|| THE AUTUMN I FELL FOR YOU || Part 6 / Page 3 : A Promise Made in Passing By the time they stepped out for pandal-hopping, the city had transformed into a river of lights. Arohi wore a long black salwar kurta, simple and elegant, her hair falling freely down her back. Arko had changed into a dark red shirt, his sleeves rolled casually to his forearms as always. When he saw her, he paused. Just for a second. Arohi noticed. “Something wrong?” “No,” he replied. “I'm beginning to think black is your way of warning people not to disturb you.” “Is it working?” “Not particularly.” “Then perhaps you should take the hint.” “I'm trying. You're making it very difficult.” She looked away, hiding a smile. They moved through crowded streets and brightly lit pandals, sometimes walking beside Mili and Sagnik, sometimes falling a few steps behind them. Everywhere, there was music, laughter, the rhythmic beat of dhaak, and the scent of incense mingling with the night air. Yet Arohi kept noticing little things. The way Arko slowed his steps when she stopped to admire a decoration. The way he leaned closer to hear her when the crowd grew loud. The way their shoulders nearly brushed whenever the narrow streets forced them to walk closer together. And Arko noticed things too. How she looked at the goddess with quiet reverence. How her laughter rose above the noise when he whispered something ridiculous. How, whenever their eyes met, she seemed to look away a heartbeat later than she used to. They were still teasing each other. Still pretending that everything between them was as ordinary as it had been a few days ago. But neither quite believed it anymore. At one pandal, Arohi stopped before a row of glowing lamps. “Beautiful, isn't it?” she murmured. Arko stood beside her. “Yes.” She glanced at him, expecting another joke. He was looking at her. For one suspended moment, the sounds of the crowd seemed to drift far away. Then he smiled, and she turned back towards the lamps, her heart behaving in a thoroughly unreasonable manner. — #Anamika to be continued…