There was no way life would have been the same for Arhaan without Khushi. His Khushi.

He was alive.

But not living..

Hoping to unite with her somehow, at sometime, at some realm with his Khushi who was dead for the society but not for him, he kept trying to search for her in every possible place, he could think of.

But she wasn’t nowhere to be found.

Season changed, the bright sky got turned into dark in cloud only to get brighter again but his life remained the same without Khushi who remained alive in his memories, in his soul.

If he was alone and doing nothing then either he was breaking down on frustration or loneliness.

He became a strict boss like never before and kept spending most of the time in the office and engrossing himself in work to hang in there.

After One year

Arhaan got home from the office late at night and found Areesha waiting for him in the living room.

Seeing her, he spoke up, "Api, it's 2 of the night. Why are you still awake?"

Without bothering to answer him, Areesha spoke up, "You get freshen up and come for dinner. I am setting the table." as she forwarded towards the kitchen.

Arhaan spoke up getting her stop, "I am not hungry, Api and I am tired. I will get some rest now. I have an early morning meeting tomorrow. You please don't wait for me like this. It's not good for your health. Sleep early. "

He was about to leave after that but Areesha spoke up, "It applies to you as well, Arhaan. You leave early for office and then come home late. Sometimes you stay whole night at the office. You don't bother to come home for days when you have deadlines. Whom are you running from Arhaan? What are you planning to do with your life? Khushi is no more. If something happens to you this way then how am I supposed to live, Vai?” at last part got teary.

Arhaan didn’t like hearing Khushi as dead. Without bothering other words, he got uttering sadly, “Khushi is alive, Api. And I will find her.” and left for his room.

Areesha sat on the sofa with a thud with teary eyes getting afraid of losing Arhaan as well this way.

Getting into his room, Arhaan threw his coat on the couch and lied down on the bed. While staring at the empty side of the bed beside him where Khushi used to sleep, he got murmuring, “Where are you, Khushi? Please come back to me.”

His eyes got heavy as he kept caressing the place. At some point sleep engulfed him....

Next Morning

Arhaan woke up early in the morning and got a long cold shower. Getting all ready for office, he got downstairs. Areesha was awake already and setting the table for him. When she saw Arhaan, she got near him.

Being lost in thoughts, Arhaan was about to leave, but Areesha got in his way uttering his name, “Arhaan?”

Arhaan got startled for a moment but later relaxed. Understanding her intention, Arhaan was about to say something but got stopped hearing Areesha as she spoke up all sternly, “Come, take your breakfast.”

Arhaan still uttered otherwise, “Api, please. I am not hungry.”

Areesha stared at him wordlessly for a moment and then again spoke up with the same stern and ordering tone, “I told you to come.”

When Arhaan stood still, Areesha pulled him to the dining table by holding his hand. Making him sit, she served him his favourite dish.

But when he didn’t seem to take anything likewise, she sat beside him.

Taking a spoonful of his favourite dish, she forwarded it towards Arhaan. Arhaan tried to get away but couldn’t and at last, opened his mouth.

Arhaan kept all silent as he knew Areesha wasn’t going to let him get away now. While forcefully feeding him, Areesha spoke up, “Vai, you know it very well that Khushi loved you to the core. I know that you would have been very happy now if just Khushi was alive and with you.

But you know it's not like she wanted to leave you, vai. She wasn’t left with any other option. She just had to. She must be feeling all guilty for leaving you alone. Then at least try to live happily now to make her feel less guilty. "

As Areesha went on uttering all this, her eyes also got teary.

Giving up on silence, Arhaan spoke up this time being all teary, “Let her feel guilty, api. She promised to stay with me but she broke it and left. So she should feel guilty for leaving me alone. She should feel guilty to the point that she needs to come back to me.”

While fighting her own tears, Areesha spoke up, “It has been almost two years now, Arhaan. If there was any possible way, she sure would have been back to you, back to us long ago. But it's not possible now vai. She is no more.”

Arhaan got uttering sternly, “Khushi is alive api. She is alive.”

Muhib was about to say something as he just got there but got cut off before doing that.

Arhaan got uttering, “I am getting late.” and left from there as well as the Mansion.

Areesha got staring at his way until he got out of her sight and then turned to Muhib, “What should we do with Arhaan, Muhib? He is reaching new heights in his business but he has stopped living his life. This way we will lose him also.”

Muhib wasn’t getting anything to answer her. He himself was feeling all helpless to see the people who meant his world to him this distraught.

He had been trying to talk to Arhaan since long but didn’t find any answer from him but silence. Like his life got stopped at that moment when Khushi left him.

Getting them out of their thoughts, Esha spoke up, “Mummy?”

Areesha wiped off her eyes and looked at her, “Yes, sweetheart. You are awake already! Good. Now come, take your breakfast. Otherwise you will be late for your school.”

Taking their breakfast, Muhib got ready and left for the office after dropping Esha to her school.

☘☘☘

Generally by the time Esha got done with her classes, Areesha or Muhib was already there waiting for her.

But today when Esha was done with her classes, she didn’t find anyone there likewise. Even after waiting for some time she didn’t get to see anyone of her expectation, she got out of the school building and kept waiting by the road.

Then a kitten got into her sight on the road. She got staring at it for few moments all smilingly. She liked it so much that she couldn’t help running to get it only to came in front of a car. Being shocked she stood there literally trembling and closing her eyes being all afraid.

She didn’t get hit fortunately as the man of the driving seat pushed the break at the right time. He was shocked as well finding a little girl getting in front of the car running all of a sudden out of nowhere.

A woman from the seat beside the driving seat got down from the car immediately and ran to Esha.

“You okay, baby?” she got uttering as she got hold of her. Esha opened her eyes with a jerk and as soon as she saw that woman, her fear was long forgotten as she got uttering all smilingly, “Aunty?”