealt with such cases all her life.

She knew that couples like the two of them filed for divorce in fits of anger and misunderstanding but later regretted. And she in the capacity of being the decider of their relationship has to do whatever she could to save a marriage if she thinks it could be saved.

“Mr. and Mrs. Bansal, it’s clear to me that your marriage is in trouble. Before I grant this divorce, I want you to reconsider this divorce because I see a flicker of hope in saving this marriage. And as the law demands, a marriage which can be saved, must be saved."

Maithili didn't look up while Raghav looked at the Judge with a newfound hope. 

"And so, following the spirit of law and the sanctity of marriages, I’m ordering a six-month reconciliation period. During this time, you’ll live together and try to work through your issues. Only after this period, if you still want to proceed with the divorce, will I grant it. Do you both agree?"

"Yes, Your Honor."

They agreed and looked at each other. Somewhere in their hearts a hope had taken birth. A hope that their marriage and their relationship could after all be saved. It may thrive if they tried together.

“And if you could, I suggest you live separately from your families for these six months. The more time you spend together, the more it is possible you feel that the marriage is worth saving.”

Both Raghav and Maithili agreed on the Judge's words and they moved out of the courtroom with their respective lawyers.

Their lawyers were saying something but both of them were lost in each other's thoughts and memories of their lives before the troubles started. About how happy they were together and how much they wanted each other.

Raghav and Maithili rented an apartment for six months. It was a two bedroom apartment. They moved into the apartment with their belongings and stood in the living room awkwardly.

Funny how people with whom you could share every awkward thing become strangers at a certain point of time that you start feeling awkward with them.

They stood in the living room staring at the floor. None of them knowing how to break the unending silence between them.

Maithili cleared her throat and Raghav became hyper active as he stared at her waiting for her to say what she wanted to.

"I’ll take the room on the right."

She said softly and he nodded curtly.

"Yeah, sure."

She quickly moved towards the guest room with her luggage while he entered the other one. He slumped on the bed and sighed.

Thinking about everything that had happened in the past few months. How did his life become such a terrible rollarcoaster. It was supposed to be beautiful. He was supposed to enjoy their married life. Have a family together. Where did they go so wrong? 

Maithili, on the other hand, started unpacking her bags. She collected her hair to tie them in a bun when winced then they got stuck. She looked down to see them stuck in her nuptial chain.

Tears filled her eyes as she remembered their wedding. It was the most beautiful day of her life. The day she became Maithili Raghav Bansal. The day she became his wife. The day he became her husband. The day they became one.

And today, they attended the hearing to separate them. How could she utter those words? How could she ask him for divorce? How could she even think of going away from him? She loved him immensely.

But he too never stopped her. He just went ahead with it. Did he not want her anymore? Was he tired of her already? Maybe he felt that he was better without her.