"Eifa, idhar ana," Shyra called out as Eifa was hurriedly heading outside. Quickly, Eifa came over.

(Eifa, come here,)

"Kya hua, Maama?" she asked, standing behind the sofa and resting her hand on its headrest.

(What’s up, Maama?)

"Baith jao," Shyra said before starting the conversation.

(Sit down,)

"Nahi, woh mujhe Bade papa ke ghar jana hai, pata hai Momo badi dadi se Kulsoom ke naam ke liye baat karne ja rahi hai," Eifa explained quickly, casting a glance at the door, as everyone else had already left.

(No, I need to go to bade papa's house. You know, Momo’s going to talk to dadi about changing Kulsoom’s name,)

"What?" Shyra, who had intended to discuss something else, was taken aback. "Tum log kar kya rahe ho?"

(What are you guys up to now?)

"Hum log kuch nahi kar rahe, Momo ne khud kaha woh baat karegi." Eifa defended herself quickly.

(We’re not doing anything. Momo said she’d handle it herself,).

"And where did Kulsoom get this idea?"

"Kulsoom’s not as innocent, it was her idea... achha apko kya baat karni thi?" Eifa tried to bring her mother’s attention back to the original conversation, but Shyra was now worried about her younger daughter.

(But anyway, what did you need to talk about?)

"Nothing, tum jao, baad mein baat karenge." Shyra gestured for her to leave and went to her room to call Kabir. Earlier that morning, she had assured him that Kulsoom was just temporarily upset, but now, hearing that she was actually going to discuss it with Rukhsar, it didn't seem so temporary.

(You can go. We’ll talk later.)

•••

When Eifa arrived at Kaif's house, she immediately spotted the gang-Ehan, Kian, Shahnan, and Nomi-all huddled just outside the lounge, their faces a mix of amusement and worry.

"Kya hua?" she whispered as she joined them.

(What happened?)

"Dadi Kulsoom ko daat rahi hain, zahir hai." Kian muttered, shaking his head. "Yeh idea kiska tha? Aur momo ko kyu involve kiya tum log ne?" He directed the question to both Ehan and Eifa, who exchanged a quick look but didn't respond. Eifa, realizing she'd missed a lot, now listened intently. Meanwhile, Ehan simply pretended not to hear Kian's complaints.

(Dadi's scolding Kulsoom, obviously,)

(Whose idea was this? And why’d you guys drag Momo into it?)

"Kuch dino ke liye toh ayi hai woh, achha thori lagega dadi ussey date," Kian continued, his voice softening as he glanced toward the lounge door. His comment made Eifa pause, feeling a twinge of guilt.

(She’s only here for a few days; it won’t look good if dadi scolds her.)

"Momo ko koi force nahi kar sakta," Shahnan defended his sister, shrugging.

(No one can force Momo to do anything.)

"Kian waise galat nahi keh raha." Eifa admitted, feeling a bit uneasy. "Dadi ne Momo ko kuch keh diya toh?" she asked Ehan worriedly.

(Kian isn’t completely wrong.)

(What if dadi says something to Momo?)

"Woh Momo hai, jaisi uski harkat hai din mein 100 baar daat khati hogi." Ehan said, unfazed. Shahnan nodded-Momo's little pranks had Ayat on edge daily.

(She’s Momo. With the way she acts, she probably gets scolded a hundred times a day.)

"Phir bhi, Momo ko nahi involve nahi karna chahiye tha. Eifa, kam se kam tum hi kuch samjhadari dikhati, kyu..." Kian whispered, crossing his arms.

(Still, you guys shouldn’t have dragged Momo into it. Eifa, you at least should’ve shown some sense...)

"Aap unhe kyu keh rahe hain?" Shahnan cut in.

(Why are you blaming her?)

"Tumko kisne involve kiya?" Ehan added, rolling his eyes. Between Kian's constant nagging and Eifa's worried glances, he was starting to feel frustrated. "Jao tum kone mein baitho." Ehan grumbled, giving Kian a gentle push. Just then, Nomi leaned closer.

(Who asked you to get involved?)

(Just go sit in the corner.)

"Shayad badi dadi kuch keh rahi hain," he whispered, and they all strained to listen.

(I think badi dadi is saying something,)

"Ek humara zamana tha, dadi ke samne zuban nahi kholte the, aur tum dono, yaha kachehri laga rahi ho."

(In our time, we’d never even think of arguing in front of our elders, and here you two are, holding 'kachehri,')

Kulsoom fidgeted in her seat and shot a quick look at Sharfa, who, despite orchestrating the whole thing, sat there casually, scrolling on her phone as if she hadn't a care in the world.

With her legs up on the sofa and a pillow hugged to her chest, Sharfa looked up at Rukhsar at her last words. Kulsoom's hopes rose-finally, Sharfa was about to speak on her behalf. But then Sharfa asked, "Kaha hai kachori?"

(Where’s kachori?)

The group outside the lounge turned to Shahnan as if it was somehow his fault. Shahnan threw up his hands in apology.

"'Kachehri, means Court," Kulsoom quickly whispered to Sharfa, covering her mouth.

"Oh, no no, badi dadi, Kullu court thori jayegi. Yeh itni bhi buri nahi." Sharfa said earnestly, her wide eyes innocent, as if they were actually discussing filing a lawsuit against Grandma.

(Oh no, badi dadi, Kullu's not going to court. She’s not that bad,)

Kulsoom wanted to smack her forehead. Why had she trusted Sharfa with this?

"Kulsoom, tum batao, kya dikkat hai tumhe? Iss ghar mein sabse pyara naam tumhara hi hai. Aaj kal ke naamo ki tarah thori, sab ek jaise hi toh lagte hain, Ahana, Alana, Shanaya, inn naamo mein kya khas hai? Inn sab ke comparison mein tumhara naam itna pyara hai." Rukhsar paused, watching Kulsoom lower her head.

(Kulsoom, tell me, what’s the issue? Your name is one of the prettiest in this family. Not like the names nowadays, all sounding the same—Ahana, Alana, Shanaya. What’s so special about those? Compared to them, your name is so lovely.)

"True, humari khud ki class mein 2 Ahana hai, aur 3 Alana hain... and one Anara as well," Sharfa agreed with Rukhsar, making Kulsoom glare at her.

(True, I have two Ahanas and three Alanas in my class... and one Anara too,)

"Her name really is Anara. Anara Kapoor," Sharfa added in detail, thinking maybe Kulsoom didn't believe her. "She was a new admission at my school, aur humne unhe dekhke smile kiya, but unhone nahi kiya, so rude! Phir humne soch liya dubara nahi karenge inko dekhke smile. Lekin phir ek din we got paired for a project, tab jake I realised, she's sweet. Bas zyada smile nahi karti. Pata hai uske parents ka divorce ho gaya last summer, and she lives with her mom, aur unki sister dad ke sath rehti hain. Aur woh kafi close thi apni..."

(She was a new student at my school, and when I saw her, I smiled, but she didn’t smile back, so rude! I decided I wouldn’t smile at her again. But then one day, we got paired for a project, and I realized she’s actually sweet. She just doesn’t smile much. Her parents divorced last summer; she lives with her mom, and her sister stays with their dad. She was pretty close to her...)

Nomi was sitting on the floor by now, exhausted.

"What's wrong with your sister?" Ehan demanded, looking at Shahnan, who could only shrug.

"Everything," Shahnan replied, leaning against the wall.

Both Rukhsar and Kulsoom stared blankly at Sharfa, momentarily forgetting the topic. Kulsoom was the first to shake herself back to reality.

"Dadi, main bas itna keh rahi thi, yeh naam achha hoga, lekin apke zamane mein, aaj ke zamane mein nahi... Kulsoom tried to explain, but Rukhsar cut her off.

(Dadi, I’m just saying, the name might’ve been nice in your time, but not in today’s world...)

"Humare zamane mein toh bohot kuch achha hota tha jo tum log ko bhi yaad rakhna chahiye. Humare zamane mein rishto ki aur mohabbat ki qadar hoti thi." Rukhsar was perhaps offended by the remark, as she kept glancing sharply at Sharfa and Kulsoom.

(A lot of things were so much better in our time, something you all should remember. In our time, we valued relationships and love.)

"Humari toh himmat nahi hoti thi jis sofe pe dadi baithi hain waha baithe, unke samne nazre niche karke hi rakhte the, aur maa baap se baad mein, sabse pehle dadi se har cheez mein ijazat lete the."

(We didn't dare to sit on the same sofa as our grandmother. We would keep our eyes down in front of her, and before asking our parents for anything, we would always ask our grandmother first.)

They couldn’t do anything without dadi's approval either. Kulsoom thought but didn’t say it.

"Aur ek tum log ho, na qadre. Kisi ke mohabbat ya ehsas ki fikar hi nahi."

(And then there’s you all, so ungrateful. You don’t care about anyone’s love or feelings.)

"Momo kuch bol kyu nahi rahi?" Eifa voiced Kulsoom’s question to Shahnan, but he just shook his head. He knew his sister well enough; she always let others speak first because once Sharfa started talking, she wouldn’t let anyone else speak.

(Why isn’t Momo saying anything?)

"Zamana badal gaya aur zamane ke sath sath tum log apna culture bhoolte ja rahe ho. Modern banne ke chakkar mein tum log yeh bhool gaye ho naam hote kaise hain. Insan ka naam aisa hona chahiye jiska matlab achha ho, kyuki naam ka insan ki shaksiyat pe asar hota hai."

(Times have changed, and along with them, you're forgetting your culture. In your pursuit of modernity, you've forgotten how names should be. A person's name should have a good meaning because it affects a person's personality.)

Kulsoom felt close to tears. She was now getting scolded for free, thanks to Sharfa, who was back to texting, a small smirk on her face.

"I agree. Mera name bhi toh meri dadi ne rakha hai, aur hum kabhi usko change karne ka soch bhi nahi sakte. I like my name." Sharfa said with a serene smile, looking so sincere that Rukhsar's stern expression softened immediately. She had been under the impression all along that Sharfa was the mastermind behind this little rebellion.

(I agree. My dadi chose my name too, and I’d never think of changing it. I like my name.)

"Aur issi liye hum yaha atey hain Hindi mein baat karte hain taki apne roots se connected rahe." Sharfa added with a bright smile.

(And that’s why I speak Hindi here, to stay connected to our roots,)

"Tum toh English mein hi baat kiya karo, tumhari Hindi waise hi nahi samajh ati," Rukhsar interrupted her. But her tone was no longer as cold or stern as before.

(You should just stick to English; your Hindi doesn’t make any sense,)

"Sahi keh rahi hain badi dadi," Nomi agreed, earning a smack from Ehan.

(Badi dadi is right.)

Kulsoom's jaw dropped. She couldn't hold her silence any longer. She'd explain why her name should be change to her grandmother later, but first, she had to deal with Sharfa, who had tricked her in the most shameless way. Just as she was about to confront her, Azrin stepped into the lounge.

"Azrin? Kya hua? Kuch chahiye tha tumhe?" Rukhsar's attention shifted to her favorite granddaughter, giving Kulsoom the chance to discreetly pinch Sharfa.

(Azrin? What is it? Did you need something?)

"What are you doing?" Kulsoom angrily whispered.

"Just trust me," Sharfa whispered back, wincing slightly.

"Tum pe toh main marke bhi trust na karu ab," Kulsoom muttered under her breath.

(I wouldn’t trust you if my life depended on it,)

"Dadi, woh main..." Azrin hesitated, glancing over at Sharfa in confusion. Sharfa had messaged her urgently, making her worry, and she'd rushed in without a second thought.

(Dadi, I just...)

"Azrin api waha kya kar rahi hain?" Kian, still eavesdropping from behind the door, forgot to keep his voice down. He knew Azrin well enough to know that she wouldn't come out of her room voluntarily. She could spend days without stepping out, so seeing her in the lounge during the day was practically a miracle.

(What’s Azrin api doing out there?)

"Kullu apna name change karna chahti hain. Bataye, name bhi koi change karne ki cheez hai?" Sharfa started explaining the situation to Azrin, looking as though she were genuinely bewildered.

(Kulsoom wants to change her name. Tell me, is that something you can just change?)

Azrin blinked, catching on quickly.

"Actually, inki galti hai nahi, school mein bullying bohot buri hoti hai. Log depress ho jate hain, badi dadi." Sharfa continued. "Pata hai, America mein aksar jo student bullying ke victim hote hain woh apni personality hi loss kar dete hain, khudme rehne lagte hain, kisi se interact nahi karte, bahar jane se darrte hain, aur choti choti baat pe gussa ajata hai..." Sharfa was making Kulsoom’s introverted personality sound outright troubled, and Rukhsar began to look genuinely concerned.

(It’s really not her fault, badi dadi. Bullying’s terrible in schools these days. People get so depressed,)

(In America, students who are bullied often lose their sense of identity, keep to themselves, avoid interaction, and get angry over the smallest things...)

Rukhsar, now visibly shuddered, suddenly looked at Kulsoom with a concerned expression, wondering if her granddaughter might actually be struggling with such feelings.

"Tumhari behen bohot sahi cheez hai," From the other side of the door, Ehan stifled a laugh, nudging Shahnan as he watched the scene unfold, utterly entertained.

(Your sister’s something else,)

"Kai baar toh apne hi school pe retaliate kar dete hain." This time, genuine disappointment appeared on Sharfa's face, and Rukhsar's heart sank.

(Sometimes they even retaliate at school.)

"Dadi, waise Momo sahi keh rahi hai." Azrin added with a soft voice. "Kulsoom ka naam hai toh bohot achha, lekin aaj ke time pe log wakai mein itna mazak banate hain jissey insan ka self esteem down hota hai,"

(Dadi, Momo’s not wrong,)

(Kulsoom’s name is nice, but people these days really do make fun of names, and it affects their self-esteem.)

Rukhsar sighed, looking at Kulsoom and Sharfa, who sat in front of her with contrasting expressions-Kulsoom looked anxious, while Sharfa wore a smug smile.

"Agar tumhe ek naam ki wajah se itni problem ho rahi hai toh change karlo, lekin ghar mein hum tumhe Kulsoom hi bulayenge." Rukhsar finally said, a subtle hint of fondness breaking through her usual strictness.

(If this name is causing you so much trouble, then go ahead and change it. But at home, we’re still calling you Kulsoom,)

•••

"Tum mujhe yeh batao, tum mujhe support kar rahi ya mental patient bana rahi thi?" The whole group was now in the courtyard. They were celebrating the success of getting permission for Kulsoom to change her name, but right now, Kulsoom was giving Sharfa a skeptical look, convinced she'd been thrown under the bus by Sharfa.

(Just tell me, were you actually supporting me, or were you trying to make me look like a mental patient?)

"Sahi baat hai, badi dadi Kullu ko aise dekh rahi thi, jaise abhi doctor ke paas le jayengi." Nomi laughed as he said this, earning a glare from Kulsoom. Everyone else found the situation hilarious—everyone except Kulsoom, who felt Momo's dramatic act had been totally unnecessary, especially with Dadi’s scolding.

(True that! Badi dadi was looking at Kullu like she was about to take her straight to the doctor.)

"Kaam toh ho gaya na, aur humare support ke begair na hota." Sharfa pouted, plopping down on the ground. Azrin and Eifa were already on the swing, with Azrin having been reluctantly dragged outside by Sharfa's persistence.

"Momo, agar yeh tumhara support hai, toh dushmani kya hogi? Dadi waha mujhe baat suna rahi thi aur tum aag mein ghee daal rahi thi." Kulsoom's disbelief was evident as she glared at her cousin.

(Momo, if that was your idea of support, then I'd hate to see your idea of an enemy! Dadi was lecturing me, and you were just making things worse!)

At that moment, Ehan's voice cut through the chatter. "Oho, yeh dekho bade log aye hain." he said, pointing towards the entrance where Huda entered, followed by Arman.

(Oh look, the VIPs are here!)

"Mujhe Eifa ne bataya Kullu apna naam change karne ja rahi hai?" Huda asked as soon as she arrived, her gaze on Kulsoom, who still looked slightly traumatized by her interaction with Rukhsar.

(Eifa told me Kullu is going to change her name?)

"Nani ne data?" Huda assmued this by her expression.

(Did nani scold her?)

Meanwhile, Arman walked straight up to Sharfa, giving the others only a passing glance. "Hi, Momo."

Sharfa gave him a quick "Hey," before bouncing up and joining Huda, leaving Arman staring after her, his enthusiasm visibly dampened, though no one seemed to notice.

With a triumphant tone, Sharfa looked back at the group. "Hum koi kaam le aur pura na karein ho hi nahi sakta. Badi dadi ne de di permission."

(When I take on a task, there’s no way I leave it unfinished. Badi dadi gave her approval.)

"Really? Mujhe puri baat batao." Huda's eyes went wide with disbelief.

(Really? Tell me everything!)

Kian, leaning against the courtyard wall, rolled his eyes and mumbled under his breath, "Yeh toh waise bhi puri baat batati hai,"

(She tells the whole story anyway,)

"Main chai banake lati hoon, phir puri baat sunte hain," Eifa said, getting off the swing, craving tea as usual—something she felt every half hour like clockwork.

(I’ll make tea, and then we’ll hear the whole story,)

"Chalo, main help kar deti hoon," Huda offered eagerly, but Eifa waved her off.

(I’ll help you,)

"Tum log kamre mein jao, main ati hoon," she assured them, heading towards her house.

(Just go to the room. I’ll be right back,)

"Eifa, kuch khane ko bhi, hume bhook lag raha hai," Sharfa called after her.

(Eifa, bring something to eat too. I'm starving,)

"Bhook lagti hai ya lagta hai?" Ehan piped up, grinning as he teased her broken Urdu. He couldn’t resist. Rukhsar was right; Sharfa really should stick to English, but she seemed to enjoy butchering Hindi/Urdu.

Sharfa, not one to back down, huffed. "Jab choti bhook ho toh lagti hai, bohot zyada bhook ho toh lagta hai," she declared, giving her broken language the confidence it didn’t deserve.

(When the hunger is small, it’s 'lagti hai'; when it’s big, it’s 'lagta hai,')

Just as everyone was focused on the conversation, Azrin was trying to slip away quietly to her house, but Sharfa noticed her, moved to the swing, and put an arm around her shoulder.

"Azrin api, aap room mein nahi jayengi. Hum itne time baad aye hain, aur humare sath time spend nahi karti. Aisa nahi chalta, ap humare sath rahengi bas, humne keh diya. Aur humari baat koi mana nahi karta, yakeen nahi toh bhai se puch lein." She glanced at Shahnan, who raised his brows and nodded.

(Azrin api, you’re not going back to your room. We hardly get to see each other, and now that we’re here, you’re spending no time with us? Not happening. You’re staying with us. And nobody dares disagree with me—ask bhai if you don’t believe me.)

"If you don’t listen to her, she’ll keep talking, so it’s wiser to agree," he teased, making Sharfa glare at him before she dramatically turned back to Azrin.

"Please na, api, hum chale jayenge kuch days later, phir waha jake hum kya yaad karenge? Azrin api toh room mein rehti thi, aap nahi jayengi room."

(Please, come on, api. We’re only here for a few days, and then what will I have to remember when I'm gone? ‘Azrin api stayed in her room’? Nope, not happening.)

"Momo, main..." Azrin started to protest, but Sharfa shook her head, her mind set.

(Momo, I...)

"Nahi nahi nahi, ap chal rahi hain humare sath," she said, firmly grabbing Azrin’s hand and tugging her along towards her room.

(Nope, nope, nope. You’re coming with us,)

The rest exchanged amused glances, watching the duo leave. Only Momo could guilt-trip someone this effectively.

•••

After pouring tea into cups, Eifa placed them on a tray and was about to leave the kitchen when it occurred to her to ask her mom if she wanted some tea. With that thought, she headed towards her mother’s room. The door was slightly ajar, but before she could knock, she overheard her mom talking.

"Haan, Kian ke rishte ke silsile mein Ayla api ne mujhse baat ki hai," Shyra said, her tone pensive, and Eifa found herself pausing, compelled to listen quietly.

(Yes, Ayla api talked to me about Kian's proposal,)

A proposal for Kian?

Shyra was clearly on a call, listening as the person on the other end spoke, her silence filled with contemplation.

"Pata nahi, Maama. Mere toh nahi samajh araha... Zahir hai Kabir ko koi problem nahi," Shyra murmured, the hint of confusion in her tone unmistakable.

(I don’t know, Maama. I can’t quite understand… Obviously, Kabir has no objections,)

Eifa’s brows knitted. What kind of proposal was this that required her mother’s understanding? Kian was Ayla’s son, so if she had someone in mind for him, her approval should be enough. And if Papa was happy, then…

"Kian achha hai, sabse barh kar ek ghar mein rehte hain par..." Shyra’s voice trailed off, and realization dawned on Eifa.

(Kian’s a good boy, and more importantly, he’s family, but…)

Her hand flew to her mouth, barely steadying the tray.

Kulsoom?

"Par woh Eifa se chota hai woh, kuch months hi sahi..." Shyra’s voice softened, and Eifa felt her heart drop, her chest tightening.

(But he’s younger than Eifa, even if it’s only by a few months…)

Kian and her?

•••

Eifa walked back toward her room, her mind still reeling from what she had just overheard. Her hands felt numb as she held the tray, her thoughts racing in circles around her mother’s words.

As she entered, the gang looked up, their casual chatter fading as she moved absentmindedly to place the tray down on the small table in the center of the room. Then taking a seat beside Ehan, who gave her a questioning look but stayed silent.

Kian reached forward to take a cup, his usual smile in place. He took a sip, only for his face to twist in distaste. "Eifa, yeh toh thandi hai," he complained.

(Eifa, tea’s cold,)

Eifa’s gaze turned to him, a flash of irritation crossing her face as she glared at him for a moment longer than usual before turning her head away without a word.

Kian blinked, momentarily stunned. "Kya hua tum..." he began, but the rest of his sentence trailed off, the confusion evident in his eyes.

(What happened to you...?)

Everyone in the room noticed Eifa's cold demeanor.

"Kya hua, Eifa?" Ehan asked gently.

(What’s wrong, Eifa?)

Eifa quickly realized she was surrounded by the group, and not everyone needed to know about her recent discovery.

"Kuch nahi, kya hua?" She forced a casual smile, adjusting her tone to sound lighthearted.

(It’s nothing, really,)

"Aap theek hain?" Shahnan asked, his voice filled with concern.

(You sure you’re okay?)

She met his gaze, giving a small smile and shaking her head.

"Uffo! Main theek hoon, bas kitchen mein thori garmi thi... Kian, tumhe thandi chai se problem hai toh jao khud garam karlo," she said, adding a playful tone to mask her unease.

(Uffo, I’m fine. It was just hot in the kitchen… And Kian, if you don’t like cold tea, go reheat it yourself,)

Most of the group seemed convinced by her response—except for Ehan and Shahnan, who exchanged skeptical glances.

"Ab koi meri bhi problem solve karega?" Kulsoom interjected, pulling everyone's attention back to her.

(Now, can someone solve my problem?)

The tension eased as the group shifted focus, though Eifa could still feel the lingering gazes of Ehan and Shahnan, silently noting her unusual mood.

"Chalo, iss matter ko solve karein," Sharfa grumbled.

(Come on, let’s figure this out,)

Although Kulsoom had gotten permission to change her name, she hadn’t actually thought of a new one. Now they all were trying to help.

Some were on their phones, others with tablets or books, each hunting for a name for Kulsoom.

“Zara kaisa rahega?” Huda suggested.

(What about Zara?)

“Nahi yaar, woh sirf Priety Zinta pe suit karta hai bas,” Ehan quickly dismissed, earning a glare from Huda.

(No way, that only suits Preity Zinta,)

“Zoya?” Nomi looked up from his tablet, only for Sharfa to immediately veto it.

“No way, Bollywood ki har Zoya ka hero...” Sharfa made a slicing motion across her neck, implying the hero ends up dead. “Woh konsi movie thi... Run... run... Ehan bhai, woh konsi movie thi?” When she couldn’t remember, she looked to Ehan for help.

(Not a chance! Every Bollywood Zoya ends up with a dead hero,)

(What was that movie… Run...run... Ehan bhai, what was that movie called?)

“Raanjhanaa,” Ehan replied.

“Haan, usme bechare hero ka end kitna bad tha,” Sharfa said sadly. “Lekin woh achha tha bhi nahi, bohot toxic movie thi na, dono hi red flag the....” Before Momo could go on a full review, Kulsoom shoved a biscuit into her mouth, silencing her.

(Right, the poor hero’s ending was awful in that one,)

(And honestly, he wasn't a good guy, the movie was so toxic, they were both red flags...) 

“Jannat mein bhi Zoya ke hero ki death hui thi,” Nomi recalled. “Kullu, tum yeh naam mat rakho,” he advised.

(The hero died in Jannat too,)

(Kullu, don’t pick this name,)

“Main rakh bhi nahi rahi thi.” she replied.

(I wasn’t going to anyway,)

“Woh chorho, mujhe yeh batao Jannat kaha dekhi tumne?” Ehan rounded on him.

(Forget that, tell me how you watched Jannat?)

“T.v pe arahi thi toh...” Nomi stammered.

(It was on TV, so I…,)

"Idhar aao main tumhe jahannum dikhata hoon.” Ehan motioned him over menacingly, and Nomi backed away.

(Come here, and I’ll show you the way to Jahannum (hell),)

"Sorry, Ehan bhai,"

“Bade aye Jannat dekhne wale, dubara na sunu aisi koi movie dekhi.” Nomi nodded in quick agreement.

(Big man, watching Jannat, don’t let me hear that you watched that kind of movie again.)

“Mere khayal se hum yaha mera naam decide kar rahe the,” Kulsoom’s frustration finally boiled over, and she slammed her phone on the table, glaring first at Ehan, then Nomi. Who both surrendered.

(I think we're deciding my name here,)

“Haan, toh main bhi wahi keh raha tha...” Ehan scooted closer to Eifa.

(Right, that’s exactly what I was getting to,)

“Madiha kaisa rahega?” Sharfa suggested. “Badi dadi ko bhi iss naam se koi problem nahi hogi,” she smiled at everyone, who seemed to be considering it until Ehan interrupted.

(What about Madiha?)

(Even Badi Dadi would approve,)

“No, not Madiha…”

“Tumhari problem kya hai?” Kian snapped, fed up with Ehan’s constant rejections. Everyone was bored but still sitting for Kulsoom’s sake.

(What’s your problem?)

“Madiha kyu nahi?” Huda glared at him too.

(Why not Madiha?)

“Woh... Meri ex ka naam hai,” Ehan stammered under the weight of their glares, speaking softly.

(That’s…uh…my ex’s name,)

A collective “What?” came from everyone.

“Apki ex? Kaise? Kab? Kaha? Kya hua tha?” Sharfa dropped her tablet and leaned forward, and everyone was just as curious since no one knew about Ehan’s ex.

(You had an ex? When? How? Where? What happened?)

“Ex kya thi, humare sath class 6th mein parhti thi, friendship day pe inhe chocolate diya tha, tabse yeh uske sath relationship mein hain.” Eifa, now feeling a lot better, recounted, crushing everyone’s excitement for juicy gossip. They looked at Ehan as if to ask, “Seriously?”

(Ex? She was in our class in sixth grad, she gave him a chocolate on Friendship Day, and from that day, he claimed they were in a ‘relationship,’)

“Haan toh, friendship day pe usne sirf mujhe chocolate diya tha aur kisiko nahi, aur apne birthday pe bhi mujhe 2 chocolates deti thi. Uska aur mera kuch khas tha.” Ehan defended, though his face had turned red.

(Hey, she only gave me a chocolate on Friendship Day, no one else! And on her birthday, she’d give me two chocolates. We had something special,)

“Khas toh tumhara aur Neha ka bhi tha,” Eifa teased, biting her lip to hold back laughter as she told everyone, “Usne inhe rakhi bandh di thi.” making everyone laugh—everyone except Ehan, who was glaring at Eifa.

(You had something special with Neha too,)

(She tied him a rakhi!)

“Tum behen ho kya ho?”

(Are you my sister or enemy?)

“Aliya kaisa rahega?” Eifa suggested, ignoring Ehan. She looked around, feeling confident about this one. And, as expected, Ehan started to speak up.

(How about Aliya?)

“Par Aliya toh...” he trailed off, suddenly aware of everyone’s eyes narrowing on him. Clearing his throat, he scratched his ear awkwardly.

(But Aliya is…)

Before anyone could ask Ehan about his issue with Aliya, a soft knock on the door turned their attention to Arman, who stepped in with a quick announcement for Huda. "Arsalan bhai agaye hain, chalein?"

(Arsalan bhai is here, should we go?)

"Kaha chalein? Tum aaj rukogi nahi?" Eifa’s expression showed her dismay at Huda's impending departure.

(Where to? Aren’t you staying tonight?)

"Nahi, mummy ne bulaya hai," The reluctance in Huda's voice was clear; she would have loved to stay, but ignoring Rehnuma’s call was never an option.

(No, mummy's calling me.)

"Toh hum baat kar lete hain unse, aap rukiye na please." Sharfa suggested energetically, as if taking on Rehnuma would be a fun challenge.

(Then I'll talk to her, come on, stay for a bit longer, please.)

Nomi looked at her with disbelief. "Momo, tumhe apni jaan azeez nahi kya? Kabhi badi dadi se baat karti ho, toh ab phuppo se."

(Momo, do you not care about your life or what? You argue with badi dadi, now you want to go up against phuppo.)

Ehan quickly cut in, trying to defend his aunt. "Iska kya matlab hua? Itni sweet phuppo toh hain humari," His innocent defense only served to crack everyone up. Ehan himself joined in the laughter, knowing full well Rehnuma’s strict and intimidating side.

(What’s that supposed to mean? Our phuppo's so sweet.)

Sharfa clasped her hands together. "Chaliye, kam se kam hum Arsalan bhai se mil lein, unse mile kafi time hua..." she mused, touching her chin thoughtfully. "Pata nahi unhe hum yaad honge ya nahi,"

(Come on, at least let’s go meet Arsalan bhai; it’s been a long time…)

(I wonder if he even remembers me or not.)

Kulsoom gave her a weird look. "Momo, tab tum bachhi thi, Arsalan bhai nahi,"

(Momo, back then you were a kid, not Arsalan bhai.)

Decidedly intrigued, Sharfa joined the group to Kaif’s house, with Ehan and Kulsoom tagging along, while Eifa opted to stay back in her room.

•••

Arsalan was seated in the lounge, his phone in hand as he finished a call. He was the picture of sophistication: a tall, broad-shouldered figure in a tailored grey shirt and trousers, his sleeves rolled up to reveal strong forearms. His tie hung loosely around his neck, and his coat lay casually draped over the back of his chair. Even after a long day at the office, he looked effortlessly refined, his sharp jawline and neatly combed hair giving him a striking, almost cinematic presence.

As they entered, he glanced up, his gaze briefly scanning the group before focusing back on his phone. Then, when his eyes lingered on Azrin, he wrapped up his call. "I’ll call you back," he murmured into the phone, hanging up and flashing them a warm smile as they approached.

"Assalam-Alaikum, bhai," they all greeted him in unison,

"Walekum-Assalam," Arsalan smiled back, returning their greeting, but his eyes settled on Azrin with a softness. "Kaisi ho, Azrin?"

(How are you, Azrin?)

"Main theek hoon, Arsalan bhai, ap kaise hain?" Azrin responded softly, her voice gentle.

(I’m good, Arsalan bhai. How are you?)

A faint, slightly bittersweet smile played on Arsalan’s lips.

Arsalan—she had finally started pronouncing his name correctly. Gone were the days she mispronounced it as Arsal, Asan, Salan, and so many other variations.