Chapter 62

Niharika sat cross-legged on the bed, wearing her soft cotton pajama set, her sleeves pushed up as she rested her elbows on her knees. Mayank sat nearby, his back against the headboard, dressed in comfortable joggers and a loose T-shirt, arms casually resting over his stomach.

She exhaled, playing with the edge of her sleeve. "Okay, sooo..."

Mayank smirked. "Yes, bolo."

She hesitated. "Mayank, it's embarrassing."

He raised an eyebrow. "Arre, tell me. It's fine."

She sighed dramatically before finally speaking. "Okay, so... in Year 10, my friend had a big crush on you."

Mayank's eyebrows lifted slightly, but he didn't interrupt.

"Back then, I didn't even know you," Niharika continued, fidgeting with her sleeve. "We saw you when you won some award at school, and during assembly, we were just watching, and my friend—Esha—was like, 'he's so cute' and stuff. And I thought, okay, let me get you guys to talk at least."

Mayank tilted his head, an amused expression settling on his face. "Huh. Interesting."

She rolled her eyes. "So, you know how we had those teachers we really liked? Sometimes we'd meet in the common teacher's room when we were just chatting. I thought maybe I could get Esha to talk to you there. But she was super shy."

Mayank chuckled. "And then?"

Niharika sighed, knowing he was enjoying this too much. "Then I requested to follow you on Instagram for her—and you followed me back. But then I saw that you supported KKR, and I was like, ohhh, same team. But I didn't say anything because, you know, girl code."

Mayank smirked, nodding. "Of course."

"But then one day, you posted something about cricket, and I was literally saying the same thing to my friend at that moment. And then I read your story and I was like—no way, he's reading my mind."

Mayank chuckled. "So, you replied?"

"Yeah," Niharika admitted. "And then we got close. But I was still determined to get you and Esha to talk."

Mayank's eyes twinkled with amusement. "How did that work out for you?"

She huffed. "Not well. I even brought her to meet you one day, but we started talking about cricket, and she didn't know much. I tried changing the subject, but then the teacher joined in, and I couldn't do anything."

Mayank laughed. "Poor Esha."

"I know," Niharika chuckled. "But I didn't stop trying. I was ready to do anything to get you guys to talk." She paused for dramatic effect before grinning. "Esha and I even faked a survey just so she could text you."

Mayank's mouth fell open slightly. "What?"

She laughed. "Yeah. She messaged you saying she needed responses for some school thing. You thought it was for work, right?"

"Yeah!" Mayank exclaimed. "It looked legit! I actually took time to fill it out."

Niharika smirked. "I'm a talented person."

Mayank shook his head in disbelief. "So, you made that survey?"

"I did," she admitted proudly. "She sent it to you so you guys could talk. But even then, the conversation didn't last long."

Mayank nodded. "But ours did."

She smiled softly. "Yeah, our first conversation stayed for over two weeks."

He looked at her, something settling in his chest. "Damn. Yeah."

She tilted her head. "You know, I always thought you had the same mindset as me in every way. It was nice. Even our subjects were the same."

Mayank stared at her for a second, feeling a strange realization creep in. He had never really thought about it before, but now that she said it...

She was right.

There had always been this natural flow between them, a comfort that had made their conversations last. Their perspectives aligned in a way that had always felt effortless.

And now, looking at her, sitting across from him, smiling like she was reliving an old, distant memory—he felt something shift inside him.

"When I first spoke to you," he admitted, "I thought the same thing. That you think a lot like me. And I found that... refreshing."

She looked at him, a slow, genuine smile forming on her lips.

And for a brief moment, they just sat there—two people who had once been mere school acquaintances, now married, now rediscovering old conversations that had unknowingly shaped something deeper between them.

Mayank leaned his head back against the headboard, his fingers lightly tapping against his knee. His mind was still stuck on something.

"What if we had stayed in touch?" he asked suddenly, turning his head to look at Niharika.

She frowned slightly, caught off guard. "Huh?"

"Do you think things would've been different?"

Niharika blinked, feeling a strange weight in the question. "I... I don't know. Maybe?"

Mayank nodded thoughtfully. "We went to the same university, after all."

She exhaled, tilting her head. "Yeah, but we wouldn't have met. I went there after undergrad, you were already done."

"True," Mayank agreed, rubbing his jaw. "So... what happened then?"

Niharika immediately stiffened. "Uhh..."

Mayank smirked at her hesitation. "Come on, I won't bite. Tell me."

She sighed dramatically. "You have to promise me you won't tease me about this later. Or make it awkward and annoying."

Mayank chuckled at her antics. "I don't make things annoying."

Niharika gave him a pointed look before holding up her pinky. "Pinky promise."

Mayank shook his head, amused, but intertwined his pinky with hers. "I won't make it annoying. Promise."

Niharika exhaled. "Okay, so... we used to talk, right? My friends knew about it. But when we saw each other in school, we never really spoke much in person, and my friends were confused. So was I. But eventually, I thought, forget it."

Mayank felt a slight twinge of guilt. "I'm sorry... I just didn't know how to explain our friendship. My friends would've made it awkward, and honestly—" He sighed. "Yeah, I have no defense. I'm sorry."

Niharika shook her head. "No, no, it's fine. Even I didn't make much effort back then, so I can't blame you entirely."

She hesitated for a moment before continuing. "My friends... they made it awkward, though. They changed the game entirely."

Mayank raised an eyebrow. "How?"

Niharika let out a laugh. "So, in the process of trying to make Esha and you talk, they randomly decided that I was the one you actually liked."

Mayank stilled, his amusement shifting into something unreadable. "Oh?"

Niharika rolled her eyes. "Yeah, they were like, 'Niharika, I think Mayank likes you.' And I laughed, because come on—think about it! That's so random. Why would you like me? We were miles away."

Mayank didn't say anything. He was just looking at her.

Niharika, unaware of the shift in atmosphere, continued, "And then my friends made a whole theory out of it because I was still determined to make you and Esha happen. But even Esha was like, 'I can see the way Mayank looks at you. He likes you.'" She let out another laugh. "Obviously, I didn't believe it. But they kept trying to show me 'evidence' for it."

Mayank's voice came out lower this time, almost husky. "Did they gather any evidence?"

Niharika's breath hitched slightly. "Umm... I don't remember. But don't think about that. They were just joking around."

Mayank hummed, tilting his head slightly as if he was considering something.

Sensing the subtle change in the vibe, Niharika quickly tried to lighten the mood. "You're not allowed to tell anyone, okay? Especially not Esha. Omg, she doesn't even know we're married."

Mayank cut her off smoothly. "Relax. I won't say anything."

There was a pause. He was still watching her.

Then, after a beat, he asked, "Niharika?"

She swallowed. "Yeah?"

"If I do something, will you mind?"

Her breath hitched. "W...what?"

Mayank leaned in slightly, lifting his hand to her chin, his touch featherlight. Before she could process anything else, he leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her cheek.

Heat rushed to her face instantly.

Mayank pulled back, his lips curving into a small smile, "This."

She looked at him—her nervousness visible, with a sense of calm, "I won't mind."

He chuckled a little as he leaned onto his side, settling comfortably.

Still speechless, Niharika laid down too, her heart beating a little too fast.

After a moment, the lights were turned off.

Mayank stared at the ceiling, letting the quiet of the room settle around them. Then, almost as if speaking to himself, he murmured,

"Your friends did win their theory... I think I did like you back then."

Silence.

He turned slightly, curious, only to see Niharika's breathing had evened out.

She had fallen asleep.

He let out a small chuckle, shaking his head before closing his own eyes.

"Kumbharan."

🩷