As I groggily make my way out of  the kitchen after having breakfast , I hear a soft knocking on my  door. Still half-asleep, I stumble towards the entrance as I make my hair in a bun and open the door to find Dev standing there with a wide grin on his face. The early morning sunlight spills through the corridor, casting a warm glow on our faces.

" Hi. Good morning ma'am." He says as he swiftly moves aside to reveal Chandni di standing there with a warm smile on her face.

As soon as I see her, a geniune  smile creeps up on my face. Before I could say anything, she comes forward and hugs me tightly. We stay like that for a while as waves of nostalgia flash in my mind. Oh, how much I had missed her. I still remember how both of us used to sit and tease Dev about every little thing. How she used to tease both of us about each other and how me and Dev used to try to irritate her to the core.

"Di, It's been ages yaar. Kaisi ho aap?" I say.

" Mera chhod. Tu apna bata? Teen saal mai thodi bhi yaad nahi aayi humari?" She says, tauntingly.                                                                                                                                                                                  "Di, mujhe kitni yaad aayi hai, woh mai hi jaanti hu. Chalo abhi andar, ya bahar hi khade khade baatein karni hai." I say, with the huge smile still on my face. As we start to head inside, Dev says   " Guys, I'm also here. Tum dono har baar mujhe bhul jaate ho."

We share a laugh, the moment becoming a repository of shared memories and inside jokes that spanned the years.

"Guys, Maa has already left for her office. So unko shaam ko hi milna padega. BTW Dev, woh left wala kamra tumhara hai aur right wala Chandni di ka. Ok?" I mean having a 4BHK does have it's own perks.

" Aur woh,  mere room ki left side wala?" Dev asks.

"Mera hai." I say and then see Chandni di smile teasingly.                                                                               "Di yaar, It's been 3 years. Come on." I say with a little smile on my face as I look at Dev who is now red as a tomato. I wonder why?

" 3 years?" She added with a dramatic flair,"You won't believe the tales of woe I've had to endure! Dramatic sighs, nostalgic stares into the distance, and the occasional, 'I wonder how she's doing.'"                                                                                                                                                                             " Sacchi?", I say as I try to hide the little smile that has been getting bigger and brighter by every word.  

" Di, I'm leaving,now" he says as I look at him and he sits quietly.                                                                   Di, mockingly serious says, "Oh, it's been epic. He'd randomly bring up memories, like, 'Remember that time we all went to the park?' And then, a deep sigh. You were sorely missed, my friend."                                                                                                                                                                                   " Woah, Woah. How come you never told me any of this yesterday?" I tease as he finds himself blush slightly.

"This is very unfair. OK? Everytime you guys team up, I'm the one getting bullied. I'm leaving. I have a wedding to attend." He leaves very dramatically as me and chandni di chuckle.

"Yaar, seriously avi. This guy has missed a lot.He had been practically whining since the day you left. He was so frustrated at himself after he lost his phone. I genuinely think he likes you, Avi. You should have seen how he looks at you. " Di says as i smile at her and ask,                                         "And how does he exactly look at me?" 

"Like he's memorizing the most beautiful poem, and he never wants to forget a single line, like you're the answer to a question he's been asking his entire life, and he never wants to stop finding it in your gaze."