6:19 PM -

The second the college girls spotted Siya-

It was over.

Finished.

Gone.

Her peaceful academic image died instantly.

One girl literally grabbed her friend's arm so hard the poor girl almost dropped her phone.

"THAT'S SIYA."

"The Siya who writes Wattpad stories?"

"YES."

"The one who rejected Rohan because he said 'wyd' instead of full sentences?"

"YES."

"And she's with THAT man?!"

All three girls stared openly at Shashwat like he'd been handcrafted by Netflix producers.

Siya wanted to pass away peacefully.

Aaru, meanwhile, was thriving.

She stood up proudly like a PR manager at a product launch.

"Yes everyone," she announced dramatically, "our girl has range."

"AARU SIT DOWN."

Too late.

One of the college girls approached nervously. "Siyaaa..."

Siya smiled weakly. "Hi."

The girl looked directly at Shashwat.

Then at Siya.

Then back at Shashwat.

"...be honest. Is he real?"

Kabir choked on his water.

The stranger calmly sipped coffee like this happened daily.

Aaru answered before Siya could.

"No actually he's AI-generated. We ordered him from trauma.com."

The girls burst out laughing.

Unfortunately-

One brave idiot finally asked the worst possible question.

"So... what do you do?"

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Because technically-

The truthful answer would cause several legal problems.

Kabir immediately looked down at the table like avoiding eye contact with destiny itself.

Siya looked toward the stranger curiously.

He answered smoothly.

"Import-export."

Aaru slapped the table violently.

"HAHAHAHA."

Kabir physically turned away.

The stranger frowned slightly. "What's funny?"

"That is the MOST suspicious answer on earth!"

"It's true."

"That's exactly what criminals say in movies before police raids."

The college girls looked deeply entertained now.

One whispered dramatically, "This feels illegal."

"You have no idea," Kabir muttered under his breath.

Meanwhile Siya narrowed her eyes at the stranger suspiciously.

"What exactly do you import-export?"

He held her gaze calmly.

"Problems."

Aaru screamed.

"OH HE THINKS HE'S COOL."

The girls at the next table were now openly recording voice notes about this entire situation.

One whispered:

> "Guys I'm telling you, Siya pulled a dangerous businessman. This man looks like he owns abandoned warehouses emotionally."

Kabir whispered to himself, "Accurate unfortunately."

Then-

Disaster struck again.

The waiter returned holding the bill.

And naturally-

Three hands reached for it simultaneously.

Siya.

Shashwat.

Aaru.

Aaru looked offended immediately. "Why are YOU touching the bill? You faint over academic pressure. Sit down."

"I can pay for my own food!"

Shashwat calmly took the bill first.

"No."

Siya glared. "Excuse me?"

"You're a student."

"So?"

"So your bank account probably cries when you buy iced coffee."

Aaru burst out laughing again.

"HE CLOCKED YOU."

Siya pointed aggressively. "I have money!"

Kabir looked unconvinced. "How much?"

"...that's private."

"Single digits," Aaru whispered dramatically.

"It is NOT single digits!"

The stranger quietly handed his card to the waiter.

Problem solved.

Or so he thought.

Because Siya immediately snatched the bill back.

"No. Absolutely not. I'm not letting a random man pay for me."

The stranger looked mildly amused now. "You threw coffee at me."

"That doesn't create financial custody!"

The college girls nearby were INVESTED now.

One whispered:

> "This isn't flirting anymore. This is courtship through aggression."

Kabir looked exhausted beyond human understanding.

Then-

Aaru suddenly grabbed the bill dramatically.

"ENOUGH."

Everyone stopped.

She looked between Siya and the stranger with the seriousness of a UN peace negotiator.

"We settle this traditionally."

Siya frowned. "Traditionally how?"

Aaru pulled out a coin.

Kabir immediately stood up. "No."

"YES."

"You're not deciding financial matters through gambling."

"Watch me."

The stranger leaned back slightly, visibly entertained now.

Aaru held the coin up dramatically.

"Heads: Mafia Man pays."

"Stop calling him that," Siya hissed.

"Tails: Wattpad Princess pays."

Kabir looked toward the ceiling like asking God why this was his life.

Aaru flipped the coin dramatically into the air.

Everyone watched.

The coin landed.

Rolled.

Spun.

Then fell directly into someone's soup at the next table.

Silence.

A random uncle stared down at the floating coin in disbelief.

Then slowly looked up.

"...what kind of circus are you people running?"

Siya LOST IT.

She bent forward laughing so hard she couldn't breathe.

Aaru collapsed against the chair wheezing.

Even the college girls nearby were crying laughing now.

And Shashwat-

The terrifying man who made entire rooms go silent-

Sat there watching Siya laugh with the softest expression anyone had ever seen on his face.

Kabir noticed immediately.

And whispered under his breath-

"Oh this man is doomed."