Late night silence covered entire house quietly.

Most lights were off now.

Only balcony lamp glowed softly against dark rain clouds outside.

Aditya stood alone there.

Hands inside pockets.

Lost somewhere far away.

The same thoughtful expression Aryan had noticed since that phone call.

After few moments footsteps approached behind him.

Aditya turned slightly.

Aryan.

Holding two coffee mugs.

Without saying anything he handed one toward him.

Aditya took it quietly.

“Thanks.”

For few minutes neither spoke.

Only rain sounds filled silence.

Then finally Aryan looked straight ahead and asked calmly,

“What happened?”

Aditya immediately answered,

“Nothing.”

Too fast.

Too practiced.

Aryan almost smiled slightly.

“Try again.”

Aditya stayed silent this time.

Avoiding eye contact.

Which itself answered enough.

Aryan leaned against railing calmly.

“You know what your problem is?”

Aditya looked toward him quietly.

“You try handling everything alone.”

Aditya gave faint humorless laugh.

“Habit.”

“Bad habit.”

Silence again.

Then finally Aryan spoke softer this time.

“You’re family now.”

That sentence alone weakened Aditya’s control slightly.

Because somewhere deep down…

He had wanted to hear that for years.

He looked down at coffee cup quietly.

Then after long silence finally spoke.

“My parents are taking divorce.”

Aryan’s expression changed immediately.

Aditya laughed faintly afterward.

Not happy laugh.

Empty one.

“Funny thing is… I don’t even know why it hurts now.”

His eyes stayed fixed somewhere distant.

“They were never really together anyway.”

Aryan listened silently.

No interruption.

No judgement.

Only listening.

“When I was kid…” Aditya continued slowly, “they always lived separately because of business and fights and ego and everything else.”

He smiled bitterly.

“I mostly grew up with Dadi and Dadu.”

Rain sounds grew louder outside.

“They never even came together to meet me.”

That line carried years of quiet hurt inside it.

“School functions, birthdays, anything…”

Aditya looked away slightly.

“One parent came. Never both.”

Aryan’s chest tightened hearing that.

“I came here for college because Dadu wanted me to have normal life.”

His voice softened slightly mentioning grandfather.

“But last year…” he paused briefly, “…he died.”

Aryan quietly remembered.

Yes.

Aditya had disappeared for few weeks back then.

“Now Dadi lives alone there.”

Aditya rubbed forehead tiredly.

“She never says it directly but…” he exhaled slowly, “…she needs me.”

Aryan stayed silent for few moments afterward.

Then softly asked,

“So why hide all this?”

Aditya smiled weakly.

“Because everyone here was finally happy again.”

His eyes lowered.

“I didn’t want Kashu worrying.”

That answer alone said enough about how deeply he loved her.

Then suddenly Aditya whispered something much quieter.

Much more vulnerable.

“How can I promise her forever…”

Aryan looked toward him carefully.

“When my own family couldn’t stay together?”

Pain sat openly in his eyes now.

Raw.

Honest.

“How do I ask Kashu to trust marriage when I’ve never actually seen one work properly?”

Aryan’s expression softened deeply.

Because now he understood.

This wasn’t about Pune.

Or divorce.

Or responsibility.

This was fear.

Aditya laughed bitterly under breath.

“Where will I even take her after marriage?”

Aryan frowned slightly.

“What?”

“I live between college and temporary places and Pune responsibilities.”

His voice lowered more.

“Will I bring her to my PG room?”

Another humorless smile.

“Or ask her to live in broken family environment?”

For first time since accident…

Aditya truly looked lost.

Not playful.

Not confident.

Just tired boy carrying too much alone.

Aryan slowly placed coffee mug aside.

Then looked directly at him.

“You know what I think?”

Aditya stayed silent.

“I think you’re becoming exactly opposite of what scared you.”

That made Aditya finally look at him properly.

Aryan continued calmly,

“You worry about giving her stable life.”

“You think before making promises.”

“You’re scared of hurting her.”

A small smile appeared on Aryan’s face.

“That already makes you better than most people.”

Aditya looked away quietly.

Still unconvinced.

Then softly admitted,

“I love her too much to fail her.”

That sentence hit heavily.

Because every word was true.

Aryan stepped closer then.

And for first time…

Placed hand firmly on Aditya’s shoulder like father would.

“You won’t.”

Aditya looked at him silently.

Aryan’s voice softened afterward.

“Because love isn’t house or money or perfect family.”

His eyes briefly moved toward inside house where Kashvi slept peacefully.

“It’s staying.”

Silence filled balcony again.

Then Aryan smiled faintly.

“And idiot… if needed, my daughter already has home here.”

Aditya’s eyes widened slightly hearing that.

Emotion hit too suddenly.

Too deeply.

Aryan immediately looked away pretending casualness again.

“Now stop overthinking at midnight.”

Aditya laughed weakly for first time properly.

Small laugh.

But real one.

And somewhere inside him…

For first time in years…

The idea of family stopped feeling temporary.

CH 44 silence

The entire house felt quieter knowing Aditya had to leave tomorrow.

No one said it directly.

But everyone felt it.

Especially Kashvi.

Dinner happened normally somehow.

Sia talking softly.

Aryan teasing occasionally.

Aditya answering with small smiles.

But Kashvi noticed everything again.

How he kept looking at her unconsciously.

How his fingers tightened around glass whenever Pune got mentioned.

How tired his eyes looked when nobody noticed.

After dinner Aryan and Sia sat in living room while Kashvi helped clear table silently.

Aditya stood near kitchen entrance watching her.

Lost in thoughts again.

Aryan noticed immediately.

Because now he knew exactly why.

Later when Kashvi went upstairs to bring something…

Aryan quietly walked toward Aditya near balcony.

“Still overthinking?”

Aditya gave small helpless smile.

“Trying not to.”

Aryan folded arms calmly.

“You told her anything?”

Aditya shook head slowly.

“No.”

“Why?”

Aditya looked toward staircase where Kashvi disappeared moments ago.

“Because she’ll worry more.”

Aryan sighed softly.

“She already is.”

That truth hurt because it was obvious.

Aditya leaned lightly against railing.

“She finally looks peaceful again after accident.”

His voice lowered slightly.

“I don’t want to bring family mess into her happiness.”

Aryan stayed silent.

Because honestly…

That sounded exactly like something he himself would do for Sia once.

Then softly Aryan said,

“You don’t always have to protect people by shutting them out.”

Aditya looked down quietly.

“I know.”

But clearly…

He still didn’t know how not to.

Ch 45 little longer

A little later Kashvi came downstairs again and immediately sensed strange silence between them.

Her eyes moved from Aryan to Aditya carefully.

“You both discussed something?”

Aryan instantly answered casually,

“Yes. Your boyfriend is dramatic.”

Aditya finally laughed little hearing that.

Kashvi narrowed eyes suspiciously.

But neither explained further.

Night grew deeper afterward.

Sia and Aryan finally went toward their room.

Before leaving, Sia kissed Kashvi’s forehead softly.

“Sleep early.”

Kashvi nodded absentmindedly.

Her eyes automatically shifting toward Aditya again.

A while later she found him sitting alone on terrace stairs quietly.

Moonlight falling softly across his face.

He looked up hearing footsteps.

Then smiled faintly seeing her.

“You stalk me too much.”

Kashvi sat beside him immediately.

“You disappear too much.”

Fair answer.

For few moments neither spoke.

Just soft wind around them.

And tomorrow hanging silently between both.

Finally Kashvi whispered softly,

“I don’t want you to go.”

Aditya’s expression softened instantly.

He gently held her hand between both of his.

“I’ll come back soon.”

“You said that before hospital too.”

The fear hidden inside that sentence immediately affected him.

Aditya moved closer slowly.

Then carefully tucked loose hair behind her ear.

“I’m coming back to you every single time, Kashu.”

She looked at him silently.

Trying so hard to believe it fully.

Then softly she asked,

“What if something changes there?”

Aditya’s chest tightened hearing that insecurity.

Immediately he pulled her closer against him.

Nothing rushed.

Nothing dramatic.

Just needing her near.

“Nothing changes this,” he whispered near her forehead.

His fingers intertwined tightly with hers.

“You understand?”

Kashvi nodded slightly against his chest.

But her eyes still looked emotional.

Aditya lifted her chin gently then.

And kissed her softly.

Slow.

Comforting.

Like reassurance more than romance.

Kashvi melted into him instantly.

Because every kiss suddenly felt precious knowing he was leaving tomorrow.

When kiss broke…

She stayed close.

Forehead resting against his shoulder quietly.

And after long silence finally whispered,

“Then stay little longer tonight.”

Aditya closed eyes briefly hearing the ache in her voice.

He understood what she truly meant.

Not physical closeness.

Emotional closeness.

Stay with me before distance comes again.

So instead of answering immediately…

He simply wrapped his arms around her tightly.

Holding her for long quiet minutes beneath night sky.

As if trying to memorize the feeling of her too.

Because tomorrow…

Leaving her would hurt him just as much.