Chapter 1

The hum of the auto-rickshaw faded outside the high gate as the landlord, Mr. Rao, beamed. "So, this is it! Room 301. It's a shared apartment. But right now it's empty. As soon as I find another tenant, I'll give another set of key to them."

Aashi nodded as she entered the apartment along with Rohan and Kriya. The flat was a decent size, two bedrooms, a common living area, kitchen, and balcony.

"Shared is good." Rohan said as he looked over the house. "She would have a company."

Kriya nodded.
"We have to do some shopping Bhai."

They spent the next few hours in a whirlwind of unpacking the essentials from their travel bags, getting the Wi-Fi details from Mr. Rao, and making a mental list of everything they needed.

Then came the shopping trip. It was less a chore and more a final, chaotic adventure together. Navigating the roads of a massive supermarket – from groceries and spices, to bedding, pillows, toiletries, and a few essential kitchen gadgets. Rohan pushed the cart, while the sisters kept filling it with essentials. They also bickered lightheartedly over snack choices, reminisced about childhood incidents sparked by finding familiar items, and laughed as they tried to fit a drying rack and a vacuum cleaner into the already overflowing cart.

Back at the apartment, they worked as a unit. Rohan wrestled with assembling a small study table, Kriya organized the kitchen cabinets, and Aashi made the bed, folding clothes into the wardrobe, trying to make the assigned bedroom feel like her own, even with the unfamiliar smell of new paint and the knowledge that someone else would be sharing the common space.

"Alright, early start tomorrow," Rohan said during dinner. "I have a client to meet."

A sudden quiet fell over them. The reality of the next day, the point where their journey together ended and Aashi's solo journey began, settled in.

Kriya reached out and squeezed Aashi's hand.

"You've got this, Aashi. Bangalore is amazing. You'll love it."

"And don't forget," Rohan added, mock-seriously, "there are like, a million cafes. For all your existential coffee needs."

Aashi managed a watery smile.

"Thanks, ."

Sleep didn't come easily that night. The apartment was large and silent save for the distant city sounds. Aashi listened to the rhythmic breathing of her sister as she lied beside her, a comforting presence that wouldn't be there tomorrow.

After bidding farewell to Kriya and Rohan the next morning Aashi suddenly felt alone.

She stood in the middle of the living room, a lone figure in the sudden quiet. For a moment, the weight of it – the unfamiliar city, the shared space, the path ahead – felt immense. She took a deep, shaky breath, the scent of new furniture and unknown spices filling her lungs.

Then, looking around at the space that was now her base, her starting point, Aashi walked towards the nearest box, knelt down, and began to unpack.

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Aashi pushed the door open, the cool air of the small hallway a welcome contrast to the humid evening outside. Her backpack slid off her shoulder, landing with a soft thud against the wall as she kicked off her sandals.

“Home,” she murmured.

After a relentless day of lectures and library sprints, she felt like breathing again. The apartment was small but hers, or rather, theirs – shared with the silent, invisible presence of the other room and its potential occupant. That room had been empty for two months now.

She walked into the living area, her eyes automatically scanning the space – the worn sofa, the overflowing bookshelf, the perpetually messy coffee table. Everything was as it should be. And then she saw it.

The door to the other bedroom, the unoccupied one, wasn't closed. It was ajar.

Aashi froze, exhaustion momentarily forgotten, replaced by a prickle of curiosity. Had the landlord finally found someone? It seemed sudden, no notice, no heads-up. But then again, landlords weren't exactly known for their excellent communication skills. She took a tentative step forward.

She peeped inside, only to get the biggest shock of her life.

She saw a man, sitting on the bed, face buried in a laptop. He had messy, dark hair that fell across his forehead and wore a faded band t-shirt. He looked completely oblivious.

Aashi froze. This couldn't be right. This absolutely could not be right.

"Excuse me?" she said, her voice laced with a growing unease.

He looked up, startled. His eyes, a surprising shade of green, widened in surprise. He put his laptop aside, standing up.

"Yes?" he exclaimed. "How many I help you?"

"What are you doing in here?"

His eyebrows shot up.

"Ah... I... Rented this apartment?"

"Rented? I live here! What are you talking about?" Aashi almost screamed.

"I have the lease," the man insisted, grabbing his bag and rummaging through it until shehe found the folded document. He thrust it towards Aashi. "

Aashi took the lease and scanned it quickly, her brow furrowing.

"Yeah, I see your name here. Ishaan Kapoor. But..." Her voice trailed off, running a hand over his face. "Look, I am Aashi. And I live here. I have been living here for the past two months. There must be some mistake with the landlord. I can't share an apartment with a man!"

"Have you said that to the landlord while you took the keys?" Ishaan asked, crossing his arms against his chest.

"No." She whispered.

Aashi felt tears prickling at the corners of her eyes. This was all wrong. She pictured her sisters, her cousins – Anurag's protective gaze, Rohan's assuring smile, Payal's calming presence, and Kriya's unwavering support, Deep's annoying laugh. She suddenly wanted to go back to them.

No, she wasn't here to sit and cry to go back home. She was here to fulfill her dreams.

Turning, she fled, slamming the door behind her. She needed a plan. And she definitely, desperately, needed to find a way to deal with this infuriating, unexpectedly good-looking Ishaan.

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