(Family pressure, vulnerability, a shifting bond)
For the first time since the wedding, Ruhi felt like her world was slipping beneath her feet.
Her parents had left the PG early that morning, but their words lingered in the air like heavy perfume.
"Just think about it. A good boy. Local. Stable.""College is for study, beta. Not distractions.""Love doesn't fill stomachs."
They hadn't said it with anger. They said it with concern.
But somehow, that hurt more.
Simran knocked gently on the door. "You okay?"
Ruhi gave a weak smile. "I'm fine."
But her eyes said otherwise.
📍 At the Sharma Mansion
Rudra stood in front of a conference table, flipping through files. His father sat on the head seat, hands folded.
"We'll need you at the Mumbai branch next month," his father said flatly.
Rudra blinked. "But my finals—"
"We'll send someone with you. They'll take care of logistics. You'll be back in time for exams."
Rudra nodded slowly, jaw tightening.
After everything — the sleepless nights, his diary-reading moment with Ruhi, the stolen moments at the village wedding — now this?
Distance. Again.
📞 Later That Night
Ruhi's phone rang.
Rudra calling...
She took a second to answer.
"Hey," his voice came, low and hesitant.
"Hi."
"I wanted to call earlier. But..."
"I get it," she interrupted softly.
"No, you don't," he replied. "I didn't reply because I didn't know what to say. I'm not used to being... this."
"Being what?"
"Vulnerable," he whispered.
Ruhi felt her chest tighten. "You don't always have to be strong, Rudra. Not with me."
Silence. Then his breath over the speaker.
"Can we meet tomorrow?"
Ruhi paused. "There's a college fest. I have a stall to manage, but... come."
"I'll be there."
🎪 College Fest — The Unexpected
The college lawns were lit with fairy lights. Music played in the background. Students moved between stalls with iced coffee, hand-crafted bracelets, and photo booths.
Ruhi stood behind her stall, nervously adjusting the books and cards on the table. Her palms were sweating.
Then she saw him.
Rudra. White shirt. Dark blue jeans. Hair slightly messy.
Their eyes met. And suddenly, the noise faded.
💬 Conversation Behind the Stall
"You look... tired," Ruhi said, trying to keep her tone casual.
"I am," he replied. "But not from work. From holding back."
She looked up.
He continued, "Ruhi, I don't know how to balance all this. My dad's pushing. My college is drifting. And then there's... you."
"I'm not asking for your whole world, Rudra," she whispered. "I just want to stay in it."
Those words hit something inside him.
He reached for her hand under the table, hidden from view.
"No one's ever said that to me."
Ruhi smiled gently. "I mean it."
🕯 Simran & Aarav's Flat
Meanwhile, Simran and Aarav stood inside a cozy 1BHK apartment, still dusty from the recent move.
"Can you imagine living here together?" Aarav asked, half joking, half serious.
Simran raised an eyebrow. "You? Living here? Washing dishes?"
"I'll burn the rotis," he added proudly.
They both laughed.
But then Simran grew quiet.
"My parents wouldn't understand this."
"They will," Aarav said softly. "Maybe not today. But someday."
"And if they don't?"
Aarav looked at her seriously. "Then we'll make our own rules."
She looked at him — eyes filled with fear and hope — and nodded.
📓 Beyond the Buzzer — Page 58
"Today he touched my hand in public.Just for a second.But in that second... I felt seen.
It wasn't about romance.It was about being chosen.Even when life pulled him in other directions."
🌑 That Evening — A Storm Brews
As Ruhi reached her PG after the fest, she found something slipped under her door.
A photo. Of her and Rudra. Laughing. Holding hands at the stall.
And on the back, scribbled in messy handwriting:
"Your parents would be so proud."
Ruhi's stomach dropped.
Who had sent this?
Tanya? Someone else from college? Maybe even a jealous senior?
She suddenly felt exposed. Unsafe.
Simran rushed over as she heard Ruhi gasp.
"Who did this?" she asked, picking up the photo.
"I don't know."
"But someone wants to scare you," Simran said, eyes fierce. "And we're not going to let them win."
🧡 Rudra's Message That Night
Rudra: "I know things are messy. But I'm not walking away. No matter how hard it gets."
Ruhi: "Even if my parents find out? Even if they say no?"
Rudra: "Especially then."
📓 Beyond the Buzzer — Page 59
"He's not perfect.
But he's trying.And maybe that's what love is — not perfection.Just choosing each other, again and again,Even when it's difficult."