Chapter 67

Subhi

The quiet walk in the park had become something so much more. Each step with Abhimanyu felt like I was walking towards something bigger than I could have imagined. The uncertainty, the fear of saying too much too soon—everything had faded in the light of his smile, the warmth of his hand in mine, and the weight of the words that hung between us.

We reached the spot where we always stopped, the little bench under the big tree with branches that reached out like a safe canopy, sheltering us from the world. It had become our spot, somehow. It felt right to be here, to be with him.

I turned to face him, still holding his hand, my heart beating faster than usual. I could feel it—the shift in the air, the tension between us that wasn’t uncomfortable anymore but electric, like everything was finally aligning.

“Abhimanyu,” I whispered, his name soft on my lips. I could feel his gaze on me, steady and sure. “I’ve been thinking a lot… about us. And everything that’s happened.”

He didn’t speak at first. Instead, he just held my gaze, his expression soft, but there was something intense in his eyes. I could see it. The same thing I was feeling—the pull that neither of us had been able to deny anymore.

“I know,” he said quietly. “I’ve been thinking about it too.”

I swallowed, feeling the words bubbling up. “I don’t want to keep pretending, Abhimanyu. I don’t want to be afraid anymore. I—”

Before I could say anything more, he took a small step closer, closing the space between us. “Subhi,” he interrupted gently, his voice barely a whisper now, but it was the most meaningful thing I’d ever heard. “I don’t want to pretend either. I’ve spent so long hiding from how I feel. But I can’t hide from this. I can’t hide from you anymore.”

My breath caught in my throat, my chest tight with emotion. This was it. This was the moment I had been waiting for, and I could feel my heart racing in anticipation.

“I love you, Subhi,” he confessed, his words so quiet, yet so strong. “I love you more than I ever thought I could love someone. I’ve been trying to convince myself I didn’t need anyone, but with you… it’s different. You make everything feel… right. I’ve never felt this way before.”

The words hit me like a wave, washing over me with warmth. There it was—what I had been wanting, hoping for, but still afraid to believe could be true. His love was real, and he was giving it to me, right here, right now.

Tears pricked the corners of my eyes, and I stepped forward, closing the space between us completely. “I love you too, Abhimanyu,” I said, my voice trembling slightly. “I’ve never been this sure of anything in my life. You’ve become my person, the one I can’t imagine being without. I’ve been afraid too, but I know now that I don’t need to be.”

He smiled then, the most genuine smile I had ever seen, and it was like the entire world fell into place. His hand reached up to gently cup my cheek, and I closed my eyes, leaning into the touch, feeling the warmth of his hand on my skin.

Without a word, he leaned in, his forehead resting against mine, the space between our lips so small, it felt like we were already kissing without even moving.

“I’ve wanted to do this for so long,” he whispered.

And with that, he kissed me.

It wasn’t rushed. It wasn’t some dramatic, movie-like moment. It was soft, slow, and so incredibly real. His lips were warm against mine, and in that simple kiss, I felt everything—his love, his vulnerability, his hope. Everything I had been feeling was there, too, and I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect moment.

The world around us faded, leaving only the two of us. The gentle breeze, the rustling of the leaves, and the soft sound of our breaths mingled as we stood there, wrapped in the embrace of each other’s love. The kiss deepened, and for a moment, I lost track of time, lost in the feeling of being with him.

When we finally pulled away, we were both breathless, and I couldn’t stop the smile that spread across my face.

“You make everything feel like it’s meant to be,” I whispered, resting my head against his chest.

“I feel the same way,” he replied softly, wrapping his arms around me in a protective embrace. “I’m not running anymore, Subhi. I want this. I want you.”

I closed my eyes, taking in the moment. It was just us now. No more doubts, no more fears. We had confessed our feelings, and in doing so, we had started something that felt like it would last forever. It was the beginning of something new, something beautiful. And I was ready to embrace it all, because I knew I wasn’t alone.

We stood there for a while, holding each other close, letting the silence speak the words we couldn’t say. And in that silence, I knew—everything would be okay. Because we had each other. And that was all we needed.

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