6:42 PM - The Circus Continues

The café should have thrown them out twenty minutes ago.

Instead, the staff had gathered near the counter to watch.

For free.

Like a live comedy show.

The random uncle whose soup had been attacked by Aaru's coin was still staring at them.

"Children these days," he muttered.

"Uncle, technically we're adults," Aaru replied.

The uncle pointed at Kabir's pasta-covered jeans.

"Then explain that."

Nobody could.

Not even science.

Meanwhile...

Siya had finally stopped laughing.

Big mistake.

Because now she could think again.

And thinking made her realize something horrifying.

She was sitting in a café with:

Aaru (a public menace)

Kabir (a permanently annoyed human being)

An extremely attractive stranger whose existence felt suspicious

This was not normal.

At all.

She pointed at the stranger.

"You still haven't told me your name."

The table went quiet.

Kabir immediately found the ceiling fascinating.

Aaru narrowed her eyes.

The stranger looked completely calm.

Too calm.

Dangerously calm.

"My name?" he asked.

"Yes."

"You want my actual name?"

"Obviously."

"Why?"

Siya blinked.

"Because that's how human interaction works."

"Interesting."

"Interesting?!"

Aaru slapped the table.

"OH MY GOD. He's one of those people."

"One of what people?" Siya asked.

"The mysterious types."

Kabir nodded.

"Very annoying species."

The stranger looked offended.

"You both are being dramatic."

"Your personality is dramatic," Kabir replied.

The betrayal in the stranger's face was immediate.

"Whose side are you on?"

Kabir took a sip of water.

"Whichever side has fewer headaches."

The waiter returned.

Again.

Looking traumatized.

"Sir," he said nervously to Shashwat.

"Yes?"

" The girls from table six, eight, and eleven all want your Instagram."

Siya immediately choked on air.

Aaru screamed.

Kabir closed his eyes.

The waiter continued.

"And one of them left her phone number."

Silence.

The stranger stared at the paper.

Then calmly handed it to Kabir.

Kabir looked confused.

"What am I supposed to do with this?"

"Frame it."

Aaru almost fell out of her chair laughing.

"HAHAHAHA."

The waiter looked equally confused.

"You don't want it?"

"No."

"Why?"

The stranger glanced toward Siya absentmindedly.

The entire table froze.

Including him.

Because he realized what he'd just done.

Too late.

Aaru saw everything.

EVERYTHING.

Her eyes widened so much they nearly achieved orbit.

"Oh."

Kabir saw it too.

"Oh no."

Siya looked between them.

"What?"

"Nothing," Kabir answered immediately.

"Absolutely nothing," Aaru added.

The stranger looked like he wanted the floor to open beneath him.

Unfortunately...

The universe wasn't done.

A familiar voice suddenly echoed through the café.

"SIYAAAAA!"

Siya froze.

No.

No no no.

Not him.

Please.

Not today.

A second later-

Rohan appeared.

College classmate.

Part-time nuisance.

Full-time overconfident.

The same boy who once sent Siya:

> good morning beautiful 🌹

after she had borrowed a pen.

Rohan spotted the table.

Then spotted Shashwat.

Then spotted Kabir.

Then spotted the pasta incident.

His brain visibly malfunctioned.

"What is happening here?"

Aaru whispered,

"Boss fight."

Kabir whispered,

"Definitely boss fight."

Rohan approached anyway.

Because survival instincts were optional apparently.

"Siya," he said confidently, "you never replied to my message."

The entire table went silent.

Aaru grabbed her drink immediately.

This was entertainment.

Siya looked horrified.

"Rohan-"

"No no," he continued dramatically. "I deserve closure."

Kabir turned away.

The stranger folded his arms.

Aaru looked seconds away from recording.

"Closure?" Siya repeated.

"Yes."

"Over a text I left on seen?"

"Yes."

"From six months ago?"

"Yes."

The café staff had stopped pretending to work.

Everyone was listening now.

Even the uncle.

Rohan pointed dramatically.

"You ignored me."

"Because you texted me 'hey dear'."

"That's romantic!"

"That's unemployment behavior."

The café exploded with laughter.

Even Kabir laughed.

Actually laughed.

Rohan looked wounded.

"Wow."

"You sent seventeen roses."

"It was a gesture!"

"It was botanical harassment."

Aaru nearly fell out of her chair.

Then..

Rohan finally noticed Shashwat properly.

"Who's this?"

Dangerous question.

Very dangerous.

The stranger remained silent.

Siya opened her mouth.

Nothing came out.

Because honestly...

What WAS he?

A random stranger?

A confusing stranger?

A handsome problem?

Aaru answered immediately.

"We don't know."

Rohan blinked.

"What?"

"We met him today."

" What?"

"She's fainted in his arms twice."

"WHAT?"

Kabir looked tired.

The stranger rubbed his forehead.

Siya wanted to launch herself into the sun.

And somewhere in the middle of the chaos-

For the first time in weeks-

She forgot about fear.

Forgot about strange messages.

Forgot about being watched.

Because right now...

Her biggest problem was surviving Aaru's mouth.

And judging by the way the stranger was looking at her while trying not to smile-

That problem wasn't going away anytime soon.