The moment Akanksha entered the room, she stopped.

Darkness.

That was the first thing she noticed.

Every light was switched off. The curtains were tightly drawn, leaving only a thin line of light slipping through the gap.

For a few seconds, she couldn't see anything.

Then her eyes adjusted.

And she saw him.

Yogesh.

Sitting on the floor, his back against the bed.

Akanksha's heart sank.

She had spent so long trying to convince herself that she didn't care anymore.That whatever happened between them was over.That she had moved on.

But seeing him like this made something inside her ache before she could stop it.He looked nothing like the Yogesh she remembered.

He looked tired.

His hair was messy, his clothes looked like he hadn't bothered about them, and there was something strangely empty about the way he sat there.

Like he wasn't really present.

Akanksha stood at the door.

She didn't know whether she should go closer.

A part of her wanted to turn around.

Another part couldn't leave him like that.

She swallowed.

"Yogesh..."

Nothing.She took a small step.

"Yogesh."

This time he heard the footsteps.

But he didn't turn.

"Main bhookha nahi hoon, Subhangi."

His voice was so weak thatAkanksha's chest tightened.

"Please... mujhe akela chhod do."

Akanksha closed her eyes for a second.

That voice.

It didn't sound like him.She took another step.

"Yogesh."

He froze.

Slowly, he shook his head.

"Nahi."

Akanksha frowned.

"Huhh..?."

He didn't move.

"Tum nahi ho."

Her eyes became wet.

"What?"

"Ye... bas mere dimaag ka weham hai."

Akanksha took another step.Her heart shook the way he spoke...he is not speak normally.. there pain in his voice..like it is just his imagination

"Main real hoon."she said

And He finally looked up.And the moment he saw her, he went completely still.

"Akanksha...?"..he wishpered

She nodded.

His eyes moved over her face as if he couldn't believe she was actually standing there.

"Tum yahan kaise...?"..he asked

"I came."

"Why?"

She looked at him.

"I don't know."

That was the truth.She had come with questions.But now that she was actually standing in front of him, those questions seemed heavier than she had expected.

Yogesh slowly tried to stand.

Akanksha immediately moved forward.

"Wait."

"I can-"

He couldn't finish.

His body swayed.

Akanksha caught him.

"Yogesh!"

He held the side of the bed for support.For a second, his hand rested over hers.He immediately pulled away.

"Sorry."

Akanksha looked at him.

"It's ok"

He looked down.

She didn't spoke anything.

She helped him sit down.

Then she sat a little away from him leaning against the wall infront of him.

Not too close.

Not too far.

There was still a distance between them.And both knew that distance wasn't because of the room.

Yogesh looked at her.

"Tumhe nahi aana chahiye tha."

Akanksha looked at him sharply.

"Phir bulaya kyun?"

"I didn't."

"You waited."

He went silent.

"Sorab ne bataya tha."

Yogesh looked away.

"I wasn't expecting you to actually come."

"Why?"

"Because..."

He swallowed.

"After what I did, I didn't think you'd want to see me."

Akanksha's eyes hardened.

"Main nahi chahti thi dekhna."

Yogesh nodded.

"I know."

"Main sach mein nahi chahti thi."

"I know."

"Phir bhi main aa gayi."

He looked at her.

"Why?"

Akanksha looked down at her hands.

"Shayad mujhe answers chahiye."

"Tumhe answers milne chahiye."He said

She gave a small, bitter smile.

"Answers toh mujhe us din bhi milne chahiye the."

Yogesh's expression changed.

"Akanksha..."

"Don't."

She immediately stopped him.

"Abhi please mat bolo."

He fell silent.She looked around the room.

"Itna andhera kyun hai?"

"Achha lagta hai."

"Tumhe?"

"Haan."

"Tumhe toh andhere se problem hoti thi na."

He looked toward the curtains.

"Ab nahi hoti."

"Why?"

He took a moment.

"Light mein sab kuch dikhai deta hai."

Akanksha looked at him.

"What's there to hide?"

He gave a tired smile.

" The mess...jo Tum dekh hi rahi ho."

She looked at his face.

"Tumhari haalat?"

"Haan."

She became quiet.Her eyes fell on the medicines.

"Tumne kuch khaya?"

"Nahi."

"Kyun?"

"Bhookh nahi thi."

"Since when?"

He shrugged.

"Pata nahi."

Akanksha's frustration came out.

"Tumhe kuch pata bhi hai?"

He looked at her.

"What do you want me to say?"

"The truth."

"I am telling you."

"No, you're not."

She pointed toward the medicines.

"Tum bimar ho."

"Bas headache hai."

"Yogesh."

"What?"

"Don't lie to me."

He looked away.

Akanksha's voice softened. her eyes filled

"Please."

That one word made him quiet.

"I'm tired of being lied to."

Yogesh's face fell.

"I know."

"Tumhe har cheez ka 'I know' kaise pata hota hai?"

He looked at her.

"Because I think about it every day."

"Thinking about it doesn't change what happened."

"I know."

She looked away.Her eyes were filling again.

"Tumhe pata hai na..."

She paused.

"How lonely I felt?"

Yogesh said nothing.

"Jab sab mere against bol rahe the..."

Her voice trembled."I kept thinking, at least Yogesh will say something even though you had left me still there is this voice inside me who kept telling me..that he will speak something..."

"But you never"

He closed his eyes.

"Main wait karti rahi."

A tear slipped down her cheek.

"Bad me bhi..jab show ka shoot khatam hua..'

"Ek message."

She laughed bitterly.

"Ek phone call."Another tear.

"Ek baar tum bol dete ki 'I'm with you.'"

She looked at him.

"Bas itna."

Yogesh's lips trembled.

"Main bol nahi paaya."

"Why?"

He looked down.

"Dar gaya tha."

Akanksha stared at him.

"Tum dar gaye."He nodded.

"And I was alone."

His eyes closed.

"I know."

"No."

Her voice cracked.

"Tum nahi jaante."

She wiped her tears.

"Tumhare liye woh ek decision tha."

She pointed toward herself.

"Mere liye woh poora phase tha, Yogesh."

He remained silent.

"Har din mujhe logon ke questions face karne padte the."

She took a shaky breath.

"Har din."

"Har interview."

"Har comment."

"Har baar jab tumhara naam aata tha."

"Aur me jese fir se wahi pohoch jati wahi stage..wohi abondenment"

Her voice became smaller..

"Mujhe lagta tha... shayad aaj tum explain karoge."

Yogesh looked at her.

"But you never did."

"I was ashamed."

"You should have been."

The words came out immediately.

Yogesh nodded.

"I was."

Akanksha looked at him, surprised by how easily he accepted it.

"You know what hurt the most?"

He waited.

"Not that you didn't choose me."

Her voice trembled.

"It was that you made me feel like I wasn't worth an explanation."

Yogesh's eyes filled.

"Akanksha..."

"Main itni buri thi?"

"No."

"Phir tumne mujhe itna easily kaise chhod diya?"

"I didn't leave easily."

She looked at him.

"Really?"

His voice broke.

" I regret it...Every day."

She stared at him.

"Then why didn't you come back?"

He looked down.

"Because I knew I had no right."

Her eyes filled again.

"Tumhe right kisne diya tha decide karne ka?"

He didn't answer.

"Tumne phir wahi kiya."

"What?"

"Phir mere liye decision liya."

Yogesh looked at her.

"Tumne decide kar liya ki main tumhe nahi dekhna chahti."

She wiped her tears.

"Tumne decide kar liya ki main tumhe maaf nahi karungi."

A pause.

"Tumne decide kar liya ki tumhe mujhse baat karne ka right nahi hai."

Her voice broke.

"Tumne ek baar bhi mujhse poocha nahi."

Yogesh lowered his head.

"I'm sorry."

"Please."

She shook her head.

"Sorry mat bolo."

"Then what should I say?"

"Nothing."

She looked at him.

"Bas suno."

He nodded.

"I trusted you."

Her voice became barely audible.

"Bahut."

Yogesh's eyes filled.

"I know."

"Tum mere liye sirf..."

She stopped.

She didn't want to say it.

But the truth escaped anyway.

"You were important to me."

Yogesh looked at her.

"Bahut."

She wiped her cheek.

"And you knew that."

He nodded.

"Isiliye tumhara kiya hua aur zyada hurt hua."

Yogesh looked down.

"I know."

Akanksha suddenly laughed through her tears.

"Tumhe pata hai, Yogesh..."

He looked at her.

"Main bahut baar khud ko blame karti thi."

His face changed.

"Don't."

"Let me finish."

He nodded.

"Main sochti thi shayad mujh mein hi koi problem thi mujme hi koi kami he."

Her voice trembled.

"Shayad main enough nahi thi."

"No."

"Shayad maine kuch galat kiya."

"No."

"Shayad main tumhare liye kabhi important thi hi nahi."

"Akanksha-"

"No!"

She wiped her tears angrily.

"Tumhe pata hai ye thoughts kitne baar aaye the?"

Yogesh's face crumbled.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't."

She shook her head.

"Ab sorry sunke aur gussa aata hai."

He nodded.

"Okay."

A long silence followed.Then Yogesh whispered,

"Tum buri nahi thi."

Akanksha looked at him.

"Tumhari koi galti nahi thi."

His voice broke.

"Galti meri thi."

She stared at him.

"Maine tumhara saath nahi diya."

He wiped his tears.

"Main khada raha."

His voice trembled.

"Main dekh raha tha sab kuch...jo kuch bhi tumhare sath hor raha tha.."

He looked at her.

"Aur mujhe pata tha tum hurt ho."

Akanksha's lips trembled.

"Phir bhi?"

"Haan."

"Why?"

He looked down.

"Because I was selfish."

A tear fell.

"Coward."

Another.

"And stupid."

Akanksha couldn't hold herself anymore.

"Why, Yogesh?"

Her voice broke completely.

"Why did you do that to me?"

She lightly hit his chest.

Once.

"Why?"

Again.

"Maine kya kiya tha?"

Again.

"Kya kami thi mujh mein?"

"No."

He caught her hand.

"Please don't say that."

She cried.

"Then tell me why!"

"I don't know how to explain it."

"Try!"

He looked at her through his tears.

"I made the wrong choice."

"That's it?"

"No."

His voice shook.

"I kept making the wrong choice after that."

Akanksha stopped.

He continued.

"Ek galti hui."

He swallowed.

"Then I was too scared to admit it."

Another breath.

"Then I was too proud."

His voice cracked.

"Then it became too late."

He looked at her.

"And by the time I understood what I had done..."

He couldn't finish.

Akanksha whispered,

"I was already gone."

He nodded.

"Haan."

Tears rolled down his cheeks.

"You were."

Akanksha looked away.

Yogesh suddenly leaned forward and hugged her..

She froze.

His voice broke against her shoulder.

"I'm sorry."

Akanksha didn't hug him back.

Not immediately.

She was still hurt.

Still angry.

But she couldn't push him away when he was crying like that.

"I am so sorry."

His shoulders trembled.

"Mujhe tumhare saath khada hona chahiye tha."

Akanksha's eyes closed.

"Lekin tum nahi hue."

"I know."

"I needed you."

"I know."

"I was alone."

"I know."

"And you weren't there."

"I know."

Her tears fell.

"Why?"

He couldn't answer.

He simply cried.

After a few seconds, Akanksha's hand slowly moved to his back.

She didn't know why.

Maybe because once, she had loved him.

Maybe because despite everything, seeing him broken still hurt.

Maybe because some part of her was grieving the person she had once trusted.

Yogesh held her tighter.

"Please forgive me."

Akanksha closed her eyes.

"I don't know if I can."

He nodded against her shoulder.

"You don't have to."

"I mean it."

"I know."

She pulled back.Both looked at each other.Akanksha wiped her tears.

"You don't get forgiveness just because you're sorry."

"I know."

"You don't get to feel better because you apologized."

"I know."

"You have to live with what you did."

He nodded.

"I am."

She looked at him carefully.

"Then tell me the truth."

Yogesh's face became serious.

"What truth?"

"Everything."

He hesitated.

"Are you sure...you don't have to do this just because of my situation?"

She looked directly into his eyes.

"No I am not doing this for

that.But I need to know."

Yogesh nodded.

"Okay."

He wiped his face.

"I'll tell you."

Akanksha looked down for a moment.

Then quietly said,

"Is baar mujhe beech mein mat chhodna."

Yogesh's eyes filled again.

"I won't."

She looked at him.

"Promise?"

He shook his head.

"No promises."

Akanksha frowned.

"Why?"

"Because I've broken too many."

He took a breath.

"Bas iss baar... jo sach hai woh bolunga."

Akanksha remained silent.

Then she nodded.

"Okay."

Yogesh looked down.

And finally, after everything they had spent so long avoiding, he began to tell her the truth.

How will Akanksha react after knowing the truth?

Will she get angry?

Will she forgive him?

Or will she simply remain silent, unable to understand what she feels?

To be continue..