The resort overlooked the sea.
Waves moved quietly in the distance.
Soft wind.
Warm lights.
Everything felt like a celebration waiting to happen.
Guests had started arriving.
Laughter echoed through the open spaces.
Suitcases rolled.
Voices overlapped.
Reyansh stood near the entrance.
Calm on the outside.
Restless within.
"…Dr. Malhotra?"
A voice called out.
Familiar.
Too familiar.
He turned.
And for a second—
Time blurred.
"…Arya?"
Standing a few steps away—
A man smiled.
Older.
More composed.
But still—
Him.
And beside him—
A woman stood quietly.
Soft features.
Gentle smile.
"…finally recognised me?"
Arya smirked lightly.
Reyansh let out a small breath.
"…you haven't changed at all."
Arya laughed.
Shaking his head.
"…you have."
And that was true.
Because the boy he remembered—
Was nowhere close to the man standing in front of him.
Not even slightly.
The lanky boy from school had grown into someone far more defined. His height had stretched enough to make him stand effortlessly above most people around him, his presence no longer easy to overlook. The softness that once rested along his features had sharpened over the years—his jaw now more defined, his chin no longer carrying that boyish roundness. His shoulders had broadened, carrying a quiet strength, and the lean frame Arya remembered had filled out into something more structured, more controlled—muscle built not just by time, but by discipline.
Even his voice had changed.
Deeper now.
Steadier.
Carrying a weight that hadn't been there before.
But what struck Arya the most—
Wasn't just how much Reyansh had changed on the outside.
It was the way he held himself.
More composed.
More restrained.
Like someone who had learned to carry things—
Without letting them show.
Was nowhere close to the man standing in front of him.
But then—
His eyes shifted.
Past Reyansh.
And froze.
"…wait—"
Anaya walked in.
Simple.
Elegant.
Unaware.
Arya's expression changed instantly.
Surprise.
Then—
Happiness.
"…Anaya?"
She paused.
Slightly confused.
"…yes?"
He stepped forward.
Eyes searching her face.
"…you don't recognise me?"
She looked at him carefully.
Trying.
And then—
Her gaze stopped.
At his eyebrow.
The faint mark.
"…wait…"
A small realization flickered.
"…you're—"
Her brows furrowed slightly.
"…the one who used to fight with Ritika all the time?"
Arya blinked.
Then laughed.
"…wow. that's what you remember?"
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
"…you used to annoy her a lot."
"…and you used to take her side every time."
"Obviously."
For a moment—
It felt normal.
Like a piece of the past had quietly returned.
"…I didn't think I'd see you again like this."
Arya said softly.
His gaze shifted.
Between her and Reyansh.
"…together."
Reyansh didn't respond.
Because that word—
Carried more weight than it should.
"…this is my wife," Arya added, gently placing a hand near the woman beside him.
"…Mira."
She smiled warmly.
"…I've heard a lot about you."
Anaya smiled back politely.
"…I hope only good things."
"…mostly chaos," Mira laughed softly.
The moment lightened.
But only on the surface.
Because underneath—
Something remained unsaid.
Later that evening—
The crowd thinned slightly.
Reyansh stood alone near the edge of the balcony.
"…so."
Arya's voice came from behind.
"…you're just not going to explain?"
Reyansh didn't turn.
"…there's nothing to explain."
"…don't do that."
Now his tone was serious.
"…I saw your face."
A pause.
"…that wasn't normal."
Silence stretched.
Then slowly—
Reyansh spoke.
"…she doesn't remember."
Arya frowned.
"…what?"
"…anything."
Now he turned.
"…about me."
The words were quiet.
But heavy.
Arya stared at him.
Trying to process it.
"…you're serious?"
A small nod.
"…there was an accident."
A pause.
"…partial memory loss."
Everything clicked.
"…and you still—"
Arya stopped.
Because the answer was already there.
"…you're marrying her."
Not a question.
A statement.
Reyansh looked away.
"…what else am I supposed to do?"
His voice—
Wasn't strong.
"…I already lost her once."
Silence.
"…and this time…"
A breath.
"…she came back."
Even if—
Not completely.
Arya exhaled slowly.
"…does she know anything?"
"…no."
"…and you didn't tell her?"
A pause.
Longer this time.
"…I tried."
His jaw tightened slightly.
"…I couldn't."
Because how do you tell someone—
That they once loved you…
And then left?
"…Rey…"
Arya's voice softened.
"…this isn't simple."
"…I know."
He closed his eyes briefly.
"…but neither was losing her."
Silence settled again.
Because some situations—
Had no right answers.
Only choices.
And consequences.
Inside—
Anaya stood near the window.
Watching the waves.
Unaware.
That pieces of her past—
Were standing just a few steps away.
Talking about a version of her—
She didn't remember.
And maybe—
Wasn't ready to.
The evening softened as the sun dipped into the horizon.
Golden light spread across the resort.
Calm.
Warm.
Deceptively peaceful.
Near the garden area—
Anaya sat beside Mira.
The two had drifted away from the crowd without even realizing it.
"…you're really easy to talk to," Mira smiled gently.
Anaya chuckled softly.
"…I think I needed that."
A small pause settled.
Comfortable.
"…don't you have friends coming for the wedding?" Mira asked.
Anaya sighed lightly.
"…I do."
Her fingers traced the edge of her dupatta absentmindedly.
"…my best friend—Ritika."
A faint smile appeared.
"…she would've been here already if she could."
"…what happened?"
"…she's abroad right now. She got to know about everything pretty late."
A soft complaint slipped into her tone.
"…I told her she should've come earlier."
Mira laughed lightly.
"…best friends always get scolded like that."
"…she deserves it."
Anaya smiled.
"…she used to fight with everyone for me."
A pause.
"…there was this one guy—"
She stopped.
Her brows furrowed slightly.
"…I don't remember clearly…"
Mira tilted her head.
"…hmm?"
"…just… someone she used to argue with all the time."
A small laugh.
"…and somehow I used to get dragged into it too."
The moment felt light—
Until it didn't.
Because suddenly—
Something flickered.
A memory.
Blurred.
Incomplete.
A corridor.
Voices overlapping.
Her own laughter.
And a boy—
Standing in front of her.
Arguing.
Teasing.
"…you're impossible."
"…and you're annoying."
Laughter again.
But his face—
Wasn't clear.
No matter how much she tried—
She couldn't see it.
"…Anaya?"
Mira's voice pulled her back.
She blinked.
"…yeah?"
"…you zoned out."
"…just tired, I guess."
She smiled faintly.
But her fingers had curled slightly.
Because something about that memory—
Didn't feel random.
Meanwhile—
On the other side—
Arya stood beside Reyansh.
Watching.
Observing.
"…you're really just going to act like everything's normal?"
Reyansh didn't respond.
"…Rey."
Now his tone was firmer.
"…this isn't school anymore."
A pause.
"…you can't just stay silent and hope things fix themselves."
Reyansh exhaled slowly.
"…and what do you want me to do?"
"…tell her."
Simple.
Direct.
Reyansh let out a quiet, humorless laugh.
"…and say what?"
His voice dropped slightly.
"…that she loved me once?"
A pause.
"…and left me without even looking back?"
Arya's expression softened.
"…you know that's not the full story."
"…she doesn't."
Silence.
"…and if I tell her now—"
He stopped.
Because the thought itself—
Was heavy.
"…what if it changes everything?"
"…what if it doesn't?" Arya countered.
That—
That hit somewhere deeper.
Because that possibility—
Was just as terrifying.
"…I'm not ready to lose her again."
The words were quiet.
But honest.
And Arya understood.
Because some fears—
Don't fade.
They stay.
Later that night—
The resort had quieted down.
Lights dimmer.
Voices softer.
Anaya walked along the corridor.
Lost in thought.
And then—
She saw him.
Arya.
Standing near the railing.
Looking out.
"…hey."
He turned.
"…hey."
A small pause.
"…can I ask you something?"
"…sure."
She hesitated for a second.
"…how do you know Reyansh?"
The question was simple.
But something about it—
Wasn't.
Arya looked at her.
Really looked.
Because for him—
That answer held years.
Memories.
Chaos.
Friendship.
"…we go way back."
"…school?"
"…yeah."
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
"…he wasn't always like this, you know."
"…like what?"
"…this calm. This composed."
A small pause.
"…he used to be quieter… but not this quiet."
Something about that—
Made her chest tighten slightly.
"…and you?"
"…I was worse," he laughed.
"…I can imagine."
For a second—
It felt easy.
But then—
Her gaze drifted.
To the distance.
And again—
That flicker came.
Laughter.
Arguments.
A boy.
Still faceless.
"…we used to fight a lot."
The words slipped from her lips unconsciously.
Arya paused.
"…you remember that?"
She blinked.
"…not really… just a feeling."
A small, uncertain smile.
"…weird, right?"
Arya didn't answer immediately.
Because it wasn't weird.
It was something else.
Something returning.
Slowly.
And somewhere—
That made everything more fragile.
Because memories—
Once they start coming back—
They don't stop halfway.