Third Person's POV

Naina enters Rajveer's quarter with a bowl of soup for him in her hand.

Walking to where he is seated on the couch, she hands him the bowl. "Subedar Suri made this for you."

"Thank you, Naina."

Rajveer takes the bowl from her, smiling at her, and Naina smiles back mildly at him.

She feels a bit nervous and unsure of how to talk with him. She is happy that Rajveer has decided to give their relationship another chance after everything that happened between them--especially because of her anger--and she does not want to do or say anything to offend him.

"What are you thinking about, Naina?" Rajveer asks.

Naina shakes her head. "Umm, nothing, Rajveer. How is the soup? Suri Sir told me he made his special recipe for you today." She tries to deflect his question.

"I know you are avoiding answering the question. And I won't allow you to do it. Not when you have been looking lost ever since you entered the quarter. Please, tell me, Naina. What is going on in your mind?"

Naina takes a deep breath, standing up from the couch and taking a few steps ahead. Wanting to blink back the tears before turnjng back to Rajveer.

Frowning, Rajveer too stands up from the couch. He walks to where Naina is standing and putting his hand over her shoulder, he turns her to face him.

"What happened, Naina?" He asks, alarmed seeing tears sliding down her cheeks.

"I am scared, Rajveer."

Rajveer does not understand what she is scared of, but he feels a pinch in his heart seeing her eyes shining with tears.

"What are you scared of, Naina? And why are you crying?" He gently wipes her tears.

Unable to control herself, Naina launches herself at Rajveer, hugging him tightly and sobbing in his arms.

"Shhh, Naina. Please stop crying. Please," Rajveer requests her, unable to hear her sobs.

He keeps stroking her hair affectionately, hoping it would calm her down.

But when instead of her sobs being quietened, Naina starts sobbing more loudly, Rajveer gets worried.

Breaking the hug, he leans back and tilts Naina's chin up, making her look at him.

"Tell me, Naina, please. Why are you crying?"

Looking at Rajveer's face marred with concern for her, more tears pour out of Naina's eyes.

"I do not want to lose you, Rajveer. I do not want to lose us, this relationship that I have come to cherish the most in my life."

"You won't ever lose me, Naina. I promise you." Rajveer feels his voice catch with the overwhelming emotions Naina's words have evoked in him.

"What if I said something offensive again or acted stupidly again? Would you again ask for some time and space from me?" She asks him, and he feels his heart clench.

"Is this why you have been talking so demurely since the morning, Naina? Are you afraid you might say or do something that would anger me?"

When Naina does not reply to him and keeps looking down at the floor, Rajveer realizes that was indeed the reason behind her quietness and demure attitude since morning.

"Look at me, Naina," he says, continuing only when she raises her head up to gaze into his eyes.

Seeing her face still teary, he gently wipes her tears, before cradling her face.

"I love you, Naina. And I promise you, you won't ever lose me."

Putting her hands over Rajveer's that were cradling her face, Naina closes her eyes, feeling his warmth reassure her.

"What if--"

"No what ifs, Naina, please," Rajveer says, interrupting her. "We are together now, and all we should focus on is being happy with each other. Let's live in the present and think of the future together instead of dwelling on the past. Ok?"

Naina nods, about to reply to him, but she stops when someone knocks at the door.

Rajveer is about to walk to the door to see who it was, but Naina stops him.

"Sit on the couch and start drinking the soup. It must be getting cold. I will see who it is."

Saying that to Rajveer, Naina walks to the door and opens it, frowning when she sees Captain Abhimanyu standing on the threshold.

"Cadet Naina Singh, may I come inside and see how my friend is doing?" Abhimanyu asks, looking over at Rajveer inside the living room.

Naina steps to the side, letting Abhimanyu in, still confused about what he is doing here when it is time for the appraisal's fourth test.

"Abhi, what are you doing here? Hasn't the fourth test of the appraisal started yet?" Rajveer asks the same question to Abhimanyu that was whirling in Naina's mind.

Abhimanyu smiles slightly and shake his head.

"What is the use of me participating in the test when the opponent I want to defeat cannot participate in it today?"

"What do you mean?" Keeping the bowl on the center table, Rajveer straightens up, frowning at Abhimanyu.

"What I mean, my friend is my motive behind participating in this appraisal is not to win it or to become the vice principal of KMA. It is simply to defeat you.

"It does not matter which position I get. The only thing that matters to me is you not getting the position above me in the appraisal," Abhimanyu replies, and Rajveer is about to counter that, but Naina starts speaking before him.

"What is your problem, Abhimanyu Sir? Why are you so bitter towards Rajveer Sir?" Naina forrows her brow at Abhimanyu.

Thinking Naina wanted to truly understand his problem, Abhimanyu turns to face her starts speaking.

"This man always snatched everything from me, Naina. He claimed to be my best friend but snatched Naveen's friendship from me. He even tried to snatch my love from me. And now, being in KMA, he is trying to snatch all the cadets' respect from me.

"That is why I want to show everyone I am better than him. Once I succeed in doing that, all the cadets will finally realize how wrong they have been by following and respecting the wrong person."

Listening to Abhimanyu, Naina shakes her head.

She saw how anguished Rajveer looked due to Abhimanyu's words, which fueled her anger.

"You know, Abhimanyu Sir, when Rajveer Sir first told me you are a prince of Barmer, I made a picture of you in my mind.

"I saw a happy man, living a full life with the love of his life, now happily awaiting with his wife to welcome his child into this world. I used to think that you are rich by wealth and family. That you are one of those few rare people who are content with their life.

"But I could not have been more wrong. You might be the prince of Barmer, might be rich with wealth, but you are so poor in morals and emotions, Captain Abhimanyu. You can never be happy in your life, and you know why? Because you are searching for your happiness in someone else's defeat, and that type of happiness will never last long. You should--" Naina abruptly stops when Rajveer interrupts her.

"That's enough, Naina. You don't need to say all that to Captain Abhimanyu. It is a matter between us two," Rajveer says, but Naina shakes her head.

"No, Sir. I won't stop today. Captain Abhimanyu has some false notions in his mind that need to be cleared today. You value your friendship with Captain Abhimanyu. That is why you never reply properly to his taunts. So, being your protégé, I feel it is now by duty to show him the mirror today."

Rajveer opens his mouth to argue to that, but Naina raises her hand before him, subtly shaking her head, silently asking him to not say anything.

Sighing, Rajveer gives her a slight nod.

He knows whatever she will tell Abhimanyu today will hurt him deeply. But this might be something Abhimanyu needs.

Ever since Abhimanyu joined the academy, he has been trying to heal their friendship, but Abhimanyu has turned deaf to all his reasonings.

'Maybe Naina's words will make Abhi see sense,' Rajveer thinks, hoping for a positive outcome from this confrontation.

"So, what were you saying, Captain Abhimanyu? That Rajveer Sir snatched Naveen's friendship from you?

"You could not be more wrong about it because my brother considered you both his best friend. It's just that you could never see it because you were too busy getting jealous of Naveen and Rajveer Sir's bonding. If only you had let go of that jealousy, you would have seen how much both Naveen and Rajveer Sir valued their friendship with you.

"The second accusation that you put forth. Regarding Rajveer Sir trying to snatch your love from you. Well, it was Malini who developed feelings for Rajveer Sir. He did not even interact with her, let alone lead her on. So, how can you even blame Rajveer Sir for that?

"And how can you be so shameless? You married that girl, and she is now going to be the mother of your child. How can you still hold a grudge against her and Rajveer Sir even after she chose you in the end and decided to give you the happiness of becoming a father? How can you disrespect her that way?

"And regarding us cadets following and respecting Rajveer Sir instead of you. Sorry to ask this, but who are you? Why should we follow you when you do not even know us properly? You have been here just for a few days, and you expect all of us to give you the same position that Rajveer Sir has in our hearts as our teacher. And why? Oh, yes. Because you are a prince of Barmer, and you deserve respect and followers wherever you go. That is your thinking, right, Captain Abhimanyu?

"Well, then, let me make one thing very clear to you. No matter how many times you will defeat Rajveer Sir, you will never be able to replace him in our hearts.

"Do you know why? Because he has been with us in our ups and downs. He has guided us and encouraged us whenever we hit the lows in our lives. He never commanded respect from us, he earned it. And that respect will forever be in our hearts. No prince of Barmer will even come close to getting that respect, especially with this attitude of yours," Naina finishes speaking, and both Rajveer and Abhimanyu are stunned by the end of it.

Rajveer feels his heart swell with joy, hearing what Naina said. He had no idea he had such a place in his cadets' hearts.

Abhimanyu, however, feels small and ashamed as he processes Naina's words. Neither he could accept them wholly nor could he deny them entirely.

He did not know what reply to give or how to even look into Rajveer's or Naina's eyes.

So, not saying anything, he just turns and walks away from there.

"And here I was worried that you would continue to be demure in front of me." Rajveer smiles slightly, handing a glass of water to Naina after Abhimanyu walks out of the quarter.

Taking the glass from his hand, Naina gulps the water in one go and looks at Rajveer. "Did I say too much?"

Rajveer chuckles, shaking his head. "Maybe a tad. But I guess Abhi needed to hear that. Sometimes when softly spoken words do not work, it is better to give the person harsh factual words to make him see his folly."

"And you are not angry with me?" Naina asks Rajveer tentatively, keeping the glass on the table.

"Why would I be angry with you, Naina? In fact, I am happy that my fiery Naina Ah.... Singh is back."

Saying that, Rajveer holds Naina's hand and pulls her to him, making her collide over his chest.

"Don't ever change, Naina. This might sound cheesy, but I love the way you are," he says, and Naina smiles, blushing slightly.

Not saying anything, she hugs him, but that makes Rajveer frown.

"Don't you think you should reply, Naina?"

"Reply to what, Rajveer?" Naina asks innocently, still hugging him.

Breaking the hug, Rajveer looks at Naina. "Stop pretending that you don't know what I am talking about."

Naina gulps, looking at Rajveer's intent stare, but refuses to back down. "I am not pretending. I really do not know what you are talking about."

When Naina starts walking back, her knees trembling in excitement, she notices Rajveer walking forward toward her.

"Say it, Naina."

"Say what, Rajveer?"

"Say you love me," Rajveer demands.

"Don't you already know that?"

"I know, but I want to hear it now."

"And what if I don't say?" Naina counters, still moving back.

"Then I will make you say it." Rajveer smirks when Naina's leg hits the couch behind her, making her fall over it.

He quickly walks over to the couch and holds her wrists, pining her hands above her head, not letting her adjust her position.

Lying on the couch, Naina felt butterflies flutter in her stomach as Rajveer hovers over her restrained body.

"Is that a challenge, Captain Shekhawat?"

"Do you accept, Naina Ah.... Singh?" Rajveer asks, not touching her yet, waiting first for Naina's answer.

Naina swallows, feeling the pleasant flutter in the pit of her stomach.

After everything that happened between them in the last few days, this closeness, this intimacy, is what she is craving for.

So, without thinking anything else, she gives her consent. "Yes. I accept the challenge, Rajveer."

As soon as she says that, he leans closer to her, his lips so close that she can feel his breath fanning her face.

She starts breathing heavily, her insides melting in anticipation of the kiss, but she frowns when Rajveer only skims his lips above hers, careful not to let his lips touch hers.

She first tries to free her hand so she can run them over his back and pull him closer to her, but his grip was too firm for her.

"Rajveer, please," Naina whispers, wanting nothing more than to feel his lips moving against hers.

"Say the words, Naina. Say you love me." Rajveer continues to hover over her, only skimming his lips over her face, not touching her yet.

"I won't back down so easily, Captain Shekhawat."

Saying that, Naina quickly raises her head enough to make her lips touch with his.

Once their lips touch, the already ignited passion flares more.

The kiss deepens, and with his one hand clutching Naina's hands, Rajveer moves his other hand over her curves, relishing in the feel of her soft skin under his fingers.

The need of breathing ends the kiss after a while.

Rajveer leans back to look at Naina, who was breathing heavily with her eyes closed.

Her hands are still over her head which he is clutching, not wanting to release them yet.

"Say it, Naina," he pants, bringing his lips close to her ear, and Naina feels goosebumps line her entire body when he bites her lobe.

She opens her eyes and peers deeply into his orbs.

Yes, her desire for him is increasing with each passing second, but along with that desire, her love for this man threatened to overflow from her heart.

"Rajveer, I--" she starts to say but gasps when he suddenly dips in and places a kiss on her neck, sucking in the skin there.

"Yes, Naina. You?" Rajveer looks up at Naina from where he was kissing her neck.

"I love--" She deliberately stalls.

Rajveer tightens his hold on her waist. "You love?"

With her hand still clutched by Rajveer, Naina raises her head, leaning closer to his face.

Once she is close enough, she kisses his forehead, then his cheeks, then his jaw, moving up to kiss the corner of his lips.

Due to those soft kisses from her, Rajveer shudders, struggling to control his desire.

For a moment, he gets distracted and loosens his hold on her.

Sensing Rajveer's grip getting loose, Naina immediately frees her hand and stands up from the couch, chuckling at Rajveer's surprised expression.

"It is not so easy to defeat me in the challenge, Captain Shekhawat."

Rajveer too stands up frm the couch and faces Naina, looking at the smug expression on her face.

"That is not fair, Naina. You need to complete the sentence."

"Hmm, the sentence I was going to say a few seconds back?"

"Yes, that one, Naina. Complete it now."

Smirking, Naina moves closer to Rajveer and trails her finger over his cheek. "Hmm, then listen carefully, Captain Shekhawat."

"I am listening, Naina. Say it." Snaking his hand around her waist, Rajveer pulls Naina closer, leaning his face to her touch.

Naina walks ahead while pushing Rajveer backward. So much so that his back hit against the wall just beside his quarter's main door.

Then, taking his hand off her waist, she leans towards him and places kisses on his neck, smiling as she hears him suck in a breath.

"Earlier, I was saying that I love...." she begins, looking at Rajveer, who was peering intensely at her. "....teasing you."

Saying that, Naina quickly pushes Rajveer toward the wall, and opening the door, she walks out giggling, leaving a stunned Rajveer behind.