Himanshi was lying on her bed, phone pressed to her ear, listening to Aditi gush with excitement.
"Oh my God," Aditi laughed, "my boyfriend gave me flowers again today. And a handwritten letter. Can you believe it? He's such a green flag—totally Instagrammable. I'm so lucky."
Himanshi smiled. "Yeah… you really are."
But after the call ended, the smile faded.
Her mind wandered.
He doesn't give me flowers.
No cute notes. No surprise gifts.
Is this even love? Or am I settling for the bare minimum?
She compared. She overthought. The doubts crept in quietly.
This isn't the ideal boyfriend, she thought. Maybe I should leave.
Just then, her phone rang again.
"Dadi," she said softly, instantly calmer.
Her grandmother wasn't just family—she was her safest place.
As they talked about random things, Himanshi finally shared everything—what Aditi said, what she was feeling, all of it.
Her grandmother listened patiently, then asked gently,
"When you needed him the most, did Kartik take care of you?"
"Yes," Himanshi answered immediately.
"When all you needed was an easy laugh and someone to listen—was he there?"
"Yes."
"When he needed you, were you there? And when you needed support for your dreams, did he stand by you? Want you to be happy and accomplish everything?"
"Yes," she said, without hesitation.
Her grandmother smiled softly.
"And the most important question—
When you had nobody around you… was he still there?"
"Yes," Himanshi whispered.
Her grandmother's voice warmed.
"Then remember this, sweetheart. Love isn't flowers, notes, or gifts. Every relationship is imperfect. Every love has its own language. Kartik loves you in his way—and that love is real. Love isn't materialistic. It's presence."
After the call ended, Himanshi sat quietly, clarity settling in.
The door opened. Kartik walked in after work.
She hugged him tightly.
"I love you," she said. "I'll make you a cup of tea."
He smiled. "You just got back too. Wait—I'll help you."
And in that small, ordinary moment—standing together in the kitchen—Himanshi finally understood.
True love isn't Instagrammable.
It's partnership.
It's consistency.
It's choosing each other, every single day.