PRESENT TIME

The early morning sun filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows of a sprawling 4,500 sq. ft. luxury penthouse in Delhi, casting a golden hue over the sleek interiors. The penthouse was a perfect blend of modern elegance and sophistication, with minimalistic decor, a grand living space, and an open-concept kitchen overlooking the city skyline.

Inside the private gym, the rhythmic sound of weights clinking filled the air as a man moved through his intense workout routine. Sweat glistened on his well-defined muscles, highlighting his lean, sculpted physique. His six-pack abs tensed with every rep, his movements fluid and controlled. His focus was unwavering, determination etched onto his sharp features.

He was Ansh Pratap Singh

His jet-black hair was slightly damp from the workout, sticking to his forehead, but his dark eyes remained locked onto his reflection in the mirror. A perfectly structured jawline, intense black eyes, and a confident aura made him effortlessly charming.

After an hour of rigorous training, he wiped the sweat off his face with a towel and stepped into the shower. Minutes later, he emerged—fresh, crisp, and ready for the day. Dressed in a fitted white shirt and classic blue jeans, his casual yet refined look complemented his naturally magnetic presence.

Heading to the sleek, modern kitchen, he swiftly prepared a black coffee and a simple sandwich, savoring the quiet morning as he took slow sips. The warm bitterness of the coffee fueled his energy, setting the perfect start to his day.

After finishing his breakfast, he grabbed his black duffel bag and car keys. With one last glance at the city view from his penthouse balcony, he stepped out and made his way to the airport.

The airport was buzzing with activity, filled with passengers rushing to their gates, announcements echoing through the halls, and the faint hum of suitcases rolling across the floor. Ansh Pratap walked with a composed stride, effortlessly maneuvering through the crowd. He reached his gate just in time and smoothly boarded his flight.

After finding his seat, he fastened his seatbelt and turned slightly to call for an attendant, but something—or rather, someone—made him freeze mid-action. Amid the bustling flight, his sharp gaze locked onto a pair of eyes he hadn’t seen in a while but had never really forgotten.A familiar face.

Prerna Tripathi.

A wave of emotions flickered across his face, nostalgia mixing with quiet surprise. Unknown to him, a small, involuntary smile played on his lips. It was subtle, barely there, but enough to show that he still remembered—very often, in fact.

But just as quickly as their eyes met, Prerna’s expression shifted. Her body tensed for a fraction of a second, and then she averted her gaze.

The moment was over before it could even begin.

Ansh’s smile faded, his jaw tightening ever so slightly. He turned back to face the front, realizing he hadn’t even fulfilled the purpose of turning in the first place.

He exhaled heavily and muttered under his breath, "Prerna Tripathi."

The name rolled off his tongue effortlessly, like a memory he never had to struggle to recall.

A faint, almost amused smile crossed his lips again as he glanced sideways, wanting to see her once more. But by then, she had already leaned back against her seat, eyes closed, lost in her own world.

Ansh observed her for a moment longer before shaking his head slightly.

"Still the same," he thought to himself before sighing and closing his own eyes, mirroring her actions.

.

.

.

7 YEARS AGO

( MOUNT HILLS HIGH SCHOOL)

As the welcome ceremony ended, the backyard buzzed with students heading toward their hostels or gathering for lunch under the white tents. Among them, two boys walked towards the boys’ hostel, their strides relaxed yet purposeful.

The first boy, dressed in a crisp white shirt tucked into fitted blue jeans, walked with an air of quiet confidence. Black formal shoes clicked softly against the ground as he moved, his left wrist adorned with a sleek watch. His sharp eyes scanned his surroundings as he listened intently to a call, his expression unreadable.

Just as he turned a little, still focused on the call, he collided with someone.

A soft gasp escaped the girl as she stumbled back, but before she could fall, his reflexes kicked in. His hand instinctively shot out, fingers curling around her delicate wrist, steadying her before she could hit the ground. She was wearing a maroon thigh-length dress, the rich color complementing her fair skin. The fabric hugged her perfectly, accentuating her figure without effort. Dark brown hair cascaded down to her mid-back, half tied with a black bow, while a few loose strands had slipped over her face due to the sudden movement.

She slowly composed herself, exhaling softly as she brought a hand up, flipping her hair away from her face. The motion was graceful, unintentionally mesmerizing. As she blinked, her chocolate-brown eyes met his—big, deep, and filled with a momentary flicker of surprise.

The boy’s gaze fell on her face—his breath hitching slightly as he took in the sight before him. His grip still lightly around her wrist.

Then, her voice, soft and hesitant, broke the silence.

“Thank you…”

He blinked, snapping out of his daze. Without a word, he gave a small nod, releasing her wrist and stepping past her, continuing on his way as if nothing had happened.

After a few calculative strides, an unexplainable pull made him glance back to look at her.

There she was—still standing in the same spot talking to her friends.

This is KARTIK RATHORE

AGE: 17

HEIGHT: 5:11

HOMETOWN: PUNE

FAMILY BACKGROUND

MOTHER - GYNAECOLOGIST

FATHER - NEUROLOGIST

ELDER SISTER (6 years) - FASION DESIGNER (MARRIED)

A small smile, almost imperceptible, tugged at the corner of his lips.But it was enough for a faint dimple to appear on his right cheek before he turned his head forward again.

The second boy who silently observed the entire interaction was grinning all the way. His black eyes gleamed with amusement.

ANSH PRATAP

AGE: 17

HOMETOWN: PUNE

HEIGHT: 5'10

FAMILY BACKGROUND:

MOTHER - INTERIOR DESIGNER

FATHER - OWNS HOTEL

(SINGLE CHILD)

Dressed in a casual brown t-shirt and blue jeans, his black shoes. His messy black hair shifted slightly in the breeze, adding to his effortlessly charming appearance.

He said nothing at first, merely strolling beside his friend, his grin never fading.

Soon Kartik ended his call, and was slipped his phone back into his pocket. Before he could fully settle his thoughts, the second boy casually asked, “So… how was the girl?”

Kartik blinked once, clearly caught off guard by the unexpected question.But he quickly composed himself, rolling his shoulders in a nonchalant shrug.

“Normal,” he replied, keeping his tone neutral.

Ansh let out a short laugh, shaking his head as if he had expected that answer. He didn’t argue, didn’t tease—just chuckled.

.

Without a word, they continued toward the hostel, placing their extra belongings in their room before heading out again.

The lunch area was lively, filled with students chatting and enjoying their meals. They grabbed their plates, filling them with food.

At the same time, Ansh's phone buzzed in his pocket. Pulling it out, he glanced at the screen—a message from his roommate.

"Come to the lunch area. I want you to meet my old friends."

He showed the message to Kartik.He gave a slight nod, not particularly interested but not against it either and made heir way toward the table where their roommate sat—ready to meet whoever was waiting for them.

.

.

Kartik and Ansh, scanned the tables until they spotted their roommate, Sahil. He was seated comfortably, laughing and chatting with three girls.

As they approached, the girls—turned their heads back to look at them.

The moment Kartik’s eyes landed on the group, his gaze subtly froze for a fraction of a second. Among them, sitting in a maroon thigh-length dress, was her—the same girl he had collided with earlier.

Ansh, ever the observant one, immediately caught on. His sharp black eyes flickered with amusement as he tilted his head slightly, smirking. Without a word, he nudged Kartik with his elbow, his expression practically screaming, Well, well, look who it is.

Kartik, however, remained unfazed. With a small roll of his eyes, he exhaled through his nose and kept walking, pretending as if the encounter had been nothing but a passing moment.

.

As they both reached the table, Sahil setting his spoon down, he gestured toward them.

“Finally, you two made it,” he said. “Let’s me introduce you all.”

Turning to the girls first, he began, “These are my old friends—Prerna, Yashika, and Aarya.”

Prerna gave a polite nod. “Prerna Tripathi. Nice to meet you both.”

Ansh returned the nod. “Ansh Pratap Singh. Likewise.”

Yashika smiled. “Yashika Mehta. I hope you’re settling in well.”

Ansh chuckled lightly. “So far, so good.”

Aarya, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke. “Aarya Mukherjee.” Her tone was calm and composed as she met Kartik’s gaze briefly before looking away.

Kartik gave a slight nod. “Kartik Rathore.” His voice was firm but neutral.

Yashika tilted her head slightly. “You both seem reserved.”

Ansh smirked. “One of us is.”

Sahil chuckled. “Alright, now that introductions are done, let’s eat before the food gets cold.”

.

Everyone settled around the table, Aarya glanced at the boys and asked, “So, which streams did you all choose?”

Ansh leaned back in his chair. “Commerce."

Prerna nodded. “Same here. Commerce."

Aarya smiled and added, “Well, Yashika and I are in Humanities.”

Sahil nodded. “And me too. I’ve always been interested in history, political science, and psychology.

Aarya then turned to Kartik, who had been quiet, met his gaze “And you?”

Kartik, finishing a bite of his food, simply said, “Science.”

Yashika raised an eyebrow. “The most exhausting one.”

Kartik shrugged slightly. “It’s interesting. I like logical problem-solving.”

.

As the atmosphere easing into playful teasing and casual conversation as they continued their meal. Yashika, always the curious one, turned to Ansh.

Yashika: “So, Ansh, how do you like the campus?"

Ansh: “It’s nice. I mean, it’s huge. I’ve never been to a school this big before.”

Aarya: “Yeah, Mount Hills has a massive campus. It takes time to explore everything.”

Ansh: “I bet. I still have to check out all the facilities properly. I just arrived this morning, so I haven’t seen much yet.”.

Yashika: "Nice!!"

.

Finally after some light chit chat everyone decided to part ways. With that, the group exchanged quick goodbyes and walked off in different directions—girls toward their hostel, and the boys toward theirs.As Aarya walked ahead with Yashika and Prerna, she couldn’t help but steal one last glance at Kartik, who was walking beside Ansh and Sahil. He looked calm, composed, and entirely unbothered.

Prerna (nudging Aarya playfully): “What’s so interesting back there?”

Aarya (rolling her eyes, hiding a small smile): “Nothing.”

Ansh too noticed Kartik glancing back for a brief moment. A knowing smirk appeared on his face as he nudged Kartik lightly.

Ansh (teasing): “Looking for someone?”

Kartik (expression unchanged): “Just looking around the campus.”

Ansh (raising an eyebrow): “Uh-huh, sure. You’ve been in this campus for half a day, and you’re already distracted?”

Kartik (calmly): “Not distracted. Just observant.”

Ansh (grinning): “Observant about what? Or should I say… whom?”

Kartik (deadpan): “Don’t start.”

Ansh (chuckling): “Come on, yaar. Just admit it. You noticed her, didn’t you?”

Kartik (ignoring him): “The hostel building looks well-maintained.”

Ansh (laughing): “Yeah, yeah. Keep pretending. But I saw what I saw.”

Kartik said nothing, keeping his expression neutral, but as they walked, his mind lingered for a moment longer on a particular girl who had glanced back at him just a minute ago.