It was a sunny afternoon, and Abhi Kannan and Ishan Kishan had decided to step out for a casual lunch date.

After weeks of sneaking around and keeping their relationship under wraps, they felt confident enough to go out in public, albeit cautiously.

Ishan wore a simple black hoodie and joggers with a cap pulled low over his face, while Abhi sported a flowy white sundress with small floral patterns and oversized sunglasses.

The plan was to enjoy some downtime at a quaint café tucked away in a quieter part of the city.

Little did they know that luck wasn't on their side that day.

As they walked out of the café, holding hands and laughing about something trivial, a sudden flash startled them both.

"Shit," Ishan muttered under his breath, his jaw tightening as he saw a group of paparazzi swarming toward them, cameras clicking rapidly.

Abhi froze, her eyes widening behind her sunglasses.

"Ishan... what do we do?"

"Stay calm, jaanu," he said, his tone firm but reassuring.

He placed a protective arm around her shoulders, shielding her as best as he could from the flashing lights and intrusive questions.

"Ishan bhai, is this your girlfriend?"

"How long have you been dating?"

"Is this serious? Are you planning to get married?"

The questions came rapid-fire, and Ishan clenched his jaw.

"No fucking comments," he snapped, his voice sharp enough to cut through the chaos.

Abhi gripped his hoodie tightly, feeling overwhelmed. "Ishan, I—"

He turned to her, his expression softening instantly.

"Don't worry, baby. I've got you."

The paparazzi didn't relent, following them to their car. Ishan opened the passenger door for Abhi and helped her in before slamming it shut and circling around to the driver's side.

Once inside, he locked the doors and shot the paparazzi a glare that could've stopped them in their tracks—if they cared, which they didn't.

As he started the car and pulled away, Abhi let out a shaky breath.

"What the hell just happened?"

"Fucking vultures," Ishan muttered, gripping the steering wheel tightly.

"They'll do anything for a story."

Abhi slid her sunglasses off, revealing eyes that were wide with worry.

"But what if this gets out? What if people start talking about us?"

Ishan reached over and placed a hand on her thigh, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"Let them talk. I don't care what people say. The only thing that matters is us."

"But you're a public figure, Ishan. This could—"

"Abhi," he interrupted, his voice gentle but firm.

"I'm not going to hide you, okay? You're my girlfriend, and I'm fucking proud of that. If people have a problem with it, that's their issue, not ours."

She looked at him, her heart swelling at his words. "You mean that?"

"Of course I do, jaanu." He glanced at her briefly before focusing back on the road.

"You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. Why the hell would I hide you?"

Her lips curved into a small smile, and she leaned her head against the window. "You're really something else, Ishan Kishan."

"Damn right I am," he quipped with a cheeky grin, lightening the mood.

By the time they reached her apartment, the tension had eased somewhat.

Ishan walked her to the door, his arm around her waist.

"Hey," he said, turning her to face him.

"We'll deal with whatever comes next, together. Don't stress about it, okay?"

She nodded, her fingers brushing against his hoodie. "Thank you, Ishan. For being... you."

"Always, jaanu," he murmured, leaning down to kiss her forehead.

The moment was sweet, but they both knew the next few days were going to be anything but easy.

The paparazzi had gotten their shot, and it was only a matter of time before the news spread. Still, as long as they had each other, they were ready to face whatever came their way.

og soup speaks!

- here we have the 22nd chapter!

- papz <<<

- anyway comments on the chapter?

- hope y'all enjoyed!

- love, supraja!