Subhangi's apartment was unusually quiet that evening.

Not completely silent-there was still the occasional laugh, the sound of someone scrolling through a video on the phone, and the clinking of a glass from the kitchen-but there was something missing from the usual atmosphere.

Something everyone could feel.

Yogesh.

He was still inside his room.

For the last few days, his presence in the apartment had almost become an absence.He didn't sit with them anymore. He didn't join their conversations. He barely responded when someone spoke to him.

Earlier, they had tried pulling him out of his room.

"Yogesh, bahar aa na. Sab baithe hain."

His answer had come from behind the closed door.

"Main thoda tired hoon."

"At least kuch kha le."

"Baad mein."

And then nothing.

Today had been no different.Gullu sat on the single chair, his phone in his hand, although he had been staring at the same screen for the last several minutes.

Rohit and Suzanne were sitting on the sofa, talking about something completely ordinary.Subhangi sat at the corner of the couch, listening more than speaking.Everyone was trying to behave normally.

Maybe because talking about Yogesh every five minutes wouldn't change anything.

Maybe because they were all tired of worrying.

And

maybe because they were afraid that if they stopped pretending everything was normal, they would have to admit just how bad things had become.

The doorbell suddenly rang.

Everyone looked toward the entrance.

Gullu lifted his head.Rohit paused mid-sentence.Suzanne looked at Subhangi.

Nobody moved.

They already knew who it was.

Subhangi glanced at the clock.

"Shayad Sorab hoga," she said, getting up. "Usne bola tha na, 5:30 tak aa jayega."

She walked toward the door.

The moment she opened it, a familiar smile appeared on her face.

"Sorab-"

Then she stopped.

Her smile disappeared.Because Sorab wasn't alone.He stepped aside.And the person standing behind him came into view.

Subhangi froze.

Her eyes widened.

For a few seconds, she didn't move.

She simply stared.

There was no warning.

No preparation.

Nothing that could have prepared her for this.

"Ak... Akanksha?"

Her voice was barely audible.

Akanksha gave her a nervous little smile.

"Hi..."

Subhangi's lips parted, but no words came out.She looked at Sorab..

Then back at Akanksha.

"Tu..."

The sentence remained unfinished.

Behind her, Gullu frowned.

"Arey, Subhangi? Kuch bol kyun nahi rahi?"

No answer.

He put his phone aside and got up.

"Sapna dekh rahi hai kya?"

He walked toward the entrance.

"Sorab, ye aise kyun behave kar rahi hai jaise koi bhoot dekh-"

He stopped.His eyes fell on Akanksha.

The rest of his sentence disappeared.

"Akanksha..."

This time, there was no teasing in his voice.

Only shock.

Suzanne immediately got up.Rohit followed her.Both reached the door.

And for a moment, the entire apartment seemed to stop breathing.

Akanksha stood there, slightly nervous, her hands clasped together.

She knew these people.She had laughed with them.Fought with them.

Shared countless memories with them.But standing in this house today felt different.Because she wasn't here simply to meet old friends.

She was here because Yogesh was inside.

And none of them knew what would happen when they finally came face to face.Sorab looked around at everyone.

"Guys..." he said lightly, trying to break the tension, "andar bhi aane doge ya dono ko yahin khada rakhoge?"

Everyone seemed to wake up.

"Haan... haan, sorry," Subhangi immediately moved aside. "Aao."

Sorab entered first.

Akanksha followed.

She stepped inside slowly.Her eyes instinctively moved around the apartment.

Suzanne was the first person to break through that uncomfortable silence.

"Akku!"

She walked straight toward her and hugged her tightly.Akanksha closed her eyes for a moment and hugged her back.

"Kaise ho, bro?" Suzanne asked, pulling back and holding her shoulders.

"Thik hoon. Tu bata."

"Main?" Suzanne gave her a dramatic look. "Main toh thik hoon. Lekin madam ko dekh ke lag raha hai ki tumari yaad sirf mujhe hi aati hai."

Akanksha laughed softly.

"Pagal hai kya? Of course yaad aati hai."

"Phir phone kyun nahi karti?"

"Main karti hoon!"

"Do missed calls ko phone karna nahi kehte."

Akanksha stared at her for a second.

Then gave small smile.

"Accha? Ab attitude bhi aa gaya hai?"

"Thoda bahut."

The small exchange made everyone smile.But Suzanne wasn't done.

She pulled Akanksha into another hug.

"I really missed you."

This time, her voice was quieter.

The smile on Akanksha's face softened.

"I missed you too."

Suzanne looked into her eyes for a moment.There was a silent question there.

Are you really okay?

But she didn't ask it.

Not yet.

She knew Akanksha well enough to understand that sometimes asking Are you okay? only made it harder to pretend.Rohit came forward next.

"Hi, saali ji."

Akanksha smiled.

"Hi, jija ji."

"Finally yaad aa gaya hum logon ka?"

"Sabko yaad tha."

"Good. Warna main toh complaint file karne wala tha."

Gullu immediately interrupted.

"Complaint toh main karunga. Sab mujhse pehle hug kar rahe hain."

Akanksha laughed.

"Toh aa ja."

Gullu walked over and hugged her.

"Ab better?"

"Much better."

"Good."

He pulled back and looked at her face.

His expression softened.

"Tu sach mein thik hai na?"

The question was simple.But unlike the others, he asked it directly.

Akanksha's smile faded for just a second.

"Main thik hoon."

Gullu nodded.

He didn't push.

"Okay."

That was all.Because sometimes friendship meant knowing when not to ask another question.

Subhangi had been standing slightly away from them.She finally walked toward the kitchen.

"Main paani laati hoon."

A few moments later, she returned with two glasses.She handed one to Sorab and the other to Akanksha.

"Welcome home."

Akanksha looked at her.There was something complicated in Subhangi's eyes.

Warmth.

Hesitation.

Concern.

And perhaps a little guilt.

"Thank you," Akanksha said softly.

Their eyes met for a second.Subhangi gave her a small smile.

"Baitho."

Everyone slowly returned to the living room.

Akanksha sat beside Suzanne.

Suzanne immediately moved closer to her.

"So..." she whispered, "tu bina bataye aayi hai."

Akanksha smiled nervously.

"Haan."

"Sabse pehle mujhe batana chahiye tha."

"Tu mujhe aane deti?"

Suzanne looked at her.

"Probably nahi."

"Exactly."

Suzanne sighed.

"You're impossible."

Akanksha smiled.

"Tu bhi."

For a moment, they sat quietly.

Then Suzanne whispered again.

"Akku..."

"Hmm?"

"Tu sach me ye karne wali he kya?."

Akanksha looked at her.

"Why?"

"Because I know you."

Suzanne paused.

"I know tu kisi ko takleef me nahi dekh sakti..agar tu khud bhi hurt ho use for bhi tu dusro ka pehle sochti he."

Akanksha didn't answer.

Suzanne gently squeezed her hand.

"Don't do that today."

The words touched something inside Akanksha.

She nodded.

"Okay."

Across the room, Gullu noticed that Akanksha's eyes kept drifting toward the hallway.He waited for a moment before asking.

"Akanksha..."

She looked at him.

"Tu yahan actually..."

She didn't answer.

Her eyes again moved toward the hallway.Sorab understood.He spoke before she had to.

"Guys... Akku Yogesh se milne aayi hai."

The atmosphere changed instantly.

The casual smiles disappeared.

Rohit sat straighter.

Subhangi looked at Akanksha.

Suzanne instinctively held her hand tighter.

Gullu's expression became serious.

Nobody spoke.

Sorab continued.

"Ayush aya tha us din."

He explained what had happened, how that meeting had changed something in Akanksha's mind, and how she had finally decided that she wanted to see Yogesh once.

Not because everything was suddenly okay.

Not because she had forgotten what happened.

But because she didn't want to keep carrying unanswered questions.

When Sorab finished, there was a long silence.

Subhangi finally spoke.

"Are you sure, babu?"

Akanksha nodded.

"Yes."

Subhangi leaned forward.

"Main tujhe rokna nahi chahti. Lekin main tujhe ek cheez zaroor bolungi."

Akanksha looked at her.

"Don't do this because you feel responsible for him."

"I don't."

"Don't do this because you think he needs you."

Akanksha remained silent.Subhangi continued gently.

"Ye mat sochna ki uski situation kharab hai, isliye tumhe jaana chahiye. Tumne jo kuch face kiya hai, uske baad tumhari feelings bhi utni hi important hain."

Akanksha lowered her eyes.

"I know."

Rohit spoke quietly.

"Hum Yogesh ko bhi samajhte hain. Hum uski condition dekh rahe hain. But that doesn't erase what happened with you."

"Exactly," Gullu added. "Hum uske dost hain. Uske saath khade rahenge. Lekin iska matlab ye nahi ki tumhari takleef ko ignore kar denge. Tu bhi hamari dost he"

Suzanne looked at Akanksha.

"Whatever happens in that room, you don't owe him anything."

Akanksha looked at her.Suzanne's eyes were serious now.

"You can forgive him. You can be angry. You can say nothing. You can leave. Whatever you feel is okay."

Akanksha swallowed.

"Main kuch fix karne nahi ja rahi."

"Then why?"

Akanksha looked down at her hands.

"Bas... ek baar dekhna hai."

She paused.

"Shayad kuch kehna bhi nahi hai."

Her voice became quieter.

"Bas dekhna hai ki woh kaisa hai."

That answer somehow hurt everyone more than if she had said she wanted an explanation.Because they understood.

She wasn't going there with expectations.

She was simply going because a part of her still cared enough to wonder whether he was okay.

Subhangi sighed softly.

"Thik hai."

She nodded.

"Agar tu sure hai, then we won't stop you."

Sorab looked around.

"Yogesh kahan hai?"

Subhangi answered.

"Room mein."

"Abhi bhi?"

"Haan."

Rohit shook his head.

"Humne bahar bulaya tha. Bola tha Sorab aa raha hai."

Gullu added, "Aur usne bola, 'Tum log enjoy karo. Mere sir mein dard hai. Main so raha hoon.'"

Sorab's face became serious.

"Usne kuch khaya?"

Subhangi immediately shook her head.

"Wo khata kaha he wese bhi do-ek bite. Woh bhi force karne par."

"Coffee pi thi," Rohit said. "Medicine li aur phir room mein chala gaya."

"Uska migraine phir se badh gaya hai," Suzanne added.

Akanksha's face changed.

"He's having migraines?"

Rohit nodded.

"Haan. Kaafi time se."

She looked toward the hallway again.

This time, the worry on her face was impossible to hide.Subhangi noticed it.

"Akku..."

Akanksha looked at her.

"Don't forget yourself just because you're worried about him."

Akanksha gave a small nod.

"I won't."

Gullu stood up.

"Okay. Then..."

He looked at her.

"Tu usse room mein milna chahti hai ya bahar bula dein?"

Akanksha thought for a few seconds.

"I think room mein."

"Okay."

Everyone stood.Suzanne came beside Akanksha.

"I'll come with you."

Akanksha immediately shook her head.

"No."

Suzanne stopped.

"Sure?"

Akanksha nodded.

"Yeah. I think... mujhe akela jaana chahiye."

Suzanne studied her face.Then nodded.

"Okay."

She hugged her once more.

"Bas yaad rakhna-main yahin hoon."

Akanksha whispered, "I know."

They slowly walked toward the bedroom.With every step, Akanksha became quieter.The others stopped a little distance away.

Sorab stood beside her.

He lowered his voice.

"Go, Akku."

She looked at him.

"I'm right here."

He pointed toward the door.

"Door open rahega. Agar kuch bhi ho, mujhe bula lena."

Akanksha nodded.She stood in front of the door.Her fingers touched the handle.For a moment, she couldn't move.Behind her, nobody spoke.Everyone understood that this was her moment.

She took one deep breath.

Then another.

She knew that whatever waited on the other side of that door could change nothing-or c

hange everything.

Maybe Yogesh would speak.

Maybe he wouldn't.

Maybe she would finally say everything she had kept inside.

Or maybe she would simply look at him and realize that there were some things words could never repair.

She slowly pushed the door open.

And stepped inside.

The door remained slightly open behind her.

And for the first time in a long time, Akanksha and Yogesh were only a few steps away from each other.

To know what happened when they meet...then...wait for next chapter...

To be continue....