Ruchika's lips were still tingling from the kiss when her eyes flickered to the clock on the wall. 2:37 AM. Her eyes widened slightly, and she pushed against Abhishek's chest, forcing him to step back.

"Bye, Abhi," she said abruptly, her voice steady but her heart racing.

"What?" he asked, his brows knitting together in confusion as he tried to pull her closer again.

"I said, bye," she repeated, giving him a pointed look. "You should probably leave now."

He let out a soft groan, clearly frustrated, but the mischievous glint in his eyes hadn't dimmed one bit. "You're really kicking me out after all that?" he teased, leaning in for one last kiss. His lips brushed against hers, lingering for a moment longer than necessary, making her knees weak all over again.

"Goodnight, Ruchika," he murmured, his voice low and teasing as he finally stepped back, his hands lingering on her waist for a second longer than they should have.

She crossed her arms, trying to look unaffected as she watched him walk to the door. "Goodnight, Abhi," she said, her tone firm but her cheeks warm.

As he opened the door, he turned back to flash her one last smirk. "Sweet dreams, Ruchi."

The door clicked shut behind him, leaving her alone in the silent apartment. She exhaled sharply, running a hand through her hair as she tried to process what just happened.

Her gaze drifted to the couch, where her chai mug still sat, abandoned and cold. She sighed, muttering under her breath, "What the hell was that?"

But despite her confusion, she couldn't stop the small, reluctant smile that crept onto her face. 

The next morning, Ruchika woke up to the sound of Diya clinking around in the kitchen, humming a little too cheerfully for someone who had been hungover just hours ago. Rubbing her eyes, Ruchika wandered into the living room, her mind still trying to shake off the events of the night before.

Abhishek.

His kisses. His smirk. The way he lingered just a little too long before leaving.

She shook her head quickly, forcing the thoughts away. Nope. Not going there. Not today.

"Morning, sleepyhead!" Diya chirped, setting a plate of toast on the table. She looked ridiculously fresh and happy, her cheeks pink with excitement. "Guess what? Abhi texted me this morning!"

Ruchika froze for a fraction of a second before plastering on a bright smile. "Oh? What did he say?"

Diya beamed, sitting across from her. "Nothing much, really. Just that it was nice having coffee with me, and he felt bad about breaking my mug." She laughed lightly, twisting a strand of her hair. "He's so thoughtful, isn't he?"

Ruchika blinked, trying to digest the information. Thoughtful? Abhi? The same guy who shadow-batted shirtless to Punjabi music at odd hours? She took a sip of her chai to hide her expression. "Uh, yeah, I guess."

Diya didn't seem to notice her lack of enthusiasm, too caught up in her own little bubble. "I mean, I know he's super busy and all, but I'm sure he'll find time to hang out again. Don't you think?"

Ruchika hesitated, feeling a pang of guilt. "Maybe," she said softly. "But, you know, Abhi doesn't really seem like the kind of guy who's... looking for anything serious."

Diya's smile faltered for a split second before she shrugged it off. "Oh, I'm not looking for anything serious either. It's just coffee." She paused, her tone a little too casual. "Unless, of course, it turns into something more."

Ruchika felt a knot tighten in her chest. She didn't want to hurt Diya, but she also couldn't bring herself to tell her the truth about last night. Not when it would only make things messier. Instead, she leaned forward, placing a gentle hand on Diya's arm. "Just... be careful, okay? Don't get your hopes up too high."

Diya's eyes flickered, something unreadable crossing her face before she smiled again. "Thanks, Ruchi. You're always looking out for me."

The words sounded sincere, but there was a faint edge to her tone that Ruchika couldn't quite place. Shrugging it off, she decided to focus on the one thing she could control: her own behavior.

From that day on, Ruchika kept her interactions with Abhishek as neutral as possible, acting like nothing had happened between them. It wasn't easy, especially when he was still his usual annoying, shirtless self on the balcony, but she managed.

Diya, on the other hand, seemed to grow more fixated on the idea of Abhi. She brought him up in every conversation, laughing over the smallest things he'd said or done. But as the days passed, Ruchika noticed something... off.

Diya started showing up on the balcony at the same time Abhi would be out there, casually 'bumping' into him in the hallway, and even cooking dishes that she claimed were his favorites. And yet, Abhishek didn't seem to reciprocate any of it. He barely acknowledged her beyond polite nods and brief exchanges.

But Diya didn't seem to notice—or maybe she chose not to. Instead, she clung to that one coffee like it was the foundation of something bigger, her enthusiasm growing with every passing day.

Ruchika stayed quiet, even when jealousy bubbled in her chest. Not the petty kind—she wasn't mad at Diya for liking Abhi. It was the kind that came from knowing she had something with him that Diya would never understand. Something unspoken, but undeniably real.

And yet, Ruchika couldn't bring herself to act on it. Not when it would mean betraying someone she cared about. Instead, she buried the memory of that night deep down, convincing herself it was for the best.

But Abhishek's lingering glances and knowing smirks weren't making it any easier.

Ruchika was sprawled on the living room couch, her sketchbook balanced on her knees as she alternated between shading a character's jacket and half-watching the TV. Her favorite comfort show was playing in the background, but her focus was entirely on perfecting the folds of fabric in her drawing.

The click of the apartment door didn't even register until she felt warm arms drape over her shoulders. A familiar scent—spicy with a hint of rain—washed over her before Abhishek's cheek pressed against hers.

"Hey," he said, his voice low and teasing, the vibration of it sending shivers down her spine.

She froze, her pencil hovering mid-air as she turned her head slightly, her eyes widening when she realized just how close he was. "Abhi," she hissed, trying to sound stern but failing miserably. "What are you doing here?"

"Just thought I'd drop by," he replied nonchalantly, his arms still loosely hanging around her neck. "Diya's not home, is she?"

"No," Ruchika said quickly, glancing toward the hallway. "She's out running errands."

"Good," he said with a grin, pulling back just enough to look at her, though his face was still annoyingly close. "That means I get you all to myself."

Ruchika rolled her eyes, though her heart was pounding. "Very funny. Now, can you move? I'm trying to work."

"Oh, come on," he drawled, his fingers lightly tapping the edge of her sketchbook. "What's more important? Sketching or hanging out with your charming neighbor?"

She shot him a glare. "Sketching."

Abhi chuckled, unbothered by her lack of enthusiasm. "What are you even working on, anyway?" Without waiting for an answer, he leaned over her shoulder, his weight pressing against her as he studied the page. "Oh, this is nice. Is this for that show you were talking about?"

"Yes," she mumbled, trying to ignore how warm his cheek still felt against hers. "Now, can you stop breathing down my neck?"

"Why? Am I distracting you?" he asked, his tone far too innocent.

"Yes, you are!" she snapped, though there was no real bite in her words. Swatting at his arm, she finally managed to dislodge him, though he only shifted to sit beside her on the couch, his grin never fading.

"You're so serious," he teased, grabbing a throw pillow and hugging it to his chest. "You need to lighten up, Ruchi."

"Maybe I wouldn't be so serious if certain people didn't randomly show up uninvited," she shot back, though there was a hint of a smile tugging at her lips.

"Uninvited? I'm practically family at this point," he said with a mock-offended look. "Besides, I needed a break from my place. It's too quiet without Amayra running around."

Ruchika softened at the mention of his baby cousin. "How is she?"

"Being her usual adorable self," he said, his expression softening. "She asked about you yesterday, by the way. Said you're her favorite 'big sister.'"

Ruchika couldn't help but smile at that. "She's too cute for her own good."

"She gets it from me," Abhi said smugly, earning a playful eye-roll from her.

As they settled into a comfortable silence, with Ruchika returning to her sketches and Abhishek casually flipping through the TV channels, she realized something.

Despite how annoying he could be, moments like these—easy, light, and inexplicably comforting—were becoming harder to ignore.