Aira was busy with her studies—
as always.
Assignments.
Books.
Exams.
Late-night studying.
Her days were filled with work.
But somehow—
she still found time to think about Aarohi.
And strangely—
she always did.
No matter how busy she became.
And Aarohi—
was busy with her own life too.
Still—
she always found time to talk to Aira.
Like she wanted to.
Just like Aira did.
One evening—
Aarohi texted her.
Aarohi,
"Hey. How are you, Airu?"
Aira stopped for a moment after reading it.
Airu.
Her nickname.
Aira,
"Good. But… Airu is my nickname."
Aarohi,
"Of course it is your nickname."
Aira smiled slightly.
Aira,
"No. Only my mother and my sister call me that. No one else calls me Airu."
There was a pause.
And then—
Aarohi replied again.
Aarohi,
"Okay… Airu."
Aira's heart reacted immediately.
Aira,
"Don't call me like that. I'm melting. Your voice sounds too sweet saying it."
Aarohi,
"Airu."
Aira tried to ignore the feeling.
But she couldn't.
That one word—
coming from Aarohi—
felt strangely special.
So soft.
So warm.
Aira quickly changed the topic.
Aira,
"What are you doing?"
Aarohi,
"Decorating my journal, Airu."
Aira smiled again unknowingly.
Aira,
"Oh."
Aarohi,
"Yes… Airu."
Aira,
"You'll keep melting me like this."
Aarohi,
"Yes. Airu."
For a moment—
Aira forgot how to reply.
Because Aarohi's voice—
her way of talking—
her softness—
always affected her too easily.
Aira,
"Hmm."
Aarohi,
"Hmm… Airu."
And that was enough to make Aira blush again.
After that day—
Aira started loving her nickname even more.
Whenever her mother called her "Airu"—
Aira suddenly remembered Aarohi.
Whenever her sister said it—
that same soft feeling returned again.
And every single time—
Aira smiled unconsciously.
Like somewhere—
Aarohi was still calling her that way.
Aira.
How one person—
could make an ordinary word feel special.
Before Aarohi—
"Airu" was just a nickname.
But now—
it carried warmth.
Comfort.
And memories.
Sometimes—
late at night—
Aira replayed Aarohi's voice in her mind.
The way she softly said,
"Airu."
And every single time—
Aira's heart melted again.
That night
Aira was studying quietly.
Books open.
Pen in her hand.
But her mind
Was somewhere else again.
Because one word kept replaying in her head.
"Airu."
The way Aarohi said it
so softly
so naturally
made her heart felt warm again.
Aira tried to focus on studies.
But every few minutes
She smiled unknowingly.
Like someone had secretly made her happy.
Later
her mother called from another room.
"Airu."
And immediately
Aira remembered Aarohi again.
For a second
it felt like Aarohi herself had called her.
Aira looked down
trying to hide her smile.
Because even she didn't understand
why her heart reacted this way now.
Before meeting Aarohi
Aira never cared much about her nickname.
It was ordinary.
Normal.
Just a name.
But now
it felt different.
Special.
Like the word itself had started carrying emotions.
And maybe
that's what happens when someone important enters your life.
Even the smallest things
begin to change meaning.
Before sleeping
Aira opened their chat again.
Scrolled slowly.
And stopped at one word.
"Airu."
She stared at it for a few seconds.
Then smiled softly
like a fool in love.
And locked her phone.
Still smiling.