The site was chaos.
Rain had turned everything messy—half-covered materials, delayed deliveries, workers rushing under makeshift shades.
And right in the middle of it—
Shrisha stood, completely annoyed.
"This is exactly why I said we should've checked the weather!"
Siddharth, standing beside her, completely unbothered, shrugged.
"Yeah, because obviously you control the rain."
She shot him a look.
"I control better planning. Something you clearly don't believe in."
Krish, standing a little away, watched them with a grin.
Here we go again.
Siddharth crossed his arms.
"Oh please. You've been complaining since morning. At this point, I think the rain is justified."
Shrisha blinked.
"Excuse me?"
"Yeah," he nodded seriously. "Even nature needed a break from you."
Krish almost laughed out loud.
Shrisha stepped closer to Siddharth.
"Say that again."
Siddharth didn't move.
Didn't step back.
If anything—
He leaned in slightly.
"I said," he repeated slowly, "you talk too much."
A pause.
"And somehow," he added, "still manage to be wrong."
That did it.
Shrisha hit his arm.
"Unbelievable!"
"Violence now?" he said, rubbing his arm dramatically. "Very professional."
"Oh shut up," she snapped. "At least I'm doing something instead of just standing and giving useless commentary."
"I am doing something," he replied.
"What?"
"Tolerating you."
Krish turned away.
Trying very hard not to laugh.
Shrisha stared at Siddharth.
Then—
For a second—
Her expression changed.
Not angry.
Not fully.
Almost… amused.
"You're impossible," she said.
"And yet," he smirked slightly, "you're still talking to me."
A small pause.
That landed differently.
Shrisha looked away first.
Krish caught that.
And oh—
He noticed everything.
"Guys," he said casually, walking toward them. "If you're done flirting—"
"We are NOT flirting," both of them said at the same time.
Krish raised his hands in surrender.
"Okay, okay. Definitely not flirting."
Siddharth rolled his eyes.
Shrisha looked away again.
"Anyway," Krish continued, still smiling, "we're stuck here for at least another hour."
"Great," Shrisha muttered.
"With him," she added under her breath.
"I heard that," Siddharth said.
"Good."
Silence.
For two seconds.
Then—
Rain got heavier.
They moved under a temporary shed.
Closer.
Because there wasn't much space.
Shrisha stood at one end.
Siddharth right next to her.
Too close.
She shifted slightly.
"Relax," he said quietly. "I'm not taking your space."
"I didn't say you were."
"You didn't have to."
A pause.
Krish leaned against a pillar, watching them like it was live entertainment.
"You know," he said casually, "for people who don't like each other—"
A pause.
"You two spend a lot of time together."
"Because we're stuck," Shrisha said immediately.
"Yeah," Siddharth added, "not by choice."
Krish nodded slowly.
"Of course."
Another silence.
Then—
A sudden loud thunder.
Shrisha flinched slightly.
Almost instinctively.
Siddharth noticed.
Didn't say anything.
Just—
Shifted a little.
So she was more under the covered area.
Protected.
Without making it obvious.
Shrisha noticed that too.
But didn't say anything.
Instead—
She crossed her arms.
Looked straight ahead.
"Still annoying," she muttered.
Siddharth smirked.
"Yeah, but useful."
That earned him a small glare.
But this time—
It didn't have the same heat.
Krish smiled to himself.
Because this—
Wasn't just bickering anymore.
It was something softer.
Something growing.
And neither of them—
Had realized it yet.
But he had.
And he was definitely going to enjoy watching it unfold.
The rain didn't stop.
If anything—
It got colder.
The wind picked up slightly, sneaking under the temporary shed.
Shrisha shivered.
Just a little.
"I hate this weather," she muttered, rubbing her hands together.
"Five minutes ago you were blaming me for it," Siddharth replied casually.
She glared at him.
"Don't start again."
"I didn't even say anything—"
Before he could finish—
"Aachoo!"
Shrisha sneezed.
Sudden.
Uncontrolled.
A second of silence.
Then—
Without thinking—
Siddharth pulled out his handkerchief and held it out to her.
"Here."
Shrisha blinked.
Caught off guard.
For once—
No comeback came instantly.
She took it.
Slowly.
"Thanks," she said, quieter than usual.
Siddharth just nodded.
"Don't return it. I don't trust you with hygiene."
And just like that—
The moment almost slipped back into normal.
Almost.
Because Shrisha didn't argue.
Didn't snap.
She just—
Smiled faintly.
Krish, standing a little away, watched the entire thing.
And oh—
He didn't miss a single detail.
The way Siddharth reacted instantly.
The way Shrisha didn't fight back.
The way the air shifted—
Just slightly.
He folded his arms dramatically.
"Wow."
Both of them looked at him.
"What?" Siddharth asked.
Krish shook his head slowly.
"Nothing," he said. "Just… wish someone cared for me like that too."
Shrisha rolled her eyes.
"Oh please."
Siddharth smirked.
"Lower your expectations."
Krish placed a hand on his heart.
"Hurt."
"Good," Shrisha replied instantly.
But her voice—
Was lighter now.
Krish walked closer, still teasing.
"No, seriously," he continued, looking between them. "This is very cute. I feel like a third wheel in a construction site."
"We are not cute," Shrisha said immediately.
"Yeah," Siddharth added, "this is survival."
Krish nodded.
"Of course. Very romantic survival."
Shrisha threw him a look.
"Shut up."
But there was no real irritation left.
Another small silence settled.
Shrisha held the handkerchief in her hand—
Absentmindedly.
Then—
She glanced at Siddharth.
"You carry this around?"
He shrugged.
"Yeah. Unlike you, I'm prepared."
She rolled her eyes.
But didn't argue.
Instead—
She kept it.
And Krish noticed that too.
Of course he did.
Because sometimes—
It's not the big gestures.
It's the small, unplanned ones—
That say everything
Without saying anything at all.
The rain hadn't stopped when Aakrati reached the site.
But she didn't slow down.
She walked in—
Drenched.
Shivering.
But composed.
Shrisha rushed to her.
"Aakrati, are you okay? Look at you!"
"I'm fine," she said immediately.
Krish didn't speak.
He just stepped forward—
Took off his coat—
Wrapped it around her.
"Wear this."
She didn't resist.
Shrisha started wiping her hair gently.
"You're freezing," she said.
Siddharth looked around.
"Where is Arsh?"
And right then—
He walked in.
Arsh.
Drenched too.
Breathing slightly heavy—
Like he had rushed.
But the moment his eyes landed on her—
Everything else disappeared.
He didn't look at anyone else.
Didn't register anything else.
Just—
Her.
Soaked.
Shivering.
Wrapped in someone else's coat.
Something in him snapped.
Quietly.
Deeply.
He took a step forward.
Then stopped.
Because Krish was already there.
Too close.
Taking care of her.
Arsh's jaw tightened.
His eyes didn't leave her for even a second.
Not when Shrisha spoke.
Not when Siddharth asked something.
Nothing.
Just—
Her.
Aakrati didn't look at him.
Not once.
That made it worse.
Way worse.
"Okay, listen," Shrisha said, trying to control the situation. "Let's stay here till the rain stops."
Krish nodded.
"Yeah."
Aakrati stayed quiet.
Arsh didn't respond.
He just stood there—
Watching her.
Every movement.
Every breath.
When she shivered—
His fingers clenched.
When she brushed her wet hair back—
His gaze followed.
When she leaned slightly—
His body instinctively moved forward—
Then stopped himself.
Like he was holding back something.
Constantly.
They all got back to work.
Or tried to.
Because Arsh—
Wasn't working.
Not really.
He gave instructions.
Answered questions.
But his attention—
Never stayed.
It kept going back.
To her.
Always.
Krish noticed.
Of course he did.
The way Arsh kept looking.
The way he couldn't focus.
The way his entire presence shifted around Aakrati.
And he didn't like it.
Time passed.
Rain softened slightly.
Aakrati sat down for a moment.
That's when Krish stepped closer.
"You should check your temperature."
"I'm fine," she said again.
Krish ignored that.
Placed his hand on her forehead.
And immediately frowned.
"Aakrati… you have a fever."
Arsh moved instantly.
Before anyone else could react—
He was there.
Close.
Too close.
"Let me see," he said.
Aakrati stiffened.
"I'm fine," she repeated.
But Arsh didn't listen.
His hand reached her forehead—
Before she could stop him.
Warm.
Burning.
His expression changed instantly.
"You're not fine."
His voice dropped.
Low.
Controlled.
But intense.
"I said I'm fine," she snapped, pulling back.
That only made him more rigid.
"You stood in the rain like that?" he said, anger slipping through now. "What were you thinking?"
"I wasn't asking you," she shot back.
Silence.
Everyone felt it.
Because this—
Wasn't normal.
This was something else.
Something deeper.
Possessive.
Krish stepped in slightly.
"She's coming with us," he said calmly.
That—
Triggered something.
Arsh looked at him.
"And I'll take her," he said.
Direct.
No hesitation.
Aakrati looked at both of them.
Annoyed.
Tired.
"I'm not a thing you both need to decide for," she said sharply.
But Arsh didn't look at her.
His eyes were still on Krish.
Tense.
Challenging.
Then finally—
He looked back at her.
And that intensity—
Didn't reduce.
"If you get worse," he said quietly, "I'm not going to stand and watch."
A pause.
"I already did that once today."
That line—
Wasn't just about the rain.
Aakrati felt it.
But didn't respond.
Krish stepped back slightly.
Understanding—
This wasn't the moment.
"Let's go," he said softly to her.
Aakrati nodded.
Shrisha picked up her things.
Siddharth watched everything—
Silent for once.
They started walking out.
Arsh didn't move immediately.
He just stood there—
Watching her leave.
Again.
But this time—
His eyes didn't soften.
They stayed fixed.
Intense.
Unmoving.
Like he had already decided something.
And this time—
He wasn't going to let her go that easily.