7:52 PM

At this point, Aaru had come to a very important conclusion.

The universe was shipping Siya and the mysterious stranger harder than the internet was.

And Aaru intended to investigate.

Aggressively.

The four of them stood on the sidewalk.

Traffic rushed past.

The black car waited nearby.

Siya was trying to book a cab.

Trying being the important word.

Siya: "Why is no driver accepting my ride?"

Aaru: "Because even Uber knows your life is a thriller."

Kabir: "That doesn't make sense."

Aaru: "Neither does today."

Siya refreshed the app again.

Nothing.

Again.

Nothing.

Again.

Still nothing.

Siya: "Unbelievable."

The stranger glanced at her phone.

Then looked away.

Then looked away a little too quickly.

Kabir immediately narrowed his eyes.

Oh no.

No no no.

Surely not.

Kabir quietly stepped closer.

Kabir: "Sir."

Stranger: "Hmm?"

Kabir: "Did you cancel her rides?"

The silence was deafening.

Aaru froze.

Siya froze.

Even a passing dog seemed interested.

The stranger looked offended.

Stranger: "Of course not."

Kabir: "You're lying."

Stranger: "You have no proof."

Kabir: "That is not a denial."

Aaru screamed.

Aaru: "HE DID IT."

Siya: "WHAT?!"

Stranger: "I did not."

Kabir: "You absolutely did."

Stranger: "Allegedly."

Aaru: "OH MY GOD."

Siya stared.

Siya: "Why would you cancel my cab?"

Stranger: "I didn't."

Kabir: "He's lying."

Stranger: "You're unemployed if you continue speaking."

Kabir: "I WORK FOR YOU."

Aaru: "This workplace sounds toxic."

A notification suddenly appeared on Siya's phone.

Driver cancelled your ride.

Everyone looked at the stranger.

The stranger looked at the sky.

Suspiciously.

Siya: "You are unbelievably shady."

Stranger: "That's rude."

Siya: "You have the energy of a man who owns secret warehouses."

Kabir: "She isn't wrong."

Stranger: "Whose side are you on?"

Kabir: "Comedy."

Aaru nearly fell over laughing.

Then suddenly-

Her stomach growled.

Loudly.

Very loudly.

The entire group stopped.

Aaru looked horrified.

Aaru: "...Nobody heard that."

Kabir: "The entire district heard that."

Siya: "I think Punjab heard it too."

Aaru: "Traitors."

The stranger unexpectedly opened the car door.

Stranger: "Get in."

Siya: "No."

Stranger: "Why?"

Siya: "Because my mother raised me correctly."

Aaru: "VALID."

Kabir: "For once."

The stranger sighed.

Stranger: "What if I drop both of you home?"

Siya: "Still no."

Stranger: "Why?"

Siya: "I don't know your name."

Silence.

Finally.

The question again.

Aaru perked up immediately.

Aaru: "YES."

Kabir: "This should be interesting."

The stranger looked at Siya.

She crossed her arms.

Waiting.

The city noise faded around them.

For the first time all evening—

He seemed genuinely unsure of something.

Then-

Stranger: "Shashwat."

Silence.

Siya: "What?"

Stranger: "My name."

Siya: "Oh."

Aaru: "THAT'S IT?"

Kabir: "What were you expecting?"

Aaru: "Lightning. Background music. Trauma."

Siya looked at him for a moment.

Siya: "Shashwat."

The way she said his name-

Simple.

Casual.

Unaware.

Made him go completely still.

Kabir noticed immediately.

And regretted noticing.

Siya: "Okay, Shashwat."

The second time was worse.

Much worse.

Kabir looked away.

Aaru looked between them

Then slowly smiled.

The smile of a woman about to become absolutely unbearable.

Aaru: "...interesting."

Siya: "Stop saying that."

Aaru: "No."

Suddenly-

A motorbike sped past them.

Fast.

Too fast.

The rider's helmet hid his face.

Nobody paid attention.

Except Kabir.

His expression hardened immediately.

The bike disappeared around the corner.

Kabir pulled out his phone.

Typed something quickly.

Then slipped it back into his pocket.

Aaru noticed.

Aaru: "What was that?"

Kabir: "Nothing."

Aaru: "That was very much something."

Kabir: "No."

Aaru: "Liar."

Before she could continue, Siya's phone buzzed.

A notification.

Instagram.

She opened it casually.

Then froze.

Siya: "...Why do I have 12,000 new followers?"

Aaru: "HOW MANY?"

Siya: "TWELVE THOUSAND."

Kabir: "For what?"

Aaru: "For existing near a handsome man."

Siya: "That is ridiculous."

Aaru: "Welcome to the internet."

Then Siya opened her messages.

And immediately regretted it.

> Is Mafia Man single?

> Marry him.

> Blink twice if he's rich.

> Ask him his skincare routine.

> Is he fictional?

> Can we borrow him?

Siya: "I'm deleting my account."

Aaru: "Understandable."

Shashwat: "Reasonable."

Kabir: "Finally, something we all agree on."

And for one brief moment-

All four of them laughed.

Completely unaware that somewhere nearby, someone had already taken another photograph.

And this time-

The picture wasn't meant for social media.