I want to be happy

The sun was setting, filling the sky with a warm, golden glow. Surya and Vaishali stood on the terrace of her apartment, five floors above the ground. From up there, it felt like they were on top of a mountain, looking at the vast horizon. A cool breeze blew around them, making the evening even more peaceful. The soft sunlight touched Surya’s face, making him look calm and relaxed. Vaishali, however, felt a little uneasy because of the height. But as long as Surya was with her, she knew she would be fine.

Both of them had a long and tiring day. Vaishali had been busy with work, while Surya had just finished his music practice. They decided to meet and spend some time together. They wanted to relax, talk, and make some memories. But today, something felt different. Vaishali's mind was filled with thoughts, and once again, the reason was Surya.

Surya had arrived at Vaishali’s home around 5:15 PM. He had a small conversation with her father, who even offered him some snacks. After a while, her father went inside to take a phone call. That’s when Surya turned to Vaishali and said,

"Vaishu, can we go up to the terrace? I want to spend some time with you."

Vaishali smiled and said, "Okay, let’s go."

They took the lift, which was empty. As soon as the doors closed, Surya leaned his head on Vaishali’s shoulder and sighed.

"I’m so tired, Vaishu…" he murmured.

Vaishali smiled and teased him, "Congratulations, darling! You have the best girlfriend who lets you rest on her shoulder."

Surya smiled but didn’t move.

When they reached the terrace, the view was breathtaking. Far away, the mountains stood tall, and the sky was filled with a soft orange colour as the sun slowly went down. A cool breeze blew around them, and they could hear birds chirping. Surya’s tiredness disappeared as he took in the beauty of the moment. He always loved being in places like this. Vaishali, on the other hand, felt nervous because of the height, but she knew she would be fine as long as Surya was with her.

Surya held her hand and led her to a cemented block near the water tank. They sat down, enjoying the peaceful evening. After a few minutes of silence, Vaishali finally spoke.

"Surya, I’ve never asked you this question before. We’ve known each other for more than seven years."

Surya turned to her with curiosity. "A question after seven years? Now I’m interested. What is it?"

Vaishali hesitated before speaking. "It’s not something I’ve been waiting to ask. But today, I just feel like knowing."

"Go ahead, Vaishu. Ask me."

She took a deep breath. "Ummm! Who do you love the most in this world?"

Vaishali expected Surya to say her name without thinking. But his answer surprised her.

"Can I lie to you?" he asked with a playful smile.

Vaishali laughed. "Of course. Go ahead, sir."

"Then it’s you," Surya said.

Vaishali smiled at first but then realized something. "Wait… so does that mean I’m not the most important person to you?"

"You are important, but there’s someone I love even more."

She frowned. "Who?"

"Myself."

She looked at him and  sarcastically said, "Shuuuu..."

"Yes," Surya said calmly. "And I can prove it."

Vaishali raised an eyebrow, accepting his challenge. "Alright, let’s see if you can prove that you love yourself more than you love me."

Surya was a deep thinker, always learning from the people around him. And now, he was about to explain one of his beliefs to Vaishali.

He looked into her eyes and held her hand.

"Vaishu, tell me… why do you talk to me?"

Vaishali was confused by the question. "To talk to you, obviously. What kind of question is that?"

"Not just that. Tell me the real reason why you talk to me."

She thought for a moment. "Because I feel better when I talk to you. If I’m stressed or sad, you make me happy."

Surya nodded. "So you call me because I make you happy. You are looking for happiness when you are with me."

Vaishali agreed. "Yes, I suppose so."

"Now imagine this," Surya said. "What if I decide to leave you and be with someone else?"

Vaishali gasped dramatically. "Surya! You would do that to me?" she teased.

"Just imagine," Surya laughed. "What would you do?"

Vaishali’s smile faded. "I’d be heartbroken. I’d cry. I’d beg you not to leave me. I wouldn’t know what to do."

"Why would you be heartbroken?"

"Because I love you, Surya. I feel connected to you. If you left, I would lose my happiness. I would feel empty."

Surya nodded again. "So, you would be sad because your happiness would be gone. You wouldn’t actually be sad about me leaving—you’d be sad about how it affects you."

Vaishali frowned and sank into deep thought. Why is Surya asking me these questions? And why is he answering them himself? What is he trying to prove?

As time passed, the sun began to set behind the mountains, painting the sky in warm hues. The breathtaking view momentarily distracted Vaishali. With excitement, she turned to Surya and said, "Surya, let’s take a selfie here! Isn’t it amazing?"  

Surya looked at her, smiled, and nodded. Vaishali moved closer to him, wrapping her arms around him in a gentle hug. With the golden sunset and majestic mountains in the backdrop, she captured the moment on her phone. 

Seeing the photo, Vaishali’s face lit up with happiness and excitement. Surya then turned to her and asked...

"Just now, you took a selfie with me. Why?"

She smiled. "Because it’s a memory. Whenever I see it, I’ll feel happy."

Surya leaned in slightly. "Again, you’re thinking about your happiness."

Vaishali sighed, feeling a little irritated. "Surya, are you going to answer my question or just keep asking me more?"

Surya laughed. "Vaishu, I was just collecting some inputs for my answer."

She rolled her eyes. "Congratulations sir, for successfully investigating, now just tell me."

"Did you notice anything common in your answers?" he asked.

She shook her head.

"In every answer, the main person was you. You talk to me because you feel happy. You don’t want me to leave because you don’t want to feel sad. You take pictures to keep memories that make you happy. Everything is about your feelings. You aren’t really thinking about me—you’re thinking about yourself. And that’s normal. We all love ourselves more than anyone else."

Vaishali didn’t know what to say. She had never thought about love this way before. After a few moments, she quietly stood up and walked toward the lift. The sun had set, and the wind was blowing stronger now.

Just as she reached the lift, she stopped, turned around, and looked at Surya.

"If there was a situation where only one of us could live… I would choose you. I would close my eyes and leave this world, just so you could stay. Would that still mean I love myself more than you?"