Chapter 29: Hidden Bonds Revealed

Later,

At Naina's apartment complex:

(The elevator doors slid open with a soft chime, and Vikram, Tanvi, and Gaurav stepped into the hallway.

The dim lighting gave the corridor a calm, serene vibe as they walked towards the apartment.)

Tanvi: (curious as ever, glances around) Bhaiya, aise bade society mein, security ne roka bhi nahi? kisi ne check bhi nahi kiya!!! That's strange

Vikram: (smirks slightly, and explains) Nahi.... yahaan, security bahut tight hai.... Lekin mere paas entry access hai!! (pulls out his phone) She sent me a QR code. Main woh scan karta hoon... aur phir, bina kisi checking- vecking ke, main aa sakta hoon!!!

Tanvi: (teases him) waah bhaiya!!! Aap dono itne close ho gaye... ki unke apartment ka seedha access mil gaya aapko!!!! Itna special treatment?

Vikram: (smiles sheepishly) aur nahi toh kya??

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Soon,

(They reached the apartment door and Vikram pressed the doorbell. A faint chime echoed inside, but there was no response.

The three exchanged glances, waiting patiently. After about two minutes, Vikram rang the bell again.)

Tanvi: (glances at her watch, frowns) Lagta hai woh so gayi hongi, Bhaiya. Let's go. It's late anyway.

(Before Vikram could respond, a soft shuffling sound came from the other side of the door.

They waited, and after almost a few minutes, the sound of the door unlocking finally broke the silence.

The door opened just a crack, and Naina, her hair slightly disheveled, peeked out sleepily.

Her eyes were half-closed, her face flushed with the warmth of recent sleep. She blinked a few times, trying to focus.

But the moment her eyes landed on Tanvi, they flew wide open in shock.)

Naina: (startled) Tanvi didi?!!

Tanvi: (equally stunned, screams) NAINA BHABHI!!!

(Her scream echoed down the hallway and before Naina could react, Tanvi pushed the door open wider and enveloped her in a tight hug.)

(Behind them, Gaurav, curious about the commotion, stepped forward. When his eyes finally landed on Naina, his face lit up with a mixture of disbelief and joy.)

Gaurav: (tears well up in his eyes) Naina Bhabhi?! Sach mein aap ho?

(Naina's her sleepy demeanor was completely gone now. She smiled seeing Gaurav there.

Naina: Gaurav ji?? Kaise ho aap?

Gaurav: theek hoon.... (glances at Tanvi) ab theek hoon main!!!!

(The bond of a soul brother and sister rekindled instantly as they embraced each other warmly. Their warmth filling up the entire space.)

(Tanvi, still recovering from the shock, turned to look at Vikram, who was now leaning casually against the doorframe, watched the reunion with a small, satisfied smile.

When Naina finally stepped back, Vikram walked up to her. He gently pulled her closer and placed a tender kiss on the top of her head.)

Vikram: Sorry, Babe, aise raat ko disturb kar diya!!!

Naina: (cheeks flushing, smiles) Jaan, it's okay.... Main toh itni khush hoon, ki aap sab mere ghar aaye!!

(Tanvi and Gaurav exchanged shocked yet happy glances, still trying to process the new dynamic they were witnessing.)

Tanvi: (teases them) waah... toh bhaiya... yeh hai aapki 'Babe'.

Vikram: (smiles sheepishly) yes... aur main iski 'Jaan'

(The warmth of the apartment enveloped them as they entered.

Despite the late hour, the room seemed to come alive with laughter and joy as old bonds were rekindled and new ones strengthened.)

Naina: aap sab baithiye.... Main paani leke aati hoon.

(Tanvi immediately grabbed her hand, pulling her back down onto the couch.)

Tanvi: (smiled warmly, her eyes filled with affection) Paani nahi chahiye, bhabhi! Hum ghar se hi aaye hain.... aap aao, baitho!!!! Hamaare aate hi, aap kaam mein lag jaati ho!!! (smiles) mujhe vishwaas nahi ho raha ki Bhaiya aur aap...

Gaurav: (finishes her sentence) ... Ek saath hain.

(Naina, her cheeks flushing slightly, glanced at Vikram, who gave her an encouraging nod.)

Naina: Haan... kuch waqt laga, par... we found our way back to each other.

Vikram: (smiles) Aur ab toh, aap dono meri 'Babe' se officially mil chuke ho.... toh, kaisa laga surprise?

Tanvi: (teasing) Shock zyada laga hai, Bhaiya. Surprise baad mein.

(they laugh, and soon the conversation flowed naturally.)

Naina: Kabir kaisa hai?? Cricket practice kaisi chal rahi hai?

Gaurav: (grins proudly) He is doing well!!! Kaafi acchi practice chal rahi hai uski. Dedicated hai, aur coach bhi khush hai uss say.

Naina: (her face lights up) bacche jab mehnat karte hain... phir tarakki karte hain, toh hum badhon ko kitna proud feel hota hai naa?

Tanvi: (smiling) Bilkul, bhabhi. Uski progress dekh kar toh lagta hai ki ek din zaroor team India ke liye khelega.

Naina: (with excitement) zaroor khelega, didi!!!! Waise, Aap Kabir ko bhi yahaan le aate! Bahut time ho gaya ussay dekhe huay!!!

Tanvi: (chuckles) Arrey, woh so gaya tha, warna zaroor le aate. Aaj kaafi thak gaya tha!!!! waise, Gaurav ji toh kuch din mein waapas jaa rahe hain. But Kabir and I, are here for another month... toh hum phir koi get together plan kar lenge. Usse bhi toh pata chale ki uski Naina mami aur Vikram Mama, ab ek team hain!!!

Naina: haan didi... sure!!!! (turns towards Vikram) waise, Kiaan aur Kiara ka kya scene hai?? Netflix aur chill kar rahe hain kya?

Tanvi: Woh dono toh party attend karne gaye hain.

(Vikram shook his head and lets out a mock sigh)

Vikram: (in disbelief) apne dono bacche sach mein bade ho gaye hain!!!! today I caught them sneaking out!!!!!

Naina: (shocked, her eyes widen) what??? Yaar, Unn dono ko sikhaana padega!!!

Vikram: (nods in agreement) Haan, Babe, we really have to teach them—

Naina: (interrupts with a mischievous grin) unn dono ko sikhana padega— How to sneak out without getting caught!!!!

(The room burst into laughter, the kind that shakes away worries and brings people closer.

Tanvi, holding her stomach, laughed so hard her eyes watered, while Gaurav chuckled deeply, shaking his head.

As the laughter subsided, Gaurav glanced around the apartment, admiring its elegance.)

Gaurav: Sach kahoon toh, Naina Bhabhi, aapka yeh ghar bahut sundar hai. Classy interiors!!! I am just loving the vibes!!!

Tanvi: (agrees enthusiastically) Haan.... Sach mein. aapka taste toh kamaal ka hai, bhabhi!!! (she gets a little nostalgic) mummy ne kabhi bhi, aapko apne tareeke se ghar nahi sajaane diya... warna apna ghar aur bhi sundar hota.

(Naina smiled wistfully but didn't comment. Tanvi's eyes wandered around the room, eventually landing on a wall adorned with photographs. She walked closer, her curiosity piqued.

There were photos of Kiaan and Kiara at various stages of their childhood, a photo of Naina's parents. Some candid shots of Naina with friends, and a lovely group photo of Tanvi, Gaurav, and Kabir.

Her gaze softened as she saw a picture of her father, Inderjeet. But what caught her attention the most was a selfie of Vikram and Naina, radiating happiness and love.

Tanvi, turned back to them, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.)

Tanvi: (still wide-eyed) Guys... I am still in shock! Yeh kaise hua? How did you two get together? Mujhe saari details chahiye!

Vikram: (without missing a beat) Hum dono Tinder pe miley.

(Naina laughs and playfully swatted his arm.)

Tanvi: (raises an eyebrow) Bhaiya... what nonsense! Tinder? Seriously?

Naina: (trying to stifle her laughter) Nahi didi... it's true!

Tanvi: (looking utterly flabbergasted) Sach mein?

Naina: (grins) Haan! He sent me a request on Tinder, and I swiped right!

Vikram: (with a mischievous grin, added like an excited child) And we were a match!

(The room erupted into hearty laughter, filling every corner with warmth.)

Gaurav: (mock serious) Toh aapka bhi, Aryan Khanna ki new movie jaise, 'Right swipe wala pyaar' ho gaya hai!!!

Vikram: (smirks) haan ji... bilkul!!!! Dekhiye, pyaar ka tareeka wahi hai. Bas, technology ka tadka lag gaya.

Naina: (smiles) guys... apni baatein toh chalti rahengi.... But aap dono mere ghar pehli baar aaye ho. kuch toh lo? Chai banaa doon?

Vikram: (leans back with a soft smile, nodded) Theek hai, chai pee lete hain. Par chai main banaunga. Tum sab baatein karo.

(Before Naina could protest, Gaurav stood up as well.

Gaurav: haan, main bhaiya ki help kar deta hoon. aap aur Tanvi aaram se baatein kariye!!!

Tanvi: (with a mischievous grin, waves him off) Haan... haan, aap jao Bhaiya ke saath. Waise bhi, I want to talk to Bhabhi alone, about all the juicy gossip!

Vikram: (raises an eyebrow, turned to her suspiciously) What juicy gossip?

Tanvi: (laughs, pushed him gently towards the kitchen) Jaao, jaao, chai banaao. Mujhe Bhabhi ke saath kuch private baat karni hai.

(Vikram, shaking his head but smiling, walked off with Gaurav in tow. As they disappeared into the kitchen, Tanvi turned to Naina, her grin widens.)

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In the kitchen:

(Gaurav leaned against the counter, his arms loosely crossed, observing Vikram move around the kitchen.

Vikram worked with confidence, as though he belonged there. He worked with precision, his movements speaking of familiarity and routine. There was no hesitation, no need to shout out to Naina for help, no fumbling for the right tools.

Gaurav's gaze followed him as Vikram opened a cabinet, taking out a saucepan, then reached into another for sugar and tea leaves.

He measured everything with practiced ease, his hands steady and sure.

Then he grabbed the cups and placed them neatly on a tray, adjusting their positions without a second thought.)

(The sound of water boiling was a gentle backdrop to the faint laughter from the living room, where Naina and Tanvi were deep in conversation.

Gaurav's attention drifted momentarily toward the sound. He caught a glimpse of Naina through the open doorway, her face glowing with happiness, her laugh as light and carefree as he'd ever heard it.

For so long, he had worried about her. She had been through so much—more than anyone should bear—and the thought of her ending up alone, had haunted him.

She was his soul sister, and her pain had always felt personal to him.

But tonight, that worry melted away. Watching Vikram in this kitchen, so at ease, so intertwined with Naina's space, Gaurav felt an unexpected wave of relief.

This wasn't just someone who cared for her; this was someone who had made her life his own in the most seamless, natural way.

But to Gaurav, it wasn't. It was extraordinary. It was proof that Naina wasn't just surviving—she was thriving.

For the first time in years, he didn't feel the weight of worry for her. Instead, he felt peace.)

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Author’s Note 🎉💖

OMG, what a reunion, right?! 🤩 This chapter was such a rollercoaster of emotions—shock, happiness, nostalgia, and of course, lots of laughter! 😂

Tanvi and Gaurav's reactions were EVERYTHING! 🤭 The way they went from pure shock to full-on teasing mode was just so fun to write. And can we talk about Vikram casually making tea like a total husband material pro? ☕🔥

Gaurav’s little moment of realization about Naina’s happiness was just so wholesome! 🥹

I hope you guys LOVED this chapter as much as I did writing it! Let me know your thoughts!!! Drop your reactions in the comments! ⬇️💬

Until next time, keep smiling and keep reading! 💕✨