*The next morning*

[Aditya woke up, and upon not finding Zoya anywhere in the living room, went to her room. He saw that the door was the slightly open and gently pushed it a bit further, revealing Zoya, who was praying.

He couldn't understand the radiance behind her face, but something about her kept drawing him towards her.

He walked back to the kitchen and returned to the threshold of Zoya's room, holding two cups of tea in his hand. Just then, Zoya's eyes opened, the first thing she saw being Aditya.]

Zoya: (Smiling) Yeh Kya, chai? Hum bana lete

Aditya: Nahi, Main khud ke liye bana raha tha, socha tumhaare liye bhi bana loon

Zoya: (Taking the cup) Shukriya...hum namaaz padh rahe the, isliye nahi kar paaye

Aditya: Koi baat nahi...

Zoya: Aaj kaam nahi hai?

Aditya: Nahi Aaj chutti hai

Zoya: Accha, hum taiyaar hokar aate hain, Tara ko Aaj jaldi school drop karna hai

Aditya: Haan, theek hai

[Zoya quickly got ready and soon they left to drop Tara.]

*In the car*

Zoya: Bye Tara!

Tara: Bye! Bye Dita!

Aditya: Bye Tara!

*Tara leaves*

Aditya: Ab Kya?

Zoya: Matlab?

Aditya: Ghar hi jaana hai, right?

Zoya: Aap Mujhe bazaar tak chhod dein, Shanivaar ke liye Kuch saamaan lena hai

Aditya: Toh Main bhi saath chalunga, Chalo

[Aditya and Zoya began walking around the bazaar together.
Zoya walked a bit ahead, but just then she was distracted by the jewellery seller, and excitedly walked there.]

Zoya: (Smiling) Bhaiyya, yeh jhumke kaise diye?

Vendor: 300 rupay didi

Zoya: Accha, aur yeh chudiyaan?

Vendor: 400 rupay

Zoya: Accha, theek hai, thank you!

[Zoya turned around when suddenly her body hit Aditya's.]

Aditya: Kya Hua?

Zoya: K-Kuch nahi, Bass woh zevar dekh rahe the, Chaliye

Aditya: Arre, Mujhe mera dost nazar aa gaya, tum aage chalo, Main tumhe dukaan ke andar milunga

Zoya: Theek hai

[Zoya walked a bit further, and Aditya, quite unknowingly, walked to the jewellery seller, confusingly looking at what he was selling.]

Vendor: Ji bhaisaab, Kya lena hain?

Aditya: (Confused) Woh...Uss madam ne abhi Kya pasand kiya tha?

Vendor: Yeh chaandi ka jhumka, kyun? Unhe pataana hai Kya?

Aditya: Abey, jo pucha hai, usska jawaab de!

Vendor: Haan Bhaiyya, yeh Chandi ke jhumke, 300 rupay ke

Aditya: Theek hai woh dena, yeh lo paise

Vendor: Yeh lo Bhaiyya

Aditya: Thank you

[Aditya quietly and rather discreetly, put the packet in the inner pocket of his jacket and quickly walked to the grocery store, and found Zoya inside.]

Aditya: Sorry, Air Force ka dost tha, Isliye thoda time liya

Zoya: Koi baat nahi, hum bass yeh samagri dekh rahe the

Aditya: Shanivaar ko Kya banaane ka plan hai Waise?

Zoya: Aapke dost maans khaate hai na?

Aditya: Haan, Haan

Zoya: Hum soch rahe the ki hum kebab aur biryani banaayenge, aur meethe mein chawal ka——

Aditya: (Excited) Chawal ka kheer?!

Zoya: (Excited) Haan! Aapko kaise pata?

Aditya: Woh mera favorite hai!

Zoya: Humaara bhi!

Aditya: In fact, mera kheer bahut accha bannta hai, toh dessert main banaaonga, theek hai?

Zoya: Haan, theek hai

Aditya: Aur kebab banaane mein bhi main tumhaari help karunga, Mujhe thoda experience hai

Zoya: Haan theek hai, theek hai

[Needless to say, the little trip to buy groceries was no doubt, quite a cute one.
They reached home at around 3 in the afternoon, and began preparations for tomorrow's dinner.

After preparing the meat and rice, Zoya and Aditya called it a day.

They sat on the balcony, sipping blissfully on their chai, and enjoying the cool weather.]

Zoya: Aapne khaana banaana kahaan se sikha?

Aditya: Mujhe bachpan se khaana banaane ka Shaukh hai, but kabhi Kuch kar nahi paaya. Phir Air Force Jab join kiya, tab seekhna hi padha. Apne camp ke liye khaana Main Hi banaata tha, Pata hai?

Zoya: Wah, yeh toh bahut acchi baat hai. Sach kahe toh hume khaana Bilqul pasand nahi hai. Bass thodi bahut Biryani aur Ammi ne jo Kuch bhi sikhaaya hai, woh banaa lete hai...

Aditya: Pooja ko bhi khaana banaana Accha nahi lagta tha, lekin usske haath ka jo bhi bannta tha, bahut kamaal ka tha...

Zoya: Aapko Pooja ki bahut yaad aati hai na?

Aditya: (Tearing up) Bahut zyaada...Accha ab yeh sab chhodo, kissi Aur cheez par baat karo, Kal bhi bahut roya hoon main...

Zoya: Sorry, Sorry...Accha Mujhe yeh bataayien, aapne Air Force join karne ka faisla kyun liya?

Aditya: Apne mulk ke liye, bass. Pata hai main actually lawyer banne waala tha, in fact, Maine degree ki padhai U.K aur USA mein hi ki thi. Dad ne toh decide kiya tha ki Main wahi par settle Ho jaaonga, lekin andar hi andar, Mujhe Aisa lagne laga jaisa mera Ghar Mujhe waapis bula raha hain. Baahar Jab logo se Mila tab pata chala ki Logo ne iss desh ke baare mein bahut galatfehmi rakhi hai...

Bachpan se mera ek hi khwaab tha ki Main Apne desh ke liye Kuch karoon, isliye Main Mumbai waapis aa gaya, saare tests de diye Aur Air Force join kiya. Phir, Pooja ki maut ke baad Yahaan aa Gaya

Zoya: Apne mulk ki hifaazat karna bahut qaabil-e-taareef baat hai...

Aditya: (Confused) Q-Qaabil-e...Kya?

Zoya: (Giggling) Matlab bahut acchi baat hai, taareef ke laayak

Aditya: Tumhaari urdu toh Mere samajh ke baahar Hi hai

Zoya: Aapko Ghar ki yaad nahi aati?

Aditya: Pehle pehle bahut aati thi, Lekin ab nahi, ab toh aadat Ho gayi hai

Zoya: Apne gharwaalon se baat toh hoti hogi?

Aditya: Apne Bhai ke sivaai kissi aur se nahi...Meri family Pooja ke bahut khilaaf thi, usske antim-sanskaar ke dinn Mere Bhai ke sivaai aur koi nahi aaya...Ussi dinn se maine saare rishte tod diye

Zoya: Yeh bhi toh Sakta ki koi galati Ho?

Aditya: Nahi Zoya...Mere Papa...Bahut Sakht dil hai...Unhe agar iss shaadi ka pata chala toh tumhe andaaza nahi hai woh Kya kar denge

Zoya: Humaara bhi wahi haal hai, Humne toh ek saal se kissi se baat bhi nahi ki hai

Aditya: Kya? Tumhaara parivaar nahi jaanta ki tum kahaan Ho?

Zoya: Jiss dinn Humne Yash se shaadi ki thi, unhone Ussi dinn humse muh modh liya tha...Ek dinn nahi jaata jab Hume unki yaad nahi aati

Aditya: Unse baat karo, Zoya, unhe bahut khushi hogi

Zoya: Aur Kya kahenge unse? Humne chori-chupe ek Aur shaadi kar Li hai?

Aditya: Lekin yeh shaadi toh sirf naam ke liye hai, Zoya, tumhe pata hai...

Zoya: Woh yeh baat nahi samjhenge, Aditya...Chhodo, Hume khaamakhaa gussa aayega

Aditya: Accha, Main sone jaa raha hoon

Zoya: Haan hum bhi sone jaayenge, Good Night

Aditya: Good Night

[That night as both of them fell asleep, Aditya had realised something, quite late, of course.

He hated drinking tea in the night.]

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