Kyra sat in front of her vanity, the soft light from the morning sun filtering through the sheer curtains of her window. Her makeup routine had become a quiet moment of routine — a few strokes of mascara, a light touch of foundation, a hint of lip gloss. 

Coco sat at the table, perched like a little guardian, her tail wagging slowly as she watched Kyra intently. 

Every now and then, the golden retriever would tilt her head to one side, as if trying to figure out exactly what Kyra was doing.

Kyra hummed softly to herself, applying the final touches of blush to her cheeks when Coco, getting impatient with her stillness, made her move. 

The puppy jumped up on the table with a light thud and then—before Kyra could react—climbed onto her shoulder, resting her chin on Kyra's collarbone, her paws draped over her neck.

"Hey, hey, Coco! What are you doing?" Kyra laughed, carefully trying to balance the dog, but Coco was clearly enjoying the view from her perch.

"You know you're not supposed to be up there, right?" Kyra whispered, grinning as she rubbed Coco's ears. The dog huffed happily, letting out a little bark of contentment.

But what Kyra didn't know, as she was distracted by her little dog's antics, was that Shubman was across the street in his flat, watching her through his own window. 

He'd come back early that morning, needing some quiet time after a long day, but he hadn't expected to be drawn to the sight of her.

He had been standing near his window, absentmindedly sipping his coffee when his eyes landed on Kyra. 

The light in her apartment was soft, casting an almost ethereal glow on her as she sat at the vanity, applying makeup. The scene was peaceful, familiar, and utterly mesmerizing.

Shubman couldn't tear his eyes away as he watched her. Coco was perched on the vanity table, like she always did, but today, the sight of her climbing onto Kyra's shoulder—almost like she belonged there—struck him in a way he hadn't anticipated. 

There was something about that moment that made his chest tighten, a quiet affection bubbling inside him.

The window between their buildings was small, and yet, it felt like a fragile thread that connected them. 

He leaned against the window, watching her for a little longer, his gaze soft. He had known Kyra for a while now, but seeing her in this quiet, unguarded moment made his feelings for her even clearer.

He watched as she laughed, trying to push Coco off her shoulder, and smiled to himself. Her laugh, her warmth, her kindness—everything about her felt like it belonged in this moment, in this space.

Shubman was about to turn away, content with just watching her for a moment, when suddenly, she glanced toward the window, as if sensing his presence. 

Her gaze locked with his, and for a heartbeat, time seemed to freeze.

Kyra blinked in surprise, her expression shifting from confusion to recognition as she saw him standing there, leaning against his own window. 

Shubman stood frozen for a second, not knowing whether to wave or do something else, but he didn't want to break the moment. 

Instead, he gave a small, teasing smile, as if to say, Caught you.

"Hey, you!" Kyra called out, raising an eyebrow playfully as she waved at him through the glass.

Shubman couldn't help but chuckle, lifting his coffee mug in a half-hearted salute. "You didn't think I'd be watching, did you?" he teased, his voice carrying softly across the space between them.

Kyra laughed, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "You're such a creep," she called out, but there was no malice in her voice. 

She shook her head, a smile tugging at her lips as she looked back at Coco, who was now happily settled on her shoulder.

Shubman's gaze softened. "I'm not a creep," he protested, his voice fond, "I'm just admiring my girlfriend in all her beauty."

Kyra blushed, but the playful look in her eyes was unmistakable. "Yeah, well, next time, maybe you should come over instead of just staring through my window," she teased back.

"Would you like that, huh?" he grinned, his eyes glinting with mischief.

"I don't know," she replied, raising her eyebrows, "maybe. But don't get any ideas. I have to finish getting ready."

Shubman laughed, feeling his heart flutter at the sight of her playful mood. "Fine, I'll let you finish your makeup, but I'm not going anywhere."

With that, he gave her one last smile before stepping back from the window, the playful energy between them still lingering in the air.

Kyra sat back down, shaking her head with a smile that didn't fade. She could feel a warm flutter in her chest, a sense of contentment filling her as she went back to her makeup routine. 

It was funny how just a simple glance from across the street could make her feel so... connected to him.

And as for Shubman, well, he spent the rest of the day with the thought of her etched into his mind, his heart beating just a little faster.

soup rants!

- hello everyone!
- I hope you guys are having a great day so far, and I also hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!
- THEM
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- with lots of love, supraja 🫶