The next tutoring session started on a Monday afternoon. The classroom smelled faintly of wet earth from the monsoon outside. Aria, Siya, and Rhea barged in, their laughter echoing slightly against the walls.
"Okay, ladies," Aria said, slinging her bag onto a chair, "today we're going to make Kian Malhotra crack. Operation Chaos: Level 2."
Rhea whispered, grinning: "This is either genius or disaster. I can't wait to see which."
Siya rolled her eyes. "Or both."
At the desk, Kian was already there, notebook open, pen in hand, calm and silent as always. His black hair was damp at the ends from the rain, and his dark eyes briefly flicked up to meet the girls.
"Good afternoon," he said evenly. "Shall we start?"
Aria raised her eyebrows and smirked. "Good afternoon? That's it? No scary-tutor vibe? No threatening glare?"
Kian's gaze didn't waver. "Scaring students isn't productive."
Rhea nudged Aria. "See? He's even boring when he's scary."
Siya whispered: "Boring? He's a storm. Just quiet."
As the session began, Aria tried a new tactic: subtle chaos. She leaned over Kian's desk, brushing her hair across his arm as she peered at the problem.
"Hmm… I think this answer is wrong," she said softly, watching for a reaction.
Kian didn't flinch, didn't even blink in surprise. He simply corrected her mistake on the page. "Check your steps again," he said calmly.
Aria sat back, pretending to pout. "Ugh, so serious. You never give compliments. Are you always this… intense?"
He looked up this time, his dark eyes catching hers. "I only react when necessary."
That small exchange sent a flutter through Aria. She grinned inwardly—tiny victories.
Meanwhile, her friends couldn't resist commentary:
"Look at them," Rhea whispered. "He's calm, she's chaotic. It's like watching a storm and a hurricane in one room."
"Shh! Don't get caught," Aria hissed, but she couldn't stop smiling.
Siya leaned closer. "Honestly, I think he's noticing you. He doesn't even know how to deal with your chaos yet."
Aria's cheeks warmed. "Quiet… subtle… hmm. Interesting," she muttered to herself, a mischievous sparkle in her eyes.
Halfway through, Aria deliberately dropped her pen. It rolled close to Kian's notebook. Without a word, he reached out and picked it up, brushing his fingers briefly against hers. She froze for a fraction of a second—long enough to notice.
Rhea whispered under her breath: "Bingo. Small touch, big reaction."
Siya elbowed her. "Focus on math, genius."
Aria couldn't help it; a small smile tugged at her lips. That tiny moment—so brief, so subtle—felt electric.
By the end of the session, the girls had:
Whispered jokes and commentary
Made Aria "accidentally" bump into Kian twice
Dropped pencils and papers strategically
Learned a few math tricks between giggles
And Kian? He left the classroom calm as always, but inside… he couldn't stop thinking about that brief brush of hands, Aria's chaotic energy, and the way her eyes sparkled when she smiled.
Aria left with her friends, laughing and teasing each other, but a quiet little thought lingered: She wanted to see him again. And somehow, she had a feeling he wanted the same.