The weekend arrived quietly.
No lectures. No structured after-class silence. Just a slower version of time where both Kabir and Dev existed in the same building, but not necessarily in the same rhythm.
Kabir had been working at home when his phone rang.
A name he hadn't seen in a while.
Rohan.
Kabir stared at the screen for a second before answering.
"Hello."
A familiar voice came through immediately—lighter, amused.
"You're alive. Good to know."
Kabir exhaled slightly.
"What do you want, Rohan?"
A soft laugh on the other end.
"Cold as always."
A pause.
Then, more casually—
"I'm in your city."
Kabir frowned slightly.
"You didn't mention that."
"I just decided," Rohan replied. "Thought I'd meet you."
Kabir leaned back in his chair.
"When?"
"Now."
That alone made Kabir pause.
"…Now?"
"Yes. I'm downstairs."
Kabir looked toward the window instinctively, as if that explained anything.
He stood.
"You should've called earlier."
"I like to give surprises," Rohan said.
Kabir shook his head faintly, already heading toward the door.
"Give me five minutes."
Rohan was waiting near the entrance of the building when Kabir came down.
Same easy posture as always. Same slight grin like he already knew more than he was saying.
And when he saw Kabir, his expression brightened.
"There you are."
Kabir stopped in front of him.
"You could've chosen a worse time," Kabir said.
Rohan shrugged.
"I've had worse welcomes."
They started walking slowly.
It didn't take long before Rohan noticed the building.
"Nice place," he said.
Kabir nodded.
"It's close to work."
"Ah," Rohan said lightly. "And close to… people?"
Kabir glanced at him.
Rohan didn't miss much.
That was the problem.
They reached the small café nearby and sat.
For a while, the conversation stayed normal—updates, work, life, the usual.
Until Rohan leaned back slightly and said,
"So," he added casually, "I saw someone."
Kabir looked up.
Rohan smiled.
"A student, I assume."
Kabir didn't respond.
That silence was enough.
Rohan's expression shifted slightly—not teasing now, but observant.
"I was at your building earlier," he said. "Met a guy. Young. Quiet. The one staying in same building as yours?"
Kabir's hand paused on his cup.
Dev.
Rohan continued, "He looked… interesting."
Kabir's tone stayed even.
"He's my student."
"Relax," Rohan said. "I'm not blind."
Kabir's gaze sharpened slightly.
Rohan noticed immediately—and smiled a little.
"Oh," he said slowly. "So that's what this is."
Kabir didn't answer.
Rohan tilted his head.
"He's pretty," he added casually. "And very soft-spoken. The kind you don't forget easily."
Kabir's expression didn't change outwardly.
But something inside him tightened slightly.
Rohan continued, watching him now.
"I said hello. He looked a bit surprised. But polite."
Kabir set his cup down carefully.
"You shouldn't approach him like that without context."
Rohan raised an eyebrow.
"Without context?" he repeated lightly. "Kabir, he lives in same building as yours."
Kabir didn't respond.
The silence stretched.
Then Rohan leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice just a bit.
"Wait…" he said slowly. "Are you actually—"
Kabir cut in immediately.
"No."
Too quick.
Too clean.
Rohan smiled.
"That was fast."
Kabir looked away briefly.
Rohan leaned back again, amused now.
"I didn't expect that reaction," he said. "You don't usually care what people think."
Kabir's voice stayed controlled.
"I don't."
Rohan studied him for a moment longer.
Then, softly—
"You do here."
That landed differently.
Kabir didn't respond.
Later that evening, Kabir returned to the building.
But instead of going straight to his flat, he stopped outside Dev's door.
He didn't knock.
Not immediately.
He just stood there.
For a moment too long.
Then he finally knocked.
Softly.
Dev opened the door almost instantly.
"Sir?"
Kabir looked at him.
Just for a second too long.
Dev noticed.
"…Everything okay?" Dev asked.
Kabir nodded once.
"Yes."
A pause.
Then, more controlled than usual—
"Did someone come here today?"
Dev blinked slightly.
"Yes," he said. "A man. He said he knows you."
Kabir exhaled slowly through his nose.
Dev continued, a little unsure now.
"He was… friendly. I think."
Kabir's expression tightened slightly—but he kept it contained.
"He is," Kabir said.
Dev nodded slowly.
Silence followed.
Then Dev asked, quieter,
"Should I not have spoken to him?"
Kabir looked at him.
And something in him softened slightly at the question.
"No," he said. "You didn't do anything wrong."
Dev relaxed a little.
Kabir added after a pause,
"Just be careful who you trust quickly."
Dev nodded.
"I will."
Another silence.
This one heavier, but not uncomfortable.
Dev hesitated.
"Sir… he said something about you," Dev added carefully.
Kabir's gaze sharpened slightly again.
"What did he say?"
Dev shook his head.
"Nothing bad," he said quickly. "Just… that he knows you well."
Kabir didn't respond immediately.
Because that was exactly the problem.
Rohan did know him well.
Too well.
And yet somehow, standing there, Kabir realized something else entirely.
It wasn't Rohan's words that unsettled him.
It was the fact that someone else had looked at Dev—
and Kabir had noticed that too sharply.
Too personally.
Dev watched him carefully now.
"Sir?" he asked softly.
Kabir blinked slightly, returning.
"Yes."
Dev hesitated.
"You seem… different."
Kabir paused.
Then, calmly—
"Long day."
Dev nodded.
"Okay."
Kabir turned slightly to leave.
But before he walked away, he said without looking back,
"If anything feels uncomfortable, tell me."
Dev's voice came quietly behind him.
"I will."
Kabir walked away.
But the feeling didn't leave with him.
Because for the first time, something unfamiliar had surfaced inside him.
Not responsibility.
Not duty.
Something sharper.
Something uncomfortably close to possession.
And he didn't like how quickly it had appeared.