The Thar's engine gave one last soft hum before falling silent, the quiet outside seeming louder in comparison. The air smelled faintly of the sea—fresh, salty, carried in by the breeze from the distant shore.
Shruti stepped onto the marbled steps, gazing up at the entrance of Aurum Fine Dining, its letters glowing in elegant gold against a backdrop of dark granite. The place seemed to shimmer in the afternoon sun, as if it didn't belong to the noisy, bustling city beyond its doors.
She took it all in—the polished glass doors, the valets in crisp uniforms, the subtle scent of jasmine from flower arrangements at the entrance.
"Wow…" she breathed, unable to stop herself.
Arjun rounded the car, sliding the keys to a valet who greeted him with a respectful nod.
"This okay for lunch?" he asked, that familiar playful tilt to his voice.
Shruti shot him a look, remembering the staggering figure he'd revealed earlier in the car—a hundred and sixteen crores. The number still echoed in her mind like an impossible puzzle.
A soft laugh escaped her lips as she shook her head. "After everything I saw today, I don't think anything can surprise me anymore."
Arjun arched a brow, clearly delighted. "Challenge accepted?"
She groaned, laughing. "Please, no. No more challenges today. I don't think my heart can take it."
Together they entered, and the world outside melted away.
Inside, Aurum was like stepping into a different realm altogether. Soft gold lighting bathed the space. Velvet chairs in deep burgundy and midnight blue were arranged beneath massive chandeliers that dripped crystal like frozen rain. The floors gleamed so much that Shruti hesitated, afraid her sandals might leave a mark.
Waiters glided by soundlessly, trays balanced like art in motion. The music—a gentle piano, rich and slow—seemed to weave between the clinking of fine china and hushed conversations.
They were led through the restaurant, and Shruti realized they weren't being seated randomly. Arjun had requested a spot by the massive windows that overlooked the sea. The waves glittered in the distance, sunlight scattering like diamonds across the water.
As she stood beside the table, Arjun pulled out her chair, his actions quiet but thoughtful.
She gave him a small smile. "You're going to spoil me."
He leaned in slightly, smirk soft. "That's the plan."
She sat, adjusting her dupatta as he took the seat opposite her.
The waiter arrived, handing them leather-bound menus embossed with the Aurum crest. Shruti opened hers, eager—until she saw the prices.
Her eyes widened, lips parting slightly. One look at the cost of a single starter, and she nearly closed it again.
"This place… the prices…" she whispered, glancing at him.
Arjun raised a brow, clearly enjoying her reaction. "Order whatever you want."
She set the menu down gently. "Or," she said, voice laced with teasing, "we could just go home and cook. Save, oh, I don't know—a small fortune?"
He chuckled, leaning back in his chair, arms folding comfortably over his chest. The sunlight framed his face, softening his sharp features. "We could. But we're not."
"Why not?"
"Because," he said, nodding toward the window, "we've still got somewhere to be after this. A surprise."
Shruti's eyes narrowed with playful suspicion. "Another one? Arjun…"
"Just a small one," he said, holding up his hand in surrender. "Promise."
She gave him a look—half exasperation, half fondness. "You're going to drive me crazy, you know that?"
He grinned. "Already am."
With a sigh that was more amused than annoyed, she picked up the menu again. "Fine. But I swear, this is the last surprise I'm taking today. I'm already emotionally bankrupt."
"I'll pay the emotional bill too," he teased.
Her laughter mingled with the soft piano notes, and for a moment, the world outside those windows didn't exist.
She studied the menu, pointing at a starter. "Okay. This one. And maybe that pasta…"
"See?" he said, waving down the waiter. "Not so hard, right?"
Shruti shot him a look over the top of the menu, lips curving into a secret smile. "You're trouble, Arjun."
His eyes softened as he gave their order. "Only for you, Shruti. Only for you."
The waiter placed their plates down with a quiet grace, offering a polite nod before retreating, leaving them alone with the soft clink of cutlery and the hum of conversation from other tables. The aroma of the biryani—rich with saffron, caramelized onions, and ghee—hit Shruti's senses so strongly that she almost forgot to be self-conscious about the fancy place. Arjun's grilled chicken, perfectly seared, sat beside a bed of herb rice, the plate decorated like art.
Shruti inhaled deeply, eyes shining. "Okay, this smells divine. I forgive you for dragging me here."
Arjun smirked as he picked up his fork. "Already forgiven? I'm on a roll today."
She shook her head, amused, and scooped up her first spoonful of biryani. The flavors burst on her tongue—warm, comforting, spicy just enough. She let out a small, involuntary hum of delight.
Arjun caught it and grinned, slicing into his chicken. "You're easy to please when it comes to food."
"Mmhmm," she mumbled around her mouthful, covering it with her hand as she chewed. Once she swallowed, she added, "Food is sacred. It's the one thing that's never let me down."
His smile softened, but he didn't comment.
They ate in comfortable silence for a few moments, the kind that felt easy, natural. Then, as if testing the waters, Arjun glanced at her and asked casually, "So… anyone you know joining our college?"
Shruti's face brightened immediately. She wiped her lips with the edge of the napkin, excitement dancing in her eyes. "Yes! My best friend, Pragathi. Remember I mentioned her? Her dad got transferred here to Vizag last month. She applied and got into the same college."
"That's great," Arjun said, genuinely pleased. "So you won't feel lost. You'll have someone."
"She's like my twin, really. We met in sixth standard. We've been glued together since. Even when we were in different cities, we kept in touch every day." Her voice softened at the memory. "It's going to feel like home again with her around."
Arjun took a bite, chewing thoughtfully. He watched her for a second, as if memorizing the way she lit up when talking about someone she loved. Then he set down his fork, leaning forward a little, his tone turning more serious—but still gentle.
"We'll be in the same college too."
Shruti blinked, caught off guard by the shift. "Yeah…?"
"People are going to notice, Shruti. They'll ask questions. Especially when I'm dropping you at college. Or when they see us talk, or…" He shrugged. "You know how people are. And I'm just a year ahead of you. We can't pretend we don't know each other."
She rested her elbow on the table, tapping the handle of her spoon against her cheek in thought. The idea hadn't occurred to her before—but now that he mentioned it, it was obvious.
"You're right," she said at last.
Their eyes met across the table. There was no awkwardness, only that quiet understanding they were growing used to.
Then, her lips curved into a mischievous grin. "Let's say we're cousins."
Arjun nearly dropped his fork. "Cousins? Cousins?"
"Yeah!" she said, warming to the idea. "Bava and maradalu. It's a perfect cover. I came to Vizag for studies, I'm staying at your house because it's convenient. Nobody will question it. They'll just assume it's family duty."
Arjun burst out laughing, shaking his head. "You're dangerously good at this. Have you done this before?"
"Hey!" she said, mock-offended. "Give me some credit. I've read my fair share of novels."
He smirked. "Cousins, huh? And here I thought you'd want to keep a safe distance from me on campus."
Shruti gave him a mock glare. "Don't flatter yourself. I just don't want unnecessary gossip. We've got enough going on without adding mystery boy and new girl drama to it."
"Fair enough," he said, lifting his glass of water as if in a toast. "To cousins, then."
She clinked her glass against his, laughing. "To cousins."
They both drank, and for the first time that afternoon, Shruti felt the weight of the day's surprises ease.
She glanced at him, watching him eat, and the thought crossed her mind: This is easy. Being with him… it's easy.
And it was a strange, wonderful kind of relief.
Arjun took another slow bite, chewing as if he were carefully weighing his next words. He wiped his lips with the napkin, glancing at her with a glint of amusement. "I'll have to warn my dumb friends though, before they go and blurt everything out without thinking."
Shruti laughed, the sound spilling out so naturally that a few nearby diners glanced over with faint smiles of their own. She quickly covered her mouth with her fingers, trying to contain it, but the sparkle in her eyes gave her away. "Please do! The last thing I want is for some random guy from your gang calling me vadina on my very first day."
"Oh, they will," Arjun said, leaning back with a mock sigh of dread. "Especially Kiran. That guy's mouth moves faster than his brain. I swear, sometimes I think his brain just gave up trying to catch up."
Shruti's shoulders shook with laughter. "Then you better give him a warning—with a slap for good measure."
Arjun's grin widened, his dimples making an appearance. "Slap? Noted. One special Kiran-slap coming up."
She shook her head, still giggling, and took another bite of her biryani. The layers of rice and masala tasted even better now, maybe because she was eating it between bouts of shared laughter.
"Honestly," she said, after swallowing, "I'm kinda nervous about college though. I mean, I know Pragathi's there… and you… but still."
He watched her quietly, his gaze steady but kind. "What are you nervous about?"
Shruti played with her spoon, drawing small circles in the leftover grains on her plate. "New place. New people. I'm always scared of messing up… saying something stupid. You've seen how awkward I can be."
Arjun tilted his head, resting his chin on his palm. "You're not awkward. You're just… honest. And that's rare. People will see that."
Her heart did a little flip at his words. She hadn't expected comfort—but there it was, woven into his voice so simply.
"You really believe that?" she asked, voice small but hopeful.
"I do." His gaze didn't waver. "And if anyone makes you feel otherwise… you tell me. I'll handle it."
Shruti blinked, surprised at the quiet promise in his tone. Then, her lips curved into a soft smile. "You're acting like you're my bodyguard now."
"Maybe I am," he teased. "A very rich, very stylish bodyguard."
She rolled her eyes but laughed. "I should start paying you then."
He pretended to think. "Nah. You already pay me—with these smiles. Priceless."
Shruti froze for a second, cheeks warming under the weight of his words. She quickly tried to hide it by sipping her water.
Arjun chuckled softly, clearly pleased with himself.
They fell into a companionable silence again, the kind that felt warm and comfortable, like sitting under a cozy blanket on a winter morning.
Shruti leaned back in her chair at last, full and content, her stomach happy and her heart unexpectedly light.
A few hours ago, she had woken up in a new bed, in a new house, beside a boy she barely knew. A boy fate had thrown into her life without warning. And now here she was, in a fine-dining restaurant, cracking jokes with him about college and over-talkative friends, plotting fake cousin stories and imaginary slaps.
It didn't make any logical sense.
But maybe, just maybe, life wasn't meant to make sense all the time.
Sometimes, life was about stolen smiles over shared biryani. About finding ease where you least expected it.
And in that moment, Shruti didn't feel like a girl dumped into a stranger's house by circumstance.
She felt like a girl whose story was just beginning.
And maybe… it wouldn't be such a bad story after all.
To be continued...