The lavish hotel lobby buzzed with life, but in a dimly lit corner, chaos was brewing. Shubman Gill and his close friend Abhishek Sharma were in the midst of yet another prank, one that involved sneaking into the fancy hotel’s kitchen to swipe some of the famous pastries for a late-night snack.

“Are you sure we’re supposed to be doing this?” Abhishek whispered, glancing around nervously as they crept toward the kitchen door.

“Relax, it’ll be fine,” Shubman replied, a grin plastered on his face. “Just follow my lead!”

Just as they were about to slip inside, they heard footsteps approaching, and Shubman’s instinct kicked in. “Shit. Shit. Bhaag!” he shouted, yanking Abhishek back just as a hotel employee appeared around the corner.

With laughter bubbling up inside them, they bolted down the hallway, not caring where they were headed. “This way!” Shubman shouted, dragging Abhishek into a door that swung open under pressure.

The moment they stepped in, they froze.

They had barged into an opulent hotel suite, its walls adorned with luxurious decor. But that wasn’t what caught their attention. Standing there, in the middle of the room, was a girl with striking features and a familiar aura—Aarohi Sharma.

He hadn’t expected her to be there. But when he walked into the room, time seemed to stumble, falter, and then completely halt.

His breath hitched as if the air itself had been knocked from his lungs. The world around her blurred into insignificance—just a haze of muted colors and distant sounds. All he could see was her.

Her hair caught the light, shimmering like spun gold, and when she turned, her eyes—warm, luminous—locked with his. A sudden heat bloomed in his chest, spreading like wildfire, and his heart, traitorous as ever, skipped a beat.

For a moment, he forgot how to breathe. She was everything beautiful in one fragile, breathtaking instant.

He inhaled deeply, the kind of breath you take when trying to steady a storm raging within, as he remembered the day they last met.

She was just as he remembered, though the years had added a hint of maturity to her youthful charm.

“What the—” Aarohi started, her eyes wide in shock as she registered who had just invaded her space.

“Uh, hey?” Abhishek waved sheepishly, a sheepish smile plastered on his face, blissfully unaware of the history between Shubman and Aarohi.

Shubman opened his mouth to speak, but before he could utter a word, Aarohi’s surprise shifted into something more complex—confusion mixed with a hint of irritation. “What are you doing here? Do you even know this is—”

Before she could finish, Shubman instinctively stepped forward, reaching out to cover her mouth with his hand. “Shh!” he hissed, his heart racing. “Not so loud! We’re hiding!”

Aarohi’s eyes widened, caught between disbelief and amusement. The soft touch of his hand sent a jolt of familiarity through her, and for a fleeting moment, all those years apart vanished as their eyes locked. The air thickened with an unspoken tension, memories flooding back to both of them.

But just as quickly, the moment shattered, broken by Abhishek’s oblivious voice. “You guys know each other? This is perfect! We can all—”

“Shut up, Abhay!” Shubman shot back, shooting his friend a warning glare while Aarohi was still gaping at him.

Aarohi, however, was the first to break the silence, her voice cutting through the awkward pause like a knife. “What the fuck are you doing here?”

Shubman arched an eyebrow, his signature smirk creeping onto his face as if he hadn’t just been caught sneaking into a stranger’s room. “Nice to see you too, Sharma.”

She crossed her arms, glaring at him. “I’m serious. What are YOU doing here?”

“Traveling,” he said, nonchalantly leaning against the wall. “Can’t I do that?”

Aarohi’s eyes narrowed.  Her gaze shifted to Abhishek, who was awkwardly standing to the side, avoiding eye contact. “ Italy? Iske saath?”

Shubman looked at Abhishek, who straightened up as if offended by her tone, then back at Aarohi. “Haan toh? Kyu? Main apne dost ke saath nahi ghoom sakta?”

She scoffed, her disbelief evident. “Unbelievable. Of course, you’d have some ridiculous explanation.”

“Ridiculous?” Shubman’s smirk faded, replaced by a hint of irritation. “You’re the one standing in a random hotel room looking ready to yell at me for… what? Existing?”

“Existing?” Aarohi stepped forward, her voice rising. “Six years, Shubman. Six years, and this is how I find you?”

Before he could respond, Abhishek stepped between them, hands raised in mock surrender. “Okay, okay. Look, maybe we should leave. The boys are probably wondering where we are.”

Shubman turned to Abhishek, his jaw tightening. For a moment, it seemed like he’d argue, but then he sighed and nodded. “Fine. Let’s go.”

He gave Aarohi one last glance, his gaze lingering for just a moment longer than necessary. Then, without another word, he walked out, Abhishek following close behind.

Aarohi stood there, her arms still crossed, her heart racing as the door clicked shut behind them. She didn’t know what she was feeling—anger, confusion, or something else entirely—but one thing was clear.

This wasn’t over.