Evening, around 6:30 PM.
In a spacious, elegantly furnished hall, three individuals sat on sofas—two facing one, who was seated across from them. The silence between them was heavy with unspoken questions.
Aahana's fingers fidgeted in her lap, her nerves fraying like a taut string. Beside her sat a man whose striking features—sharp jawline, calm eyes—only deepened her unease. 'How did I end up in this situation?' she thought, wondering how she had landed in this mess.
The man, unperturbed by the weight of the moment, sipped his tea with unruffled grace, which had been served by the elder sitting across from them. The elder—Aahana's father—radiated quiet charisma. His white hair gleamed, and despite the lines etched into his face, his presence carried timeless charm.
"Hahahaha, what a coincidence," the elder broke the silence with a hearty chuckle. "I never would have imagined in my wildest dreams that Dr. Karan would be the mysterious 'boyfriend' my little girl was talking about."
Aahana's stomach lurched. "I didn't see this coming either," she muttered under her breath. "Papa's acquaintance—a doctor, no less? Fate surely has a cruel sense of humor."
"You said something?" her father asked, his brow quirking.
"N-no, nothing!" Aahana stammered, silently cursing her friend. 'Damn you, June. This is all your fault.'
From the very beginning, she never anticipated this unexpected twist.
The reason? Well…
About an hour before the present—
The street buzzed alive with evening traffic when Aahana's world tilted—literally. She hit the pavement after colliding with someone.
"Are you okay?" The voice was gentle, steady. A man stooped toward her, his dark suit catching the fading sunlight, extending his hand to help her up from the ground.
Shaking off her daze, Aahana replied, "Y-yes! I'm fine." She grasped his large, rough hand with her soft one and pulled herself up, brushing dust from her skirt, avoiding his gaze as heat crept up her cheeks.
"Here." The man handed her bag.
"Th-thank you," she said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, her shyness evident as she took it.
June didn't fail to notice her peculiar behavior. 'Oh my God! Is this actually happening? The notorious 'Ice Queen' of our campus is thawing? If someone from campus saw this, it'd be total chaos!' June was astounded.
'So, she's into the gentle type, hmm,' June mused, adopting a look as if she'd unraveled the world's greatest enigma.
"You're not hurt, are you?" the man asked, his tone laced with concern.
Hearing this, an idea struck June. "Ah, no, I'm fi—" Aahana began, but before she could finish, June, under the pretense of supporting her, deliberately pressed on Aahana's toe with her wedge heel.
"Ouch!" Aahana yelped in pain.
Before she could react with indignation, June exclaimed, "Oh no! It seems she's sprained her ankle!"
Despite noticing the charade, the man asked with concern, "Are you truly alright? Can you walk?"
Continuing her act, June started to push Aahana downward.
"June, what—" Aahana hissed, bewildered by her friend's antics.
"Just play along," June whispered, her voice dripping with conspiracy. "Pretend that you can't stand."
Against her better judgment, Aahana complied.
BAAM—
She sank to the ground with an exaggerated wince, landing unceremoniously on her backside.
"Oh no! She can't even stand properly!" June declared.
"Hey!" The man approached Aahana, concern evident.
"Oh dear! What are we to do now? How can this young lady make her way home with such a severe sprain?" June overplayed her concern, her performance Oscar-worthy.
The man knelt beside Aahana, his worry genuine. "Is the sprain that bad?" he asked, reaching out to examine her leg.
Acting on instinct, Aahana swatted his hand away and replied timidly, "Y-yes, it is." Her head lowered, flushed with embarrassment.
June seized the moment. "Is there any gentleman here who can help me escort this delicate beauty home safely?"
Aahana shot her a deadpan stare. Delicate? Really?
"I'm terribly sorry about this. Allow me to escort you home," the man offered, extending his hand again.
Before Aahana could respond—
Grab—
Feeling a tight grip on his wrist, the man turned to June, who had seized it with fiery theatrical flair. "And how do we know you're not some creep with bad intentions?" she demanded, her tone stern.
Sigh—
The man sighed internally. 'First, make up your mind,' he thought, exasperated but composed. He reached into his coat and handed June a card.
"Hmm? What's this?" June asked.
"My visiting card," he answered.
"Visiting card…?"
"My name's Karan. I'm a neurosurgeon. My contact details are on the card."
"Wow!" June's eyebrows shot up, her jaw dropping in surprise. Even Aahana, still ducking her head in embarrassment, was taken aback by his profession.
'A gentleman and a neurosurgeon!' June thought, glancing at Aahana. 'You've struck gold, lucky girl!'
"Very well," June declared with a broad smile, thrusting Aahana toward Karan like a proud matchmaker. "I trust you with my friend. But—" her voice turned menacing—"don't try anything funny." She cracked her knuckles, attempting to intimidate him.
"Wait! Where are you going?" Karan asked as June tried to slip away.
"Me? I remembered some urgent work I need to take care of, so I'll be leaving first."
"Huh?" June's sudden attempt to escape caught Aahana off guard.
Glancing at her, June winked. "Bye, Aahana! Let's meet tomorrow!" She strode off, waving.
"Hey! June!" Aahana called, but June ignored her pleas, leaving her betrayed by her closest ally.
Sigh. Karan rubbed his temple, exhausted by all the drama. Looking at Aahana, still sitting on the ground, he said, "Shall we get going then?" He offered his hand yet again.
"…Mm." Aahana nodded meekly.
With her approval, Karan helped her to her feet and drove her home—leading to an evening she'd never anticipated.