It was a few days later, and the sun was dipping low in the sky, casting a golden hue over the city. 

Shubman and Kyra were sitting on the couch in her new apartment, Coco resting nearby, her head resting on Shubman's lap while he absentmindedly scratched her ears. 

They had been quietly watching a movie, but Shubman's mind had drifted off to a different place entirely.

He turned his head slightly, looking at Kyra's face, which was illuminated by the flickering glow of the TV. The sound of soft jazz music played in the background, but the room felt quieter than usual, almost contemplative.

"You know," Shubman said, breaking the silence, "you never really talk about... your ex."

Kyra glanced over at him, her expression unreadable for a moment. "Oh," she said, her tone slightly guarded, "that's... not exactly a topic I love discussing."

"I get it," Shubman replied, his voice calm, but with a hint of curiosity beneath the surface. "Just... seems like something you don't really bring up."

She nodded slightly, looking back at the TV. "Yeah, it's... it's not the best memory, you know?"

Shubman leaned back against the couch, trying to keep his tone light, though his words carried a deeper edge. "Yeah, but everyone's got a past, right? And sometimes, it helps to talk about it."

There was a pause, and Kyra shifted slightly as if contemplating whether to say anything. She let out a soft sigh, and finally, she spoke. 

"It's... kind of a long story," she said, her voice softer than usual.

"I've got time," Shubman said, looking at her with a mix of curiosity and concern.

She seemed to hesitate for a moment, then finally spoke, her voice tinged with a mix of bitterness and vulnerability. 

"Kavin and I... we were together for, like, three years," she said, a distant look in her eyes. 

"And it started off great. You know, everything was easy, and we were in that honeymoon phase. But..." she paused as if searching for the right words, "... things changed. It started feeling... different."

"Different how?" Shubman asked, his tone gentle, trying not to push too hard, but also wanting to understand what had happened.

Kyra took a deep breath as if summing up the courage to speak the truth. 

"He... he just started getting distant," she said, her eyes narrowing slightly, a flash of anger briefly crossing her face. 

"Like, one day, he was all about me, and the next, it felt like he was always somewhere else. He didn't really care about the little things, you know? The dates, the small talks, all of it. It felt like he was... checking out."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Shubman said, his voice filled with sincerity. "That must've sucked."

"It did," she said, looking down for a moment, her voice tinged with a mixture of sadness and anger. 

"But it wasn't just the distance. There were... other things. He started getting really hot-headed, getting angry over nothing. And he didn't even seem to notice it, or care when it hurt me."

Shubman listened intently, not interrupting, just letting her talk. "It got worse," she continued. 

"He started going out more, staying out late, and... he wouldn't even call me back, or just text me to let me know he was okay. It felt like I was just... an afterthought."

"He sounds like a real piece of work," Shubman said, his tone firm, almost protective.

Kyra nodded, a wry smile crossing her face for just a moment. "Yeah, he was," she said quietly. 

"And then, one day, it all just came crashing down. I realized he wasn't the guy I thought he was. He wasn't even trying anymore. So, I ended it."

There was a moment of silence, the air heavy with the weight of their conversation. Shubman's expression was softer now, almost as if he was seeing a side of Kyra he hadn't seen before.

"Wow," he said finally, the words barely audible. "That sounds... tough."

"It was," she said, looking up at him with a mix of relief and apprehension as if she had been waiting for someone to ask. 

"And it took me a while to get over it. I mean, I thought we were gonna be it. But... life had other plans."

"I get it," Shubman said, his voice full of empathy. "I really do. And I can see why it left you... a bit guarded."

Kyra nodded, her eyes distant, almost as if she was reliving the moments in her head. "Yeah, I guess I just... didn't want to feel that way again," she said softly. 

"Like being with someone who just stops caring."

"Hey," Shubman said, reaching out and gently placing a hand on hers, "you don't have to worry about that with me. I'm not like that. I'm here, Kyra. And I'm not going anywhere."

She looked at him, a mix of surprise and relief in her eyes. "You really mean that?" she asked, almost incredulously.

"Yeah," he said, a small, confident smile playing on his lips. "I really do. And I don't care if it takes time, or if we gotta go through some bumps. I'll show you I'm not Kavin. I'm different."

Kyra's gaze softened, and for a moment, it felt like a weight had lifted off her shoulders. "Maybe that's exactly what I needed to hear," she said, a small, almost hesitant smile forming on her lips.

Shubman nodded, squeezing her hand lightly, the warmth spreading through him like a small, comforting fire. "Well, it's about damn time you heard it."

soup rants!

- hello everyone!
- I hope you guys are having a great day so far, and I also hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!
- SHUBMAN > KAVIN
- also comments on the chapter?
- i hope you guys liked this one!
- with lots of love, supraja 🫶