*An hour earlier*
Ruhi had been running this café, The Sweet Detail, for a little more than a year.
What had started off as a passion project had quickly turned into Ruhi's pride. From the ceramic cups to the coffee beans used, she had handpicked them all carefully.
Set up in a building owned by her father near the beach—a famous tourist spot in the southern part of India—her café had quickly gained fame. Famous influencers had made posts about it and tourists had added the café to their itinerary. The café's seasonal menu, indoor plants, bookshelf for readers, and photo booths to cater to the tourists had made her café stand out.Ruhi loved this place so much.
To her, this café was not just business but a symbol of her independence and success. Everything about The Sweet Detail was personal to her, so naturally, she had taken offense when someone had left a vague 1-star review with nothing but: "I don't like this place. Not recommended."
It broke her heart. Of course, she understood that it was natural to have a few unhappy customers, but her heart just couldn't fathom this. This poor review had been eating away at her peace for a week. So, when her brother Rohan visited her that morning, she vented to him.
After listening to his sister's rant patiently, Rohan said,"Ruhi, why don't you show me the review?"
Ruhi pulled out her phone and handed it to her brother, who squinted at the screen.
"Vihaan? Wait—Vihaan left that review?"
"Who is Vihaan?" Ruhi had asked, frowning.
"Vihaan! Appa's friend's son. He's staying upstairs temporarily… Wait, Ruhi, don't tell me that you didn't know…"
"WHAT?"
She hasn't even processed the rest of the information. All she could register was that the culprit who had left that review was upstairs.She had been halfway up the stairs before Rohan could stop her—And then the encounter had happened.
*Back to present*
Rohan sat across from his sister, who was sipping on her lemonade while deep in thought. He cautiously asked,"So, how did it go?"
His voice interrupted Ruhi's train of thought. She then answered,"Not good."
"I figured that much."
"…"
"…"
An awkward silence had followed…Ruhi broke the silence with,
"I hope that I didn't make things awkward for Appa."
"Don't you think it's too late to worry about that now? I just hope that you didn't go over the top."
Ruhi had choked on her drink upon hearing that.That reaction added to Rohan's worry. He asked,"Please tell me you didn't."
"Well, nothing other than banging on his door and blaming him and indirectly calling him indecent…"
Rohan was petrified upon hearing that. "Goodness, Ruhi! Just… why? I understand that anything related to this café is personal to you but… I mean I can't really blame you, but… just know that if things go south, you're on your own when facing Appa," he said.
"Oh, come on, Rohan. It's partly your fault for not letting me know that a family friend was moving upstairs."
"Nice try, but better luck next time, sis. This is not gonna work on me."
Hearing that, Ruhi had glared at her brother.Rohan continued,
"Anyways, I'm going back home now. Can't believe that I drove two hours from home to visit you just to be faced with this situation."
This made Ruhi more upset.
"Then don't come here to visit me. You make it sound… like a chore, Anna," she complained.
"Well, Amma and Appa are worried. All they could think about was their precious daughter even when their son was right by their side. I had no other option than checking up on you every week. Who asked you to set up your café so far away from home?"
"Well, you don't understand. It's the vibe, you know. And tell Amma and Appa that I'll come visit them this weekend."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say. But hey, jokes apart, make sure that you're safe and sound, okay? Don't hesitate to call me or our parents if something comes up, eat well, and take care of yourself—"
"Okay, okay!" Ruhi had cut him off midway through his nagging.
"Anna, I've heard you say the same things so much that I've memorized it by heart.
I understand that you're all worried about me, but trust me, I'm doing well."
Rohan was helpless, so he could only smile and tussle his sister's head.
Ruhi hadn't finished yet.
"By the way, why is he staying here? That Vihaan guy?" she asked.
"Don't be too curious about him. He will only be staying here for 2 more months. Put up with him until then." Rohan answered.
"And that doesn't answer my question on why he's staying here of all places."
'There she goes again, with her stubbornness,' Rohan thought. His sister had always been like this. Not taking no for an answer.
He said,
"He's taking a break from work. That's all I can tell you. Don't ask any more questions."
With this, Ruhi stopped pushing for an answer. She just nodded her head to let her brother know that she understood.Rohan soon said his goodbye and left to return back home.