Third Person's POV

Entering her room, Naina hurriedly closes the door and slumps against it.

Raising her fingers to her mouth, she traces her lips, remembering the feel of his lips against hers.

A sob escapes her mouth as she realizes how much she misses him, misses the warmth of his love, misses everything about him.

She had been so rude to him. She did not even try to understand him and his dilemma. 

She accused him and threw such angry and mean words at him. Even broke off their engagement.

'Not only that, but I also pointed the gun at him that day, telling him I wanted to give him the same pain he gave Naveen.' Her heart clenches painfully in her chest as she remembered the devastated look marring his face as soon as she said that.

"He probably hates me now. That is why he did not kiss me back. That is why he pushed me away," she whispers, and more tears slide out of her eyes.

Earlier, she had gone to his quarter to apologize to him and tell him that she now understood his reason behind pulling the trigger on Naveen. She had hoped to persuade him not to leave the academy.

'And what I did instead? I kissed him without telling him anything I wanted to.' She shakes her head, heat creeping up her face as she recalled the confused look on his face when he looked at her after the kiss.

"What must he be thinking of me? He must think I have gone crazy."

When he was shouting at her, asking all those questions, she saw the hurt in his eyes. 

She had walked toward him then, wanting to reassure him and tell him she is sorry for everything she put him through, but when she got closer to him, she forgot everything.

All she could think was how much she loved him and what he meant to her. 

So, without thinking, she leaned toward him and pressed her lips against his. 

It had felt so good and so right that she had kept her hands on his nape, pulling him even closer to her, moving her lips against his as she felt his body against hers.

But when he kept his hands on her shoulder and moved back, she realized she must not have done that. Especially without telling him about her misunderstanding being cleared and apologizing to him.

Along with that realization came another cognizance that he pushed her without kissing her back.

She knew she deserved it, but still, it hurt.

"If him only doing that hurt me, then how much it would have hurt him when I had been rude to him each time without even giving him a chance to explain why he shot Naveen?"

Another sob escapes her lips as she begins to understand how much her actions and words would have hurt him.

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Rajveer returns to his quarter after putting up his name for the appraisal, his mind preoccupied with Naina and her kiss.

He is still confused as to why she kissed him.

She herself told him that he does not have any place in her life anymore and their relationship will forever remain dead. 

She even took off her engagement ring and handed it to him. All because she thinks of him to be Naveen's murderer.

'Then why kiss me and stop me from going away? Why?' He frowns, trying hard to understand the reason behind her action.

When he is unable to think of any reason, he decides to ask Naina about it. 

'Yes. It is better that I ask her and clear this once and for all. I need to do this for my own sanity,' he thinks, walking to his bedroom to retire for the restless night.

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Naina walks toward the academy hall to check whether Rajveer has put up his name on the board to sign up for the appraisal.

The time to put up the name was already over, and her heart hammered against her chest as she slowly approached the board, all the while fervently praying that Rajveer heeded her request even though she did not deserve it.

She had wanted to check the list yesterday itself, but she after returning from Rajveer's quarter, she dozed off slumped against the door of her room, exhausted by her thoughts. 

She then directly woke up at 0345 hours and got ready quickly for the morning drill with Major Nair, which is why she had not been able to check the list early in the morning too.

As she got closer to the board, she noticed the judges for the academic appraisal already present there, noting down the names of the faculty members written on the board.

With blood thrumming in her ears, she slowly walks to the front of the board, barely controlling herself from slumping to the floor due to the relief she felt at seeing Rajveer's name there.

She smiles, continue to peer at his name, because she thought, if he could heed her request even after how she behaved with him, then there was also a hope that he could forgive her one day.

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Rajveer was also present in the hall, looking for Naina. 

He had been waiting for her to complete the morning drill on the ground and come inside the academy, so he could call her to his quarter and talk about what happened yesterday.

But when he saw her come in, he noticed her looking apprehensive. 

Frowning at her such stance, he did not call her. Instead, he stood at the side, quietly observing what she was doing, and noticed her slowly walking toward the board where the faculty members needed to write their name to sign up for the appraisal. 

Seeing that, he understood why she had that look of hopeful anticipation on her face.

His heart fluttered when her lips curve into a smile after seeing his name on the board. 

Although her reaction on seeing his name there warmed his heart, he also felt confused due to her mercurial behavior. 

One moment she tells him that she hates him and does not want him in her life, and the next moment she pleads with him to stay and not leave her alone.

Stepping forward, he is about to call Naina to tell her to come to his quarter when he sees Abhimanyu approach her.

"Naina, I was wondering if I should request Brigadier Chandok to assign me as your mentor. I have witnessed some kind of tension between you and Raj ever since I arrived here, and cadets need to support their mentors during the academic appraisal.

"During this period, mentors and cadets need to trust each other and support each other. Both mentors and cadets will need to spend more time together until the appraisal ends. So, if you are uncomfortable doing this with Raj, I can request Brigadier to change your mentor. I can be your mentor, and Raj can be Aalekh's mentor," Abhimanyu tells Naina.

Rajveer takes a deep breath and waits for Naina's reply. 

If not for what happened yesterday and how Naina stopped him from leaving the academy, he would be sure about Naina agreeing with what Abhi said, but now, he is not so sure what her reply to Abhi will be.

But he decides one thing. 

If Naina agreed with Abhi on this, that would be it for him. He will not seek her, and he will not ask her anything about that kiss or about why she stopped him from getting transferred from KMA. 

He will not let her play with his feelings repeatedly.

"No, Sir. I do not want to swap my mentor," she says. "I agree things have been strained between Rajveer Sir and me for a few days due to some reasons, but that doesn't mean I will want to change my mentor.

"And why would I be uncomfortable with Rajveer Sir?" she continues. "I trust him, and I will be his supporter in the appraisal. I appreciate your concern for me, Sir, but I will have to deny it. No offense to you, Sir, but I believe I cannot get a better mentor than Rajveer Sir." 

Rajveer is pleasantly surprised after hearing Naina. Such conviction rang in her voice that he knew she meant what she said.

"Are you sure, Naina? Because I have not seen anything to make me believe that you trust and support Raj," Abhimanyu tells her. "And why are you calling me Sir again? I had told you to call me by my name."

"Yes, Sir. I am sure. I do not want anyone other than Rajveer Sir to be my mentor," Naina tells Abhimanyu, her voice confident. 

"And about me calling you by your name, I do not think that is appropriate. You are my teacher, and I think it will be better if I call you Sir," she says, remembering the hurt she had seen flickering in Rajveer's eyes when she had called Abhimanyu by his name. 

'I will never do anything to intentionally hurt him again.' She decides.

Rajveer smiles when he hears Naina's reply to Abhi. 

He had not liked it when she had called Abhi by his name. May be he should not, but he dislikes it when Abhi tries to be friendly with Naina. Especially when he knows how much Abhi resents him.

He feels like Abhi is intentionally trying to get closer to Naina to turn her against him. He used to do the same with Naveen too, but could never succeed.

"Sir, am I dismissed then? I am getting late for my class with Rajveer Sir." 

Listening to Naina, Rajveer realizes it is his class she is getting late for. 

So, he quickly turns and walks toward the lecture hall, not wanting to keep his students waiting.