Closure

2. Opening Up

Manish was on a business call when he heard the commotion. He quickly realized that Abhi was outside and that Akshu was singing for him. Her defiance angered him, but he understood that his anger hadn't swayed her. He knew he needed to change tactics to handle the situation.

After his call ended, Manish went to Akshu's room and handed her back her phone. "It seems you're still not thinking clearly, but we'll talk about this later. For now, tell that boy at the gate to leave, or I'll call the police and report him for trespassing. He'll be arrested."

He then noticed the open windows and ordered her to close them. She complied without protest.

After Manish left, Akshu called Abhi. She explained that Manish had been furious and had taken her phone, which is why she hadn't been able to call him earlier. She told Abhi she wanted to see him but couldn't, sharing Manish's warning about calling the police. She urged him to leave, and Abhi assured her he would leave the spot.

Ten minutes later, Akshu heard a knock at her window. To her surprise, it was Abhi, who had somehow managed to sneak in. Shocked but overjoyed, she quickly opened the window and let him in.

As she let him in, Akshu said in a cute, angry tone, "You are absolutely nuts!"

Abhi replied with a chuckle, "But I did what you said. You said Bade Papa would have me arrested if I stayed at your gate, so I left the gate and came to your window instead."

Akshu glared at him like a cute, angry kitten. Then, finally, she genuinely asked, "But how were you able to get here?"

"I used Neil as a diversion. You see, your guards have been instructed not to let any Birla enter."

Akshu finally gave him a warm hug, and he hugged her back. She then showed him around her room. He was attentive yet playful throughout. In the end, they decided to sit by the bedside with Akshu's head resting on Abhi's shoulder and his head on hers.

Softly, Akshu said, "You know, this room makes me feel closer to my parents. I missed it so much when I was away from home." She went on to share how she missed her parents every day and how there's always a void that nothing can fill.

"You know," Akshu continued, "when you don't have something, you value it a hundred times more. Family is so important to me because I never had a normal one."

Abhi responded, "Just having parents isn't enough. They need to have love. I've seen my mother being disrespected by my father all my life, so even though I have parents, I've mostly felt pain because of them and felt lonely. Music has always been my solace; it drowns out the noise outside, especially my father shouting at my mother. That's why I fell in love with your voice first—it seemed to take away all my pain in an instant."

Akshu then heard footsteps approaching and quickly asked Abhi to hide. He ducked behind her bed just as Arohi entered the room.

Suspicious, Arohi asked Akshu if she was talking to someone. Akshu explained that she had gotten her phone back and was on a call. Though still wary, Arohi eventually left.

Akshu signaled for Abhi to come out from behind the bed. "It's not safe, you should go now," she whispered.

Abhi nodded but insisted, "But if anyone says anything—Bade Papa, Arohi—if you miss your parents, or if anything happens, you call me."

Akshu smiled and replied sarcastically, "Why don't we stay on call 24/7? Like, I call you but never hang up."

Abhi grinned, "Brilliant! Let's do that."

Akshu playfully tapped his head, and they both laughed.

Abhi then began to move back dramatically, one step at a time, never breaking eye contact and waving slowly. Even after he was safely out of the window and on the ground, he still held her gaze, his eyes filled with deep, romantic longing.

She blew him a flying kiss, which he caught with a smile and then sighed.

Their final gaze held a profound recognition—that they had found the one person they had ever needed, standing right in front of them.