Sanskaar had to return to Mumbai the very night for all commitments that required his focus. Just now, another photoshoot was ticked off from the list.

"Your face card never declines brother." Ziya Kapoor, the head photographer commented with her gaze fixed upon the couple of pictures they took.

"That's the magic of your lens." Sanskaar returned the compliment. Well, that was how he believed-- it was the lens miraculously doing and his face was a mere model.

On that note, Sanskaar strode to the dressing room for the next setup. The mirror reflected him- the model to the world; dressed in a designer suit and styled accordingly.

It made him look different. Different from what he always wanted to look like; a certain black coat and tie was a picture that struck his mind.

"Alright! Time for the change." The MUA team was back with frenzy moves. Another designer suit, now thrust in his hands and he had to reciprocate that rapo.

Sanskaar made a quick change and the team took charge of him. Several hands worked over to give away a neat finish and he witnessed all of it through the mirror.

"The colour suits you." One among the team exclaimed as she corrected the sparkling brooch over the blazar lapels.

"Or he suits the colour." Another commentary and there was a slight shift from the atmosphere- from tensed to small giggles.

The tailored slim fit suit of burgundy gave an elegant touch to his features. Hair carefully set and gelled in the right place except for a strand of hair over his forehead.

"Enough of your flattering ladies, we are getting late now." The head of the team sneered at them. Sanskaar took a last glance of himself in the dresser.

He would have adored himself all day had not been for that legal attire lurking in the depths of his mind.

So no matter how well-dressed he shall be; it can never satisfy him, can it?

~

Gagodia's mansion stood firm as ever like the last time which underwent a renovation at the time Aditya's wedding, still it had been maintained well.

Swara dragged the suitcase all along the driveway and finally, paused at the threshold with thousands of memories that hazed in her mind.

Her suitcase became abandoned by the entrance itself for her legs paved way to reach her people and her eyes yearned to meet her family.

To her surprise, Swara found neither of them downstairs- neither in the kitchen nor the hall. She expected atleast one of them to be present, nevertheless, she still had the chance to surprise.

Swara took her sweet time to reminisce about the incidents; good mostly to keep up the cheer. One particular portrait near the staircase caught her focus.

The picture had been everyone's favourite- the family photograph taken right after the commencement of all Aditya's wedding ceremonies.

Despite the tiring faces, all of them gave away their best smiles to be photographed for the memory. As for her, well she had a flight to Germany the very next morning.

Her second solo concert at Berlin, Germany was pre-planned way before the wedding plans began. Swara had to constrain all the pre-working process to take a break for a month; almost.

The newly wedded couple was excluded when Swara informed her immediate journey to return back to the hectic schedule ahead. Even then, they let her fly.

Her fingers made a dainty touch over the frame as if she did not want to disturb those gorgeous smiles that were frozen.

"Pavi, is the coffee ready?" A distant voice from upstairs made Swara look up and the approaching footsteps made her lips curl wider and wider.

"Not everyone is your wife, Bhai." Swara passed a cheeky tease the moment Aditya was in view of her. She expected a reply, for words were his forte but never a bone crushing hug.

Aditya engulfed his baby sister, too afraid that her presence would vanish but the moment she reciprocated, he knew. His sister was very much back.

"Heavens! Let her breathe Adi." Pavithra had just come from the lawn after a quick fresh breath but she did not expect such a scene to unfold.

Swara could barely see a thing behind her brother's shoulders but the very voice, she knew her sister-in-law was fond of her and their bond.

"You'll stay with us for more than a month, Swara." Pavithra could still not let go the memory of the days they had missed Swara, the gloom prevailed no matter what.

"Well, then how about a lifetime?" The initial shock was back in both of them but for Swara, well it was a moment of blissful laughter.

"So hereafter no sneaking out without telling us?" Aditya was back to claim his regal position after a few minutes of losing his voice.

"Never." Swara chuckled, the event of her flying back without letting him know often became a topic of faking sadness. Now, no more of that drama.

By then Shekhar and Sharmistha came down to have a check on the familiar voices that gushed in joy. Reema reached after a short grocery shopping only to be stuck.

Despite their frozen food, she could witness their faces glow with delight and their eyes carried tears; tears taken in the form of love by accepting her presence.

And just like that, Swara knew- This was the place she belonged to.

~

Red and orange made a soft blend in the dimming sky as the sun bled while reaching its horizon; it's home to rest for the day.

With a piping hot coffee mug in his hands, Sanskaar wondered what it feels like to be home after years of exile. Would it still be a safe place to call yours after all the terrific toss?

Would it be enough to ease all the coldness off you and put you back to that long lost familiar comfort? He sipped some coffee and abruptly put away the mug with clenched eyes.

That burnt his tongue. Sanskaar barely gave a minute when he took a sip of that insane hot coffee, too much engrossed in the goal of getting momentary peace from the subtle headache.

Maybe that's how home might be too-- he thought. Exiles make one cold; terrifically colder that even a slight touch of warmth could end up burning you.

Afterall you forget what warmth is, don't you?

"Hey, all good?" Sanskaar whipped his head to find the source of the voice. There stood Rumali, pa of his boss with concerned eyes looking at his ached expressions.

"Ah-- yes. All good." The numbing effect of the tongue made a weird sensation but nevertheless, it was nothing big to complain about.

"You've got any idea why I am called here, Rumali?" The manager suddenly made a call for a meeting in the evening without any further information. 

"I'm not disclosed to who is coming, Sanskaar, it is an unofficial meeting." An unofficial meeting and him? - Sanskaar could still not connect any dots from Rumali's words.

Their manager aka boss- Mr. Deepak Patel was strictly professional and loathed personal dealings coming in. So unofficial meetings being held in the office itself came as a huge surprise.

Fingers in the hair and a sigh from his mouth, Sanskaar sat on the couch. He had a hectic day- two back to back shoots and his body craved rest already.

"I did hear it is some famous designer." Rumali collected the required files from the table, her eyes fixed at Sanskaar, "Maybe you won some bigger gig?"

"Mr. Patel is right when he says Rumi makes 'great' assumptions." Sanskaar was ready to dodge the file Rumali was about to throw, "Be grateful that I am being nice!"

Rumali left the cabin after that sneer. Despite the heaviest emotional baggage Sanskaar carried, he mostly got associated with people good at heart.

The modelling agency he had been working for eight years gave enough connections where friendships were created beyond the professional boundaries. 

But just friendships and nothing more. Or sometimes even those bonding fright Sanskaar for his old life flashes back to him.

He had the best circle- all four of them were his stress busters, his other close to home and still is. But Sanskaar did not know if the others shared the same sentiments after what he did.

Sanskaar abandoned them without a word, cut their ties when they tried to reach out and moved out; tired of everything, afraid of keeping them all in lies.

So he left for the world, all new but with all their memories safely intact in his heart. The unknown had comforted him in a surprisingly strange way.

But it was the known that gave all the strength. Yet, that familiarity scared him-- it kept him away from reaching them.

The sound of the door clicking paused all of Sanskaar's thoughts behind an abrupt halt. He stood up to greet in formality but what greeted him back had been a sheer shock.

Deepak Patel came in and led the way to a familiar woman he had never expected to meet. Not like this.

"Meet Miss. Shafali Gagodia, the founder of M- fashion-- I suppose you know her already."

Mr. Patel's introduction to her was a mere distant voice for Sanskaar. Shafali had a smile; much similar to the ones she usually gave him.

"I caught you, didn't I?

Sanskaar could barely react because this woman brought all the suppressed memories back to front- flashing and rushing in waves.

And to her question, Well he was caught. Indeed.

~

Swara got her headphones down; satisfied by the pre-recorded song which had gone for the editing. If everything sets right, the song could be released by the month's end.

Shifting the base back home came out with multiple pros but the cons could be undeniably tiring. At present, restructuring her support team got most of her time.

It tired her to the great extent.

Just then, an incoming video call brought her reeling mind to sane- Swara accepted the call in a few rings.

Two faces greeted her with the biggest grin on their lips while the third was completely out of the screen,

"Good lord! She's really back but why are we not with her?" Aditi came with a dramatic commentary, caring least for the crowd surrounding her.

The lit feast dragged her all the way to Delhi for a whole month. She, being the sub-editor was packed to lead an editing workshop. Talk about luck.

"My question too. This witch came after two years and none of us are home, how fair is it?" Jay sat on the bench, green lawns behind and his jersey spoke about his whereabouts.

"Yaar! I'm not sure which diapers I should get. Any idea people?" Arya, busy strolling in a supermarket finally looked at the screen, "Oh! Hi Swara."

"Stop being a sourball and ask your wife, you dumbhead." Jay groaned at Arya who seemed frantic, in search of a right diaper for his baby.

"Don't you feel any ounce of sorry for your friend who's roaming around the supermarket wearing legal attire in a fifteen minute- session break?"

"No." Arya had so much to complain about that blunt rejection but well, for another time. He's assigned with an important work to complete.

"Stop bickering! Arya, call her and get back to us later." Swara had to make an intervention or else these two could be such a headache.

"The only angel of our group. I'll call you, only you later, Swara." Arya disconnected the call leaving the three in chuckles.

"I never knew Arya would be the first to get knocked off the marriage mart. We always thought it was you both." Swara mused with a remembrance when Arya announced his wedding a year and half back.

None of them could retrieve from the shock Arya abruptly presented them with till he actually got married and at times, still it amused them all.

"The fact that he father's a baby boy of a year should make you accept it, Swara." Aditi laughed while the rest followed suit for a good few minutes.

"Oh-- This call! I need to attend this. I'll catch up later." A call from the studio couldn't be ignored so Swara abruptly left leaving the other two.

"I missed her. A lot!" Jay's eyes turned more soft as he made that declaration. Though years apart, their bond between them barely went down.

Aditi knew about this- Jay, in particular had longed for Swara a little extra than them. Any gathering, Jay would particularly leave a space enough for people to fit in-- two to be precise.

"All of us did. But sometimes I wonder about Sanskaar-- do you think he's doing well?" Jay did have an answer; flashes from the past rushed to him like a film.

The last picture still made him terrified- Sanskaar seated beside his dead grandmother, his hands strongly grabbed to her colder one.

He had a glance of Jay with those bloodshot eyes, "Jay, can you call her?" and those hands, still hoped for a miracle that was already a lost case.

The next day, he had vanished as if his existence was a mere delusion to all of them. There were no links to contact him- neither his phone nor the house.

"I hope he is." Was all that Jay could reply and manifest as a prayer which he had been doing for years now.

~

"I have a surprise for you. So come." Shafali prompted Swara for the fifth? No seven times to yield to her requests. But her dearest niece's eyes laid more upon some papers.

"Surprise in a ramp show?" Swara's gaze shifted for a second to her aunt and back to the papers. What can possibly surprise her, that too in a fashion show?

"Do you both like starving everyone?" Mia barged inside, cranky with whatever her mother and sister had been doing keeping the rest in hunger.

"There there. We were just about to come." Swara placed the papers aside but what she didn't expect was her little sister; not so little now taking a seat on her lap.

"Anything on my face?" Mia wagged her head, doe eyes still struck upon Swara, "I know you are here. Two weeks have gone but sometimes it feels surreal, Shona."

Mia nudged her face on Swara's head with her hands wrapped around her neck. The same habit she followed from childhood when she missed someone.

For some reason Swara shared the same sentiments- the homecoming she always dreamt had at last happened, however it still had not completely sinked on either of them.

"So what will make you believe I am here,  Satan?" And there came a sudden spark in Mia's eyes, a shift both her mother and sister could easily spot.

"Maybe your pasta would do? Or--- even a shopping trip can compensate for your exceeding working hours." Swara shared a look with Shafali to seek some help,

"My hands are out." But Shafali's feelings were unlike. Her work gets the utmost attention for the entire day, much enough to others'worries .

"Pasta it is." What a lovely trap had she set upon herself? Swara gently nudged Mia and was quick to take a few steps despite the cranky sounds she made.

"I thought you would love me enough to hold me!" Mia's face dropped dramatically sad to keep her stance. Her head turned over her shoulders, already aware of the dramatic expression.

"I don't like starving everyone. Besides, you think I have the strength to carry a small pumpkin around?" The tease had completely blown the little one.

"Did you just call me a pumpkin?" The horror in Mia's voice had Swara stifle her laughter, "I said "small."

"Wow!" In a second, Mia was up for a battle that Swara was not ready for, "I'm not leaving you today." With that determination she started to chase Swara.

Their chasing continued that they ran outside the room. One, trying to save her dear life from her Satan and another hell bent to seek revenge.

All the laughter as they ran, the view was pretty good. Shefali's face graced with a big smile but there lingered a small concern for her niece.

This woman drowned her self mostly in work, unaware that she resided with her family. Thankfully, Mia often pulled her from the hole to light.

Swara was there for all yet not completely, she knew. Something was amiss from her usual self, more like a barrier between all of them and her.

Moving countries in regards to the profession could be quite hectic, especially if you play the employer role. She knew the difficulty after all she runs her own business too.

Nevertheless, Shefali hoped for a realisation to dawn upon Swara that she was no longer alone and could take some time to experience happiness.

It reminded her of the planning made for Swara in the fashion show. She was sure this one would be one such surprise to be remembered,

Happiness.

~

For every fabulously organized show to be laid for the audience, there requires a chaotic process. Each of the chaos either added or removed to sculpt into a structure.

Clothing trails rushed to the sides, camera setup for a private photoshoot, a number of stylists summoned to style the models for the last batch of summer collection.

Sanskaar had been surrounded with one such chaos; nothing new except for having history with the founder of the famous clothing itself.

A pile of questions were placed for him to be answered. After all, to be hand-picked as the main model by the brand's chairman itself was no joke.

He could not reject her offer. The agency had looked up to this new collaboration and eventually that weighed him down to agree at the end.

In present, the hair dresser continued to set his hair but all of his attention got stolen by one song release.

Someday by Swara Gagodia ran for three minutes and four seconds, a dreamy melody with soft strikes of guitar and her voice melting all along.

The smile on his lips had been so huge that it became a cause for questionnaires, "Does that remind you of your girlfriend?" was the tease all long.

It did and her voice made him yearn for her more. However, Sanskaar no longer felt it right to tag Swara as his girlfriend. Only because he was unworthy of her.

"Oh my god! What did I see?" The young stylist intern dropped in, hands on her mouth as she squealed, "I saw her-- I saw Swara Gagodia coming in."

Fingers that traced her song album picture on his phone paused. One, two, three-- he took seconds to let that information seep into him.

"She's Shafali's niece, ofcourse she would be invited----"

He heard more, more exchanges of conversation but nothing made sense nor he could comprehend except for one-  Swara was here.

If the past's misery kept him on the bay from running to her, the state of longing urged him to return to the person he had missed for years.

"Sanskaar!" The stylist exclaimed as he abruptly stood. It was stupid--- stupid to let the heart rule over his entire being, shunning away the mind that reminded of the lousy fate of theirs.

At that moment, Sanskaar heard nothing. No screams of the stylist to come back nor the manager's call when he passed by him. It did not matter.

Longing had always been one painful act for him but at that moment, it felt like an act of returning home. To the person who'd forever remain a synonym close to home.

Sanskaar brushed several shoulders on the way and his gaze wandered around to have just a glimpse. But the moment he crossed a person, he froze.

The pulse that raced in anticipation had now dulled, rather it skipped a beat. It can't be her, can it?

"Excuse me?"

That voice...

Did she see him? Sanskaar himself had a vague glance of her and that's why he thought he could have mistaken her for another. However, how can they share the same voice?

Hadn't that been the voice from a distant memory he held to balm after his nightmares. Hadn't been her voice, tuned with music bringing peace to all his chaotic days.

But was he sure? He didn't know--- at the moment he could not trust his own self. That's when she called out for him, again.

It was her, he knew.

No longer it was a distant echo nor it was from any audio devices. Sanskaar's exhale came out rattled and eyes, glazed enough to be noticed.

Choices had always ruled his life. This time, the war came between two yet again- to turn in or walk away. However, Sanskaar had never been good with them for it mostly led to his own destruction.

So how could it be different this time? Or will it be? He had no answers for that but the choice was already chosen.

But the moment Sanskaar turned, he realised what deja vu was to be felt in reality.

Her, always in quest of a direction.

Him, always there to guide the way.

There are things that stay the same forever and they were one among those.

No matter what.

A/N: Life has been lifeing way too much. But yes a reminder, the story is not yet forgotten and abandoned so rest assured I'll try my best to make quick updates.

Love,
Diya ❤️