Esha's POV
It had been two months since Aakash and I were. By now, everyone in my family knew about our relationship. They first met Aakash at Abhijeet Bhai's wedding, and he left a strong impression on them. It also helped that Papa grew up knowing Meera Aunty, Aakash's mother; their families shared years of trust, so my parents never doubted his intentions. Later, they met him again at Bua's house, and their confidence in him only grew. They saw in Aakash a man who genuinely respected his elders and took his responsibilities seriously.
Even so, tradition demanded that he visit our home. The moment he walked in, surrounded by curious faces, I watched as he navigated questions and expectations with steady grace. It didn't take much on my part to convince my family. They all understood how guarded I usually was around men—this openness was rare for me, and they acknowledged that. Thinking back to the first day I ever saw Aakash—how he'd quietly come to pick up Meera Aunty from our society, always distant and composed—I had assumed he was strict, perhaps even unapproachable. Now, knowing him, I realize how wrong I was. He's gentle, attentive, and endlessly patient with me.
The evening sun was dipping low as I wrapped up my work at the Academy. Suddenly, my phone vibrated with a message. It was from Aakash—but I prefer calling him Aksh, a nickname that feels softer, more personal. He, in turn, lovingly calls me Eshu. The message read that he had arrived. I gathered my things, my heart quickening as I hurried outside.
At the main entrance, I spotted him leaning against his car, arms folded, watching the world with quiet confidence. I couldn't help but smile, lowering my gaze out of shyness. Walking up to him, I melted into his arms, and he hugged me back.
"I missed you so much." My voice barely rose above a whisper, the words muffled by the closeness between us. "Phone karna bhi zaroori nahi samjha apne?" I teased, still not letting go.
("Didn't you even think it necessary to call?")
Aksh had gone to his Maasi's housewarming with Meera Aunty. They'd left a day early to help prepare for the puja, so we hadn't spoken much except through hurried chats.
He broke the hug gently, searching my eyes. "Sorry, who mein preparations me busy tha, isliye phone nahi kar paya," he said, placing his hands comfortingly on my shoulders.
("Sorry, I was busy with preparations, so I could not call.")
"Chalo, ab chalte hain, warne late ho jayega." His gentlemanly ways always surface: he opened the car door for me, waited as I settled in, and only then took his seat beside me.
("Come on, let's go now, otherwise we will be late.")
Aakash's POV
Today, I've taken a day off from work as we arrived today morning. So I went to meet Eshu. Maa was exhausted after the trip and stayed home, so she too took a leave from the Academy.
When I saw Esha, she hugged me tightly, and hearing her say she missed me made my heart feel impossibly light. Those two days apart—just messages, no voice, no video—suddenly felt like a gulf. We piled into the car, our hands intertwined as I drove, her touch grounding me in ways I never expected.
Not long after, she turned to me, a mischievous glimmer lighting up her eyes. She hesitated, then asked softly, "Aksh, woh flower park chale? Please!!" I should have guessed. The flower park in Delhi is her sanctuary. I almost refused—there was so much to do—but her pleading, those irresistible puppy eyes, shattered my resistance. I turned the car and headed for the park, her joy already making the detour worthwhile.
("Aksh, should we go to that flower park? Please!!")
Esha's POV
The moment he agreed, warmth surged through me, softening my heart. Aakash might carry himself with routine and quiet authority, but with me, he often relents—willing to bend his world for my happiness.
By the time we reached the flower park, night had begun to settle, but the garden glowed with gentle lights, and the scent of roses and jasmine drifted heavily in the air. We walked hand in hand, my fingers curled around his, comforted by the quiet strength of his touch. I paused to look up at the moon.
"Aaj chaand accha dikh raha hain na," I said quietly, partly lost in wonder.
("The moon looks good today, doesn't it?")
He stopped, turning to face me with a teasing smile. "Haan, mere dono chaand acche dikh rahe hain." The meaning washed over me, heat blossoming in my cheeks. I looked away, suddenly shy. After two months, his flirtatious words and tender compliments still made my heart race, never quite letting me settle into comfort.
("Yes, both my moons are looking good.")
Aakash's POV
Every time Eshu blushes, I feel a quiet pride. In moments like these, it's as if the rest of the world fades, leaving only the two of us suspended in the hush of the evening.
We wandered further, her gaze catching on the soft glow of fireflies dancing near the trees. She tugged me with gentle insistence towards them, her smile full of childish delight. I followed, more captivated by her than by the lights. Her face was framed by loose tendrils of hair, lit golden by a nearby firefly. I thought briefly of the chaos and exhaustion from Maasi's housewarming, and how standing beside her now felt like the remedy I never knew I needed.
"Tumhe pata hain..." I began, pulling her close until she rested her head on my shoulder. Her arms wound around me, and she sighed, content.
("You know what...")
"I missed you a lot. Hamare late night chats, video calls aur Academy ke baad milna sab miss kiya." I confessed, my voice low.
("I missed you a lot. I missed our late-night chats, video calls, and catching up after the academy.")
She laughed softly. "Aksh, sirf do din hi hue hain."
("Aksh, it's only been two days.")
"Ha toh, do din zyada hi hote hain." I replied, tightening my embrace.
("Yes, two days are too much.")
The world seemed right—my troubles waned with her curled up against me. Eshu had quietly become the centre of my world. Life before her was neat and simple: just work, Maa, and rare family gatherings. Now, everything was coloured with her presence—her mischievous demands, her laughter, her smile that seemed to change everything inside me. Meeting her family at Jeet's wedding had been a turning point. Maa and her mother instantly bonded—Maa calls her Bhabhi, and is called Didi. There were some initial doubts, but their acceptance came naturally, and it meant the world to me.
We strolled further, passing a fountain whose gentle splashing layered a calm background to our conversation. Esha pointed to a bench beneath a weeping willow.
"Hum yahan 5 minutes baithe, please?" she pleaded.
("Can we sit here for 5 minutes, please?")
We sat, and immediately her head found its place on my shoulder again. I circled an arm around her, breathing in the familiar sweetness of her perfume and the scent of flowers in the air. Fireflies blinked around us; the whole world softened at the edges. The moment was so intimate, so perfectly ours.
"Aksh," she whispered, "Jab mein ne aapko pehli baar Meera Aunty ko pick up karte samay dekha, mujhe laga ki aap bohot strict hain. Thoda darr laga aapse baat karne ke liye."
("Aksh, when I first saw you picking up Aunt Meera, I thought you were very strict. I was a little scared to talk to you.")
I chuckled, my chest vibrating with the sound. "Sach kahu toh, mein bhi dara hua tha. Baat karni thi, par kaise kare nahi pata tha. Jeet ki shaadi ke baad mein ne faisla kiya ki kaise bhi karke tumse ek baar baat karoon."
("To be honest, I was scared too. I wanted to talk, but I didn't know how. After Jeet's wedding, I decided to talk to you somehow.")
She tucked her knees up on the bench, turning slightly to look at me. "Well, look at us now," I murmured, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. Sometimes words weren't needed; we just sat together, breaths mingling, secure in shared silence.
"Chale?" she eventually asked.
("Shall we go?")
"Chalo chale," I smiled, standing to guide her to the car. The drive back was quiet, comfortable—her house arrived too soon.
("Let's go")
Esha's POV
As we reached the front of my house, I turned, lingering by the open car door. "Aap andar nahi aa rahe hain?" I asked, half-hoping for a few more minutes together.
("You're not coming in?")
He shook his head, smiling apologetically. "Nahi, Maa akeli hain. Aur unhone dinner bhi bana ke rakha hain. Abhi unka hi phone aaya tha."
("No, Mom is alone. And she's already prepared dinner. She just called.")
I understood and waved him goodbye, holding onto the sweetness of our evening as I went inside.
Aakash's POV
Traffic was thick on my way home, stretching every minute. By the time I walked in, Maa asked me to freshen up. I changed quickly and joined her for dinner, comforted by the familiar routine.
"Aakash," she began as she served me.
"Mein kya soch rahi thi, ki Esha ke ghar jaake puche?" she announced suddenly.
("What was I thinking, to go to Esha's house and ask?")
I froze, food halfway to my mouth. "Kyu?"
("Why?")
"Tum dono ke rishte ke liye." She said it calmly, but the words made me cough on my food in surprise.
("For your marriage.")
"Kyu...?" I stammered, still confused.
("Why...?")
She sighed and continued, "Kya kyu? Tum logon ko shaadi nahi karni hain kya?"
("What, Why? Don't you guys want to get married?")
I swallowed, trying to find the right words. "Karni hain... par abhi nahi." Maa looked at me, her concern evident.
("We want to... but not now.")
"Phir kab?" The question hung in the air between us, expectant.
("Then when?")
"Kuch saal baad," I managed, gathering the plates as I finished. The topic faded, neither of us ready to push further tonight. Later, I retreated to my room, replaying the day's memories—Eshu's shy smile, the scent of jasmine, the flutter in my chest each time she called me Aksh.
("After some years.")
Author's POV
A message pinged on his phone. He took his phone from the table and checked it. It read that he had to go on a business trip for 2 months. He looked forward to this professional milestone; it marked an important step for him. Yet the thought of leaving Esha behind, even briefly, tugged at his heart.
Aakash typed his message with careful thought, tracing every word before he sent it to Esha. He told her about his upcoming business trip to another state—a week away, important meetings, and new professional opportunities. The moment her phone buzzed with his message, Esha's breath caught, her chest tightening with a bittersweet ache that lingered as she read his words slowly, every sentence carrying the weight of anticipation. The realization that she wouldn't see him every day left a quiet heaviness inside her, as if the rhythm of her world had shifted.
Yet Esha didn't let the sadness consume her. She crafted a reply full of warmth, promising to wait for his calls, to send him thoughtful messages, and to offer all her encouragement from afar. She reassured herself with the knowledge that each message, each phone call, would carry them through the days until she saw him again, and she cherished the love that held firm despite the temporary absence.
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Hey Folks!!
This was one of my favourite chapters, excluding the last part🤧. What will happen next? For that, stay tuned!!
Hope you like this chapter. If yes, please like the chapter and comment on your favourite part.
Also, comment on the theories you think would happen next. Would love to read them.
Thanks for reading ❤️...