The next morning, Aditi was already at the Gupta household, helping Nani sort through a basket of fresh vegetables on the veranda. The air was thick with the scent of spices and the anticipation of something new.

Nani looked up from the spinach she was cleaning, her eyes twinkling behind her spectacles.

"Aditi, tujhe pata hai? Kal meri beti aa rahi hai apne pati aur dono bacho ke saath."

(Aditi, you know? Tomorrow my daughter is coming with her husband both sons.)

Nani said, her voice filled with a grandmother's pride. Aditi's eyes widened, and she nearly dropped the tomato she was holding.

"Kya? Sach mein, Nani? Aapne pehle kyun nahi bataya!"

(What? Really, Nani? Why did you not tell me before!)

Aditi exclaimed, her face lighting up with genuine excitement. She had lived across from the Guptas for years and had heard endless stories about their daughter, Meena.

She knew that Meena had followed her heart and had a love marriage, something Aditi found incredibly romantic, given the cold, arranged atmosphere of her own home.

"Bas, kal hi fix hua. Bechare mere budhe (old man) ki tabiyat kharab hai na, toh sab milne aa rahe hain."

(It was decided yesterday. My old man is sick, so they are coming to meet.)

Nani explained.

"Wow! I've heard so much about them. Nani, mujhe batao na, kaise hain dono bete? Are they like you or like Nanu?"

(Nani, tell me, how are the two sons?)

Aditi asked, leaning in closer, her chin resting on her palms. Nani chuckled, shaking her head.

"Dono bilkul alag hain, Aditi. Bada beta, Siddharth... woh thoda serious type ka hai. Zyada bolta nahi, bas apne kaam se kaam rakhta hai. Bilkul apne Dadaji jaisa disciplined. Par dil ka bahut saaf hai."

(Both are completely different, Aditi. The elder one, Siddharth…he is serious. Doesn’t speak much, minds his own business. Disciplined like his grandfather. But very good at heart.)

Aditi tilted her head.

"Serious? Matlab bilkul baat nahi karte?"

(That means he doesn’t talk at all?)

"Karta hain, par naap-tol kar (measured). Aur jo chhota hai, Sarthak... woh toh bilkul tufaan hai! Bilkul tere jaisa chulbula. Pura ghar sar par utha leta hai jab aata hai."

(He does, but measured. And the younger one, Sarthak…he is a storm! Very bubbly like you. He lights up the entire house when he comes.)

Nani laughed. Aditi clapped her hands together.

"Tab toh maza aayega! Sarthak aur meri toh pakka dosti ho jayegi. Aur Siddharth... unko toh main bolne par majboor kar dungi. No one stays silent around me for long, Nani!"

(It will be fun! Sarthak and me will definitely become friends. And Siddharth…I will compel him to speak.)

Nani patted Aditi's cheek affectionately.

"Haa, mujhe pata hai. Tu toh patharon se bhi baatein karwa le."

(Yes, I know. You can make even stones talk.)

Aditi spent the rest of the day in a state of high energy. She helped Nani dust the guest rooms and change the bedsheets.

In her head, she was already imagining the house being filled with laughter and noise. It was a stark contrast to her own home, where she spent most of her time trying to stay out of the way of her parents' cold silences.

The next afternoon, a cab pulled up in front of the Gupta house. Aditi, who had been coincidentally sitting on the porch with Nanu, jumped up immediately.

"Nanu, wo log aa gaye!"

(Nanu, they are here!)

She whispered excitedly. The doors opened, and a whirlwind of activity began. A graceful woman in a simple cotton suit stepped out. This was Meena. Her husband followed, looking kind.

Then came a tall, young man with a bright smile and stylish hair, that had to be Sarthak. And finally, a man stepped out from the passenger's side. He was dressed in a crisp black shirt and jeans, his face calm and unreadable. Siddharth.

Nani and Nanu rushed to the gate, and the next few minutes were a blur of hugs, blessings, and happy tears. Aditi stood back a little, watching the reunion with a soft smile.

"Arey, Meena, idhar aa. Isse mil."

(Arey, Meena, come here. Meet her.)

Nani said, pulling Aditi forward.

"Yeh hamari Aditi hai. Isne humein bilkul akela mehsoos nahi hone diya."

(She is our Aditi. She never lets us feel alone.)

Meena looked at Aditi, and before Aditi could even say 'Namaste,' Meena pulled her into a warm, motherly embrace.

"Maine Maa se tumhare baare mein itna suna hai, Aditi! Thank you so much for taking care of them."

(I have heard so much about you from maa, Aditi!)

Meena said, her voice full of warmth. Aditi felt a lump in her throat. This lady didn't even know her, yet the hug felt more real than any love and words she had received at home in months.

"Arre nahi, Aunty. Main toh bas yaha maze karne aati hoon."

(No, aunty. I come here to have fun.)

Aditi replied shyly.

"Tum bhi toh beti hi ho na. Hum hai yaha kuch din. Roz aana milne. No formalities."

(You are also my daughter. We are here for a few days. Come to meet us daily.)

Meena's husband added with a warm smile.

Then Sarthak stepped forward, grinning ear to ear.

"Hi! I'm Sarthak. Mom ne bataya tha ki yaha ek cute ladki rehti hai, and tum toh sach mein kaafi pyaari si lag rahi ho."

(Mom told me a cute girl stays here, and you are really very cute.)

He joked, trying to flirt, offering a high-five. Aditi laughed, instantly feeling a connection.

"I'm Aditi. Aur mai toh paida hi cute huyi thi. Hum Bhopal ghumne chalenge!"

(And I was born cute. We will go and explore Bhopal!)

"Done deal!"

Sarthak replied. Finally, Aditi's eyes moved to the elder brother. Siddharth was busy taking the suitcases out of the trunk.

He looked up, his dark eyes meeting hers for a split second. He didn't smile, but he didn't look annoyed either. He just looked neutral.

"Siddharth, beta, milo Aditi se."

(Siddharth beta, meet Aditi.)

Nani encouraged. Siddharth gave a small, polite nod.

"Hello."

Aditi waited for him to say more, but he just went back to lifting the heavy bags.

"Aapka naam Siddharth hai na?"

(Your name is Siddharth, right?)

Aditi asked, trying to break the ice.

"Yes."

He replied. That's it. Just a yes. He walked past her into the house with the luggage. Aditi blinked. Wow. Nani wasn't kidding about the serious part.

The evening was a beautiful chaos. The Gupta house, which was usually quiet, was now buzzing with life. They all sat in the living room, drinking tea and eating snacks.

Aditi sat on the floor near Nani's feet, watching the family dynamic. She saw how Sarthak kept making fun of his Dad's old stories, and how Meena would lovingly scold him.

She noticed how Siddharth, despite being quiet, was the one who quietly refilled Nanu's glass of water without being asked, or how he adjusted the pillow behind his Nani's back.

He didn't talk much, but he was constantly observing. He spoke only when someone asked him a direct question about his work or something else. Even then, his answers were short and precise.

"Siddharth Bhai toh hamesha se aise hi hain."

(Siddharth bhai has always been like this.)

Sarthak whispered to Aditi while the elders were busy talking.

"He thinks he's a philosopher or something. Bohot kam bolte hain."

(He speaks very less.)

"He seems... focused."

Aditi said, choosing her words carefully.

"Focused? He's a robot!"

Sarthak laughed.

"Par dil ka bura nahi hai. Just boring."

(But he is not bad at heart.)

Aditi watched Siddharth. He was currently looking at a photo frame on the wall, his expression soft for the first time. He didn't look boring to her, he looked like a puzzle.

As the sun began to set, Aditi realized she had to head back.

"Aunty, Uncle... main ab chalti hoon. Kal milte hain."

(Aunty, uncle…I will not leave. We will meet tomorrow.)

Aditi said, standing up.

"Kal subah breakfast par zaroor aana, Aditi! Khoob saari baatein karenge."

(Come for breakfast, Aditi! We will talk a lot.)

Meena said, kissing Aditi's forehead.

"Ji, pakka!"

(Yes, promise!)

Aditi waved goodbye to everyone. Sarthak gave her a thumbs up, while Siddharth just looked up from his phone and gave a small, barely visible nod of acknowledgement.

The walk across the street was only a few steps, but it felt like traveling between two different planets.

As Aditi opened her front door, the warmth of the Gupta house vanished, replaced by a cold, sterile silence. The lights in the living room were dim. Her father was in his usual spot, staring at a laptop, while her mother was in the kitchen, the only sound being the clinking of dishes.

"Aa gayi tum? Itni der ho gayi."

(You came? You are late.)

Her mother said, without turning around.

"Maa, Nani ki beti aur unka parivaar aaya hai. Hum sab baatein kar rahe the."

(Maa, Nani’s daughter and her family is here. We were talking.)

Aditi said, her voice losing its sparkle.

"Doosron ke ghar mein baithne se fursat mile toh apne ghar ka bhi soch liya karo."

(If you get time from other’s houses, thinking about your own.)

Her father said coldly, his eyes never leaving the screen. Aditi stood in the hallway for a moment. No one asked her if she had fun. No one asked her who she met. There were no hugs, no laughter.

She walked up to her room and closed the door. She sat on her bed and looked out of her window. Across the street, she could see the lights of the Gupta house. She could see shadows moving behind the curtains, the family sitting together, laughing together, being a family.

She thought about Meena's hug and how it felt like she actually mattered. She thought about Sarthak's jokes and even Siddharth's quiet, steady presence.

A single tear rolled down her cheek, but she quickly wiped it away. She was used to this. She was the bubbly Aditi, after all. She couldn't stay sad for long.

She laid down, trying to push away the hollow feeling in her chest by thinking about Siddharth and how she was going to make him smile at least once before the week was over. It was a challenge she set for herself, a way to distract her heart from the silence of her own home.