Adhoora hi raha mera har safar,
Kabhi raaste kho gaye, kabhi humsafar
Dev’s pov
Today, I went got gifts for Naira. She deserves all the happiness, especially now, with the baby coming any day. I brought everything I could think of baby clothes, toys, essentials, even tiny outfits for both a boy and a girl since we don’t know the gender yet. And I have a special surprise for her too, her mother isn’t angry with her anymore. I know how much that means to her, and I just want to see her smile again, the way she used to.
But there's something that's been bothering me lately, something I can’t shake off. Since Yuvaan got married, he’s been different, completely different. I mean, sure, people change after marriage, but he’s like a stranger now. We used to be so close; he was my best friend, my brother. But now? It feels like he’s constantly putting up walls between us. I barely get a moment alone with him, and he doesn’t talk to me the way he used to. He’s distant, cold even, and I don’t understand why. It hurts more than I thought it would.
As I combed my hair and gathered all the gifts, I tried to push these thoughts aside. Today is about Naira, and she deserves to be surrounded by joy and love. But she isn’t herself anymore. The Naira I met was full of life, always smiling, always laughing. Now, though, it’s as if that spark is gone, replaced by something hollow and forced. Every time I see her, she’s putting on a smiling face, pretending like everything’s okay, but I can tell it’s not. She deserves better than whatever’s weighing her down.
Maybe she’ll open up to me today, tell me what’s really going on. Because as much as I want to keep this day bright and cheerful for her, I can't ignore the feeling that something’s terribly wrong. All I want is to see her genuinely happy, even if it means having some tough conversations. Whatever she needs, I’ll be there, just like I always have been.
I got in my car, loaded with gifts for Naira, and drove to Yuvaan’s house. With the baby coming any day now, I wanted her to feel loved and supported, especially since she hadn’t seemed like herself lately. I knew these gifts couldn’t solve everything, but maybe they’d help remind her that she wasn’t alone.
When I arrived, I rang the doorbell, and after a moment, Yuvaan opened the door, looking like he’d just rolled out of bed. He was rubbing his eyes, his hair messy, and he barely glanced at me before motioning for me to come in. He seemed unusually quiet, almost as if he wasn’t happy to see me. We used to talk about everything, laugh over the smallest things but now, there was this distance I couldn’t explain.
Yuvaan’s eyes fell on the bags in my hands, and with a raised eyebrow, he gestured to ask what they were for. I smiled and said, “They’re for Naira.” His expression shifted in an instant, his face tightening as if he was suddenly angry or frustrated. I couldn’t figure out why he’d react that way over a few gifts for his wife. Pushing the thought aside, I asked where Naira was, and he gave me a clipped response. “She’s in the room. You can go.”
A little surprised by his tone but eager to see Naira, I nodded and walked toward her room. When I reached her door, I knocked softly, but there was no answer. Assuming she hadn’t heard me, I gently opened the door and stepped inside, only to realize immediately that I should’ve waited. Naira was standing there, in the middle of changing, with her back to me and her top still off. Embarrassed, I quickly averted my eyes and muttered an apology, starting to back out.
From inside the room, I heard her laugh softly and call, “It’s okay, Dev, come in.” I figured she must be dressed now, so I turned back and stepped inside only to find that she still hadn’t put her top on. She was standing there in her bra, casually, as if it was no big deal. My cheeks went hot, and I immediately looked away, feeling awkward and a little flustered.
