Streets bustled with people, all hurrying to reach their workplaces.
Unexpectedly, many of them commuted on foot.
Ariya wasn't surprised by the atmosphere.
Haider, however, found it rather unfamiliar.
He had been privileged enough to travel by car throughout his school years, college, and even during his years of working.
Somehow, the streets felt different.
Walking through them and driving past them were two entirely different experiences.
From behind the steering wheel, his attention had always remained fixed on the road, occasionally wandering towards the towering buildings that lined the streets.
But now...
He was walking among the people.
Passing them one by one.
Witnessing the countless expressions they wore and the different demeanours they carried as they hurried to work.
Once again, he found himself turning his head like a curious cat, trying to take in every little detail he had unknowingly missed over the years.
Suddenly-
A faint tingle brushed against his fingers.
His heart skipped a beat.
When his eyes drifted towards his hand, he found his fingers brushing ever so lightly against hers.
Ariya had felt it too.
Her cheeks flared red, yet she made no attempt to pull her hand away.
Haider did.
It was purely instinct.
The moment he realised what had happened, he quietly withdrew his hand, as though afraid he had crossed a boundary he shouldn't have.
The instant Ariya noticed him pulling away, disappointment gradually settled within her.
Her fingers still prickled from the brief touch. She wouldn't have minded. In fact, she was the one who longed to feel his warmth.
Haider, on the other hand, questioned his own behaviour. Years of restraint had made him vulnerable to actions like these.
It wasn't that he didn't want it.
If anything...
He might have been yearning for it.
Though they carried mutual feelings, if neither of them initiated the gesture, nothing would ever change.
Their footsteps came to a halt at the red light. People gathered around them, waiting patiently for it to turn green.
Inexplicably, the faces around them began to blur, and the movements of the crowd seemed to slow.
It was a peculiar trick of the mind.
When one's thoughts became consumed by a single person, everyone else slowly faded into the background.
She stood on his right. Her left hand hung freely by her side, while her other carried the tote bag.
His right hand remained free, as he had worn his raven-coloured work coat today.
Once again...
Their fingers brushed against one another.
Haider nervously licked his lips before biting down on them.
Slowly...
His index finger and middle finger reached for hers.
They remained there for only a heartbeat.
Then...the rest of his fingers followed.
One by one, the rest of his fingers gently wrapped around her small hand.
Gently...he held it.
Ariya softly squeezed his fingers as a way of showing that she welcomed his touch.
Amidst the thousands of people making their way to work, whether they carried worry or frustration no longer mattered.
For beneath the same sky, witnessed by the Lord above, two people had finally managed to break down yet another wall between them.
Today, each of them understood what the other felt.
The craving.
The yearning.
The love they had hidden for so long. Within that single touch, so much had been conveyed without a single word.
To Ariya, who had always believed she was the only one admiring him from across the seven seas...
That was no longer how it appeared. They had both been watching one another all along.
Whether across the endless sea or within this never-ending world.
One thing was certain.
They had always been sailing the same boat.
Her heart pounded wildly like a maniac lost free. Even so...she had never felt happier.
His warmth hadn't disappointed her. If anything...it was far more comforting than she had ever imagined.
The comfort. The joy.
They made her a fool.
To Haider, this meant the world itself. He was the one most desperate with his unyielding resolve and love!
Inside him, fireworks and sparks surrounded and engulfed him. It was impossible to know that a human could ever feel such happiness and delight if he hadn't held her hand.
His chest pounded and his breathing grew stiffer.
But amidst the chaos, twist and turns. He made his efforts clear.
It was his simple way of announcing.
That he loves her like crazy!
He wanted to jump around and yell out to this world that his life felt fulfilled and he was the most blissful man in the whole wide world.
Instantly- he took his chance.
Braver than he was seconds ago, he intertwined his fingers with her. He couldn't hide the beaming smile on his face anymore.
Ariya could only blush in silence and just melt into his touch.
Such a small event, yet both of them were overwhelmed out of their minds.
But Haider had a thought.
He wanted more.