Aaryan was standing infront of the mirror, setting his hair.
"What happened, Ranbir?" Aaryan asked, his reflection in the mirror revealing him seated on the bed, a portrait of distress.
"I think I should give up. Maybe I should let Prachi be with Pranav," Ranbir mumbled, his voice barely above a whisper, yet Aaryan heard every word.
"What?" Aaryan's confusion was palpable as he moved to sit beside Ranbir. "Pranav is actually better than me. He's known her for the past seven years; he's the man capable of keeping her happy," Ranbir spoke, his thoughts seemingly adrift.
"What are you babbling about, Ranbir?" Aaryan's tone was laced with confusion.
"Prachi was lonely, and I couldn't do anything about it, but he did—with just one game. I couldn't clear her name, but he did—with just a speech," Ranbir continued, his voice a low rumble. Aaryan sighed, now visibly agitated.
"Moreover, Prachi wants a family. His family adores her; they will keep her happy. My family... they will only hurt her. I will let her go," Ranbir's voice faltered, cut short by a sharp slap that left a stinging sensation on his cheek.
Holding his cheek, Ranbir looked at Aaryan with disbelief. Aaryan sat casually on the bed, cool and composed, with a challenging glint in his eyes.
Pushing Aaryan onto the bed, Ranbir loomed over him. "What the... Why did you slap me?" Ranbir demanded, gripping Aaryan's collar.
"Thank God you're back to your senses. You were blabbering nonsense," Aaryan retorted, pushing Ranbir away.
"And what did you say? You'll let go of her, your love?" Aaryan probed. "It's for her good," Ranbir tried to justify.
"Do you really think she'll be happy? We meet many people in life; some give us fond memories, others not so much. But that doesn't mean we should fall for everyone who brings us joy. Love happens with someone truly special. And you, Ranbir, are that someone for Prachi," Aaryan declared, rising from the bed and moving away.
Ranbir sat in silence, the weight of his thoughts pressing down on him like a physical burden. Prachi deserves happiness, and I... I seem to only bring her pain, he mused. The image of Prachi's smile, once bright and unwavering, now seemed distant, a remnant of a past marred by his shortcomings.
Pranav understands her in ways I never could. Seven years... In all that time, has he been the one truly seeing her? Ranbir's heart ached at the thought, a silent admission of his perceived failures.
Am I so selfish to hold onto her, knowing I could be the barrier to her joy? The question haunted him, echoing in the recesses of his mind. No, love isn't about possession; it's about sacrifice. If letting go means her happiness, then shouldn't I step aside?
But as Aaryan's words cut through his reverie, a spark of defiance ignited within him. Is it really for her good, or am I just running away? Love... it's not just about the good times, is it? It's about weathering the storms together.
Ranbir's resolve hardened. I won't give up on us, not without a fight. Prachi is more than just pleasant memories; she's my heart, my soul. And if I'm that someone special for her, then I owe it to both of us to try.
Taking his phone, he dialed a number. "Hello, it's me Ranbir Kohli. I need a help," he said.
-------------------------------------------------------------
"The tension in their relation is bringing tension in my life," Aaryan mused as he strode through the hallway.
His phone buzzed and he took it out.
"Shahana?" Aaryan's eyes lit up as her name flashed across his phone screen, a smile instinctively curving his lips.
"Hi baby, did you mis—" he began, only to be cut off by her "Do you have any antique pots or something like that?" Shahana's voice was hurried, breathless.
"What?" Aaryan's smile faltered, his earlier flirtatious mood dissolving into confusion.
"Do you have any old pots or vases at your house? The last time Prachi and I were in the storeroom at MK Mansion, I remember seeing something similar," she explained, her breaths coming in quick pants as if she were on the move.
"Are you running?" Aaryan asked, concern edging his voice.
"No, I'm just climbing the stairs at college. I had to submit my project file. But forget that, can you find me what I asked for?" she pressed, still panting.
"But why do you need an old vase? I can buy you a new one," he offered.
"I could buy a new one too. Palki and I are organizing an art history project for the exhibition. I agreed to bring a vase since Saritha mausi had a similar one. But when I asked her yesterday, she said it holds sentimental value and refused to lend it. I was so stressed until I remembered seeing a similar vessel at your place," she said.
"But it's—"
"Hi ma'am," Shahana's voice shifted as she greeted someone else.
"Hi Shahana, all ready?" a familiar voice inquired.
"Yes ma'am, here," Shahana replied.
"What about the project?" the professor asked.
"It's in progress, ma'am. We're almost there. Aaryan said he'll help us too," Shahana said, and Aaryan's eyes widened in surprise.
"Oh, that's great," the professor responded.
"Okay then, I'll take my leave," the voice concluded.
"Hello?" Aaryan said, trying to regain her attention. "See, I mean, hear, I've even told Preeti ma'am. You have to get me that vase, please?" Shahana implored.
"But which vase?" he asked, still puzzled.
"The one I found in the storeroom—golden-colored with floral prints, and the shape of the vase is quite weird," she detailed.
"Okay," he acquiesced.
"Great, I'll be waiting for you at the café. Come fast, okay?" she urged.
"Okay," he agreed and ended the call.
Years ago, when Aaryan and Ranbir were children, Aaryan had chosen the storeroom as a hiding spot during a game, but a servant accidentally locked him inside. Unaware of being trapped, Aaryan had explored the storeroom, inadvertently causing a commotion. The elders had hurried to rescue him, and since that day, Aaliya had forbidden him from entering the storeroom again—a restriction he never thought to challenge. But now, with Shahana's request, he couldn't refuse.
Opening the storeroom, Aaryan was greeted by rows of racks and stacks of cardboard boxes. Some held books, others documents. He began his search, climbing on a stool to reach a box perched on the highest shelf. Inside, he found a vase matching Shahana's description: golden with floral prints and an unusual shape.
Descending from his perch, he examined the vase in his hands, dusting it off and sneezing in the process. It was precisely as Shahana had described.
"Golden with floral prints and certainly an unusual shape," he mused to himself, "I guess this is the same vase Shahana asked for."
Examining the vase, his attention was soon captured by something else—a few photographs concealed within the vase. Extracting the photos, he carefully kept the vase aside, and his eyes widened in disbelief at the images they revealed.
YOU ARE READING
KKB PRANBIR FF (TIME TO GET THINGS RIGHT)
Fanfiction"Even if you hate me, I will always lov... I mean, save you," he said, his arm still holding my waist. "I know," I said, as he landed me on the floor, our eyes, still on each other. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~...
