Unmatched

✨Sight-seeing✨

I actually wanted to know where this was going.

And about 45 minutes later, we did reach our destination and whether we were right on time or not, I was not going to ask because who wants to hear Rishi talk about his calculations? Definitely not Shanaya Kapoor. He and his boring talks. Well not all just when he starts about his perfectly calculated plan and timings. Being all perfect, it's annoying.

I found myself standing in front of the Hawa Mahal with him. Pink sandstone glowing in the early light. Tourists clicking away. And Rishi, standing next to me, pretending to be my tour guide.

"This, Jaan, is where the queens used to spy on the city life without being seen," he narrated in a mock-deep voice.

I raised an eyebrow. "Sounds like something you'd be good at."

"Oh, I'd make a fantastic palace queen," he said with a straight face. "Minus the dresses. Maybe."

I laughed before I could stop myself. He looked smug about it.

"Okay, now you stand right here and just give me some poses." He said with so much excitement as he takes out his camera.

Literally a camera, not even his phone. A camera. He sure did plan a lot.

I stared at him, half amused and half suspicious.

"You carried that thing all the way here?"

"Of course," he said, adjusting the strap around his neck like some seasoned travel photographer. "You think I was going to let my Jaan come to the most photogenic spot in Jaipur and not immortalize it?"

The way he said my Jaan again made my stomach flutter in a way I didn't like. I rolled my eyes to cover it.

"Fine. But if you make me look weird, I'm deleting everything myself."

"Challenge accepted," he grinned, backing up a few steps until I was framed perfectly against the intricate sandstone windows.

I tried a normal smile, but he immediately shook his head. "Nope. That's too polite. Give me... I'm-a-palace-queen-who-knows-everyone's-secrets face."

"What does that even look like?" I asked, laughing despite myself.

He didn't answer, just kept clicking the shutter while giving ridiculous instructions:
"Okay, now pretend you've just discovered someone stole your royal snacks."
"Now... imagine you're judging me for my bad jokes."
"Perfect. That's my favorite."

It was ridiculous, and yet... I couldn't remember the last time I laughed this much.

When he finally lowered the camera, he looked at the shots, then at me. "You're going to thank me for this one day."

I shook my head, taking a step closer to peek. "Or I'm going to sue you for emotional damage."

He smirked. "Guess we'll see which comes first."

We wandered deeper into the palace, past sunlit courtyards and echoing corridors. The air smelled faintly of stone and history, and every few steps, Rishi would stop and point out something—half the time it was genuinely interesting, the other half it was some absurd fact he'd just made up.

"This is where the queen's pet elephant used to sleep," he said seriously, gesturing at a small alcove.

"That's barely big enough for a cow," I deadpanned.

"Exactly. That's why the elephant had trust issues."

I shook my head, but he caught the quick smile before I could hide it.

Somewhere between the maze-like hallways and the view from a high balcony, I realized we were walking closer than necessary. His arm brushed mine now and then, and each time, my brain decided to notice.

At one point, the narrow passage forced us side by side, shoulders touching. My stupid heart picked that exact moment to start pounding like I'd just run a marathon.

"You okay?" he asked, glancing down at me with that infuriating mix of amusement and curiosity.

"Perfectly fine," I lied, looking anywhere but at him. "Just... admiring the architecture."

"Sure," he said, like he didn't believe me for a second.

We reached the topmost jharokha, the latticework framing the whole city below. The breeze lifted my hair, and without thinking, he reached over and tucked a strand behind my ear. It was such a small gesture, but in the middle of this centuries-old palace, it felt... louder somehow.

For a second, neither of us said anything. Then he cleared his throat, breaking whatever strange bubble had wrapped around us.

"Come on, Jaan," he said lightly. "We've got more spying to do."

I followed, telling myself it was just the palace air making my head feel this strange.

Closeness when it's suppose to be the opposite? What is happening?

Most importantly, why did Rishi come all the way to Jaipur to explore the city with Shanaya?

Did he have a chance in heart?

See you in the next chapter, please vote and comment. It would really make me happy.

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