**The Next Day**
**Anurag's flat — 11 a.m.**
Right at that moment, the doorbell rang.
*Tring tring…*
The moment Anirban opened the door, he saw Sneha standing there. She was wearing a sweet sky-blue dress, a clip in her hair, eyes as clear as glass, and a bag hanging from her shoulder.
**Sneha** (in a soft voice): "Is Sir here?"
Anirban stared at her silently for a few seconds before nodding. He immediately understood that Sneha had probably come for her project.
**Anirban**: "He's here… but he's taking a shower right now. Come inside. Sit down."
Sneha slipped off her shoes and stepped in. Inside the living room, five men—Rahul, Rishikesh, Shubhradeep, Swarnendu, and Jitendra—were lounging half-reclined on the sofa, laughing among themselves. But the instant they saw Sneha, Rahul, Rishikesh, Shubhradeep, Jitendra, and Swarnendu all froze completely. None of them had known that a girl—let alone a school student—would come to meet Anurag Sir like this.
Seeing Sneha for the first time in this way sent an strange, powerful wave crashing through their consciousness.
Her sky-blue dress clung tightly around her chest, a delicate belt tied softly at the curve of her waist—as though she herself were the most conscious artist of her own body. Kajal lined her eyes, light pink on her lips. The way she walked carried an effortless femininity, the kind that could effortlessly steal anyone's heart.
To them, she was no longer just a student—she had become a woman, an enchanting mystery.
In their minds they thought, *"There's something about this girl…"*
Sneha's gaze moved across the faces in the room. Every pair of eyes held astonishment and curiosity. Some flinched in surprise, others gave a faint smile.
**Rahul** (lifting his head): "Whoa! Who's this? Who are you?"
Sneha, a little shy, replied: "I… I'm Sneha. Anurag Sir's student."
For a single moment the room fell completely silent. Then Rahul, staring at her chest, whispered—
**Rahul**: "Student? *This* is a student? Something like this actually exists?"
Rishikesh smacked him lightly on the head.
**Rishikesh** (winking slightly): "Behave, Rahul. She's Anurag's student."
Sneha felt a wave of embarrassment. The energy in the room had shifted into something quite different.
Rishikesh suddenly stood up.
**Rishikesh** (in a gentle tone): "Sit, sit. Are you from that school where Anurag teaches?"
Sneha nodded shyly: "Yes… Sir told me that if I ever needed anything for the project, I could come to his house."
**Shubhradeep** (eyes widening): "So you came for Sir? No trouble getting here, right?"
Sneha gently shook her head to say no.
**Jitendra**: "Where's your house? Nearby?"
**Rahul**: "Which class are you in?"
**Swarnendu**: "What kind of food do you like? Do you enjoy going out?"
**Rahul**: "Do you like chocolates?"
Facing so many questions at once, Sneha was completely taken aback. Everyone seemed unusually interested in her. And never before had she found herself in a room full of so many young men at the same time.
Anirban stood with his head lowered. He could clearly sense what state of mind the boys were in after seeing Sneha. Their eyes said everything.
Worried that they might say something inappropriate to the poor girl, Anirban hurriedly stepped forward and said sternly—
**Anirban**: "She's here to meet Anurag. You don't need to poke your noses into this. Sneha, come with me inside."
Rahul, Jitendra, Swarnendu, Rishikesh, and Shubhradeep all looked slightly disappointed by Anirban's tone.
Sneha followed Anirban quietly and sat down on the edge of the sofa in the inner room.
From the doorway, Rahul, Jitendra, and Swarnendu kept stealing glances toward Sneha—silent wonder mixed with more than a little eagerness.
Sneha sat quietly in one corner of the sofa. She could sense the inexplicable attraction they felt toward her body.
---
Sneha's presence had spread a wave of fascination among them all.
**Swarnendu** (in a light voice): "This girl is straight-up dream-girl material! Unbelievable! Anurag has seriously hit the jackpot."
**Rahul** laughed: "How can anyone *not* fall in love after seeing a girl like this?"
**Rishikesh** (in a low voice): "If I had a girl like Sneha in my life, I wouldn't need anything else—house, car, nothing… Just having such a hot girl would be enough!"
**Shubhradeep**: "I want to make her my girlfriend."
**Rahul** (getting annoyed): "No way, why should *you*? *I* want to make her my girlfriend."
**Swarnendu**: "Just wanting to impress a girl isn't enough—you have to actually know *how* to do it."
**Jitendra** (laughing): "As if you've already won her over."
Just then Anirban walked back into the room.
Looking irritated, he spoke to them in a grave voice:
**Anirban**: "Can you guys stop? Sneha is Anurag's student. Talking about her like this isn't right."
**Shubhradeep** (smiling): "Come on, bro, we didn't say anything bad! You can't exactly hide what's on your mind!"
**Anirban** (voice now harder): "Maybe not, but there's a time and place for everything. Sneha is much younger than us, and she's here for studies—to meet Anurag. Show her some respect."
Everyone quieted down.
Anirban looked at them again and said in a lower tone:
**Anirban**: "You're all Anurag's friends. You should feel at least a little responsible when it comes to him."
Sneha sat silently with her head bowed. She could hear the conversation from the next room.
The corner of her lips held a faint shy smile, but beneath that shyness was clear discomfort.
---
**Inside the bathroom**
Hot water streamed slowly down Anurag Sir's body. Eyes closed, he stood under the shower. Droplets ran from his chin, along his shoulders, chest, and stomach, tracing perfect lines like a sculptor's careful brushstrokes. His wet hair clung to his forehead, and his trained, fit physique gleamed under the water, creating an almost magical play of light.
Suddenly…
*Tip… tip… tip…*
The water stopped.
A strange silence.
**Anurag** (startled): "What the hell! No water again?"
He twisted the shower knob—nothing. With a long sigh, he grabbed the towel hanging nearby, wrapped it around his waist, and stepped out of the bathroom—hair dripping, water still running down his chest.
Foam from the soap still clung here and there—below his neck, on the left side of his chest, and faintly across his lower abdomen. Droplets trembled on his glowing skin, catching the light like sunlight on wet stone. His warm, wet body radiated a subtle shine.
The white towel clung slightly to his damp skin around his waist.
"Anirban… Anirban…!" he called as he walked out.
But then his eyes fell on Sneha, sitting in the corner of the sofa.
At that exact moment, Sneha stood up from the sofa.
Their eyes met.
One moment.
Sneha froze. Her gaze locked onto Anurag Sir's half-wet form—his eyes, his jaw, the trails of water running down his chest, the firm line of the towel tied around his waist… Her cheeks flushed red, and her eyes instinctively dropped. She had never seen anyone this close-up in such a state.
**Anurag** (a little surprised): "You… here?"
Sneha struggled to find words. Slowly lifting her head, she whispered,
**Sneha**: "Sir… I came for the project… You said if I needed anything, I could come here…"
Just then Anirban appeared from the side room. Understanding the situation, he scratched his head awkwardly and said—
**Anirban**: "Oh… water gone again? I'll sort something out. You… go inside, finish your bath and get dressed."
Anurag looked for a moment at Sneha's lowered, embarrassed face, then said,
**Anurag**: "You sit for a bit. I'll be right back after I finish the bath."
He went back into the bathroom.
Sneha let out a slow, deep breath.
In the air of that room, something strange had suddenly formed—an emotion that might be called shyness… or fascination… or perhaps something more.
**To be continued…**
---