Tere Ho Ke Rahenge (on hold)

Chapter 23

Viraan was in the middle of recounting the tragic tale of his recent breakup, his voice tinged with melodrama. "And then, out of nowhere, she says, 'It's not you, it's me,' and I'm just standing there like an idiot—"

Suddenly, he was interrupted by the sound of laughter—Eshanth's laughter, to be precise.

Viraan stopped mid-sentence and stared at Eshanth in disbelief. "Why are you laughing when I'm sharing my sad story?"

Eshanth, still chuckling, tried to stifle his amusement but failed miserably. "Sorry, Viraan, it's just—" he paused, shaking his head as if trying to gather his thoughts, but the grin on his face wouldn't fade.

Viraan frowned, leaning closer as if to inspect his friend for signs of insanity. "Is Eshanth okay? Why are you laughing like that? You never laugh like that. It's creepy!"

Eshanth finally managed to control his laughter, though his smile remained. "It's just... my wife has been really interesting lately. Sometimes she's so talkative, I can't get a word in edgewise, and other times she's quiet as a mouse. One moment she's shy and reserved, and the next, she's practically the life of the party."

Viraan blinked, trying to connect the dots between Eshanth's wife's behavior and his own heartbreak. "So... you're laughing at me because your wife has mood swings?"

Eshanth shrugged, his smile widening. "Not exactly. It's just that she's been keeping me on my toes with all these different moods. Yesterday, she was all quiet and distant, and I started worrying, thinking something was seriously wrong. But then today, she's bouncing around the house like she's had too much coffee, talking about everything under the sun."

Viraan raised an eyebrow, still not entirely sure where this was going. "And that's funny to you?"

Eshanth nodded, looking almost sheepish. "It's like living with a new person every day... it's kind of entertaining. You never know what you're going to get."

Viraan leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "Well, at least your wife's unpredictability makes you laugh. My girlfriend just dumped me because she said I wasn't 'emotionally available.' Whatever that means."

Eshanth's smile faded slightly, and he gave Viraan a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry, Viraan. I didn't mean to make light of your situation."

Viraan waved him off. "Nah, it's fine. It's actually nice to see you laugh for once, even if it's because your wife's acting like a chameleon."

Eshanth chuckled again, this time softer. "Yeah, but honestly, I'm a bit worried about her. She's been losing sleep and sometimes seems like she's somewhere else, lost in her thoughts."

Viraan tilted his head, genuinely concerned now. "Maybe she's stressed? Have you talked to her about it?"

Eshanth sighed. "I've tried, but she just brushes it off. She's always been good at hiding her feelings, but lately, it feels like she's hiding more than usual."

Viraan pondered this for a moment, then a mischievous grin spread across his face. "Maybe you need to shake things up a bit. You know, surprise her."

Eshanth raised an eyebrow. "Surprise her how?"

Viraan leaned forward, his grin widening. "I don't know, do something totally out of character. Like, sing her a romantic song or cook her a weird dish she's never tried before."

Eshanth looked at Viraan like he'd just suggested jumping off a cliff. "Sing a romantic song? Me?"

Viraan shrugged. "Hey, why not? You said she's been unpredictable—maybe it's time for you to be a little unpredictable too. Who knows, it might just get her to open up."