CHARACTERS

Hana Mirza (10) – Lead female protagonist

Rafeeq Mirza – Hana's father (older brother)

Nasreen Mirza – Hana's mother

Marziya Mirza (21) – Hana's elder sister, married to her maternal aunt's son

Rumaan Mirza / Maan (13) – Lead male protagonist

Shabana Mirza – Rumaan's mother

Ahmed Mirza – Rumaan's father (younger brother)

Riya (20) and Fathima (15) Mirza – Rumaan's elder sister.

Chapter 1

Today was a very big day for the Mirza family — after all, it was their children's Nikah (an Islamic wedding).

Shabana Mirza was over the moon, seeing her one and only handsome son's Nikah with Hana, her favorite girl in the world.

Nasreen Mirza and Shabana Mirza, being sisters-in-law, were also the best of friends.

When Nasreen passed away, she entrusted her 3-year-old baby girl, Hana, to Shabana. Shabana was the only one Nasreen trusted to raise her daughter with love and care. To honor that trust, Shabana had promised her best friend that one day, Hana would become her daughter-in-law.

The previous week, Rafeeq had suffered a heart attack, frightening him about his daughter's future.

Though he trusted his younger brother Ahmed and Shabana completely, like every father, he wanted assurance before — God forbid — anything else happened.

That was why he requested the Nikah to take place as soon as possible.

Rumaan (13) and Hana (10), unaware of the seriousness of the bond they were about to form, happily accepted their family's decision.

They had always known they were engaged and would eventually marry one day. Being best friends who liked each other a lot, they had no complaints about it.

**********

"Hanu, wake up!" Shabana yelled from downstairs for the tenth time.

"Mama... please na, let me sleep a little longer... it's Sunday!" Hana yelled back.

Shabana came up to Hana's room and found her sleeping peacefully, hiding her little body under a big fluffy blanket.

Smiling, Shabana shook her head, walked closer, and sat on the bed.

"Hanu... it's 9 o'clock, baby. Wake up," she said softly, removing the blanket from Hana’s face.

"But Mama, did you forget? It's Sunday, no school today," Hana said sleepily, slowly opening her eyes.

She looked at her Chachi (aunt) — though Shabana had asked Hana to call her Mama after her mother’s death, because she had found a mother again in her.

"I know, beta (dear)," Shabana said, lovingly caressing Hana’s cheeks.

"Then why are you waking me up? Let me sleep, na," Hana mumbled, closing her eyes again.

"Nahi de sakti (I can't let you sleep)," Shabana teased.

"But why?" Hana asked, irritated, her eyes still shut.

"Because..." Shabana leaned close to her ear,

"...Today is your and Maan’s Nikah, beta." she whispered.

Hana's eyes fluttered open.

"WHATTTT!!!" she shrieked, sitting up suddenly.

"YA ALLAH! How could I forget?!" Hana slapped her forehead, now fully awake.

"Why didn’t you tell me earlier, Mama? You know I have so much to do!" she said, scrambling out of bed.

"Accha, and what are these things?" Shabana asked, laughing.

"You don't know? Mama, I have to go to the parlour for my manicure, pedicure, and makeup! Wow!" Hana said excitedly, clapping her hands.

Shabana laughed at her innocent excitement.

"Why are you laughing?" Hana asked, placing her tiny hands on her hips, a slight frown on her cute face.

"Nothing, beta... you're just so cute," Shabana said, pinching Hana’s cheeks.

"Mama, please... don't do childish things with me. I'm about to get married! I’m a big, big girl now," Hana said dramatically, pushing her hair back, making Shabana laugh even harder.

"Okay, my big girl. And don't worry about your parlour preparations — Marzi is coming, and she'll take care of everything," Shabana reassured.

"WHAT?! Aapi is coming?! Yayyy!" Hana cheered, jumping up and down.

"Now quickly go shower," Shabana instructed. Hana ran toward the bathroom.

"And come down for breakfast!" Shabana called after her as she left the room.

**********

In the evening:

"Marzi, beta, please go get Hana," Shabana asked Marziya.

All the Mirza family members were present, including Marziya's in-laws.

"Hanu baby, let's go," Marziya said as she entered Hana’s room.

Her eyes welled up with happy tears seeing her baby sister dressed as a bride — Hana looked so adorable in a beautiful golden gown, her head covered with a delicate red dupatta.

"Aww, our little bride is ready," Marziya smiled, hugging Hana tightly.

"I love you, Hanu... may Allah bless you with all the happiness in the world," she said, kissing her forehead. A tear escaped her eye, missing their mother deeply.

"Why are you crying, Aapi?" Hana asked innocently, wiping her sister’s tears.

"Nothing, baby. Come, everyone is waiting for you," Marziya said, grabbing Hana's hand.

"Maan bhi? (Maan too?)" Hana asked shyly, her eyes cast down.

"Aww, my baby is blushing!" Marziya laughed, pinching Hana’s cheeks.

"Aaaapi!" Hana whined, covering her face.

"Okay, okay, no more teasing... and yes, your Maan bhi. Now shall we?" Marziya asked, extending her hand?

Hana giggled, took her hand, and together they walked out.

"Do you, Hana Rafeeq Mirza, daughter of Rafeeq Mirza, accept Rumaan Ahmed Mirza, son of Ahmed Mirza, as your husband?" Qazi Sahab asked.

Hana looked up at Rumaan, who was sitting with her cousin Muneeb.

Rumaan was already looking at her, their eyes meeting — he smiled his charming, heart-melting smile. Without thinking, Hana said:

"Qubool hai (I do)."

The Qazi Sahab asked twice more, and each time she said:

"Qubool hai. Qubool hai."

Her eyes never leaving the boy who had become her everything with just those two words.

Then, Qazi Sahab turned to Rumaan:

"Do you, Rumaan Ahmed Mirza, son of Ahmed Mirza, accept Hana Rafeeq Mirza, daughter of Rafeeq Mirza, as your wife?"

Without a second’s hesitation, Rumaan said:

"Qubool hai. Qubool hai. Qubool hai."

And with that

, they became each other's — with just two simple, beautiful words.

.....