The thing about habits? You don’t realize you’ve built one until it’s too late. Like how, suddenly, it became normal to sit across from Mehul at lunch. Like how, without meaning to, I’d started waiting for his reactions. Like how my day now included at least one failed attempt to get him to react.

…This was a problem.And, apparently, I wasn’t the only one who noticed.

“Vihaan.”

I blinked up at Riya, who was leaning against my desk, arms crossed. Arjun stood behind her, wearing the kind of smirk that meant trouble.

“What?” I asked warily.

Arjun rested a hand on my chair. “So, you and Mehul…”

I frowned. “What about us?”

Riya raised an eyebrow. “You sit with him at lunch. You talk to him the most. You, somehow, get away with poking at him when no one else dares.”

I scoffed. “That’s called being a good coworker.”

Arjun snorted. “Sure. A good coworker. Who just so happens to spend all his free time with one guy.”

I rolled my eyes. “You’re both ridiculous.”

Riya smirked. “If you say so.”

I turned back to my screen, ignoring them.

This wasn’t a thing.

I just… liked observing Mehul. For research purposes.

Yeah. That’s all….…Right?

Later that evening, I found myself hovering near Mehul’s desk.

He glanced up. “Something you need?”

“Nope.” I leaned against the partition. “Just taking a break.”

Mehul stared. “Then why are you here?”

I grinned. “Maybe I like the ambiance.”

Mehul did not look impressed.

I tapped my fingers on the desk. “Hey, let’s get chai.”

Mehul blinked. “No.”

I pretended to be deeply offended. “Why not?”

“You ask too many questions.”

I gasped. “You wound me.”

Mehul stood up, grabbing his bag. “I’m leaving.”

I trailed behind him. “You know, statistically, drinking chai improves work efficiency.”

Mehul ignored me.

I sighed, slowing my steps. “Fine, fine. No chai.”

Mehul didn’t respond. I quickly said “…You can come if the others are going too.”

Then, just as he reached the elevator, he paused.

Glanced back.

I stopped breathing for a second.

That—that was a loophole.

A small one. A barely there concession. But still.

I smirked. “You just don’t want it to look like a date.”

Mehul gave me a blank look.

The elevator doors opened. He stepped in.

Right before they closed, he said, “Exactly.”

I stood there, frozen.

Brain? Gone.