Vansh's pov :

Today, I didn't have too much work, so I came back from the office early. We were all going to have dinner at Riddhima's place.

After freshening up, I headed over. I spent a few minutes chatting with her mumma and papa before going straight to her room.

When I entered, I saw her standing with her back to me. Without wasting any time, I quickly wrapped my arms around her waist from behind. She was startled at first, but the moment she realized it was me, she relaxed immediately.

As I pulled away, I finally noticed a pile of clothes and an open suitcase that I hadn't seen before. Confused, I asked, "Where are we going?" She shot me a quick glare and said, "I told you just two days ago, and you forgot already?"

Feeling guilty, I replied, "It slipped my mind, sweetheart." In reality, I was probably too busy admiring her to catch what she had said. She looked at me, slightly exasperated, and said, "No, we aren't going anywhere. I am."

"Where?" I asked, almost instinctively, not liking the sound of it.

"My cousin Radhika is getting married, so I'm going there to support her," she explained calmly.

The thought of her leaving for a few days hit me unexpectedly. Even though it was only for a family event, the idea of her being away for a while suddenly felt odd. "How long will you be gone?" I asked, trying to sound casual, though a part of me was already thinking about missing her.

"Almost a month," she said, and the next second I blurted out, "A month? That's 31 days! How am I going to live without seeing you?"

I could hear the sadness in my own voice, and I didn't even try to hide it. A whole month without her felt like an eternity, and the thought of not having her around every day made me feel an unfamiliar emptiness.

She looked at me with a soft smile, stepping closer and resting her hand gently on my cheek. "You'll survive, silly," she teased lightly, but her eyes reflected the same warmth and affection I felt for her. "It's just for a few weeks. You know how close Radhika and I are. She needs me, and I need to be there for her."

"I know, I know," I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I just wasn't expecting it to be so long. I'm going to miss you like crazy."

She laughed softly and wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling me closer. "I'll miss you too, but we'll talk every day, and I'll be back before you know it."

"I guess," I muttered, resting my forehead against hers, enjoying the closeness. "But don't think I won't be counting down the days."

She smiled, giving me a gentle kiss on the cheek. "I'll be counting them too."

She smiled softly at my words and then nestled her head closer to my chest. I could feel her breathing slow down, and the comfort of the moment made everything else seem distant. We lay there in a peaceful silence for a while, just enjoying each other's presence.

After a few minutes, she spoke again, her voice soft, "I know you're busy with work, but this means a lot to me. It's not just about the wedding, it's about being there, together."

I gently squeezed her hand, understanding the deeper meaning behind her words. "I'll be there," I said, my voice firm but tender. "Nothing is more important than us, and I'll make sure I'm with you for everything that matters."

She turned slightly to look at me, her eyes reflecting a mix of gratitude and affection. "I don't know how I got so lucky," she whispered, her fingers tracing light patterns on my arm.

I chuckled softly, brushing a strand of her hair away from her face. "I think I'm the lucky one."

We stayed like that for a while longer, the weight of the conversation settling in, but in the most comforting way possible. The world outside seemed quiet, and in that moment, it felt like it was just the two of us, holding onto each other in the stillness of the night.

"Vansh," she murmured, her voice sleepy now, "promise me you'll always be here."

I leaned down and kissed her forehead, whispering against her skin, "Always."

With that, she drifted off to sleep, and I stayed there, watching her, my heart full.

.
.
.
.

I cleared my schedule because Riddhima is leaving today, and I want to spend as much time with her as possible. A month is such a long time. I sighed in exhaustion.

Radhika and I were sitting in the living room. Our parents were in the garden, deep in conversation, while Riddhima was in her room, probably checking for the nth time if she'd packed everything.

"So, how are you feeling, Vansh?" Radhika asked, teasing me. She added with a smirk, "I'm stealing her from you for a month, maybe even two."

I didn't let her finish. "Two months? No way. After your wedding, I'll barge into your house and sweep her up in my arms."

Radhika laughed, shaking her head. "You're hopeless. You two are inseparable. It's cute, but I'm sure she'll be fine without you for a while."

I gave her a small smile, but my mind drifted back to Riddhima. She and I had always been close, and the thought of her being away for a month—or longer—was hard to process. I wasn't used to the house feeling this quiet, even if she was just upstairs.

Just then, Riddhima appeared at the top of the stairs, lugging her suitcase behind her. "Okay, I think I've got everything," she said, sounding unsure, as if she was mentally going over her packing list one more time.

"You ready to go?" Radhika asked, standing up.

Riddhima glanced over at me before nodding. "Yeah... I guess I am."

I stood up, walking over to her. "You sure you didn't forget anything?" I asked, more to stretch out the moment than because I was actually concerned.

She smiled at me, a little sadly. "I'm sure, Vansh."

There was a pause, and the air between us grew heavier. I could tell she was feeling the same thing I was—this was going to be harder than either of us expected.

"Come on, you two," Radhika said, breaking the moment. "It's not like she's moving away forever."

I chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. Riddhima laughed softly, and I picked up her luggage.

Once we were in the living room, Radhika left us to inform our parents that she was ready to go.

As soon as she was out of sight, I pulled Riddhima into a tight hug, inhaling her familiar vanilla scent. My head rested in the crook of her neck, savoring the warmth of the moment.

When we parted, our foreheads touched, and Riddhima looked into my eyes with so much warmth that it almost melted the distance that was about to grow between us. Slowly, she closed the space between us and pressed her lips to mine. My hand instinctively moved to her jaw, deepening the kiss, as if trying to hold onto her just a little longer.

We kissed slowly, savoring every second, knowing that moments like these would be rare for the next month. My thumb gently traced her jawline as our lips moved in sync, neither of us wanting to let go.

Suddenly we heard "O shoot my eyes" Riddhima flinched and immediately we parted away. Our breath were heavy and we saw Radhika's back facing us. She must have seen us. "Okay, lovebirds, time's up, should I turned back now" she teased, but her tone was gentle, understanding the weight of the moment. Riddhima's face had turned Red.

We calmed our racing heartbeat. Radhika turned facing us and then behind her our parents came asking her "What happened? Why do you shout?" Radhika said "I saw something" teasing us.

Riddhima's face turned even redder, and I could feel a rush of heat spreading through me as well.

"What?" her mother asked. Radhika was smirking at us while Riddhima shot her a glare, her eyes silently warning her not to spill the beans.

With the smirk still plastered on her face, Radhika answered, "I think I saw something... two butterflies." She waved it off casually, diverting everyone's attention. "Anyway, let's go."

.
.
.

We went outside. I put her bags in the back, and she sat inside while I closed the door for her. With a heavy heart, I watched her disappear from my eyesight.

*********************************************

If you like my work then do vote and comment.

Till then Happy Reading......

Annyeong👋