Kinjal returned after a few minutes, her expression neutral as she turned off the heater and switched on the fan at a low setting. The cool air began to circulate gently, but it did little to calm the storm of thoughts brewing in her mind. She glanced at Shubman, who seemed deep in thought, his fingers tapping lightly on the mug he was holding.

“Feeling better now?” she asked, her tone soft but guarded.

Shubman nodded, setting the mug down on the table. "Much better," he replied. Then, before she could turn away or avoid him, he gently grabbed her wrist. "Sit with me for a minute."

Kinjal hesitated, unsure of what he was about to say, but she relented and sat beside him on the couch. She kept a bit of distance, folding her arms as if to protect herself from whatever he was about to throw her way.

Shubman turned to face her, his expression serious yet filled with a warmth that caught her off guard. "Kinjal," he started, his voice low and steady, "I’ve been thinking a lot about… us."

Kinjal raised an eyebrow, feigning confusion. "Us? You mean the fake relationship?"

He smiled faintly but shook his head. "No. Not the fake relationship. Us. The real bond we share... or at least the one I want us to share."

Her heart skipped a beat, and she looked away, suddenly feeling trapped under his intense gaze. "What are you talking about, Shubman? We agreed this was all just for show. Nothing more."

He leaned closer, his hand resting lightly on hers. "That’s the problem," he said softly. "I don’t want it to be fake anymore. I want something real with you, Kinjal."

Kinjal stiffened, her eyes widening as she processed his words. She tried to pull her hand away, but he held onto it, his grip firm but gentle.

"You can deny it all you want," he continued, his voice tinged with vulnerability, "but I see the way you look at me when you think I’m not paying attention. I see how you care, even when you pretend not to."

Her lips parted, but no words came out. She felt exposed, as though he had peeled back the layers she had worked so hard to keep intact.

Shubman took a deep breath, his thumb brushing over her knuckles. "I’ve fallen for you, Kinjal," he confessed, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don’t just want to pretend to be your boyfriend. I want to be your boyfriend—for real. And I know you feel something for me too. You might try to hide it, but it’s there."

Kinjal’s chest tightened, her mind a whirlwind of emotions. She pulled her hand away and stood up, pacing the room. "You’re wrong," she said, her voice shaky. "This is just a stupid arrangement. It doesn’t mean anything."

"Doesn’t it?" Shubman asked, standing up as well. He closed the distance between them, forcing her to look at him. "If it doesn’t mean anything, then why do you get so flustered when I’m near? Why did you run into the rain to get me earlier? Why do you care so much?"

She opened her mouth to argue, but the words caught in her throat. She hated how well he could read her, how easily he could see through her walls.

"You’re scared," he said gently, his voice softer now. "I get it. I’m scared too. But I’m tired of pretending, Kinjal. I want to fight for this—for us. And I know you do too."

Kinjal turned away, her arms wrapped around herself. "You don’t understand," she whispered. "It’s not that simple. There’s so much at stake. My career, your career, everything."

"I don’t care about any of that," Shubman said firmly. He stepped closer, placing his hands on her shoulders. "What I care about is you. And if you’d just let yourself feel what I know you’re feeling, you’d see that this could work. We could work."

Kinjal closed her eyes, her emotions threatening to spill over. She wanted to push him away, to keep the walls up, but his words were breaking through every defense she had.

After a long pause, she finally turned to face him, her eyes filled with uncertainty. "What if you’re wrong?" she asked, her voice barely audible.

"I’m not," he said with unwavering confidence. "I know what I feel, and I know you feel it too."

His words hung in the air between them, heavy and unyielding. Kinjal didn’t respond, but for the first time, she didn’t look away.

Kinjal stood in silence, her heart racing as she processed Shubman’s words. His unwavering gaze, filled with hope and vulnerability, left her no room to hide. She could feel the weight of the moment, the intensity of his emotions, and the truth in what he was saying.

Taking a deep breath, she finally whispered, "Fine... yes."

Shubman blinked, as though he hadn’t heard her correctly. "Yes?" he asked, his voice filled with disbelief and excitement.

She nodded, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "Yes. I’ll give this a chance. Us… a chance."

Before she could say another word, Shubman’s face lit up with sheer joy. Without hesitation, he stepped forward, wrapped his arms around her waist, and pulled her close. "I can’t believe this!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with excitement.

Before Kinjal could react, Shubman lifted her effortlessly off the ground and spun her in a quick twirl. "You have no idea how happy you’ve just made me!" he said, his laughter echoing through the room.

"Shubman!" Kinjal half-laughed, half-yelled, clutching onto his shoulders as he twirled her around like she weighed nothing. "Put me down!"

"Not a chance," he said, his grin wide and boyish as he slowed the spin and held her tightly in his arms.

When he finally set her down, their faces were inches apart, both slightly out of breath. His hands stayed on her waist as he looked at her, his eyes softening. "Thank you," he whispered. "For trusting me, for giving us a shot."

Kinjal looked up at him, her cheeks flushed. "Don’t make me regret this, okay?"

Shubman smirked, leaning in just a little closer. "I’ll make sure you don’t," he said confidently. "Promise."

The moment stretched between them, and Kinjal felt her walls crumbling completely. For once, she let herself smile fully, no sarcasm, no guards. Just her and Shubman, standing together in a moment that felt undeniably real.

After dinner, as Shubman stood at the sink cleaning the dishes, Kinjal leaned against the kitchen counter, watching him with an amused smile. She found it oddly endearing, how effortlessly he fit into her space, taking charge of small things without being asked.

“You really don’t have to do that, you know,” Kinjal said, crossing her arms.

Shubman glanced at her over his shoulder, a playful glint in his eyes. “What kind of guest would I be if I left all the work to my host? Plus,” he added with a smirk, “it’s the least I can do after you saved me from becoming a rain-soaked statue outside your building.”

Kinjal rolled her eyes, though her lips twitched with a smile. “Fine, but don’t expect me to grade your dishwashing skills.”

Once the dishes were cleaned and put away, Kinjal guided Shubman to the bedroom. "You’re staying here tonight," she said firmly, cutting off his protest before it even started. "It’s already late, and I’m not letting you roam around in the middle of the night."

Shubman chuckled, raising his hands in surrender. “Alright, ACP. Your orders are final.”

They changed into more comfortable clothes—Kinjal opting for her soft cotton pajamas while Shubman borrowed a spare sweatshirt and track pants she had lying around. As they settled onto the bed, an unspoken warmth filled the room.

Shubman leaned back against the headboard, opening his arms invitingly. “Come here,” he said softly.

Kinjal hesitated for a moment, then gave in, crawling closer and snuggling against his chest. His arms wrapped around her securely, his warmth enveloping her like a protective shield.

“This feels… strange,” Kinjal murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Strange good or strange bad?” Shubman asked, resting his chin lightly on the top of her head.

“Strange good,” she admitted, letting out a small sigh. “I’m not used to this… to being so close to someone like this.”

Shubman tightened his hold on her slightly. “Well, get used to it,” he said, his voice laced with gentle teasing. “Because I plan on making this a regular thing.”

Kinjal tilted her head to look up at him, a playful glint in her eyes. “You’re awfully confident, aren’t you?”

“Only when it comes to you,” he replied smoothly, pressing a soft kiss to her temple.

Kinjal felt her cheeks warm, but she didn’t pull away. Instead, she nestled closer, her hand resting lightly on his chest, feeling the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. For the first time in a long while, she felt at peace.

They lay there in comfortable silence, the occasional sound of raindrops outside adding to the cozy atmosphere. Slowly, their breathing synchronized, and the world outside faded into the background.

“I could get used to this,” Kinjal whispered, her voice drowsy as sleep began to take over.

“Good,” Shubman replied, his lips curving into a smile. “Because I’m not going anywhere.”

With that, they drifted off, tangled together in a warm embrace, both knowing this night was the start of something much bigger than either of them had anticipated.