Aziz-E-Qalb

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Ain's POV

"Ya Allah! Main toh assignment karna hi bhool gayi! Ab kya karun? Parso submit bhi karna hai, aur abhi tak ek page bhi nahi likha! Kya karun? Kya karun? Kya karun?!"

Zaina paced in the study room, gnawing on her nails, completely panicked. This wasn’t just any study room—it was hers and Musa's. (Haan haan, couple goals already! 😉💕)

"IDEAAAAA!!!"

Musa, who had just entered, stopped in his tracks. His muscles tensed at her sudden scream.

"Ain? Chilla kyun rahi ho?" His voice was stern yet gentle.

"B-Bhaijaan!" She ran toward him, clasping her hands dramatically. "Aap aa gaye! Main bas aapko call karne wali thi! Mera ek assignment hai… maine ab tak kiya hi nahi… tabiyat kharab thi na isliye. Warna main khud kar leti, promise! Par ab bas aap meri help kardein… matlab, sirf 75% aap likh dein, baaki ka toh mujhe gareeb ko karna hi padega—sighs—insaan ban ke kismat hi jhand ho gayi bhaijaan. Pata nahi Allah Ji ne kya soch ke mujhe insaan banaya! Acha khaasa whale bana dete toh kya jata unka! Waise bhi—"

"Zain!"

A deep voice interrupted her rant.

Faizan.

"Samajh gaya main ke tumhe whales itni pasand hain ke tum bhi banna chahti thi, par ab kya kar sakte hain, haina?" He smirked.

She pouted dramatically while Musa shot a glare at his brother.

"Faizan, kuch kaam tha?" Musa’s voice was edged with irritation. He didn't like anyone interrupting her precious blabbering—something he secretly enjoyed listening to.

"Haan bhai, Qatar wale project ki files aa chuki hain jo aapne maangi thi."

Zaina rolled her eyes at the business talk and left the room, already making a mental note to talk to Musa in the evening.

"Bhai… Qatar wale clients keh rahe hain ke aapse milke kuch discuss karna hai. Phone pe nahi kar sakte."

"Theek hai, do din ke andar jaa raha hoon. Bata dena unko." Musa nodded and turned to his desk. His eyes flickered to Zaina’s half-open notebook.

He sighed, shaking his head. She said she wanted help, but we all know what that means.

With a smirk, he picked up a pen and started writing her assignment. Meanwhile, his mind was occupied with a different problem—

"Mujhe kaise bataun ke main jaa raha hoon?"

Because everyone knew—Zaina didn't handle goodbyes well.

"Nahi nahi nahi! Please, Musa bhaijaan, mujhe mat chhor ke jaayein! Main waada karti hoon, main bilkul tang nahi karungi! Pinky promise! Main ek hafte tak chocolates aur ice cream bhi nahi khaungi! Sabziyan bhi kha lungi, gandi wali bhi! Aur—aur—aur—"

She was clutching his hand so tightly, as if letting go would make him disappear. Tears streamed down her face, her breath hitching as she struggled to speak through sobs.

Musa’s heart clenched.

"Ain! Bas… calm down, bacha. Main hamesha ke liye thodi jaa raha hoon? Bas business meeting hai. Sirf teen din. Pakka waada, main yun aa jaunga, tumhe pata bhi nahi chalega!"

He cupped her small face, gently wiping away the tears that slipped from her almond eyes.

But she only looked at him with silent desperation—pleading, begging him not to go.

"Aye ladki, tu uski biwi nahi hai jo itne drame kar rahi hai!"

A sharp voice cut through the moment.

Nilofar Mahmoud Khan. Their Dadi.

"Jaane de usse! Aur yeh natak band kar!" She scolded, her tone as cutting as ever.

Zaina flinched, her already broken heart cracking a little more.

"D-Dadi jaan… m-main drame nahi kar rahi… Musa jaa rahe hain… mujhe chhor ke…" Her voice trembled, her lips quivering as she sniffled.

"Usne kaha na ke woh wapas aa jaayega? Toh itna tamasha kyun bana rahi ho?"

Tears pooled in her eyes again, but she quickly lowered her head.

"S-s-sorry, Dadi jaan."

With that, she turned and left, her head bowed, shoulders shaking.

Musa clenched his jaw.

"Dadi Ammi… aapko pata hai na uska disorder… uska yeh behavior majboori hai. Usse pyaar se samjhaya jaye toh behtar hoga."

Nilofar sighed as Musa laid his head in her lap. She ran a wrinkled hand through his hair.

"Beta, usko mazboot dil banana padega. Tum hamesha nahi rahoge uske paas. Jab shaadi hogi toh kya karegi? Jab apne khavind ke samne tumhe yaad karegi, toh uski married life par asar padega."

Musa stilled.

"Uska… khavind…"

The very thought unsettled him in a way he couldn’t explain.

"Jab tak woh yahan hai, usko waise hi rehne dein, Dadi Ammi," he murmured. "Mujhe uspar pura bharosa hai."

Nilofar smiled knowingly and pinched his nose, making him groan.

"Dadi Ammi, main bachcha nahi hoon!"

"Haan haan, pata hai," she chuckled. "Ab ja, araam kar."

Musa entered his room and sighed.

There she was.

Snuggled under his blanket. Wrapped up like a human burrito.

Ain always did this. Whenever she was scared or uncomfortable in her own room, she sneaked into his. He had long since stopped asking why.

Shaking his head, he went to freshen up.

When he returned, drying his damp hair with a towel, his eyes softened. Her small face peeked from the covers, cheeks slightly puffed from crying earlier.

With a chuckle, he flopped onto the couch beside the bed, arms folded behind his head.

But sleep didn’t come.

Dadi Ammi’s words echoed in his mind.

"Uska shauhar…"

An unfamiliar uneasiness settled in his chest.

His gaze flickered toward her. Her soft breathing, her peaceful face…

"Vo kahin nahi jaayegi mujhe chhor ke."

And with that thought, he finally drifted off.
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Love y'all ❤

~yours Author ❤