She stood on the balcony, gazing at a random object on the road, but her mind wasn't on that object. It was consumed by thoughts of the night before. That night had been special, but also unsettling. She wasn’t sure if it was right. She knew she liked him, but as someone who overthinks, her mind spiraled with doubts: What if this doesn’t work? What if it’s just an attraction, or simply a habit of having him around? And then, she pondered: What is love, really? She whispered, Love is something… I don’t know.
Suddenly, a car pulled up in front of the house. She looked up and saw him. He stepped out of the car and smiled up at her as though he knew she’d be there. She smiled back. He walked inside, his bag in hand, and she followed him into the hall. She was wearing a yellow dress—the one they both loved.
"How are you, Maya? Did you eat?" he asked, setting his laptop bag on the table.
"No," she replied.
"Why?" he asked, moving toward her with concern.
She didn't answer, but instead, he pulled her into a hug. "You should eat something," he said, showing her a bag with pizza and her favorite chocolates.
She made a cute face. "I’m not hungry," she murmured.
"But you like it," he countered.
"Are you upset because I didn’t let you go to India? We’ll go together, Maya," he added. "I just need to freshen up. Then, you can tell me what’s on your mind."
She nodded, allowing him to go. She was still unsure of what to say or if she should say anything at all.
When he returned, he asked, "Still here? You really don’t want to eat?"
She didn’t answer but remained silent. He took her hand, kissed it gently, and said, "Let’s go."
They walked to a large balcony area, surrounded by flowers and a beautiful view of the sky, the moon, and the stars—the kind of place they both loved.
"Don’t worry about the food," he said to his cook. "We’ll eat later. We’re having pizza."
Her face lit up with a smile, and she sat on the sofa.
"It’s nice weather, huh?" she asked.
"Mm-hmm," he responded, setting his phone on the table before sitting beside her. He pulled her into a gentle hug and asked, "What’s wrong? Are you okay?"
She nodded quietly, but he repeated, "What about India? You’re still thinking about it?"
She sighed, her voice rising slightly. "It’s not about that. I’m here with you."
He looked at her with a questioning expression. "Then what’s bothering you?"
"I don’t know... You’re taking everything so seriously," she said, her voice softening.
He interrupted her gently, "Are you upset because of last night?"
"No," she responded quickly. "It’s not about that. It’s just... I don’t know if my mom and dad will agree. I can’t talk to them about us. And why did your uncle talk to them? My mom sometimes asks about you, like she’s trying to figure out what’s going on."
He took a deep breath and looked at her with understanding. "Maya, you should be proud of your parents. When my dad was talking to your uncle at that big event, your mom was beaming with pride. She was so proud of you. You’ve accomplished so much. You’ve worked hard, and you’re the CEO of a growing company. You’re part of so many big organizations, with senior roles. You’ve earned respect, fame... Everything. And your mom won’t be able to deny just one more thing—me."
She didn’t say anything, but he continued, "Don’t worry. My dad talked to them. They want you to be part of our life too. They’re happy about us. I know you don’t want to hurt their feelings, but you can’t always live for society. What does society matter?"
She looked at him, still unsure, but he smiled and added, "Everything is going to be fine. I know you’re worried because it’s love, and sometimes society makes things harder. But you’ve worked so hard to achieve everything in your life. Why worry now? Your mom is proud of you. She felt like the most wonderful woman when your name was announced on the stage as the youngest self-made billionaire from India. You have power, Maya. You’ve built your own world. I know this. And I don’t want to make her feel bad about us."
She looked at him, her face softening, and he said with a childish grin, "Bad? Is it bad to like a guy who’s been loving you for two years?"
"Maya, they understand everything. It’ll be okay. We’ll handle this together," he said, his tone sincere.
"But don’t leave me. If you leave me alone, I’ll cry," he added, making a cute face, and both of them burst into laughter.
She punched him lightly in the stomach and said, "Okay, enough talking. Let’s eat the pizza you brought me."
He smiled. "Sure, what piece do you want?"
As they ate, she said in a playful voice, "Actually, I’m not worried about my parents... It’s you who hurts me." She made a pouty face, teasing him. "You left me alone and went to the Himalayas without saying anything. Who was she?"
He grinned. "And what about you, huh? You’ve been keeping secrets from me."
They playfully bickered, laughing at each other. In the background, a servant came in, smiling at their light-hearted argument while setting things up for later. The two of them, so wrapped up in each other, didn’t notice how everyone around them had already started to understand that this was more than just a passing moment.
