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CHAPTER MIGHT BE A LITTLE MESSY MAY CHANGE SOME THINGS LATER

Background song: Shayad

RAGHUVEER'S POV

"SHAYAD KABHI NA KEH SAKU MAIN TUMKO KAHE BINA SAMAJH LO TUM SHAYAD"

VANSHI'S POV

"YE KOSHISHEIN TOH HOGI KAM NAHI NA CHAHIYE KUCH TUMSE JYADA TUMSE KAM NAHI"

♥*♡∞:｡.｡　　｡.｡:∞♡*♥

Vanshi sighed as she was sleeping on her bed, her phone held tightly in her hands. Her mind was still stuck on the conversation with Raghuveer. He doesn't believe in love.

Her fingers hovered over her phone screen for a moment before she finally dialed a number.

The call connected instantly.

"Yess, Bua?" a tiny, cheerful voice chirped from the other end.

Vanshi smiled despite her frustration. "Kushaant! I need to talk to you."

"Okay!" he said eagerly. "Are we talking about cartoons? Because today Iravya and I fought over which superhero is the best, and-"

"No, no," Vanshi interrupted, shaking her head. "I have a serious problem."

There was a pause, then Kushaant gasped dramatically. "What happened? Are you in trouble? Did you broke something?"

Vanshi rolled her eyes. "No, I didn't broke anything. It's about Raghuveer."

"Ewww," Kushaant groaned. "That boring uncle?"

Vanshi couldn't help but giggle at his words. "He's not boring, Kushaant!"

"He is!" Kushaant insisted. "He always wears those serious suits and never plays."

Vanshi sighed, shaking her head. "Forget that! Listen, he said he doesn't believe in love!"

There was a dramatic silence on the other end before Kushaant let out an exaggerated gasp. "What?! He doesn't believe in love?"

"Exactly!" Vanshi huffed. "Can you believe that? He actually said love is useless and doesn't make people strong!"

Kushaant clicked his tongue like a wise old man. "Bua, this is very bad. Very, very bad."

"I know," Vanshi groaned, pressing her forehead against her pillow. "But what do I do?"

"You know, Bua... my girlfriend, Iravya, also said that once," Kushaant said proudly.

Vanshi blinked, sitting up straight. "Wait. What? You have a girlfriend?"

"Of course," Kushaant replied casually. "Iravya and I sit together in class. She gives me her eraser when I lose mine, and I share my lunch with her. That's love, right?"

Vanshi bit back a laugh. "I mean... kind of."

"And you know what, Bua?"

"What?"

"She also said she doesn't believe in love," Kushaant revealed.

Vanshi gasped, mimicking his earlier reaction. "No way! Then what happened?"

"Then she fell for me," Kushaant declared with a proud grin, even though Vanshi couldn't see him.

Vanshi's curiosity piqued. "How?! What did you do?"

There was a pause before Kushaant answered, "I gave her my last piece of chocolate."

Vanshi blinked. "That's it?"

"Yeah!" he said happily. "And then she blushed and said I was her bestest friend. That means love, right? You said friendship is love"

Vanshi chuckled, shaking her head. "You're too much, Kushaant."

"But it worked!" Kushaant insisted. "So, Bua, if that boring uncle doesn't believe in love, maybe you should do something sweet for him."

Vanshi's smile faltered as she considered his words. Something sweet?

She thought about Raghuveer-his guarded expressions, the way he avoided emotions but also the way he looked at her. His eyes always had loud words which she always read

And it showed love for her  inside them.

But what was his fear about?

Uh- she didn't knew.

Could it really be that simple?

"But what if it doesn't work?" she asked hesitantly.

Kushaant sighed dramatically. "Bua, love is like chocolate."

Vanshi raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

"If you give someone chocolate enough times, they'll start liking it," he said wisely. "Just like Iravya did!"

Vanshi shook her head, amused. "And what if they still don't like it?"

"Then they are just being silly," Kushaant replied. "Nobody really hates chocolate. And nobody really hates love."

Vanshi's heart skipped a beat.

Nobody really hates love.

She swallowed hard, suddenly deep in thought. Was that true? Did Raghuveer really not believe in love? Or was he just afraid of it?

He sighed.

"What can I do?" She asked

"You better start giving him chocolate!" Kushaant giggled.

Maybe Kushaant was right.

Maybe Raghuveer just needed a reason to believe in love.

And maybe... just maybe... she could be that reason.

Raghuveer sighed heavily, running a hand through his already slightly disheveled hair as he stepped into his office. His sharp eyes immediately landed on Vanshi's seat..it was empty.

A strange emptiness settled in his chest.

He wasn't sure why, but he had expected her to be there.

To be sitting in her usual spot, her legs folded comfortably on the chair, munching on some chocolate bar she had probably stolen from her poor nephew kushaant.Maybe she'd be humming a song, scrolling through her phone, or dramatically whining about how hard designing was, even though she barely worked in the first place.

But instead... nothing.

His office felt eerily quiet.

Lifeless.

Raghuveer's jaw tightened as he pulled out his chair and sat down with a frustrated sigh. His eyes flickered back to her empty seat.

"Stubborn girl," he muttered under his breath.

Even as he said it, his lips twitched slightly, almost as if betraying him.

Why was she so stubborn?

No.

Why did he care?

He leaned back in his chair, his fingers absentmindedly tapping against the table. He should have been relieved-after all, she was a distraction, right? She never listened to him, never followed the rules, and was way too lazy for someone working in his company.

And yet...

He sighed again, glancing at the door as if expecting her to walk in any moment, her usual bright smile plastered on her face.

But she didn't.

She had left before he came back.

Something about that realization unsettled him.

Was she upset? Had he said something wrong? He replayed their last conversation in his mind.

He had told her he didn't believe in love.

His stomach twisted slightly at the memory.

Why did she care so much? Why did he care that she cared?

Raghuveer let out a small groan, rubbing his temple. This was ridiculous. He wasn't someone who overthought things. He wasn't someone who cared about people's feelings.

Then why did it feel like something was missing?

Like something had been stolen from his space.

From his heart.

"Sir?"

Raghuveer looked up sharply, snapping out of his thoughts. His assistant stood hesitantly at the door, holding a few files.

"Uh... should I come back later?" the assistant asked cautiously, sensing the strange mood in the room.

"No," Raghuveer said quickly, straightening in his chair. "Come in."

The assistant nodded and placed the files on his desk. "These are the reports you asked for. Also, Miss Vanshi left a message for you before she left."

Raghuveer's eyes flickered up at the mention of her name. "A message?"

"Yes, sir."

There was a small pause.

"What did she say?"

The assistant hesitated for a moment before speaking. "She said, 'Tell your boss he's a boring man and he doesn't understand anything about love.'" she said it trying to control her smile

Raghuveer blinked.

Then, before he could stop it, a low chuckle escaped his lips.

Of course she said that.

That stubborn, infuriating girl.

The assistant looked startled at his reaction. Raghuveer never laughed at things like this.

Clearing his throat, Raghuveer composed himself and waved a dismissive hand. "That's all?"

"Yes, sir."

"Fine. You can leave."

The assistant nodded quickly and walked out, leaving Raghuveer alone once again.

His eyes unconsciously drifted back to Vanshi's empty chair.

For some reason, her words stayed with him.

"He's a boring man and he doesn't understand anything about love."

Was that what she thought?

That he didn't understand love?

His fingers curled slightly against the desk.

Maybe she was right.

Maybe he didn't understand love.

But the way his heart felt restless in her absence, the way his office felt incomplete without her...

Maybe he was starting to.

Maybe he had already started the moment she walked into his life.

And maybe-just maybe-he was too scared to admit it.

Vanshi sighed, flopping down on her bed and staring at the ceiling. Her phone was pressed against her ear as Kushaant chattered on the other end. She could hear the excitement in his little voice, but her mind was elsewhere.

Raghuveer.

That boring, cold, emotionless man.

She huffed loudly, rolling over and pressing her cheek against the pillow.

"You are right, Kushaant," she finally muttered, dragging out the words dramatically. "He's boring."

Kushaant gasped in agreement. "I told you, Bua!"

Vanshi groaned. "He doesn't laugh, he doesn't smile much, and he thinks talking about love is a waste of time!"

"See! That's why I'm always right" Kushaant declared proudly.

Vanshi chuckled. "You should say that in front of him someday."

"No way!" Kushaant yelped. "I don't want to get scolded. What if he bans me from eating chocolates?"

Vanshi giggled, shaking her head. "That does sound like something he'd do."

She sighed again, staring up at the ceiling. "I mean, how can someone not believe in love, Kushaant? What kind of person thinks love isn't real?"

"A boring person," Kushaant answered instantly.

"Exactly!" Vanshi groaned, tossing a pillow into the air and catching it. "I bet even the dinosaurs believed in love! But him! Can't believe he is bestfriend of your father..how romantic rishi bhaiya is"

Kushaant giggled. "Pappa ke jitna romantic hota toh aapko bedroom se bahar hi aane nahi deta"

"You little trouble maker...who talks with you such double meaning jokes" Vanshi mumbled.

"Ofcourse chachu!" He giggled and vanshi slapped her forehead

A small silence stretched between them before Kushaant spoke again.

"Bua... if he's so boring, why do you talk about him so much?"

Vanshi froze.

Her fingers tightened around her pillow as her heart did a little flip. "W-What do you mean?"

"You always talk about him," Kushaant said in his usual innocent voice. "When I call you, you tell me what he did that day. You get angry at him. You complain about him. But you always, always talk about him."

Vanshi opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

Oh no.

Oh no, no, no.

Had she really been doing that?

Had she really been thinking about him that much?

"Bua?"

"Uhh... yeah?"

"Do you like Boring Uncle?"

Vanshi sat up so fast that she nearly fell off the bed. "Excuse me?!"

Kushaant giggled. "I knew it!"

"N-No! That's not-no, no, no!" Vanshi stammered, feeling her face heat up. "I just-he's just-Ugh!"

"You're blushing, aren't you?"

"I AM NOT!"

"You soooo are!"

Vanshi grabbed a pillow and smacked it against her face. "Kushaant, you're five. What do you know about love?!"

"A lot!" he said proudly. "I told you, Iravya and I-"

"Ugh, don't start again!" Vanshi spoke,she didn't wanted to listen to kushaant and iravya's love katha

"But Bua, if you like him, just tell him!"

Vanshi groaned. "It's not that easy, you little troublemaker."

"Why not?"

"Because..." Vanshi hesitated, hugging the pillow to her chest. "Because he doesn't believe in love."

"So?"

"So, what if I do?"

Silence.

Kushaant took a long pause before answering. "Then make him believe in it."

Vanshi blinked. "You always tells me that"

"You always say I can do anything I set my mind to," Kushaant said confidently. "So why can't you?"

Vanshi bit her lip, her heart pounding.

Make him believe in love?

Could she really do that?

She thought about Raghuveer-the way he looked away whenever she talked about love, the way he avoided emotions but never avoided her questions

Even if he tried to hide it... maybe, just maybe, there was love somewhere inside him.

Maybe he just needed someone to show him how beautiful it could be.

Vanshi took a deep breath, gripping her pillow.

"Maybe you're right, Kushaant," she whispered. "Maybe I will make him believe in love."

And for the first time, the thought didn't scare her.

It excited her.

As soon as Vanshi hung up the call with Kushaant, she let out a sigh, falling back onto her bed. Her heart was still racing from their conversation.

Do you like Boring Uncle?

Kushaant's words echoed in her mind, making her groan and cover her face with a pillow. "Ugh! That little troublemaker!"

She wasn't blushing. No way.

She absolutely, definitely did not like Raghuveer.

Right?

Before she could even process her own thoughts, her phone vibrated in her hand.

She blinked.

The name flashing on the screen made her heart skip a beat.

Raghuveer.

Vanshi stared at the screen for a moment, her stomach twisting in a way she didn't like to admit.

Why was he calling her now?

Did he somehow know that she had just been talking about him? That she had just been thinking about him?

Shaking her head, she took a deep breath and answered the call.

"Hello?"

There was silence on the other end for a moment before his deep voice finally came through.

"Where are you?"

Vanshi frowned, sitting up. "Excuse me? Is that how you greet someone?"

"Vanshi," Raghuveer said impatiently. "I asked, where are you?"

She rolled her eyes, feeling a smirk tug at her lips. "And I asked, is that how you greet someone?"

Raghuveer sighed. "Fine. Hello, Vanshi. Now, where are you?"

She grinned. "That's better. And I'm at home. Why? Did you miss me, Mr. CEO?"

There was a pause. A long one.

For a second, Vanshi thought the call had disconnected.

But then-

"Don't flatter yourself," Raghuveer muttered, and Vanshi could hear the eye roll in his voice.

She giggled. "Aww, so you did miss me!"

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes, you soooo did."

"Vanshi," he warned, but there was something in his tone. Something softer.

She smiled, leaning back against the pillows. "Okay, fine. Then why are you calling me, Mr. CEO?"

Another pause.

Then, in a lower voice, he said, "I thought you will come back after buying the fabric"

Vanshi blinked. She hadn't expected that.

"Ohhh achha," she said slowly. "I bought the clothes and came here."

"You didn't even tell me."

Her heart did a little flip.

Was he... upset?

Vanshi smirked. "Aww, were you waiting for me, Raghuveer?"

"Vanshi." His voice was firm, but she could hear the underlying frustration.

She bit her lip. Maybe she was pushing him too much. Maybe she shouldn't tease him this time.

Taking a breath, she spoke more seriously. "I thought you wouldn't even notice."

"I did."

Her heart stopped for a second.

His voice was quiet. Almost too quiet.

She swallowed. "Oh."

Silence stretched between them.

Vanshi didn't know what to say. Raghuveer didn't know what to say.

She played with the hem of her sleeve. "Well... I'm sorry, I guess?"

"Hmm."

That wasn't the answer she was expecting.

Before she could ask, he sighed again. "You're really stubborn, you know that?"

Vanshi grinned. "But you like it."

He didn't answer.

That silence said everything.

Her stomach felt weird. Not in a bad way. In a good way.

"Are you home?" he asked after a moment.

"Yeah, why?"

There was a pause.

"Come outside."

Vanshi's eyes widened. "Wait, what?"

"I said, come outside."

She jumped off her bed, rushing to the window.

And there he was.

Standing next to his car, hands in his pockets, looking up at her window.

The streetlights cast a soft glow around him, and for the first time, Vanshi realized something.

He wasn't boring.

Not even a little bit.

And maybe... just maybe...

She was falling for him.

Or maybe?

She was already in love.