"I don't need it!"
Seeing that gentle persuasion was going nowhere, Rahul sharpened his tone. Samina, used to getting her way, was immediately silenced by his sudden firmness. She looked at him, her expression turning small and aggrieved.
"Rahul... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have tried to force the money on you. I just wanted to help." She bit her lip. "When is your flight? I'm coming to the airport to see you off."
Communicating with a girl like Samina had taught Rahul a fundamental truth: she had been surrounded by 'yes-men' her entire life. If you spoke to her too softly, she wouldn't actually hear you. You had to be blunt for the message to sink in.
"Don't come. The flight is at two in the morning," Rahul said, forcing himself to sound cold. "I don't like long goodbyes; they're too sentimental for me."
Samina reached across the table and tightly grasped his hand, her eyes swimming with emotion. "Rahul, please don't forget me. Promise you'll reply to my messages. I'm going to miss you so much!"
Her eyes turned red. "I had so many ideas for vlogs we could film together. I wanted to help you grow your channel. But you're leaving so fast... I wasn't ready."
"While I was at the mall today, I saw something that reminded me of you. I thought it suited you perfectly, so I bought it." She reached into the red shopping bag and pulled out an exquisite white box. "I don't know if you'll like it, but it's a good thing you told me you were leaving today, otherwise I would have missed my chance."
Only now did Rahul notice the Omega logo embossed on the bag. As Samina opened the heavy case, a stunning Omega Seamaster 300 with a silver steel strap and a deep blue dial shimmered under the coffee shop lights.
"Rahul, if you won't take my money, then please accept this watch. It belongs on your wrist. Please, just try it on."
Rahul stared at the timepiece, his heart hammering against his ribs. Even though he wasn't a watch collector, everyone in Mumbai knew the status of an Omega. It was a luxury item worth lakhs of rupees—something a struggling filmmaker like him shouldn't be wearing.
"Samina, I can't accept this," he said, his voice as gentle as possible as he pushed the box back. "It's far too valuable."
Hearing him refuse yet again, Samina's composure broke. Tears began to well up. "Rahul, please! You've already rejected me so many times. Just accept this one thing, okay?"
"It's a memento. When you're traveling the world, whenever you check the time, it'll be like I'm right there with you. Please!" She grabbed his arm, shaking it slightly.
Rahul's internal struggle was fierce. He realized that for the first time in his life, a girl was treating him like he was worth the world. He realized that he deserved to be treated well. Looking at her tear-filled, expectant eyes, the rejection died in his throat.
He didn't want to break her heart on his last night. He reached out, picked up the Seamaster, and buckled it onto his left wrist.
In the future, when my channel blows up, I'll buy her something even better, he vowed. Reciprocity was a core value; he wouldn't just take without giving back later.
Samina's sadness vanished instantly. She jumped up and threw her arms around his neck, oblivious to the other customers watching them. "I knew you wouldn't make me sad! Now, no matter where you go, a part of me is with you!"
Rahul checked the time on the new watch. "It's seven o'clock, Samina. I need to get back, grab my gear, and head to the airport."
This time, she didn't fight him. She pulled out her phone, her eyes wide. "Rahul, one last photo? For me?"
He nodded and pulled down his mask. Just as he smiled for the selfie, Samina leaned in and planted a firm kiss on his cheek. Click.
"Yay! I'm going to cherish this forever!"
Watching the Range Rover pull away, Rahul stood on the sidewalk, looking at the weight of the Omega on his wrist. He had a feeling his story with Samina wasn't over. Not by a long shot.
He strode back to the twins' apartment. The door was already open. Anisha and Anika were waiting for him in the living room, dressed in elegant formal wear.
"Rahul, are all your goodbyes finished?"
"Yeah," he nodded. "Everything that needed to be said has been said."
Reluctance was written all over their faces, but they were women of action. "Then we're taking you to the airport."
They had already packed his backpack and gear. An hour later, their luxury Toyota Alphard pulled into the Dhaka airport terminal. The twins stayed by his side through the entire check-in process, lingering until he reached the final customs gate.
"It's time," Rahul said, his voice thick with emotion.
Ignoring the crowds of travelers, both sisters leaned in and kissed him on the cheeks. Only then did they let him go.
"Rahul! We are coming to Mumbai to find you!" Anika shouted as he walked toward the scanners.
Rahul didn't turn around. He raised his DJI camera, framing his own face with the twins waving in the background.
"Guys, the Bangladesh chapter is officially closed," he whispered to the lens. "See you in the next country!"
He had arrived with one bag, and he was leaving with one bag. But while he had arrived alone, he was leaving with the hearts of four women tucked into his soul.
After passing through security, Rahul sat at the boarding gate, waiting for the 2:00 AM call. He pulled out his phone to call Kabir to arrange a ride home.
Unexpectedly, Kabir's name flashed on the screen first.
"Bhai! I am being harassed to death by Ananya!" Kabir shouted the moment Rahul picked up.
"You've blocked her on everything, so she's blowing up my phone every ten minutes. She wants me to tell you that she's 'realized her mistakes.' She says she's willing to lower the marriage 'deposit' to 30 lakhs!"
Expert Guide Follow-up:
Rahul is about to land back in Mumbai, where his past life is desperately trying to claw its way back in. Should he use his new-found wealth and status (the Omega, the 65,000 Taka) to humiliate Ananya one last time, or should he ignore her completely and focus on the explosive growth of his first Bangladesh vlog?