“Chirag! The groom’s party will be arriving any moment and I need to be there to welcome them!” I holler, knocking at the door of the room where my best friend has been staying.

“You go. I will be there in a short while.” Comes the reply. Something about his voice seems off.

“Open the door.” I say.

Few seconds later he opens the door and I walk in to find utter chaos in the room. All of Chirag’s clothes are lying over the bed.

I shake my head. “What happened?”

“The blazer doesn’t fit me.”

“How is that possible? We both shopped together for our clothes, tried them too at the store and the blazer was fitting you fine then. What happened now?”

“I do not know.”

“Come on Chirag. You don’t want to make me late for my own sister’s wedding! Just wear the blazer and come with me!”

“I will join you later. You go ahead.” He sits heavily on the bed, looking lost and miserable.

“Please tell me what happened.”

“Damn it, Kushal!” He explodes. “I told you the blazer isn’t the right size for me! How difficult is it to understand this??”

I lean on the door of the room and observe him. My best friend, my childhood buddy who has been with me for three decades of my life, the boy who has loved my sister all his life and who has to see her get married to the guy she fell in love with… I do not feel angry. My heart aches for this boy.

“A hug is always the right size.” I say as gently as I can. “Would you like one?”

He tilts his head to a side as his eyes fill up with tears. That is all the answer I need. In three strides I am in front of him. I engulf him in a hug and pat his shoulder, hoping to comfort him.

“This isn’t just about the blazer, right?” I ask him as he slowly withdraws from the hug and wipes his eyes. “It would have been the happiest moment of my life if you and Srishti had ended up together.”

He looks at me in alarm.

I chuckle. “I have known all along that you love Srishti.”

“I…I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“I know. I am sorry that she didn’t fall for you, and that you have to go through this heartbreak. But I am there for you, like you have always been there for me. That ought to make some difference, right?”

He gives a shaky smile. “That makes all the difference.” He sighs and wears the blazer. He looks dashingly handsome. I hope someday he will find the love of his life.

“Come on, you don’t want to be late for your own sister’s wedding.” He says with a wink.

As I see him walk with a confident posture, I know that he will be okay. I will see to it that he is.