The next morning

Armaan came out of his house, adjusted the strap of his bag on his shoulder and walked toward the café, mentally listing the ingredients he needed to restock. Akarsh left for his college. The streets were busy as usual, vendors arranging carts, office–goers rushing, school children running.

And then it happened. A small rubber ball bounced across the road. A little boy, no more than six or seven, ran after it without looking, from the opposite side, a black sedan sped forward. For a fraction of a second, everything slowed.

Armaan's eyes widened.

"Arre—!"

Without thinking, he dropped his bag and sprinted toward the child. He grabbed the boy into his arms and stepped aside just in time. The car screeched to a halt a few feet away. The boy burst into tears, clutching Armaan's shirt tightly. The car side hit Armaan's arm hard, but he didn't even flinch.

Within seconds, the boy's parents rushed forward. "Oh my God, beta", the mother cried, pulling the child into her arms. "Thank you... thank you so much", the father said repeatedly, folding his hands in gratitude.

Armaan nodded slightly. "Bache ka dhyaan rakhiye road mazaak nahi hota". Just then, the driver's side door opened with force.

(Take care of child, the road is no joke)

A man stepped out, visibly furious. "What is this nonsense?, why would you leave such a small child unattended on the road?"

The parents froze.

"If there had been an accident, you would have come running for money, right?" the driver continued arrogantly. Armaan's jaw tightened.

"Oh, Mr. What do you think of Yourself", Armaan shot back sharply, stepping forward. "Is this your father's road that you were driving at such speed?". The man glared. "Mind your language".

"You mind your driving". Armaan retorted. "If you had seen a child ahead, you could have slowed down earlier, car chalana aata hai ya sirf paison ka show–off karna?"

(Do you know how to drive a car or just show off your money?)

A small crowd began gathering.

The man scoffed. "Do you even know who is sitting in that car, If she wants, she can buy all seven generation of yours, bloody middle class", the driver spat arrogantly.

Armaan's fists clenched. "I don't care who is sitting inside, no one has the right to drive like that on a public road" he shot back. "Hey beta, your hand is bleeding", an elderly woman said, noticing the thin line of blood trickling down his arm where the car had struck hard.

"You should compensate him", another man from the crowd added, pointing at the driver. "Everyone has seen it, It was your mistake, you were the one driving fast". The driver narrowed his eyes in irritation. With exaggerated annoyance, he pulled out his wallet, took out a few notes and threw them straight at Armaan's face.

"You are creating so much drama just for these, you should have told me earlier, I know people like you from third class do all this just for money", he scoffed. For a second, Armaan stood frozen. The notes fell near his feet.

Humiliation burned in his chest. Not because of the money but because of the way it was thrown. Slowly, his anger overpowered the hurt. He bent down, picked up the cash and walked toward the car. The rear window slid down when he knocked.

Inside sat a young woman wearing a mask, a laptop resting on her lap, earbuds in her ears. She removed one earbud, slightly confused.

"Excuse me?" she asked politely. Without a word, Armaan threw the cash on her. "Paiso ka ghamand achha nahi hota aur kisi ki jaan se badhkar toh bilkul bhi nahi", he said firmly. 

(It is not good to be proud of money and it is certainly not more important than someone's life)

His eyes held fire before she could even respond, he turned and walked away. Ahana sat there, stunned. She hadn't even known what had just happened. She had been attending an important video meeting on behalf of her father.

"Hello, Ms. Maheshwari, Is everything alright?", the client's voice came from her laptop. She blinked and came back to her senses. "Yes, Mr. Verma, I will contact you again in a while", She ended the call immediately.

Removing her mask, she stepped out of the car, her car stood in the middle of the road. A crowd had gathered, her driver stood there defensively.

"What is happening here?" she asked firmly. "Oh, so you people are so proud of money", the old lady snapped. "You can't even drive properly after almost taking a child's life".

Ahana froze. She looked at the small boy crying in his mother's arms. "What happened?" she asked her driver, her tone turning cold. "Ma'am, this kid suddenly came on the road, our car was about to hit him, I know these people.. they do all this to earn money", the driver muttered dismissively.

Ahana's eyes hardened before he could react, she slapped him hard. The sound echoed in the stunned silence.

"Are you out of your mind?" she said sharply. "No parent is so heartless that they would risk their child's life for a few rupees".

The crowd looked surprised. She turned toward the child's parents. "I'm really sorry, It was our mistake and I'm ashamed of his behavior, did your child get hurt?" she asked, genuine concern in her voice.

The parents shook their heads. "No, but the boy who saved our child got hurt". "Where is he?" she asked immediately. "There, he is going", the father pointed, Ahana turned. Across the road, she saw a tall figure walking away. She could only see his back, his shirt sleeve was slightly stained with blood.

For some reason, guilt tightened in her chest. "I'm sorry again", she told the parents softly. Then she walked back toward the car. The driver sat down nervously.

"After dropping to me office, you are not coming to work anymore, consider yourself dismissed" she said coldly. The driver's face drained of color, he couldn't say a word.

Armaan pushed open the glass door of the café, the small bell above it chiming softly. "Good morning, buddy", Rivaansh called out from behind the counter with his usual bright grin but that disappeared the moment his eyes fell on Armaan's arm.

"Hey, ye kya hua?" Rivaansh rushed toward him, worry instantly replacing his playful tone. Armaan glanced at his sleeve casually. The blood had dried slightly, staining the fabric. "Kuch nahi, road pe thoda scene ho gaya", he said as if it were nothing.

(Nothing, I got a in scene on the road)

"Scene?" Rivaansh repeated, grabbing his wrist gently to inspect the injury. "Bhai, yeh 'scene' nahi lag raha, yeh lag raha hai tu kisi se fight karke aaya hai". Armaan exhaled slowly. "Ek bachcha road pe aa gaya tha, car hit karne wali thi, bas.. time pe pakad liya".

(Bro this doesn't look like 'scene', it looks like you've just had a fight with someone)

(A child came on the road, the car was about to hit him, I just... caught him in time)

Rivaansh froze for a second. "Pagal hai kya tu, agar tujhe kuch ho jaata toh?"Armaan shrugged lightly. "Kuch nahi hota". "Kuch nahi hota?" Rivaansh's voice rose. "Tujhe apni life ki koi value hai ya nahi?"

(Are you crazy, if something were to happen to you)

(nothing happens)

(Do you have any value for your life or not?)

There was silence. Armaan looked away. "Us bachche ki jaan zyada important thi". Rivaansh stared at him - half angry, half proud.

(That child's life was more important)

"Baith yaha", he ordered, dragging a chair forward. "First aid box laata hoon". While cleaning the wound, he muttered, "Hero banne ki aadat chhod de thodi". Armaan gave a faint smile. "Hero nahi hoon, bas insaan hoon".

(Give up the habit of being a hero)

(I'm not a hero, I'm just human)

Rivaansh paused at that. "Insaan toh sab hote hain par sab mein itni himmat nahi hoti", he said softly. He narrated everything — the child, the speeding car, the arrogant driver, the money thrown at his face.

(Everyone is human, but not everyone has the courage)

Rivaansh's jaw tightened. "Ye bade baap ki bigdi hui aulaade, paisa inhe andha bana deta hai", he muttered. Then suddenly he smirked. "By the way, you did a wonderful thing by throw the money back on them".

(These are the spoiled children of a rich father, money makes them blind)

Armaan shook his head slightly "I don't like these rich people at all", he said, bitterness creeping into his voice. "I don't know why they are so proud of money, It feels like they think we middle–class are nothing". His eyes darkened.

"I hate them"

Rivaansh looked at him carefully, he knew this wasn't just about today, It was about years of struggle, Years of watching doors close because of status. Years of swallowing humiliation silently.

"Okay", Rivaansh said after a pause. "Let's do one thing, don't work today, rest kar, otherwise the wound will hurt more".

"I'm fine", Armaan replied firmly, standing up. "It's just a scratch".

"Armaan-"

But he was already walking toward the kitchen. Rivaansh sighed. "Ziddi aadmi". Inside the kitchen, the oven heat wrapped around him, he tied his apron, rolled up his sleeve again - even though it stung and started kneading dough like nothing had happened.

(stubborn man)

Ahana's car slowed down a few meters before the company entrance.

"Stop here", she instructed calmly. She stepped out, adjusting her blazer. Instead of using the private entry reserved for the owner's family, she walked toward the main entrance like every other employee.

Security guards greeted her normally.  She entered the lift with other employees, unnoticed, just another professional starting her day but her mind wasn't in the office. It was replaying a single sentence.

"Paiso ka ghamand achha nahi hota".

She hadn't even known what had happened, yet she had felt the weight of his anger. The honesty in his voice and for the first time in a long while, she felt uncomfortable - not because someone disrespected her but because somewhere maybe that anger was justified.

When Ahana stepped out of the lift, the familiar buzz of the design department greeted her - keyboards clicking, designers discussing sketches, gemstones glittering under bright white lights. 

"Good morning, Ahana ma'am" one of her colleagues greeted. "Good morning" she replied softly, walking toward her desk. She placed her bag down and opened her laptop but her fingers paused above the keyboard as her mind drifted back to the morning incident. 

She pressed her lips together, slightly frustrated with herself. She didn't even know his name yet the incident refused to leave her thoughts. Just then, one of the junior designers approached her desk. 

"Ma'am, the emerald necklace design for the Verma project should we modify the clasp style?" Ahana blinked, pulling herself back to the present. "Yes" she said, focusing on the sketch. "Make it slimmer, the current design looks heavy. It should feel elegant, not bulky". 

"Okay, ma'am", the designer nodded and left. Work slowly began taking over her mind again. It was almost lunchtime when her phone buzzed, and a small smile appeared on her face as the screen lit up with the name Tia. She picked up the call. 

"Hey princess, you actually picked up my call, I thought you had forgotten how phones work," Tia said with a touch of sarcasm. Ahana chuckled softly. 

"You're laughing at me?" Tia gasped dramatically. "Are baba na, I don't have such audactity that I laugh at you", Ahana replied, pressing her lips together to stop smiling.

"Liar, I'll deal with you later, right now I'm standing outside your company in this sun. Come fast, we're having lunch together today", Tia said excitedly. 

"I'm coming, just stop complaining" Ahana said and cut the call. She grabbed her phone and bag and walked out of the company building where she saw Tia waiting on her scooty. 

Tia came from a normal family - not poor but not extremely rich either. Her father was the MD of one of the top colleges and her mother was a housewife. Tia was a neurosurgeon. She and Ahana had been best friends since third standard. Tia knew about Ahana's family but had never disclosed it to anyone nor had she ever taken advantage of their friendship, she was more like a sister to Ahana than just a friend. 

"Hey, how are you?" Ahana asked, sitting behind Tia, who handed her a helmet. "Main mast," Tia grinned. "Chal, aaj main tujhe ek mast café leke chalti hoon. By God, waha ke ladke bade hot hain," she added with a sly smile as she started the scooty, and Ahana just shook her head, laughing softly.

(Come on, I'm going to take you to a great cafe today. By God, the boys there are hot)

After riding for about half an hour, they finally reached a café named The Cozy Corner, located a little away from the busy corporate area still near Ahana's company. The café looked small but warm and inviting, with soft lights glowing through the glass windows and the aroma of fresh coffee drifting outside.

Tia parked her scooty and the two of them walked inside. The small bell above the door chimed softly as it opened.

"Oh, welcome, miss. Please take your seats", Rivaansh, who was standing behind the counter, said with a friendly smile. Tia's eyes instantly widened as she leaned closer to Ahana.

"Dekha, ye kitna cute aur hot dono hai, his smile is so cute aur body dekhi hai uski? Hayee" she whispered excitedly in Ahana's ear. 

(Look, he is so cute and hot, his smile is so cute and have you seen his body?)

Ahana shook her head slightly, trying not to laugh at Tia's dramatic reaction, while her eyes casually scanned the cozy café around them - unaware that somewhere inside the kitchen, the same man she had met that morning was working.

They walked further inside and took a cozy corner seat near the window. The café had a calm warmth to it - soft music playing in the background, the faint smell of freshly baked pastries filling the air.

A waiter soon came to their table with a polite smile. "Ma'am, what would you like to order?"

"One cappuccino", Ahana said simply.

"Eww seriously? Coffee here too?" Tia made a face dramatically. She turned toward the waiter with childlike excitement. "Bhaiya, bring me one white sauce pasta, one cold coffee, a veg burger and a brownie for dessert.. no wait - bring two brownies".

Ahana raised an eyebrow at her.

"Diet?" Ahana asked dryly. Tia waved her hand dismissively. "Happiness in life is more important than calories". The waiter nodded, trying not to laugh at Tia enthusiasm and left to place the order.

Tia leaned back in her chair, looking around the café with curiosity while Ahana quietly observed the calm atmosphere of the place. 

"Okay, now tell me, what happened?" Tia asked suspiciously. "Nothing at all," Ahana replied, shrugging her shoulders casually. Tia immediately leaned forward. "Oh, I've known you since childhood,I know when you're in a bad mood, so now spill the tea", she said, placing her elbows on the table and resting her chin on her hands while looking at Ahana curiously. 

Ahana sighed softly and finally told her everything. For a moment there was complete silence. Then suddenly Tia burst out laughing loudly, making a few people sitting nearby look at her strangely. Ahana quickly slapped her arm lightly. 

"Tu chudailon jaisi kyun has rahi hai?" she said in a low voice. Tia tried to stop but kept giggling. "Sorry.. sorry.. but yaar", she said between laughs, "I heard such a thing for the first time and could not stop laughing, like seriously, someone throw cash on The Ahana Maheshwari, it's unexpected".

(Why are you laughing like a witch?)

Ahana glared at her while Tia shook her head with amusement. "No seriously, he's interesting, he seems to have so much self-respect". Ahana looked away slightly and for some reason the image of his bleeding hand flashed in her mind again. 

"I didn't even get to say sorry to him", she murmured quietly. Tia's teasing expression softened a little as she shrugged. "You will meet him someday the world is not that big", she said casually.

Soon their order arrived. Tia immediately started eating, finishing the pasta, burger and cold coffee with complete satisfaction. After that, she picked up one of the brownies, tore a small piece and popped it into her mouth. The chocolate melted instantly.

"Mmm... it's so tasty", she said happily. "Ahana, you should try this," she added, pushing the other brownie toward her.

"No... you know I don't like sweets that much," Ahana replied. "Yeah, I know," Tia said with a sly grin. "You like spicy... like your spicy romance novels".

Ahana clicked her tongue and glared at her. "I don't know about me but it seems you like sweets a bit too much - just like your romance novel characters. Soft and sweet".

Tia smirked. "Of course... like the one I'm liking right now". She subtly gestured with her eyes toward the counter.

Ahana followed her gaze and saw Rivaansh standing there, clearing a bill while talking to a customer with his usual warm smile.

Tia sighed dramatically. "Haaye... if I get a guy like that, my life is set but nowadays boys like this are rarely single".

"Alright, come on - on that note, just give it a little taste, girl. It's really delicious!" Tia said and almost stuffed a piece of brownie into Ahana's mouth. Ahana's eyes widened slightly as the rich, sweet taste melted on her tongue.

"Mmm.. it really tastes amazing", she admitted while chewing.

"I knew it", Tia chuckled proudly.

After finishing their food, they walked toward the counter to pay the bill. Tia immediately reached for her wallet but Ahana stopped her and paid instead. She also placed a generous tip on the counter.

"Your brownies are amazing, this is for that", she said with a soft smile. Rivaansh looked at the money and then back at her. "Thanks, ma'am but we can't accept this much as a tip".

"Oh sweetie, take it", Tia jumped in before Ahana could say anything. "Because it's very rare for her to compliment anything, so just take it", she added, winking at him.

Rivaansh's cheeks flushed instantly before he could even recover, Tia leaned forward, placing her elbows on the counter and resting her chin on her hand, staring at him with curiosity.

"By the way what's your name?" she asked casually.

For a moment, Rivaansh seemed completely caught off guard,  his cheeks turned even redder, he cleared his throat slightly, trying to compose himself under Tia's intense gaze.

"Rivaansh", he replied, his voice soft but steady.

"Ooo nice name", Tia said, a playful smile forming on her lips. "Suits you". Ahana rolled her eyes slightly at her antics. "Tia..."

"What?" she whispered back innocently, though the mischief in her eyes said otherwise. Rivaansh gave a small awkward smile, still not used to this kind of attention. "Anything else, ma'am?"

Tia was about to say something again when Ahana gently pulled her arm. "Bas, ho gaya tera".

"Okay okay", Tia laughed. "We're leaving".

Ahana gave a polite nod. "Thank you".

"Thank you, ma'am", Rivaansh replied.

As they turned to leave, Tia leaned closer to Ahana and whispered, "I'm telling you, ye banda perfect hai".

Ahana shook her head, trying to ignore her but her eyes subconsciously scanned the café one last time.

For a second, they paused near the door as the bell chimed again and just at that moment, from inside the kitchen, Armaan stepped out, wiping his hands with a cloth but by the time his eyes lifted toward the exit, the door had already closed behind them.

"Hey, why is your face so red, do you have a fever?" Armaan asked with concern. "Umm.. no" Rivaansh replied, trying to act normal. "There were two girls here, they complimented your brownies and even left a tip" he added with a grin, flashing the cash. 

Armaan frowned slightly. "That's a lot, didn't you refuse it?". "I did but they wouldn't take no for an answer" Rivaansh shrugged. 

"Okay," Armaan nodded. Just then, a waiter approached them. "sir one of those two girls who were just here left her phone behind". "Oh", Armaan said, taking the phone. 

"Just leave it here, I'll give it to her when she comes back". They went back to their work and after nearly fifteen minutes, the café door opened again with a soft chime. Ahana walked in, slightly breathless, her eyes scanning the place before she headed straight toward the counter. 

Armaan stood there, busy with something, his back turned toward her. 

"Hey, excuse me" she called out. He turned around and for a moment, everything seemed to pause. Ahana froze as recognition hit her - it was him, the same man from the morning. "Hello, ma'am?" Armaan waved his hand slightly in front of her eyes. 

"Uh yes.." she blinked, coming back to her senses. "Are you looking for something?" he asked. 

"You.." she almost said before stopping herself. "What?" he frowned slightly. "Oh no, sorry" she said quickly, a faint blush appearing on her cheeks. "I think I might have left my phone here".

"Yeah" Armaan nodded and handed it to her. "Here is your phone". As she took it, their fingers brushed lightly and for a brief second, they looked in each other eyes, his black eyes met with her light brown eyes. 

Neither of them spoke but something unspoken had just begun.

It was around 5:00 p.m., and the sky had started turning a soft shade of orange as the sun slowly dipped behind the buildings. Akarsh rode his bike through the busy streets, heading home from the library after another long study session. His mind was still filled with concepts but his focus broke when something on the roadside caught his attention.

A group of ragged, beggar kids had surrounded a smaller boy. They were pushing him, hitting him and snatching something from his hands while he tried to protect himself. Akarsh's grip tightened on the brakes and the bike came to a sudden halt. For a second, he just watched, his jaw clenching, eyes narrowing.

Then without a second thought, he parked his bike on the side and walked straight toward them. "Oi!" his voice cut sharply through the noise. The kids froze. "Chhodo usse" he said coldly, his gaze dark and commanding.

One of the boys tried to act tough. "Aap hote kaun ho beech mein bolne wale?" Akarsh stepped closer, his presence enough to make them step back.

(Who do you think you are to interrupt?)

"Wahi jo tumhe samjha sakta hai bina haath uthaye... ya zarurat padi toh haath utha ke bhi", he replied calmly but there was a clear warning in his tone. The kids exchanged glances and one by one, they stepped back and ran away.

(The one who can make you understand without raising a hand... or, if necessary, even by raising one)

The smaller boy stayed where he was, trembling, his eyes filled with tears. Akarsh crouched down in front of him. "Theek ho?" he asked, his voice softer now. The boy nodded slowly but suddenly hissed in pain, clutching his knee where it was scratched and bleeding.

"Ruko, mere paas bandage hai" Akarsh said, getting up and walking toward his bike. He opened his bag and took out a small medicine pouch but when he turned back, he paused.

(Wait, I have a bandage)

A girl was already sitting beside the boy, gently applying medicine and wrapping a bandage around his knee. Akarsh walked closer, watching quietly. "Thank you, didi", the boy said softly.

"It's okay, take care of yourself and don't let the bandage get wet", she said, ruffling his hair and handing him a chocolate from her bag. The boy smiled and ran off.

The girl stood up and turned toward Akarsh and for a moment, he forgot how to breathe. His black eyes met her soft grey ones. There was something calm, something warm about her presence.

Kriti, on the other hand, looked at him with a slightly confused expression. "Hello, Mr.?" she said, bringing him back to reality. He blinked, suddenly aware of the heat rising to his cheeks and neck - something he had never felt before.

"Thanks... for doing that", he said, his voice unusually softer. "Oh, it's my pleasure", she replied with a gentle smile and he felt his heart skip a beat. Just then, someone called her from across the road.

"Kriti!" Vani's voice echoed. "Coming!" she replied, turning away. Akarsh stood there, watching her as she walked away, his gaze fixed on her until she disappeared from his sight - unaware that something had just quietly begun inside him.

.

.