The next day was Sunday, a rare holiday for both Kinjal and Vayra. They had decided to sleep in and let the world go on without them for once. By the time the clock struck 12 PM, the two were still tangled in their blankets, blissfully unaware of their surroundings.

But the peace didn’t last. The sharp sound of the doorbell shattered their slumber.

Ding-dong! Ding-dong! Ding-dong!

Groaning, Vayra rubbed her eyes and staggered out of bed. “Who the hell is this persistent?” she mumbled, heading to the door in her pajamas.

As she opened it, her half-asleep expression turned into one of surprise. There, on the doorstep, was a collection of items—a mountain of bouquets filled with vibrant flowers, a neatly sealed love letter, a basket of fresh fruits, and an adorable soft plush toy shaped like a panda.

"Kinjal! Get up! Your admirer’s back at it again!" Vayra shouted, dragging the items inside.

Kinjal groaned from her room. "What now? Can't a girl sleep in peace?"

Vayra dumped the bouquets onto the living room table, holding up the love letter. "Peace? Your secret Romeo clearly doesn’t know what that means. Look at this! Bouquets, fruits, and—" she shook the plush in the air—"this guy's obsessed!"

Kinjal stumbled out of her room, still wrapped in her blanket, her hair a messy tangle. "You're joking," she muttered, yawning.

"Nope," Vayra replied, shoving the letter into Kinjal’s hands. "Read it. Your stalker admirer’s upped their game today."

Kinjal sighed, opening the envelope reluctantly. Her eyes scanned the neat handwriting, her expression flickering between curiosity and annoyance as she read aloud:

"Dearest Kinjal,
The flowers reminded me of your vibrant spirit, the fruits of your sweetness, and the plush... well, it's nothing compared to how adorable you are. I hope this Sunday brings a smile to your face as bright as the one I can't stop thinking about. Yours, as always—someone who cares."

Vayra burst into laughter, clutching her stomach. "Oh my God, this guy is straight out of a rom-com!"

Kinjal rolled her eyes, throwing the letter onto the table. "Seriously, who sends fruits? What am I, a health enthusiast?"

Vayra snorted. "Well, at least they’re fresh. And this plush is kinda cute." She squeezed it, grinning.

Kinjal crossed her arms, her face a mix of irritation and amusement. "This is getting ridiculous. Who has the time to do all this?"

"You know what’s even crazier?" Vayra said, smirking. "Despite all your complaints, you’ve kept every single thing your admirer has sent so far. Admit it, a tiny part of you is intrigued."

Kinjal blushed, grabbing a pillow to throw at Vayra. "Shut up!"

"Hey, I’m just saying!" Vayra teased, dodging the pillow. "Now, what are we gonna do about this mystery Romeo? Ignore him, or find out who it is?"

Kinjal sighed, plopping onto the couch. "I don’t know. But whoever they are, they’ve got way too much time and money."

"Well, at least your Sunday started interesting," Vayra said, sitting beside her and picking up a flower from the bouquet. "Better than waking up to nothing, right?"

Kinjal rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide the small smile tugging at her lips. As much as she hated to admit it, a part of her was indeed curious.

-----

Kinjal quickly stepped outside, scanning the dimly lit floor for any signs of the admirer. Her sharp eyes darted around the area until they landed on the small decorative pot near her door. Without hesitation, she crouched down and retrieved the tiny secret camera she had discreetly placed there a few days ago. A triumphant smile crept across her face as she whispered to herself, "Gotcha."

Rushing back inside, she connected the camera to her laptop. Vayra, now wide awake and curious, sat beside her on the couch, watching as Kinjal fast-forwarded through the footage. The screen flickered, showing hours of uneventful hallway footage until the early morning hours revealed a tall man dressed entirely in black.

His face was hidden beneath a black mask, and only his piercing eyes were visible. Kinjal leaned closer, pausing the video. “Damn, he’s good at covering his tracks,” she muttered. But something caught her eye—his sleeve shifted slightly as he adjusted the bouquet, revealing a tattoo on his wrist. It was a simple arrow, dark and distinct against his skin.

“An arrow?” Vayra asked, tilting her head. “That could mean anything.”

“It’s a start,” Kinjal replied, zooming in on the image. “There aren’t many people with a tattoo like that. We can track him down.”

Kinjal’s instincts kicked in, and she immediately dialed her junior officer, Akash. As one of her most reliable subordinates, she knew he’d be perfect for the job.

“Akash,” Kinjal said as soon as he answered, her tone brisk. “I need your help with something off-record.”

“Anything for you, ma’am,” Akash replied eagerly. “What’s the situation?”

“I’m sending you a video clip. I need you to run a search on this guy,” Kinjal explained, transferring the footage directly to him. “Focus on the tattoo—a black arrow on his wrist. Cross-reference it with any known suspects or people with a similar description.”

Akash paused for a moment before replying, “Got it. I’ll get back to you as soon as I have something.”

“Good. And Akash? Keep this between us,” Kinjal added firmly.

“Yes, ma’am,” he assured her before hanging up.

As Kinjal leaned back on the couch, her mind raced with possibilities. Who was this man? Why was he so fixated on her? And what did the arrow tattoo signify?

Vayra, sensing Kinjal’s unease, placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “We’ll figure this out. Whoever this guy is, he’s going to regret messing with you.”

Kinjal nodded, her determination hardening. “Damn right he will.”

She stared at the paused frame of the masked man, his tattooed wrist haunting her thoughts. Something about it felt eerily familiar, but she couldn’t place it. For now, all she could do was wait for Akash to dig up the information and prepare herself for whatever came next.

-------

Kinjal and Vayra decided to shake off the tension of the morning as best as they could. Both went to freshen up and carry on with their day, though the mysterious admirer lingered heavily in their thoughts.

Kinjal, seated on the living room couch, absentmindedly scrolled through her phone. Her sharp gaze softened slightly as her thoughts replayed the clip of the masked man. “What does he even want?” she muttered to herself, staring blankly at the screen.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Vayra brewed coffee for them, humming faintly to distract herself. The aroma of fresh coffee filled the air, yet her phone kept buzzing repeatedly on the counter.

“Who is blowing up your phone?” Kinjal asked loudly, not looking up from her phone.

Vayra groaned in mock exasperation and picked up her phone. Her eyes widened slightly. 14+ texts. All from Abhishek. She hesitated, debating whether to read them. But curiosity got the better of her. As she opened the chat, her cheeks flushed.

“Hmm, let’s see what the romantic cricketer has to say,” she mumbled to herself.

The messages were flirtatious and playful, as always:

Good morning, officer trouble! Dreamt about you last night.

Woke up and realized… I miss you already.

Btw, you looked like a goddess last night when we FaceTimed.

Vayraaaa... reply na! Are you that busy catching criminals? Or am I not interesting enough for my ACP?

Okay, fine. If you don’t reply in 5 minutes, I’m coming over with a dozen roses.

The rest of the messages weren’t much different: teasing remarks, compliments, and playful threats about showing up unannounced.

Vayra couldn’t help but blush. Abhishek’s endless charm always left her flustered, though she’d never admit it.

Kinjal, noticing the change in her best friend’s expression, smirked knowingly. “What’s got you looking like a tomato?” she teased.

“It’s nothing,” Vayra replied quickly, trying to compose herself. But the redness in her cheeks betrayed her.

Kinjal raised an eyebrow. “Let me guess… lover boy is at it again?”

Vayra shot her a playful glare but couldn’t suppress the smile spreading across her face. “He’s just... being himself.”

Kinjal chuckled, leaning back on the couch. “Honestly, if you’re going to keep blushing like that every time he texts, I might start calling him in to interrogate him myself. How does he manage to do this to you?”

“Shut up, Kinjal,” Vayra shot back, though her voice was light. She replied quickly to Abhishek, telling him she’d call him later, before putting her phone down.

“Well,” Kinjal said, standing up, “as much as I enjoy seeing you melt over texts, I think I’ll need about three of those coffees today. Thanks, admirer stress.”

Vayra rolled her eyes but passed her a steaming mug of coffee. “Don’t worry,” she said, her tone serious now. “We’ll handle this admirer. No one messes with us.”

Kinjal took a sip and nodded. “Damn right we will. But I’ll admit, a tiny part of me wants to see Shubman’s face when he hears about this admirer drama.”

Vayra burst out laughing, almost spilling her coffee. “You’re so predictable. Should I tell Abhishek to warn him in advance?”

“Don’t you dare!” Kinjal replied, but she was laughing now too, the weight of the situation lifting slightly as the two friends found comfort in their banter.