The silence of love
Kishori was overjoyed today. The reason? She had finally decided to confess her feelings to her crush, Manav. He was the most handsome and brave boy in the college, and just the thought of him made her heart race. Bursting with excitement, Kishori ran to the park where he practiced his singing every day. She looked radiant, her eyes sparkling with anticipation, and her steps light with hope.
Manav was lost in a melodious song, and a small crowd had gathered around to listen. Suddenly, his eyes landed on Kishori. For a moment, he forgot the lyrics and stared at her, completely captivated. He opened his mouth to speak, but the words seemed to desert him, stuck somewhere deep inside.
Just then, Aakash appeared. “Hey, let’s go! I’ve got the best ideas to improve our performance,” he said loudly, grabbing Manav forcefully and pulling him away.
Kishori stood there, her excitement fading into disappointment. “My bad,” she whispered to herself, feeling a pang of sadness as he disappeared from sight.
...
Manav said angrily, “Why did you bring me here? Kishori was looking so…” He trailed off, unable to finish.
Aakash smirked. “Oh dear Majnu, don’t forget about the deal.”
Manav shot back, “In love, deals don’t work.”
Aakash chuckled. “Kishori is a modern girl. She’ll propose to you first… not the other way around.”
Manav raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure she’ll propose to me?”
Aakash leaned closer. “Keep your attitude, and she definitely will. Otherwise… you’ll be the one going ‘Oh baby,’ ‘Yeah baby.’ You’ll be her servant.”
Manav laughed. “I’m okay with that.”
Aakash rolled his eyes. “Just shut up. She’ll propose to you, wait and see.”
Manav sighed with a hint of impatience. “Waiting is going to take forever.”
...
Kishori was strumming her guitar, the music somehow lacking meaning. Manav walked up to her, his usual confident attitude in place, and asked, “What do you want?”
Kishori blushed and stammered, “Actually… I want to…”
Manav knew. He had seen her struggle with this for the past three months, trying to confess her feelings but never quite managing it. In his mind, he thought, Once you tell me you love me, I’ll bring all the happiness you deserve.
But her words never came. Her voice trembled, and she fell silent again.
The bell rang, breaking the moment. Manav gave her a small, teasing smile. “All the best… for next time.”
Kishori quietly went back to class, her heart sinking.
Manav shook his head and muttered to himself, “Why is it always the boys who have to do all the work?”
....
Kishori was sitting in the garden, studying her book and making notes. A group of three or four girls came and sat beside her. Suddenly, one of them snatched her pen.
“What rubbish?” Ruchi snapped. “You… you were going to propose to Manav!”
Kishori’s eyes flared with anger. “What happened, Ruchi? Do you have a crush on him?”
Ruchi tossed her hair proudly. “No. But you should not propose to him.”
Kishori snatched back the pen. “Why not?”
“Because proposals belong to boys, not to girls,” Ruchi said with pride.
Kishori looked straight into her eyes and said calmly, “But I am a boy.”
Everyone froze. Sanjana gasped, “What?”
Kishori leaned closer, playfully pulling Sanjana towards herself. “Actually… I’m interested in both boys and…”
“Stop joking!” Sanjana cut her off, flustered. “This is a matter of our pride.”
Aanandi, who had been quiet, finally spoke up. “Times have changed. If Kishori feels something special for someone, there shouldn’t be a problem.”
The other girls glared at her and shouted in unison, “Shut up!”
Kishori only smiled faintly and returned to her book. But her eyes wandered out of the garden—and there he was. Manav. He was smiling at her from a distance. Her cheeks turned crimson.
Manav started his bike, his gaze still lingering on her, and then rode out of the campus.
Finally, the classes ended. Kishori walked with the girls towards the bus stop, her heart still restless, replaying that smile again and again.
...
Manav’s bike rolled to a stop in front of the grand mansion—Khanna Homes. He parked neatly, slipped the keys into the holder by the door, and stepped inside.
“Good evening,” he called, walking straight into the kitchen. “How was the day?”
Padma, a graceful and elegant lady, turned with a warm smile. “Very beautiful, my son. And yours?”
Manav smiled back, loosening his jacket. “Very nice. But… where’s Father? And why is the whole house so quiet today?”
Padma chuckled softly. “His harmonium broke, so he went out to get it repaired.”
Manav sighed dramatically. “So sad.”
But Padma shook her head with mock relief. “No, so happy! Finally, we have some peace here.”
Manav burst out laughing, then began climbing the staircase to his room, the echo of his mother’s playful words following him.
After a refreshing bath, Manav sat by his desk, pen in hand, lost in his world of rhymes. With his eyes closed, he let the words flow onto the paper, each line echoing the feelings he could never quite say aloud. Finally, the song was complete. He practiced it a few times, humming softly, his voice carrying both strength and tenderness.
Closing the diary with a satisfied sigh, his gaze fell on a photograph tucked inside the pages. It was Kishori, her smile as radiant as sunlight. Manav gently traced her face with his fingers.
“Kishori,” he whispered, his heart heavy with patience yet burning with hope. “I can wait for you my whole life. But that doesn’t mean you should take forever to tell me. If tomorrow you do anything… if tomorrow you finally gather the courage… I’ll be there. You’re so beautiful, so brave… now just propose to me.”
He pressed the photo close to his chest, a soft smile tugging at his lips, as if the image itself could hear his vow.
1. 💔 When love demands courage, who should take the first step—the boy or the girl?
2. 🎶 Will Kishori’s silence destroy the music of her heart before Manav ever hears it?
3. 🔥 When friendship, pride, and love collide, can two hearts still find their way to each other?
Want to know what happens next? Keep reading WHISPERS OF HEARTS"
