***Veer's POV.***

"Veer, did you pack your boxing gloves?" Ramya Chachi asks me.

"Yes." I say.

"What about your mouth guard?" She asks next.

"Done." I say.

"And what about your medal?" She asks as she peeks into my room.

We hear clicks and look towards the balcony to see Riya and Rhea clicking pictures with my medal. Chachi shakes her head and orders them to give back the medal, but I ask them to keep it safe with them.

"I can't keep it." Rhea says.

"Why?" I ask.

"Because she can't eat it." Riya says.

"But maybe I could sell it and buy so many food supplies." Rhea says.

"Rhea!" Chachi exclaims.

"And you said you have an audition tomorrow." Riya says.

"I do." She says, "What is for dinner?"

Chachi and I look at each other and shake our heads while Riya asks, "Why do you even want to be a model if you can't handle being hungry? Just throw away this stupid dream and work on your back-up plan of opening a cafe or bakery."

"No. I want to be a supermodel who is so beautiful that it hurts the eyes." She says as she takes out chocolate from her back pocket.

"Dear, you are human, not an onion." Chachi says.

"Onion... Mom, make some pakoras for me, please." Rhea says, and I can't hold back my laugh anymore.

"Hey!" Reyansh Chachu comes inside my room and asks, "What are you gossiping about? Veer, it is time for your flight. Mayra Bhabhi would kill me if we keep you here for one more day."

"She is so sly." Ramya Chachi says as she shakes her head in dismay.

"Ramya!" Chachu exclaimed.

"What, Ramya? When I send Riya and Rhea home, she keeps them the entire summer. But for her children, she doesn't even spare us one more day with them. I wanted to take Veer out for celebration."

"Chachi, actually, I want to rush home. I have been away for so many years now and I have to enter a competition soon. So Mom wants to spend as much time with me as possible. But I promise next time, I will stay with you for an entire month." I say.

"That's like my Veer. Learn something, girls. Do you love your mother like Veer does?" Chachi asks.

"I love your cooking." Rhea says hugging her.

"I love your sass, which Dad has to bear. But then I love Dad more because he is sassier than you." Riya says, keeping her distance.

Chachi glares at them but hugs them too. Then she gives me a big hug and a kiss on the cheek to bid me adieu. Chachu is driving me to the airport because I am not going alone, but with more than dozens of gifts which my sister and cousins asked for. I wave at Chachu as I go in and just before I board the plane; I get a call from my cute mother.

"Mom, this is the tenth time you called me today. I promise I am coming home in two days." I say as I walk down the lane.

"I just want to make sure you are boarding the plane to India, not any other countries like Cuba or Mexico or the Philippines." Mom says.

"Mom, it was my self-training journey." I say.

"Which took you away from me for three years. And before that your studies took you away from me for five whole years. At least back then I got to meet you, but I only saw you on the phone for the past three years and that is not enough for me. I want you home so I can hug and shower you with my love through food. There was a time when you used to hold my dupatta's end and tag behind me all day." She says.

"Mom, you certainly don't want your 25-year-old son to do that." I say.

"I won't mind as long as it keeps you near me." She says sheepishly.

"I can do that for you." I hear Dad in the background and chuckle.

"No need, Shaurya. I have two other children." She says.

"Just come home as soon as possible, Veer. Your mother is suffering from Veer-not-home-sickness." He says and I hear him exclaim in pain next.

"Mom, I am on the flight. Listen." I say hold the phone out so she can hear the captain's announcement, "So don't worry. After visiting Parth Chachu and Saira Chachi, I would come home. Then we will go to Shimla together to spend some time with Dadu and Dadi. Okay?" I say.

"Okay. I miss you." She says.

"Aww! I miss you, too." I say as I finally find my seat.

"I love you." She says.

"Yeah, same here." I say as I take a seat.

"Say it. I don't care if there are a million people hearing it. It is for me, not your audience." She warns me and I smile.

"Okay. I love you too. Now can I hang up? My flight is going to take off soon." I say.

"Fine." She says, "See you soon."

"See you soon." I say.

As soon as I hang up, an old lady beside me asks, "Girlfriend?"

"No. Mother." I say, and she smiles widely as she nods.

"Good son. Lucky would be the girl who would have you as a boyfriend." She says and I smile shyly.

"Well, no time for that, as I have major goals. Maybe after I am done with them, I can think of finding someone." I say.

"Love waits for no one. Maybe she will find you." She says and we talk with each other during the entire flight.

As soon as we reach Chennai, she bids me a sweet goodbye and tugs her own son's ears when he comes to pick her up. My Mom would literally take my ear off but then she would feed me with her own hand and hold me close for years to come.

It has been three years since everyone separated to give a chance to their own path in life. I was busy completing my masters and boxing in America when that happened. Mom and Dad had to move back to Chandigarh for business and while Siya stayed with them, Shravan had to go to France to get further training in his art.

Reyansh Chachu and Ramya Chachi moved to London to make their company go international and also give wings to their daughters' dreams. Parth Chachu and Saira Chachi moved to Chennai with their kids as Chachi got the biggest opportunity to be Medical Director of a reputed hospital.

But Dadu and Dadi stayed in Shimla to enjoy their old days. I heard from Siya that they visit everyone from time to time and also go on vacations. Last time when they were in France, Shravan told me he had to hide his paintings from Dadi, as they were too modern for our sweet Dadi to see.

I called them recently to tell them I was coming home, so they ordered me to visit them with my family. And I promised to do so. Also, I want to meet my best friend and my initial sponsor, Rihaan. We talk every week, and he came to see my matches many times in Cuba and the Philippines.

But the only person I haven't heard from in ages is... Piya.

We used to be best friends. No. We are still best friends. When I had gone to Mumbai for college, we promised each other that we will fulfill our dreams and meet again soon. Little did we know that while doing that, we would lose contact with each other. It has been over eight years till then. I don't know if she even remembers me?

And how beautiful she might have turned out to be? Definitely more than before. She is born to be pretty.

"Ennitam marram illai. (I don't have change.)" The taxi driver says it in Tamil, but I don't understand it.

"You can keep it." I say, pushing the note towards him.

"Illai. Enakku marrattai kotunkal. Nan kathirupen." He says, and I am lost again.(No. I want change. I will wait.)

"Inke. (Here)" A hand comes forward and I look beside me to see Kyra.

"Cirumiye unakku avan yar?" He asks. (Who is he to you, little girl?)

"En periya tampi." Kyra says with a smile and takes my arm, "My big brother."

"Yes, tampi." I say with a smile because I know that word because Kyra often calls me that nowadays.

He smiles and says, "Okay, okay."

"Mikka nanri." Kyra says and waves at him. (Thank you so much)

"Wow, Kyra! You are getting better at Tamil, huh?" I ask, and she looks proud.

"Of course, after a year of crying in confusion, I picked my shoes, wore them and ran to the library like literally. I don't want my language to be a barrier to Mom's success." She says and I give her a side hug.

"What are you still doing here, Di?" Parav asks, coming out, "Let's go in, big bro. And give that to me."

"I will also help." Panav says and they both pick the bags I brought in which are their gifts.

"Parav, don't steal your sibling's gifts, which Chachi sends for you." I hear Saira Chachi as soon as I enter the house.

"Wow, Chachi! Something smells amazing." I say and touch her feet.

"Stop that, Veer." Chachi says and gives me a hug.

I look around then ask, "Where is Chahcu?"

"Must be arguing with our neighbor about who makes the best chicken? Punjabi or Tamilars. That too, after he invites himself every time they make chicken." She says and rolls her eyes.

"Maybe that's why he argues. So they would invite him over to prove him wrong and he can get free chicken." I say and she chuckles.

"Welcome home, Veer." Parth Chachu says as soon as he sees me and takes me in his embrace.

"Chachu, you have become a total Tamilar, huh? White shirt and matching lungi." I say.

"You know that famous saying, When in Rome, do what Romans do. So when in Tamil, do what Tamilar does." He says with a laugh.

After I had settled down, I passed their gifts to them and had a hearty lunch with them all. Kyra has a study vacation as she is in 11th grade while Panav and Parav, who turned twelve recently took a leave too for me or more like to get their hands on their gifts. Sara is in school but when Kyra gets up to bring her home from the bus stop, I accompany her too.

When Sara sees me, she jumps in my arms. She had called me every time I won and cheered me, too. She is the baby of our house and a cheerful one at that. After buying some ice cream we go home and video call everyone. Mom warns Parth Chachu to kick her son out in two days, otherwise she will kidnap Chachi again.

"Bhai, where is Piya Bhabhi?" Sara says, and I almost choked on water.

"Answer her." Chachu says.

"What are you talking about? I haven't seen her for eight years and she became my wife." I say and wipe my mouth and shoo Sara away, who giggles as she goes inside her room.

"Come on. It is bound to happen someday. I remember how possessive she was of you." He teases me.

"And you were not less too." Chachi chimes in.

"We were children and best friends. And I know firsthand never to date your best friend after what happened with Dad and..." I say, but stop.

"Do you hold a grudge?" He asks.

"No. I met her so many times, and I understand their situation was different." I say.

"But..." Saira Chachi says.

"But they should have known about this before they got married." I say with a cringe.

"Well, who is saying you have to marry Piya? Come on, she must not be thinking that. But what if you see her and you feel your heart beating weirdly? What would you do then, huh?" Chachu asks.

"This is the real world. That type of thing isn't common." I say.

"But what if it does? Would you ignore it or would you want to see where it goes?" Chachi asks now.

"I don't know." I say, as I genuinely do not know what I would feel when I would see Piya.

But one thing I am sure about is that she is my best friend and always will remain that. And about something more...

Well, I will cross that bridge when I get there.