Just as she turned to leave, he held her wrist and stopped her. She looked at him and he smiled.

“Abhi bhi kuch pal baaki hai mere paas.”

(There is still some time left.)

And with that, he pulled her towards himself, making her collide with his chest. She gasped and looked at him surprised. He rested his forehead against hers and both of them released a wavered breath.

“What are you doing to me, Monami? Din raat bas tumhara hi khayal rehta hai. Tum saath hoti ho toh kuch aur dikhai nhi deta aur jab nhi hoti ho toh sirf tumhe hi sochta rehta hu. I never thought that I’d ever be the protective, possessive kind of person but you make me feel all sorts of things.”

(I think about you day and night. I cannot see anything else when with you and when you’re not around I only think of you.)

He confessed and cupped her cheek with one hand while the other snaked around her waist, holding her close. Monami clutched his shirt unaware about how to react. She had thought about this moment a lot of times. But nothing could have prepared her for this.

“Jitna tumse dur jaane ki koshish krta hu, utna hi tumhare aur kareeb aa jaata hu. Aisa lag raha hai, meri duniya banti jaa rhi ho Monami. Darr lag raha hai ki barbaad ho jaaunga tumhare pyaar mai. Pr phir bhi pyaar ho raha hai. Kya kru?”

(The more I try to go away from you, the more I find myself coming close to you. It seems like you are becoming my world Monami. I am afraid that I will be ruined in your love. I am still falling in love. What should I do?)

He asked helplessly and Monami’s breath hitched as her eyes searched his with a tremble of unshed emotion. Her voice was barely a whisper at first, as if any louder would make the moment vanish.

“Aapne hamesha mujhe samjha… meri khamoshiyon tak ko suna. Main khud nahi samajh paayi thi ki aap mere liye kya ban gaye ho, par har baar jab aap door jaate ho, lagta hai jaise saans lena mushkil ho jaata hai. Pure din bas uss pal ka intezaar krne lagi hu ki kab aapse milungi, aapne dil ki, din ki saari baatein krungi.”

(You always understood me…heard my silence. I couldn’t understand that what you were becoming to me, but when you go away, I feel like I couldn’t breathe. I wait for that moment the day when I will see you, share about my day and feelings with you.)

She touched his hand that cradled her cheek and leaned into his warmth.

“Main dar gayi thi… ki agar maine apne dil ki baat keh di, toh sab kuch badal jaayega. Par ab samajh aa raha hai, ki sab kuch tabhi sahi hoga jab main aapse sach keh doon.”

(I was scared…that if I confess my feelings, things would change. But now I am understanding it that everything will be fine when I confess everything.)

Her voice strengthened, steady like her heartbeat that now mirrored his.

“Mujhe bhi aapse pyaar ho gaya hai… aur har roz thoda aur hota jaa raha hai. Aap mere dil ka wo hissa ban gaye ho jiska mujhe pehle koi ehsaas hi nahi tha. Aapse ladti hoon, roothti hoon, par sirf aapse hi judti hoon.”

(I am also in love with you…and falling some more each day. You have become that part of my heart about whose existence I wasn’t aware of. I fight you, get upset from you, but I am whole from you.)

She smiled through the tears that had begun to pool in her eyes and added softly.

“Aap meri duniya ban chuke ho, aur ab main apne aapko aapse alag soch bhi nahi sakti.”

(You have become my world, and now I can’t think of myself apart from you.)

That was all it took for him to hug her tight. He embraced her and held her like she was the only source of his existence now. That if he let go of her, he’d lose everything in life. 

“I love you!”

They whispered together and smiled through their tears. Karan placed a lingering kiss on her forehead and held her close. Monami basked in his warmth and let herself melt in his hold.

Karan was the best person she could have got as a boyfriend. He was so caring and considerate. And what she loved about being with him was how effortlessly he understood her. 

On weekdays, the two could meet only on the rooftop but they made sure to spend the Sunday together. Watching movies, eating together or just cuddling and talking. 

It was a usual Sunday but Monami had to work extra time because of some meeting with international delegates. Karan and her were in her apartment, while she attended the meeting.

The doorbell rang and Karan went to check. He saw an elderly couple standing outside with matching frowns on seeing him.

“Yes? How may I help?”

He asked with a polite smile. The woman spoke first.

“Aap kaun?”

(Who are you?)

“Ye toh mujhe puchhna chahiye, bell aapne bajai thi.”

(I should ask this, you rang the bell.)

Karan frowned. The woman looked familiar. But he couldn’t point out how. It was when the man spoke, he realised how.

“Ho kaun tum? Meri beti ka ghar hai ye. Kaha hai wo?”

(Who are you? This is my daughter’s house. Where is she?)

Karan’s eyes widened and he quickly stepped aside.

“Aap…aap Monami ke parents hai? Wo…wo uski meeting chal rhi hai. Mai bulata hu. Monami?”

(You…you are Monami’s parents? She…she is in a meeting. I will call her.)

Karan called and looked at her parents from the corner of his eyes. Her mother was looking at her with a glare while his father looked at him with narrowed eyes.

“Just two minutes, baby! Bas wind up kr rhe hai.”

(We are just winding up.)

He heard Monami yell and his eyes widened more. She rarely called him with any endearment. But of course! Now that he was already in trouble, this had to happen.

Karan didn’t dare look at her parents. He just stood there with his head bowed down. Monami came out of her room, stretching herself. She didn’t see her parents sitting on the couch and straight away went to hug Karan, who froze.

His panicked eyes met her parents’ shocked ones. Monami looked at his face and frowned.

“What’s wrong? Why are you not hugging me back?”

Before Karan could answer, her mother spoke.

“Monami!”

Her eyes widened too and she looked at Karan to confirm that she wasn’t hearing things. He rubbed her arms and whispered.

“Your parents are here, baby.”

She slowly turned, fully expecting a slap. Thankfully, her mother was still shocked and didn’t move from her place.

“Ye…ye sab kya hai?”

(What…what is all this?)

“Mumma wo…wo…ummm…”

She looked at Karan for help but the poor man too was helpless. In the next two minutes, she was dragged in the room by her mother while Karan was being investigated by her father.

“Kab se chal raha hai ye sab?”

(Since when is this going on?)

Her mother asked and Monami answered while her head was still lowered.

“Almost do mahine.”

(Almost two months.)

“Kya? Do mahine aur maa baap ko khabar tak nhi hai. Hum aaj nhi aaye hote toh hume toh shayad aur kuch mahino tak pata hi nhi chalta.”

(What? Two months and parents are not aware. Had we not come here we wouldn’t have known a few more months, right?)

Her mother exasperated and Monami tucked her head against her chest, trying to hide herself more. 

“Upar dekh meri taraf!”

(Look at me!)

“Mumma! Ek baar jaan toh lo. He is a good man.”

(Get to know him once.)

“Shuruwat se sabko yahi lagta hai. Phir jab ye ‘good man’ dil tod jaayega na, tab maa baap ki baatein yaad aayengi.”

(Everyone thinks this in the beginning. When this ‘good man’ will break heart, you will remember parents’ words.)

Monami went quiet again. There was silence for some time and then she spoke again.