Naina reaches the mess and gets surprised on seeing the hustle bustle.

Pooja on seeing her, reaches her and says,

"Ahmm... Naina tere favourite Captain Sir ki party hai chal paise nikal!"

"Rajveer Sir ki party?",

asks Naina, confused and surprised.

"Hmm...",

smiles Pooja.

"Naina, Captain Rajveer aur Dr. Ritu ki engagement party!",

clarifies Yudi reaching her.

Naina looks towards Yudi, shocked.

"What?",

exclaims a shocked Naina.

"Kyun? Any problem?",

asks Yudi, serious.

Huda stares towards Naina too, knitting his brows. A pang of jealousy touches his heart.

"Kya hua? Tu... khush nahi lag rahi hai unki engagement se.",

says Pooja, trying to gauge more of her reaction than she was already showing.

Naina goes speechless, wondering.

Alekh sitting at his place stares towards Naina, understanding her state.

Naina runs away!

Reaching Rajveer's room, she straightaway enters and declares without giving it a second thought,

"Aap Dr. Mishra se engage nahi ho sakte sir!",

her voice loud and clear, without any hesitation.

Rajveer whose back is turned towards her, turns his head towards his right, still not turning around to face her. He knits his brows, his face expression tells how he is not ready to accept Naina's decision on his engagement rightaway and needs a proper reason for him to not do it. And why the hell is she stopping him from doing that? How does it matter to her?

His face expression though not completely visible to Naina, but the side view tells her how he is surprised to hear that.

Naina's heart skips a beat on realizing that she tresspassed here. She has no right to suggest him what he should do in his personal life, she realizes it's a mistake she committed. But now what's said is said! She won't take her words back.

Lowering her eyes out of hesitation, she adds further, her voice turned soft out of guilt of tresspassing,

"I mean...aapko nahi hona chahiye sir."

Rajveer understands more than she said! But he chooses to ignore that. He knows he is just thinking too much. It is just her concern for him and not what he thinks it is!

"Naina kya tum mujhse sirf yehi kehne ayi ho?",

he asks in his strict tone, looking back in front of him. His brows still knit together. He is already tensed thinking about the situation he has befallen into. He doesn't want to argue with her and talk to her at the moment and make it all the more chaotic by her constant pressuring him to not get engaged to Dr. Mishra.

"Nahi!",

states Naina, with a new determination, raising her voice again.

His reply helped her to gain back her confidence. As much as he seems to be frustrated at the moment, she is too! If he can talk to her like that, even she can give him back the same!

Walking towards him in desperation, still standing behind him at a distance, the distance is less than it was before, she says anxiously,

"Main apko ye bhi batane ayi hun Sir, ke jo bhi Dr. Mishra ne Bhaiya ki trial ke barey mein humein bataya, wo sub jhoot hai!"

"Aur main wo sub baatein sunn chuka hun.",

states Rajveer, clearly, out of anger.

This gives Naina a mini heart attack.

Rajveer turns to look towards her and says,

"Main tumse milne ke liye aa raha tha, jab tumhare parents ki sari baatein sunn li."

Naina gets surprised at this too.

Rajveer looks away feeling guilty.

"Sir phir bhi aap...",

she says, her voice calm, as if trying to read his mind.

"Dekho Naina...",

he states clearly.

Walking past her he says,

"Aisa tumhare parents mante hain ke jisse unhone burqay mein dekha tha wo Dr. Mishra hain. Lekin mein aisa bilkul nahi manta",

he adds the second line in a single breath, wording each word clearly.

Naina turns to look towards him, shocked.

Giving it another try, Naina says, desperately,

"Lekin Sir aap samjhne ki koshish kyun nahi kar rahe hain ki agar Ma-Baba itne yakeen ke saath...."

Rajveer rolls his eyes to the right, frustrated.

"...keh rahe hain to wo hundred percent sure hain.",

she completes.

Pissed off, Rajveer turns to face her, raising his voice, he asks,

"Unke yakeen se kya hota hai?"

"Maine iss case ko chaar saal investigate kiya hai.",

he states clearly.

"Aur inn salon mein Naveen ki iss case ki har suchhai ke saath maine har ek pal jeeya hai.",

he says, knitting his brows.

Naina stares him, knitting her brows too, unable to understand how to make him understand.

"Dr. Mishra ki baat to bohot durr hai, kisi ladki ka koi mention tak nahi tha!",

he states, looking straight into Naina's eyes.

"Na to koi surak aur na hi koi sambhavna!",

he tells her, serious.

"Details to Bhaiya ki maut ki bhi nahi likhi gayi!",

says Naina, anger visible in her eyes.

Rajveer looks away, still facing her, as if feeling guilty about saying what he said!

"Kaise? Kisne? Kyun unhe mara?",

says Naina each word clearly, angry still.

Rajveer turns to look towards Naina. His eyes dark and serious, with a pinch of nervousness mingled with them.

"To iska matlab main ye maan lun ke mere Bhaiya ne atmahatya ki thi?",

asks Naina, looking straight into his eyes, angry.

Rajveer feels anxious and suffocated, and looks away without saying anything.

"Aur waise bhi main Dr. Ritu ko bata chuki hun, ke jo bhi ladki uss din burkhe mein thi, main usse dhundh kar hi rahungi!",

states Naina, clearly and angrily.

This comes as a shock for Rajveer.

He turns towards her out of shock.

"What???",

he exclaims out of anger.

Holding her by both of her upper arms, he jerks her and asks desperately, scolding her for the childish behaviour she showed,

"Pagal ho gayi ho tum? Bachpane ki koi hadd hoti hai!",

scolding, he leaves her.

This hurts Naina, not the way he held her, tightly out of anger but his words! She didn't expect this reaction from him. She thought he would take her side. Would appreciate her move. She by no means wanted to hurt him by saying all that to Dr. Mishra.

"Grow up Cadet Singh!",

he scolds her out of anger, frustration.

Naina starts feeling guilty and sorry. Her eyes on him, trying to see at least one hint that would tell her that he is not angry on her. She cannot bear to see him angry on her. Afterall he is her mentor; they are team; he is Naveen's friend; he is the only support system of hers.

"Sir...",

she trails off unable to understand what to say.

But then Rajveer too doesn't give her any chance to explain herself. This deed of hers doesn't have any place for explanation, hence he continues,

"Agar hum ye maan bhi lein ki Dr. Mishra wohi aurat hai jo hum samjh rahe hain, tab bhi tum janti ho ki tumne kitni bewakufi bhari harkat ki hai?"

Naina lowers her eyes, her brows knitted out of guilt. She looks back towards Rajveer, her heart beating frantically out of anxiety.

Rajveer turns away frustrated and scolds,

"Tum dushman se puch rahi ho ki apne gunah ka certificate de."

Naina looks towards him anxiously. Her cheeks starts burning out of the feel.of guilt and anxiety. She has become a reason of trouble again for her Rajveer Sir and this time it is way too serious. This guilt pierces her heart.

He turns and scolds her,

"Tell me Cadet Singh...",

holding her again by her upper arms,

"Kya soch kar tum Dr. Mishra ke paas gayi thi?"

"Why?",

he leaves her again, jerking her.

She ignores the pain that he inflicts to her in the process and asks staring him, with a new determination,

"Iska matlab Sir aap bhi mante hain ki Dr. Mishra dushman hai!!!"

Rajveer stares her, dumbstruck!

Rajveer relaxes his brows, realizing what he said shouldn't have been said by him.

Walking away, ignoring to look towards her, he says,

"Aisa tum manti ho, main nahi manta!"

Naina stares him knitting her brows, his each word hurts her, but she ignores. He still ain't trusting him!

"Dr. Mishra ne mujh par ehsaan kiya hai; mujhe embarrass hone se bachaya hai. Apna... career khone se bachaya hai!",

he says still not looking towards her and hence Naina misses to notice the hesitation in his eyes while uttering those words.

If she would have noticed that she would have known, he is lying. He is not doing it for all that sake! He has his own ulterior motive for getting engaged to Dr. Ritu Mishra.

Frustrated and losing all hopes, Naina says,

"Sir aap...",

she walks to him, standing beside him, she says,

"Sir aap samjhne ki koshish kyun nahi kar rahe?",

her tone still the same frustrated and desperate.

Rajveer still doesn't look towards her, holding his ground!

"Ki jo ladki Naveen Bhaiya se suchcha pyar nahi kar payi, kya wo apse suchcha pyar kar payegi?",

she asks, frustrated.

Rajveer turns his head to his right, pondering at her words. He realizes, understands that she is right. Another thing that comes in his mind is when did he say that he loves Dr. Mishra? When did he say that he is getting engaged for love? But still the girl standing in front of her has taken his silence for all that! This girl who never understands what his silence means when he expects her to understand, is understanding way too much when he wants her to not ponder into this situation. When he doesn't want her to give much heed to the on going scenario.

"Sir aisa bhi to ho sakta hai ke iss mein Dr. Ritu Mishra ki koi chaal ho?",

suggests Naina desperately.

Rajveer's heart skips a beat as he himself was thinking the same. But he realizes that he cannot let Naina know about his thinking the same or else this would make the situation all the more chaotic for him. Hence, taking a deep breath, he asks,

"Kis liye? Dr. Mishra mere saath koi chaal kyun chalegi?"

This irritates Naina, out of anger more on Dr. Mishra than on Rajveer, she says,

"Ye to apko hi pata karna hai Sir!"

Rajveer turns to look towards Naina, all serious.

"Main sirf ye janna chahti hun ke aap Dr. Ritu se engage honge ya nahi?",

asks Naina, determined to get an answer.

Rajveer looks away, thinking.

"Kyunki main apne Ma-Baba ko dilasa de chuki hun ke aap mere saath hain!",

she states clearly.

This gets Rajveer to go anxious.

Taking a deep breath, Naina asks for the final time,

"So tell me - yes or no?"

Rajveer stares a determined Naina, confused. He knits his brows, staring her throughout. How can she do that? How can she make him fall into a dilemma like that? Why is she trying to make it all the more difficult for him?

(Rajveer-Naina revolt tune begins)

Rajveer knits his brows, puzzled.

Coming to a conclusion, Rajveer takes a deep breath. With his back still turned towards Naina, he turns his head towards his left, focusing back on Naina and declares his decision clearly,

"Main Dr. Mishra se engage nahi hunga!"

"You have my words!",

he states, looking towards her, his back still turned towards her.

Rajveer witnesses the sigh of relief that Naina takes and the way her eyes twinkle suddenly; the smile of relief that stretches on her lips all of these stuffs pierce his heart. He looks away unable to tolerate it anymore.

Naina walks a little in front of Rajveer, Rajveer turns to look towards her, all serious, controlling the turmoil of emotions that's going on inside his heart seeing her staring him that way - possessively. His face feels the adrenaline rush. His heart although beating at a tremendous speed but he tries to keep it under control.

(Rajveer-Naina slow tune begins)

"Thank you Sir!",

says Naina, ever so calmly, almost like dreamingly.

Her voice radiates how calm and satisfied she is feeling on hearing his last words. The way one feels after achieving something she/he is trying to achieve desperately since a long time.

Had the relationship been a little different between Rajveer and Naina today, then surely she would have hugged him tight out of excitement. Because excited is exactly what she is right now. But her excitement ain't the type where she would jump around to make it visible it is rather the type where she would go all quiet and relaxed, dumbstruck may be?

Rajveer looks away towards his front whilst she thanks him, worrying that what if she reads his eyes that right now he feels must be conveying his feelings for her perfectly. Looking away is just an escape!

"Thank you Sir!",

but Naina doesn't look away, enjoying seeing him to her heart's content. Relaxed, that her Rajveer Sir wouldn't get engaged to Dr. Mishra. Well this is what she thinks. But if she would have dared to ponder into her heart she would have known that smile of contentment and the relaxation ain't much for the fact that she saved him from Dr. Mishra, but they are more for the fact that she saved Rajveer for herself!

Rajveer doesn't turn to look towards her, standing stiff, as a measure to control his emotions. But what he doesn't understand is his eyes are giving away all of his emotions, only that Naina is not caring much to focus and consider!

Looking away, Naina shares her feelings about the situation and says,

"Sir mujhe ek pal ke liye aisa laga ki ussi aurat ne apko bhi mujhse cheen liya, jaise Bhaiya ko!"

She tries to feel what else did she feel at that time.

She looks towards him and says ever so calmly,

"Mujhe laga maine apko kho diya!"

This skips Rajveer's heartbeat, exactly what Naina had expected! He turns to look towards her immediately. How could she think that? - he wonders, a little disappointed. They stare each other all serious. Conveying their feelings to each other silently, only that Rajveer knows what he is conveying to her but Naina, she isn't aware of it at all about what she is conveying to him but the urge to stare him to relax herself is all what she knew she wanted and she did exactly the same without pondering into the reason for doing it or the result after doing it!

Rajveer turns to his front again, all serious, walking ahead slowly, without blinking his eyes, he says, ever so calmly yet clearly,

"Nahi Naina... Tum mujhe kabhi nahi khogi!"

And this he says not only to her but it is also a promise to himself, that whatever comes the situation he would never leave her side!

Naina goes calm as she starts pondering into what all she did before reaching here, feeling a little guilty.

Walking to him, standing adjacent to him, she looks towards him and apologizes,

"Ahmm... I am sorry Sir!"

Rajveer maintains his posture.

Naina looks in front feeling a little stupid about how she reacted.

"Actually I have realized ki wo... wo bohot hi bachkani harkat thi!",

she apologizes.

The moment she ends the line, Rajveer says, as if he anticipated this coming, still not looking towards her, his eyes somewhere towards the tubelight of his room,

"Naina agar tumhari jagah koi aur bhi hota..."

Whilst lowering his eyes he continues,

"To shayad aisa hi karta!",

by the time he reaches the end of the line, he looks back towards Naina.

Naina stares him, relieved. Her look conveys how much has her feeling for him increased after hearing that. Rajveer does understand that, but chooses to stay quiet because he understands that she still isn't fully aware of her feelings. He cannot do anything that might ruin it all.

Rajveer slowly lowers his eyes, not wanting her to read his eyes perfectly by any means. His face not turned towards her.

"Nahi Sir wo... pata nahi mujhe kya ho gaya tha! Main bohot gusse mein thi aur jaise hi maine Ritu Ma'am ko corridor mein dekha, maine unko jakar keh diya ke aap unse engagement nahi karenge, BECAUSE I LOVE YOU!",

states Naina in one breath!

Rajveer stares Naina, shocked! His eyes dark on Naina. Naina stares back Rajveer, shocked herself! Her heart too skips a beat, wondering what would he think of her! How would he react? Will he be angry? Who was she to claim him as her own?, and feels guilty. But she doesn't lower her eyes, staring him throughout out of sheer guilt and trying to gauge his mood and reaction.

His stare, his holding of his breath, were all to know - did he miss something? Did she ever try to convey him her feelings for him which he missed acknowledging? Was his feeling that she doesn't bear any such feeling for him in her heart, wrong? Was he exaggerating by taking his luck as bad this time?

When he doesn't lower his eyes, Naina does! This reminds Rajveer what he is doing - he is staring her, possessively! He quickly looks away, minding himself.

Naina realizes that she needs to explain why she said so.

With her eyes lowered out of hesitation, she says,

"Sir wo... a...",

she looks back towards him hesitantly, Rajveer keeps staring ahead of him, avoiding to look towards her when she is saying such things to him.

"Uss moment ke liye mujhe wohi theek laga aur maine unhe bol diya.",

she says, hesitantly, her voice soft out of hesitation.

Naina tries to gauge his reaction.

Looking ahead, almost like smirking, she says,

"Dr. Ritu bhi chonk si gayi thi."

Rajveer doesn't turn to look towards her out of hesitation and awkwardness.

Naina too doesn't look towards him. Releasing her breath that she didn't realize she had been holding since the time Rajveer gave her that possessive look after hearing the four words - BECAUSE I LOVE YOU!, she finally turns to look towards him and says, smiling a little, politely,

"Anyways Sir wo... mere mid term ke exams announce kar diye gaye hain aur... mujhe jakar parhayi bhi karni hai so... I'll see you!",

whilst saying so she tries to gauge his reaction to her prior words!

Rajveer lowers his eyes and turns his face a little towards Naina but doesn't look towards her directly, out of hesitation and fear that she might end up reading his eyes. He nods his head a little into positive, indicating her that he is permitting her to leave. But he realizes that she doesn't move immediately, she rather keeps staring him as if craving for him to look towards her.

"Good bye Sir!",

she says, a way to make him look towards her before she leaves. She craves for him to look towards her. The fact that he is not looking towards her disturbs Naina, but she doesn't realize it.

Rajveer does finally looks towards her. It's then Naina realizes how much she was craving for this possessive stare that they share seldom. Her smile vanishes a little, her heart skips a beat. Her rate of heartbeat increases. It does suffocate her, his possessive stare, but she doesn't understand why she enjoys this suffocation! Rajveer keeps his possessive stare intact, craving for her to understand his feelings.

To his dismay, Naina leaves without saying anything to him! Rajveer keeps repeating her words in his mind.

*****

Rushing to her room, Naina quickly shuts the door of her room. Standing against the closed door, Naina tries to calm down her accelerating rate of heartbeat. Cascading her eyes becomes a medium to shove off the feelings that are fluttering in her heart.

This she didn't want to say to him. This she didn't do correct, by declaring her feelings to him. After all when has she ever thought of him that way to confess so openly in front of him that deep down in her heart she has some feelings for him that she had kept unshared till today.

What must have her Rajveer Sir thought of her upon receiving those words from her? It is his life, his decision, who is she to interfere in his personal matters? She has trespassed several times in their relationship of - mentor and protegee, she knows, but none of those trespasses does she feel guilty of. But this, she doesn't understand why keeps repeating in her mind, accusing her of being guilty.

She walks forth into her room slowly, in confusion and anxiety.

*****

Standing in front of the mirror in his room, Rajveer stares into it, all serious. His cheeks still flushed up as Naina's words keep repeating in his mind.

"Jhoot tha! Mazak tha! Uske liye ye bus mujhe Dr. Mishra se bachane ka ek tareeka tha!",

he reminds himself.

"Apne... apne mentor ko ek traitor se bachane ka tareeka.",

adds Rajveer, cascading his eyes.

He smiles sarcastically.

"Bhool kiya tumne Naina. Nahi karna chahiye tha tumhe aisa.",

says Rajveer.

"Magar kya tumhari baat mein thodi si bhi... suchai...",

Rajveer's eyes well up, his chest expands and contracts in quick succession.

His throat chokes as he utters,

"Kya ek pal ke liye bhi tumne mujhe.... mujhe.... apne teacher; apne mentor; apne bhai ke dost se barh kar kuch... kuch bhi... socha?"

He looks heavenwards to control his ill mannered tears.

"Yakeen.... yakeen mano Naina... main.... maine koi umeed nahi rakhi thi...",

he says, with great difficulty.

Shutting his eyes, turning his face straight in front, he continues,

"Magar pata nahi aaj kyun... umeed.... umeed laga baitha.",

he purses his lips to control his emotions.

"May be... may be because.... because I love you!",

he breaks down, resting his back against the wall.

(Rajveer-Naina defeat tune begins)

He cries further, silently, unable to hold his emotions; his feelings for Naina, any longer.

*****

"Bhaiya, ye kya ho raha hai mujhe?",

asks Naina, in confusion.

"Kyun suchch bol kar bhi mujhe sukoon mehsus nahi ho raha?",

asks Naina, knitting her brows.

Her rate of heartbeat picks up pace as she says,

"Jaise... jaise main jo kehna chahti thi wo... wo nahi keh payi!"

"Jaise... jaise maine koi baat adhuri chor di!",

says Naina, confused.

"Magar kya... kya kehna tha mujhe?",

asks Naina, trying to figure out.

"Kyun aisa lag raha hai ke koi baat hai jo... jo mera dil mujhse keh raha hai magar mera dimag usse andekha.... ansuna kar raha hai.",

says Naina, frustrated by this weird feeling.

Her cheeks turn warmer as she says,

"Kyun ek pal ke liye aaj aisa laga ke... ke Rajveer Sir kuch kahenge mujhse...! Kuch aisa jisse...",

her heart throbs inside her chest,

"Jisse sunne ke liye shayad main abhi taiyaar nahi!",

she shuts her eyes, trying to clear her mind off these feelings.

"Kyun aaj mujhe khud par gussa aa raha hai? Nafrat ho rhi hai khud se?",

asks Naina.

"Kyun aaj jo maine unki ankhon mein parha, usse... usse unse sunne ka itna mann kar raha tha?",

Naina looks away, in regret.

"Nahi janti ke unse duur yahan main unse bach kar ayi hun; yahan khudko unse ek anjane rishte mein bandh kar ayi hun!",

says Naina, knitting her brows tighter.

"Kyun ye dhaage itne uljhe hue nazar aa rahe hain? Kyun iss uljhan mein bhi ek sukoon mil raha hai? Kyun bhaiya.... kyun?",

she asks looking heavenwards.

(Rajveer-Naina defeat tune begins)

Naina shuts her eyes and all the moments she has spent with Rajveer till now, flash in front of her eyes.

"Nahi ho sakte aap kisi aur ke. Nahi seh sakti apko kis aur ke saath dekhna. Because....",

her heart skips a beat as she realizes her feelings for him.

She opens her eyes in shock and finally confesses again, this time without any doubt; this time to herself than to him,

"Because I love you!"

(Rajveer-Naina happy tune begins)

Smile of satisfaction upon finally realizing her feelings for him, stretches on Naina's lips.

"I love you Rajveer Sir! I love you!",

she repeats, trying to get familiar to the jingling of the words.

Enjoying the sound of it.

She bites her lower lip in excitement and shyness.

*****

"I love you Naina! I love you!",

says Rajveer, with no regret, smiling as he enjoys the sound of those words. The feel of speaking those words without any hesitation. Confessing it openly to himself.

(Rajveer-Naina happy tune continues)

-THE END-

(10.9.2020)