The sun rose slowly over Mumbai, casting soft golden rays over the buzzing city. But in the quiet corners of two very different hearts, it felt like the whole world had paused, waiting for something to be said. Something that had lived too long in silence.

Zoya had barely slept.

Every time she closed her eyes, her heart would beat just a little faster. Her mind would replay the night before on a loop—Akif’s voice under the stars, the words he almost said. The storm in his eyes. The quiver in his voice. It was all too real to forget.

Now, she stood in front of her mirror, brushing her hair slowly, unsure why her hands were shaking. Her reflection didn’t give anything away—but inside, she was chaos.

It had been months since she left Bokaro. Since she arrived at Xavier’s, confused, broken, scared. Since she met Akif—distant, composed, and quiet. Since her life changed in ways she never imagined.

He was everywhere now. In her memories. In her silence. In her laughter. In her safety.

And maybe… maybe it was time to stop pretending it was just friendship.

---

Akif couldn’t breathe.

He had been up since 5AM.

He had tried reading. Failed. Tried walking. Failed. Tried doing pushups. Got stuck at ten.

Because every time he looked at his phone, he’d remember the words from last night: "Ask me again tomorrow."

He had said it. Stupid. Reckless. Brave. All three.

Because if Zoya did ask… He knew he couldn’t lie. He didn’t want to lie anymore.

---

They met outside the university gate, like always. Except this time, she looked nervous. He looked like he hadn’t slept. Neither said anything for a moment.

Zoya was the one to break it. “You’re early.”

“I couldn’t stay home.”

She nodded, hugging her bag to her chest. “Neither could I.”

There was a pause.

Then she took a deep breath. “Remember last night?”

He turned to her slowly, his jaw tightening. “Yes.”

“You said... if I asked today, you’d answer.”

Akif looked straight at her. “Yes.”

Zoya's voice was quieter now. "So... Akif... how much do I matter to you?"

He closed his eyes.

Then opened them again, slowly, like it hurt to speak.

"You matter more than I ever thought someone could."

Zoya swallowed.

"I’ve tried to ignore it," he continued, his voice low, trembling slightly. "Tried to brush it off. Hide it. Wrap it up in silence. But Zoya... you got under my skin. You stayed. Even when I tried pushing you away. Even when I said nothing at all. You stayed."

Her eyes shimmered, but she said nothing. Just waited.

Akif took another breath.

"I’ve watched you grow from that quiet girl in the back row to the firecracker who sings at bonfires and dances in the rain. I've watched you laugh through pain, carry scars like armor, and love people who didn’t always deserve it. And I kept falling. Every day. Quietly. Completely."

His voice cracked just a little.

"Zoya... I love you."

The world stopped.

Not in a loud, dramatic way.

But in the way where her heart slowed down, her tears slipped out silently, and everything suddenly felt right.

She stepped forward, her eyes wide. “Say it again.”

Akif’s voice was firmer now. Clearer. "I love you. I’ve loved you since the day you smiled at me like I was something good. I love you in every silence, in every moment, in every second I couldn't say it until now."

Zoya didn’t speak. She just launched forward and hugged him.

Tight.

He stumbled a little, caught off guard, but then melted into it, wrapping his arms around her like she was his gravity.

“I was so scared,” she whispered into his chest. “So scared you’d never say it.”

“I was terrified,” he confessed. “Because I didn’t want to ruin what we had.”

She looked up. “You didn’t ruin anything.”

Their faces were close now. Closer than ever.

Zoya cupped his cheek. “I love you too, Akif. Since the day you found me crying alone and asked if I needed water. Since the day you didn’t treat me like I was fragile. Since the day you looked at me like I mattered.”

He smiled through the tears in his eyes. “You always mattered.”

And just like that —

They stood there in the middle of the empty university corridor, wrapped in each other, like the chaos of the world had finally decided to hush.

No kiss. No dramatic music. Just a heartbeat shared between two people who finally, fina

lly said what had been living in their hearts all along.

Love had arrived.

Soft. Real. And true.

---

YAAAAYYYYYHHHHH FINALLYYYYY!!! How was it!? Too emotional? Too lovey dovey? Please comment ittttt!!! Soooo~ the slow-burn burned enough but but but! The story don't ends here yrr~ it will take moreeee chapters uk!?.

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