The newsroom was louder than usual that morning.
Anaya sat at her desk, but her mind was not fully on the articles in front of her. The car interview from yesterday kept coming back in small fragments — not the questions, not even the answers, but the pauses in between.
Her senior walked past and dropped a quick comment.
"How did it go?"
Anaya looked up.
"It went… differently."
That made her senior pause.
"Different how?"
She thought for a moment.
"He doesn't speak more than needed. But when he does, it feels intentional."
Her senior raised an eyebrow.
"That's Ayaan for you. Most journalists don't get more than five minutes with him."
Anaya looked back at her screen.
"I had more than that."
That simple statement made her senior glance at her again, slightly surprised, but he didn't ask further.
Instead, he just said, "Write it properly. This interview will be published tomorrow."
Anaya nodded.
"Yes."
But even as she said it, she knew something was slightly off.
Not in the interview.
In her thoughts about it.
Later That Day – Café Visit
After work, Anaya found herself walking into the café again.
She didn't fully plan it.
It just happened.
Mahi was behind the counter as usual, focused on an order slip.
When she looked up and saw Anaya, there was a small pause.
"You came again," Mahi said.
Anaya smiled slightly.
"I think I'm becoming a regular customer."
Mahi nodded. "That's normal."
Anaya leaned slightly on the counter.
"Not for me. I usually don't repeat places."
That made Mahi glance at her briefly.
Anaya continued, "But this place feels… calm."
Mahi didn't respond immediately.
Then she said softly, "It's just a café."
Anaya shook her head.
"No. It's not just the place."
A short silence followed.
Not uncomfortable.
Just quiet.
Conversation Deepens
Anaya placed her bag on the counter and stayed instead of ordering immediately.
"I met someone yesterday," she said casually.
Mahi looked up slightly. "At work?"
"Yes."
"Interview?"
Anaya nodded.
Mahi returned to her work, but her attention was slightly divided now.
Anaya continued, "He's not easy to talk to."
Mahi didn't ask who.
She just said, "Then maybe he doesn't talk much."
Anaya smiled.
"That's exactly it."
She looked at Mahi more carefully now.
"But it didn't feel like he was avoiding questions. It felt like he chooses what to say very carefully."
Mahi paused for a fraction of a second.
Then said, "Some people are like that."
Anaya leaned slightly closer.
"Do you think that's a good thing or a bad thing?"
Mahi thought for a moment.
"It depends on what they are hiding."
That answer was simple.
But it stayed in the air longer than expected.
Subtle Shift
Anaya didn't respond immediately.
Instead, she observed Mahi quietly for a moment.
There was something about her answers.
Not unusual.
Just… thoughtful in a quiet way.
Before she could say anything more, a customer called from the other side.
Mahi turned to serve them.
Conversation paused naturally.
But Anaya didn't leave.
She stayed near the counter, thinking.
Not about the interview anymore.
But about how some people answered questions like they had already learned how to hide parts of themselves in everyday words.
And she wasn't sure why…
but that thought didn't leave easily.