Pain

The grand dining hall of the Rajput mansion was filled with the soft clinking of cutlery against porcelain plates. The long mahogany table was set with an extravagant spread—several traditional dishes, fresh fruit platters, and elegant silverware gleaming under the golden chandelier lights. 

Avyan sat in his usual place, staring at the food but barely touching it. His face held no expression, but his sunken eyes and the slight slump in his posture gave away his inner turmoil. His mother, Suhani, watched him with quiet concern. Ahaana, sitting beside him, stole occasional glances at him, as if hoping he would say something—anything. 

Rajveer, as always, remained composed, his sharp eyes observing everything, including the new guests at the table. 

Across from them sat Ishkii, Adit, Aman, and Tara. They weren't used to such formal family dinners, but Suhani had insisted. 

"Aap sab itni door aaye hain, ek dinner toh humare saath kar sakte hain." (You all have come from so far, you can at least have one dinner with us.) 

Ishkii had wanted to refuse. She wasn't here for socializing, but rejecting Suhani's polite yet firm request wasn't an option. So here they were. 

Unlike the others, Ishkii didn't seem even remotely out of place. She sat straight, her sharp gaze scanning everything like it was just another mission. She ate silently, her expression giving away nothing. No nervousness, no small talk—just cold efficiency. 

Adit, on the other hand, had a more casual approach. He picked up a spoon of rice. "Mujhe laga tha bodyguard ke liye alag dining arrangement hoga. Yeh toh VIP treatment mil raha hai." (I thought there'd be a separate dining arrangement for bodyguards. This is VIP treatment.) 

Suhani smiled gently. "Aap Avyan ki security ke liye aaye hain. Aapke liye bhi ghar ka ek hissa open hona chahiye." (You're here for Avyan's security. The house should be open for you too.) 

Avyan, who had been silent all this time, finally spoke, his voice flat. "Unhe sirf security rakhna hai, Maa. Yeh family dinner nahi hai." (They're just here for security, Mom. This isn't a family dinner.) 

Ahaana frowned. "Bhai…" (Brother…) 

Suhani sighed, giving her son a sad look. "Avyan, beta, tum—" (Avyan, son, you—) 

But before she could finish, Ishkii, without looking up from her plate, said, "Woh theek keh raha hai." (He's right.) 

Everyone turned to her in surprise. Even Rajveer raised an eyebrow. 

Ishkii continued eating as if nothing had happened. "Yeh sirf ek duty hai. Hum sirf apna kaam kar rahe hain." (This is just a duty. We are just doing our job.) 

Her cold, detached words left the table in silence. Even Adit and Aman exchanged glances, but they weren't shocked. They were used to her. 

Suhani, however, felt a pang in her heart. There was something unsettling about a girl so young yet so emotionless. And sitting across from her was her own son, just as lost in his own pain. 

Avyan scoffed lightly, pushing his plate away. "Dekha, Maa? Yeh ladki bhi samajhti hai ki yeh sab bas kaam hai. Aap hi emotions attach kar rahi hain." (See, Mom? Even this girl understands that this is just a job. You're the one attaching emotions to it.) 

Ishkii didn't react, but Adit leaned back with a smirk. "Haan, par agar kaam bhi sahi karna hai toh tumhe bhi thoda cooperate karna padega, Mr. Rajput." (Yeah, but if we have to do our job properly, you'll need to cooperate a little, Mr. Rajput.) 

Avyan shot him a glare. "Mujhe Mr. Rajput mat bulao." (Don't call me Mr. Rajput.) 

Adit just grinned. "Toh phir kya bulaun? Avyan babu?" (Then what should I call you? Avyan Babu?) 

Ahaana giggled, but Avyan didn't look amused. He stood up abruptly. "Mujhe bhook nahi hai." (I'm not hungry.) 

With that, he turned and walked away, his shoulders heavy with emotions no one could quite understand. 

Suhani sighed, her eyes following him with worry. 

Rajveer finally spoke, his deep voice breaking the silence. "Agar tumhe lagta hai ki tum sirf security guard ho, toh sirf security guard ban kar raho. Lekin yeh mat bhoolo, yeh ghar sirf ek mission nahi hai. Yeh ek parivaar hai." (If you think you're just security guards, then stay as security guards. But don't forget, this house is not just a mission. It's a family.) 

Ishkii finally looked up, her cold gaze meeting his. "Mujhe parivaar ka matlab nahi samajhna." (I don't need to understand the meaning of family.) 

Rajveer held her gaze for a moment before nodding slightly, as if he had learned something about her in that instant. 

Suhani smiled sadly. "Koi baat nahi, beta. Kabhi kabhi insaan jo samajhna nahi chahta, usse waqt samjha deta hai." (It's okay, dear. Sometimes, time teaches us what we don't want to understand.) 

Ishkii didn't respond, but somewhere deep inside her, something about those words unsettled her.

In the bodyguard quarters, the atmosphere was a stark contrast to the tense dinner they had just attended. Adit was sprawled lazily on the couch, playing with a knife in his fingers, while Aman sat at the dining table, scrolling through his tablet. Tara was sipping her coffee, watching the two with mild amusement. 

Ishkii, on the other hand, stood near the window, her arms crossed, gazing out at the dark sky. Her sharp features were unreadable, as always. 

Adit suddenly smirked, breaking the silence. "Toh madam, aaj ka din kaisa raha? Rajput parivaar ka meetha swagat pasand aaya?" (So madam, how was your day? Did you enjoy the sweet welcome from the Rajput family?) 

Ishkii didn't even glance at him. "Bakwas kam kar aur kaam ki baat kar." (Talk less nonsense and more work.) 

Aman chuckled. "Bhai, ek din toh chill karne de. Abhi aaye hain bas." (Bro, let us chill for a day. We just arrived.) 

Tara smirked, leaning back. "Mujhe toh maza aaya. Avyan Rajput ki naak pe gussa dekhne layak tha." (I enjoyed it. Watching Avyan Rajput's temper was worth it.) 

Adit grinned. "Aur jab Ishkii ne uska attitude ek second me neeche gira diya? Boss, kya moment tha!" (And when Ishkii shut down his attitude in a second? Boss, what a moment!) 

Aman shook his head, amused. "Par honestly, mujhe Avyan ke expressions thode ajeeb lage. Woh sirf gusse mein nahi tha… kuch aur bhi tha uske chehre pe." (But honestly, Avyan's expressions felt strange. He wasn't just angry… there was something else on his face.) 

Ishkii turned away from the window, her gaze sharp. "Mujhe uski feelings nahi samajhni. Woh sirf ek target hai. Bas." (I don't need to understand his feelings. He is just a target. That's it.) 

Adit whistled. "Bhai, yeh ladki sach mein pathar hai. Ek bhi emotion nahi." (Man, this girl is really a stone. Not a single emotion.) 

Tara chuckled. "Haan, ekdum cold-hearted queen." (Yeah, a total cold-hearted queen.) 

Aman smirked. "Ek din aayega jab koi tere samne attitude dikhayega aur tu bhi pareshan hogi, Ishkii." (One day, someone will give you the same attitude, and you'll be annoyed too, Ishkii.) 

Ishkii raised an eyebrow. "Jis din koi mujhe pareshan kar sakega, us din main yeh kaam chhod dungi." (The day someone can annoy me, I will quit this job.) 

Adit stretched his arms, laughing. "Challenge accepted! Mera mission ab sirf Avyan ki security nahi, tera patience todna bhi hai." (Challenge accepted! My mission is not just Avyan's security but also breaking your patience.) 

Ishkii rolled her eyes. "Paagal hai tu." (You're crazy.) 

Aman smirked. "Aur tu pathar." (And you're a stone.) 

For a moment, laughter filled the room. But beneath it all, one thing was clear—Ishkii was not someone to be messed with. And she had no plans to change. It was late at night, and the bodyguard quarters were dimly lit. Adit was lounging on the sofa, flipping a knife between his fingers, while Aman sat on the chair, his legs stretched out. Tara was half-asleep with a book on her lap, but Ishkii stood near the window, her sharp eyes observing the entrance of the Rajput mansion. 

The sound of two cars pulling into the grand driveway made her straighten slightly. The headlights cut through the darkness, illuminating the stone pathway. 

Adit noticed her sudden focus and smirked. "Kya hua, madam? Koi dushman dikh gaya?" (What happened, madam? Did you spot an enemy?) 

Ishkii didn't reply immediately. She watched as two luxury cars came to a halt. The security guards at the gate stepped forward, but before they could say anything, two men stepped out confidently. 

"Avyaan ke dost hain. Raghav aur Reyansh," she finally said, her voice as calm as ever. (They're Avyaan's friends. Raghav and Reyansh.) 

Aman raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Aur yeh kaise pata chala?" (And how do you know that?) 

Ishkii gave him a side glance. "Mujhe sab pata hota hai." (I know everything.) 

Tara yawned, stretching. "Aur agar dushman nikal aaye toh?" (And what if they turn out to be enemies?) 

Ishkii's lips curled slightly, almost a smirk. "Toh galti se iss ghar me zyada der tik nahi paayenge." (Then they won't last long in this house by mistake.) 

Adit grinned. "Mujhe toh maza aane wala hai. Dono ka attitude dekhna padega." (This is going to be fun. We'll have to see their attitude.) 

Just then, the main door of the mansion opened, and Avyaan himself appeared. His posture was tense, but his face softened slightly as he saw his friends. 

Raghav clapped him on the back. "Bhai, tu zinda hai! Lagta hai teri family tujhe kidnap kar ke rakh rahi hai!" (Bro, you're alive! Looks like your family has kidnapped you!) 

Reyansh smirked. "Aur kya! Koi phone nahi, koi message nahi. Hume bhool gaya kya?" (Exactly! No calls, no messages. Did you forget us?) 

Avyaan sighed. "Tum log andar aa rahe ho ya yahi nautanki karni hai?" (Are you guys coming inside, or are you just going to do drama here?) 

Ishkii watched from the window as the three walked inside. Her face was expressionless, but her mind was already analyzing every detail. 

Adit whistled. "Dost bhi attitude wale lag rahe hain. Mazedaar hone wala hai." (Even his friends seem full of attitude. This is going to be interesting.) 

Ishkii turned away from the window. "Hum yahan maza lene nahi aaye." (We are not here for entertainment.) 

Aman smirked. "Par agar yeh dosti Avyaan ke life ka part hai, toh hume bhi inke saath deal karna padega." (But if this friendship is a part of Avyaan's life, then we'll have to deal with them too.) 

Ishkii's eyes darkened slightly. "Jo bhi ho, yeh log bas distraction hain. Hume sirf apne kaam pe dhyaan dena hai." (Whatever it is, they're just distractions. We have to focus only on our work.) 

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Avyaan's room was dimly lit, a soft glow from the bedside lamp casting long shadows on the walls. He sat on the couch, elbows resting on his knees, his fingers tangled in his hair. His heart felt heavy, his mind clouded with thoughts he didn't want to confront. 

Raghav and Reyansh sat across from him, their expressions serious. They had known Avyaan for years, but tonight, he looked different—like a man who was exhausted from carrying a weight too heavy for him. 

Raghav broke the silence first. "Bhai, tu theek hai?" (Bro, are you okay?) 

Avyaan let out a dry chuckle, his voice laced with bitterness. "Lagta toh hai?" (Do I look okay?) 

Reyansh frowned. "Avyaan, tu aise kabhi nahi tha. Jo ladka hamesha har cheez ka solution dhoondhta tha, aaj woh khud itna lost kyun lag raha hai?" (Avyaan, you were never like this. The guy who always found solutions, why does he look so lost today?) 

Avyaan leaned back, staring at the ceiling. His throat tightened, and for a moment, he hesitated. But then, as if something inside him cracked, the words poured out. 

"Usne mujhe chod diya, Reyansh… bina kisi wajah ke, bina kisi explanation ke." (She left me, Reyansh… without any reason, without any explanation.) 

His voice broke slightly, and both his friends exchanged a glance. They had known about Avyaan's relationship, had seen the way he loved—fully, selflessly. And now, he was left with nothing but pain. 

Raghav's jaw clenched. "Bhai, agar koi insaan bina wajah chod ke chala jaye, toh uski koi value nahi hoti." (Bro, if someone leaves without a reason, they don't deserve you.) 

Avyaan laughed humorlessly. "Pata hai? Main har din sochta hoon ki usne kyun kiya… kya galti thi meri? Kya main enough nahi tha?" (You know what? Every day, I wonder why she did this… what was my mistake? Was I not enough?) 

Reyansh sighed, placing a hand on Avyaan's shoulder. "Mat soch bhai, jo chala gaya usko wapas laane ka koi faayda nahi. Tu sirf khud ko dukh de raha hai." (Don't think about it, bro. There's no point in bringing back someone who left. You're only hurting yourself.) 

Avyaan's eyes burned, but he refused to let the tears fall. "Mujhe farq nahi padta… ab nahi padta." (I don't care… not anymore.) 

But they all knew it was a lie. The way his voice shook, the way his fists clenched—it was clear. He was still broken. 

Raghav sighed, shaking his head. "Aur isliye teri family ne tere liye bodyguard rakha hai? Yeh sach hai?" (And that's why your family hired a bodyguard for you? Is this true?) 

Avyaan scoffed, his lips curling in irritation. "Haan… aur socho, ladki bhej di hai. Jise yeh lagta hai ki mujhe protect karna uska kaam hai." (Yeah… and guess what, they sent a girl. Someone who thinks protecting me is her job.) 

Reyansh raised an eyebrow. "Ladki? Kaun hai?" (A girl? Who is she?) 

Avyaan sighed, rubbing his temple. "Ishkii… koi professional bodyguard. Bas attitude dekho uska, jaise poore world ka burden uske sirf hai." (Ishkii… some professional bodyguard. Just look at her attitude, like she's carrying the burden of the entire world.) 

Raghav smirked slightly. "Aur tu irritate ho raha hai?" (And you're getting irritated?) 

Avyaan's jaw tightened. "Mujhe kisi ki zaroorat nahi hai. Main khud ko sambhal sakta hoon." (I don't need anyone. I can handle myself.) 

Reyansh exchanged a knowing glance with Raghav. They both could see it—Avyaan wasn't just angry; he was hurt. 

Raghav leaned back. "Chal, dekhte hain yeh Ishkii madam kaise tere saath handle karti hai. Lagta hai mazedaar hone wala hai." (Let's see how this Ishkii handles you. Seems like it's going to be interesting.) 

Avyaan exhaled deeply, shutting his eyes for a moment. He wished he could laugh along with them, pretend he was fine. But deep down, he knew the truth. 

He wasn't fine. 

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