The proposal "SOUP"

After the passing of my parents, I made the difficult decision to leave that city; and now, here I was—amidst a new city and new faces. Securing a transfer from my office was no easy feat, nor was leaving behind the city where I had spent my entire childhood. However, continuing to live in that place—and in that very house—had become a source of deep anguish for me. Living solely with the memories of my loved ones, yet dwelling in a home that was once filled with joy and people, had begun to feel strangely desolate and isolating. It was for this reason that I had resolved to request a transfer. This new city, these new people, and the prospect of building a new life amidst them was not going to be easy for me; yet, I had embarked upon this journey regardless. Today marked my first day at the office; I felt a twinge of apprehension, but summoning my courage, I pressed forward. On that very first day, I met several new colleagues; once I arrived, my initial fears completely dissipated. Everyone there was incredibly kind, and I immediately felt a sense of belonging. I had never been particularly adept at making friends, but for the first time, I found myself genuinely drawn to these new acquaintances. And it was there that I met Aditya. As a few days went by, the place no longer felt unfamiliar to me; I had settled in and blended with the environment quite seamlessly. Aditya was a man of few words, yet he held a special place in everyone's regard; his demeanor, his work ethic, and his very presence exuded a sense of near-perfection. For some inexplicable reason, Aditya began to remind me of my father. It was the first time that anyone had so completely captured my attention; in many ways, he bore a striking resemblance to my late father. One morning, I woke up and was getting ready to head to the office when, suddenly, I began to feel dizzy and came down with what felt like a high fever. I messaged the office chat group to inform them that I wouldn't be able to come in that day, as I was feeling unwell. I took some medicine and lay down to sleep, only to hear the doorbell ring. Mustering whatever strength I could, I made my way to the door; there, I found my colleagues standing outside. They were on their way home from the office and had collectively decided to stop by and check on me before heading back. Seeing them all made me feel good; for the first time that day, I truly realized that I wasn't alone in this city. They were all genuinely concerned about me—even making sure I had taken my medication. After staying for a little while, they all left. I closed the door and had just made it back to my room when the doorbell rang again. I went back to the door and found Aditya standing there. We stepped inside, and a silence settled between us. He was holding a few things in his hands; I was just about to ask what they were when he cut me off mid-sentence and said, "These are some medicines, and some fruits for you." After a brief pause, Aditya asked me, "Have you eaten anything?" I replied, "No, not yet." "Why?" he asked. "I just didn't feel like eating right now," I said. "I’ll have something in a little while." Aditya then said, "So, you haven't taken your medicine either?" He took a step toward me with an air of deep concern.Placing his hand on my forehead, he said, "Kashvi, you still have a high fever! How can you be so careless?" Scolding me with the full authority of someone who had every right to do so, Aditya seated me on the sofa and headed toward the kitchen. Rolling up his shirt sleeves, he asked me, "You don't have any allergies to anything, do you?" I replied, "No." Aditya said, "Lie down; I'll be back in just a little while after whipping something up." I lay down right there on the sofa and drifted off to sleep while watching him. A short while later, Aditya gently woke me up and said, "Here, drink this soup; it will make you feel better." Looking at him, I reached out my hand. Noticing how it was trembling, he said, "Sit up; let me help you." And so, Aditya fed me the soup with his own hands. All the while, he continued to scold me, asking, "Are you a little child? Couldn't you manage to take your medicine? If you had taken your medication on time, you would be fine by now. How incredibly careless you are!" His anger reminded me of my father; the concern in his eyes was exactly the same as what I had often seen in my father's eyes. With my eyes welling up with tears, I gazed steadily at him. Then Aditya asked, "What's wrong?" I replied, "Nothing..." Saying this, I wrapped my arms around him in a hug. Meeting Aditya every day after work—and the soup he made with his own hands—had now become an integral part of my life. One day, as we were leaving the office, Aditya messaged me: "Go home and get ready; I want to take you somewhere." I asked, "Where?" He simply replied, "Just go home and get ready." I changed my clothes, got ready, and waited for him. A short while later, the doorbell rang; I opened the door, and together with Aditya, I stepped out of the house. I didn't know where we were going—I only knew that I felt a deep sense of happiness on this journey, simply because I was by his side. After a journey of nearly two hours, I found myself standing in front of a house. I went inside with Aditya, and once there, I was taken aback; standing right before me was Aditya's mother. I was at a loss for words—I didn't know what to say or do. However, after sitting there for a little while, I began to feel comfortable amidst everyone. It was time for dinner, and the dining table before me was laden with a variety of dishes. Just then, Mother walked in holding a bowl of soup and said, "This is something special, meant for this special occasion." I didn't quite grasp the significance of her words. Then I noticed that it was the very same soup that Aditya used to make for me. I turned to Mother and asked, "Mother, this soup..." I managed to say only that much before she explained that this was no ordinary soup; it was something truly special. As I looked at her with questioning eyes, she revealed that Aditya's father had proposed to her by serving her this very soup. She added, "Aditya had this soup prepared specifically for you, and it signifies that he is proposing to you." Looking directly at me, Aditya said, "Kashvi, I care for you, but that doesn't mean I want to force my feelings upon you. Take your time to give me your answer; there is no rush." In that moment, my eyes welled up with tears of joy... A new life—and a new family—lay right before me... Truly, what seemed like an ordinary soup turned out to be something incredibly special.