WAJHA TUM HO

1. || The Quest Begins ||

The rain fell in a relentless downpour, drenching the streets as Dev Joshi, renowned business icon, instructed his driver to stop. A captivating sight had caught his attention: a young woman standing outside her office, arms outstretched as if embracing the rain. Her laughter echoed faintly through the patter of raindrops, and her smile, radiant despite the gray skies, instantly charmed him.

Dev lowered his window, his own lips curling into a reflexive smile as he watched her. She was completely immersed in the moment, oblivious to everything else, her soaked from gleaming under the cloudy sky. With the carefree abandon of a child, she jumped into a puddle, a few stray strands of hair clinging to her face. She gently tucked them behind her ear, her movements graceful yet unaffected.

His heart skipped a beat as he observed her joyous expression, feeling a flutter within him—a sensation he hadn't experienced in a long time.

Lost in her presence, Dev was abruptly drawn back to reality when her friend called out, "Ananya, come on, let's go home! You'll catch a cold if you keep getting soaked like this!"

Dev closed his eyes briefly, a soft smile gracing his lips as he whispered to himself, "Ananya..."

Rhea, Ananya's friend, gently tugged at her arm, urging her to leave. "Come on, Ananya, we're running late."

Ananya shrugged playfully, her eyes sparkling with a dreamy look. "Oh, Rhea, why must you be such a killjoy? Just look at this evening, this weather—it's like poetry. There's an intoxicating charm in the air, a serene calmness in the raindrops. The weather seems to be smiling, as if..."

Dev whispered softly to himself, finishing her thought, "As if someone's deepest desires are on the verge of fulfillment. As if this heart is calling out to someone with earnest longing..."

Ananya's face lit up with a contented smile. "Exactly, as if these desires are meant solely for someone's love. As if someone is eagerly waiting for their beloved."

Rhea rolled her eyes dramatically. "Oh, Miss Dreamer, love doesn't even exist in your dictionary, and yet you talk as if you're a hopeless romantic..."

Ananya gazed up at the sky wistfully. "Maybe there will be someone, someone who will be mine, whom I will love."

Rhea chuckled softly, patting Ananya's head affectionately. "Alright, Miss Love Guru, let's go."

Just as they were about to leave, a sudden gust of wind swept Ananya's scarf off her shoulders. She tried to catch it, her hands reaching out in vain as the scarf fluttered away, landing near Dev's car.

Ananya's frustration showed on her face as Rhea sighed in exasperation. "Oh, Ananya, now your scarf has gone flying off! Just like you, always so carefree! Don't even think of running after it!"

Ananya pouted with a hint of desperation. "But Rhea, that's my favorite scarf..."

Rhea insisted, trying to distract her. "Your dad could buy you a million scarves, Ananya. Come on, my mom has called me urgently."

Ananya's disappointment was palpable. "Rhea..."

Deciding she had had enough, Rhea firmly grasped Ananya's hand and steered her away, leaving Dev standing by his car.

Once they were out of sight, Dev stepped out, a smile tugging at his lips as he retrieved Ananya's scarf. Holding it delicately in his hands, he couldn't help but feel a strange sense of connection to this girl who had captured his attention so effortlessly.

---

Dev Joshi sat in his car, raindrops drumming a soothing rhythm on the windows as he held Ananya's scarf delicately in his hands. He stared at it, a soft smile playing on his lips as he contemplated the unexpected surge of emotions within him. "What in the world is happening to me? All I want right now is to see her again, to have her right in front of me."

Meanwhile, in their sprawling mansion, Karuna, his mother, sensed something different as she entered Dev's room. She couldn't help but smile as she observed her usually composed son lost in thought. Clearing her throat lightly to gain his attention, she was taken aback when he immediately hugged her, his excitement palpable.

Karuna gently stroked his hair, a mix of curiosity and affection in her voice. "You can't seem to contain yourself. What's making you smile so much today?"

Dev twirled his mother around joyfully. "Mom, I'm ecstatic. I saw her today, and the moment I laid eyes on her, my heart was hers."

Karuna chuckled softly, her eyes gleaming with maternal pride. "Finally, someone has captured my son's heart in this vast world. I was beginning to lose hope after showing you so many girls, but who would have thought someone would catch your eye? But now, I am truly happy for you." She kissed his forehead tenderly.

Dev's grin widened. "Because you've never found someone like her for me, Mom. Just one glimpse of her, and she's already become elusive."

Karuna giggled playfully. "Now I'm eager to meet her too. Have you proposed to her yet?"

Dev sighed, his cheeks tinged with a blush. "Mom, you're more impatient than I am. I only saw her today, we haven't even spoken, and you're already talking about proposing."

Karuna persisted, her tone teasing yet filled with maternal warmth. "Tell me, don't be impatient. I'm jealous that someone has caught your love, and I'm left with my daughter. If you're so eager to propose to her, when and where will you get married? What's her name?"

Dev chuckled softly, his mind still replaying moments with Ananya. "All I know is her name is Ananya, Mom. I don't know anything else about her."

Karuna sighed knowingly. "You may not know much, but you're determined to marry her."

A bashful smile adorned Dev's face. "Mom, Ananya has captured Dev Joshi's attention. People pine to look at her in the place where he searches. With all my efforts, I will find out."

"Now, we'll just have to wait for her."

---

Ananya's footsteps echoed against the pavement as they neared her apartment building. With a frustrated kick, she sent a loose stone skittering across the wet ground. "Rhea, you know, I act like I'm indifferent to him, but deep down, I ache for him. Yet, he doesn't even acknowledge me," she sighed softly, raindrops clinging to her hair and clothes.

Rhea tilted her head, a hint of sympathy in her expression as she shrugged casually. "Ananya, you've got to let go of this fantasy. He's constantly buried in his business troubles, obsessing over his tough competition being better than him. Why waste your emotions on someone like that?"

Ananya's voice carried a touch of frustration as she shot back, "Just stop, Rhea. At least he tries and strives for happiness."

Rolling her eyes, Rhea replied with a hint of exasperation, "Sure, he tries. When he knows his competition is best.But he shows no real interest in love. You deserve someone fully invested in romance, not someone half-hearted."

Ananya let out a sigh, her hand instinctively reaching up to brush a damp lock of hair away from her face. She groaned softly and lightly tapped her own forehead in frustration as they finally arrived at the entrance to her apartment building. Without another word, Rhea proceeded to walk straight inside.

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