Kinjal ignored him, her fingers flying over the keyboard as she focused on her laptop screen. Shubman, lounging comfortably on her bed, began whistling softly. At first, she chose to overlook his antics, thinking he’d get bored eventually. But the whistling grew louder, and the melody became more playful, pushing her patience to its limits.

Finally, Kinjal slammed the laptop shut and turned to him, her eyes blazing. "Shubman, will you shut up?! Tumhare paas koi kaam-dhanda hai ya nahi?"

He grinned mischievously, propping his head up with his hand. "Main yahin toh kaam kar raha hoon, jaaneman. Tumhe pareshaan karna hi mera mission hai."

Kinjal groaned, throwing her hands in the air. "Stop calling me jaaneman! Tumhare jokes bilkul bhi funny nahi hain."

Shubman feigned offense, placing a hand dramatically on his chest. "Dil tod diya, ACP Mathur. Main toh tumhare mood theek karne aaya tha."

"Mera mood aur kharab mat karo," she retorted, pointing at the door. "Abhi ke abhi yahan se nikal jao."

Instead of leaving, Shubman stood up and walked over to her, leaning casually against the desk. "Main tumhare saath time spend karne aaya hoon, aur tum mujhe bhaagane ki baat kar rahi ho? Kitni rude ho."

Kinjal folded her arms, glaring at him. "Main rude hoon? Tumhare jaise annoying insaan ko bardasht karna kisi aur ke bas ki baat nahi hai."

Shubman smirked, leaning closer. "Tumne toh mujhe apne room mein chhupkar aane ka routine bana diya. Socho, agar main na hota toh tum kitni lonely hoti."

"Lonely?" Kinjal scoffed, stepping back. "Main lonely nahi hoti, tum meri problem ho."

He tilted his head, his expression turning slightly serious. "Main problem hoon ya distraction? Kyunki tumhe mujhe ignore karne mein kitni mehnat lagti hai, wo toh mujhe clearly dikh raha hai."

Kinjal’s cheeks turned a light shade of pink, but she quickly masked it with anger. "Distraction? Main tumhare jaise self-obsessed insaan ko kab ka ignore kar chuki hoon."

"Achha?" he challenged, raising an eyebrow. "Toh phir yeh batao, tumne apni jaan bachane ke liye mujhse abhi tak sorry kyu nahi kaha?"

Kinjal rolled her eyes, brushing past him. "Main sorry bol kar tumhe aur zyada shaana nahi banane wali."

Shubman grabbed her wrist gently, stopping her in her tracks. "ACP Mathur, tum jitna chaaho deny kar lo, tumhe pata hai ki tum mujhe pasand karti ho."

Kinjal froze for a moment before pulling her hand back, refusing to meet his eyes. "Shubman, tumhari overconfidence tumhari sabse badi weakness hai."

He grinned. "Aur tum meri sabse badi strength ho."

Kinjal shook her head, muttering something under her breath, and sat back at her desk. Shubman, knowing he’d pushed enough buttons for the night, smirked and made himself comfortable on her bed once again.

"Tum yahin so rahe ho?" she asked incredulously.

"Obviously," he replied, pulling the blanket over himself. "Tumhare saath rehna meri duty hai, ACP Mathur."

Kinjal groaned, throwing a pillow in his direction before turning back to her laptop, muttering, "Mujhe sabse zyada nafrat tumhare overconfidence se hai."

But she didn’t tell him to leave again.

Just as Kinjal was about to respond, Vayra’s voice echoed from the kitchen, “Kinjal, kya ho raha hai? Are you talking to someone?”

Kinjal froze, her eyes darting toward Shubman, who looked far too amused by the situation. “Shut up!” she hissed at him under her breath. He simply raised his hands in mock surrender, still smirking.

Panic set in as Kinjal realized Vayra was now walking toward her room, her footsteps growing louder. She looked at Shubman with wide eyes. “If Vayra sees you here, tumhari bhi vaat lagegi aur meri bhi!”

“Tum hi toh mujhe andar aane diya,” Shubman teased, clearly enjoying her panic.

“I didn’t let you in, you climbed in, idiot!” Kinjal snapped back, her voice a sharp whisper.

Before she could think of a plan, Vayra’s voice grew louder. “Kinjal, why aren’t you answering? Kya kar rahi ho tum?”

Kinjal’s heart raced as the footsteps stopped just outside her door. Without thinking, she moved to push Shubman off the bed, but in her haste, she slipped—and landed right on top of him.

Their faces were dangerously close, their breaths mingling. Shubman raised an eyebrow, the smirk still firmly in place. “Mujhe pehle warn kar diya hota agar tum mujhpe girne ka plan bana rahi thi,” he whispered, his voice teasing but low enough for only her to hear.

Kinjal’s cheeks turned crimson. “Shut up!” she hissed again, scrambling to get off him, but her movement only made it look worse as their positions tangled further.

The door creaked open.

“Kinjal, tum—” Vayra’s words died in her throat as her eyes landed on the scene before her: Kinjal sprawled on top of Shubman, both looking equally startled (though Shubman was more entertained than embarrassed).

For a moment, there was dead silence.

“What. The. Hell.” Vayra finally managed to say, her voice a mix of shock and irritation.

Kinjal jumped off Shubman so fast, she nearly fell again. “Vayra! It’s not what it looks like!”

Vayra folded her arms, narrowing her eyes. “Really? Because it looks like you were about to—”

“Stop!” Kinjal cut her off, her face now the color of a ripe tomato. “He—he climbed in through the window! I didn’t invite him!”

Vayra looked at Shubman, who was now sitting up casually on the bed, completely unbothered. “Aur tum? Kyu aaye ho yahan? Tumhare ghar mein windows nahi hain kya?”

Shubman shrugged, flashing his trademark grin. “Vayra, bas Kinjal ko surprise dena tha. Aur waise bhi, main toh apne fake girlfriend ko milne aaya hoon.”

“Fake girlfriend?” Vayra repeated, her voice dripping with disbelief. “Aur tumne socha ki window se chadhke aana ek accha idea hai?”

Kinjal buried her face in her hands. “Mujhe iss insaan se chhutti chahiye,” she muttered under her breath.

Vayra sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Shubman, get out.”

“Arre, Vayra—”

“Out!” she repeated, pointing at the window.

Shubman looked at Kinjal with a dramatic expression of betrayal. “Tum kuch bologi nahi, jaaneman?”

“Don’t call me that!” Kinjal snapped, throwing a pillow at him.

Vayra grabbed another pillow and aimed it at him. “I said, OUT!”

Laughing, Shubman held up his hands in surrender. “Fine, fine. Main jaa raha hoon.” He climbed back toward the window, but not before turning to Kinjal with a wink. “Next time, tum khud mujhe invite karogi.”

“Never happening!” Kinjal yelled after him, slamming the window shut as soon as he was out.

Vayra turned to Kinjal with an exasperated look. “I don’t even know where to start with you.”

Kinjal groaned, flopping onto the bed. “Trust me, Vayra, neither do I.”