AKSHAT SINGHANIA - A literature professor in Singania Institute of Arts and Commerce. He is soft and caring person
with a tough exterior, who doesn't believe in love or marriage because of his parent's broken relationship and his ex wife's betrayal...
The flat hummed with warmth as the three of them, Kavya, Krishiv, and tiny Bulbul, returned to their snug home after collecting Bulbul from school. There was still laughter from their drive, but as soon as they entered, Krishiv went ahead and dropped his keys on the console and settled in too much.
Exhaling a relief, he fell onto the sofa, kicked his shoes off in place, and dumped his careless feet onto the middle table. He took hold of the remote and turned the TV on, reclining like he was in his own house.
Bulbul stood beside her, her school bag still strapped across her back, her small face furrowed in incredulity. She slapped her forehead theatrically, her eyes glancing towards her mother with a look of understanding.
Kavya, who had entered the kitchen a moment before to get a glass of water, followed her daughter's glance and stopped halfway through her sip, her eyes tightening slightly at seeing Krishiv sprawled with his dirty socks on the table.
Krishiv, feeling himself being watched, turned to catch Bulbul's eye, an eyebrow raised in amusement.
"What?" he inquired lazily.
Bulbul, all sass in a tiny package, folded her arms and cocked her head.
"If I would be sitting like that, toh mujhe toh ab tak daant pad chuki hoti."
Krishiv blinked. "Kyun?"
Bulbul gestured towards her mom as if it was the most obvious thing on earth.
"Mumma likes everything clean, na! She doesn't allow me to sit like this after coming from outside. First she makes me take a bath, then only I can sit on bed or sofa."
At that moment, Kavya returned to the living room, drying her hands with a towel.
"Bulbul, jao change kar ke aao. Uniform mein rehna acha nahi lagta." Her tone was gentle but with that faint catch of authority that Bulbul knew signaled: no argument.
The little girl nodded and skipped to her room, looking once at her mother and then at Krishiv, as if to say "Good luck."
Kavya stood still for a moment, her eyes flicking toward Krishiv again. He had straightened up a bit, now sitting more properly, but the tension in the air was soft and uncertain.
"What if he thinks I’m controlling?" she thought, biting the inside of her cheek. She turned on her heel and walked toward their room, deciding not to say anything.
But before she could enter, his voice stopped her gently.
"Bulbul ki mummy."
She turned, surprised to see him standing up now, walking towards her. He reached out and held her hand gently—firm but reassuring. She glanced up at him, meeting his gaze, and he moved in front of her, still grasping on.
