If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too....
(If, by Rudyard Kipling )

Raj left that evening, after meeting Dr. Shalini and Suriji.
Strangely,  they found Raj to be quite composed. His face betrayed no sad emotions. Both his well wishers were astonished, at how a once rebellious Capt Rajveer was taking all this so camly.
At the trial, he hadn't protested at all, about his punishment.
He never reacted to the fact that most cadets were downright rude to him.
And he never complained at how little faith the people he trusted showed towards him.

On the other hand, when Naina came down for breakfast the next day, Alekh and Yudi were astonished, at how calm she was.
Alekh had expected her to cry, to rebel, to be angry at the fact that her Rajveer Sir was being punished needlessly.
However, she did not even react angrily that day, when Huda mentioned flippantly to Pooja, that the atmosphere in KMA seemed to have cleaned up quite a bit, since last evening.
She just sat there, somewhat lost in thoughts, but Alekh was glad to find that the determination to be the best still shone in her, when he saw her during the drills, giving her 100%.

.......

A few weeks have passed, and some semblance of normalcy has returned to KMA.
Snide remarks and taunts have lessened towards Naina, as people have become bored of the subject.

Alekh has been keeping a keen eye on Naina.
And so far, she hasn't failed to astonish him a single day.
She works hards, dont lose her temper, and most of all, when ever her former friends say something snide near her, Alekh notices that a sadness passes over her face, but she dosen't give a reaction.

Ali has been increasingly uncomfortable with Huda and Pooja's stance, regarding Capt. Rajveer.
As more and more days pass, he cannot help but wonder, how could he have doubted him, esp when he knew about the letters.
Unknown to Alekh, even Ali has been observing Naina.
He hasn't missed how much the words of Huda and Pooja hurt her.
He dosen't understand, sometimes how Naina is restraining herself.
Often, he shuts up Huda, making sure Naina dosen't have to listen to his jealous rants, Pooja being slightly more restrained in her criticism.
He dosen't understand why it feels right to do this, especially when he himself was, maybe is, against it.

During one of the drills, Naina and Pooja are paired together.
They are forced to talk to each other, after months.
They are forced to plan, forced to make strategies together.
Each mainting outward politeness, complete the drill fairly well.
And during the drill, when Pooja hurts herself, she is astonished to find Naina stop to help her, still not making eye contact, still not letting go of the composed mask she had retreated behind.

That day in the mess, somehow Raj's topic came up again.
Ali and Yudi tried to change the subject quickly, Pooja was quiet, not commenting with or against.
(Naina and Alekh were sitting at another table, away from them.)
However, Huda persisted, and Ali was unable to take it anymore.

Ali : "Wo letters hamne likhe the Hudabhai."

Huda stops midsentence, having opened his mouth to speak, but unable to find any words, shuts it again.

Huda : "Kya ?
Kya kehraha hai tu Usul?
Kin letters ke bare me bol raha hai?"

Ali : "Aap achhi tarah se jaante hai, hum kin letters ke baare me baat kar rahe hai, Huda bhai."

"Par...tu?..kyu?..main kuch...."
Huda sputtered.

Ali : "Major Bhargav ki chal thi, Capt Rajveer to zaleel karne ke liye, aur aapki nazro main Naina aur Capt ko....
ko...gira ne ke liye.

Unhone dhoke se hamse letters likhwaye, dhoke se Capt ke dastakhat karwaye, aur wo letters aaptak bhi unhonehi..."

Huda : "Tu jhuth bolraha hai. Tu...tujhe ...
Dekh usul, mai nai jaanta ke tu ye kyu kar raha hai...par..."

Ali : "Ham sach keh rahe hai Hudabhai.
Capt Rajveer ye baat jaan gaye the.
Unhone Major Bhargav se confess karwaya, jo confession BC ne bhi suna.
Isiliye Major Bhargav aise, suddenly KMA se chale gaye."

Huda again opened his mouth to protest, then shut it, his mind reeling under what he had just heard.

Huda : "Tu..tu jhuth bol raha hai.
Agar aisa hota to...to Capt ye baat sab ke saamne kyu nahi rakhta, badnami kyu sehta?
Tu jhuth bol raha hai... pata nai kya hogaya hai tujhe...wo Captain.."

Ali cut him midsentence.
"Aapko kya lagta hai, ki ye baat sab ke saamne aajati, to hamare career ka kya haal hota?
Ye hamare record me chala jata, aur...
aur isiliye,...Rajveer sir ne iski official reporting nahi ki.
Unhonehi...hamse kaha tha, ki...iss...baat ka zikr ham kissi se na kare.
BC ko...is baare me pata hai."

Huda still did not want to believe him. However, everything he said was undeniable. He wouldn't have taken BC's name so confidently. After all, he knew Huda was crazy enough to go and verify this, even from BC, if he was desperate enough.

Getting up from his chair, Ali put a hand on his shoulder.
"Hamne ye sab jaanne ke bawajud bhi unhe judge kiya Hudabhai, unhe itne mahino se jaannte the, fir bhi...unke charecter pe sawaal kiya...is baat ke liye ham sharminda hai...
Major Bhargav ne hamara bhi brainwash kiya tha...lekin is excuse ke piche zindagi bhar tak nahi chip sakte ham.
Hamne chup rehkar Naina ko taklif di hai, par ab aur nahi.
Shayad wo hame maaf na kare, par koshish zarur karenge.
Ham chalte hai.
Aap sab se baadme milte hai."

And Ali left, probably to muster up the courage to go and apologize to Naina, leaving Huda sitting there, feeling betrayed, confused, and for the first time, alone.

Yudi was astonished hearing Ali's confession, and happy.
Pooja had been listening to Ali, dumbstruck.
She remembered how many times she had taunted Naina on this issue, when it had come to light. She remembered Naina trying to convince her, that it was not what it seemed.
Eventually, Naina had given up, maintaining a stoic face, not bothering to talk at all.
She sat there, with misty eyes, as she looked up to see her friend, mechanically replacing her finished plate, and walking out of the mess, with Alekh, who seemed to be trying to engage her in a conversation, and was somewhat failing.