Karan.

TARUN'S POV:

I know she is looking at me.

Uhm...

For the first time in my entire life, I am actually feeling good about someone's stare.

Especially a girl's.

Usually, I avoid unwanted attention from girls. But she is different. Her presence is different.

I like it when she looks at me. I like it when she admires my charm. Following her gaze, I noticed it land on my arms. I should do more exercise.

So she can stare at me more.

Admire me more.

Sounds selfish.

But I like this feeling.

Divine.

AUTHOR'S POV

"Agar pata na ho toh mujhe batana... I can help my buddy."

A deep voice echoed in his ears.

Without even turning around, Tarun murmured his name.

"Karan."

His voice carried surprise and disbelief.

"Kaisa hai, bro?" Karan asked casually.

For a moment, Tarun didn't respond.

He simply stared at him.

As if he had just seen a ghost.

He blinked.

Once.

Twice.

Thrice.

"T-tu... yahan? Kaise? Matlab..."

"Kyun? Nahi aana tha kya?" Karan deliberately raised an eyebrow.

"Nahi... matlab..."

Tarun's breath hitched.

Then, without waiting another second, he pulled Karan into a tight hug.

As if he had witnessed a miracle.

His grip tightened.

His eyes burned.

He tried desperately to keep his tears under control. Tarun was seeing Karan after two years. Two years of loneliness. Two years of waiting.

Two years of hoping he would return.

While every piece of news said otherwise.

Meanwhile, the girls who had just noticed him stood frozen.

Their eyes turned red with emotion. He had returned from war.

After two years.

No one knew where he had been. The war had ended years ago. Yet some officers, including Karan, had vanished.

The government called some of them deserters.

Some were declared dead without proper investigation.

Others were simply labelled:

Missing in Action.

Whenever families asked questions... The authorities remained silent.

Trisha.

Rehan.

Rehana.

Kanika.

All of them stood there in shock.

Looking at each other.

Trying to process what they were seeing.

Happiness.

Disbelief.

Shock.

Relief.

Every emotion collided together.

Karan walked toward Rehana.

Without saying a word, he gently placed a hand on her head.

Rehana flinched.

Not because she was afraid. Because the touch felt unreal. For a second, she simply stared at him. Then her eyes flooded with tears.

Years of pain.

Years of waiting.

The holidays she spent missing him.

The festivals where every family gathered together while hers mourned.

The Raksha Bandhan celebrations that felt incomplete.

Painfully incomplete.

Without warning, she grabbed his hand and dragged him toward a quiet corner of the hall.

Away from everyone's eyes. Then she hugged him.

And cried.

As if all the grief of two years had finally found a way out. Karan wrapped his arms around her.

One hand rubbing her back gently.

Trying to soothe her.

Trying to apologize.

Trying to make up for years he could never return.

But no amount of comfort could erase the pain she had carried. "Shh, bachha... I am sorry," he murmured.

"I... I missed you, Bhaiya." Karan closed his eyes.

After years...

He was hearing that word again.

Bhaiya.

From his little sister.

After that, he met everyone one by one.

Each of them touched his face. As if confirming he was real.

Not a dream.

Not a memory.

Not a ghost.

Real.

Alive.

Standing before them.

"Happy Birthday, Girl." He smiled at Trisha. Trisha simply nodded.

Tears still lingering in her eyes. Karan's eyes shone with genuine happiness.

He had suffered more than anyone knew.

More than anyone would ever know.

And he wanted it to stay that way. His face had regained some of its original color. Though traces of old wounds still remained. Silent reminders of battles nobody had witnessed.

Then...

He saw her. And his heartbeat stopped. For a moment, he genuinely thought he was dead.

That familiar face.

The face he adored more than anyone else in the world. The face that had taught him love.

Taught him how to live.

And almost taught him how to lose everything.

His lady.

His Sanjana.

For the first time that evening, Karan's eyes filled with tears. Only she had the power to bring out his real emotions. Only she could break through the walls he had spent years building.

Yet...

She stood there.

Frozen.

As if he were merely a figment of her imagination. A lone tear escaped her eye. She didn't run toward him. Didn't hug him. Didn't even take his name.

She simply stared.

Fear.

Love.

Pain.

All three were visible in her eyes.

Fear of losing him again.

Fear of believing this was real.

Fear of letting herself hope.

And then, she turned around. And ran outside. Leaving Karan standing there.

Confused.

Heartbroken.

And completely unaware of what was going on inside her heart.

KARAN!!
A new character has entered the story.

Do vote and comment. ❤

I KNOW THIS IS TOO SMALL...

I AM JUST CHECKING YOUR PATIENCE. 😁