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I don't know how to explain this strange feeling that has refused to leave me since morning.

It's because my heart still hasn't given up on searching for that one pair of eyes.

Those deep black eyes I saw for the very first time two years ago.

Just one glance...

Yet they stayed with me all this time.

I still remember how, for a brief moment, the entire world had faded away. The fair, the crowd, the noise-everything disappeared the instant our eyes met.

Only those eyes remained.

Since that day, my heart has carried a hope that someday, somehow, I'd see them again.

A hope that refuses to die.

With every passing second today, that restlessness only seemed to grow stronger. My heart kept searching every unfamiliar face in the crowd, as if it believed those eyes could appear at any moment.

I tried to reason with myself.

What if they belonged to someone else?

What if they were waiting for someone else?

What if I never see them again?

The thoughts were enough to make my heart uneasy.

I sighed and shook my head.

"Bhai... maan ja yaar. Behen ki shaadi hai. Thoda shaant ho ja. Tera bhi ilaaj kar dunga. Abhi pehle behen se mil loon, usse aashirwad de doon."

("Come on, heart... calm down. It's my sister's wedding. Relax a little. I'll deal with you later. First, let me meet my sister and bless her.")

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After somehow convincing my stubborn heart, I walked towards Seema, who was sitting in the middle of the courtyard, getting her mehendi done.

For a moment, I simply stood there, watching her from a distance.

How quickly time had passed.

Just yesterday, she was the little girl running behind me with endless complaints.

Today, she was sitting as a bride.

Before I could walk away, my cousins surrounded me.

"Bhaiya, aap bhi mehendi lagao na!"

(Brother, you should apply henna too!)

They pushed a mehendi cone into my hand.

Smiling softly, I sat beside Seema and carefully drew a small design on the empty space left on her palm.

Then I placed my hand on her head.

"Khush rehna."

(stay happy and blessed)

That was all I could say.

Before my emotions betrayed me, I quietly walked towards a corner of the courtyard.

Just then, my younger brother called out,

"Bhaiya, yeh kadhai bahar mangwa rahe hain. Bahut bhaari hai, aap zara madad kar do."

(Brother, they're asking for this large cooking pot outside. It's really heavy. Can you help?)

I nodded and started walking.

But after taking only a few steps...

I accidentally bumped into someone.

I instinctively looked down, ready to apologize.

"Sorry..."

The word never left my lips.

She slowly looked up.

THOSE EYES.

Time stopped.

My heartbeat grew louder than the music around me.

For a second, I forgot how to breathe.

After two long years...

My search had finally ended.

Those weren't just beautiful eyes.

They were the home my restless heart had unknowingly been searching for.

Neither of us spoke.

We simply stood there, looking at each other while the world around us slowly disappeared.

ONLY TWO PAIRS OF EYES REMAINED.

For one impossible moment, it felt like the entire universe had gone silent.

I wanted to hold onto that moment forever.

A small part of me wondered if I was dreaming again... just like every night when those same eyes visited my sleep.

Then, her gaze slowly dropped.

Her cheeks turned a soft shade of pink.

She nervously bit her lower lip, rubbed her hands together, and avoided looking at me again. Even the tips of her ears had turned red beneath my unblinking gaze.

She looked so shy...

So effortlessly beautiful.

Just then-

"Bhaiya!"

(Brother!)

Ajay's voice shattered the silence.

He walked straight towards me without noticing what he had interrupted.

(If only he knew he had just walked into the middle of a moment neither of us wanted to end.)

As soon as she heard his voice, she quickly walked away towards Rekha, who was sitting behind the bride.

So...

She knew Rekha.

That tiny piece of information somehow made my heart smile.

Not wanting anyone to notice what had just happened, I composed myself and walked away with Ajay.

I thought no one had seen that silent exchange.

But somewhere in the crowd...

One pair of watchful eyes had witnessed everything.

Raghav's mother moved around the courtyard with a warm smile, making sure every guest felt comfortable.

"Khana kha liya aapne? Aur kisi cheez ki zaroorat toh nahi hai na?"

(Have you eaten? And is there anything else you need?)

She asked every guest the same things, just as mothers in desi families often did.

The comfort of the guests was almost as important as the wedding itself.

As she moved from one group to another, her eyes suddenly stopped on an unfamiliar face.

A young girl sat quietly beside Rekha.

She wasn't trying to be the centre of attention. She simply listened to the conversations around her with a soft smile.

There was something about her innocence that made Raghav's mother pause.

Kitni shaant bachchi hai...

(Such a quiet girl...)

Without realizing it, she found herself walking towards them.

As soon as Rekha and Saanjh noticed her, they immediately stood up, touched her feet and took her blessings.

A warm smile appeared on her face.

"Arey Durga, kaisi ho? Bahut din baad milna hua."

(Oh, Durga! How have you been? It's been so long since we last met.)

Her eyes, however, kept drifting back towards Saanjh.

Durga smiled warmly.

"Main bilkul theek hoon, didi. Aapko beti ki shaadi ki bahut bahut badhai. Taiyaari aur sajawat bahut achchi hui hai. Bas Bhagwan Seema ka bhagya bhi aise hi roshan rakhe aur woh hamesha apne ghar mein raji-khushi rahe."

(I'm doing very well, sister. Many congratulations on your daughter's wedding. The preparations and decorations are beautiful. May God bless Seema with an equally bright future and may she always remain happy and content in her new home.)

Raghav's mother nodded.

"Bhagwan kare aisa hi ho. Beti ko bas khush dekhna hai."

(May God make it so. All I want is to see my daughter happy.)

Just then, Rekha couldn't resist teasing her.

"Tai ji, Seema didi ki shaadi ke baad Raghav bhaiya ki shaadi ka bhi sochiye. Ek ronak jaayegi toh doosri ronak aa jaayegi."

(Aunt, after Seema's wedding, you should think about Raghav's wedding too. One source of happiness will leave, but another will bring new joy into the house.)

The women around them laughed.

Raghav's mother smiled and shook her head.

"Haan, woh toh hai. Ussi ke liye toh ladki dhoondh rahi hoon. Jaise hi koi achchi aur pyaari si ladki milegi, uski bhi shaadi karwa dungi."

(Yes, that's true. I'm already looking for a girl for him. As soon as I find a good and lovely girl, I'll get him married too.)

As she spoke, her eyes once again fell on Saanjh.

She observed her quietly for a few seconds.

Then she asked Durga,

"Yeh beti kaun hai? Pehli baar dekha hai ise gaon mein."

(Who is this girl? This is the first time I've seen her in the village.)

Durga immediately smiled proudly.

"Didi, yeh meri Ritu ki nanad hai... Saanjh. Bahut pyaari bachchi hai. Ritu ki shaadi se pehle poora ghar isi ne sambhala tha. Bahut samajhdaar aur sanskaari hai."

(Sister, she's Ritu's sister-in-law, Saanjh. She's a very sweet girl. Before Ritu's wedding, she was the one who managed the entire household. She's very sensible and well-mannered.)

Raghav's mother looked at Saanjh with growing fondness.

"Achchha... Ritu ki nanad hai. Bahut pyaari bachchi hai."

(Oh... she's Ritu's sister-in-law. She's such a lovely girl.)

She gently touched Saanjh's cheek.

"Bhagwan hamesha khush rakhe tujhe."

(May God always keep you happy.)

Saanjh lowered her eyes with a shy smile.

After a few moments, Raghav's mother gently called,

"Durga, zara idhar aana. Tujhse ek zaroori baat karni hai."

(Durga, come here for a moment. I need to talk to you about something important.)

The two women walked towards a quieter corner of the courtyard.

Raghav's mother glanced once towards Saanjh before speaking.

"Durga... mujhe Saanjh apne Raghav ke liye bahut pasand aayi hai. Pata nahi kyun, par pehli nazar mein hi mann ko bahut achchi lagi."

(Durga... I really like Saanjh for my Raghav. I don't know why, but I liked her from the very first moment I saw her.)

Durga's eyebrows lifted in surprise.

She smiled knowingly.

"Didi, aapne toh pehli mulaqat mein hi pasand kar liya."

(Sister, you've already chosen her after just one meeting.)

Raghav's mother laughed softly.

"Kya karun? Bachchi mein kuch toh baat hai. Uski aankhon mein itni masoomiyat hai... mann karta hai apne ghar ki beti bana kar rakhun."

(What can I do? There's something special about that girl. There's so much innocence in her eyes... it makes me want to bring her into my home as my own daughter.)

She paused before continuing.

"Tu Ritu ke sasural walon se baat kar. Agar sabki marzi hui, toh main is bachchi ko apne ghar bahu nahi... beti bana kar lana chahti hoon."

(Talk to Ritu's in-laws. If everyone agrees, I don't want to bring this girl into my home merely as a daughter-in-law... I want to bring her home as my daughter.)

Durga nodded thoughtfully.

"Didi, baat main zaroor karungi. Lekin pehle samdhi ji se baat karna zaroori hai. Agar unhe bhi Raghav pasand aaya, tabhi baat aage badhegi."

(Sister, I'll definitely speak to them. But first, it's important to speak with the girl's family. Only if they also like Raghav can we take this proposal forward.)

She smiled confidently.

"Waise bhi, Raghav bhi lakhon mein ek hai. Mujhe poora bharosa hai, samdhi ji mana nahi karenge."

(Besides, Raghav is one in a million. I'm completely sure they won't refuse.)

Raghav's mother smiled.

"Bas phir tu baat kar lena. Baaki jo Bhagwan ki marzi."

(Then just talk to them. The rest is in God's hands.)

Durga nodded.

"Bilkul didi. Jo bhagya mein likha hoga, woh hokar rahega."

(Absolutely, sister. Whatever is written in destiny will happen.)

The two women exchanged a knowing smile.

Then, as if nothing unusual had happened, they returned to the guests.

Neither Saanjh nor Raghav knew it yet...

But while their hearts were still trying to understand one unforgettable glance, their families had already taken the first step towards bringing them together.

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END OF THE CHAPTER....