Kashmakash

Part 17

"Mujhe akele rehne ki aadat hai, HM. Tumhe koi farak nahi padna chahiye." KS's voice was barely more than a whisper, filled with exhaustion and a depth of sorrow that Haseena hadn't anticipated.

But Haseena could feel it now—her own heart falling deeper, tethered to this stoic, broken woman before her.

The air was thick with words left unsaid, Haseena's heart racing as she stood beside KS in the rain. She didn't retreat, even as KS pulled away, her stoic expression warning Haseena to keep her distance. But Haseena was done keeping her distance.

"Karu... mujhe farak padta hai," she whispered, stepping closer, her gaze searching KS's face, hoping to catch a glimpse of the softness she had seen before.

KS's jaw tightened, her eyes flashing a warning, but her hands trembled slightly. She seemed caught between the walls she'd built and the pull of Haseena's words.

"Tumhe farak padta hai... ya sympathy hai?" she asked, her voice low, edged with bitterness she couldn't hide.

"Mujhe sympathy nahi chahiye, HM... Its ok for everyone to hate and hurt me. Humara Janam hi iske liye hua tha... Don't u know, didn't u get the memo?"

Haseena took a steadying breath, undeterred.

"Sympathy nahi, Karu. Samajh hai. Tumhe dard se guzarne ki zaroorat nahi, alone."

A flicker of something vulnerable crossed KS's face before she hardened again. She turned away, brushing her hands over her soaked clothes, as if the rain could somehow wash away the scars she carried inside.

"Tumne apna rasta chuna tha, HM. Tumhe mujhe samajhne ki koi zaroorat nahi," she said, her voice colder now.

But as she turned to leave, Haseena reached out, grabbing her hand gently. KS froze, her shoulders tense, but Haseena didn't let go. Instead, she stepped closer, looking up at her with a mixture of determination and tenderness.

"I'm here now, Karu. And I'm not going anywhere."

KS looked at her, emotions warring within her gaze, a storm brewing just beneath the surface. But instead of softening, her expression grew hard. She pulled her hand back, a fleeting look of pain and self-reproach flashing across her face.

"You don't know what you're signing up for, Haseena. Main woh insaan nahi jo tumhe de sakti hai jo tum chahti ho," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the rain.

Haseena's chest tightened, but she held her ground. "Mujhe tumse kuch maangna hi nahi, Karu. Tumhare saath rahne ka farak samajh gayi hoon."

KS turned away, and before Haseena could say anything else, she slipped back into the shadows, her form disappearing into the downpour. Haseena watched her go, a determined look settling on her face.

The next day, KS was back to her strict, distant self, moving through tasks with a cold efficiency that left no room for questions. Haseena found herself watching her from afar, seeing through the cracks KS thought she had hidden so well.

Each time KS popped a pill, Haseena felt her heart sink, the dots connecting painfully in her mind. KS was struggling, punishing herself for the past, for every misstep, every perceived failure.

That evening, as KS sat in her office, her hands absently fiddling with a bottle of pills, Haseena entered, her voice soft but firm.

"Tumhe yeh zaroorat nahi hai, Karu. Aur ye konse drugs hai? Exactly what are you doing?"

KS looked up, startled, her guarded eyes flashing defensively.

"Tumhe yahan nahi hona chahiye," she muttered, the hint of a childlike petulance slipping through before she quickly masked it.

But Haseena wasn't deterred. She stepped closer, her eyes locked on KS.

"Kya tumhe kabhi apne aap pe daya nahi aayi? Tum itni bhi ruthless mat bano khud ke liye."

KS clenched her jaw, her fingers digging into the edge of the desk as if to keep herself anchored.

"Nhi ati, now get lost. Waise bhi I am an idiotic dumbfuck child who is hated by everyone." she whispered, more to herself than to Haseena.

Haseena reached out, her hand covering KS's. "Karu, tum jis insaan ko sab se zyada hate karti ho... woh tum khud ho. Aur main yeh nahi hone dungi."

KS looked up, a single tear slipping down her cheek, though she quickly brushed it away, forcing herself to stay stoic. But Haseena didn't need words. She could see it all—the battle raging inside KS, the wounds that never healed, the childlike innocence she tried so hard to bury, and the fierce soldier she had forced herself to become.

"I'm not asking for your love," Haseena said softly, her fingers brushing gently over KS's scarred knuckles. "I just want you to stop fighting alone."

KS's gaze softened for the first time, her walls slowly crumbling. But as the vulnerability flickered in her eyes, she quickly shut them tight, her face hardening once more.

"Mujhe akela rehna hi sahi lagta hai," she whispered, her voice barely more than a broken sigh.

"Log kabhi nahi samajhte, aur jab samajhte hain toh... they leave."

Haseena stayed silent for a moment, the weight of KS's pain settling heavily between them. But then, slowly, she wrapped her arms around KS, holding her close, her warmth cutting through the cold that had surrounded KS for so long.

"Phir tumne galat logon ko samjhaya, Karu," she murmured. "Main tumhare saath hoon. Hamesha. And I am not going to leave this time."

And as the walls around KS's heart finally began to fracture, Haseena held her tighter, refusing to let go. The embrace was hesitant, yet filled with a warmth neither could deny. KS tensed at first, her instincts urging her to pull away, but Haseena's presence, calm and steady, seemed to melt her defenses, if only for a fleeting moment. For the first time in years, KS felt the weight of her walls slowly crumble, allowing Haseena a rare glimpse into her guarded heart.

But KS's eyes hardened again as reality resurfaced. With a subtle shake of her head, she withdrew, straightening up as her stoic mask fell back into place. The warmth of the embrace lingered on her skin, but it stirred more confusion than comfort.

"Mujhe nahi chahiye yeh sab," she muttered, her voice barely hiding the hurt. Before Haseena could respond, KS had already slipped out, her footsteps echoing down the corridor.

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There will be drunk Ks in next chapter... 

ENJOY!!!!!!