The bustle of the morning had took over the air, horns of cars passing by in high speed on congested roads, as some people still were about to start their walk to work. 

Ishita looked outside from her kitchen window and found children of their appartment complex rushing to the gate to catch their school bus. She seemed to look on blankly, lost in her thoughts, until the toaster made a ring that brought her back to reality. The toasts were done so she served them on the plate with a cup of fresh tea. 

She then placed the cup and plate on a tray together, walking outside the kitchen to the dinning table, as she served the tray on it. 

"disha! nashta!" exclaimed ishita, going back to the kitchen, not even waiting for the response. 

Dushyant stepped out of his bedroom, walking over to the living room where the family shoe rack was nearby the door. He picked out his office shoes and sat on the couch to wear them.

Suddenly, disha rushed outside of her bedroom, glancing on the tray placed on the dinning table, from which she quickly grabbed the cup of hot tea and gulped it down immediately down her throat, which obviously left a sting but she didn't seem to be bothered. She was quick to grab the toast in her hand, a bite already in her mouth. 

Dushyant after putting on his shoes, checked his office bag once more, before getting up to leave, when disha called for him. 

"papa! main ready hogayi time pe aaj...hum saath chalenge na!" exclaimed disha eagerly as dushyant looked at her blankly, before nodding in agreement and walking to the door, which obviously left disha feeling taken aback. 

                                                            ***

Disha looked onto dushyant driving as she sat on the passenger's seat quietly, uncomfortable by the void of silence yet feeling like she cannot do anything about it really. She quietly just saw the way pass and the final red light before her college was nearby had arrived. Dushyant sighed loudly as he looked on for the traffic light to turn green, and disha seemed to open her mouth to utter something only to bite her tongue and stop herself, only for dushyant to immediately turn his glance to her, as if he had sensed she was about to say something. 

She ended up glancing back at him, only for him to avert his glance in the next second or so, and he drove away to finally reach the college gate, unlocking the car for disha to step out, which she didn't want to. 

"papa..aap kitna naraaz ho mujhse, baat hi nahi kar rahe do dinn se..." pleaded disha getting overwhelmed, as dushyant was quick to brush off the tear that he barely let roll past her eyelid. 

"rote nahi hai aise....koi naraaz nahi hua hoon main!" exclaimed dushyant instantly, as disha seemed to find her eyes moisten further. 

"kaise nahi ho! naa daant rahe ho subha late na hone ke liye! naa assignment bhulne ke liye chila rahe ho subha-subha! raat ko aate ho, mujhe baitha dekhte ho, phir bhi puchte nahi ho kaisa dinn tha...aap toh meri aadha ghanta bakwaas bhi sunte the! ab do minute baat bhi nahi kar rahe...aisa kya kardiya maine?" ranted disha, as she was on the verge of crying, when she ended up burying her head on his shoulder, and he was quick to gently caress her hair. 

"bache...dekho, main sachi naraaz nahi hoon tumse...par haan, mere liye humara rishta ab waise nahi raha jaise pehle tha...and i don't know ab kya hai...kyunki trust toda tumne mera...thoda time lagega...phir dekhenge ab kaise hoga humara relation ab...aur shayad woh bilkul pehle jaisa na ho...but i'm sorry agar tumhe genuinely dukh hua yeh sochke ki main tumse naraaz hoon..." stated dushyant as disha now separated and looked over to him. 

"papa...par..." responded disha when dushyant interrupted. 

"bache aap late ho rahe ho abhi jao please, ghar pe baat karenge..." instructed dushyant calmly, as disha unwillingly complied and got outside, looking on as he drove away. 

                                                                  ***

Disha and Purav sat across each other next to the canteen table, with cups of tea in between them, as Purav looked at her with concern, while she had facepalmed herself. 

"i mean, mummy bhi bas normal hone ki koshish karti dekh rahi hai and i can see in her eyes, she's really disappointed in me! papa toh...bahaut dil dukhaya maine unka...oh god! i don't know what to do!" grumbled disha, as purav as just sighed. 

"i mean...maybe they'll feel better agar main miloon unse...i think baat karne se problem solve hojayega...the problem i think is just they are not very sure of me...getting to know me might help." suggested purav, as disha thought of it, only to seem a bit pleased. 

"i mean...kya tum, apne parents ke saath aa sakte ho...like...it doesn't have to be something...like maybe a lunch or something...hum bhi tumhare ghar aa sakte hai...i think agar woh tumse family ke saath milenge, unhe genuinely lagega ki tum actually serious ho...mere baarein mein..." responded disha, as purav was left to seriously ponder. 

"i guess it can't hurt if my parents know as well...jald toh batana hi tha abhi hi sahi..and you know what, i think my parents would be more pleasantly surprised to know that i'm actually more responsible and serious than they think i am...meri maa toh pakka khushi ke maare keh degi lunch rakhne ko!" remarked purav, making disha chuckle.

"i can't believe sab kuch aise...itna jaldi ho raha hai..." confessed disha and purav smiled. 

"achi cheezein jaldi hoon usse acha kya hai!" exclaimed purav, as disha nodded in agreement, smiling too. 

"bas ab aise hi khush rehna, rona nahi! ab chalo class chodke aata hoon tumhe, late ho jaogi warna!" commanded purav, pulling her to stand up by her wrist and she walked away with him, glancing at him in adoration with a wide smile, while he had his arm around her neck, the embrace making her blush. 

                                                                ***

Kavin and Purvi were seated in their living room couch, two coffee mugs placed on the coffee table, as they seemed to be engaged in a regular chat. 

"i mean children are insane nowadays! who brings a phone to school to watch porn during break!" exclaimed purvi annoyingly, as kavin just shook his head in disbelief. 

"i can't believe ab hum bhi woh budhe ban jayenge joh kahenge ki internet ne bachon ko bigad diya! par yeh bache harkatein hi aisi karte hai..." responded kavin, as purvi nodded her head in agreement, grabbing her coffee mug to sip on it. 

"kahi bache dekh kar mujhe apni aulaad lakh guna shareef lagti hai!" retorted purvi, as kavin chuckled, only for the disgraced to arrive in front of them. 

"hi...guys..." greeted purav awkwardly, as he came in front of kavin  and purvi in the living room, leaving them puzzled. 

"tabiyat theek hai tumhari? shaam ko ghar pe ho?" asked kavin instantly, as purav just rolled his eyes. 

"main ghar hi hota hoon iss waqt!" exclaimed purav in annoyance. 

"acha toh hum bhi ghar pe hai yeh kahan se yaad aa gaya?" questioned purvi in response, as both kavin and purvi looked on. 

"woh...baat karni thi aapse..." stated purav, serious in his tone, as kavin and purvi looked concerned. 

"actually, maine aap logon ko bataya nahi, but i have been working on a 3 month remote internship...it's a company abroad...yeh teesra mahina hai and my performance has been great according to them, so, i can expect a pre placement offer before the final exams....and meri performance achi hai academically, meri placement mein bhi ache offers ki chance hai so i'm good to go there...uhh, anyways, also, maine yeh bhi nahi bataya aapko ki i'm in a relationship...i'm in love with her, uska naam disha hai, second year mein hai abhi...and main aapko araam se batana chahta tha but problem hogayi hai actually, uske parents...actually, they are really concerned about our relationship...they are not sure if i'm actually serious about her...so, agar aap log mere saath unse mil lo, unhe thodi assurance hojayegi...because, i mean, i'm serious about her..." explained purav in detail the situation, as kavin and purvi were speechless. 

"yeh sab...ek saath...kaise, i..uh..." attempted kavin to process the situation. 

"wait, so tum awaragardi aur sone ke alawa kuch aur kar rahe ho?" asked purvi in confusion, as purav just looked at his parents in disappointment. 

"aur...uske parents na kaha hai milne ko ya tumhara idea hai?" questioned kavin, as purvi was confused too. 

"i mean...humein lagta hai ki unke concerns ease karna ka acha idea hai...so..." responded purav as purvi and kavin shared a glance before responding. 

"honestly, hum bhi milna chahenge usse...especially agar tum serious ho...i mean tumhe pyaar bhi hogaya aur humein pata bhi nahi..." stated purvi, as kavin nodded in agreement. 

"haan aur agar tumne apne future ki planning bhi dhang se ki hui hai...toh humein kya hi aitraaz ho sakta hai..." stated kavin, as purvi smiled at him. 

"you know what? tum usse keh do, sunday ko humare ghar lunch pe le aaye apni family ko...humara ghar aur parivaar sab dekh lenge tumhare saath, tum shaanti se apne plans discuss karoge, i'm sure unhe tasalli hojayegi.." suggested purvi, as purav gave a wide smile to her. 

"thank you so much yaar mom! main abhi call karke aaya usse, woh wait kar rahi hogi..." responded purav excitedly, rushing out of the living room. 

"i can't believe it! purav, apne aap hi responsible hogaya..." remarked kavin, as purvi scoffed. 

"i mean i'm shocked yeh wahi ladka hai joh apne board exam ke dinn last minute revision ke waqt sogaya aur phir late hogaya centre ke liye!" exclaimed purvi, as they both ended up sharing a chuckle. 

"chalo, finally bada hogaya yeh bhi..." commented kavin, as purvi couldn't help but nod in agreement, leaving them both hopeful for the future.