"Arsalan bhai, Momo apse milna chahti thi, woh janna chahti thi ki apko woh yaad hai ya nahi," Ehan nudged Arsalan's attention toward Sharfa, who sat close to Azrin.

(Arsalan bhai, Momo wanted to meet you; she was curious to know if you remembered her,)

Sharfa, who'd been so eager to see Arsalan, suddenly seemed at a loss for words now that he was looking right at her.

Seventeen-year-old Sharfa looked even smaller than usual, her petite frame swallowed by her oversized shirt and jeans. Her round, curious blue eyes peered up at him, framed by soft lashes, her cheeks glowing a shy pink that only deepened under his gaze. Her ponytail pulled her brown hair back loosely, with a few wisps escaping around her face, giving her a mouse-like charm.

A gentle smile appeared on Arsalan's face. "Mujhe tum yaad ho, Momo," Arsalan said with a hint of amusement. "Meri chai mein tumne mirchi milai thi mujhe yaad hai,"

(I remember you, Momo.)

(You put chili powder in my tea, I remember.)

Sharfa's cheeks flamed even redder. "Woh... Humne phuppo ki cup mein add kiya tha, apne le liya tha..." she mumbled, her voice barely above a whisper, the words tumbling out in a rush.

(That… I actually put it in phuppo's cup, but you took it,)

Sharfa had a habit of always speaking the truth, and this time was no different. When she admitted what she did, Arsalan's eyes widened in surprise, while Ehan, Kian, and Nomi tried hard to stifle their laughter. Though they found the situation amusing, they dared not laugh openly in front of Arsalan, Huda, and Arman after the revelation that Momo had once tried put chili in Rehnuma's tea.

•••

Arsalan and the others had left, and after dinner, when Eifa, Kulsoom, and Sharfa returned to their room, Kulsoom suddenly remarked, "Arsalan bhai ki personality kitni achhi haina,"

(Arsalan bhai has such a nice personality,)

Eifa, who was following her usual skincare routine, paused, then took a deep breath out. "I know," she replied.

"I agree," added Sharfa, who had recently found herself noticing Arsalan's quiet confidence. Busy playing a game on her tablet, she kept her voice casual, though her cheeks hinted at a flush. Silence settled over the three, a shared understanding lingering in the air.

Sharfa got absorbed back in her game, while Eifa's thoughts wandered what she recently heard her mother's talk about Kian and his proposal. Kulsoom, however, was still musing over the recent dinner and all she'd picked up on.

"Eifa," Kulsoom called out suddenly, making Eifa look at her in surprise.

"Yeh Arsalan bhai aur Azrin api ki shadi ki baat chali thi na ek baar?" Kulsoom asked, trying to recall a conversation she'd only vaguely heard when she was younger.

(Wasn’t there talk once about Arsalan bhai and Azrin api marriage?)

"Arsalan bhai? Azrin api? I ship them!" Sharfa set her tablet down and leaned forward with a spark of excitement, looking back and forth between her cousins, wanting to hear more.

"Unki shadi kyu nahi hui?" Kulsoom asked with genuine curiosity.

(Why didn’t they get married?)

Eifa, rubbing lotion on her hands, thought back to eight years ago and shrugged. "Azrin api ne mana kar diya tha,"

(Azrin api turned it down.)

"Kyu? Woh toh itne perfect hain." Sharfa said, surprised. She couldn't imagine anyone turning down Arsalan, who carried himself with such dignity and warmth.

(Why? They would’ve been perfect together.)

"Pata nahi, Azrin api ka manna tha ki..." Eifa paused, recalling Azrin's exact words. "Perfectionist shadi sirf ghar basane ke liye karte hain, shadi ke baad biwi ko kisi trophy ki tarah saja dete hain ghar pe. Dost rishtedaro mein tareef hoti, lekin unhe khudko koi zaroorat nahi hoti biwi ki." She finished in one breath and looked at Kulsoom and Sharfa, who stared back at her with wide eyes, trying to piece it together.

(I don’t know. Azrin api believed…)

(Perfectionists get married just to settle down, and after marriage, they treat their wife like a trophy to decorate their home. Friends and relatives praise her, but the husband himself has no need for his wife.)

"Azrin api chahti thi, woh kisi aise shaks se shadi karein jiski zindagi mein unki kami ho, jo unse shadi isliye na kare ki sunnat hai, ya yeh bhi ek kaam hai, balki iss liye, kyuki woh unke begair reh hi na sake... Emmad bhai waise the bhi," Eifa's tone had softened by the end, her words filled with a touch of sorrow at the mention of Emmad. Kulsoom's eyes filled with understanding, choosing not to probe further, though it seemed to ignite more questions in Sharfa.

(Azrin api wanted to marry someone who truly felt her absence in his life. Someone who wouldn’t marry her just because it’s a tradition or a duty, but because he simply couldn’t live without her. Emmad bhai was like that,)

"Aur Arsalan bhai ne ab tak shadi kyu nahi? Kya woh pasand karte the Azrin api ko?" Sharfa wondered aloud.

(Then why hasn’t Arsalan bhai married yet? Did he like Azrin api?)

"Pata nahi? Shayad nahi, Azrin api ki shadi mein woh kafi khush khush the, balki phuppo naraz thi kafi, lekin Arsalan bhai normal the." They hadn't really discussed Azrin or Arsalan's matters in this depth before, so Eifa found herself pondering over everything as well.

(I don’t know. Maybe not. He seemed perfectly happy at Azrin api’s wedding. In fact, Phuppo was the one who was upset, but Arsalan bhai looked completely normal.)

"Lekin pata nahi unhone kabhi shadi kyu nahi ki. Huda batati hai phuppo ne toh kitna israr kiya tha, itne achhe proposals bhi aye the unke liye, lekin unhone sabko mana kar diya. Aur shadi ke zikar se tang akey abroad chale gaye, aur tab wapas aye jab phuppo ne keh diya ki shadi ke liye force nahi karengi." Eifa told them everything she knew. Kulsoom and Sharfa were listening to every word with great attention.

(But no one knows why he never got married. Huda says that phuppo insisted so much, and he received such good proposals, but he turned them all down. And he got so fed up with the mention of marriage that he moved abroad, only returning when phuppo promised not to force him into marriage anymore.)

"Yeh baat hume samajh nahi ayi, kuch toh missing hai," Sharfa murmured, pressing her finger thoughtfully to her chin as if searching for the missing piece of a puzzle. But she didn't live here and didn't fully understand the emotions that had played out over the years.

(This doesn’t make sense. There’s something missing,)

"Kash Al yaha hote, woh yun solve kar dete mystery, he's an expert!" Sharfa sighed regretfully.

(I wish Al was here. He’d solve this mystery in a heartbeat.)

"Who's Al? Jabse ayi ho uska zikar kar rahi ho." Eifa asked, confused.

(Who’s Al? You’ve been mentioning him ever since you arrived,)

"Basim uncle ka beta, Aliyar," Kulsoom clarified for her.

(Basim uncle’s son, Aliyar,)

"Woh chotu?" Eifa said, remembering a younger Aliyar from years past. Aliyar rarely visited India, while Issam came every holiday, so everyone knew Issam much better.

(That little guy?)

"Woh chotu nahi hain, he's tall," Sharfa said defensively, clearly offended that Eifa had called Aliyar "chotu." She immediately spoke up in her friend's defense.

(He's not little; he's tall,)

"Yeah, he must be all grown up by now," Eifa responded.

"Mujhe janna hai Arsalan bhai ne shadi kyu nahi ki," Kulsoom mused aloud, sounding almost frustrated as the thought lingered.

(I want to know why Arsalan bhai never married,)

"Hume bhi," Sharfa echoed, her curiosity piqued once again.

(So do I,)

"Jao Arsalan bhai se puchlo," Eifa teased, lying back and making herself comfortable.

(Go ask him yourself,)

"I wish," Kulsoom muttered, almost wistfully.

"Hum puch lein?" Sharfa wondered, momentarily forgetting how she had been tongue-tied in front of Arsalan earlier. Her bold curiosity sparked a glint in her eyes.

(Should I ask him?)

"Momo, so jao," Eifa's firm tone silenced Sharfa, though Eifa herself was now drifting into thoughts of Arsalan, forgetting Kian's proposal. The mystery remained: why hadn't Arsalan bhai ever married? She was certain she hadn't imagined the genuine happiness on his face at Azrin's wedding. The question nagged at her as sleep began to evade her.

(Momo, go to sleep,)

•••

Arsalan entered his room with tired steps, sinking into the darkness without bothering to turn on the lights. He sat down on the sofa, not even glancing around. Meeting Azrin again after years had been painful. Her once lively eyes now held dark circles, evidence that she hadn't slept peacefully in countless nights. The sparkle in her eyes had dimmed, and she seemed withdrawn, lost in her shell. Arsalan was struck by memories of a time when Azrin was vibrant and lively, filling the entire haveli with her talks, arguing with him over every little thing, and constantly smiling.

Then, the memory of the day he refused to marry Azrin resurfaced. He had used some harsh words, words that still brought him shame. He shouldn't have said those things. But at that time, the idea of marrying Azrin hadn't even crossed his mind, and he knew his mother wouldn't take his refusal seriously. Maybe it was helplessness or anger that made him say it, hoping his mother would stop insisting. Little did he know that he'd one day regret his words so deeply. What if he'd simply agreed to his mother's wishes? But what's done is done.

•••

The next day, Eifa was once again troubled by thoughts of Kian and the proposal. She felt increasingly unsettled at the idea that they were considering her marriage to Kian. For her, Kian was just like Ehan; how could anyone even think of such a thing?

"Kian aur main?Yeh log aisa soch bhi kaise sakte hain," Eifa's hand paused mid-way through doing her hair, and she shivered.

(Kian and me? How can they even consider that?)

"Maama kuch bolengi main fouran mana kar dungi. Zabardasti thori karenge," Eifa muttered to herself, looking at her reflection in the mirror.

(If Maama says anything, I'll immediately refuse. They can't force me,)

"Kis cheez ke liye?" Sharfa, who had just stepped out of the shower, caught her last sentence and stood by, curious.

(For what?)

Eifa saw her reflection in the mirror and then turned around, trying to gauge how much Sharfa had overheard. But Sharfa's expression was blank, so it was clear she'd only caught the last part.

"Nothing," Eifa replied evasively. She picked up her dupatta from the bed, draped it around her neck, grabbed her bag, and prepared to leave. But Sharfa interrupted.

"Aap University ja rahi?" She looked disappointed.

(Are you going to the university?)

"Haan, kyu? Kuch chahiye tha?" Eifa, busy adjusting her wristwatch, didn't notice Sharfa's disappointed face.

(Yeah, why? Did you need something?)

"Kullu bhi school gayi, ab hum kya karenge?" Sharfa explained her dilemma, and only then did Eifa realize. The poor girl would be alone.

(Both Kullu and you are going to be out; now what will I do alone?)

"Momo, maine kal bhi chutti li thi, aaj nahi le sakti... Kullu ka waise aj last paper hai, kal se uski chutti hogi." Eifa tried to reassure her, but Sharfa shrugged, as if to say, what does tomorrow have to do with today? Today she'd still be alone.

(Momo, I took a day off yesterday; I can't today. Anyway, it's Kullu's last paper, so her break starts tomorrow.)

"Achha main jaldi ajaungi, khush?" Eifa thought she'd just mark her attendance in the first lecture and then head back.

(Fine, I'll come home early. Happy?)

"It's okay, hum Azrin api ke sath..." Sharfa was now trying to reassure Eifa that she'd be fine, but before she could finish, Eifa interrupted her.

(I'll just hang out with Azrin Api...)

"Unhe disturb mat karna, Momo. Kal tumne unhe bohot disturb kiya."

(Don't bother her, Momo. You disturbed her enough yesterday.)

"Humne konsa unse haveli ki safai karwai?" Sharfa protested.

(It's not like I made her clean the whole haveli,)

"Momo, tum nahi samjhogi. Azrin api aaj kal kafi pareshaan rehti hain," Eifa gently explained. But Sharfa just rolled her eyes.

(Momo, you wouldn't understand. Azrin Api has been really stressed lately,)

"Aur Azrin api ko aise akela chorh dene se woh theek ho jayengi?" Sharfa didn't know the whole story, but she was aware of the things Azrin was going through.

(And leaving her alone will make her feel better?)

Eifa fell silent at Sharfa's words; she hadn't expected such insight from her. After a deep breath, she finally said, "Theek hai, mat chorho unko akela, lekin khabardaar jo baatein humare beech hui uska zikar Azrin api se kiya." Eifa warned her firmly, making Momo pout. What did Eifa think of her? Did she not have enough sense?

(Fine, don't leave her alone, but don't mention anything that we talked about.)

"Hum itne Beqawoof nahi." Sharfa replied.

(I'm not that foolish,)

"Bewaqoof," Eifa corrected with a laugh, patting her on the head before leaving.

"Yeah, that," Sharfa muttered, moving forward but then bumped her foot against the bed. "Ouch," she murmured, adjusting herself before walking on.

"But I need to find out why Arsalan Bhai hasn't gotten married yet," Sharfa's scheming mind was never at peace as she dried her long, damp hair with a towel.

•••

Eifa had just bid farewell to Shyra and was in the aangan when she bumped into Shahnan.

"Aap University ja rahi hain?" He seemed like he was heading out himself, wearing a white T-shirt, blue jeans, and holding car keys. His sharp jawline, paired with his deep ash-blue eyes, gave him a certain charm that was hard to ignore. With an effortlessly tousled hairstyle and a calm confidence in his demeanor, Shahnan possessed a striking handsomeness that Eifa often heard others mention but never focused on herself.

(Are you going to university?)

"Zahir hai, subah subah aur kaha jaungi?" Eifa replied as she walked on.

(Obviously, where else would I be going in the morning?)

"Shall I drop you?" He matched her pace, walking beside her.

"Nahi, main driver ke sath chali jaungi," Eifa didn't want to bother him, so she declined.

(No, I’ll go with the driver,)

"Mujhe driver hi samajh lein," Shahnan said with a smile, prompting Eifa to glance at him briefly, then gesture with a sigh.

(Think of me as the driver,)

"Chalo, kardo drop,"

(Fine, drop me off.)

Shahnan quickly headed to the car, opened the front door for her, and with one hand over his chest, motioned for her to get in.

His chivalry made Eifa laugh. "Thank you," she said as she settled in.

After putting on his shades, Shahnan got into the driver's seat. "Waise apko mujhe address samjhana hoga," he mentioned as he started the car.

(By the way, you’ll need to guide me on the directions,)

"Isliye kaha tha driver ke sath chali jaungi," Eifa teased.

(Which is why I said I’d go with the driver,)

Before Shahnan could respond, his phone, placed on the dashboard, rang. The name "Sam" flashed, and he quickly declined the call.

"Who's Sam?" Eifa wasn't sure what prompted her to ask since she usually didn't interfere in others' business.

"Friend," Shahnan said matter-of-factly.

"Jabse aye ho yeh Sam ki bohot calls ati hain tumhare phone pe, friend hai ya... girlfriend," She smiled mischievously, turning fully toward him.

(Ever since you arrived, this Sam has been calling a lot. It's a friend or... girlfriend?)

"Astaghfirullah, Eifa," Shahnan muttered. "Sam is a guy... and I don't have a girlfriend," he clarified earnestly. But Eifa's face fell, clearly hoping for a different answer.

"Tumhari sach mein koi girlfriend nahi? Agey se left..." She guided him while asking.

(You really don’t have a girlfriend? Take the next left...)

"Nahi," Shahnan kept his eyes on the road as Eifa observed him.

(No,)

"Jhoot, tum batana nahi chahte." Eifa wasn't ready to believe he was single.

(Liar, you just don’t want to admit it,)

Ehan and Kian didn't have girlfriends either, but they grew up under strict rules at the haveli. Shahnan, however, had been living freely in America; it was hard for her to believe that someone so good-looking, raised in such freedom, was single.

"Isme na yakeen karne wali konsi baat hai?" Shahnan couldn't understand why she was so shocked.

(What's so hard to believe about that?)

"Nahi, bas aise hi. Itne good looking ho, tum kaise single reh gaye?" She said bluntly. Shahnan was four years younger than her, so she felt it was her right to tease him.

(No, just wondering. You’re so good-looking; how are you still single?)

"Aap nahi mili na," he replied with the same innocence she'd used, casting a quick glance at her before focusing back on the road.

(I haven’t met you,)

All of Eifa's mischief and laughter vanished; her face froze for a second. She shook her head, looking away from him to stare at the road instead.

"Kya majboori hai jo tum mujhse flirt kar rahe ho?" Eifa teased him again, smiling.

(Why are you flirting with me?)

Shahnan felt like banging his head on the steering wheel. "Kya zamana agaya hai, sachhe jazbato ko flirting kaha ja raha hai," he sighed.

(What a time we live in; sincere feelings are mistaken for flirting,)

Eifa rolled her eyes, but they had arrived at her university, so she decided not to continue the argument.

She was about to open the car door when Shahnan called her name.

"Eifa," he removed his shades, resting both arms on the steering wheel, his intense deep eyes fixed on her. In a calm voice, he said, "Main flirt nahi karta,"

(I don’t flirt.)