Aadhya was at the hospital, finishing up for the day, when her phone buzzed. She looked at the screen and smiled—it was Agastya calling. Picking up, she said warmly, “Hey, Aggu.”

On the other end, Agastya’s voice was laced with mock disbelief. “Aadu, you’re coming to the match, right?”

Aadhya furrowed her brows. “What match?”

Agastya groaned dramatically. “You forgot? The match where Akaay, Ahaan, and I are playing! Sammy, Vamu, Ro Chachu, Shub Chachu, Vi Chachu, and all the chachis are coming too. Even our parents will be there. How could you forget?”

Aadhya blinked, a guilty smile creeping onto her face. “Oops. Must have slipped my mind. I’ve had a lot going on at the hospital.”

“Well, I’m reminding you now. You have to be there, Aadu. It won’t be the same without you,” Agastya said, his tone softening.

Aadhya rolled her eyes playfully, leaning against her desk. “Alright, Mr. Pandya. I’ll be there. But don’t expect me to cheer loudly—I’m not great at shouting.”

Agastya chuckled. “That’s fine. As long as you’re there, you’re already my lucky charm.”

Aadhya felt a warm blush rise to her cheeks, and she fiddled with her pen. “Okay, Aggu. See you tomorrow then.”

“See you, Aadu. Drive safe,” he replied before hanging up.

The next day, Aadhya arrived at the match venue wearing a casual yet elegant outfit—a light blue kurti paired with white pants. She carried a small tote bag and found her way to the stands, where the whole extended family had gathered.

Shubman waved at her enthusiastically. “Aadu! Over here!”

She made her way to their section, greeting everyone. Shubman grinned and teased, “So, who are you cheering for? Agastya or Ahaan?”

“Both,” Aadhya replied diplomatically, making everyone chuckle.

Agastya, who was stretching near the boundary line, caught sight of her and gave a quick wave. Aadhya smiled and waved back, her heart doing a little flip. Samaira and Vamika, seated next to her, nudged her playfully.

Samaira whispered, “He’s totally playing this match to impress you.”

Vamika added, “Yup. Watch out for a six with your name on it.”

Aadhya shook her head, laughing softly, but her eyes lingered on Agastya as he joined Akaay and Ahaan for a quick huddle on the field.

As the match started, the excitement in the stands was palpable. Ahaan bowled the first over, showing off the skills he had inherited from his father, Shubman. Everyone clapped enthusiastically, with Aadhya cheering softly yet earnestly.

Agastya, batting at number three, walked onto the field with his signature confident stride. Sammy and Vamu leaned toward Aadhya, their grins wide.

“Here comes your Aggu,” Sammy teased.

Aadhya rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide her smile as she watched him adjust his gloves and helmet. Agastya glanced toward the stands, his eyes locking briefly with hers, and gave a tiny smirk.

The game went on, and true to Vamu’s prediction, Agastya smashed a six. To everyone’s surprise, after scoring, he turned toward the stands, pointed his bat in Aadhya’s direction, and mouthed, “This one’s for you, Aadu.”

The friends erupted in laughter and cheers, while Aadhya buried her face in her hands, embarrassed yet delighted. Vamika leaned over to her, grinning. “Well, well, looks like you’re the new Pandya family muse.”

“Stop it, Vamu!” Aadhya muttered, trying to hide her blush.

By the time the match ended, Agastya’s team had won, with him being the top scorer. As the players walked off the field, Agastya came directly to where the family was seated.

“Not bad, huh?” he said, flashing a proud smile as he looked at Aadhya.

“You did well,” she admitted, her voice shy yet sincere.

Samaira chuckled. “She’s not going to admit how much she was cheering for you, Agastya.”

“Sammy!” Aadhya protested, making everyone laugh.

Agastya, clearly enjoying her flustered state, leaned closer and said, “Thanks for being here, Aadu. Your presence really is lucky.”

“Okay, lover boy, give her some space,” Akaay interrupted, pulling Agastya away. “We need a group photo.”

The entire family gathered for a picture, with Agastya standing next to Aadhya. As the camera clicked, he leaned slightly toward her and whispered, “Let’s make this a tradition—you at every match.”

Aadhya looked up at him, her eyes sparkling. “We’ll see,” she said, her smile giving away more than her words.

As the family returned home after the match, Aadhya and Agastya exchanged quick, knowing glances. They both understood the unspoken agreement to keep their budding relationship under wraps for now. The family was too involved in teasing and celebrating to notice anything unusual, but Aadhya felt her father’s sharp eyes on her from time to time.

That evening, as everyone sat together, Shubman casually remarked, “Aadhya, you’ve been on your phone quite a bit lately. Anything we should know about?”

Aadhya stiffened, her cheeks warming. “It’s just hospital stuff, Dad,” she replied quickly, avoiding his gaze.

Agastya, sitting across the room, tried to suppress a grin as he texted her under the table:
Smooth, Aadu. Totally believable.

Aadhya glanced at her phone and bit her lip to hold back a smile. She replied:
Stop teasing, Aggu! Focus on not giving us away.

The next day, they decided to meet secretly after Aadhya’s hospital shift. Agastya parked his car a block away from her workplace, and she slipped in unnoticed. They drove to a quiet café on the outskirts of the city.

As they sipped their coffee, Aadhya said, “Do you think they suspect anything? Dad’s been unusually observant.”

“Shub Chachu is sharp,” Agastya admitted. “But we’re good at this, aren’t we? No one will find out unless we want them to.”

Aadhya nodded, though her heart raced at the thought of being discovered. “I don’t want to hide forever, Aggu. But for now, let’s just... enjoy this.”

Agastya reached across the table and took her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “We’ll tell them when the time is right. Until then, let’s make it our little secret.”

Later that evening, back at home, Aadhya was in the kitchen helping Sara with dinner when Ahaan walked in. “You’ve been glowing lately, Aadu,” he said with a teasing grin. “What’s the reason?”

“Glowing? Don’t be ridiculous, Ahaan,” she said, trying to sound nonchalant. “It’s probably the hospital lighting.”

Sara chuckled. “If you say so. But I agree with Ahaan—you’ve been unusually cheerful.”

Aadhya forced a laugh and busied herself with chopping vegetables, her phone buzzing discreetly in her pocket. A message from Agastya lit up the screen:
They’re onto you, Aadu. Stay calm.

Aadhya smiled faintly and replied:
Says the guy who pointed his bat at me in front of everyone!

In the living room, Agastya stifled a laugh, hiding his phone as Ahaan walked by. The game of secrecy had just begun, and it was already proving to be as thrilling as any match.