The next morning, an unusual silence hung over the house.
Everyone carried the same heavy thought in their hearts—Aarshi would be leaving tomorrow.
Momo was so upset that, for the first time in ages, she didn't even prepare breakfast. The kitchen remained cold and empty. Ayaan never stepped out of his room, while Aarshi quietly sat on the floor of the guest room, carefully folding her clothes and packing her suitcase.
At exactly eight in the morning, Ayaan picked up his phone and called his best friend, Karan.
The call was answered after several rings.
"...What happened now?" Karan mumbled sleepily. "Why are you calling me this early? Don't tell me you've already finished your workout and got bored."
Ayaan let out a tired sigh.
"I don't feel like doing anything today."
That sentence alone was enough to wake Karan a little.
"What happened? Didn't your precious Aarshi take care of you today?"
Ayaan stayed silent for a moment before answering in a voice that sounded painfully empty.
"She's going back tomorrow."
Those four words completely erased Karan's sleep.
He immediately sat upright in bed.
"Wait... you still haven't confessed?"
Ayaan almost groaned.
"Are you crazy? Do we even have a chance? She has never looked at me that way."
Karan became unusually serious.
"Then let her go."
Ayaan frowned.
"If she's truly meant to be yours, destiny will bring her back into your life—even without your permission."
Ayaan smiled faintly for the first time that morning.
"I hope you're right."
Meanwhile, Momo couldn't stop worrying about Ayaan.
She knew him well enough to understand that after Aarshi left, the house would feel painfully empty for him. On top of that, she had countless professional commitments waiting for her and wouldn't be able to spend much time with him.
She refused to let their final day become another sad memory.
So she decided to plan a day out.
She walked into Aarshi's room, where the girl was still packing.
"How about we go out today?" Momo asked with a hopeful smile.
Aarshi instantly nodded.
"Yes!"
Now the two girls marched toward Ayaan's room.
Without even bothering to knock, they opened the door.
Ayaan was sitting at his study table, completely absorbed in chatting with his friends on his iPad. He didn't even notice them entering.
Without making a sound, Aarshi snatched the iPad straight out of his hands.
Ayaan flinched.
He rubbed his forehead dramatically.
"Aarshi... please. Not today."
She smiled mischievously.
"This is the last time."
Then she stretched out her hand.
"Come with us. We're going out."
Ayaan rolled his eyes.
"...Fine. Give me thirty minutes."
The girls exchanged victorious smiles before leaving the room.
Exactly thirty minutes later, Ayaan walked downstairs.
He was dressed in a simple white T-shirt and matching white trousers.
The moment Aarshi looked at him...
She completely forgot how to blink.
He looked unreal.
Like a fallen angel who had accidentally wandered onto Earth.
Or perhaps Cupid himself had decided to take a vacation.
Without realizing it, she whispered to Momo,
"Is there... any color that doesn't suit him?"
Momo smirked.
"You mean... he looks handsome?"
"I never said that."
"But you meant it."
"...Fine."
Aarshi folded her arms dramatically.
"I admit it."
"This time..."
"He looks handsome."
Momo simply smiled.
"I knew it."
Their first destination was an enormous shopping mall.
Unfortunately...
It turned out to be the biggest disappointment of the day.
Every store looked the same.
Every dress looked ordinary.
Every outfit looked painfully basic.
Aarshi searched from one showroom to another, desperately trying to like something.
Nothing impressed her.
Eventually, she and Momo walked out of another store wearing identical expressions of disappointment.
Ayaan, who had silently watched their failed shopping adventure, suddenly held out a giant cotton candy.
"For you."
Aarshi's eyes sparkled.
"Where did you get that?"
"First floor."
Without wasting another second, she took an enormous bite.
Her mood instantly improved.
Seeing that, Momo also took an equally gigantic bite.
Now only half the cotton candy remained.
Ayaan looked at it.
Looked at them.
Then sighed dramatically before eating the remaining half himself.
"I bought it for me, by the way."
Neither of the girls even apologized.
Eventually, they left the mall.
All three looked equally disappointed.
"I don't think today was lucky enough for us to come outside," Aarshi sighed.
"My fault," Momo admitted. "I was the one who suggested going out."
"We should've stayed home and had a barbecue party."
Ayaan casually replied,
"They sell barbecue on the street too."
The girls froze.
Then slowly looked at each other.
Their eyes widened simultaneously.
Street shopping.
That was it.
Without another word, both girls grabbed Ayaan's arms and practically dragged him toward the bustling street market.
The crowded streets were noisy, colorful, and overflowing with life.
Unlike the polished mall...
This place had personality.
Rows of clothes hung outside tiny shops, colorful scarves fluttered in the wind, and vendors loudly advertised impossible discounts.
Aarshi's excitement returned immediately.
"This is more like it!"
The three wandered happily through the busy lanes.
After nearly half an hour...
Ayaan sighed dramatically.
"Momo..."
"I'm hungry."
"I skipped breakfast."
Aarshi looked at him.
"Nobody had breakfast today."
"But I'm still hungry."
Momo laughed.
"Then let's eat."
"YES!"
Aarshi practically bounced with excitement.
They stopped at a street food stall selling spicy potato sticks coated in fiery masala.
The aroma alone made Aarshi's mouth water.
"Momo! Please buy those!"
Momo happily ordered a plate.
The two girls began eating with unbelievable enthusiasm.
Meanwhile...
Ayaan simply stood beside them.
Watching.
Waiting.
Starving.
His expression screamed,
'Hello? Remember me? The living human standing next to you?'
Neither girl noticed.
They happily finished almost everything.
Only then did they realize...
"Oh."
"Ayaan is still hungry."
They resumed shopping.
This time Aarshi found everything she had been looking for.
Stylish trousers.
Pretty dresses.
Elegant tops.
Momo also bought several outfits.
Ayaan, however, bought absolutely nothing.
Instead...
He became the official shopping bag carrier.
One bag.
Three bags.
Five bags.
Seven bags.
By now, both his hands were cramping.
"My fingers are filing a resignation letter," he muttered.
At another clothing store, Aarshi picked up two identical shirts.
One for herself.
One for Ayaan.
She held his shirt against him.
"How does this look?"
"It's nice."
"Then buy it."
Ayaan stared at her.
"You literally bought the same shirt."
"Do you want us to become twins?"
Aarshi smiled softly.
"Are we even going to meet again?"
The smile disappeared from Ayaan's face.
Those words hurt far more than she realized.
After a moment, he forced himself to smile.
"It looks good."
"My hands are occupied."
"You can pay for it."
As Aarshi reached the billing counter, she noticed the female cashier wasn't looking at the register.
She was staring at Ayaan.
Very openly.
Aarshi quietly followed her gaze.
Then smiled.
"Is he handsome?"
The cashier immediately nodded.
"Is he your boyfriend?"
Without missing a beat...
Aarshi lied.
"Yes."
She was enjoying this far too much.
The cashier sighed dreamily.
"Could you move a little? I can't even admire him properly."
Then she glanced at Aarshi.
"I still can't believe such a quiet gentleman ended up with such a talkative girl."
Aarshi's smile disappeared instantly.
She snatched the shopping bag, paid the bill, and stormed out of the store.
Momo and Ayaan hurried after her.
Neither of them understood why she was suddenly furious.
Truthfully...
Even Aarshi couldn't explain it herself.
As evening approached, Aarshi began noticing something strange.
People kept staring.
Everywhere they went.
Children.
Teenagers.
Adults.
Even elderly people.
It almost felt as if they had never seen humans before.
She quietly observed where everyone was looking.
Not at her.
At Momo.
And Ayaan.
Both of them had grown so accustomed to attracting attention that they barely acknowledged it anymore.
Aarshi leaned closer to Ayaan and whispered,
"I think everyone is staring at us."
Without even looking up from the seven shopping bags hanging from both arms, Ayaan calmly replied,
"They don't have anything better to do."
"It's not worth noticing."
Once again...
Aarshi realized this boy was impossible to describe.
Curious, she turned toward Momo.
"Can the law do anything if someone makes you uncomfortable just by constantly staring?"
Momo shook her head.
"Not unless they've actually broken the law. If someone crosses legal boundaries or behaves inappropriately, then we can take legal action."
Ayaan added,
"And whether you file a case or not is entirely your choice. If legal action is taken, that person usually won't dare bother you again."
Aarshi blinked.
"What kind of cases do you handle?"
"Criminal law," Momo replied.
Seeing Aarshi's confused expression, Ayaan explained,
"Cases involving murder, assault, molestation, rape, domestic violence, fraud, scams... crimes like those."
Aarshi immediately decided she didn't want to ask any more questions.
That sounded terrifying.
It wasn't surprising that Ayaan understood the law so well.
His father had served as a Civil Court Judge and had worked as a public prosecutor for many years before that.
Living with a criminal lawyer like Momo and growing up around legal discussions had given Ayaan an impressive understanding of the justice system—even though law wasn't his own profession.