He didn't meet her eyes immediately.

"I have to go back to Bangalore," he said at last, his voice low but firm. "Just five days."

The sentence was short. Casual. Almost careless.

For Nidhi, it felt like something precious had slipped from her hands without warning.

Her smile didn't disappear right away. It wavered first, trembling on her lips as though it was trying to survive the blow. Then, slowly, it faded. She took a step closer, searching his face for doubt, for hesitation—anything that would tell her he didn't really want to go.

"Five days?" she asked, disbelief seeping into her voice. "Bava... no. Please don't go."

Rahul turned toward her fully now. "Nidhi, I have to. There's work, and I need to complete it."

The word work burned.

Her brows drew together, hurt mixing with fear. "You always say that," she said, her voice shaking. "Five days becomes ten. Ten becomes weeks. Every time. I don't want you to go."

He inhaled sharply. "Listen to me," he said, the edge in his tone slipping out before he could stop it.

"No," she snapped, louder now. "You're always leaving."

Something in him snapped.

Rahul stepped forward abruptly. Before either of them could think, his hand came up, holding her jaw, forcing her to look at him. The DCP surfaced—commanding, unyielding.

"Don't ever raise your voice at me," he said sharply. "You're behaving like a child. Can't you understand I have to go for some days? Arey... nee laga chinna pilla kaadu nenu, kaali ga kurchodaniki."

"I am not a child like you to take leave when ever i want.."

The words sliced deeper than his grip.

Her eyes filled instantly. The fight drained out of her, replaced by raw hurt. She shoved his chest hard, breaking free.

"Chi... velipo nuvvu," she cried. "Bad. Nuvvu asalu bad."

"Chi go you are so bad."

Her voice cracked completely as tears poured down her face. She turned away, hugging herself, sobbing like something inside her had shattered beyond repair.

Rahul froze.

The sight of her shaking shoulders crushed the anger right out of him. Guilt rushed in, heavy and merciless.

"Nidhi... bangaram," he said softly, stepping closer. "Hey... look at me."

She didn't. She cried harder.

He lifted her face gently now, his touch careful, apologetic. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I shouldn't have spoken like that. I shouldn't have touched you that way."

She shook her head weakly. "You don't understand how lonely it feels when you leave," she sobbed. "It feels like you take a part of me with you every time."

Rahul pulled her into his chest, holding her tightly. "I know," he murmured. "That's why I'll come back soon. Five days. Promise. I'll call you every day."

"Really?" she asked softly.

"Really," he said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I'll bring something special for you."

She nodded slowly, clutching his shirt.

"Just don't shout at me like that again," she whispered.

"Never again," he promised.

When it was time to leave, Rahul held her face once more and pressed a gentle peck to her lips—soft, lingering, as if memorising her.

"Five days," he repeated and pecked her lips and went without seeing her because he can't control if he stays there more..

He had said five days.

Nidhi treated that number like a sacred vow.

Day one passed with calls and forced smiles. Day two with longing. Day three with irritation disguised as patience. Day four with silent anxiety. Day five with hope that trembled on the edge of fear.

Day six arrived quietly.

"it will take few more days bangaram.." he said.

Her phone rang.

His name flashed on the screen.

She stared at it, heart pounding, and let it ring. Not because she didn't want to answer—but because she wanted him to feel the ache she was drowning in.

One call became ten.

Ten became fifty.

Messages followed—explanations, apologies, voice notes sent late at night.

She read every single one.

She ignored every single call.

By the next day, the count crossed a hundred.

Each vibration hurt, but her ego refused to bend.

In Bangalore, Rahul stared at his call log, jaw clenched.

Worry turned into confusion.

Confusion into frustration.

Frustration into anger.

"Fine," he muttered, locking his phone. "If silence is what she wants."

He stopped calling.

The silence destroyed her.

Minutes passed. Hours crawled.

Her phone stayed cruelly still.

Tears streamed down her face as she dialed his number.

"he didn't lift my call" she whispered desperately.

It rang.

No answer.

"he is bad.. he can't keep promises" she sobbed, hugging the pillow like it was the only thing holding her together.

Rahul returned two days later.

He didn't call her though it e=was very hard but he is also angry and he came to nidhi house.

He came to check on Anu.

He spoke gently, sat for lunch, ignored Nidhi completely.

She waited.

For a glance.

For a word.

For anything.

Nothing.

she was about to serve some curry but he refused to eat...he said no.

she got very hurt.

"I'm not very hungry," she said softly, standing up. "I'll eat later."

She walked away.

Rahul noticed.

And pretended not to.

That broke her.

Inside the room, she collapsed onto the bed, sobbing into the pillow.

The door opened minutes later.

Rahul entered with a plate of food.

"Why are you showing my anger on food?" he asked gently.

She turned toward him and broke.

She hugged him tightly.

Rahul set the plate aside slowly, deliberately, as if nothing else in the world mattered at that moment. He pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her fully, securely, and buried his face into the crook of her neck, breathing her in like he had been starving for her presence.

For a long moment, neither of them spoke.

Then, his voice came out low, restrained, almost unsure.

"May I?" he asked softly, his lips brushing near her cheek, seeking permission instead of taking control.

She didn't answer with words.

Her hands tightened in his shirt, her forehead resting against his shoulder, a silent yes soaked in tears.

Rahul lifted her face gently, thumbs wiping away the remnants of her tears. He leaned in slowly, giving her enough time to pull away if she wanted to.

She didn't.

He kissed her lips—soft at first, tentative, like an apology wrapped in affection. When she responded, the kiss deepened just enough to promise comfort, not urgency. It wasn't rushed or hungry, it was grounding, reassuring, as if he was sealing every unspoken sorry into that moment.

Say sorry..." he murmured between breaths, the words brushing her lips more than her ears.

She let out a small, gasp the kind that carried both pain and relief. Her eyes searched his face, still hurt, still stubborn.

"Why should I?" she whispered, voice trembling but teasing at the edges. "I wasn't the one who left."

The taunt was soft, but it landed exactly where it was meant to.

Rahul's mouth curved into the faintest smile—half guilt, half surrender. Instead of answering with words, he reached for her, fingers finding her waist bare. It wasn't rough, just a gentle pinch, familiar and unmistakably him.

She gasped despite herself, the sound dissolving into a smile she tried—and failed—to hide.

"Hmm... bava... mmm," she breathed, protest melting into warmth.

He didn't give her time to recover.

Rahul leaned in and took her lips again, slower this time, lingering just enough to say what words couldn't—that he knew he was wrong, that he had missed her unbearably, that he was here now. The kiss carried a quiet apology, a promise to do better, to stay present even when duty pulled him away.

When he finally pulled back, he rested his forehead against hers once more, arms still wrapped around her like letting go wasn't an option.

"I'm sorry," he said at last, voice low and sincere. "For leaving.

She closed her eyes, leaning into him, the fight finally draining out of her.

"it's ok don't do again" she whispered.

He tightened his hold, burying his face back into her neck, as if anchoring himself there.

"Never," he promised.

"where is my sorry" he asked poting.

"am sorry too.." she said.

No anger.

No ego.

Only love.

No anger.

No ego.

Only love.

GUYS HOW'S TODAYS CHAPTER VOTE AND COMMENT AND TELL ME IF I START NEXT TELUGU STORY WHAT STORY WOULD YOU LIKE