Shub woke up in the evening, but the exhaustion still lingered in his eyes. Despite his tiredness, he managed to smile at me, and I responded by kissing his forehead gently. He made his way to the bathroom to freshen up while I headed towards the kitchen to make some coffee for us. The familiar sound of the coffee machine and the rich aroma brought a sense of comfort and normalcy to the evening.

Carrying the steaming mugs, I walked back towards our room, and found Shubman sitting at the study desk, deep in thought as he scribbled in his notebook. Curious, I leaned in to see what he was writing, but before I could decipher his thoughts, he closed the book abruptly and turned around, gasping in surprise.

I handed him his coffee mug with a smile. He accepted it gratefully and walked out to the balcony. I followed, carefully holding my cup, and wrapped my arms around him from behind. He placed his hand gently over mine, and I could feel the tension in his body. "Are you still thinking about the T20 World Cup?" I asked softly.

Shub nodded, his silence speaking volumes. I tried to place my chin on his shoulder, like he used to do to comfort me when I was upset, but my 5'4" frame couldn't quite reach. "Nothing will happen, Shubi," I reassured him, my voice filled with determination. "Shall I tell you some exciting news?"

His curiosity piqued, Shub turned slightly towards me and asked, "What is it?"

"I've been selected as the Indian team's doctor for the World Cup," I announced with a grin. "The college was given an opportunity from the BCCI, and since I'm Indian, our principal chose me to join the team."

Shubman's face lit up with pure joy. He set his coffee cup down on the table and lifted me off the ground, twirling me around in a celebratory spin. "That's the best news you've given me, baby!" he exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with happiness.

I laughed, feeling his excitement mingling with my own. "Of course, baby. Now come on, let's go downstairs," I suggested.

Shub nodded, his mood visibly lifted. As we made our way down, we chatted about the T20 World Cup, sharing hopes and dreams for the future. Despite the challenges ahead, we both felt a renewed sense of optimism and support, ready to face whatever came our way together.

We headed downstairs, and I announced, "I'll make dinner tonight." Sara nodded and took a seat at the dining table, focusing on her assignments. I made my way to the kitchen and started preparing pasta, enjoying the simple, rhythmic motions of cooking.

Suddenly, Sara stood up abruptly and rushed to the bathroom. Concerned, I called out, "Sara, are you okay?" When there was no response, I quickly turned off the gas and hurried to the bathroom door. "Sara, are you okay?" I repeated, worry creeping into my voice.

From inside, I heard a muffled, "Yeah, I'm fine." A moment later, she emerged, looking a bit pale. "Period," she said softly. Understanding immediately, I pulled her into a comforting hug, knowing how moody and uncomfortable she could feel during her period.

Gently, I guided her to the sofa and helped her sit down. "You rest here," I said, heading back to the kitchen. I quickly finished making the pasta, plating it up, and brought two servings to the living room. Handing Sara her plate, I settled beside her and we began eating.

"This is so delicious," she said with a small smile. Her compliment warmed my heart, and we continued eating in a comfortable silence. After finishing, she handed me her empty plate and said, "Enough."

I nodded, kissed her forehead, and took the plates to the kitchen. With the dishes cleared, I returned to the living room and opened my laptop to complete some formalities for the upcoming matches.

As I read through the documents, Sara approached, closed the laptop, and settled onto my lap, resting her head on my chest. "What happened?" I asked gently. She didn't respond with words, instead snuggling closer and playing with the buttons on my shirt.

"Can we stay at home tomorrow?" she asked softly.

"Of course, why not?" I replied, though I had a feeling our plans might change. I caressed her hair gently, and she soon drifted off to sleep on my chest.

Carefully, I picked her up and carried her to our room, laying her gently on the bed. After changing into my pajamas, I opened my laptop again to finish the remaining formalities. Once done, I closed it quietly and lay down beside Sara.

She instinctively put her arms around my waist and snuggled up to me. I kissed her forehead tenderly, feeling a deep sense of contentment, and slowly drifted off to sleep, holding her close.

The next morning, the sun filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the room. I woke up to find Sara still snuggled against me, her breathing soft and even. I gently kissed her forehead, careful not to wake her, and slipped out of bed to start our day.

In the kitchen, I decided to make breakfast. The aroma of fresh coffee and pancakes filled the air, a comforting scent that I hoped would ease Sara into the day. Just as I was flipping the last pancake, I heard soft footsteps behind me.

"Morning," Sara mumbled, still a bit sleepy but smiling. She wrapped her arms around my waist from behind, resting her head against my back."Good morning, love," I replied, turning around to kiss the top of her head. "I made your favorite—pancakes and coffee."

Her eyes lit up, and she gave me a grateful smile. We set the table together, a quiet ritual that felt both intimate and grounding. As we sat down to eat, we talked about our plans for the day, deciding to take it easy and enjoy each other's company.

After breakfast, we went for a leisurely walk around the neighborhood. The fresh air and gentle sunlight seemed to lift Sara's spirits. We talked about everything and nothing, enjoying the simple pleasure of being together. When we returned home, we spent some time lounging on the couch, watching our favorite shows and occasionally stealing glances at each other, laughing at the silly parts.

In the afternoon, I suggested we cook lunch together. We decided on a simple but delicious lasagna dish. As we chopped vegetables and stirred sauces, we fell into an easy rhythm, our movements synchronized from days of cooking together. The kitchen was filled with laughter and the sound of clinking utensils, and for a while, all worries seemed to fade away.

Later, as we sat down to eat, Sara reached across the table and took my hand. "Thank you for today," she said softly, her eyes full of warmth and gratitude. "I really needed this."

I squeezed her hand gently. "Anytime, Sara. You mean the world to me."

After lunch, we spent the rest of the day relaxing. Sara worked on her assignments while I caught up on some reading. In the early evening, we decided to go for another walk, this time to the nearby park. We sat on a bench, watching the sunset paint the sky with hues of orange and pink.

"Sara," I said, breaking the comfortable silence, "I know things have been tough lately, but I want you to know that I'm always here for you, no matter what."

She leaned her head on my shoulder, a soft sigh escaping her lips. "I know, and that means everything to me."

As the stars began to twinkle in the sky, we headed back home, hand in hand. Back at the apartment, we decided to watch a movie. Snuggled up under a warm blanket on the couch, we lost ourselves in the story, laughing together.

When the movie ended, we stayed there, wrapped in each other's arms. "Let's make a promise," Sara said suddenly, looking up at me with a serious expression.

"What's that?" I asked, curious."No matter what happens, let's always take time for days like this. Just us, enjoying the simple things."

I smiled and kissed her gently. "I promise."

That night, as we lay in bed, Sara fell asleep almost instantly, a peaceful expression on her face. I watched her for a moment, feeling a profound sense of love and contentment. I knew that no matter what challenges lay ahead, we would face them together, one day at a time.

With that comforting thought, I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep, holding Sara close, ready to embrace whatever tomorrow would bring.