It was 6:00 PM.
Bala sat in a cozy corner of a café, his eyes fixed on the entrance as he waited for Renu. Outside, Renu pulled up, parked her scooter, and stepped into the warm glow of the shop. Sneaking up behind him, she tried to startle him with a playful shout, but Bala, sensing her presence, feigned annoyance and quickly turned his face away with a mock scowl.
"Hey, are you actually angry?" Renu asked, leaning in with a pout. "I'm so sorry, really! I had a mountain of portions to finish, and I just couldn't get away any sooner."
Bala couldn't hold the act for long. He broke into a wide grin and started laughing. "I was just acting, and you fell for it instantly!" he teased.
While they were lost in their own little world of playful banter and affection, the scene shifted elsewhere.
On the other side of town, a young man sat lost in a daydream. Nearby, an elderly gentleman watched him intently. The man appeared to be from the USA, likely in his early 60s. He kept glancing between a faded photograph on his phone and the young man's face, his expression a mix of hope and confusion.
"Excuse me... young man?" the elder called out.
The youth snapped out of his reverie and looked at the man with a questioning gaze. They began to converse in English.
"Do you have a father? Are you originally from the States?" the old man asked tentatively.
The young man bristled slightly. "Who are you? What do you want?"
"I don't mean to intrude," the elder explained softly. "But my father had a very dear friend who looked exactly like you. I am certain it must be your father or someone from your immediate family. That man went missing many years ago... that's why I asked."
"I don't know what you're talking about," the youth replied coldly. "My father passed away when I was very young." Without another word, he shoved his headphones on, cutting off the conversation. Those sitting around them watched, irritated by his blatant arrogance and lack of empathy for the old man.
Back at the café, Bala and Renu were sipping juice, the conversation flowing easily.
"You know," Renu said with a smirk, "all my school teachers are singing your praises lately. Did you pay them to brag about you, or what?"
Bala laughed it off. "It's nothing like that. They're probably just being nice."
Renu's gaze shifted to a corner of the shop. "Look at that grandfather sitting over there. Do you recognize him?"
"Yeah," Bala nodded. "He usually comes here as a pair with his wife. They're always together. But he's alone today... I wonder why."
Renu's voice dropped to a whisper. "His wife passed away just a week ago. That's why he looks so lost. It's heartbreaking."
A sharp pang of sadness hit Bala. He looked at Renu, his voice turning serious. "I don't think I could ever handle that. If you weren't here, I'd simply wither away."
"Shh! Shut up," Renu scolded gently, though her eyes softened.