A Little Later...
Around 7 PM…
The sky had begun to shift — one half dipped in golden orange from the setting sun, the other side wrapped in soft greys, preparing for the moon’s quiet entry.
Stars started popping up like tiny whispers in the sky.
A cool breeze danced through the air, nudging clouds across the horizon like sleepy sheep.
In this dreamy glow of twilight, Anamika sat alone on a garden bench — calm, quiet, and completely absorbed in the view.
From a distance, Ira came running like an excited child, holding two ice creams in her hands.
Reaching the bench, she handed one to Anamika and kept the other for herself.
She instantly ripped hers open and launched an attack on it, while Anamika, on the other hand, was gently peeling off the wrapper with care.
Seeing this, Ira exclaimed, “Come on, open it faster or it’ll melt!”
Anamika smiled, “Yeah... I’m opening it!”
With a perfect touch, she removed the wrapper without tearing it messily even a little.
But by the time she was done, Ira had already finished hers—and now her eyes were fixed on Anamika’s ice cream!
Just as Anamika was about to take a bite, she noticed Ira eyeing her like a cute little kitten.
She held the ice cream toward her and asked softly, “Wanna eat it?”
Ira had clearly been waiting for that moment!
Pretending to hesitate, she said, “But don’t you want to eat it?”
Even as she said this, her hands were already reaching for the ice cream—Anamika smiled at the sight and replied, “No, actually… cold things don’t suit me much. I usually fall sick if I eat them.”
In a flash, Ira chomped down on the treat like it was her moral duty.
“Then it’s good you didn’t eat it!” she chirped, cheeks full.
Ira happily munched away while Anamika just watched her.
Watching Ira like that pulled Anamika into a memory—a moment from years ago.
She was five when her dad had taken her out to the park for the first time. While playing, she fell and cried a lot.
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To calm her down, her dad gave her an ice cream—and that became the first and last ice cream of her life.
She had loved it so much, it felt like nothing else in the world mattered.
But after eating it, she caught such a terrible cold that her mother got furious.
A fight broke out between her parents… and that day, something in her broke too.
Her mother strictly forbade her from ever touching anything cold again.
And Anamika, swallowing her desire, smiled and said “okay.”
It was a promise she had kept till this very day.
Now, Anamika looked up at the sky as if telling it that she wanted to break that promise… The one that had become a silent chain around her.
She took a deep breath and stood up, turning to Ira. “Ira… where did you get the ice cream?”
Ira was sanitizing her hands after finishing it and casually replied, “There’s a shop near the other entrance of the garden… I got it from there.”
Anamika hesitated for a second, then said, “Ira… I…”
Ira looked at her curiously. “What? Is there something you want to say?”
Anamika panicked and quickly said, “No! Nothing. Should we go home?”
Ira smiled brightly. “Okay, let’s go!”
But Anamika’s heart sank.
She was angry at herself—for not being able to say such a simple thing out loud.
That she wanted an ice cream.
Her eyes welled up with quiet sadness, and her shoulders drooped.
Ira noticed this, but couldn’t understand what had upset her.
She thought hard, and came to a conclusion: “Maybe she’s just not used to being out this long… or maybe being in public makes her nervous.”
With that in mind, Ira reached out and held Anamika’s hand.
She smiled and said,
“Listen… you’re like a dedicated floor. Fragile and private!
So from now on, whenever we go out, just hold my hand, okay?
I know I’m younger than you, and it might feel weird, but I really don’t mind!
In fact, I’d love it if you held my hand.”
Anamika gave a soft, almost fake smile. “Okay…”
Her sadness hadn’t disappeared, but seeing Ira trying so hard to cheer her up…
She couldn’t show how upset she was.
Nor could she speak her heart.
So she smiled to end the conversation—and Ira, seeing nothing strange in her smile, happily held her hand and led the way.
Elsewhere…
Just as Anamika silently walked home, holding Ira’s hand—
Aditya was following behind Shekhar, lifelessly, dragging a bag in his hand.
He had a lollipop in his mouth and his cheeks were puffed up like an annoyed kid.
Despite his grumpy expression, he looked adorably cute.
In front of him, Shekhar walked like a mafia boss—his posture firm, his eyes cold, and his aura unshaken.
Technically, Shekhar was a former mafia leader and Aditya the present one…
But seeing them, no one would’ve guessed.
Still, no matter how annoyed Aditya looked, the girls passing by couldn’t help but glance at him.
Shekhar had been dragging him around the mall for a while now, and Aditya was getting really bored.
He finally let out a dramatic sigh and stopped walking.
Hearing his footsteps halt, Shekhar turned around.
Aditya, sulking, said, “How much longer do I have to walk around like this?!”
Shekhar replied in his usual blank tone, “There are snacks in the bag for you. Just keep walking quietly and eat.”
Aditya frowned, “Do you think I’m a child who’ll shut up just because you gave me a lollipop?!”
Stone-faced, Shekhar said, “I’ve met children smarter and calmer than you.”
That hit Aditya like an arrow to the heart.
He covered his eyes with his hand and shook his head in disbelief, “There’s no winning with you! Fine! I’ll say it! Yes—I love Anamika!
And yes—I’m scared to tell her! Happy now?!”
Shekhar smirked, barely. “Actually, I didn’t do all this just to hear that…
But since you’ve already confessed, well...
Anyway, I didn’t find anything suitable for my daughter in this mall. Let’s go somewhere else.”
And with that, he walked away.
Aditya stood frozen with his mouth open.
Pulling the lollipop out, he muttered to himself, “There’s no doubt that Aniket is definitely his son. That level of sharpness clearly runs in the family!
But why am I always the one they pick on?!
Aniket… bro, please save me from your dad!!”
Poor Aditya was struggling with Shekhar…
But Shekhar?He didn’t seem in any mood to let Aditya go easily.
Meanwhile…
Aniket, somewhere far away, stared at his laptop in frustration.
He was clearly hunting for something — something buried deep in someone’s past.
The question is… whose?
Well.. judging by the frustration on his face anyone could say success was still out of his reach.
So now the questions are...
Will Aniket find what he’s looking for?
Will Aditya survive Shekhar’s “training”?
And more importantly… will someone finally understand Anamika’s unspoken wish- and bring her that one ice cream she never asked for?
