Three months had passed since the last chapter. Aryan now worked at a small IT firm in town, sharing a home with his mother and their two lively pups. Life seemed stable, financially secure, but he couldn't shake off the persistent sadness and loneliness that lingered from Kabir's absence. Not a single message or call had come from Kabir, leaving him feeling lost and deeply saddened.
"Hey Aryan, could you please send those files to the boss? It's urgent," Shiva asked, adjusting his glasses and tapping away on his laptop.
"Sure thing, just need to tidy up the source code a bit. It's a bit messy," I replied, focusing on the screen.
"You're the tech expert here. Work your magic," he quipped with a friendly smile.
I chuckled and delved into fixing the code. After about thirty minutes, I sent the refined files to the boss.
"Done?" He leaned over, looking relieved.
"Yep, all sorted," I confirmed, stretching my fingers.
"Finally! Now we can head home. That file kept us here longer than expected," He remarked, patting my back appreciatively. "You really saved me from extra hours at work. Thanks a lot."
"You're giving me too much credit," I replied awkwardly.
"No way, man," he insisted with a grin. "If I had to pull an all-nighter here, my girlfriend would have my head. Promised her a date, you know? Catch you later." With a wave, he headed out with his bag.
Watching him leave, I sighed and leaned back in my chair. "Everyone seems to be enjoying their love lives," I murmured, a touch of longing in my voice.
Unlocking my phone with hopeful anticipation, I navigated to WhatsApp, yearning for a message from that special contact, only to be greeted by an empty screen that echoed disappointment. With a heavy sigh escaping my lips, I murmured in a mix of anguish and confusion, "Kabir, why do you test me like this? What purpose does it serve to hurt me so deeply?" With a final lock of the phone, I rose from my seat, a sense of resignation settling over me as I logged off from the company account, slung my office bag over my shoulder, and headed out for home.
Just as I reached for the door, Kriti's cheerful voice cut through my thoughts, drawing my attention. "Hey, guess what?" she exclaimed.
"Let me guess, you've found yourself a boyfriend?" I replied, attempting a playful tone.
"Absolutely!" Her eyes danced with excitement. "How did you figure it out?"
My voice carried a hint of wistfulness as I responded, "Well, it seems like everyone around here has found their match; why would you be any different?"
Her tone turned playful. "Oh, come on! You could find someone too, you know. Want me to introduce you to a few?"
I shook my head, a touch of melancholy in my eyes. "Love isn't really my thing," I confessed, the unspoken "anymore" echoing silently within me.
She sighed lightly. "Hmm, fair enough," she said with a mock pout. "Heading home?"
"Yep," I replied, a mix of resignation and acceptance in my voice.
"Why not join us?" She pointed excitedly to the group of 5-6 people gathered around the round table. "We're heading out to a restaurant."
"Well, I..." I began, but she swiftly cut me off.
"Come on, it'll be a blast," she urged, her enthusiasm infectious. "You don't have any other plans, do you?"
I shook my head. "Not really, no."
"Then come along," she insisted warmly.
"If I won't be intruding," I mumbled hesitantly.
"Of course not, silly," she reassured with a laugh. "Now, come on," she beckoned, walking off towards the group as I followed in her wake.
As we approached the table, all eyes turned towards me, their curiosity evident. Kriti, brimming with excitement, announced, "Everyone, we have a new addition today. Meet Aryan from team C. I hope you don't mind."
Her introduction was met with a chorus of welcoming nods and assurances. I offered a grateful smile, feeling welcomed by their immediate acceptance. One of the guys, sporting a blue shirt, rushed over to me with a playful grin.
"So, you're the famous know-it-all from team C, huh?" he teased, giving me a once-over.
I chuckled awkwardly. "Well..."
He quickly raised his hands. "Hey, don't get all awkward on me. I'm just messing around. But seriously, you seem more like a jock than a nerd. Are you into sports?"
I shook my head, and he nodded understandingly. "Ah, too bad. I was thinking you'd be a great addition to our company's basketball team."
Kriti shot him a playful smirk. "Hands off our resident brainiac here, Vishal. You might end up wiping out a few of his precious brain cells."
He pouted, defending himself, "Hey, I may not be a tech whiz, but I was pushed into engineering by my parents, okay? I dreamed of being the next Michael Jordan, but instead, I'm stuck in this tech limbo, trying to figure out where to put what code. But trust me, I'm not that dumb."
"Sure, sure, buddy," She teased with a chuckle.
Turning back to me, He extended his hand. "By the way, I'm Vishal."
"Got it, Vishal," I replied with a nod, understanding his mix of humor and self-reflection.
"Shall we head out now?" He asked his friends, receiving nods all around. He hurriedly dashed out, forgetting his office bag in the process.
Kriti called after him, "You forgot your bag!"
He yelled back from the corridor, "Bold of you to assume I carry anything in that bag!"
I chuckled at their banter. "His bag's empty?" I inquired.
She nodded with a grin. "Yeah, all he probably has in there is some protein drink, chewing gum, or maybe a sports magazine. His biggest accomplishment is showing up to the office; carrying a bag would be too much of a hassle for him."
I chuckled again as we all made our way out with the group. We strolled across the road and found a medium-sized, unassuming restaurant. Inside, we settled at a large table, with Vishal and Kriti on either side of me.
"What are you in the mood for?" Kriti inquired with a playful smile.
I shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm not picky; anything will do," I replied.
Vishal chimed in eagerly, "Hey, don't forget to ask me what I want too."
She chuckled, her tone teasing. "I doubt they serve protein shakes here. You'll probably end up ordering a salad anyway. No need to ask for that," she remarked, turning to the others to gather their food preferences.
He muttered softly, looking like a disappointed puppy. "She must hate me."
I offered a reassuring smile. "I'm sure that's not true."
He leaned in, speaking in a hushed tone. "I mean, it's pretty obvious I like her, right?"
Surprised, I asked, "You do?"
His expression turned thoughtful. "So, I'm not as obvious as I thought?"
I shrugged sympathetically. "It's not your fault. I've been told I can be quite oblivious," I confessed, my mind drifting momentarily to Kabir, who had often teased me about my obliviousness.
His memory alone was like a sudden wave of anguish, washing over my thoughts and draining the joy from my face.
Vishal studied me with a curious expression. "Something on your mind?"
I shook my head, trying to mask the turmoil inside. "Not really, just lost in thought."
He nodded, then launched into a fervent praise of Kriti. "You know, Kriti is amazing. She's funny, driven, and unafraid to stand up for what she believes in. But, uh, don't go falling for her or anything, because she's mine, even if she doesn't realize it yet. You get what I mean, right?"
I forced a tight-lipped smile and nodded in agreement, my mind still grappling with the emotions that Kabir's memory had stirred up.
"Come on, man, don't tune me out," Vishal pleaded, giving me a look like a disappointed puppy. "I'm sorry if I'm boring you."
"Oh, it's not that," I reassured him. "I just had something on my mind."
He peered at me curiously. "What's on your mind?"
"Just random stuff, nothing major," I replied with a sigh.
"No way, that sigh tells a story," He insisted. "You can talk to me, you know. I won't go blabbing your secrets to anyone. I mean, I watch Naruto; it's my ninja way, you know."
His mention of Naruto caught my attention. "You watch Naruto too?"
He looked pleasantly surprised. "You do too?"
I smiled. "Yep, sure do."
His eyes lit up. "Who's your favorite character?"
I thought for a moment. "I have to go with Shisui Uchiha."
He looked intrigued. "Interesting choice. But why him? He's only there for like, what, two episodes?"
As I traced my fingers along the wooden table, I found myself lost in thoughts. "You know, there are certain people who may not stay long in your life, but their impact is profound. That's how he was for me."
He gazed at me with a mix of awe and understanding. "Well, my two brain cells might not fully grasp your depth, but that sounds pretty cool."
Kriti glanced at us with a playful glint in her eye. "What's been keeping you two so occupied?"
I shook my head, and Vishal flushed slightly. "We're not sharing, you know. No need to be nosy."
"Relax, don't get your panties in a twist," she chuckled.
He retorted with a proud grin, "Well, joke's on you. I'm more of a jockey guy than a panties guy."
"TMI," she said with a disgusted roll of her eyes before changing the topic.
Vishal nudged me, whispering, "See, she clearly can't stand me."
Internally, I facepalmed. "Well, you did just give her an unexpected glimpse into your underwear preferences. Not exactly the way to win someone over with playful banter."
He looked at me, his expression serious. "So, I wasn't as funny as I thought?"
I shook my head sympathetically as he let out a sigh of realization.
My phone buzzed unexpectedly, drawing my attention. I glanced at the screen, and my eyes widened in surprise. There were two messages from an unknown number.