Hiten appeared beside her, casually stretching but with a subtle tension in his eyes. “Relax,” he said in a calm tone, noticing her jittery hands. “We’ve got this. All the events, every single one—we’re going to win.”

Aarya laughed lightly. “You’re too confident. What if we trip, or… or something embarrassing happens?”

He smirked, teasing her gently. “Embarrassing? Us? Never. Besides, I’m here. You won’t even have a chance to fall.”

Their first event was the three-leg race. They tied their legs together, the rope snug but not tight, and waited for the whistle. Aarya’s heart pounded, not from fear of losing but from the closeness of Hiten beside her. Their hands brushed as they balanced, and he gave her a small, encouraging nod.

“Ready?” he whispered, and she nodded, smiling.

The whistle blew. They started running, careful with each synchronized step. At first, it was awkward, their legs colliding slightly, but soon they found a rhythm. Hiten adjusted his pace to match hers perfectly, and they laughed mid-run when their legs nearly tangled. Other teams were fast, but the coordination and quiet trust between them made the difference. They crossed the finish line first, panting but elated, their hands brushing briefly in victory.

“See?” Hiten teased, brushing imaginary sweat off his forehead. “Told you. We’ve already booked this win.”

Aarya giggled, nudging him playfully. “Booked, huh? Well… it’s official then. We’re unstoppable.”

The rest of the events followed the same pattern. In the mini relay, Hiten passed the baton to her with perfect timing. In tug-of-war, their teamwork was unmatched—Hiten’s strategic pulls and Aarya’s steady stance made their team unbeatable. Even in the sack race, they somehow managed to coordinate leaps, landing almost perfectly in sync. Each event ended with laughter, cheers, and small teasing remarks between the two of them.

By afternoon, the results were clear. Hiten and Aarya had won every event they participated in. The announcement for the Best Duo of the Year Award was met with roaring applause.

As they stepped onto the stage to receive the trophy, cameras flashing, Hiten leaned slightly toward her and whispered, “It’s booked. We’re gonna keep winning like this till 12th.”

Aarya’s cheeks flushed, and she whispered back with a smile, “Of course… we’ve already booked it.”

They held the trophy together, the warmth of their hands brushing, and in that moment, the cheering crowd faded into the background. It was theirs—this victory, this playful closeness, and this shared joy.

Later, sitting under the shade of a tree, Aarya leaned against Hiten, tired but happy. “You know,” she said, smirking, “winning with you is way more fun than I imagined.”

He chuckled, his eyes softening as he looked at her. “That’s because it’s not just about winning. It’s about us. We make a good team… in everything.”

Aarya smiled and playfully nudged him. “In everything, huh? Don’t get too confident, mister.”

Hiten laughed, and they sat together in comfortable silence, the trophy beside them, the memory of synchronized steps, laughter, and whispered words echoing in their hearts.

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