The four of us—me, Ayaan, Pihu, and Kartik—were standing at the edge of the street, debating with more energy than necessary what to have for lunch.
"Burgers! Definitely burgers," Kartik insisted, rubbing his stomach as if the act alone could summon them to life. "I mean, come on, nothing beats a good burger. Nothing!"
"No way," Pihu shot back, crossing her arms dramatically. "Pizza is way better today. You need some variety in your life, Mr. Burger Boy."
"I vote both," I said with a grin, holding my hands up like a peacekeeper. "Compromise, maybe? A little bit of everything?"
Ayaan chuckled softly beside me, shaking his head. "Fine, CC Market it is. We can figure out the exact order when we get there," he said. His voice was calm, effortless, like he was always three steps ahead in any conversation.
The rickshaw ride was short but filled with playful arguments and laughter. Kartik kept teasing about the "ideal burger-to-chicken ratio," Pihu was pointing out how pizza never got enough credit, and I found myself laughing at the randomness of it all. Ayaan laughed too, though more softly, his eyes occasionally meeting mine in those small, fleeting moments that made me feel like no one else existed.
When we reached the entrance, a raised plot blocked our way. Both Pihu and I were in heels, making it tricky.
"Here, let me help you," Kartik said, lifting Pihu over with ease.
I stepped forward, hesitating. "Uh… I don't think I can jump this in heels," I admitted.
Ayaan stepped closer. "Here, take my hand," he said, holding it out to me.
I looked at him and smiled nervously. "Are you sure you can catch me?"
He grinned. "Pretty sure. Just trust me."
I placed my hand in his, and he gave it a gentle squeeze. "Ready?"
"Ready," I said.
He guided me over with a steady pull, and I landed safely on the other side.
"See? Easy," Ayaan said, letting go, but our hands lingered a moment longer than necessary.
I laughed softly. "Thanks… I might've been stuck there forever without you."
He smirked. "And that would've been my fault, huh?"
"Maybe," I teased, rolling my eyes, but inside, I felt a little flutter.
After we crossed the plot, we headed straight to McDonald's—only to find it closed.
"Of course," Kartik groaned dramatically, "just my luck. My perfect burger escape ruined!"
"Relax, burger boy," Pihu teased. "There's KFC right across the street. Chicken awaits!"
"Chicken is life," Kartik declared, puffing out his chest. "I could eat a whole bucket myself. No problem."
We all laughed as we made our way into KFC and found a table. The conversation flowed easily—teasing Kartik about his chicken obsession, joking about how many wings he could actually handle, and debating whether it was even physically possible to finish a full bucket alone.
Ayaan was laughing too, his easy smile making the whole moment feel effortless.
Then, on a mischievous whim, I leaned a little closer to him. "You know," I said lightly,"I told my parents about you. That i found the guy whom I going to marry"
Ayaan's laughter froze mid-air. His eyes widened, and for a second, he didn't say a word. He just stared at me, quiet, and I noticed something flicker across his face—guilt? Nervousness? I wasn't sure.
I couldn't help but smirk, letting the silence stretch for a beat. "I mean… I didn't really tell them,I am kidding it's a joke." I added quickly, in a teasing, mocking tone.
Still, Ayaan didn't speak. He just sat there, quiet, his gaze fixed somewhere beyond me, and I caught the hint of tension in his posture.
Something had changed. And even though I didn't know exactly why, I could tell that my little joke had struck a chord.
After KFC, the ride to Ayaan's studio was quiet. For some reason, he didn't meet my eyes. The playful spark from earlier had faded, replaced by a strange tension I couldn't place.
When the meal ended, we decided to head to studio. The rickshaw ride was quiet, almost eerily so. The playful spark from earlier had faded, replaced by a strange tension I couldn't place. He didn't make eye contact once, keeping his gaze fixed on the road. I sat beside him, wondering if I had gone too far with my joke—or if something else was bothering him entirely.
When we reached the studio, the four of us settled in. Ayaan pulled out his phone and scrolled for a moment. Then, a message popped up—a video.
The video showed a girl climbing a long flight of stairs, smiling brightly despite her obvious tiredness. Each step was accompanied by that persistent, cheerful grin, and watching her struggle yet remain so happy made the whole scene feel warm… almost mesmerizing.
Ayaan turned toward Kartik, his voice casual but hesitant. "See… Rhea just shared this video with me…" He paused, glancing at his phone for a moment, then added quietly, "…of Sakshi."
I frowned, confused. "Sakshi? Who's Sakshi?" I asked, leaning forward slightly, curiosity piqued.
Ayaan looked at me then, and in that moment, the weight of his silence hit me. His voice remained calm, but the seriousness in his expression was unmistakable. There was no joking, no teasing, just a quiet, almost painful honesty.
"She's my girl… my girlfriend,"