At Agastya's House

Agastya leaned back on the couch, a warm smile playing on his lips as he watched his newly wedded wife, Rhea Suryavanshi, arrange the wedding gifts on the table. The soft glow of the evening lights bathed the room in a golden hue, making everything feel more intimate, more surreal.

He still couldn't believe it—after yearas of chasing, waiting, and loving from afar, Rhea was finally his.

His wife.

Rhea caught him staring and raised an eyebrow. "What?"

Agastya chuckled. "I was just thinking how crazy life is. Do you know who gave me all the tips to impress you?"

She folded her arms, curiosity flashing in her sharp eyes. "Who?"

Agastya leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Anshika."

Rhea's brows furrowed slightly. "Anshika Nahyan?"

He nodded. "Back in college, when I was hopelessly in love with you but had no clue how to win you over, she was the one who guided me. She told me what girls like, how to be more romantic, how to make a grand proposal."

A soft laugh escaped him as he shook his head at the memory. "And look at us now—you're my wife, and I'm your husband."

Rhea smirked. "So basically, I should thank her for making you a decent suitor?"

Agastya grinned. "Exactly."

Rhea sat beside him, playing with the hem of her dupatta. "How did you two even meet?"

Agastya's eyes softened as he leaned back, memories flooding his mind.

"It was in 11th grade. I was a senior, and she had just joined the school."

Flashback

Agastya was walking through the school corridor, surrounded by his friends, when he noticed a girl standing near the notice board, looking completely lost.

Her eyes darted around, scanning the hallways, but she had an expression of pure stubbornness—like she refused to accept she was lost.

He smirked at her determination.

She was new, that much was obvious. A new girl, trying not to look helpless.

Out of curiosity, he approached her. "Hey, you need help?"

Her head snapped toward him, her eyes narrowing. "No."

Agastya raised an eyebrow. That was unexpected.

"Are you sure? Because you've been staring at that board for five minutes now," he pointed out.

She turned her back to him. "I don't need help."

Agastya shrugged. "Alright then," he said and walked away, amused.

But just as he reached the end of the corridor, he heard footsteps behind him.

"Wait," she mumbled, stopping right next to him.

He turned, biting back a smile. "Yes?"

She exhaled sharply. "Can you tell me where Class 11-B is?"

Agastya chuckled. "So, you did need help."

She glared at him. "Are you going to tell me or not?"

He laughed but pointed in the right direction. "Second floor, third classroom from the left."

She muttered a quiet "thank you" before hurrying away.

From that moment on, he knew she was different.

Months passed, and Agastya often saw her around campus. She was independent, smart, and had a sharp tongue when provoked.

But then, one night, everything changed.

He was leaving school when he saw Anshika standing outside the gates, struggling to find an auto.

She tried waving at multiple rickshaws, but they were either full or refused to stop.

Agastya watched for a few minutes before finally driving his bike toward her.

"Need a ride?" he asked.

She turned, hesitating. "No, thanks."

He smirked. "You sure? Because at this rate, you'll be standing here all night."

She bit her lip, considering, and finally sighed. "Fine."

She climbed onto the bike, keeping a careful distance, and they rode through the city.

Just when they were nearing her supposed destination, her phone rang.

Agastya could hear her father's voice through the speaker.

"Anshika, your mother and I are out of town. We gave the servants leave, so you'll have to find a place to stay for the night."

She clenched her fists. "What about the house you bought for me?"

"Siya needs that house for a home party. You cannot go there, you find a hotel or something to stay for the night I will send you the money."

The call ended, and silence settled.

Agastya glanced at her through the rearview mirror. She wasn't crying, but her eyes looked distant. Empty.

"Drop me off at a hotel," she said, her voice void of emotion.

Agastya stiffened.

"You're not staying at a hotel," he said firmly.

She frowned. "I have nowhere else to go."

"You have my house," he said without hesitation.

She blinked. "What?"

"You heard me," Agastya said. "You're coming home with me."

She hesitated. "But—"

"No arguments," he cut her off. "Let's go."

When they arrived at Agastya's home, his mother immediately understood what had happened.

She welcomed Anshika in with open arms, making her feel at home. She made her comfortable, cooked her dinner, and treated her like a daughter.

That night, for the first time in a long time, Anshika felt like she belonged somewhere.

And from that day onward, Agastya and Anshika became best friends.

She opened up to him and his family, and he protected her like a brother.

When Agastya fell for Rhea, Anshika was the first person to know.

She encouraged him, gave him ideas, and pushed him toward Rhea.

"But then," Agastya said, looking at his wife now, "after 12th, she left for Mumbai for higher studies. And we lost contact."

Rhea tilted her head. "You never spoke again?"

Agastya exhaled. "No. She never told me where she went exactly. She just disappeared. I tried calling, texting—nothing. It was like she had vanished."

Rhea frowned. "That must have hurt."

"It did," he admitted. "For years, I wondered if she was okay, what had happened to her."

"But then, when I joined college in my second year—at twenty-two—she reached out to me."

Rhea's eyebrows lifted. "Out of nowhere?"

"Yeah. She messaged me one day, casual as ever, like no time had passed. I asked her where she had been all those years, but she never gave me a straight answer. Just brushed it off like it was nothing."

Back to Present

Rhea studied him carefully. "Do you think something happened to her?"

Agastya's jaw clenched. "I don't know. But whatever it was, she didn't want to talk about it."

Silence settled between them for a moment.

Rhea leaned against him, a small smile on her lips. "Well then, I suppose we should both thank her the next time we see her."

Agastya chuckled, wrapping an arm around her. "Yeah. We should."

As they sat there, basking in the warmth of each other's presence, Agastya realized just how deeply Anshika had shaped his life.

And he silently vowed—no matter where life took them, he would always have her back.

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