Dev sipped his coffee, eyes fixed on Hiten. “You really stopped dreaming of her after the story ended?”

Hiten nodded slowly, the words heavy on his tongue. “Yeah… the dreams just… faded. The nights grew quiet, and I couldn’t see her anymore. Not in my mind, not in the rain. It was like she existed only while I believed in her.”

Dev’s gaze softened, leaning forward. “But you wrote everything down. Every laugh, every glance, every rainy evening. You made her real in your story.”

Hiten looked down at his hands, fingers tapping nervously on the table. “I did… but it wasn’t enough. Seeing her in my dreams was different. It felt… tangible. Every detail mattered — the way she tilted her head when she smiled, the way her hair stuck to her cheeks in the rain. In the story, it’s just words.”

A pause settled between them, filled only by the rhythmic tapping of rain. Dev broke it gently, his voice steady. “Maybe… she’s real, somewhere. And maybe she’s dreaming of you too, just like you dreamed of her.”

Hiten blinked, staring at Dev as if the idea itself was fragile yet electrifying. “You think that’s possible?”

Dev shrugged, a small grin appearing despite the serious look in his eyes. “Why not? Dreams have a way of finding reality. And you… you always feel her presence when it rains, don’t you?”

Hiten nodded, heart tightening. The memory came rushing back — the warmth in his chest, the soft feeling of a hand he never truly held, the way the world seemed to pause whenever she was near, even if only in his mind.

He whispered, almost to himself, “I feel her… like she’s just out of reach. Not here… but somewhere close. Waiting. Watching.”

Dev leaned back, letting the words sink in. “Then maybe it’s time to find her. To see if she’s waiting in the real world too. You don’t know until you try.”

Hiten’s lips curved into a faint, hopeful smile. The rain outside intensified, silver streaks blurring the city like a painting. And for the first time in years, the line between dream and reality felt thin enough to step across.

“I… I think you’re right,” Hiten said quietly, his eyes on the rain. “It’s time to see if she’s real. Maybe… she’s been waiting for me too.”

Dev raised his cup in a quiet toast, smiling. “Then let’s start.”

The café clock ticked softly. Outside, the world glistened wet and alive. Every droplet seemed to whisper a secret, every reflection hinted at a story waiting to unfold. And Hiten knew — this time, he wasn’t just chasing dreams.