They stepped out of the academic block, the corridor thinning into open space as the afternoon heat softened under the trees.
Aanya adjusted her bag strap once.
Then said, without slowing down:
"Coffee."
Sagnik looked at her.
"You're not asking anymore."
"I already did."
"No, you—"
"I declared it."
He exhaled lightly through his nose, the closest he came to laughing without actually doing it.
"That's not how decisions work."
"It is when I'm involved."
She didn't stop walking.
So he didn't either.
That was usually how it worked between them.
Aanya didn't negotiate her decisions into existence.
She just kept moving until the world adjusted around her.
Sagnik glanced sideways at her.
"And where exactly are we going?"
"Gate café."
"That place is always full."
"Then we wait."
"You don't wait."
Aanya finally turned her head slightly.
"I don't wait for things I don't care about."
A pause.
Then, lighter:
"And I care about coffee."
That ended the argument as far as she was concerned.
They crossed the courtyard in silence for a few seconds.
Not uncomfortable.
Just uninterrupted.
Sagnik spoke after a while.
"You didn't even consider canteen."
"I did."
"When?"
"In the same time I rejected it."
"That's efficiency."
"It's survival."
They reached the café near the gate.
Aanya walked straight in like she already owned the decision.
Chose a corner table without scanning.
Dropped her bag.
Sat.
Only then did she look at him.
"Sit."
Not a request.
Just the next step in the sequence.
Sagnik obeyed, still half-amused despite himself.
"You realize you've been making all the decisions for the last ten minutes."
Aanya leaned back in her chair.
"Good. You're finally catching up."