She typed slowly.

"Tum kaafi shaant ho."

Veer almost laughed.

If only she knew.

He typed back.

"Sirf raat ke waqt."

She smiled—soft, real.

The wind picked up, brushing her hair across her face again. She tucked it behind her ear and 

glanced at her watch.

Her expression shifted.

She typed:

"Mujhe chalna chahiye."

Veer felt it.

That strange, unexpected disappointment.

He nodded, though a part of him didn't want her to go.

She stood up, pulling her hoodie properly over her shoulders. Before leaving, she turned back 

toward him.

Typed one last message.

"Thank you... baat karne ke liye."

Veer stood too, instinctively.

He typed quickly, almost without thinking.

"Mujhe bhi."

She smiled, gave a small wave—and took a step away.

And that's when it hit him.

If she left now...

This would become just another ghost in his life.

Another almost.

"Wait—" he said instinctively and held her wrist.

She turned back, confused.

He froze.

She can't hear, idiot.

He cursed under his breath, pulled out his phone again, fingers moving faster than his thoughts.

He held the screen up to her.

"Instagram?"

Vani blinked.

Surprised.

Then she tilted her head slightly and typed back.

"mere insta pe kuch khaas nahi hai."

Veer shrugged lightly and typed.

"Mujhe khaas nahi chahiye."

Her fingers stilled.

She looked at him.

Really looked.

Then, after a moment's hesitation, she unlocked her phone again and showed him her Instagram 

handle.

Veer saved it.

Carefully.

As if it were something fragile.

She typed again.

"Goodnight, Vivaan."

Veer felt that unfamiliar warmth spread in his chest again.

He typed back.

"Goodnight, Vani."

She turned and walked away this time, footsteps fading into the quiet night.

Veer stayed where he was.

Watching the sea.

Holding his phone.

And wondering—

When was the last time someone walked into his life so quietly...

And yet left such loud echoes behind?

Author's POV:

Vani reached Noor's flat quietly, careful not to make any noise. The lock clicked softly as she opened the door and slipped inside. 

The house was dim, only the faint glow of the night lamp in the living room guiding her steps.

She tiptoed toward the bedroom.

Noor was sleeping peacefully, one arm flung over her pillow, phone discarded beside her. 

Vani smiled unconsciously at the sight. She pulled the blanket properly over Noor's shoulder and turned toward the washroom.

The door closed softly behind her.

She switched on the dim light and stood in front of the mirror, resting her hands on the sink.

 For a moment, she just stared at her reflection—tired eyes, slightly swollen from crying, lips pressed together.

And then...

her mind drifted back.

Marine Drive.

The cold breeze.

The smell of the sea.

The quiet.

Her chest tightened.

She didn't know why her heart had felt so unbearably heavy tonight.

Then the reason surfaced—sharp and aching.

Kal bhai ka birthday hai.

Tomorrow was her brother's birthday.

Her fingers curled against the marble sink.

He hadn't come to meet her.

Not once.

He didn't let her come home either.

Every year it was the same—busy, work, next time, Vani.

She understood... or at least pretended to.

But tonight, she missed him more than she wanted to admit.

Her throat tightened.

That loneliness... it was the same one that had followed her to Marine Drive.

Her gaze dropped—and then she noticed it.

The handkerchief.

Folded neatly, resting inside the pocket of her hoodie.

Her breath hitched.

Slowly, she pulled it out.

It still carried that faint scent—clean, smoky, unfamiliar yet comforting.

Her fingers tightened around the soft fabric.

Another flashback hit her.

Those eyes.

The way he had looked at her—not with pity, not with curiosity—but with quiet concern.

The way he had waited.

Typed.

Listened.

Didn't rush her.

Didn't try to fix her.

Just... stayed.

Her eyes blurred.

She pressed the handkerchief to her chest, closing her eyes.

Why did a stranger's presence ease a pain her own family couldn't touch?

Why did Vivaan—a name she didn't even know was real—feel closer than people who shared her 

blood?

A tear slipped down her cheek.

She wiped it away quickly, shaking her head.

She folded the handkerchief carefully and placed it inside her bag—somewhere safe.

Taking a deep breath, she washed her face, straightened up, and looked at herself again.

Her reflection looked calmer now.

Not healed.

But lighter.

She turned off the light and quietly returned to the room, lying down beside Noor.

As sleep slowly claimed her, one thought lingered softly in her mind—

Ajneebi the... par thode apne jaise lage.

And somewhere else in the city...

A certain rockstar stared at his phone screen, rereading a name he had saved twice—

Vani Ahuja.

Not knowing that tonight, unknowingly...

Two lonely hearts had found the same kind of peace.

Next morning;

Veer woke up to the sharp ringing of his phone, the sound drilling straight into his head. 

He groaned, eyes still half-closed, and fumbled for the device on the side table.

"Hmmm..." he answered, voice husky and rough with sleep.

On the other end, Aishwarya's familiar irritated voice rang out.

"oye... Rudra tumhare saath hai kya?"

Veer lazily turned his head toward the other couch.

Rudra was sprawled there, one leg hanging off, mouth slightly open, snoring like an old, exhausted hag.

Veer hummed in response.

Aishwarya sighed loudly. "Seriously, you both are so careless. Kam se kam mujhe bata toh dete,yeh ghar nahi aaya kal raat. I was worried."

Veer rubbed his eyes and muttered,

"Isme meri kya galti hai? Tera bhai hi pi ke tun ho gaya tha."

Aishwarya inhaled deeply, clearly counting to ten.

"Whatever. Maine keys doormat ke neeche rakh di hain uske liye. Aur haan—maine khana bhi arrange kar diya hai. I'm going to Punjab for a case. Do din baad aaungi. use bata deena "

"Hmmm," Veer replied again, already drifting.

The call cut.

Silence filled the apartment.

Veer lay back against the couch, staring at the ceiling for a second... and then his mind did what 

it had been doing since last night.

Vani.

Her name echoed softly in his head.

He unlocked his phone and opened Instagram—not his verified account with millions of 

followers, but the fake one he had created last night. A blank profile. No pictures. No clues.

His thumb hovered over notifications.

Nothing.

He opened her profile.

Request pending.

His jaw tightened.

"She hasn't accepted," he murmured to himself.

An uneasy feeling settled in his chest.

Was I creepy?

Did I make her uncomfortable?

He exhaled sharply and cursed under his breath.

"Idiot. Directly insta maang liya... stupid."

As if summoned by his self-loathing, a sleepy voice came from beside him.

"Hmmm hmm... ladki ka chakkar."

Veer flinched so hard his phone slipped from his hand and smacked straight into his face.

"FUCK—" he yelped, sitting up instantly.

"Yaa b**k! Dara diya!"

Rudra was now sitting up, hair standing in all directions, a smug grin plastered on his face.

"Subah subah itna pyara reaction," he smirked. "Toh bata... kaun hai woh?"

Veer glared at him and reached for a cigarette instead of answering. He lit it, inhaling deeply, 

deliberately ignoring Rudra.

Rudra, of course, took that as an invitation.

"Ohooo," he dragged out. "Dekh raha hoon main. Chup chaap cigarette, no gaali, no bakwaas. 

Pakka kuch scene hai."

Veer exhaled smoke slowly.

Rudra leaned closer, eyes gleaming with mischief.

"Hmm... apni bandi bana lega aur mujhe single marne ke liye chhod dega? Bata na kaun hai. 

Uski koi dost bhi hai kya? Cute wali?"

Veer shot him a warning look.

"Bakwas band kar."

But Rudra was unstoppable.

He clapped his hands dramatically and stood up.

"Hero-giri 'fhu fhu' karne main nahi... apne dost ki setting karane main hai."

Veer shook his head, cigarette dangling from his fingers, but the corner of his lips twitched despite himself.

He didn't say a word.

But his mind had already drifted back—

To Marine Drive.

To quiet typing on a phone screen.

To red eyes under moonlight.

And to a girl who didn't even know...

That she had just completely messed up Veer Singh Rathore's peace.