The Binding String

O N E - H U N D R E D - F O U R

They shared a short, relaxed laugh. It wasn’t flirtatious or romantic — just familiar. Comforting.

Just then, Ishita’s phone buzzed on the table. She glanced at the screen, a name flashing briefly — Raman. Her smile faltered for a moment. She silenced the call.

Subbu noticed. But he didn’t say anything.

Just as Ishita picked up her empty cup to throw away, a car pulled up in the far driveway. The headlight flickered over their bench for a second. She squinted.

Raman.

He stepped out, spotting the two together — the relaxed ease, the afterglow of laughter, the undeniable comfort.

And something dark twisted inside him.

Raman’s car headlights dimmed as he parked at a distance, eyes fixed on the two figures sitting under the fading fairy lights. He saw Ishita laugh—an open, unguarded laugh he hadn’t seen in a while. And the man next to her—Subramanyam—was smiling too. Easy. Effortless.

Raman didn’t know what hurt more: the comfort she shared with another man… or the fact that she never looked that unburdened with him anymore.

But he said nothing.

He walked towards Ishita who looked confused and somewhere afraid of his presence. He looked curtly at Subramanyam and passed a gentle smile to her.

"How was the fest?"

"Great! But you came early. We have work to wind up." Ishita murmured looking at the banners and the prompts she supposed to keep in her room.

"That's fine. We can wait." He replied with ease ignoring Subramanyam like he never existed.

"Hey Subbu!! HOD wants to see you." A voice form distance caught their attention and apparently it worked as a boon for him. Subramaniam excuses himself and sprinted away leaving Ishita to deal with the huge boxes. She kept her bag and picked cartons leaving her husband amused

"Why you're doing this by yourself? Ask someone for help."

"No one is here. I mean I have asked them but I don't know how much time will they take." Raman sighed on her reply and removed his business coat, his coat rested next to her bag as he took boxes from her hand as they started to walk towards her cabin. She unlocked the door and he kept the boxes on the table. One by one Raman helped her in arranging the stuffs in her room, it was a surprise for Ishita to see him helping her irrespective of his job and status.

"Thanks!" Ishita passed him a grateful smile, his shirt got spoiled with the boxes he carried but he shrugged it off with a small smile.

"What has to be done now?"

"Just signatures and we are free to go." He walked with her towards the administration section as Ishita signed and called off her day. Few of the things has started changing between them from the night they confronted Romi. Her husband has started acting couterous towards her, sometimes takes care of their daughter and even talks with her too. He is unpredictable but she feels hard to trust in him. They didn’t speak for the next five minutes of the drive. The soft hum of the engine filled the space between them. Ishita looked out of the window. Raman kept his eyes ahead.

His phone buzzed again.

Samaira calling.

But the screen was turned to her. Raman didn’t see it.

And when she cut the call without blinking, her mind was still clouded from the odd tension she sensed in him.

Later that night, they were in their room tangled between the sheets. He stroked her body with his fingers, caressed her nipples enough to make her shudder. She clutched her pillow and clenched her thighs together unable to control the overwhelming sensations. Everytime she clrnch her thighs, her inners rubbed against her engorged clit making her whimper. He smirked seeing her vulnerable and drained as his finger crawled inside her waistband. Her bottoms ended up near her ankles folllwoed by her panties as his fingers made way towards her wet warm channel.