𝙈𝙤𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙏𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙉𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙀𝙣𝙙𝙨

📍 Malhotra Mansion | Morning

Breakfast table.

Everyone was unusually quiet.

Too quiet.

Shrishti looked suspiciously at everyone.

Shrishti: "Why does this feel dangerous?"

The moment she said that—

Priya: 😂

Priya: "There's dark..."

Aryan: 😭😂

Aarav: "Shrishti WHAT are you doing?!"

Aarohi: 😂

Shrishti immediately covered her face.

Shrishti: 😭

Shrishti: "PLEASE MOVE ON."

Meanwhile…

Kartik silently drank coffee.

But the slight smile on his lips exposed him completely.

Priya: 👀

Priya: "Look at him smiling."

Kartik: 😐

Smile gone.

𝙋𝙞𝙘𝙣𝙞𝙘 𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙣

Later…

Everyone prepared for the NGO picnic.

Children were excited.

Running everywhere.

Kid: "PICNIC!"

Aryan: 😰

Aryan: "Why are they louder than sirens?"

Priya: 😂

Priya: "Because they're happy."

Aryan: "I'm scared."

Everyone laughed.

Then Kartik entered.

Wearing black sunglasses.

Black shirt.

Black watch.

Basically looking illegal.

Shrishti accidentally stared too long.

Aarav: 😏

Aarav: "Careful, Drama Queen."

Shrishti: 😳

Shrishti: "Shut up."

Kartik noticed everything silently.

𝘽𝙪𝙨 𝙎𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘿𝙞𝙨𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧

📍 Picnic Bus

Children rushed inside excitedly.

Everyone started choosing seats.

There were only two empty seats left.

One beside Aarohi.

And one beside Kartik.

Aarav: 😏

Without wasting one second—

He quickly got inside first.

And sat beside Aarohi.

Aarohi: 😳

Aarohi: "You did that intentionally."

Aarav: 😂

Aarav: "Absolutely."

Outside the bus—

Shrishti entered last.

Then froze.

Because only one seat remained.

Beside Kartik.

Shrishti: 😳

Kartik: 😐

Aryan: 😏

Priya: 😭😂

Priya: (whispering)

"Oh this is going to be fun."

Shrishti awkwardly sat beside Kartik.

Trying VERY hard not to touch him.

Which was impossible.

Because the seat was small.

Very small.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘽𝙪𝙢𝙥 𝙎𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙚

The bus started moving.

Children sang loudly.

Aryan regretted all his life choices.

Aryan: 😭

Aryan: "Why are they singing off beat?!"

Priya: "Because they're children."

Aryan: "Tiny terrorists."

Everyone laughed.

Meanwhile…

Shrishti sat stiffly beside Kartik.

Hands folded.

Back straight.

Eyes forward.

As if sitting beside a bomb.

Kartik noticed.

Kartik: "Relax."

Shrishti: 😳

Shrishti: "I am relaxed."

Right then—

The bus suddenly hit a huge bump.

Shrishti: 😨

She lost balance instantly.

And fell sideways.

Straight into Kartik's lap.

Complete silence.

Entire bus froze.

Shrishti: 😳😳😳

One of Kartik's arms automatically wrapped around her waist to stop her from falling.

While the other held the seat behind her protectively.

Their faces were inches apart.

Dangerously close.

Priya: 😳

Aryan: 😏

Aarav: 😐

Aarohi: 😂

Even the children stared dramatically.

Kid: "OOOOOOOOOO."

Shrishti's soul almost left her body.

She tried getting up quickly—

But another bump came.

And she accidentally grabbed Kartik's shirt tightly.

Now she was even closer.

Shrishti: 😭

Shrishti: "WHY IS THIS BUS CURSED?!"

Everyone burst out laughing.

Even Kartik's lips twitched slightly.

𝙆𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙠'𝙨 𝘿𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝘾𝙖𝙡𝙢

Finally the bus stabilized.

Shrishti immediately sat properly again.

Completely red.

Meanwhile…

Kartik looked suspiciously calm.

Too calm.

Aryan: 😏

Aryan: "Boss seems happy."

Kartik: 😐

Priya: "Very happy."

Shrishti: 😭

Shrishti: "Can everyone PLEASE stop talking?"

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙋𝙞𝙘𝙣𝙞𝙘 𝙎𝙥𝙤𝙩

📍 Lakeside Picnic Area

The children ran excitedly everywhere.

Some played football.

Some danced.

Some chased Aryan for snacks.

Aryan: 😭

Aryan: "SAVE ME."

Meanwhile…

Shrishti tried opening a juice bottle.

Failed.

Again.

Failed harder.

Aarav: 😂

Aarav: "Need help, shortie?"

Before she could answer—

Kartik silently took the bottle.

Opened it effortlessly.

And handed it back.

Without saying a word.

Shrishti: 😳💖

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙇𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙈𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩

Later…

One child accidentally threw a ball near the lake.

Kid: 😭

Kid: "My ball!"

Shrishti stepped forward immediately.

But the muddy grass slipped beneath her feet.

Shrishti: 😨

Before she could fall—

Kartik grabbed her wrist sharply.

Pulling her directly against him.

Again.

Kartik: 😠

Kartik: "Do you WANT to get hurt every day?"

Shrishti: 😳

Shrishti: "I was helping!"

Kartik: "And if you fell?!"

For the first time…

She noticed genuine fear in his voice.

Not anger.

Fear.

𝙎𝙤𝙤𝙣 𝙏𝙤 𝘽𝙚 𝘾𝙤𝙪𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙈𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩

Evening.

Golden sunset covered the lake beautifully.

Everyone sat together quietly.

Shrishti smiled while watching the children play.

A soft breeze blew her hair across her face.

Without thinking—

Kartik gently tucked the strand behind her ear.

Both froze.

Because this time…

Nobody interrupted.

Nobody joked.

Only silence existed.

And the way Kartik looked at her…

Made Shrishti forget how to breathe for a second.