The sprawling mansion was alive with activity, from decorators to caterers, everyone preparing for the grand celebration. Yet amid all the festivity, Rishabh couldn't shake the sense that something was amiss. Over the past few days, he'd noticed Krish growing quieter, often lost in his thoughts. It was subtle—Krish still laughed with his siblings and helped Prerna with party preparations—but the glint in his eyes was different. There was a restlessness about him, a distance that Rishabh couldn't ignore.

One evening, Rishabh had followed Krish into the kitchen, just them two in the room. Krish had poured himself a glass of milk, but had let it sit on the counter forever, as if he'd forgotten about the drink. He shook his head and turned with the glass, finding Rishabh right behind him.

"Baba!" Krish jumped, catching the glass before it dropped to the floor. "Kya yaar! You scared me!" Krish whined as he got a paper towel to clean up the little spill.

"Kaise? I was standing behind you for a long time," Rishabh told him, but Krish was intent on keeping busy. "Krishna, koi problem hai?" He held Krish's arm, forcing him to stop.

Krish looked at his dad's hand, then faced him with a bright smile. "Mr. Baba, agar mujhe koi problem hoti, toh aapko pehle se hi pata hota na!" He put down his glass and gave Rishabh the tightest hug, so he couldn't see Krish's desperate look. "You're the best dad in the world!" He put his glass to his mouth finally and walked out of the kitchen.

The words hung in the air, but they didn't provide any comfort. If anything, they deepened his concern. Rishabh wasn't convinced. Something was troubling Krish, something he wasn't sharing. He trusted Krish to come to him eventually, but until then, Rishabh would keep a close eye on his son.

Prerna was passing by when she found Rishabh standing in the kitchen, picking at his left arm. He looked frozen otherwise.

"Rishabh?" She approached him, then shook him when she was next to him. "Rishabh!"

"Hmm?" Rishabh finally responded, surprised that she was here.

"Kya soch rahe hain?"

"Nothing," Rishabh shook his head, and began walking to their room. "Prerna, Krish ne aapse koi baat ki hai?"

"Kis baare mein?" She asked.

"Usse koi problem hai," Rishabh frowned, and Prerna laughed.

"You know Mr. Bajaj, aap ka beta mujhse koi baat nahi karta. Sari problems woh aapko batata hai. Yaad hai na? Jaise first class mein usse problem hui thi?"

"Sakht ghusse mein hay aap ka beta," Prerna told Rishabh when he came home from work.

"Oh really?" Rishabh said as he put down his bag. "Kissy ne tung kiya?"

"Pata nahi," Prerna shrugged and kissed him. "Aap ka beta mujh se kuch nahi kehta."

Rishabh smiled and rubbed her belly.

"I'll go talk to him," Rishabh kissed her and went to Krish's room.

Krish was sitting beside the window, slowly driving a toy car on the windowsill. "Accha. Toh, suna hai aap ghusse mein hai?"

"Mr. Baba, I want new school!" Krish complained.

Rishabh put on a shocked face. "New school? But this is the best school!"

"Par sare bacchas bad hain!"

"Why? Kiyun bad bacchas hai?"

"Sare tung karte hain," Krish went back to driving his car, tired of trying to convince his father. "I don't like Krishna."

Rishabh finally got the problem. "Accha. So... aap ko Pari ma nahi acchi lagti hain."

Krish was shocked. He hadn't said that! "Nahi to. I love mumma!"

"You love mumma. Toh... di se ladai hui? Kukki di's very bad?" Rishabh frowned.

Krish thought about it. He and di had fights like all siblings did, but he didn't hate her. "Sometimes. But woh meri di hai."

Rishabh nodded in thought. "Aapki di hai. Hmm. So, you don't like me?" Rishabh added dramatically.

Krish gasped and jumped in Rishabh's arms. "Mr. Baba? Aap kya bol re ho. You're my favorite baba."

Rishabh held him tightly. "And you're my favorite beta. And did you know, your name has all of us in it? Kukki di, pari ma..."

"Aur Rishy?" Krishy added with joy.

Rishabh laughed. "Aur Rishy. So. K... rish... na. Makes..."

"Krishna!"

"Exactly!" Rishabh booped his nose.

Krish frowned again. "Pur mere sare friends fun karte hain."

"What? Mere betay ko koi aise cheday ga, aur ap dar jao ge? No. You know why they do that?"

Krish shook his head. Once upon a time, Rishabh Bajaj would've taught his son to take revenge. But he couldn't do that to Prerna's son.

"You know what? Next time koi tung kare to just think in your heart: mera nam Krishna Rishabh bajaj. Kukki ka bhai, and Rishabh aur Prerna ka beta. Jabh tak mera naam Krishna hai, koi mujhe tung nahi kar sakta.

Jabh tak apka naam Krishna hai, you're never alone."

Hum sabh tumhare saath hain, Krishy, present Rishabh thought. Your problems are my problems. Just tell me once and I'll make it all go away.

It was the one problem he had been putting away for so long. And now it had to come out.