"3RD PERSON POV"
The evening sun hung low in the sky, casting a warm orange glow across the city. People bustled along the streets, heading home after a long, tiring day. One by one, the lights of shops and cafés flickered on, painting the streets in a cozy golden hue.
Inside Aravind's café, the soft hum of chatter mixed with the mellow background music playing at a low volume. Customers sat at small wooden tables, sipping coffee and nibbling on snacks. A few people moved around, browsing the dessert counter or waiting for their orders, while baristas worked efficiently behind the counter, wearing bright aprons and friendly smiles.
A car pulled up slowly in front of the café. The door opened, and Suryakantham stepped out. She closed the door behind her and locked the car with a soft beep. Her eyes flicked up to the café sign, a small smile tugging at her lips.
She walked forward, heels tapping gently on the pavement, and pushed open the glass door. A tiny bell above the entrance rang, and the warm aroma of coffee and freshly baked pastries welcomed her in.
She looked around, scanning the café for Aravind, but he was nowhere in sight. Frowning a little, she made her way to the counter.
A young female barista stood behind it, taking a customer's order. When she noticed Suryakantham approaching, she greeted her with a bright smile. "Good evening, ma'am. What would you like to have?"
Suryakantham smiled back and casually said, "Your boss."
The barista blinked, clearly stunned. "Wh-what?"
Realizing how her words sounded, Suryakantham's eyes widened, and she quickly waved her hands, flustered. "No, no! I mean—where is your boss?"
Hearing her, the barista nodded and pointed toward a door that led to the back of the café. "Boss is in the back," she said.
Suryakantham gave a small nod and started walking in that direction, but the barista quickly stepped forward and said, "W-wait, ma'am! You can't just go in like that!"
Suryakantham stopped and looked at her, a little confused. "What do you mean?"
"I mean… I can't let anyone go inside without the boss's permission," the barista explained politely, clearly a bit flustered.
Understanding her concern, Suryakantham smiled mischievously. She looked the barista straight in the eyes and said with a playful grin, "Then tell Aravind that his girlfriend is here."
The café went still.
The barista froze, her eyes wide with shock. Not just her—every barista nearby paused what they were doing and turned to look at Suryakantham as if she had just announced she was a celebrity.
Suryakantham raised an eyebrow and leaned forward slightly. "Hey, are you okay?" she asked the girl behind the counter.
Snapping out of her daze, the barista quickly nodded. "Y-yes! Just wait a minute. I'll go call the boss."
Suryakantham nodded with a soft chuckle, watching the girl rush through the door in a mild panic. As she waited, she couldn't help but overhear the hushed whispers among the other baristas nearby.
"Boss has a girlfriend? Are you serious?"
"I've never even seen him talk to anyone outside of customers…"
"I thought he was a loner! He's always here, opening and closing the place himself."
"I mean… he is good-looking, so I guess it's not that strange."
Their quiet gossip continued, filled with disbelief and surprise. Suryakantham heard it all and smiled to herself, her heart light and amused by their reactions.
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"3RD PERSON POV"
In the backyard of the café, Aravind was sitting under a small tree on an egg-shaped swing. The area around him was lush with plants, and a soft green lawn stretched underfoot. Not far from him, a small open kitchen was attached to the café, and a few comfortable chairs were arranged near a low fireplace, giving the place a cozy garden-like feel.
He held a steaming mug of coffee in one hand, gently swaying on the swing. A calm, cool breeze brushed against his face as he sat with his eyes closed, enjoying the quiet moment of peace.
Suddenly, he heard footsteps approaching. He slowly opened his eyes and looked toward the door. A second later, the door opened, and Reya, the girl barista, stepped out.
Seeing her, Aravind smiled lazily and said, "Hey, Reya. Good evening. What's up?"
Just as he raised the mug to take a sip, Reya spoke in her usual flat tone, "Boss, your girlfriend is here."
Aravind froze mid-sip. Then he choked, coughing as he accidentally spit out the coffee.
"W-what?" he coughed. "My girlfriend? What girlfriend? Since when do I have a girlfriend—and why don't I know about it?"
Reya remained expressionless as she replied, "I don't know. A woman came and said she's your girlfriend."
Hearing that, Aravind looked up at the sky as if deep in thought. Suryakantham's face flashed in his mind. He glanced at Reya and said, "She's not my girlfriend. We're just friends. Anyway, send her here."
Without waiting for a response, he leaned back lazily and started swinging in slow circles, the swing creaking softly beneath him. Reya rolled her eyes at her boss's childish behavior and turned around to go back inside to inform Suryakantham.
A minute later, Aravind heard footsteps again. He tilted his head toward the door just as it opened and Suryakantham stepped out. Seeing her, Aravind smiled and said, "Holo, good evening."
Suryakantham returned the smile and walked toward him. "Good evening to you too."
She took the chair in front of him, her eyes scanning the little garden around them. After a moment, she looked at him and asked with a curious expression, "Aravind, are you a nature lover or something?"
Aravind chuckled lightly and replied, "Why do you think that?"
She gestured around. "There's greenery all over your house, and even here, in this little backyard café garden."
Aravind looked around as if noticing it himself, then said with a soft smile, "Not really a nature lover. I just feel... peaceful around plants."
Hearing that, Suryakantham nodded, but before she could say anything, Aravind leaned forward slightly and asked, "Anyway, what's with the sudden 'boyfriend' thing? What are you telling my staff?"
Suryakantham gave him a playful smile and replied casually, "It's nothing."
Aravind rolled his eyes. "Nothing? You made Reya say 'your girlfriend is here' like it was some breaking news."
Suryakantham just smiled, saying nothing more.
Aravind shook his head, amused. "Anyway, did you get your money back?"
In response, Suryakantham pulled a folded cheque from her bag and held it up. "Ten lakhs," she said with a grin.
Seeing it, Aravind raised his brows and smiled. "Hoho, you got it back, huh? Your boyfriend's a good person. He kept his word."
Without missing a beat, Suryakantham shot back, "He's not my boyfriend."
Aravind laughed. "Yeah, yeah, sorry—your ex."
She rolled her eyes but smiled. "Anyway, it's all thanks to your help."
Aravind waved his hand like it was no big deal. "Na, na, as I said—it's nothing. Anyway... so, party or what?"
Hearing that, Suryakantham said a little nervously, "I was thinking…"
Aravind raised an eyebrow in curiosity. Suryakantham quickly pulled out her phone, tapped the screen a few times, and turned it toward him. "We should go watch a movie together. I booked two tickets. And I'll treat you to dinner—if you have time."
Aravind looked at the screen, then at her. She looked a little unsure, almost shy. Smiling, he said, "Of course."
Suryakantham's face lit up with a relieved smile. She stood up and said, "Let's go then. It's a 7 PM show."
"Okay then," Aravind replied, getting off the swing with his coffee mug still in hand.
As they walked back into the café, the murmur of customers and the soft music became clear again. Aravind walked over to Reya and handed her his mug with a smile. "I'm heading out."
Then he looked around and spotted another barista—a young guy named Aditya. "Hey, Adi, come here."
Aditya jogged over. "Yes, boss?"
Aravind said, "You're closing the café today."
Aditya nodded without complaint. Aravind then glanced at the clock, then at Reya. "Your shift's almost over. You and the girls can head home soon."
Reya nodded. Aravind turned to Suryakantham with a smile. "Let's go."
She nodded, and the two of them began to walk toward the exit. Reya, still holding the coffee mug, watched them leave. Aditya stepped beside her and whispered, "I think she really is his girlfriend."
Reya nodded slowly. "I think so too."
Aditya grinned. "What about us?"
Reya turned to him, smiling sweetly. "No."
With that, she walked away, leaving Aditya staring after her with a sigh.
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"3RD PERSON POV"
As Aravind and Suryakantham stepped out of the café, she pulled out her keys and started unlocking her car.
"What are you doing?" Aravind asked, glancing at her with a curious expression.
"Unlocking the car," she replied. "We're going to watch the movie, right?"
"Of course," he said, nodding. "But I saw the address when you showed me the tickets. The mall's close by. Let's walk. It's a nice evening."
Suryakantham looked at the car, then at him. After a moment, she smiled. "Okay, walking sounds good."
They started walking side by side, the cool breeze brushing past them. The streets were softly lit, and the city had a peaceful hum to it. Their conversation flowed easily—random things, little jokes, light teases.
It didn't take long before they reached the mall. After grabbing a large bucket of popcorn, they made their way into the theater. The movie was a romantic supernatural drama called Before the Coffee Gets Cold.
The story followed a man who had lost his memories due to a medical condition. He wandered into a quiet café and became friends with one of the waitresses there. He told her about his lost memories, about how he once had a wife but couldn't remember anything about her—not even where she was or what happened. He shared that, before losing his memory, he had written a letter meant for his wife… but he never got the chance to give it to her.
What he didn't know was that the waitress he'd been talking to was actually his wife.
To return the letter to him, she decided to travel back in time—risking everything to reconnect with the version of him who still remembered her. The film unfolded gently, full of bittersweet moments, quiet emotions, and a touch of magic that lingered long after the credits rolled.
After the movie ended, Aravind and Suryakantham walked over to a nearby restaurant for dinner. By the time they finished eating, it was already 10:30 PM. Deciding not to stretch the night any longer, they began walking back toward the café.
As they strolled along the quiet street, Aravind suddenly spotted a small ice cream stall lit up under a streetlamp. He turned to Suryakantham with a grin.
"Ice cream?" he asked, tilting his head toward the stall.
Suryakantham followed his gaze, then smiled and nodded.
"Sure."
They walked over and bought two cones, then continued down the road, enjoying their ice creams under the gentle night sky.
While licking her cone, Suryakantham glanced at Aravind.
"I saw a car and a bike parked at your place. Why don't you use them?"
Aravind chuckled between bites.
"It's not like I don't use them. My house is pretty close to the café—it's just a thirty-minute walk. I prefer walking most days. Feels peaceful. I use the car or bike for longer trips."
Suryakantham smiled, brushing back a strand of hair that danced in the breeze.
"So… can we go on one of those long drives sometime?"
Aravind looked at her, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he smiled.
"Of course we can."
They continued walking, chatting casually as the night breeze flowed gently around them. Their ice creams were already finished, but the conversation hadn't lost its sweetness. As they walked side by side, Suryakantham noticed Aravind looking up at the sky. Curious, she followed his gaze and saw the full moon shining brightly above.
Suddenly, Aravind spoke, his voice soft and thoughtful. "Beautiful, isn't it?"
Suryakantham smiled as her eyes lingered on the glowing moon.
"Yeah… it's really beautiful."
Aravind turned to look at her, his expression calm but deep.
"You know…" he began, making her glance at him.
He smiled faintly and continued,
"Sometimes I wonder— the moon doesn't have its own light. It has dark spots on it. Still, every poet writes about it. It's always compared to beauty, to women. Every lover sees his love in the moon."
He paused for a moment, his gaze locked with hers, the quiet between them filled only by the soft rustling of leaves and the occasional passing breeze.
"Tell me, Suryakantham," he said, his voice lower now.
Suryakantham, suddenly shy under his gaze, replied quietly, "Y-yes?"
Aravind smiled again, more gently this time. "What should I say? Should I call you as beautiful as the moon, just because people say the moon represents beauty? Or… should I say you're more beautiful than the moon—because the moon has its flaws, its darkness… but you," he looked into her eyes, "you're flawless, carrying your grace without trying."
Silence fell between them again. The words lingered in the air, heavy with meaning, and the only thing that moved was the cool night wind brushing past their skin.
Suryakantham's cheeks flushed bright red. She looked down slightly, flustered, and mumbled,
"W-what…"
Aravind chuckled softly and said,
"Nothing."
He gently extended his hand toward her.
"It's getting late… shall we go?"
Suryakantham glanced at his hand, then slowly reached out, her fingers brushing against his as she took it, her voice barely a whisper,
"Okay…"
Aravind smiled warmly, and hand in hand, the two of them continued walking through the quiet street, the moonlight quietly watching over them.
(A/N: I'm trying to build relationships between them. Or do you just want it to be like other harem novels—fuck one and move to another? If yes, then sorry, this story is not for you. And another thing, I don't want my side characters to be just NPCs, so you'll see interactions like this from time to time.)